Historians generally agree
that the year 1890, if a definite year has to be picked, marked the end
of the American Frontier. The buffalo were gone, the railroads were
completed, the roving Indians were on reservations, virtually all of the
good land was occupied and the open range was almost a memory. From the
first settlement in Virginia, in 1607, the effect of the frontier on
American character had been enormous due to the constant struggle
against nature and Indians, all of which had a hand in developing the
national traits of democracy, self-reliance, ingenuity and to a certain
extent, lawlessness. The frontier may have literally ended in 1890 but
its spirit lives on in the hearts and minds of Americans, and it is
symbolized for eternity by the Indian, the frontiersman, the cowboy and
the Frontier Army. There was still restlessness and resentment after
1890, we will cover the lesser known battles before the Little Big Horn
and after Wounded Knee.
The U.S. Cavalry
The story of the U.S.
Cavalry history is a look at a genuine, often romanticized institution
in the pageant of American history. It will shed light on the
personalities of cavalry officers and enlisted men and on the lesser
known facts of cavalry life and on lesser and major battles and
campaigns.
There will be numerous
illustrations - both photographs and drawings of regiments, troops,
battles and the men on both sides of the many conflicts in which the
Frontier Army engaged.
The history of the U.S.
Cavalry is a proud one, that of an integral force in the making and
shaping of America that lives on today. It makes fascinating reading and
reenacting for anyone interested in military strategy, in horses and
riding and in the history of the nation during the Indian Wars period -
1870-1890.
The U.S. Infantry
Walk-A-Heap, as they were
called by the Plains Indians. The Army doctrine of that era did not
credit infantry with a decisive role in crushing Indian outbreaks. Since
most hostile tribes were well mounted, it made sense to hunt them with
the pony soldiers. Infantry usually accompanied the major field columns,
guarding supply trains and base depots to free the cavalry for offensive
sorties, yet even after the reorganization of 1876, the U.S. Cavalry was
never big enough to spearhead an Army lunge into Indian country. The
Infantry received their share of chances for death and glory in the
final stands of the Indian campaign. For most foot soldiers, however, an
Indian campaign brought nothing more than blisters and exhaustion. It
was with good reason that the Indians called frontier foot soldiers -
Walk-A-Heap.
