Waubonsee Community College

The frontier army in the settlement of the West, by Michael L. Tate

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 371-435) and index

government publication of a state province territory dependency etc

illustrations

index present

non fiction

The frontier army in the settlement of the West

bibliography

41580638

by Michael L. Tate

"Books, art, and movies most often portray the frontier army in continuous conflict with Native Americans. In truth, the army spent only a small part of its frontier duty fighting Indians; as the main arm of the federal government in less-settled regions of the nation, the army performed a host of duties." "The Frontier Army in the Settlement of the West examines the army's non-martial contributions to western development. Dispelling timeworn stereotypes, Michael L. Tate shows that the army conducted explorations, compiled scientific and artistic records, built roads, aided overland travelers, and improved river transportation. Army posts offered nuclei for towns, and soldiers delivered federal mails, undertook agricultural experiments, and assembled weather records for forecasting." "The "multipurpose" army also provided telegraph service, extended relief to destitute civilians, and protected early national parks. Military posts published records of western life and provided revenues to attract settlers and businessmen. The army acted with civilian officials to enforce the law and frequently championed Indian rights. And soldiers in the frontier army built post schools, chapels, and hospitals that were used by civilians."--Jacket

Discoverers: military scientists, ethnologists, and artists in the new empire -- Encountering the elephant: army aid to emigrants on the Platte River road -- Across and on the wide Missouri: the army's role in western transportation and communication -- Posse comitatus in blue: the soldier as frontier lawman -- Dining at the government trough: army contracts and payrolls as community builders -- Uncle Sam's farmers: soldiers as agriculturalists and meteorologists -- Hippocrates in blue: army doctors on the frontier -- Reform the man: post chapels, schools, and libraries -- Sharpening the eagle's talons for domestic duties: the army in public relief work and in protecting the national parks -- In defense of "Poor Lo": military advocacy for Native American rights -- Documenting the experience: soldier journalists, autobiographers, and novelists -- Life after soldiering: entrepreneurs, investors, and retirees