"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.
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