Mary Lee Stubbs and Stanley Russell Connor

“ The Army also provided protection for the settlers' wagon trains, and it explored and Surveyed the hostile Indian country. In this period, too, the slavery problem increased in intensity. When open warfare broke out in Kansas Territory between slavery and antislavery factions, nearly all the 1st Cavalry and the 2d Dragoons, together with some infantry companies, were sent there to keep the peace. They succeeded in stopping the fighting, but soon thereafter these companies and 'the rest of the Army were involved in a major conflict that lasted four long years. ”

“ Johnson's Kentucky Mounted Volunteers, for example, were at the Battle of the Thames River in Canada in 1813, and General Coffee's mounted Tennessee militia fought under Andrew Jackson in Alabama in 1814. The Regiment of Dragoons was disbanded on 15 June 1815, and for seventeen years the Regular establishment again had no cavalry. Despite the arguments in Army circles for a small mounted force, Congress stood firm in its dedication to economy and a minimum standing Army. ”

“ George Cooke from the 6th Infantry. The combination of Regulars and Rangers gave to the new regiment some officers with a thorough knowledge of military principles and others well acquainted with the type of action that all were soon to experience. None, however, were schooled in cavalry tactics. The officers of the regiment themselves practiced drilling in squads in order to be able to teach the men. The Army then in the field consisted of 4 regiments (36 companies) of artillery, 7 regiments (70 companies) of infantry, and a regiment (10 companies) of dragoons. ”

“ Meanwhile, the states were called upon for mounted troops. Congress on 23 May 1836 authorized the raising of 10,000 volunteers and a second regiment of dragoons. The volunteers could be either foot or mounted and the dragoon regiment was to be a duplicate of the regiment of dragoons already in the service. To get the organization of the new Regular regiment started, a detachment of the 1st Regiment of Dragoons, already in Florida, was reorganized as a company of the 2d Regiment of Dragoons and recruiting stations were opened at various places in the Eastern Department. ”

“ The cavalry force of our army being all required for active service of the same kind, there appears no propriety in making a permanent distinction in the designation and armament of the several regiments ”

“ Money was finally appropriated and a plan developed calling for forts from the Missouri to the Columbia. That there ought to be military protection for the project was evident, and for once a mounted force appeared to be the most economical solution. ”

“ If action were not needed, the mounted force should make a show of strength at least once a year by marching into the Indian country. In 1844, as a result of these arguments and pressure from the frontier states for a greater number of mounted Regulars in that area, Congress passed legislation to remount the riflemen and to restore to the regiment its original designation. Instead of moving to the western frontier, however, the 2d Dragoons joined Brig. ”