22 
PRESENT MILITARY POSTS AND PROPOSED CHANGES. 
whole distance of three hundred miles is occupied by a country profusely overgrown with the 
mezquite and grama grasses—hy far the best and most nutritious grasses on this continent. 
It is quite unnecessary to dwell upon the importance of the remarkable advantages peculiar 
to this route, and I therefore proceed, with these opinions, to suggest the military arrangements 
which seem to me most judicious. 
Of the present military posts, and proposed changes .—The military posts which now enclose 
the settlements of Texas, considering the very large intervals between them, and the weakness 
of their garrisons, have been attended with wonderful success, although not situated, as, in my 
judgment, they should he, with a view to combined action with the military arrangements in 
New Mexico. The chain of posts in Texas is separated from the line of posts in New Mexico 
along the valley of the Rio Grande hy a distance of nearly five hundred miles ; and this great 
space, hy far too extensive to he rendered secure hy the present military arrangements, is traversed 
only once or twice during the year hy the trains of supplies and military stores for the posts on 
the Rio Grande. 
Any protection other than from their own combinations is, therefore, only afforded to the emi¬ 
grants and to the immense trains of the traders in New Mexico, Chihuahua, and Sonora, at long 
intervals ; and the almost daily accounts of loss of life hy sufferings, and from the attacks of 
Indians, are due to the defective disposition of the troops. 
The post (Fort Belknap) which has been placed on the upper Brazos, near the 33d parallel, 
is in all respects well situated upon the line which I have suggested, and is garrisoned hy two 
companies of the 7th infantry and one company of the 2d dragoons. 
Mounted troops are far more efficient than infantry at frontier posts ; and I would therefore 
suggest the propriety of replacing one of the infantry companies hy a company of mounted men. 
This post is about one hundred and seventy-five miles from Fort Washita, and a somewhat less 
distance from Fort Arbuckle, on the verge of the Chickasaw and Choctaw country, and settle¬ 
ments have gradually advanced towards .it to a distance of fifty miles from the valley of the Red 
river, at a little village of Preston. Settlements have been commenced in the vicinity of the 
post, and also at a distance of thirty-five miles to the west, and in a few years the wants of the 
garrison will he readily supplied hy them. 
The Indians of the small friendly tribes I have mentioned have also established their villages 
in the neighborhood. 
For all the military purposes required, this post is admirably placed, and is only defective, as 
I have stated above, in its garrison. 
About one hundred and thirty-five miles to the southwest we find Fort Chadbourne, on a 
small tributary of the Colorado, and about twelve miles from the river. 
In view of the reasons I have suggested,•this post is out of position, and I therefore recom¬ 
mend that it he thrown forward in a northwest direction, to the intersection of the line from Fort 
Belknap to El Paso, with the broad trail to the Rio Grande along the eastern base of the Llano 
Estacado, and which is now the highway of the Camanches and Kiowas of the northern plains. 
It would thus be brought more directly into contact with the Indians, and nearer to the tim¬ 
bered regions of the Brazos and Red rivers, in which they pass the winter; would occupy the 
broad trail of their plundering expeditions to the Rio Grande ; would separate the northern 
from the southern Camanches ; and, independently of these advantages in a military view, it 
would occupy a point on the proposed route of travel to the Rio Grande at El Paso. 
The main Colorado and many of its tributaries offer desirable sites for a military post as far 
west, at least, as the 101° of longitude, and somewhat farther if necessary. The mezquite, of 
large size, is found forming extensive forests, and furnishing an excellent and abundant fuel. 
Building-stone and lime exist on the spot, and water is found in springs and running streams 
at almost any point. There is no timber so high up on the Colorado which is fit for the lumber 
used in the construction of quarters; hut as the buildings would necessarily he of stone, it 
would he requisite to haul hut little lumber from points below. 
