The Post-Civil War Frontier American Army

Some recruits were Civil War soldiers, men used to military life who had trouble readjusting to civilian ways. Others were wide-eyed country boys seeking adventure and escape from the drudgery of farm life—only to discover they had traded one form of hardship for another. Some were criminals seeking an anonymous refuge, others “snowbirds” intending to desert when spring brought better weather. There were even men who sought relief during economic depressions; hard times were the army’s best recruiter.
About half the men were foreign born. Between 1865 and 1874, 20 percent came from Ireland and 12 percent from Germany. The army was a source of steady employment and a chance to adapt to American culture.