17 - Army Letters from an Officers Wife, 1871-1888 by Frances M. A. Roe

Experience the Old American West through the captivating letters of Frances Roe, a dynamic and tenacious woman who accompanied her West Point Army officer husband to frontier garrisons across Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah, Montana, and Wyoming. From 1871 to 1888, Frances detailed her thrilling adventures and unique experiences in letters home to her family in upstate New York. These letters, later published in 1909, offer a riveting glimpse into frontier and army life. Despite the challenging living conditions, Frances embraced Western life, learning to fish, hunt, ride, and even shoot. Her letters illuminate various aspects of life in the West, from army protocol to interaction with Indian tribes, black cavalry troops, and diverse cooks. Francess letters document a time of rapid transformation in the West, touching on the disappearance of buffalo herds, the decline of Indian tribes, and the advent of railroads. Even after her husbands promotion took them away from the plains she loved, Francess vivid and enthusiastic writing continued to evoke the spirit of the West, making her letters a must-read for anyone fascinated by the Old American West.