Range of the Rocky Mountains in the 1830’s, included
geologists, botanists, zoologists, artists, surveyors, as-
tronomers and meteorologists who documented and
mapped the territories and their flora and fauna (Mey-
erson 2001).
The academic foundations and training which
West Point officers received in these early years ex-
tended further into the 19th century as the westward
movement ensued. Many West Point officers were
commissioned in the Cavalry (horse cavalry) and led
mounted troop units westward into the Great Plains
and Desert Southwest to control and fight Native
American tribes residing in these territories. These of-
ficers and their soldiers established forts throughout
the West, along wagon trails and major waterways, to
protect citizens, trappers, fur traders and commercial
investors as they moved westward. While their pri-
mary role was to provide security and protection, the
U.S. Cavalry, which later became known as the “Old
Army,” developed a unique sense of public service
and citizenship that has been described as “ecological
nationalism.”(Meyerson 2001). This ecological nation-
alism evolved from the Cavalry’s close association to
the western landscape as it traversed its vast and in-
spiring terrain and weathered the harshness of its cli-
mate and natural phenomena. Additionally, the Army
Cavalry was given a mission of public service to “pro-
tect and defend” this western landscape from those
who were more bent on malicious use and consump-
tion of its resources. In the early 1900’s as President
Teddy Roosevelt sought to protect national treasures
in the emerging National Parks, the U.S. cavalry was
assigned this mission, with several West Point officers
holding the distinction of being the first National Park
Superintendents at Yellowstone, Sequoia and Yosem-
ite parks (Meyerson 2001).
sharon
(sharon)
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