Osprey Battle Orders 005 2004 US Army in the Plains Indian Wars 1865-1891

The United States was in a period of great transition during the late-spring of 1865. The nation had experienced and survived a bitter civil war and its leaders were desperately trying to bind together a divided country. Many sought a new beginning in the West, and a massive migration of emigrants rolled towards the Pacific. The railroad and civilization surged westward; not even geographical obstacles stopped this steady progress. Farmers and settlers at first encountered privation on the semi-arid plains, but the advance of the railroads and technology soon transformed the Plains into a livable area for emigrants.