During early statehood, Texas was faced with the daunting task of protecting a vast and open frontier. The protection of settlers was a prime duty of the Texas military, and most battalions were tasked with guarding the wide open lands of the young state that were difficult to defend again free roaming Comanche and Apache as well as bandits and criminals hiding in the swamps on the Louisiana border.
Texas was farther from Washington than Mexico City which made relying on distant government help challenging especially before the completion of railroads and telegraph networks in the 1880s. From the deserted swamp lands of Louisiana to the no mans land of the Nueces Strip (ruled by Banditos) and the Comanche grounds of West Texas, the borders of the Lone Star State were under constant threat.
Self reliance and community spirit were common threads throughout American history, especially in the recently independent Texas and across the western frontier. The Sixth Texas Cavalry was an independent battalion organized by Robert Gould with the main purpose of protecting the Texas frontier. The bold independent spirit of Texas was embodied by this brave group.
