Edward O. C. Ord on Frontier Defense

Abstract

FOREWORD. ? Edward Otho Cresap Ord, a native of Maryland, was closely identified with California during his military career, and in 1868, as major gen eral, he attained command of the Department of the Pacific.1 Ord was grad uated from West Point in the class of 1838. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 3rd U. S. artillery and saw almost immediate service in the cam paigns against the Seminole Indians in Florida. In 1846, following the outbreak of the Mexican War, Ord's regiment was ordered to California. Although they did not arrive until January 1847, too late to participate in the conquest of California, Ord, now a first lieutenant, together with Lieut. William Tecumseh Sherman, also of the 3rd artillery, played important roles in the maintenance of order. Early in 1850, Ord was assigned to Fort Independence, Massachusetts, from which he dated his letter. He returned to the Pacific coast after some two years, and remained there until the outbreak of the Civil War, except for a brief eastern assignment in 1859. Ord's correspondent, Isaac I. Stevens, at that time a major of engineers in the U. S. coast survey, was the same age as Ord, and the two had graduated from West Point in the same class. During the Mexican War, Stevens served as an en gineering adjutant on the staff of Gen. Winfield Scott; he then turned his atten tion to the vast area which had been annexed to the United States and to the part which the army would play in its defense and development. Stevens wanted a share in the work. He saw in New Mexico or in Texas ... a field for such of us