Life of the Mind: Marse Robert was in Texas as the first Lieutenant Colonel and second Colonel of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

This was the first actual cavalry regiment the US Army ever had in peacetime and was the work of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis.

(Jeff Davis also came up with the US Camelry, but that is a different story.)

The first Colonel of the 2nd Cavalry was Albert Sidney Johnson.

Other names for the regiment include Sheridan, Hood, Thomas, and many other notables.

The regiment became the first white men to actually travel between San Antonio and El Paso since De Perala lost his cannon to the Commanche in 1759. They mapped the region,
enabled the start of the Butterfield Stage
and saw the establishment of the Loving-Goodnight Ranch.

Then these young officers and staunch comrades became great generals and bitter enemies.

So mote it be.