Army Letters from an Officer's Wife, 1871-1888

"Army Letters from an Officer's Wife, 1871-1888" by Frances Marie Antoinette Mack Roe is a collection of personal letters written during the late 19th century that chronicles the experiences of an army officer’s wife living in the American West. The letters provide a vivid depiction of life on the frontier, detailing encounters with Native Americans, the harsh living conditions of military posts, and the daily challenges faced by women in that era. The beginning of the collection introduces the author as she arrives at Fort Lyon, Colorado, following an arduous journey. Her initial letters express discomfort and uncertainty about her new surroundings, filled with menacing towns and a lack of female companionship. As she settles in, she describes the peculiarities of army life, such as the interactions with soldiers and the customs of the officers, providing a humorous yet insightful commentary on her social experiences. From awkward moments at formal dinners to the excitement of seeing wild buffalo, the opening sets the stage for a life filled with adventure, adaptation, and the trials of living in a harsh but captivating landscape. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Frances M. A. Roe, born Frances Marie Antoinette Mack was an American writer. She was the daughter of Ralph Gilbert Make and Mary Colton Mack of Watertown, New York. On August 19, 1871, she married U.S. Army officer Fayette Washington Roe, who ultimately became a Lieutenant Colonel, and was sent to Fort Lyon in Colorado Territory in 1871. She accompanied him and recorded her life during these years in a memoir. While her husband's career has been described as "unremarkable", Roe continues to be known on the basis of her book for the accurate picture of Army life it painted. Black soldiers from this period became known as the "Buffalo Soldiers"; Roe's was the first documented use of the name. Roe said of the Buffalo Soldiers:These ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ are active, intelligent, and resolute men; are perfectly willing to fight the Indians, whenever they may be called upon to do so, and appear to me to be rather superior to the average of white men recruited in time of peace.