A Family Legacy Reimagined: Descendant DuAnne Redus Revives and Responds to a Texas a Texas Frontier Classic, 5 Years a Cavalryman:
First published in 1889, H.H. McConnell’s Five Years a Cavalryman remains one of the most authentic and lively accounts of life as an ordinary soldier on the post-Civil War frontier. Serving with the Sixth U.S. Cavalry from 1866 to 1871, McConnell offers a candid, “insider” look at the reality of life at Fort Belknap and Fort Richardson.
Moving beyond the romanticized myths of the Old West, McConnell provides a blunt report on the daily struggles of enlisted men—from the boredom and thievery to the “shooting scrapes” involving the Texas Rangers. His narrative provides rare, first-hand perspectives on the trial of Kiowa leaders Satanta and Big Tree, the arrival of General William Sherman, and the complex relationships between soldiers, settlers, and Native Americans. For history buffs and genealogists alike, this is an essential primary source that captures the true spirit and grit of the Texas frontier.
This special edition of Five Years a Cavalryman is brought to life by DuAnne Redus, the great-great-granddaughter of H.H. McConnell. Driven by a passion for preserving her family’s deep roots in Texas history, Redus provides a bridge between the past and the present. Her dedication ensures that McConnell’s gritty, first-hand account of the Sixth U.S. Cavalry remains available for a new generation of historians, genealogists, and frontier enthusiast
