Military Wives in Arizona Territory: A History of Women Who Shaped the Frontier

When the U.S. Army ordered troops into Arizona Territory in the 19th century to protect and defend the new settlements established there, some of those military men brought their wives and families. Many of these women worked as laundresses for the military and maids to officers’ families to supplement their husband’s meager salaries. They had little time for leisure, but their letters, diaries, and journals from their years on the army posts reveal the hardships and challenges faced by families on the frontier. These women were bold, brave, and compassionate. They were an integral part of military posts that peppered the West and played an important role in civilizing the Arizona frontier. Combining the words of these women with original research tracing their movements from camp to camp over the years they spent in the West, From Reveille to Taps explores the tragedies and triumphs they experienced.