Settle and Conquer

Militarism on the American Frontier, 1607-1890

This rereading of the history of American westward expansion examines the destruction of Native American cultures as a successful campaign of “counterinsurgency.” Paramilitary figures such as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett “opened the West” and frontiersmen infiltrated the enemy, learning Indian tactics and launching “search and destroy” missions. Conventional military force was a key component but the interchange between militia, regular soldiers, volunteers and frontiersmen underscores the complexity of the conflict and the implementing of a “peace policy.” The campaign’s outcome rested as much on the civilian population’s economic imperatives as any military action. The success of this three-century war of attrition was unparalleled but ultimately saw the victors question the morality of their own actions.