Author Eric Flint (admittedly of fiction) postulates in two alternate history books - 1812: the Rivers of War and 1824- The Arkansas War, that the only solution to many of the problems the American Indian had with White Americans could only have been solved by a much larger standing Army than the early Republic was willing to maintain. He makes a pretty good argument that the tiny professional military was totally incapable of keeping White Americans from encroaching on Indian land. But when the Indians reasonably objected to defacto abrogation of treaties by land hungry settlers, the Army could defeat the Indians in battle and force them to move. James Brothers, RPA James Brothers [log in to unmask] James Brothers, RPA [log in to unmask]