th ▁Caval ry ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁western ▁and ▁south western ▁Texas , ▁to ▁maintain ▁law ▁and ▁order ▁between ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁and ▁Con cho ▁R ivers ▁along ▁a ▁ 6 3 0 - mile ▁line ▁with ▁seven ▁for ts ▁from ▁Fort ▁Clark ▁to ▁Fort ▁Qu it man ▁near ▁present - day ▁El ▁Pas o ▁( the ▁for ts ▁ended ▁up ▁including ▁Fort ▁Qu it man , ▁Fort ▁Davis , ▁Fort ▁Stock ton , ▁Fort ▁Lanc aster , ▁Fort ▁Clark , ▁Fort ▁Dun can , ▁Fort ▁McK av ett , ▁and ▁Fort ▁Con cho ). ▁Regiment al ▁Head quarters ▁and ▁Tro ops ▁A , ▁B , ▁E ▁and ▁K , ▁under ▁Col . ▁H atch , ▁were ▁station ed ▁at ▁Fort ▁Stock ton ; ▁Tro ops ▁C , ▁D , ▁F , ▁G , ▁H ▁and ▁I , ▁under ▁L t . ▁Col . ▁Wes ley ▁Mer ritt ▁were ▁at ▁Fort ▁Davis . ▁Tro ops ▁L ▁and ▁M ▁under ▁ 1 st ▁L t . ▁Hamilton ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁sent ▁to ▁Brow ns ville . ▁The ▁ 9 th ▁remained ▁in ▁Texas ▁for ▁eight ▁years , ▁nearly ▁all ▁of ▁it ▁in ▁the ▁field . ▁While ▁in ▁Texas , ▁the ▁troops ▁batt led ▁inter mitt ently ▁with ▁Ap aches , ▁Ki ow as , ▁and ▁Com an ches , ▁esc orted ▁mail , ▁and ▁res cu ed ▁civ ili ans ▁from ▁native ▁populations . ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁K ▁Tro op ▁lost ▁three ▁tro op ers ▁at