Yes, I see the sense in putting cavalry garrisons "out in harm's way" to protect the big Union base and railroad terminal at Pilot Knob, and I agree with you about how that resulted in making them targets sooner or later. I see why the Feds had to settle for outposts not so far out from Pilot Knob at Centreville and Patterson.

The Union military did the same thing a few miles to the west in south-central Missouri to protect their big base and railroad terminal at Rolla. At times throughout the war the Federals put garrisons way south of Rolla at Houston and Licking in Texas County and in Oregon County, but the only one that they could keep halfway safe was the closer garrison at Salem in Dent County. They had other posts in this region just to protect the main wagon road (now called Interstate 44) to their big base at Sprinfield.

The poor troops at the most distant outposts wore themselves and their horses out hauling in forage and supplies while at the same time keeping patrols way, way out to prevent terrible surprises. Those garrisons wore themselves down by attrition just trying to keep enough men and horses healthy enough to cope with whatever the Rebels threw at them. Such distant outposts were a lose/lose deal. The Union cavalry could never put enough men and horses in one place to achieve much victory over Confederates who came their way. But, on the bad side, they could sure lose all or most of a patrol once in a while to sudden action. They were sitting ducks.

Those distant, vulnerable posts reminded me of "listening posts" known to those of us who served in the 20th century, as they served only as early warning and not much else. I learned how vulnerable "LP's" were one night at Fort Riley when I was a cadet acting in the role of company commander. The aggressors (Special Forces guys who loved to show up ROTC cadets) without much effort gobbled up one of my LPs, and then came up to my perimeter and asked me if I wanted the two very miffed cadets back. I lost points off my grade when I told the voice in the dark "Nope. You keep 'em." I was pretty rattled, and figured the SF's were trying to draw me into a trap. (When your aggressors are SF guys, you learn real quick to assume everything is a trap.) Looking back on it later, I saw that the SF's didn't want to entertain my guys any more and just wanted to get back to barracks and get some sleep. I regretted not saying "Yes" to what was probably the aggresssors' genuine act of compassion giving my prisoners back to me. I did a lot dumber stuff as a lieutenant, so I don't lose sleep over this one.

Bruce