Frontier Duty and West Point
After the war's end, Merritt continued to serve in the cavalry along the frontier. He was appointed lieutenant colonel of the newly-raised U.S. 9th Cavalry on July 28, 1866, and in July 1867 was sent to command Fort Davis, Texas, garrisoned by six of the regiment's companies. He was made colonel of the 5th Cavalry on July 1, 1876, which he commanded in the Battle of Slim Buttes during the Indian Wars. He served on the frontier until being appointed superintendent of West Point, a post he filled from 1882 to 1887. In 1887, he was appointed a brigadier general in the regular army. He was promoted to major general in the U.S. Army in 1895. As colonel of the 5th Cavalry, Merritt was a member of the court of inquiry which first sat on January 13 1879 presided over by Colonel John H King 9th Infantry, which was convened to consider the behaviour of Major Marcus A Reno 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn ( June 25/26 1876 ) which resulted in the death of General George Armstrong Custer and over 200 men of the 7th Cavalry.
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