and equipped at public expense. These were attached to the regular force under Colonel Burleson. During the past year, it had become necessary to enroll companies of citizens in some area for local defense, and these were taken into the service of the Republic as rangers.[156]

After some consideration in both houses of Congress of the problem of frontier protection and the inadequacy of the existing services, the Senate called upon the Secretary of War on December 10 to propose a plan for the protection of the northern, western, and southwestern frontiers.[157]  The plan submitted was very similar to that provided by the law of December 21, 1838, except in the number and distribution of the forces and in the location of the various posts, together with the addition of a line of auxiliary posts. Johnston recommended the establishment of nine front line posts and three auxiliary ones. Of the front line posts, he recommended that a post be established at or near each of the following locations: (1) the Basin Springs, on the great Mineral Bayou, fifteen miles southwest of Coffee's Trading Post on Red River; (2) the west fork of the Trinity, in the Cross Timbers, about forty miles from the Basin Springs;[158]  (3) the junction of the Bosque and the Brazos rivers; (4) the junction of Pecan Bayou and the Colorado River on the east bank; (5) the source of the San Marcos River; (6) the upper fork of the Cibolo; (7) the Frio River, above the San Antonio road to Laredo; (8) the ford where the road from San Antonio to Laredo crossed the Nueces River; and (9) a site near San Patricio on the Nueces. This line of posts, he declared, was selected "in such a manner as to embrace the settlements already established, and to cover those districts which need only protection, to induce their immediate settlement."

The three auxiliary posts were to be located, respectively, one at the junction of the San Gabriel and Brushy Creek, to be designated