Was a large standing army maintained by the United States after the Civil War to protect settlers?

The statement that a large standing army was maintained by the United States after the Civil War to protect settlers is false. Following the Civil War, the U.S. did not keep a large standing army. Instead, the military was substantially reduced in size because there was a strong sentiment towards limited peacetime military forces, in part due to the war's toll and a desire to avoid a permanent, large military presence.

In the years immediately after the Civil War, military forces were primarily utilized in a limited capacity, often deployed in response to specific conflicts or disturbances, such as conflicts with Native American tribes as settlers moved westward. As such, the military was engaged in protecting settlers primarily during those particular instances rather than maintaining an ongoing large force for their protection. The military’s role focused on addressing immediate threats and conflicts as they arose rather than a continuous, expansive deployment to shield settlers.