In the event of fire in any of the public buildings troops would be of vast service in the protection of public property, and should insurrection break out the protection of life and property would be more safe guarded by our company of regulars, than by the whole City.

[citation needed] Joining Jim Beckwourth and "Old Bill" Williams Smith helped establish the largest horse theft operation in the Southwest until authorities eventually forced the gang to break up in the late 1840s. Thomas L. [citation needed]
Smith later accompanied Alexandre Le Grand's expedition into New Mexico as a scout[citation needed] later learning several Native American languages.

Thomas L. "Pegleg" Smith (October 10 1801–1866) was a mountain man who serving as a guide for many early expeditions into the American Southwest helped explore parts of present-day New Mexico. [citation needed].