US Army cavalrymen out on the Plains in the Indian Wars faced many dangers during their arduous campaigns. Those intrepid “horse soldiers” manned isolated forts along the trails out West, protected settlers, miners, and railroad crews from "hostiles", and brought renegade bands back onto the reservation. Their pay was $13 a month, their diet beans and hay. They fought over cards or rotgut whiskey, but shared the last drop in their canteens. US cavalrymen in the Indian Wars were issued the Trapdoor Springfield Carbine, as its shorter, lighter design made it easier to fire on horseback. Carbine ammo was carried in the specially designed M-1885 "prairie belt", any original surviving examples of which remain very scarce today. This US Army Indian Wars Trapdoor Springfield Cavalry Carbine M-1885 Khaki Prairie Belt is in Good Condition, with some loose threading at the bottom right front, some drying, curling, and crazing to the leather belt section at the right end, the initials “HV” hand carved into the sewn portion of the back right leather end, the last character in the inspector’s initials at that back right leather end remaining illegible, thus leaving only the first two letters of “S.H.”, which cannot be traced, all but 4 of the shell cases missing their primers, moderate verdigris patina to one shell case in particular, some scattered patina to the rest of the cases, some scattered darkening and brownish spot soiling throughout, and with some overall age wear evident. Otherwise, the belt is in fine shape, with no other damage to the tough khaki canvas and dark brown leather construction. Most interestingly, it boasts 42 shell loops in total (the standard number was either 45 or 50, but there was a great deal of experimenting done with these belts in the late 1870s and early 1880s) with each containing a vintage (but not antique) empty brass case of 45-70 ammo by Winchester Repeating Arms, Remington Peters, or Winchester Western, sports a fully functional leather strap and brass buckle front closure system, and is beautifully hand named to “Sergt. McIntosh / Co A” along the interior right side, along with the number “47” hand marked in matching fashion at the interior middle. It features the original brown leather and brass “D” ring mounted brass saber hanger at the left side, next to another brass riveted brown leather tab, the purpose of which is unknown, measures to a Size 30-37 Waist, and is a fine example of a very rare, original US Army Indian Wars Trapdoor Springfield Cavalry Carbine M-1885 Khaki Prairie Belt.