Longstreet's first assignment placed him on recruiting duty in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he served for several months. After travelling to St. Louis for the Grant wedding, Longstreet and his wife moved to Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. On January 1, 1850, he was appointed Chief Commissary for the Department of Texas, responsible for the acquiring and distributing food to the soldiers and animals of the department. The job was complex and consisted mainly of paperwork, although it provided valuable experience in how to manage troops. In June, Longstreet, hoping to find promotion and an income above his $40-per month salary to support his growing family, requested transfer to the cavalry. His request was rejected. He resigned as commissary in March 1851 and returned to the Eighth Infantry. Longstreet served on frontier duty in Texas at Fort Martin Scott near Fredericksburg. The primary purpose of the military in Texas was to protect frontier communities against Indians, and Longstreet frequently participated in scouting missions against the Comanche. His family remained in San Antonio, and he saw them regularly. In 1854, he was transferred to Fort Bliss in El Paso, and Louise and the children moved in with him. In 1855, Longstreet was involved in fighting against the Mescalero. He assumed command of the garrison at Fort Bliss on two occasions between the spring of 1856 and the spring of 1858. The Longstreets' time at Fort Bliss was pleasant. The small size of the garrison allowed for easy socialization with the local people, and the fort's location allowed Louise to visit her parents in Santa Fe. Longstreet performed scouting missions.