Native Americans and the War

[donna]

The article I referenced has same photo as you have. The person who wrote article identifies it as the 1901 reunion of the Cherokee Indian Battalion of Thomas' Legion. Courtesy of Mountaineer Publishing, Inc. Waynesville, North Carolina.

 

[CSA Today]

The February 2014 issue of the United Daughters of the Confederacy has article, "The Final Fracture, The Cherokee Nation During the War Between the State". It talks about the different tribes that joined the Confederacy, with emphasis on the Cherokees. There was a split in Cherokee Nation, but more joined the Confederacy. The article states there were about 5000 Cherokees of which 3500 joined the Confederacy. The article goes on to state: "Because the majority of the Cherokees fought for the Confederacy, their treaties with the U.S. Government were broken, and the Cherokee people never regained the unity or the prosperity they enjoyed before the war. The fracture within the Cherokee Nation never healed, and these two tribes of the Cherokees operate independently to this day."

From "UDC Magazine", February, 2014, "The Final Fracture", by Donna Bailey, pages 30-32.

The majority of the able bodied North Carolina Cherokees (about 400) join the Confederate army (Thomas Legion). Of the approximately 30 who joined the unionists many were killed by their relatives after the war for their betrayal.
http://thomaslegion.net/

 

[donna]

The same photo is identified as same as one author of UDC article states at

http://history.ncsu.edu/projects/cwnc/exhibits/show/thomas-legion/introduction

 

[RobertBruceFerguson]

Good points. Just to muddy the waters up even more Of the 12k Indians who fought for the CSA how active where they? It has been said that the pro-CSA Indians in the IT where more of a nuisance and were inactive a great deal of the time. How effective where the Indians has conventional infantry? I don't know but at Pea Ridge they may of inspired the Union troops to fight harder. On the other hand CSA Hampton's Legion seems to of done well. We forgot to mention the Lumby Indians of Nc who where conscripted to build coastal fortifications and then fought during and after the CW against the local whites. I will try to do some research this weekend. This week I have a lot of work but no doubt it is has we both agree a far from simple story about Indians and the CW.
Leftyhunter

As a former military man myself, I know there is a lot of waiting ... more so back then I'm confidant to say. I'm aware of a few major battles, like the one at Honey Springs, and the one you mentioned, Pea Ridge ... there must have been plenty of skirmishes which must entail a large percentage of the operations in I.T. and Indian units found east of the Mississippi. Effectiveness? Interesting point ... not sure how I would gauge/scale it ... but sounds like worthy goal to keep in mind while researching all these units.

 

[RobertBruceFerguson]

The same photo is identified as same as one author of UDC article states at

http://history.ncsu.edu/projects/cwnc/exhibits/show/thomas-legion/introduction

There were several major reunions held in New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century, could have been 1901 ... the source I used for the year is from a government website; they're usually reliable about details. (http://www.nps.gov/grsm/historyculture/civil-war-2.htm)

 

[Klaudly]

Daniel McIntosh was a Creek who was a mixed blood (white-Native American). He served as a Colonel for the Confederates.

Picture of Colonel McIntosh is wartime photo? Belt, belt buckle and trousers seem military items

 

[RobertBruceFerguson]

Picture of Colonel McIntosh is wartime photo? Belt, belt buckle and trousers seem military items

Not sure ...

 

[Lt. SylvesterGB]

As a former military man myself, I know there is a lot of waiting ... more so back then I'm confidant to say. I'm aware of a few major battles, like the one at Honey Springs, and the one you mentioned, Pea Ridge ... there must have been plenty of skirmishes which must entail a large percentage of the operations in I.T. and Indian units found east of the Mississippi. Effectiveness? Interesting point ... not sure how I would gauge/scale it ... but sounds like worthy goal to keep in mind while researching all these units.

There were many skirmishes and engagements throughout Indian Territory that involved Indian units.
Not all included in the list (in the link) below contained indian units
http://www.okcivilwar.org/tag/battles

 

[Lt. SylvesterGB]

The Oklahoma Historical Society has lots of information on Native Americans in the Civil War and the Civil War in Indian Territory.
http://www.okcivilwar.org/cwhistory

Including a letter from Albert Pike to Opotheyahola:
http://www.okcivilwar.org/history/pike-letter

 

[Lt. SylvesterGB]

And here is "COLONEL COOPER'S CIVIL WAR REPORT ON
THE BATTLE OF ROUND MOUNTAIN"

http://digital.library.okstate.edu/chronicles/v039/v039p352.pdf

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

View attachment 33216
I wondered who and where these Native American Confederates came from ... North Carolina Native American Confederates (Thomas' Legion): "Indian Volunteers, enlisted in Jackson and Cherokee Counties for the local defense of the Carolinas, East Tennessee, Southwestern Virginia, and the Cumberland Mountains in Kentucky." (Photo taken at the New Orleans Confederate Convention in 1903.)

Third from the left, back row, the only white man in the photo is Colonel William W. Stringfield. He's supposed to be the man that faced down Champ Ferguson after Ferguson had killed two wounded Union P.O.W.'s at the hospital in Emory, Virginia. He's supposed to have told Ferguson " This will stop sir ! If you kill anyone else it will be me ! " It's generally believed Champ intended to kill several more that day.

 

[ndnboy]

Opothle Yohola (1798 - 1863)
Muscogee Creek chief who survived the Red Stick War and the Indian Removals of the 1820's and 1830's. Refusing to align with the Confederacy he led a fighting retreat of his people and allied followers from the Indian Territory to Kansas in November and December, 1861. They suffered heavy losses in the retreat and more when promised assistance from the Federal government was late in arriving and inadequate when it finally got there. He died and is buried in Fort Belmont KS.
View attachment 33123

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/woodson/Yahola.txt
http://digital.library.okstate.edu/chronicles/v009/v009p439.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opothleyahola

Opothleyohola August 15,1861 Letter to Pres. Lincoln "you said that in our new homes we should be defended from all interference...and that no white people....should ever molest us....but the land should be ours as long as the grass grew or waters run,and should we be injured by anybody you would come with your soldiers and punish them,but now the wolf has come,men who are strangers tread our soil,our children are frightened and the mothers cannot sleep for fear.

 

[ErnieMac]

Oneida Tribe of Indians' Civil War role emerges
Tribal members fought for Union Army
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com...1/Oneida-Tribe-Indians-Civil-War-role-emerges

History reveals that Native Americans were neither wanted nor welcomed into the Union army when the war started because they weren't recognized as U.S. citizens. An attempt by Wisconsin Gov. Alexander Randall to recruit Native Americans was rejected by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.

But by 1863 the need for more soldiers was acute, and Congress passed the Conscription Law.

It offered Native Americans $300 to join the army with some enlisting under the name of a non-Native American who chose not to join.

"That was like me being offered $300,000 today," said Overman, whose father fought in World War I.

 

[John Winn]

A general thread for Native Americans during the Civil War ...

I'm a little late for the party (what else is new) but just wanted to say I'm happy you've started this thread. It's a very interesting topic and one that I don't think gets the attention it deserves. I knew a bit about Stand Watie and even less about some of the slave-holding tribes in Louisiana siding with the CSA but that's it really. Keep it coming. Any recommendations for good reading material are appreciated.

 

[ndnboy]

I'm a little late for the party (what else is new) but just wanted to say I'm happy you've started this thread. It's a very interesting topic and one that I don't think gets the attention it deserves. I knew a bit about Stand Watie and even less about some of the slave-holding tribes in Louisiana siding with the CSA but that's it really. Keep it coming. Any recommendations for good reading material are appreciated.

A couple of good 1st person accounts that can be read on archive.org The War Between The States As I Saw IT-by A.W. Sparks and The Civil War On The Border by Wiley Britton. Probably the newest one out and a very good read- When the Wolf Came by Mary Jane Warde and my personal favorite The Prairie Was on Fire by Whit Edwards.

 

[John Winn]

A couple of good 1st person accounts that can be read on archive.org The War Between The States As I Saw IT-by A.W. Sparks and The Civil War On The Border by Wiley Britton. Probably the newest one out and a very good read- When the Wolf Came by Mary Jane Warde and my personal favorite The Prairie Was on Fire by Whit Edwards.

Thanks. I'll look into those.

 

[diane]

A couple of good 1st person accounts that can be read on archive.org The War Between The States As I Saw IT-by A.W. Sparks and The Civil War On The Border by Wiley Britton. Probably the newest one out and a very good read- When the Wolf Came by Mary Jane Warde and my personal favorite The Prairie Was on Fire by Whit Edwards.

Thanks for posting those titles. I'm always looking for more information!

 

[kbear]

I'm a member of the Mississippi Choctaw. Not aware of any Choctaw, who sided with the confederacy, kin who was part of the War. Mississippi Native American records are sparse between 1860-1900 roughly. I do have plenty from my paternal side though: William Milo Ferguson; John, David, Daniel, & Jesse Boles (Bowles), Hiram Hogan Boles, Robert Cochran, and James Ward Harris.

I'm what the old-timers called a half-breed.

Fourteen members of the 1st Choctaw Battalion MS Cavalry were captured at Pontchatoula LA on 5/13/1863. These men were taken north by the way of Boston and New York. They were then sent to New Orleans, LA on 10/3/1863. These fourteen men (many only listed with one name) were as follows: Wigginton, Isaac F. Willis (died Corps d'Afrique USA General Hospital, New Orleans), James, Selvis, Wilson, Charley, Billy Willis (died Fort Columbus Hospital, New York), Williamson (died Fort Columbus Hospital, New York), Gibson (died St. Louis USA General Hospital, New Orleans), George Washington (died St. Louis USA General Hospital, New Orleans), Thomas Chubby, Jefferson (died St. Louis USA General Hospital, New Orleans), Silas Joshua (or Joshua Silas), and James Davis. I do have more info on these men from their service cards from fold3 but haven't been able to find more than that. Would love to know more about this group of soldiers! (The Wigginton man is of particular interest as he may be a collateral relative.)

 

[diane]

This is an interesting little article on Company K, the Michigan sharpshooter outfit that was mostly Ottawas. As the article notes, they came to sad times at the Battle of the Crater. They are the ones who avenged the death of Gen Sedgewick at Spotsylvania.

http://www.stignacenews.com/news/20..._Tells_Story_of_Michigan_Indian_Sharpsho.html

 

[leftyhunter]

I'm a little late for the party (what else is new) but just wanted to say I'm happy you've started this thread. It's a very interesting topic and one that I don't think gets the attention it deserves. I knew a bit about Stand Watie and even less about some of the slave-holding tribes in Louisiana siding with the CSA but that's it really. Keep it coming. Any recommendations for good reading material are appreciated.

Joseph Alivy Civil war in the West and "The Prairie was on Fire" are good places to start.
Leftyhunter