Natives in the ANV

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Mar 31, 2020
I’m both Apache and a history buff and I’ve always been interested in Stand Watie and all that but I want to know more about the Junaluska Zouaves and other Natives in the ANV. Thanks.
 
I have taken interest in Stand Watie as I once thought I was related to him. Until very recently, as in by January, I found my uncle made a mistake in the genealogy work he did. I have since found that I am not related to Stand (relation through John Ridge), but it doesn't change what I learned about how the indians were cheated.
 
The Grand Traverse area of Michigan was the home to many Native Americans. This book discusses the some of the issues with Native Americans in that area. Early in the War several groups of Native American tried to join the Army, but it was not until that black and Native American were welcome in the Army.

When Michigan was recruiting for the 1st Michigan Sharp Shooters the State believed Native Americans could help fill that regiment. Michigan was not sure Native American would join the Army. Prior to the Civil War Michigan Native American had voted almost to the man for the Democratic party (in some areas Native American were a fifth or even a third of the voters) and seeing that they could not be drafted, it was unknown if the Native American would support the Union by joining the Army. One method to tempt them to enlist was that the Native Americans could form their own company and not be divided up among the other companies of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters. As John C. Mitchell says in the book:

"The Native soldiers must have entered the union Army with mixed feeling, with the lost of their homeland still fresh, and the insults to their culture ongoing. However for a people who for generations travel freely through the ope spaces of the Great Lakes region, the brutal confinement of slavery was far more chilling. Many Native Americans saw no hope in the Southern slave empire, and felt their turn on the auction block would come if the Rebels succeeded. In a speech printed by the Detroit Advertiser and Tribune, an Ojibwa leader warned his people: "If the South conquers you will be slaves, dogs. There will be no protection for us; we shall be driven from our home, our lands, and the graves of our friend."

It appear that many of Michigan Native Americans went off to war believing they were fighting to keep themselves free. But, Michigan Native American probably joined the Union Army for a variety of reasons.

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The Grand Traverse area of Michigan was the home to many Native Americans. This book discusses the some of the issues with Native Americans in that area. Early in the War several groups of Native American tried to join the Army, but it was not until that black and Native American were welcome in the Army.

When Michigan was recruiting for the 1st Michigan Sharp Shooters the State believed Native Americans could help fill that regiment. Michigan was not sure Native American would join the Army. Prior to the Civil War Michigan Native American had voted almost to the man for the Democratic party (in some areas Native American were a fifth or even a third of the voters) and seeing that they could not be drafted, it was unknown if the Native American would support the Union by joining the Army. One method to tempt them to enlist was that the Native Americans could form their own company and not be divided up among the other companies of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters. As John C. Mitchell says in the book:

"The Native soldiers must have entered the union Army with mixed feeling, with the lost of their homeland still fresh, and the insults to their culture ongoing. However for a people who for generations travel freely through the ope spaces of the Great Lakes region, the brutal confinement of slavery was far more chilling. Many Native Americans saw no hope in the Southern slave empire, and felt their turn on the auction block would come if the Rebels succeeded. In a speech printed by the Detroit Advertiser and Tribune, an Ojibwa leader warned his people: "If the South conquers you will be slaves, dogs. There will be no protection for us; we shall be driven from our home, our lands, and the graves of our friend."

It appear that many of Michigan Native Americans went off to war believing they were fighting to keep themselves free. But, Michigan Native American probably joined the Union Army for a variety of reasons.

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Thank you sir, I have heard of these men as they fought at the Battle of the Crater I believe and one of their men was cited for the Medal of Honor and the entire until fought ferociously. The mans name was Antoine or something like that. Thank you again
 
Thank you sir, I have heard of these men as they fought at the Battle of the Crater I believe and one of their men was cited for the Medal of Honor and the entire until fought ferociously. The mans name was Antoine or something like that. Thank you again
Antoine Scott of Pentwater , Michigan was recommended for the Medal of Honor . He died in 1878 and I can find no record that the medal was ever given to him .
 
As I refered to in my OP in this thread...Recently I finalized a tremendous load of geneaology on my family. I went into a website (don't remember its name right now) and found that what my mom's uncle had found may not have been true. He was the one that found the ties with the Oowatie-Oganstata clan. Turns out it's not there. Ok. Well, I had for a long time read up on the Native Americans and their plight dealing with Pres. Jackson and how John Ridge and Stand Watie were nearly killed in an ambush by angry tribesmen. To me it felt like a huge slap in the face, though not to me, I mean this is family! Right? Well...now that I find there is not true ties to the Native Americans, my respect for them does not cease. To me what is wrong is still wrong, no matter what color you paint the sign. I did find, however, that I am related to Adam and Eve and also if you saw the centuries of British/French/German/Belgian/Dutch/Irish/Scottish royalty I'm related to....I wish there was some kind of an inheritance for that! Like name me a duke or something. I dunno. lol!
 
As I refered to in my OP in this thread...Recently I finalized a tremendous load of geneaology on my family. I went into a website (don't remember its name right now) and found that what my mom's uncle had found may not have been true. He was the one that found the ties with the Oowatie-Oganstata clan. Turns out it's not there. Ok. Well, I had for a long time read up on the Native Americans and their plight dealing with Pres. Jackson and how John Ridge and Stand Watie were nearly killed in an ambush by angry tribesmen. To me it felt like a huge slap in the face, though not to me, I mean this is family! Right? Well...now that I find there is not true ties to the Native Americans, my respect for them does not cease. To me what is wrong is still wrong, no matter what color you paint the sign. I did find, however, that I am related to Adam and Eve and also if you saw the centuries of British/French/German/Belgian/Dutch/Irish/Scottish royalty I'm related to....I wish there was some kind of an inheritance for that! Like name me a duke or something. I dunno. lol!
The Thomas Legion of North Carolina had some Indians in it and they fought in the ANV
Leftyhunter
 
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