Civil War in Indian Territory

“There was never a good war or a bad peace.” Benjamin Franklin

Divided Loyalties – 1800’sNorth South

Larger population – more urban Smaller population – more rural

More representatives in Congress Fewer representatives in Congress

Immigrants source of cheap labor for factories

Slaves source of cheap labor for large farms

Industry important to economy Agriculture important to economy

Federal government viewed as more important than state government

State government viewed as more important than federal government

Tariffs were viewed by most as good source of income for federal government

Because they imported more goods from Europe and sold crops to Europe, many felt tariffs were unfair to the south

Indian Territory joins the confederacy

• Indian Territory’s attraction for Confederacy– Horses and cattle (food, hides)– Grain– Lead (ammunition)– Salt– Men (additional soldiers)– Buffer between the North and South– Could serve as base west of the Mississippi

• April 1861: Secessionists seized military supplies en route to U.S. forts in Indian Territory

• U.S. troops abandoned the three forts in the Territory– Fort Washita, Fort Arbuckle and Fort Cobb– Texas state militia took over

Taking sides

• Tribes divided on which side to take or whether to stay neutral– Choctaw and Chickasaw – heavily confederate – Other tribes still divided from Indian Removal wounds

• Without U.S. Army, the Indians had to accept Confederates in the territory

• Albert Pike: Confederate Commissioner of Indian Affairs – urged Cherokee Chief John Ross to join the Confederacy, but he refused

• Pike was able to sign a treaty with Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seneca, Caddo, Wichita, Osage and Shawnee

• August 1861: Cherokee people pressured Ross to sign the treaty• Fighting regiments of Indians were quickly formed, including the

Cherokee Mounted Rifles

Confederate outposts

• First Confederate outpost in Indian Territory– Fort Davis near Muskogee

• March 1862: Fort Davis abandoned– Fort McCulloch was established on the Blue River

• Located along military road between Fort Smith, Fort Gibson and Fort Washita

War on Indian Land

• Civil War brought out the differences in the Indians’ views

• Many wanted to be neutral or were pro-Union• Upper Creeks (led by Opothleyahola) came to

Indian Territory after the Lower Creeks (led by McIntosh) and wanted to stay with Union– Known as Loyal Creek

Black Troops

• Aug. 1862: first “official” unit of African American soldiers – First Kansas Colored Infantry– 54th Massachusetts (from “Glory”)

• 1864: 11th Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops– 265 men– Deployed to guard supplies from Ft. Scott, Kansas to Ft.

Gibson, Ok– Attacked at Cabin Creek (by Locust Grove, Ok)– By 300-400 Confederate troops led by Stand Waite– Held their ground and continued to Ft. Gibson

The battle of honey springs

• Largest and bloodiest battle of Indian Territory• July 17, 1863• 1st Kansas Colored Infantry• Attack as revenge and prevention• Result: Uni9on controlled all of Indian

Territory north of the Arkansas River

The Texas Road at Honey Springs

So where does this leave us?

• Thousands of Indians displaced by the war• Pro-Confederate Cherokee fled south across the Arkansas

River• Loyal Creek went to Kansas• 14,00 refugees along Red River Valley• Indian Territory devestated: many dead or maimed, farms

and homes destroyed, money gone• Official death count:

– Union 360,000– Confederate 260,000– Indian Territory – no one counted – so who knows