Confederate Indians

Recently, the Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) lobbied the Washington Commanders football team to bring back the Redskins name. Billy Dieckman, Kiowa Tribe member and NAGA adviser, described Redskins as “a status symbol for elite warriors.” (Fox News) A poll was cited showing 90% of American Indians see it as a positive term. It is also likely that some American Indians do not appreciate being canceled, such as the way Land O Lakes terminated the “Mia” image (some Indians supported this change). Sports nicknames and brand images are generally considered honorary, not derogatory. Who do you think is behind this agenda? Could it be the group Malcom X detested? --“The White liberal is the worst enemy to America and the worst enemy to the Black man...” (Goodreads) This description could certainly encompass other groups these Jacobins want to lord over.

Despite the multiple battles between White settlers and American Indians, there was a degree of regional and cultural commonality that transcended much of the historical acrimony. This is found in the fact that the only “official” allies of the Confederate States were the Indian tribes of the South. Treaties were signed between the Confederate States and the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Comanche, Caddo, and others. These tribes were promised representation in the Confederate Congress. Anti-secessionist Confederate General Albert Pike arranged many of these agreements. Pike, born in Massachusetts, left that State in 1831 and became involved with fur trapping and trading. “He settled in Arkansas and became a noted poet, author, and teacher. He bought a plantation and operated a newspaper, the Arkansas Advocate.” (History) Pike developed cordial relations with the Indian population and often provided legal representation for those who had disputes with the federal government.

Although many Indians likely felt the South’s quest for independence was not necessarily their fight, the enormity of the event led many to pick a side. Should they align with the Union that had rarely, if ever, honored a treaty or should they side with the Confederacy, which offered recognition of their sovereignty and pledged to respect it? The vast majority sided with the Confederacy despite the fact some Southerners had been part of the 1830-1847 federal removal. Not only had experience shown the dishonesty of the U.S. government, there were other red flags, e.g., William Seward and other Republicans encouraging the distribution of land in Indian Territory to White settlers.

Each Indian Nation provided military support for the Confederacy. Units included the following:

• Cherokee--the 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles, the 1st Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Volunteers, Cherokee Special Services Battalion, and several more. Plus, the last Confederate General to surrender was Stand Watie, a Cherokee Indian.

• Creek (Muscogee)--the 1st and 2nd Regiment of Creek Volunteers and the 1st Battalion Creek Confederate Cavalry.

• Seminole--the 1st Regiment Seminole Mounted Volunteers and the 1st Battalion Seminole Mounted Volunteers.

• Chickasaw--the 1st Regiment of both Chickasaw Infantry and Cavalry, the 1st Battalion of Chickasaw Cavalry and Shecoe’s Chickasaw Battalion of Mounted Volunteers.

• Choctaw--the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regiments of Choctaw Mounted Rifles, Deneale’s Regiment of Choctaw Warriors, and others.

• The Northwest Frontier Command of Indian Territory--the 1st Osage Battalion, Major George Washington’s Frontier Battalion, and Major James W. Cooper’s Battalion.

Although there were “Native Americans” in Union service, some Yankees did not shy from their disdain for American Indians. For example, William T. Sherman said: “The more Indians we can kill this year the fewer we will need to kill the next, because the more I see of the Indians the more convinced I become that they must either all be killed or be maintained as a species of pauper. Their attempts at civilization is ridiculous….” (Pt. Lookout) Not to be outdone, Union General Phil Sheridan proclaimed: ”the only good Indian I ever saw were dead, as spoken to Tosawi of the Comanches.” (Kibby) Furthermore, seemingly an early advocate of the “replacement” agenda, Sherman said: “To the petulant and persistent secessionists, why death is mercy, and the quicker he or she is disposed of the better. Until we can repopulate Georgia, it is useless to occupy it…” Is there a lower form of humanity than someone who wishes to exterminate a racial or ethnic group?

Slightly under two years into the war, Lincoln exhibited a similarly callous attitude when, on December 26, 1862, he ordered the mass execution of 303 Indians in Mankato, Minnesota, after their questionable convictions by military trials. Concerned about negative European perception, Lincoln reduced the execution number to thirty-eight.

Of course, American Indians were punished during the post-war “Reconstruction” similar to others who fought for Southern Independence.

Do not expect any of this information to show up in any educational institution. It is not part of the “government-approved script.”

Sources: “Quotes from Generals William T. Sherman & Phil Sheridan,” Descendants of Point Lookout POW Organization, October 27, 2008; Larry Kibby, “The Only Good Indian,” Indigenous People’s Literature, June 8, 2004, http://www.indigenouspeople.net/gooddead.htm; “Confederacy Signs Treaties with Native Americans,” History.net at: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/confederacy-signs-treaties-with-native-americans; Choctaw Indians As Confederate Soldiers By Maj. S. G. Spann, Commander, Dabney H. Maury Camp, No. 1312, U.C.V., Meridian Miss., Conflicts & War, at:

https://web.archive.org/web/20071025034356/http:/www.choctaw.org/history/confederate.

htm; “Native American group touts 'overwhelming' support to return Redskins name to NFL,” Fox News, August 15, 2023 at: https://www.foxnews.com/media/native-american-group-touts-overwhelming-support-return-redskins-name-to-nfl ; “Malcom X Quotes,” Goodreads, at: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/11115124-thewhite-liberal-is-the-worst-enemy-to-america-and. Although it is difficult to ascertain exact numbers, there have been estimates that somewhere around 10,000 American Indians served the Confederacy. Many tribes also designed and carried their own Confederate flags.