A history of the state of Oklahoma, Volume I, Part 17

Author: Hill, L. B. (Luther B.)
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pubishing Company
Number of Pages: 645

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combatants, are clustered in camps or colo- nies they have been making on Kiamichi, Boggy, Blue and Washita rivers. Their soldiers are mostly mounted, and the coun- try between is overrun with hostile forces, and desert, so far as crops are concerned, but there is still plenty of stock there. With the rebel Indian soldiers, in the rebel

At 9 o'clock (six hours after the first volley was fired) the field was ours, with more than $1,000,000 worth of Federal property in our hands. We burned all the broken wagons and killed all the crippled mules. We brought off 130 wagons and 740 mules. We clothed 2,000 men of the expedition so as to make them comfortable for the present and have some commissaries on hand.

The killed of the enemy at Cabin Creek num- bered about 23; the wounded not known; cap- tured 26. The jaded condition of our already weak horses prevented us from capturing as many as we might have done. Our loss was 6 killed, 45 wounded-3 mortally.

As we moved back with our train we met a re- enforcement from Forts Smith and Gibson going up to protect the train, consisting of infantry, artillery and cavalry. We drove them back three miles and a half, held them in check all night, and created the impression that we had parked the train for the night by running an empty wagon over a rocky place for two hours, while our train was being moved with all possible dis- patch toward Arkansas river. The' day found us separating rapidly, we following our train, while they were retreating toward Fort Gibson. We ex- pected to fight at Arkansas river, and hurried forward with all dispatch day and night. For three days and nights our boys were without sleep, except such as they could snatch in the saddle or at watering places. They dug down banks, cut out trees, rolled wagons and artillery up hills and banks by hand, kept cheerful, and never wearied in the good cause, and came into camp rejoicing on the 28th instant.

We were out fourteen days, marched over 400 miles, killed 97, wounded many, captured 111 pris- oners, burned 6,000 tons of hay and all the reap- ers or mowers-destroyed altogether from the Fed- erals, $1,500,000 worth of property, bringing safely into our lines nearly one-third of this amount (es- timated in greenbacks).

Our total loss was 6 killed, 48 wounded-3 mor- tally. (Gano's account-War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. XLI, pp. 788-791.)

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Indian department, there is a brigade of Texas and Arkansas troops, under General Gano. Generals Cooper and Stand Watie are also in command. Their artillery is at present rather better than ours. Around Fort Gibson are from 8,000 to 10,000 ref- ugees, the larger portion of whom are Creeks, or people whose homes are south of the Arkansas river. Some 7,000 or 8,000 of these later were brought down here by the superintendent last June, too late to raise a crop.

"Scattered through the Cherokee Nation, at their homes, are as many more loyal non-combatants. In all, upward of 20,000 persons depend for protection on the mili- tary force here. The refugees here were brought in hired transportation and left here, and cannot move as they are. An order to move my force elsewhere would leave them at the mercy of the rebels, if, indeed, it would be possible at all to move these soldiers away, to leave their women, children, old and sick people. Under the orders received it was necessary, since my return, for the Fifty-fourth U. S. Colored and the First Arkansas Infantry to march below. This leaves me simply the Indian command. My tri-monthly of the 31st ultimo shows that to be an aggregate of 2,112; 1,463 are present for duty; 382 escorting train. The evacuation of Fort Smith will leave this place rather weak, but I think I can hold my own until you deter- mine what is to be the future of this com- mand. The orders I have received so in- struct me. For the future I make no rec- ommendation, being ignorant of the policy determined about the Indian Nation. With the present Indian force, a good infantry regiment and good battery, and mounting half of the Indians, I think the country north of the Arkansas river, in the Indian Nation, could be held by making a vigor-

ous use of the force. Unless the country north of the river be held it is doubtful about our holding any foothold in the In- dian Nation, and the probabilities are that it would be organized against us. Efforts have been made, and are made by the enemy, to get these civilized and half- civilized Indians into a sort of neutrality league, which would, of course, eventually operate to their benefit."

The raiding armies from both sides that for four years swept back and forth be- tween Kansas and the Red river, the dis- union of tribes, the losses of killed and wounded in battle, and the desolation and suffering caused by actual warfare, were disastrous to the settled prosperity and to continued advancement of the Indian Ter- ritory. But these were not the only ills from which the territory suffered in conse- quence of the war. To the horrors of war were added the greed and rapacity of un- scrupulous men. Individual and sporadic crime would have been expected, but dur- ing 1864 and 1865, under cover of the dis- tractions of war, an organized and whole- sale system of thievery sprang up that com- pleted the desolation that the contending armies had partially wrought. The de- scription of this phase of the war is not a pleasant one, but has a place with other records.

In his report for 1864 the commissioner of Indian affairs says: "There is perhaps no portion of country, of equal extent, within our territorial limits, better adapted to the business of stock-raising than is the country owned by these people [referring particularly to the Cherokees]. Prior to the rebellion they had engaged in this business very extensively and many of them owned herds of cattle numbered by thousands. . When the people were driven forth their stock was necessarily left behind, and to

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roam at large without ostensible owners. The rebels have availed themselves of this condition to furnish themselves with im- mense supplies of beef for their armies ; and to the disgrace of our own people, it must be said that many of them have also en- gaged in the nefarious business of stealing cattle from these defenseless, unfortunate and truly loyal people."

Col. W. A. Phillips addressed the fol- lowing communication to General Canby, dated at Fort Gibson, Feb. 16, 1865: “I desire to notify you of encroachments on the rights of the people of the Indian Na- tion from the department of Kansas by citi- zens thereof and volunteer officers and sol- diers stationed there. I desire that you communicate with the major-general com- manding the Division of Missouri, to se- cure his assistance in putting a stop to evils that have assumed fearful proportions, and for the protection of interests so justly en- titled to it. I desire to state that for nearly a year past there has been a systematic and wholesale plundering and driving of stock from the Indian Nation to Kansas. Part of this is the property of loyal soldiers in our service, part of loyal citizens, and part of disloyal persons now in arms against .us or aiding those who are. The devastations of war have depopulated the Creek Nation; two-thirds of the homes in. the Cherokee Nation are abandoned. The rebel or dis- · loyal Indians are clustered in colonies on the streams tributary to the Red river. The loyal Indians, who adhere to our cause, are clustered around Gibson, or in colonies de- pending upon it for protection. The stock, or herds, of all, or what is left of it, is, of course, scattered or unwatched on its range. This condition of affairs invited the some- what wholesale enterprises by which it has been driven into Kansas. The Arkansas river for the past two years may be said to

have been the boundary between the bel- ligerents. Since the siege of Gibson was raised in July, 1863, by General Cooper, no rebel army has camped on its southern lands. It is true considera- ble mounted parties have crossed it. A train was captured sixty miles in the rear of this place in September last by a large mounted force; but north of the river, or even fifty miles south of it, any rebel occupancy is only of the character of raids. I obtain all the beef for the com- mand and for the many refugees from south of the river, or from the stock subject to be taken by the enemy. I merely desire to show that there is no necessity for com- mands of troops to enter the nation, 150 miles in my rear, on the pretext of scout- ing, which really drive off cattle. I would inform you that a very considerable portion of such stock was driven off by troops from Kansas. I will mention one or two cases in which there is ample and clear testimony. Captain Vittum, of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, last April entered the nation with a train. On his return he gathered a herd of 500 or 600 and drove it out. The same officer entered the nation about the last of May or first of June as escort for two offi- cers coming down to Fort Smith. He stopped forty miles above Gibson and went back, driving out a large herd. He is now provost-marshal at Fort Scott, which will give you an idea of the police regulations on the northern border of the nation, on which I have to lean. On application to General Curtis last summer I was informed that the matter was merely one for adjudi- cation in the courts. In the nation there is no federal court in time of peace-not even the Indian courts exist now. The neces- sary protection is dependent to a great ex- tent on the military power temporarily ex- isting. I think I can stop it here; if I had

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horses for my men at least, I could, with co-operation from above, or [sic] respect from them to orders issued here. The In- dian soldiers are more to be trusted for their own protection than others. They are amenable to each other as well as to the government. Most of the white regiments that have entered the Indian Nation com- mit more or less depredations. They treat it as if it were an enemy's country. I, how- ever, desired to secure through you suf- ficient protection from the department above to stop the nefarious system which appears to have a thorough organization in the state of Kansas, believing that unless prompt steps were taken the same nefarious trans- actions would be continued this season."

The depredations committed in the In- dian country by unprincipled white men act- ing or assuming to act in official capacity were noted by the commissioner of Indian affairs in his report for 1865, in reviewing conditions in the territory during the last months of the rebellion. Referring to that time, he says: "Serious complaints were being made to the department that stock owned by the Indians, and necessary for their subsistence, and the small crops of

corn raised by those who had been able to till the ground, were being taken from them by unprincipled speculators. Some of the military officers had laid the blame for this state of things upon the Indian agents, but an investigation of these charges showed them to be without foundation. The most stringent rules and regulations in regard to the sale of stock from the Indian country were adopted and issued, but it is apparent that the practice of running stock out of the country has continued, the keenness of the speculators enabling them to elude the vigi- lance of the officers, and it is believed that an immense amount of such stolen stock . has been purchased at large prices by the government. The information given by Superintendent Sells, as given in his re- port,16 furnishes some idea of the enormous extent as well as profit of the business, where contractors obtain ready sale for the plunder at such rates as they have received from the government."

Many prominent men, merchants, military officers, Indian agents, traders and others, were charged with being implicated in this traffic. But, said the commissioner, such "an obliquity of conscience had affected the

" The report referred to says: "I was con- vinced that there was in successful operation a regularly organized band of cattle operators, which organization had its plans so completely sys- tematized, with sentinels and scouts, together with its numerous employes as drivers, that they gen- erally succeeded in driving off with impunity all the herds of cattle coming within the range of their operations. It is utterly impos- sible to effectually break up this system of plunder from the Indians as long as the state, civil and military authorities are in sympathy with the parties engaged in this species of brokerage. . . . I think it is not doing violence to the truth to say that since the commencement of the rebellion three hundred thousand head of cattle have been driven from the Indian country without the consent of the owners and without remuneration, which at an average value of fifteen dollars per head will amount to the enormous sum of four million five

hundred thousand dollars. There are two classes of operators connected with cattle-driving from the Indian country. The first are those who take the risk of driving from their original range-the home of the owners-who are generally men of no character and wholly irresponsible. They usu- ally drive to the southern borders of Kansas, where the second class are waiting, through their agents, to receive the stolen property. These cat- tle brokers, claiming to be legitimate dealers, purchase at nominal prices, taking bills of sale, and from thence the cattle are driven to mar- ket, where enormous profits are made. These brokers have met with such unparalleled success that the mania for this profitable enterprise has become contagious. The number directly and re- motely engaged is so numerous, the social standing and character of the operators secure so much power, that it is almost fatal to interpose ob- stacles in the way of their success."

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whole community on the border," that it seemed scarcely worth while to attempt to prosecute them before any court in Kansas, because, as one investigator reported, "they openly make their boasts that they can buy men enough to swear to anything they want them to, and I know they speak the truth from experience."

Agent Harlan of the Cherokees reported the methods of the cattle raiders as follows : "A man, wishing to get Indian cattle, went to some general or the post commander, or to the superintendent of the Indian affairs, and got a license to buy cattle in the Indian Territory ; he then arrived with his license, without money, and only a cattle whip, raised a company of some white men, and mostly Osage and Wichita Indians. They went on until cattle began to be plenty ; the gentleman of the license came to Fort Gib- son, proclaimed his business was to buy cat- tle. He did not come to steal, not he! He intended to buy and pay a fair price; went to the post commander, showed his license, proclaimed his intentions not to be as others were, to steal; he could make by fair trade as much as he wanted. He had a little money, and had concluded to turn it into cattle. He wanted to see the country, and perhaps he could make as much as would pay his expenses, and a little for his time. He was not seeking to get rich, only wanted to 'live and let live,' and any amount of just such stuff.

"They were all alike. It looked as if they had all been educated in the same school; flattered the commanding officer and got his license indorsed. They would hang around Fort Gibson ten or twelve days, still inquir- ing where there were large herds for sale, where he could buy at a living price. One fine morning the man was missing, and nobody knew when he went or where he was gone. In about ten days some gentle-

man coming to Fort Gibson had on his way down met the licensed gentleman with a drove of cattle, from five to fifteen hundred head, on his way into Kansas. Some with license to buy never presented their license, but at once commenced gathering their cat- tle, running what little risk there was of being caught, and then escaping under their license. Others, more bold, went at it with- out any disguise of a license, and stole all they could find, and sold them to those who were glad the stealing was done. "

The condition of the Indian country at the close of the war, in contrast to its com- parative prosperity and advancement in 1860, was described by the commissioner of Indian affairs in 1865. Most of the tribes, he declares, "had advanced far in civiliza- tion, and their country was well provided with good schools and academies. Many of their leading men are today thoroughly educated men, of statesmanlike views, fully able to express those views in our language, in a manner which can be excelled in few of our deliberative assemblies. Their peo- ple were rich in real and personal property, living in the enjoyment of everything needed for their comfort; and considerable wealth had accumulated in the hands of some of them-the slaveholders-so that they lived in a style of luxury to which our thriving northern villages are mostly unaccustomed. Their crops were abundant, but their chief element of prosperity was stock-raising, and vast herds of cattle were in their hands as a means of wealth. The change is pitiful. Their land has been deso- lated by the demon of war till it lies bare and scathed, with only ruins to show that men have ever dwelt there. A perusal of the reports herewith will satisfy you that these remarks are no exaggeration, par- ticularly as to the Cherokee, Quapaw, and part of the Creek bands; the condition of

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affairs in the Choctaw and Chickasaw coun. . joining the United States army. There are try is not so serious, for the reason that about 2,000 of the tribe left. Some 500 of them were furnished with seed and a few agricultural implements last spring, and, upon land near Fort Gibson, in the Chero- kee country, labored diligently and with some degree of success for the means of subsistence, having raised produce to the value of $2,500. The records of their old agency have been preserved through the war, and are safe at Fort Washita. They are anxious to go to their own country south and west of the Creek region, but matters there are not sufficiently settled as yet, and the agent thinks that they should be removed to some point among the Creeks and subsisted there, to be near their own lands at the opening of spring. About 1,000 of them are now drawing rations from government. They are very poor and destitute, and must be fed and clothed, or suffer and starve. Agent Reynolds says that they wish to settle upon individual lands, where they can own and enjoy the fruit of their own labors. As they are closely allied to the Creeks, and speak that language, they might perhaps be consoli- dated with them; or, if not, it is thought that they would be glad to dispose of the western portion of their lands, to be used for a home for other Indians, and thus pro- cure the means for establishing themselves again in a condition to become self-sup- porting, and educate their children. those tribes went almost unanimously with the rebellion, and of course had no object in destroying their own property; though even there the effects of the war are dis- tinctly visible. But in the Cherokee coun- try, where the contending armies have moved to and fro-where their foraging parties have gone at will, sparing neither ·friend nor foe-where the disloyal Chero- kees, in the service of the rebel govern- ment were determined that no trace of the homesteads of their loyal brethren should remain for their return, and where the swindling cattle-thieves have made their ill-gotten gains for two years past, the scene is one of utter desolation. Of course, the loyal portions of all of these tribes have suffered most; for they became refugees from their homes, leaving them in the hands of their enemies, and everything that they left was destroyed. A large number of the loyal Indians of all the tribes entered the service of the United States, and many of them sealed their fidelity with their life- blood, while many others are maimed for life. Now that the war is over, the surviv- ors of these loyal bands claim the sympathy and aid of the government. They are anx- ious to return to their country, but they have no homes there, and no subsistence. They are utterly destitute, and entirely de- pendent upon the government for food and clothing. In another season, if timely as- "Agent Reynolds has been especially active in efforts to stop the plundering of Indian stock, and thinks that his efforts have been successful. sistance in the way of agricultural imple- ments and other aid is afforded them, they may become self-sustaining by tilling the ground; but for the present, at least, they must be dependent upon the government." "The Seminoles numbered before the war nearly 2,500, of whom more than half came out with the loyal Creeks and took refuge in Kansas, their able-bodied men

"Of the Cherokees, all of the nation at first joined the rebels, including all factions, of full and mixed blood. Regiments were raised by the order of the party in power, then and now the majority, called the Ross party, which regiments fought against the

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Union forces at Pea Ridge and on other occasions.

"All seem to have agreed as to their course of action down to the fall of 1862, when a portion of the troops, under Colonel Downing, 2d chief, and a majority of the nation, abandoned the rebel cause and came within our lines. About 6,500 of the more wealthy portion still continued to co-oper- ate with the south till the close of the war ; and about 9,000, early and late, came back to their allegiance.

"Two regiments of these people, num- bering 2,200 men, deserted the rebel cause as above stated, and since that time, to the end of the war, have fought on the side of the Union. The total population of the nation is now estimated at about 14,000.

"Bad as is the condition of all these southern Indians, that of the Cherokees is much worse than the remainder of the tribes. They have a domestic feud, of long standing, which prevents them from com- ing together for mutual aid and support in their manifold troubles. In 1863 a portion of them had gone back to their country, expecting to be protected by the United States troops in raising a crop for their support; but they were driven from their fields by rebel parties; and while their for- mer brothers were plundering them from one direction, their white friends from Kan- sas were stripping the country of their stock from the other. The account given by Agent Harlan of the modus operandi of cattle-thieving business would be amusing, if the thing described were not outrage- ously criminal. Some idea of the extent of this business may be obtained when it is seen that the agent estimates the losses of the Cherokees in stock alone at two mil- lions ($2,000,000) while Superintendent Sells thinks that the losses of all the tribes have amounted to fully four millions.

"About 9,000 Cherokees are now receiv- ing rations from government, and a large portion of those lately disloyal are suffer- ing greatly for the necessaries of life. They need food, clothing, tools, everything in fact, to begin life again; and their condi- tion must be that of extreme destitution until they can again realize the fruits of their labor upon their own soil. The Chero- kees own a tract of 800,000 acres in the southeast corner of Kansas, which should be made available for their benefit; and have, besides, a vast tract of land below the Kansas line, very largely beyond their possible wants. All beyond those wants should be purchased by government, and the avails used for the benefit of the. whole people. Superintendent Sells doubts whether the loyal and disloyal Cherokees can ever live in friendship together, and suggests that in case this proves to be impossible, the latter can easily make terms with the Chickasaws to join with them.

"I have already alluded to the condition in which this southern portion of the nation is left by the action of the party in power, and will only add here, that the sweeping act of confiscation passed by the council takes from them every acre of land, and all of their improvements; and that by the hasty action taken under the law, every- thing has been sold for the most trivial con- sideration, improvements which were worth thousands selling often as low as five dol- lars; and when the repentant rebel party, no more guilty at first than the Ross party, came back and proposed to submit and live in peace and harmony with them again, they were told that they might all return, except their leaders, and go upon new lands and begin the world again; but no hope was held out to them of any restoration of prop- erty. They are thus left entirely depend-

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A history of the state of Oklahoma, Volume I, Part 17

Author: Hill, L. B. (Luther B.) Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pubishing Company Number of Pages: 645

Author: Hill, L. B. (Luther B.)
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pubishing Company
Number of Pages: 645