31 ms·

How the Civil War Became the Indian Wars

23 points by samclemens 11y ago

protomyth 11y ago
More on the Dakota 38 http://smoothfeather.com/dakota38/ http://smoothfeather.com/dakota38/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pX6FBSUyQI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pX6FBSUyQI
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
Synaesthesia 11y ago
The American war of independence also became an Indian war. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_Expedition http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_Expedition
comrade1 11y ago
Not all of it was because of redeployment after the war. At the start of the war MN had only been a state a few years but were the first to volunteer troops (the governor happened to be in dc). They distinguished themselves in battle, including stopping the Gettysburg charge, but then some had to quit the war early to go back to MN to put down a Lakota uprising - which was more just the Lakota attacking farmers because they knew no troops were available. http://exploringoffthebeatenpath.com/Battlefields/DakotaWar/index.html http://exploringoffthebeatenpath.com/Battlefields/DakotaWar/...
- protomyth 11y ago
  Technically, that would be the Dakota branch of the Sioux. There is still a law in MN saying that Dakota people cannot enter the state. Also, I am a little suspicious of any of the papers reporting on Native Americans.
olefoo 11y ago
If you want to read an amazing bit of history the nephew of the Modoc's chief wrote An Indian History of the Modoc War [ http://amzn.to/1PLxP4m http://amzn.to/1PLxP4m ] which is a fascinating historical document. The Modoc war has all the elements of great opera, doomed heroes on both sides, people who were sharply aware of the forces that governed their lives but unable to turn aside their fate. Grand battles, a long siege; betrayals and redemptions. The Modocs were by any measure an amazingly effective fighting force, they fought an entire US cavalry platoon to a standstill at their stronghold.
- CapitalistCartr 11y ago
  A platoon is only about 16-20 men, and the cavalry used to call such a unit a troop. I'm sure you mean perhaps a company or brigade or even division.
  - olefoo 11y ago
    Thank you, I am by no means a military historian. I believe it was a Division (432 troops at the peak), but don't remember General Sheridan's command structure.

23 points by samclemens 11y ago

More on the Dakota 38 http://smoothfeather.com/dakota38/ http://smoothfeather.com/dakota38/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pX6FBSUyQI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pX6FBSUyQI

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

Synaesthesia 11y ago

The American war of independence also became an Indian war. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_Expedition http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_Expedition

comrade1 11y ago

Not all of it was because of redeployment after the war. At the start of the war MN had only been a state a few years but were the first to volunteer troops (the governor happened to be in dc). They distinguished themselves in battle, including stopping the Gettysburg charge, but then some had to quit the war early to go back to MN to put down a Lakota uprising - which was more just the Lakota attacking farmers because they knew no troops were available. http://exploringoffthebeatenpath.com/Battlefields/DakotaWar/index.html http://exploringoffthebeatenpath.com/Battlefields/DakotaWar/...

protomyth 11y ago
Technically, that would be the Dakota branch of the Sioux. There is still a law in MN saying that Dakota people cannot enter the state. Also, I am a little suspicious of any of the papers reporting on Native Americans.

olefoo 11y ago

If you want to read an amazing bit of history the nephew of the Modoc's chief wrote An Indian History of the Modoc War [ http://amzn.to/1PLxP4m http://amzn.to/1PLxP4m ] which is a fascinating historical document. The Modoc war has all the elements of great opera, doomed heroes on both sides, people who were sharply aware of the forces that governed their lives but unable to turn aside their fate. Grand battles, a long siege; betrayals and redemptions. The Modocs were by any measure an amazingly effective fighting force, they fought an entire US cavalry platoon to a standstill at their stronghold.

CapitalistCartr 11y ago
A platoon is only about 16-20 men, and the cavalry used to call such a unit a troop. I'm sure you mean perhaps a company or brigade or even division.
- olefoo 11y ago
  Thank you, I am by no means a military historian. I believe it was a Division (432 troops at the peak), but don't remember General Sheridan's command structure.