The American Indian as Slaveholder and Seccessionist: An Omitted Chapter in the Diplomatic History of the Southern ConfederacyAbel, Annie Heloise
History
The American Indian as Slaveholder and Seccessionist: An Omitted Chapter in the Diplomatic History of the Southern Confederacy
Abel, Annie Heloise
Indian Territory; Slavery -- United States; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Dear Sir: I have just returned from Richmond where I have been to see the
President on Indian business. I wish you to go out immediately and see the
bands of Comanches that are encamped above Fort Cobb and tell them that it
is the wish of their great father at Richmond that they come in at once
and settle on the reserve, that so soon as they do so they will be
furnished with Beef--Flour, Salt, Sugar & Coffee. And that the great
father says that all the goods & things that Commissioner Pike promised
them will be furnished and given to them. That the Arkansas River has now
too little water in it for Steam Boats to come up from the big Cities to
bring goods, but as soon as the big water comes in the River and Boats
come up their great father will send up to them many large wagons filled
with nice goods that I want them to send four or five of their Chiefs and
head men to Genl. Pikes head quarters, near Fort Gibson where he and
myself will meet them and talk with them and give them a great many
presents and satisfy them that the government will do all that
Commissioner Pike promised them. I wish Buffalo Hump and his band now on
the reserve to be told this, and for him and four or five of his principal
men to come also. I will direct the Contractor at the Wichita Agency to
furnish them with Rations to bring them over and I will furnish them with
Rations to return home, tell them to bring, in all about twenty pack
horses to carry back their presents. I want them to meet us at Genl Pikes
Camp or head quarters near Fort Gibson, on the first of February if
possible I have written a letter to T Caraway inviting him to come with
some three or four of his men and I wish you to urge him to come,
Commissioner Pike is now in Richmond with their great father making
arrangements to get their goods and to do much for them he would have been
up to see them at the falling of the leaves but he has been very sick and
could not travel he is now well and will be here soon and will go from
here to his head quarters.
[ELIAS RECTOR]
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT,
Office of Indian Affairs, Richmond, Dec 2d, 1861.
MAJOR ELIAS RECTOR, Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
Sir: I am instructed by the Secretary of War to say that three
requisitions have been drawn by him on the Secretary of the Treasury in
your favor, as Superintendent of Indian Affairs &c.,--One for nine
thousand, six hundred and fifty dollars, dated Dec. 4th 1861, one for two
thousand, one hundred and four dollars and fifty cents, dated December 5th
1861, and the other for thirty thousand dollars, dated December 6th 1861.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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