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
I certify that the above account is correct and just, and that I have
actually this 31 day of Decr 1861, paid the amount thereof,
[Triplicates] IND. AGT. C. S. A.
FORT SMITH, January 13th, 1862.
SIR: In compliance with your letter of instruction of the 10th inst. I
have the honor to present in detail the condition of affairs connected
with the Wichita Agency. In thus presenting my report I shall attempt to
be governed by as much brevity as possible.
In detailing the affairs of the people in my charge and of my action in
reference to them it will become necessary to refer not only to the
present but to their past history in Texas. There was a time in Texas when
these people were in a prosperous and happy condition, and they advanced
as rapidly in the arts of civilization during that time, perhaps, as any
people ever did. But evil disposed persons in their vicinity and those not
far distant on the frontiers of Texas became dissatisfied with their
locality and determined to disperse and break them up. They continued
their work of desolation until the indians were compelled to abandon their
homes and seek a refuge west of the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations on the
Leased District. In doing so they suffered many and very severe losses and
privations. Numbers of their horses and cattle were driven off by their
enemies and many things useful to them, were necessarily abandoned.
Estimates were prepared of the amount of damage and submitted to the
original United States Government but before any action was taken, the
government dissolved and their just claims consequently failed. Therefore
permit me most respectfully to suggest the propriety of immediately
calling the attention of our Government and of the proper Department to
the fact, in order that these people may obtain adequate remuneration. In
reference to their habitations, they have nothing to claim. They have more
and better houses than they had in Texas. The Commanches have eight or ten
neatly hewn log cabins with good chimneys. Three double log hewn houses
with good chimneys, to each room for the chief's in addition to a number
of warm comfortable picket houses which they partly built themselves and
covered with grass.
In Texas they had but one house which belonged to the Chief, in the
scramble for the spoils at the time of the abandonment of Fort Cobb by the
federal troops they were not altogether behind for I have observed among
them several new Sibley tents and a number of new common tents. The
Tonkahwas have warm comfortable houses made of poles and grass such as
they had in Texas. And for the chief I built a good double log house with
chimneys to each room and a hall or passage in the centre, in which he now
lives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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