[Footnote 558: Letter of Albert Pike, February 17, 1866. The delegates representing the "Southern Cherokees," in their statement to the United States commissioners at the Fort Smith conference, September 16, 1865, say: "Years before the war one portion of the Cherokees was arrayed in deadly hostility against the other; a secret organized society called the 'Pins,' led by John Ross and Rev. Jones, had sworn destruction to the half-bloods and white men of the nation outside this organization," etc.] [Footnote 559: Early in June, 1861.] [Footnote 560: Letter of General Albert Pike to Commissioner of Indian Affairs, February 17, 1866.] [Footnote 561: Ibid.] [Footnote 562: June 12, 1861.] [Footnote 563: June 17, 1861.] [Footnote 564: According to the message of John Ross, as principal chief to the Cherokee national council, October 9, 1861, this convention was held on the 21st of August, 1861.] [Footnote 565: Pike's letter to Commissioner of Indian Affairs, February 17, 1866.] [Footnote 566: Pike's letter to Commissioner of Indian Affairs, February 17, 1866. These treaties were concluded on the following dates respectively: Creek, July 10; Choctaw and Chickasaw, July 12; Seminole, August 1; Shawnees, Delawares, Wichitas, and affiliated tribes resident in leased territory, and Comanches, August 12, 1861.] [Footnote 567: The treaty with the Osages was concluded October 2, that with the Senecas and Shawnees on the same day, and also that with the Quapaws. (See Report Commissioner of Indian Affairs for 1865, p. 318.)] [Footnote 568: The text of this treaty was reprinted for the use of the United States treaty commissioners in 1866.] [Footnote 569: August, 1861. See letter of Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the President, June 15, 1866.] [Footnote 570: General Albert Pike in his letter of February 17, 1866, speaks of being escorted from Fort Gibson to Park Hill on his way to conclude the treaty of October 7, 1861, by eight or nine companies of Colonel Drew's regiment, which had been previously raised as a home guard by order of the national council.] [Footnote 571: This address (printed as document No. 7, accompanying the letter of Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the President, June 15, 1866) bears date of December 19, 1862. This is an evident typographical error for 1861, because the address was in the nature of a censure upon the regiment for its defection on the eve of a battle with the forces of O-poth-le-yo-ho-lo, the loyal Creek leader. This battle occurred at Bushy or Bird Creek, December 9, 1861, and before the expiration of another year Ross had left the Cherokee country under the escort of Colonel Weir.] [Footnote 572: Greeley's American Conflict, Vol. II, p. 32; also, Report of Commissioner of Indian Affairs, June 15, 1866, and numerous other official documents.] [Footnote 573: Report of Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the President, June 15, 1866, p. 10.]