The Indian Territory in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Una McIntosh
In Response To: Re: Una McIntosh ()

Ken,
I'm glad you asked! The details on African Creek service in the First Indian Home Guard (and the 1st Kansas Colored 79th USCT Company I; and 2nd Kansas Colored 83rd USCT Company G) are in Chapter 2 of my new book--*African Creeks: Estelvste and the Creek Nation* just released from the University of Oklahoma Press. The African Creeks were the first Black men in America to raise arms against the Confederacy (during Opothleyohola's exodus to Kansas Nov-Jan 1861-1862), they were the first Black men to be mustered into the Union Army (the first Indian Home Guard was mustered as a Union Volunteer regiment in April-May 1862), the first Black Union soldiers to participate in combat (during the ill-fated Indian Expedition in the summer of 1862)and the first to participate in a major battle (Prairie Grove, AR Dec,7,1862). The served as interpretor/soldiers and translated orders from the white officers in the unit to the conservative traditionalist Creek, Seminole and Yuchi officers and soldiers in the Home Guard, most of whom did not speak English. They had to be on the front line in every battle to direct movements. They also served an important role in supply operations, as scouts, guard duty and all operations that required translating orders. At the beginning there were only 25-30 African Creeks in the First Indian--about 2-3 per Company (there were 10 companies). But as the war continued their numbers increased as more and more people became refugees in the Indian Territory. By 1864 there probably about 75 African Creeks serving in the First Indian. Companies C and I had the most African Creek soldiers but by 1864 Companies G and E also had a considerable number (about 1/3 of the soldiers serving in those companies). Interestingly the Black and Indian soldiers were interred side by side at the Ft. Gibson National Cemetary during the Civil War--a testimony to the their shared sacrifice. After the Civil War the Black soldiers were buried in a segregated portion of the Cemetary. I've Posted a link to the University of Oklahoam Press, I hope that's OK. I also have copies here at home if anyone would like to contact me at my e-mail address.

OK, there's the short story--I'm working on a manuscript that will be a regimental history of the First Indian that gives the real birds-eye low-down on the unit. As you all know there was a lot of friction in the unit between the White officers and the Indian officers and soldiers. Added to that was the interference of the Indian Office officials and involvement of the Indian Office, contracters and some Army officers in corruption in the subsistence and supply contracts as well as cattle stealing that made life so miserable for the refugees and soldiers packed into and around Ft. Gibson. Still, the men in the First Indian soldiered on and many of them formed a bond during the war (Creek and African Creek) that would survive to play a significant role in the political life in the Creek Nation after the war.

Gary

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Una McIntosh
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