House of Reps , Feb. 17, 1863

Hon Thos. B. Hanly,

In the resolution concerning Indian allies, introduced yesterday by Mr. Miles and referred to the Committee on Indian relations, it is declared that “no effort of the Confederate Government shall be spared to protect them against their enemies from any source whatever.”

A brief statement of the civil and military conditions of such allies may not be inappropriate and may assist the committee in its consideration of the resolutions.

The Cherokee Nation, lying contiguous to North West Arkansas and South West Missouri and a portion of it included in the boundaries of Kansas, has naturally been subject to invasion and hostilities since the commencement of the war; several months before treaties were entered into with these allies, a battalion of Cherokees raised and commanded by Col Stand Watie, under written authority from Brig. Genl McCulloch, had done much service in protecting the frontiers, and expelling from the country designing and intriguing persons whose counsels were unfriendly and dangerous to Southern interests. These services are attested by many a gallant fight, and the testimony of the lamented McCulloch. The battalion referred to, in three months after its organization was raised to a full regiment and has been constantly in the field ever since. The perfidious conduct of John Ross last July when he spurned his solemn pledges of fidelity to the Confederate government, and incited all he could influence to desert to the Federal army, then advancing in overwhelming force from Kansas, the consequent precipitation of a civil war intensified in bitterness by deadly feuds of many long years standing, the devastation of the country that immediately followed when no less than 30000 head of beef cattle and horses, and more than 10000 negroes were taken from the loyal portion, when comfortable houses were in a week utterly destroyed, our men of affluence impoverished in an hour, when their wives and children fled for shelter to the States, after all these privations, superinduced by culpable neglect in the part of military authorities, and so well calculated to tame the enthusiasm and shake the constancy of these allies, the regiment of Stand Watie every member of which has suffered as described remained true to the cause and instead of failing in numbers and spirit increased its companies and filled up its ranks until 20 companies had been organized, in which desertion is almost wholly unknown. All this too after twelve months active service, in which time not one dollar of pay had been disbursed to them, and quartermaster and commissary supplies dealt out to them with a niggard hand, amounting absolutely to meanness.

A few weeks ago “three ears of corn” were issued as the daily ration of each soldier in the regiment, yet service was cheerfully performed and contentment prevailed. These hardships have not been shared by the other Indian Nations to the same extent, on account of their locality, the territory of the Cherokees being a barrier, and the efforts of the loyal Indians, sometimes with temporary assistance of Texas troops, preserving all the other nations from invasion.

The foregoing statement has been made in no spirit of complaint, but for the information of your committee: and the perfect propriety of passing the resolution seems apparent.
A further resolution that no terms of peace would be entertained that affected the present relations between the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw and Seminole Nations and the Confederate States would reassure our loyal allies, and be due to the dignity and interest of the Confederate States, and the good faith, fidelity and sacrifices of such allies.

Respectfully,
E.C. Boudinot
Delegate from Cherokee Nation