The American Indian as Participant in the Civil War

by Annie Heloise Abel

Footnote 211: [(return)]

—Ibid., vol. liii, supplement, 519.

Footnote 212: [(return)]

Concerning the work, mapped out for Denver, see Halleck to Sturgis, April 6, 1862 [Official Records, vol. viii, 668] and Halleck to Stanton, April 7, 1862 [ibid., 672].

Footnote 213: [(return)]

May 14, 1862 [ibid., vol. iii, part i, supplement, 249].

Footnote 214: [(return)]

—Ibid., vol. liii, supplement, 520.

Footnote 215: [(return)]

"It is stated that the commission of Gen. Sturgis is dated April 10 and that of Gen. Denver Aug. 14 and consequently Gen. Sturgis is the ranking officer in this military District."—Daily Conservative, April 10, 1862.

The elimination of Kansas as a separate department marked the revival of interest in an Indian expedition. The cost of supporting so huge a body of refugees had really become a serious proposition and, as Colonel C. R. Jennison[²¹⁶] had once remarked, it would be economy to enlist them.[²¹⁷] Congress had provided that certain Indian annuity money might be diverted to their maintenance,[²¹⁸] but that fund was practically exhausted before the middle of March.[²¹⁹] As already observed, the refugees very much wished to assist in the recovery of Indian Territory.[²²⁰] In fact they were determined to go south if the army went and their disappointment was likely to be most keen in the event of its and their not going.[²²¹] It was under circumstances such as these that Commissioner Dole recommended to Secretary Smith, March 13, 1862, that he

Procure an order from the War Department detailing two Regiment of Volunteers from Kansas to go with the Indians to their homes and to remain there for their protection as long (as) may be necessary, also to furnish two thousand stand of arms and ammunition to be placed in the hands of the loyal Indians.

Dole's unmistakable earnestness carried the day. Within less than a week there had been promised[²²²] him all that he had asked for and more, an

Footnote 216: [(return)]

Jennison, so says the Daily Conservative, March 25, 1862, had been ordered with the First Cavalry to repair to Humboldt at the time the Indian Expedition was under consideration the first of the year and was brevetted acting brigadier for the purpose of furthering Dole's intentions.