Posted: March 23rd, 2023

What Role did Native Americans Play in the Civil War?

Introduction

Native Americans played a significant role in American history, particularly during the Civil War. With the advent of the Civil War’s upheavals and unrests, many Native Americans pledged their allegiance and supported the Confederacy.[1] Research on American history has revealed that by assembling armies and participating in the battles, the Native Americans indicated that their loyalty was important in influencing the outcome of the Civil War. Therefore, it is imperative to have a discussion of the specific role that the Native Americans played in the war, with a particular focus on the California history.

The American Civil War captures a historical phenomenon that shaped the history and destiny of the United States of America. The American Civil War broke out in 1861 when the conflict between the eleven southern states and the Union government reached a climax. The eleven southern states embarked on the quest to secede from the union, citing factors of major concern to their wellbeing.[2] Evidently, the federal power and states’ rights are other issues that led to the outbreak of the Civil War. The southern states, such as California, viewed the growing federal government power as unhealthy for their wellbeing. They saw the growth of the federal power as advantageous to the Northern states, which had much influence in the federal government than the Southern states. 

The American Civil War, commonly referred to as the Civil War or War between States, refers to an armed conflict from 1861-1865. The war was important to the Southern states, which were motivated to break away from the Union because of the anti-slavery sentiments. After many issues about forced servitude in America, the nation was divided, with some supporting the continuation of slavery (The South) and others opposed the practice of forced servitude (The North).[3] Due to such divergences, eleven states in the South of America seceded from the American nation and formed their nation, referred to as the Confederate States of America.[4] The remaining 25 American states continued with their allegiance to the American federal government, also referred to as the Union.

Historical evidence shows that between the revolutions against the British colony and the Civil War in 1861, a myriad of social and political upheaval characterized the events of slavery and the formation of the Confederate States of America.[5] The debate around the abolitionist movement marked a significant event on the road to Civil War, indicating the important part that the natives in the South played. Within the spectrum of slavery, the abolitionist movement sprang up by the help of Native Americans, characterizing an event where powerful political and social movement grew to oppose slavery and thus advocate for racial equality. The critics call by actors such as William Lloyd Garrison, and American Indians demanded the emancipation of all the slaves through religious revivalism and social reform.[6] The Clarion became one of the leading events on the road to Civil War is Slave South in 1820 which constructed a policy guideline through which the slavery expansion was to be based on the wider scope of the new western territory.

The launch of reformation quests within the understanding of the Confederate States sought to abolish slavery by extending the narrative of equality rights. While this envisions creating ideal communities for a better American society, the existence of different paths between the southern and northern development stimulated the crisis of the Civil War.[7] The ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence shaped the trajectory of liberty and enlightenment, thereby eliminating gender and racial discrimination. The basis of this argument highlights the conjecture that adopting the amendment to restrict slavery in the state prohibited the state from restricting the slave trade in the north. As such, the situation sparked protests that sought to refuse the admission of the law until the legislation accounted for the procedural emancipation.

The Slave South, within the extensive emancipation narrative, captures an angle of events, which makes it possible to recognize the important human dimension of the historical event that led to the American civil conflict. The natives in the Southern states, such as California, wanted the continued slavery institution. In fact, the understanding of the Slave South reflects a realist perspective on which the history of the United States has considerably shifted from the tragedy of the Civil War to the triumphant narrative of the revolution that established the constitutions.[8] As a result, it is the basis of the hopes and concerns of the American natives in a troubled time.

The event of the Civil War challenges the existing history based on observing a strict sense of dilemma that characterized America’s association with war and the role played by the different players in the course and outcome of the War. The Slave South supported the war or any form of aggression for whatever justifiable reason, as evidenced in the effort to sign human life, death, and the meaninglessness of armed conflicts.[9] As a result, the Slave South takes a unique direction that brings forth a perspective that helps to see the impacts of the Civil War on cultural orientation and the society. Essentially, the foundation extensively shaped the critical stages of the Civil War.

The Civil War was fought to ensure that the American nation that had gained independence in the year 1789 remained a unitary block.[10] Nevertheless, by the year 1861, after the election of Abraham Lincoln, the South Carolina, Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and Virginia, as well as the Mississippi States, had seceded from the American Union. The states on 9 February 1861 formed their nation, the Confederate States of America, with Jefferson Davis as the president. The inauguration of President Lincoln occurred in the third month of the year 1861. Barely a month after, General P. T. Beauregard of the Confederate States of America attacked the federally owned Port Sumter in South Carolina, leading to one of the most devastating wars in the history of the American nation. The war ended with the surrender of the Confederacy’s General Robert E. Lee on 9 April 1865 at the Appomattox Courthouse.[11]

Five main reasons are believed to have caused the Civil War. The radical shift in the status and roles of slaves deepened sectional political views leading to conflicts that brought the nation to the verge of the Civil War. The research in American history points to a critical point in understanding the sensational controversy around slavery and the role of the natives in the same. The application of the Slave South sparked the bitter national debate on the question of slavery.[12] As such, the arguments raised imply that the foundational moral issue was the growth of slavery. The changes that took place in voting patterns and the 1820-1840 political composition explains the emergence of social, cultural, and economic factors that gave rise to the creation of the civil rights movement for equality.

In a manner discrepant from that of the war in the Eastern Theatre, the Western Theatre Civil War was a steady and organized endeavor.[13] The march towards the south resulted in the split of the Confederacy into two equal parts, with the Mississippi River playing a significant role. The Western Theatre War comprised some many other smaller battles which contributed to the eventual victory; the most well know commanders in the war and who achieved great success include Johnston, Grant, Forrest, Thomas and Sherman. Between 1862 and 1864, the Confederacy tried on many occasions to capture Nashville from the Union but failed miserably, particularly in the Battles of Stones River.

The western theatre in the Civil War characterized the topographical features and a specific set of procedures in the campaigns. Indeed, the western theatre refers to the geographical area between the west of the Appalachian Mountains and the east of the Mississippi River. As the war became more intense, the union-armed soldiers under the command of William Tecumseh progressed towards the region referred to as Tennessee.[14] By the year 1865, the western theatre had expanded to include both Carolina and Georgia. The most significant theatre in the Civil War was the western theatre since the region was composed of a large territory and natural resources. Although the Confederacy lacked the adequate resources to defend the region, they had no choice but to confront the Union, which had the propensity to apply different forms of invasions and use different techniques. The main endeavor, as indicated on the Anaconda Plan by the Union’s General Winfield Scott- was the invasion and takeover of the Western Theatre.

One of the major reasons for the split of the American Union leading to the Civil War was the difference in economies and social institutions between the Southerners and those in the North.[15] The natives in the South were committed to succeeding in the War, but they lacked adequate resources unlike the Union. With the introduction of the cotton gin in the year 1793, the growth of cotton became very lucrative. Despite the fact that this new technology made work much easier, many farmers in the South were shifting from the growth of other crops to cotton. Apart from making the South a one crop financial system, this shift also increased the demand for huge quantities of human labor in the factories, which could only be availed by slavery.[16] On the other hand, the Northern side was more industrial and engaged in purchasing cotton from the South to manufacture it as a refined good. The fact that the North was industrial attracted many people of different ethnicities, cultures, and social statuses.[17] As the North evolved and became more liberal, the South remained conservative and bent on maintaining the old-fashioned social categorization.

After the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican War that witnessed the expansion of America as it gained more land, it was unclear whether the newly acquired regions would be free or slavery would continue. Indeed, this led to the establishment and the endorsement of the Missouri Compromise in the year 1820, which prohibited slavery. The conflict between the Southerners who advocated for slavery in their plantations and Northerners who were against the practice of forced servitude increased in magnitude.[18] The people in the North became vehement in their fight against slavery and attained public sympathy; the Southerners and any person who still had slaves were perceived apprehensively. In essence, the aspect widened the rift between the two opposing sides of America.

From the initial moments of independence and the adoption of the American Constitution, two sides emerged that never agreed with the functions that were to be fulfilled by the American national government, with each side playing a critical role in the conflict. While one side argued that states should have their rights, the other side felt that for the federal government to administer effectively, it had to have a high level of influence. After the American Revolution, the political system in America was based on the dictates of the Articles of Confederation.[19] The federal government heading the 13 states was so weak that the founding fathers secretly created the Constitution, excluding Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, who were the most vocal critics of a powerful federal government. The state suggested for the endorsement of nullification that would allow states to overrule federal acts, which they perceived to be unconstitutional. In essence, as it was expected, the federal government rejected this proposition, and the South decided to secede.

Regarding the intelligence gathering, it emerges that as the Union increasingly came up with new forms of brainpower with which they gathered information about the Confederate, the Associate responded fiercely. As such, they used cannons to attack the Union balloons, which was to their disadvantage, as the Confederates soon realized since it only served to notify the Union military of the Confederates’ positioning and easily released fire upon them.[20] On realizing that the Union military relied on the numbers of campfires to estimate their military capacity, the Confederates also resorted to having blackouts in their camps. During the day, the Confederates would paint logs black and lay them on the defense lines to fool the Union military in air balloons into thinking that there were many cannons on the Confederate defense lines.[21] Under Grant’s leadership, the Union was also effective in eliciting important intelligence on the enemy from the citizens of the Confederate as well as the prisoners and fugitives from the Confederate.

It was also common for the Union to use certain signals in the battlefields. Such signaling involved the utilization of torches and flags, which were perceived as being more speedy and efficient, unlike the telegraphs that could easily be intercepted by the Confederate adversaries.[22] Nevertheless, this clandestine activity was not very effective since the Union and Confederate both used similar frameworks of wigwag, making the signals and tenets mutually comprehensive to either side of the military.

Conclusion

The American Civil War characterized an armed conflict that occurred in the period 1861-1865. The Native American played a leading role in the war by initiating a breakaway of the Confederate States. Indeed, the war was influenced by the Native Americans within the spectrum of a great level of intelligence and spying. The Civil War, which is one of the most vicious to have rocked the American nation, was characterized by an approximate 237 battles as well as many undocumented conflicts and clashes. In essence, the Civil War was mostly perpetrated in the South, where after approximately four years if fighting, the Confederate finally admitted defeat. In essence, the slavery was banned in America, and the nation entered the Reconstruction era to bring back the unity that existed before the secession of the southern states.

 

Bibliography

Dudziak, Mary L. Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the image of American democracy. Princeton University Press, USA, 2011.

Emberton, Carole. “Unwriting the Freedom Narrative: A Review Essay.” Journal of Southern History 82, no. 2 (May 2016): 377-394

Goldfield, David. Still fighting the Civil War: The American South and Southern History. LSU Press, USA, 2013.

Hummel, Jeffrey. Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil War. Open Court, USA, 2013.

[1] David, Goldfield. Still fighting the Civil War: The American South and Southern History. (LSU Press, USA, 2013), 26.

[2] Carole, Emberton. “Unwriting the Freedom Narrative: A Review Essay.” Journal Of Southern History 82, no. 2 (May 2016): 378.

[3] Jeffrey, Hummel. Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil War. (Open court, USA, 2013), 92.

[4] Mary Dudziak,  L. Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy. (Princeton University Press, USA, 2011), 19.

[5] David, Goldfield. Still fighting the Civil War: The American South and Southern History. (LSU Press, USA, 2013), 39.

[6] Carole, Emberton. “Unwriting the Freedom Narrative: A Review Essay.” Journal Of Southern History 82, no. 2 (May 2016): 379.

[7] Mary Dudziak, L. Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American democracy. (Princeton University Press, USA, 2011), 72.

[8] Jeffrey, Hummel. Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil War. (Open court, USA, 2013), 98.

[9] David, Goldfield. Still fighting the Civil War: The American south and southern history. (LSU Press, USA, 2013), 83.

[10] Mary, Dudziak L. Cold War civil rights: Race and the image of American democracy. (Princeton University Press, USA, 2011), 19.

[11] Carole, Emberton. “Unwriting the Freedom Narrative: A Review Essay.” Journal of Southern History 82, no. 2 (May 2016): 381.

[12] Jeffrey, Hummel. Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil War. (Open court, USA, 2013), 129.

[13] David, Goldfield. Still Fighting the Civil War: The American South and Southern history. (LSU Press, USA, 2013), 83

[14] Carole, Emberton. “Unwriting the Freedom Narrative: A Review Essay.” Journal of Southern History 82, no. 2 (May 2016): 380.

 

[15] Jeffrey, Hummel. Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil War. (Open court, USA, 2013), 162

[16] David, Goldfield. Still Fighting the Civil War: The American South and Southern History. (LSU Press, USA, 2013), 91.

[17]Ibid, 91.

[18] Carole, Emberton. “Unwriting the Freedom Narrative: A Review Essay.” Journal Of Southern History 82, no. 2 (May 2016): 381

[19]Ibid, 386.

[20] Jeffrey, Hummel. Emancipating Slaves, Enslaving Free Men: A History of the American Civil War. (Open court, USA, 2013), 188

[21]David, Goldfield. Still Fighting the Civil War: The American South and Southern History. (LSU Press, USA, 2013), 92.

[22] Mary, Dudziak  L. Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American democracy. (Princeton University Press, USA, 2011), 82.