P
“In years long since past, our
ancestors met undaunted
those who would invade their
mountain homes beyond the
Mississippi; let not their de-
scendants of the present day
be found unworthy of them,
or unable to stand by the chiv-
alrous men of the South by
whose side they may be called
to fight in self defense.
The Cherokee people do not
desire to be involved in war, but
self-preservation fully justifies
them in the course they have
adopted, and they will be recre-
ant to themselves if they do not
sustain it to the utmost of their
humble abilities.”
—Cherokee principal chief John
Ross on his tribe’s allegiance
to the ConfederacyDecember 26
Creek led by Opothle Yoholo are defeated in
the Battle of Round Mountain.
The wealthiest Creek in Indian Territory, Opothle
Yoholo, speaks out against the Creek’s support of
the Confederacy (see entry for SUMMER 1861).
He asks why the Creek would become allies of the
same southerners who had forced them out of their
homelands less than 25 years before. Declaring that
the Creek should stay neutral, Opothle Yoholo at-
tracts several thousand followers.
Fearing attack, Opothle Yoholo and his
people flee to Kansas. On the way, they are con-
fronted by Confederate troops several times
before they are finally defeated in the Battle of
Round Mountain. Opothle Yoholo’s followers
scatter after the battle, but they do not give up
their opposition to the South. Instead, many join
the Union army and help invade the lands of the
Confederate-allied Cherokee (see entry for SUM-
MER 1862).1862Whites begin traveling on the Bozeman Trail.
The Bozeman Trail is established to carry whites
from the Oregon Trail to goldfields in what is now
southwestern Montana. The trail runs directly
through prime hunting grounds of the Lakota
Sioux, who are soon enraged by the growing traffic
of non-Indians in their lands. These invasions will
lead to the conflict known as Red Cloud’s War (see
entry for 1866).Congress passes the Morrill Act.
Through the Morrill Act, Congress approves land
grants for the establishment of colleges for agricul-
tural research across the United States. The act will
have an enormous impact on Indians in the West,
particularly those whose lands have been unat-
tractive to whites because they are difficult to farm.
The research resulting from the Morrill Act will so
improve agricultural techniques that in coming de-
cades even these previously unwanted lands will be
flooded by white farmers.March 7 to 8Indian troops fight the Battle of Pea Ridge.
By the treaties of allegiance the Confederacy nego-
tiated with the Five Civilized Tribes (see entry for
SUMMER 1861), these tribes are entitled to estab-
lish military regiments to protect Indian Territory
in case of attack by Union troops. The treaties also
hold that these forces will not be required to fight
outside of Indian Territory. Ignoring these provi-
sions, Confederate general Earl Van Dorn orders 25
Indian soldiers to join his campaign against Union
forces in Missouri.