Indian cavalry is the name collectively given (for lack of a better one) to the Heartland and Eastern American Indians who fought during the American Civil War, most of them from horseback and most of them for the South.

The Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, and a few other tribes (like the Osage) took part in the war.

Before the conflict began very few of the Indians of these tribes manifested any interest in the question of slavery because only a small number owned slaves. Slavery among them was not regarded as it was among the whites, for in many instances Indian-owned slaves acted as if they were equal to their masters. But the above-named tribes occupied valuable territory, and the Confederate authorities lost no time in sending agents among them to win them over.

Native American Indian units in the Armed forces of the Confederate States of America

The flag of The Southern Cherokee Nation

Cherokee Nation==

NOTE:The Cherokee military records are imperfect due in part to some records having been lost during the war.

• First Cherokee Mounted Rifles First Colonel: Stand Watie (later Brig. General) Stand Alone Watie in 1862 was elected principal chief of the "Southern Cherokee Nation" After his death in 1871 the Southern Cherokee Nation was moved from Oklahoma to Kentucky by his cousin James S. Martin. In 1893 the Nation was welcomed to Kentucky and recognized as an Indian tribe by Governor John Y. Brown. (www.southerncherokeenation.net) In 2006 Governor Ernie Fletcher paid tribute to the Southern Cherokee Nation for the 114 years of existence here in Kentucky.

Second Colonel: James M. Bell.

• First Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Volunteers First Colonel: John Drew
• Second Regiment of Cherokee Mounted Volunteers First Colonel: William Adair
• Cherokee Regiment (Special Services) CSA
• Third Cherokee Regiment of Volunteer Cavalry
• First Cherokee Battalion of Partisan Rangers
• First Squadron of Cherokee Mounted Volunteers
• Cherokee Special Services Battalion

In 1864 Watie who had made himself Chief in the absence of John Ross "encouraged" On July 11, the Cherokee National Council to pass a conscription act, which required that all able bodied free citizens between 17-45 report for duty before August 1. [1]

• Scales'/Fry's Battalion of Cherokee Cavalry
• Meyer's Battalion of Cherokee Cavalry
• Cherokee Battalion of Infantry
• Second Cherokee Artillery

Chickasaw Nation

• First Regiment of Chickasaw Infantry
• First Regiment of Chickasaw Cavalry First Colonel: William L. Hunter
• First Battalion of Chickasaw Cavalry
• Shecoe's Chickasaw Battalion of Mounted Volunteers

Choctaw Nation

• First Regiment Choctaw & Chickasaw Mounted Rifles
• First Regiment of Choctaw Mounted Rifles
• Deneale's Regiment of Choctaw Warriors
• Second Regiment of Choctaw Cavalry
• Third Regiment of Choctaw Cavalry
• Folsom's Battalion of Choctaw Mounted Rifles
• Capt. John Wilkin's Company of Choctaw Infantry
• Northwest Frontier Command of Indian Territory

Creek Nation

• First Creek Mounted Rifles - Col. Daniel N. McIntosh, Commanding
  • Co. A - 2nd Lt. William McIntosh
  • Co. C - Capt. William F. McIntosh, Commanding
  • Co. G - Capt. William H. McIntosh, Commanding
  • Co. G - 2nd Lt. A.H. McIntosh
• Second Creek Mounted Rifles - Lt. Col. Chilly McIntosh, Commanding

Seminole Nation

• First Battalion Seminole Mounted Volunteers
• First Regiment Seminole Mounted Volunteers

Osage Cavalry Battalion

• First Commander: Major Broken Arm [2][3]

Native American Indian units in the Armed forces the fought for the Union

Indian Home Guard (American Civil War)

External links

• LewRockwell.com article on the Cherokee Nation and the CSA
• Source page, used with permission from the author
• Native American CSA Records
• http://juntosociety.com/native/black_dog.htm
• Stand Watie Civil War Regiment Roster
• http://www.us-data.org/us/minges/keetoodi.html

See also

• Battle of Pea Ridge
• Keetoowah Nighthawk Society
• Sam Sixkiller
• Lewis Downing
• Cherokee Nation Warriors Society
• John Rollin Ridge
• Billy Bowlegs
• James G. Blunt
• Battle of Chustenahlah
• Battle of Round Mountain
• Battle of Chusto-Talasah
• Richard Montgomery Gano
• Samuel B. Maxey
• Fort Smith Council
• Murrell Home
• First Confederate Congress
• Second Confederate Congress
• Benjamin McCulloch
• Albert Pike
• Halleck Tustenuggee
• Opothleyahola
• Ely S. Parker
• Douglas H. Cooper

• Lumbee

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