Post-Civil War Questions

POST-CIVIL WAR QUESTIONSMilitary History

What would the end of the Civil War bring?

The United States had: Scores of able generals Millions of trained soldiers Giant munition industry The worlds most modern weapons

Options? Would we seize Canada in retaliation for

British support of the Confederacy? Would we march into Mexico and finish

off the Mexican state? Reinforce Monroe Doctrine by asserting

our strength in Latin America?

The reality… United States had an army of 1,500,000

after Appomattox Court House… Within 7 months we were at but 183,000 Seven months after that…25,000 Why?

Why? The turmoil of reconstruction Manifest Destiny…had hit the snooze

bar A desire to cease warfare in the short

term The Presidents from “Grant to

Cleveland passed like men without feet”

Europe’s game of battling it out in the developing scramble for Africa was not interesting to the United States.

The next American military challenge?

Closing the frontier In the mind of the day…in order to

secure the dream of Manifest Destiny—the area had to be rendered safe for the expansion of American civilization.

Something had to be done with the Native cultures occupying much of the region.

TURMOIL ON THE GREAT PLAINS

Native American Wars: 1858-1888

Common Image?

Sioux Uprising of MinnesotaCauses and outcomes

Chief Crow

treaty violations and land disagreements throughout the Antebellum.

Hunger and hardship amongst the dependent Sioux (having been stripped of native lands)

Culminated in the execution of 38 Sioux (largest mass execution in US History)

Sioux Uprising: 1862

Battle of Wood Lake (Minn. Historical Society)

Sand Creek Massacre: Colorado

Operating under a flag of peace from Lincoln.

Saw 400 of their tribe massacred.

Black Kettle and White Antelope

US didn’t protect treaty rights of Sioux and denied them the right of retribution.

Sent Custer in to restore order.

256 of the 7th cavalry killed including Custer and four of his family.

Sioux War 1875

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show: Custer’s Last Stand

Hunkpapa Holy man Born in the Dakotas Led siege against

Custer Fled to Canada Later surrendered as

his band was in the midst of starvation from being chased by the US and Canadian forces.

Sitting Bull

Returned to the US as seen here during his travels with the Wild West Shows.

He was killed for supporting the Ghost Dance Movement of the late 1880’s.

Sitting Bull

The Ghost Dance

Preached a peaceful ending to conflicts with White settlers.

His dance taught respect but also was rumored to bring about immunity to bullets…frightening the US Army

Wovoka

Overview Westward expansion is in high gear. After the Civil War the “Homestead Act”

spurred people to move West to the “Frontier. This movement was propelled by the Gold

Rush, the romantic lure of the West, and new opportunity.

Standing in the way of this advance were Native Americans.

Some would accept “relocation” peacefully. Others would not.

Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee

Chief Joseph One of the first Nez Perce to

convert to Christianity. Gained great fame for his

oratory. Resisted loss of Wallowa Valley

in Oregon. After a renegade attack on

white settlers by rogue Nez Perce. Joseph went on a 1400 mile march to retreat from US forces.

“Sherman” 200 v. 2000

I Will Fight No More Forever I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking

Glass is dead. Toohoolhoolzote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say, "Yes" or "No." He who led the young men [Olikut] is dead. It is cold, and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are -- perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.

Geronimo Apache leader whose band

was forcibly relocated to the wastelands of the SW.

Resisted this and launched sieges against settlers.

Pursued vigorously by US Army.

Brilliant military struggle. Finally relented, the last

Native American to resist US force.