Why the Cherokee Nation Allied Themselves With the Confederate States of America in 1861

Lew Rockwell.com ^ | January 7, 2004 | Leonard M. Scruggs

[Valin]

Bump for later.

[skinkinthegrass]

Well?...I read your comments...and most of the large paragraphs of content... :)

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

Most of the intensely southern, rural mountainous decendents are strongly Cherokee in blood--the ones with the rebel flags on pickup trucks.

Also the Southern and Midwest accents are heavily influenced by the indian tribes in their regions. The plains indians spoke in an almost monotone voice the accent seen in movies, the Cherokee and Eastern tribes accent were almost musical.

[Mamzelle]

re: Cherokees in South...accents

Lately, the Cherokees of long history and pedigree find themselves being spoken to in Spanish by the recent illegals flowing in...

They do not appreciate the mistake.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

"After the war Robert E. Lee also wrote, "The best men in the South have long desired to do away with the institution [of slavery], and were quite willing to see it abolished. But with them in relation to this subject is a serious question today. Unless some humane course, based on wisdom and Christian principles, is adopted, you do them great injustice in setting them free."

This was a bit of a cop out. While I believe the South was evolving in such a way that would eventually be rid of slavery, the above was an excuse borne of fear of economic disaster. They felt they could not afford to get rid of slavery so the next best solution was to treat them as well as possible and to free a few slaves as a reward when the owner can afford to do so.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

Was the Trail of Tears "payback" for the Cherokee Nation in supporting the Confederates?

No it was long before that. I think they came from Alabama, Georgia, Tennasee, South Carolina and maybe Virgina as well as North Carolina. I think people are confusing this because the present Cherokee reservation is in North Carolina. A cousin of mine did a genological study of our family and he sent me a book of the family history. An old map of Alabama and Georgia had much of the eastern part of Alabama and western part of Georgia as Cherokee and Creek indian country.

[Triple]

What about the slaves in the Union, who were excluded for the Emancipation Proclamation of Lincoln?

That ommission was by design. Lincoln freed no slaves under Union control.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

Lately, the Cherokees of long history and pedigree find themselves being spoken to in Spanish by the recent illegals flowing in...

They do not appreciate the mistake.

Some almost hate indians who speek Spanish. Don't care much for the ones who speak English and don't bother with their native language. Most of the Mexicans illegals are indian or largely so.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

That ommission was by design. Lincoln freed no slaves under Union control.

Yes. More much more than a cop out. An obvious effort for political gain.

[Agnes Heep]

At that time, much of the POLITICAL leadership of the South consisted of slave owners. Most of the PEOPLE did not own slaves. Couldn't afford them and didn't want them.

I don't own any factory equipment, but if someone were trying to abolish factory equipment where I live, I think I might have an interest in other people's keeping it.

[rbessenger]

Cherokees have a long history of backing the loser. They backed the British in the American Revolution.

[NativeSon]

They revered the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution as particularly important guarantors of their rights and freedoms.

I am not an expert on Cherokee history but I have seen a list of treaty after treaty (broken?) and know of some very unfriendly acts committed by the U.S. . as far as "Rights and Freedoms" that was something not afforded to AI's in general, perticually ones that had the audacity to continue to be AI.

Using the Cherokee's desire to maintain their American way of life as the reason for joining the Confederates makes be laugh.

[Aurelius]

An analogy of questionable applicability.

[stand watie]

our tribe sided with the CSA for just ONE main reason:

we TOO wanted our FREEDOM from the cynical,hateFILLED,arrogant,self-serving,hypocritical,mean-spirited,nosey,self-righteous damnyankees. nothing more,nothing less.

free the southland,sw

[carton253]

Actually, Stonewall Jackson owned slaves.

[stand watie]

see post 54.

free the southland,sw

[VadeRetro]

Was the Trail of Tears "payback" for the Cherokee Nation in supporting the Confederates?

No, but there were consequences. The western half of the "Indian Territory" was removed from tribal control and became a virtual no-man's land until Oklahoma statehood in 1905. An act of cutting off the nose to spite the face, it exacerbated lawlessness in that part of the country for decades.

[Mamzelle]

The Civil War was an opportunity to make war on Federals--

[NativeSon]

The Civil War was an opportunity to make war on Federals

Yes. Trying to cloak it in nostalgia for the 'good old days of America' is bunk. To them the good old days were pre-America.

[stand watie]

NOT according to the TAX OFFICE in his home county! (the tax collector always gets his pound of FLESH!)

free dixie,sw