The Indian Wars fought by the U.S Army from 1866 through 1890 were largely limited to the American Western Frontier. Early objectives of the army in the west was to keep travel routes open and to protect the already settled areas. As a result a system of military forts were established. After the Civil War the U.S. Army was able to reinforce their presence in the west and the fighting continiued due the unfair treatment of the Indians and a series of broken treaties by the U.S. Government.
Some of the more notable battles of the U.S. Army were against the Sioux and the Cheyennes of the northern plains from 1876 to 1881, the most famous, the battle at the Little Big Horn in 1876. Resistance ended with the surrender of Sioux Chief Sitting Bull in 1881. The Red River War of 1874-75 in the southern plains and Texas ended when the Kiowas, Commanche, Cheyennes, and Arapahoes, agreed to settle on reservations. Other major engagements were the Modoc War in 1872-73, in the California lava beds, the 1,500 mile pursuit of Chief Joesph and the Nez Perce across the northwest plains from Idaho to near Canada, the Bannock-Paiute uprising of 1878 in Idaho and Oregon, and the Ute outbreak in western Colorado. The long and bloody Apache Wars of New Mexico and Arizona ended in 1886 when Geronimo surrendered for the last time. The last major battle of the Plains Indian Wars was fought against the Sioux at Wounded Knee in 1890, thus marking the end of the Indain Wars.
This soldier displays an un-uniformed appearence of the Indian fighting cavalry in the field. Soldiers would wear civilian purchased shirts, neckerchiefs and hats quite a bit, and the uniform blouse, more often than not, was carried rolled up at the saddle. Buckskins were quite common, and when a hole needed to be patched, white canvas tended to be the only thing they had. Uniform issue was spotty at best in garrison, and pretty much non-existent in the field. If something wore out on campaign, it had to be replaced with whatever could be scrounged or made on the spot.
While on the plains this type of dress was not uncommon among some of the officers.The only way you knew who was who, officer or enlisted, was by personal knowledge, not by the uniform. |
