Post by Okwes on Nov 27, 2006 11:53:29 GMT -5
A Call for the United States Congress to Authorize an Indian Wars (1865-1891) Participation Medal for the Descendants and Tribes of the American Indian Veterans
Fact: The American Indian veterans of the Indian Wars are the ONLY group of American veterans since participation medals were first distributed to not receive them. American veterans of the Civil War (North and the South), US veterans of the Indian Wars, World Wars I and II and every war since, have been given participation medals to mark their service. The American Indian veterans of the Indian Wars are the only group that has been overlooked.
It is never too late to honor veterans because their families and tribes remain to receive the overdue honor, and to benefit from the healing nature of such an act. (Confederate vets received their medals 33 years after the war’s end, thanks to the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The program that distributed the medals was overwhelmingly popular.)
America’s “Second Civil War”
Fact. America has gone through two civil wars, the second one lasting 6 times as long as the first. Immediately after the South battled the North in a bid to secede, the North and South joined forces against the First Americans for control of most of the remainder of their land. This is called the Indian Wars or the Indian War (singular). The years of this conflict spanned 1865 to 1891.
Idea. With the necessary congressional legislation, the US Mint could be authorized to produce an American Indian Veterans’ Participation Medal in small and large bronze sizes for the tribes, and for the entire American public including the collectors of military medals. These could be made available to federally recognized tribal authorities at a discount or at cost so that these tribal governments could then offer them to the descendants of Indian veterans.
The Ribbon
The tribal version could also be available with a ribbon as other military participation medals are made (see photo below). For example, 5 horizontal stripes could be placed on the ribbon to represent the Indian and the land he fought for: A top stripe of blue for the sky and green for the forests, followed by red to represent the blood of the fallen warriors, then a brown stripe for the earth, and lastly, another blue stripe for the rivers and oceans.
About The Indian Wars Medal for US Veterans
The Indian Wars or US Army Indian Campaign Medal is the government-issued participation medal that recognizes the contribution of those members of the US military who battled tribes in the Indian Wars of the 19th Century. Participation or engagement medals for the fighting men and women of a war have been distributed to soldiers, sailors and pilots in many nations for centuries. The United States is no exception. Following congressional approval on January 11, 1905, the Indian campaign medal was authorized in 1907. The Indian wars campaign medal was awarded for service in many campaigns and engagements against Indian tribes throughout the American west between the years 1865 and 1891.
Indian War campaign medals are rarely seen today both because they were not made in large numbers to begin with and because the descendants of the veterans who received them treasure these medals. A genuine US Indian Wars Medal is numbered on the edge, and will probably have a ribbon in poor condition, or no ribbon at all. When they are available at auction, they sell in the hundreds of dollars. The good news for the collector and for the descendant of a veteran whose medal has been lost over time is that same-size bronze restrikes with replica ribbons are available for about $20.00 from medal and militaria shops, and on many online auctions in the medals section, or collectibles area.
One of a Kind Design Among Military Medals
This is an unusual design in that it depicts the enemy, a brave wearing a war bonnet astride his pony. It is unheard of for the enemy to be depicted in all of his glory on the engagement medal of the other side. Certainly, the participation medals given to US soldiers who fought in World War I and World War II did not feature the German pilot or Japanese seaman. The Civil War Army medal pays tribute to Abraham Lincoln, not Jefferson Davis. This contradiction is just the first of many that is part of the Indian Wars Medal.
Two American Civil Wars and One Medal Designer
A civil war is defined as a war among the people of one country. Since American Indians (and most of us do prefer the term “American Indians”**) and all other Americans inhabit the same place and are all citizens of that place today, it can be said that the Indian War, which began in 1865 right after the Civil War ended, was also a civil war. Therefore, this country actually fought two civil wars back-to-back. Indian tribes participated in both wars, too. During the first Civil War, some tribes allied themselves with the Union North and some with the Confederate South.
It is logical to expect the war medals of the two consecutive American civil wars to have some significant similarities. They were even designed by the same man, Francis Millet, who was one of many prominent Americans to die onboard the ocean liner, Titanic, in 1912. However, in every important way, the medals are very different, reflecting the divergent post-war sentiments of the nation toward the two losing sides.
One medal was carefully designed in word, ribbon and illustration to soothe tortured souls. The other was designed to depict the old enemy as “savages.” This is especially surprising when looking at the length of each military action. The Indian Wars lasted more than six times as long as the Civil War, but the post-war attitude of the longer conflict reflected in the army medal was anything but conciliatory.
The designer’s age in wartime might have affected his medal designs. Millet was not even 20 years old when the four-year Civil War ended and the Indian Wars began. However, he was 45 years old when the Indian Wars concluded. Like other Americans, he spent a much greater amount of time despising the Indian enemy than he did the rebel foe. Whatever his motivation, Millet failed to grasp that a unifying medal was just as necessary for one war as for the other.
Comparison: Civil War Medal and Indian War Medal
In comparing the Civil War and Indian War medal, there are many minor coincidences and likenesses such as size, manufacture and establishment date. Even the first recipient of each medal was the same man. However, when it comes to ribbon and medal design, wording and feeling, the deep-seated hatred that lingered toward Indians contributed to vast differences. Sadly, Indians were frequently described in print as inferior human beings, and were deeply mistrusted by many Americans. This is reflected in a side-by-side comparison of medals.
Establishment Date and Order of Creation
Civil War: January 21, 1907, the first campaign medal in US history
Indian War: January 21, 1907, the second campaign medal in US history
Predominant manufacturer
Civil War: US Mint
Indian War: US Mint
War Years
Civil War: 1861-1865, four years in length
Indian War: 1865 – 1891 (with a few more awarded after 1891,) 26 years in length
Medal Designer
Civil War: Francis “Frank” D. Millet.
Indian War: Francis “Frank” D. Millet.
First Recipient of this Medal and Date
Civil War: Major General Charles F. Humphrey, May 26, 1909.
Indian War: Major General Charles F. Humphrey, July 15, 1908.
Ribbon
Civil War (first ribbon): Two sets of red, white and blue stripes. (Second ribbon): Two equal halves of blue and gray to honor both the North and the South.
Indian War (first ribbon): Millet chose two shades of red because “vermillion was the favorite color of all savage tribes, particularly the North American Indian.” (Second ribbon): Created to avoid the confusion of the first choice with the French Legion of Honor, red background with black stripe edging.
Obverse
Civil War: Bust of President Lincoln. Millet said this choice “must be acceptable to everybody” and not create “offense.”
Indian War: Indian brave on a horse, arrowheads and buffalo skull. Millet sought to show “the highly active and troublesome enemy.” The buffalo skull was said to represent the “relationship between the Indian and the frontier.” Since this medal was authorized in 1907 at a time when the American bison was very close to extinction, the buffalo skull takes on an especially sinister meaning. The end of the huge buffalo herds meant hunger, starvation, and an end to the nomadic life of the Plains Indians. A military expression of the time was, “One dead buffalo, one dead Indian.” As much as war and disease and the might of the US Army, the end of the buffalo defeated the Indian. The buffalo skull represents death to the buffalo herds as well as the death of the ancient lifestyle of the enemy, a reminder that the Indians scarcely needed to see.
Legend
Civil War: Quote from Lincoln to inspire brotherhood: “With malice toward none, with charity toward all.” And “Civil War 1861-1865.”
Indian War: “Indian Wars” and “For Service. United States Army.”
Reverse
Civil War: Oak and laurel wreath joined by a bow, representing strength, peace and victory. Indian War: An eagle perched on a cannon representing victory for the US, 13 stars, and weapons including rifles, an Indian shield, spear, quiver of arrows, Cuban machete, and a Sulu kriss. These represent the five largest wars fought by the US up to that time: Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War, Spanish-American War, and Philippines Insurrection.
A Medallic Healing
Figure 1. Bronze restrikes of US WWI and II, Indian War, and Civil War (Army) Participation Medals.
Placing all four participation medals side by side clearly shows how different the Indian Wars Medal is from the one that preceded it, and the ones that came after it. It is the only military participation medal in US history that depicts the enemy in its design. And unlike the others, it contains no words of a restorative or positive nature on obverse or reverse. All photos are copyrighted and from the book “Indian Peace Medals and Related Items, Collecting the Symbols of Peace and Friendship.” ISBN # 0-9770359-0-5
After The War: A Medallic Healing for the Other Side
In the scan above, we see the participation or engagement medals of four American wars: World War I, World War II, the Indian War, and the Civil War. In each case, these medals went to the fighting men and women of the winning side. But what of the people on the other side? The Germans distributed the Iron Cross and several other medals for both WWI and WWII. The Iron Cross is one of the most recognized war medals on the planet. The Japanese had the ornate Order of the Rising Sun in various classes. At first, the American South, like the Indians, with no money or metal to spare, had nothing to bestow on the fighting or returning warriors. But years later, a group of Southern women developed a plan.
It was the year 1898. The Civil war had been over for more than 30 years. The evil scourge of human slavery had been eradicated from the nation and a new century was near. At a Confederate veteran reunion in Atlanta that year, a group of volunteers with the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) had an idea to show support for the sacrifices of the veterans. Two of their members, Mrs. Mary Ann Lamar Cobb Erwin and Mrs. Sarah E. Gabbett, designed a Confederate participation medal.
The better-late-than-never design was simple and positive. The 32 mm Maltese cross-shaped medal consists of a Confederate flag, a wreath of laurel, and the following wording on both sides: The Southern Cross Of Honor, Deo Vindice (God our Vindicator), 1861-1865, from the UDC to the UCV (United Confederate Veterans.)
It wasn’t meant as a political statement. Rather, the medal was designed to offer a simple, positive “recognition of service.” For the middle-aged soldiers, it was most definitely a therapeutic gesture. Honorably discharged veterans had only to fill out a short application and a Southern Cross of Honor medal was sent out. No one knew how many would bother but to everyone’s amazement, many did. By 1913, more than 78,000 medals had been awarded.
Figure 2. Civil War Participation Medal, Created 33 Years Late.
The Indian veterans of the Indian Wars received no participation, engagement or merit medals for their efforts. Like the South, the tribes were in no condition to make medals after the war’s end. ”The Southern Cross of Honor” was designed, struck and awarded to Confederate veterans of the Civil War beginning in 1898, and was distributed to veterans for the next 15 years. The “Southern Cross of Honor” medal pictured is a modern replica and is 32 mm square, plus bar.
The Indian Veterans of the Indian Wars
It has been one century plus a dozen years more since the Indian Wars ended and yet no engagement medal has ever been made. However, had a medal been proposed, there are reasons why it probably could not have come to fruition in 1891. Like the South, the Indians as a whole were impoverished economically after the war and struggling just to stay alive. Indians recently moved to the reservation were adapting to a whole new way of life. Adding to the difficulty was the fact that unlike the Southern states, the Indian tribes were not part of a greater nation. Each tribe was a little country unto itself and may or may not have been at peace with the next nearest tribal neighbor. Without the cohesiveness of one national identity, or the resources, they could not tangibly recognize the sacrifice of their warriors. Eventually, hundreds of Indian tribes would go on to organize sovereign governments, design and produce heraldic designs, tribal seals, and commemorative medals, but no Indian Wars participation medal.
One can only wonder now about what form such a medal could have taken. Since there are so many cultural differences among tribes, from language to diet to custom, perhaps one or more elements of the Jefferson Indian Peace Medal could have been employed to make the medal instantly recognizable to all Indians. An Indian Peace Medal format would also have had the effect of symbolically bestowing the honor of “a medal worthy of a chief” on each veteran. One can only wonder how much healing could have taken place for the American Indian people, especially the warrior veterans, had such a metallic souvenir been produced and distributed.
One also has to wonder if, even now, too much time has elapsed. The warriors are long gone of course, but their descendants remain.
Summary
US citizenship was not granted to American Indians until after World War I but even as non-citizens, many Indians fought and died in World War I. The brave Choctaw Codetalkers of WWI and the Navajo Codetalkers of WWII put themselves into extreme danger to make unique and extremely important contributions. The children of America’s first inhabitants continue to volunteer for military duty in numbers that over-represent them in the percentage of the overall population. In other words, as a group, American Indians are highly patriotic citizens who care about this nation deeply.
It is time we recognize the Indian Warrior Veteran. It is never too late.
What You Can Do
If you agree that authorizing a participation medal for the Indian Wars American Indian veterans is something Congress needs to do, please call, write, or email the president, your senator and your representative and give them this URL so they can find out more.
The White House can be contacted through www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
You can quickly find out who represents you in Congress and send them an email by visiting these two government web sites: www.house.gov/writerep/ and www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Thank-you!
- July, 2005
By Rita Laws, Ph.D.
Member, Oklahoma Choctaw Nation
Permissions and Copyrights
I created this web page after research for a book I wrote about Indian peace medals led me to the discovery that a medal for the American Indian veterans of the Indian Wars had never been produced and distributed. While a private company could certainly do the job even today (the Confederate veteran participation medals were privately made), asking Congress to take on this job has several advantages, i.e., the “official” nature of government involvement would contribute to the healing nature of such a medal. Further, the design process would be first rate with US Mint artists working with American Indian leaders to create a medal worthy of its purpose, and with further input from the two national coin and medal advisory committees, the US Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the Citizen’s Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). Finally, the US Mint would be striking these medals and that means consistently excellent quality.
My opinions about the need for this medal are mine alone and do not represent the views or anyone else or any other group.
Permission to link to this web site for non-commercial purposes is granted however re-printing any of this material (except for brief quotes) is prohibited without written permission from the author. This is copyrighted material. onlineonly@tds.net
Most of this article was excerpted from the book, “Indian Peace Medals and Related items, Collecting the Symbols of Peace and Friendship.”
personalpages.tds.net/~rlaws/IPMbookexcerpt.html ISBN # 0-9770359-0-5 LCCN # 2004096208
Copyright © 2005 by Rita Laws. All rights reserved.
“Whenever the white man treats an Indian as they treat each other, then we will have no more wars. We shall all be alike- brothers of one father and one mother, with one sky above us and one country around us, and one government for all. Then the Great Spirit Chief who rules above will smile upon this land, and send rain to wash out the bloody spots made by Brothers’ hands from the face of the earth.”
- Chief Joseph, Nez Perces, 1879
**Research concerning the term preferred by American Indians when referring to themselves from the book, Indian Peace Medals and Related Items, Collecting the Symbols of Peace and Friendship. Revised Edition, page xviii, Online Only, Oklahoma, 2005.
Fact: The American Indian veterans of the Indian Wars are the ONLY group of American veterans since participation medals were first distributed to not receive them. American veterans of the Civil War (North and the South), US veterans of the Indian Wars, World Wars I and II and every war since, have been given participation medals to mark their service. The American Indian veterans of the Indian Wars are the only group that has been overlooked.
It is never too late to honor veterans because their families and tribes remain to receive the overdue honor, and to benefit from the healing nature of such an act. (Confederate vets received their medals 33 years after the war’s end, thanks to the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The program that distributed the medals was overwhelmingly popular.)
America’s “Second Civil War”
Fact. America has gone through two civil wars, the second one lasting 6 times as long as the first. Immediately after the South battled the North in a bid to secede, the North and South joined forces against the First Americans for control of most of the remainder of their land. This is called the Indian Wars or the Indian War (singular). The years of this conflict spanned 1865 to 1891.
Idea. With the necessary congressional legislation, the US Mint could be authorized to produce an American Indian Veterans’ Participation Medal in small and large bronze sizes for the tribes, and for the entire American public including the collectors of military medals. These could be made available to federally recognized tribal authorities at a discount or at cost so that these tribal governments could then offer them to the descendants of Indian veterans.
The Ribbon
The tribal version could also be available with a ribbon as other military participation medals are made (see photo below). For example, 5 horizontal stripes could be placed on the ribbon to represent the Indian and the land he fought for: A top stripe of blue for the sky and green for the forests, followed by red to represent the blood of the fallen warriors, then a brown stripe for the earth, and lastly, another blue stripe for the rivers and oceans.
About The Indian Wars Medal for US Veterans
The Indian Wars or US Army Indian Campaign Medal is the government-issued participation medal that recognizes the contribution of those members of the US military who battled tribes in the Indian Wars of the 19th Century. Participation or engagement medals for the fighting men and women of a war have been distributed to soldiers, sailors and pilots in many nations for centuries. The United States is no exception. Following congressional approval on January 11, 1905, the Indian campaign medal was authorized in 1907. The Indian wars campaign medal was awarded for service in many campaigns and engagements against Indian tribes throughout the American west between the years 1865 and 1891.
Indian War campaign medals are rarely seen today both because they were not made in large numbers to begin with and because the descendants of the veterans who received them treasure these medals. A genuine US Indian Wars Medal is numbered on the edge, and will probably have a ribbon in poor condition, or no ribbon at all. When they are available at auction, they sell in the hundreds of dollars. The good news for the collector and for the descendant of a veteran whose medal has been lost over time is that same-size bronze restrikes with replica ribbons are available for about $20.00 from medal and militaria shops, and on many online auctions in the medals section, or collectibles area.
One of a Kind Design Among Military Medals
This is an unusual design in that it depicts the enemy, a brave wearing a war bonnet astride his pony. It is unheard of for the enemy to be depicted in all of his glory on the engagement medal of the other side. Certainly, the participation medals given to US soldiers who fought in World War I and World War II did not feature the German pilot or Japanese seaman. The Civil War Army medal pays tribute to Abraham Lincoln, not Jefferson Davis. This contradiction is just the first of many that is part of the Indian Wars Medal.
Two American Civil Wars and One Medal Designer
A civil war is defined as a war among the people of one country. Since American Indians (and most of us do prefer the term “American Indians”**) and all other Americans inhabit the same place and are all citizens of that place today, it can be said that the Indian War, which began in 1865 right after the Civil War ended, was also a civil war. Therefore, this country actually fought two civil wars back-to-back. Indian tribes participated in both wars, too. During the first Civil War, some tribes allied themselves with the Union North and some with the Confederate South.
It is logical to expect the war medals of the two consecutive American civil wars to have some significant similarities. They were even designed by the same man, Francis Millet, who was one of many prominent Americans to die onboard the ocean liner, Titanic, in 1912. However, in every important way, the medals are very different, reflecting the divergent post-war sentiments of the nation toward the two losing sides.
One medal was carefully designed in word, ribbon and illustration to soothe tortured souls. The other was designed to depict the old enemy as “savages.” This is especially surprising when looking at the length of each military action. The Indian Wars lasted more than six times as long as the Civil War, but the post-war attitude of the longer conflict reflected in the army medal was anything but conciliatory.
The designer’s age in wartime might have affected his medal designs. Millet was not even 20 years old when the four-year Civil War ended and the Indian Wars began. However, he was 45 years old when the Indian Wars concluded. Like other Americans, he spent a much greater amount of time despising the Indian enemy than he did the rebel foe. Whatever his motivation, Millet failed to grasp that a unifying medal was just as necessary for one war as for the other.
Comparison: Civil War Medal and Indian War Medal
In comparing the Civil War and Indian War medal, there are many minor coincidences and likenesses such as size, manufacture and establishment date. Even the first recipient of each medal was the same man. However, when it comes to ribbon and medal design, wording and feeling, the deep-seated hatred that lingered toward Indians contributed to vast differences. Sadly, Indians were frequently described in print as inferior human beings, and were deeply mistrusted by many Americans. This is reflected in a side-by-side comparison of medals.
Establishment Date and Order of Creation
Civil War: January 21, 1907, the first campaign medal in US history
Indian War: January 21, 1907, the second campaign medal in US history
Predominant manufacturer
Civil War: US Mint
Indian War: US Mint
War Years
Civil War: 1861-1865, four years in length
Indian War: 1865 – 1891 (with a few more awarded after 1891,) 26 years in length
Medal Designer
Civil War: Francis “Frank” D. Millet.
Indian War: Francis “Frank” D. Millet.
First Recipient of this Medal and Date
Civil War: Major General Charles F. Humphrey, May 26, 1909.
Indian War: Major General Charles F. Humphrey, July 15, 1908.
Ribbon
Civil War (first ribbon): Two sets of red, white and blue stripes. (Second ribbon): Two equal halves of blue and gray to honor both the North and the South.
Indian War (first ribbon): Millet chose two shades of red because “vermillion was the favorite color of all savage tribes, particularly the North American Indian.” (Second ribbon): Created to avoid the confusion of the first choice with the French Legion of Honor, red background with black stripe edging.
Obverse
Civil War: Bust of President Lincoln. Millet said this choice “must be acceptable to everybody” and not create “offense.”
Indian War: Indian brave on a horse, arrowheads and buffalo skull. Millet sought to show “the highly active and troublesome enemy.” The buffalo skull was said to represent the “relationship between the Indian and the frontier.” Since this medal was authorized in 1907 at a time when the American bison was very close to extinction, the buffalo skull takes on an especially sinister meaning. The end of the huge buffalo herds meant hunger, starvation, and an end to the nomadic life of the Plains Indians. A military expression of the time was, “One dead buffalo, one dead Indian.” As much as war and disease and the might of the US Army, the end of the buffalo defeated the Indian. The buffalo skull represents death to the buffalo herds as well as the death of the ancient lifestyle of the enemy, a reminder that the Indians scarcely needed to see.
Legend
Civil War: Quote from Lincoln to inspire brotherhood: “With malice toward none, with charity toward all.” And “Civil War 1861-1865.”
Indian War: “Indian Wars” and “For Service. United States Army.”
Reverse
Civil War: Oak and laurel wreath joined by a bow, representing strength, peace and victory. Indian War: An eagle perched on a cannon representing victory for the US, 13 stars, and weapons including rifles, an Indian shield, spear, quiver of arrows, Cuban machete, and a Sulu kriss. These represent the five largest wars fought by the US up to that time: Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War, Spanish-American War, and Philippines Insurrection.
A Medallic Healing
Figure 1. Bronze restrikes of US WWI and II, Indian War, and Civil War (Army) Participation Medals.
Placing all four participation medals side by side clearly shows how different the Indian Wars Medal is from the one that preceded it, and the ones that came after it. It is the only military participation medal in US history that depicts the enemy in its design. And unlike the others, it contains no words of a restorative or positive nature on obverse or reverse. All photos are copyrighted and from the book “Indian Peace Medals and Related Items, Collecting the Symbols of Peace and Friendship.” ISBN # 0-9770359-0-5
After The War: A Medallic Healing for the Other Side
In the scan above, we see the participation or engagement medals of four American wars: World War I, World War II, the Indian War, and the Civil War. In each case, these medals went to the fighting men and women of the winning side. But what of the people on the other side? The Germans distributed the Iron Cross and several other medals for both WWI and WWII. The Iron Cross is one of the most recognized war medals on the planet. The Japanese had the ornate Order of the Rising Sun in various classes. At first, the American South, like the Indians, with no money or metal to spare, had nothing to bestow on the fighting or returning warriors. But years later, a group of Southern women developed a plan.
It was the year 1898. The Civil war had been over for more than 30 years. The evil scourge of human slavery had been eradicated from the nation and a new century was near. At a Confederate veteran reunion in Atlanta that year, a group of volunteers with the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) had an idea to show support for the sacrifices of the veterans. Two of their members, Mrs. Mary Ann Lamar Cobb Erwin and Mrs. Sarah E. Gabbett, designed a Confederate participation medal.
The better-late-than-never design was simple and positive. The 32 mm Maltese cross-shaped medal consists of a Confederate flag, a wreath of laurel, and the following wording on both sides: The Southern Cross Of Honor, Deo Vindice (God our Vindicator), 1861-1865, from the UDC to the UCV (United Confederate Veterans.)
It wasn’t meant as a political statement. Rather, the medal was designed to offer a simple, positive “recognition of service.” For the middle-aged soldiers, it was most definitely a therapeutic gesture. Honorably discharged veterans had only to fill out a short application and a Southern Cross of Honor medal was sent out. No one knew how many would bother but to everyone’s amazement, many did. By 1913, more than 78,000 medals had been awarded.
Figure 2. Civil War Participation Medal, Created 33 Years Late.
The Indian veterans of the Indian Wars received no participation, engagement or merit medals for their efforts. Like the South, the tribes were in no condition to make medals after the war’s end. ”The Southern Cross of Honor” was designed, struck and awarded to Confederate veterans of the Civil War beginning in 1898, and was distributed to veterans for the next 15 years. The “Southern Cross of Honor” medal pictured is a modern replica and is 32 mm square, plus bar.
The Indian Veterans of the Indian Wars
It has been one century plus a dozen years more since the Indian Wars ended and yet no engagement medal has ever been made. However, had a medal been proposed, there are reasons why it probably could not have come to fruition in 1891. Like the South, the Indians as a whole were impoverished economically after the war and struggling just to stay alive. Indians recently moved to the reservation were adapting to a whole new way of life. Adding to the difficulty was the fact that unlike the Southern states, the Indian tribes were not part of a greater nation. Each tribe was a little country unto itself and may or may not have been at peace with the next nearest tribal neighbor. Without the cohesiveness of one national identity, or the resources, they could not tangibly recognize the sacrifice of their warriors. Eventually, hundreds of Indian tribes would go on to organize sovereign governments, design and produce heraldic designs, tribal seals, and commemorative medals, but no Indian Wars participation medal.
One can only wonder now about what form such a medal could have taken. Since there are so many cultural differences among tribes, from language to diet to custom, perhaps one or more elements of the Jefferson Indian Peace Medal could have been employed to make the medal instantly recognizable to all Indians. An Indian Peace Medal format would also have had the effect of symbolically bestowing the honor of “a medal worthy of a chief” on each veteran. One can only wonder how much healing could have taken place for the American Indian people, especially the warrior veterans, had such a metallic souvenir been produced and distributed.
One also has to wonder if, even now, too much time has elapsed. The warriors are long gone of course, but their descendants remain.
Summary
US citizenship was not granted to American Indians until after World War I but even as non-citizens, many Indians fought and died in World War I. The brave Choctaw Codetalkers of WWI and the Navajo Codetalkers of WWII put themselves into extreme danger to make unique and extremely important contributions. The children of America’s first inhabitants continue to volunteer for military duty in numbers that over-represent them in the percentage of the overall population. In other words, as a group, American Indians are highly patriotic citizens who care about this nation deeply.
It is time we recognize the Indian Warrior Veteran. It is never too late.
What You Can Do
If you agree that authorizing a participation medal for the Indian Wars American Indian veterans is something Congress needs to do, please call, write, or email the president, your senator and your representative and give them this URL so they can find out more.
The White House can be contacted through www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
You can quickly find out who represents you in Congress and send them an email by visiting these two government web sites: www.house.gov/writerep/ and www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Thank-you!
- July, 2005
By Rita Laws, Ph.D.
Member, Oklahoma Choctaw Nation
Permissions and Copyrights
I created this web page after research for a book I wrote about Indian peace medals led me to the discovery that a medal for the American Indian veterans of the Indian Wars had never been produced and distributed. While a private company could certainly do the job even today (the Confederate veteran participation medals were privately made), asking Congress to take on this job has several advantages, i.e., the “official” nature of government involvement would contribute to the healing nature of such a medal. Further, the design process would be first rate with US Mint artists working with American Indian leaders to create a medal worthy of its purpose, and with further input from the two national coin and medal advisory committees, the US Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the Citizen’s Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). Finally, the US Mint would be striking these medals and that means consistently excellent quality.
My opinions about the need for this medal are mine alone and do not represent the views or anyone else or any other group.
Permission to link to this web site for non-commercial purposes is granted however re-printing any of this material (except for brief quotes) is prohibited without written permission from the author. This is copyrighted material. onlineonly@tds.net
Most of this article was excerpted from the book, “Indian Peace Medals and Related items, Collecting the Symbols of Peace and Friendship.”
personalpages.tds.net/~rlaws/IPMbookexcerpt.html ISBN # 0-9770359-0-5 LCCN # 2004096208
Copyright © 2005 by Rita Laws. All rights reserved.
“Whenever the white man treats an Indian as they treat each other, then we will have no more wars. We shall all be alike- brothers of one father and one mother, with one sky above us and one country around us, and one government for all. Then the Great Spirit Chief who rules above will smile upon this land, and send rain to wash out the bloody spots made by Brothers’ hands from the face of the earth.”
- Chief Joseph, Nez Perces, 1879
**Research concerning the term preferred by American Indians when referring to themselves from the book, Indian Peace Medals and Related Items, Collecting the Symbols of Peace and Friendship. Revised Edition, page xviii, Online Only, Oklahoma, 2005.