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Indian Wars Diaries of Walter S. Schuyler, with Related Material. ...
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Description
Future General Walter Schuyler's Indian Wars diaries with Great Sioux War content
Indian Wars Diaries of Walter S. Schuyler, with Related
Material. Two journals dated March 11 to May 26, 1874 and
September 12 to April 8, 1877; one identification and ration
document for a Native American man, his wife, and two children; ten
photographs, and five related letters dated October 8, 1930 to
January 13, 1960. The 1874 diary is written in pencil and the
1876-1877 diary is in ink. The diaries measure 4" x 7", photographs
measure 5.25" x 3", and additional documents measure 8" x
10.5".A decorated U.S. general, Schuyler participated in numerous wars throughout the nineteenth century, including the Indian Wars, the Spanish American War, the Philippine American War, and the Mexican Border War. For much of his career, he was part of the famed 5th Cavalry, which played a pivotal role in the Indian Wars. Schuyler received several domestic and foreign awards for his service, including the New York State Spanish American War Medal, the Chinese Order of the Double Dragoon, and the Russian Order of Saint Stanislaus.
The items featured here focus on Schuyler's service in the Indian Wars, particularly the Arizona Apache campaign and the Great Sioux War of 1876. The diaries provide detailed descriptions of scouting duty as well as confrontations with hostile Native American raiding parties. On March 17, 1874, he wrote, "About 1.30 PM four shots were heard in the cañon below us, and the Indians charged out of camp to investigate. They found that about 12 apaches going apparently on a raid to the Tall River settlements had killed a deer about 1 1/2 miles from camp but had discovered us at the same time. They chased the party for about four miles and forced them to drop the deer..."
On March 25, 1874, he wrote, "Broke camp at 7 am marched in broken circle S.S.E + E.S.E. and camped in gorge of Superstition Mt. on S.W. side of range. Country passed over today was mainly rolling and covered with fine grass and flowers...From camp travelled up cañon about 1 mile and then climbed steep hill turning to the left on top, marched on the trail travelled by the Indians when they left the reservation. They had some horses with them. About noon the Youtos came into camp from the east, having pursued the Indians over the range and some distance beyond...About 3 PM Yarahuali party commenced to straggle in, having killed one (1) man, whose scalp + gun they brought in, about 20 indians are still out having continued the pursuit..." A ration document and identification for the "killed man" was laid into the diary. The man's name was "Dis-sa-lin" and both the ration document and identification list that he had a wife and two children. Schuyler notes on the back of the ration document: "Found on the body of an Apache killed in the fight of March 25th 74. W.S.S."
The next day, Schuyler described intensified violence, writing, "At daylight six (6) scouts came in with two (2) young squaws having killed one (1) boy. They report heavy firing on their left, whither the rest of the party had gone (this yesterday). At sundown the party came in utterly exhausted, They jumped a rancheria in the range, killing twelve (12), six (6) of whom were bucks twenty-odd escape. They took five (5) guns and 1 bow.. They destroyed the guns but brought in the powder horns, belts, hats, clouts, etc of the men killed. Sergt...was shot through the jacket by an Indian whom he afterward killed. They brought in a squaw and child and lots of plunder. The squaw has lost her nose as punishment for infidelity."
The entries dated March 25 and 26 reported on a major offensive against hostile Apache tribes on Superstition Mountain, Arizona. U.S. military incursions into the Superstition wilderness had begun as early as 1864 when soldiers fought to stop Yavapai-Apache raids on local ranches. Campaigns against the community ramped up in 1867, leading to nine years of consistent battle. The conflict described here formed part of the Yavapai War that lasted from 1871 to 1875. Schuyler writes daily reporting on scout activity and any encounters with Indians. His entries vary in length, sometimes running longer than a page.
Two years later, in 1876, Schuyler was reassigned as aide-de-camp to General George Crook, commander of the Department of the Platte, and fought in the Great Sioux War of 1876. His diary from that period described the soldiers' grisly reality. On September 14, 1876, Schuyler wrote, "Returned to the main column on 'Belle Tourche,' about 7 o' clock this morning Private Milven Co 'A' '5' having left camp to hunt was ambushed by 5 indians, killed and scalped in sight of the pickets. His horse lay dead about 20 feet from him."
Ever brief in his reports, Schuyler described the aftermath of the Battle of Slim Buttes. The engagement took place on September 9 and 10, 1876 and marked the first major victory for U.S. forces against the Miniconjou Sioux since General George Custer's defeat and death at the Battle of Little Bighorn. After U.S. forces led by General Crook surrounded an indigenous settlement near Reva, South Dakota, soldiers faced a response of over 600 Native Americans led by Crazy Horse. Crook pushed the warriors back within forty-five minutes.
On October 10, 1876, Schuyler reported the deaths of two more men, writing, "Body of a man brought in from Horseshoe CK on Kellerman road, He was killed yesterday by Indians, scalp, right ear, and clothing taken off. A fight is also reported...about 25 miles from Fetterman between the hay men and 25 indians. Some hurt on both sides..." The next day, he wrote, "Information has come in that a man has been killed by Indians on the Rawhide today. He was last seen mortally wounded and pursued by 4 indians. Body has been found."
On October 23, General Ranald S. Mackenzie launched an initiative against two Native American leaders. Schuyler wrote, "Gen Mackenzie surrounded the camps of Red Leaf and Red Cloud at daylight, the indians were disarmed and their ponies taken from them without firing a shot. Col Gordon took Red Leaf. Gen M. Red Cloud."
The arrests of Red Leaf and Red Cloud formed part of a military crackdown against both friendly and hostile Native American communities. Mackenzie briefly detained the two leaders for failing to turn in hostile individuals that were staying at their settlement. The move was a precursor to Mackenzie's campaign against the Northern Cheyenne in November of that year.
On November 19, Schuyler took a rare moment to contemplate his perceptions of Native Americans compared to white Americans. He wrote, "The strangest and perhaps one of the greatest points of dissimilarity between the Indians and the white man is the fact that the former is at war with every man until a formal peace has been made. His hand is against every man and every man's hand against him. With the white man the case is just the reverse. He considers himself at peace with all until war has been declared."
His December entries describe the hardships brought on by the winter, and he makes a note at a later time in red ink that the "Diary [is] interfered by frozen ink." The diary entries dated December 24, 1876 through February 5, 1877 are light but remain legible. The last page of the diary contains a note he made on May 18, 1931 that his diary did not contain entries for December 20 to December 24, and he copies entries from the published diary of "Major North."
The diaries are accompanied by letters from two scholars of the Indian Wars who were interested in Schuyler's papers. There are two letters by Albert Johnson from 1930 who writes to Schuyler regarding specific events during the Wars and sends photographs marked with the sites of the deaths and burials of three U.S. soldiers. A 1960 letter by Dan Thrapp asks Schuyler's niece permission to reproduce his letters in a book he is writing.
Condition: Journals are leather-bound. Heavy wear to both journals. 1874 journal's boards and spine have chipping and closed tears. Hinges cracked. 1876 journal rebound with cloth spine. Title written on notebook paper affixed to front board. Corners bumped. Native American identification has irregular margins with separations as folds. Letters toned with creasing along folds. Photos toned with minor pen notations and bumped corners.
Auction Info
2023 September 21 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6272 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
September, 2023
21st
Thursday
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