15,697
edits
Changes
m
[[File:buffhunterscalped1868nearftdodge.jpg|thumbnail|300px|A buffalo hunter discovered near Fort Dodge, December, 1868. The victim has been scalped. ]]At Fort Sill, agent Haworth was faced with the same problem in that his Indian wards were suffering the same deprivations as those at Darlington. Agent Haworth wrote that “‘Since the Indians have camped near the agency, over one hundred head of their stock have been stolen and taken into Texas ̶ ̶ ̶ and none recovered.’”<ref>Quoted in Haley, 47.</ref>Compounding the problem of the robberies was the fact that the horse thieves were at times forced to kill other white men and did so in a manner that suggested the killings were perpetrated by Native Americans. They took scalps, which was the tradition of Native Americans, and convinced the frontier citizens that that it was the South Plains Indians who were guilty. Agent Haworth defended the tribes and wrote, “‘I am fully convinced that many of the offences offenses charged to the Indians are committed by white men in disguise.’”<ref>Quoted in Haley, 48.</ref>
Admin moved page The Red River War, 1874-1875: What Were the Events that Led to the Uprising? to The Red River War, 1874-1875: What Were the Events that Led to the Uprising
{{Mediawiki:kindleoasis}}
__NOTOC__
[[File:plainsbison.jpg|thumbnail|370px300px|left|Plains Bison]]
The tribes which inhabited the southern plains of the United States, aptly called the “Buffalo Indians,” all originated in another region of North America. As the 19th century progressed, these groups of people were well adapted and thrived in their environment. The middle of the century; however, proved to be increasingly challenging to the Native American tribes as the U.S. government sought to contain, if not eliminate, these nomadic hunters in order to exploit the region and its resources for the advancement of westward expansion. In 1865 the American Civil War had at last come to an end, thus allowing for an increased military presence in Texas and the Southern Plains region. Further, the intercontinental railroad was completed in 1868, which increased the rate of the transportation of goods to the East and migrant settlers to the West.
Cries for war were increasing at Darlington and agent Miles grew concerned. He wrote that “‘The Chiefs are very much provoked and discouraged…and express the fear that, should nothing be done…and another raid be maid upon them, that it will be impossible for them to restrain their young men from making a like raid on the frontier of Kansas.’”<ref>Quoted in Haley,45</ref>Again, nothing was done to punish the white criminals and the robberies and poaching continued.
Native American chiefs were also aware of the trickery being enacted by the thieves, which increased the call for war. By spring 1874, hungry South Plains tribes had been infringed upon, neglected, stolen from, and framed for murders of which they were innocent. Their increased anger and hatred of white hunters and the U.S. government had been simmering for years and at last reached the boiling point when hunters established a settlement on the Texas panhandle.
