Why They Fought: Native American Involvement in the American Civil War: American Indian Involvement in the American Civil War Was, On the Large Scale, Rather Insignificant‪.‬

As the country broke apart into North and South, the secret world of independent nations living within the borders of the United States of America were presented with a choice of whether to fight on the side of the white man, or to avoid the coming war all together. The United States government was initially reluctant to enlist Native American soldiers in their cause against the South. The Confederate States were initially eager to enlist the help of the Native Americans, but backed away from their eager beginnings after the battle of Pea Ridge. Native Americans themselves were split as to who they would support, if at all; and almost always their nations were divided between loyalty to the Union and loyalty to the Confederacy. Native American involvement in the Civil War encompasses more than simply the decision of individual tribes and nations to support either the North or South; rather their involvement includes the decisions made by the governments of the North and South to utilize the Native Americans. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]