Recruitment and enlistment United States Army Indian Scouts

a group of warm spring apache scouts

recruitment of indian scouts first authorized on july 28, 1866 act of congress.

president authorized enlist , employ in territories , indian country force of indians not exceed 1 thousand act scouts, shall receive pay , allowances of cavalry soldiers, , discharged whenever necessity further employment abated, @ discretion of department commander.

there different types of scouts, enlisted indian scouts brief terms , there others hired scouts u.s. army. individual may have served @ different times hired scout , enlisted scout. prior act in 1866 these scouts considered employees rather soldiers. enlistment records , muster rolls, 1866 1912 in many instances filed state, records broken down company or military post providing information such when, where, , whom scout enlisted; period of enlistment; place of birth; age @ time of enlistment; physical description; , possibly additional remarks such discharge information, including date , place of discharge, rank @ time, , if scout died in service. indian scouts officially enlisted in army after 1866 issued old pattern uniforms surplus stock legally exempt sale. uniforms worn less regulation, mixed native dress. in 1870, captain bourke of 3rd cavalry described apache scouts in arizona “almost naked, clothing being muslin loin-cloth, pair of point toed moccasins , hat of hawk feather”. in 1876 description of crow scouts reads wore, “an old black army hat top cut out , sides bound round feathers, fur , scarlet cloth”. availability of army clothing native scouts took advantage of availability of clothing. in 1902 when new regulations introduced in march u.s. scouts received new more regulated uniform.

in indian wars following u.s. civil war, indian scouts fast-moving, aggressive, , knowledgeable asset u.s. army. proved immune army notions of discipline , demeanor, proved expert in traversing vast distances of american west , providing intelligence—and shock force—to soldiers sought hostile indians. pawnee scout leader luther h. north commented, neither wild tribes, nor government indian scouts ever adopted of white soldier s tactics. thought own better. chief of scouts, stanton g. fisher, emphasized importance of indian scouts saying of soldiers, “uncle sam’s boys slow business.