The American Indian as Slaveholder and Seccessionist An Omitted Chapter in the Diplomatic History of the Southern Confederacy

"The American Indian as Slaveholder and Secessionist" by Annie Heloise Abel is a historical investigation that shines a light on the often-overlooked involvement of Native Americans in the Civil War, centering on their roles as slaveholders and secessionists. It challenges traditional understandings of the conflict by examining how various tribes, influenced by federal policies and relocations to Indian Territory, became strategically important to both the Confederacy and the Union. The book explains that many Native American tribes found themselves entangled in the growing tensions between the North and South, leading some to align with the Southern states due to their own slaveholding practices. It examines how factors such as internal divisions within the tribes and negotiations with federal and Confederate forces shaped their responses to the national crisis, altering the course of the war as a whole. This historical account uncovers a complex narrative that places Native American political allegiances and economic interests at the forefront of the Civil War conversation.