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U.S. CONTRACT ARMS FOR THE INDIANS Few previous writers in the field of American military shoulder arms have included the arms procured by the U.S. government for the Indians. This procurement is included in this text for several reasons. During its early years, the United States' Indian policy was an extension of its militarypolicy, and the Indian policy was administered by offices within the War Department. Also, until the outbreak of the War of 1812, many of the arms were procured for the Indians, in implementation of those policies, by the same officers who procured arms for the armed forces. The distinctions between these arms — in particular the 1792 U.S. contract rifle, the 1807 U.S. contract army rifle, and the rifles procured for the Indians during the same period, arms often made by the same gunmakers — are sometimes blurred, and it is hoped that the inclusion of this section will help in the better definition of each. The procurement and issues of these various arms are often difficult to understand. Arms procured for the army were issued to the Indians, and conversely , arms procured for the Indians were sometimes used by the army. For example, severalhundred U.S. 1792 contract rifles were issuedto various Indian tribes, for a variety of reasons, during the last decade of the 18th century, and very few of the Model 1807 Springfield Indian carbines were issued to Indians for whom they were intended; many saw service in the hands of cadets at the U.S. MilitaryAcademy or were issuedto the State ofSouth Carolina. More than 1,000 Indian trade rifles on hand in Schuylkill Arsenal at the beginning of the Civil War were altered for service with the Union Army. Described later in this section are a few American-made arms procured by the United States for the Indians. Due to the great diversityof arms supplied to the Indians over the years, these arms cannot be construed as examples of all of them; they are only presented as being typical of a fewof the armstypesprocured by the federal government in implementation of Indian policies. Throughout the colonial period, both the English and the French made treaties with the several Indian nations within and surrounding the American colonies. The "French and Indian War" fought in America in the mid-18th century was an extension of the "Seven Years War," fought between France and England in Europe. During this war, the Indian nations constituted strategic military forces for both the British and the French. Both the British and the Americans also used the Indian nations during the Revolution, especially along the long western and northern frontiers of the states. In the 1780s the United States made a series of treaties to reestablish friendship with the Indians and to define the white settlements from the Indian territory. 153. U.S. CONTRACT ARMS FORTHE INDIANS On October 22, 1784, the Fort Stanwix Treaty was signed with the Six Nations, who had fought on the British side during the Revolution. This treaty limited the Indians to an area of western New York and provided for the distribution of goods to the Indians "pursuant to the humane and liberal views of the United States." It isknown that "four fusees with bayonets" weredelivered to a Mr. A. Montgomery and charged to the "Commissioners forIndian Treaties" as a result of this treaty. They were probably given to the chiefs as presents. The January 31, 1786, Fort Mclntoch Treaty, made with the Delawares, Wyandots, Chippewas, and Ottawas, allotted them a reservation, forwhich they ceded to the United States other lands that they claimed. The Fort Finney Treaty, dated January 31, 1786, was made with the Shawnees. It defined their reservation boundaries and established which federal and state authorities would deal with the Indians. The Fort Harmar Treaty, dated January 9, 1789, wasagain made with the Six Nations and also the Northwest Indians. Under this treaty, the United States made small payments for lands ceded by the Indians and established that the United States would pay for future acquisitions. The Fort Greenville Treaty, dated September 15, 1795, was made with the Miami Confederation. This treaty was the direct result of General Anthony Wayne's campaign between 1792 and 1794 for the suppression of the Indians along the then-western frontiers. The Miami Confederation consisted of the Shawnees, Delawares, Wyandots, Ottawas, Miamis, Potawatomis, Chippewas, and Mohawks. Under the terms of this treaty, the Indians ceased warring on American settlements and gave up...

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