Lincoln and the Indians: Civil War Policy and Politics

V. Lincoln and the Refugees: "A Multitude of Cares"

V. Lincoln and the Refugees "A Multitude of Cares" BY SEPTEMBER 1862 the situation in Kansas had plagued the Lincoln administration for nearly a year. It was obviously not Lincoln 's only problem. Lincoln later told John Ross that this was a time of "a multitude of cares."! Indeed, it was. September was an uncertain time in the Civil War for the Northern forces. The Union army had achieved some success in the West. especially in the Mississippi Valley. However, the war on the eastern front was not reassuring. Robert E. Lee had outmaneuvered Lincoln's army and was making it look foolish in Virginia. The Union army had been humiliated at Second Bull Run on 29-30 August. Lincoln had failed to 60d adequate leadership for his army, and the squabbles among his generals had reached the point of absurdity. Radicals in his own party were critical of Lincoln's conduct of the war and were calling for the abolition of slavery and the use of black troops in the war effort. On top of all this, Indian affairs were demanding an extraordinary amount of attention due to a massive Indian war that broke out in Minnesma in August. The Lincoln government was in serious trouble. John Ross Visits Lincoln John Ross chose this time to meet with the president in Wash~ ingron. He did so with the blessings of General Blunt, Mark Dela~ hay, and Jim Lane. Blunt admitted to the president that Ross was I . Abraham Lincoln 10 John Ross, 25 September 1862, Roll 42, Abraham Lincoln Papers, LC (sec: "Abbreviations in FootnOlcs," p. vi). 54 LINCOLN AND THE REFUGEES going to Washington "at my suggestion." Delahay gave Lincoln no graceful exit from a confrontation with the Cherokee leader: I have assured him that you would be very glad to see him at Washington , and that you will afford him and the loyal people of the Nation every reasonable protection in your power, assuring him that you feel a deep interest in the restoration of peace and order in his beautiful country.2 Delahay was certain he could count on Lincoln "to extend to him all kindness and good will.'" With these two men backing the project, Jim Lane had to be the prime mover. The foxy senator was once again backing Lincoln into a corner. On 11 September, Lincoln informed Caleb Smith: "I will see Mr. Ross at 9 A.M. to-morrow, if he calls." Lincoln was apparently irritated about the meeting and gave the Cherokee leader a fairly cool reception. They met and Lincoln asked Ross to reduce his requests to writing. The issue was the loyalty of the Cherokees to the Union cause. Ross tried to explain to Lincoln that he had been left with no choice but to ally with the Confederacy and had rejoined the North as soon as it was feasible. The withdrawal of the Indian expedition left his people in an impossible situation, Ross told the president. He requested protection and a presidential proclamation to his people "in accordance with the views you entertain on this subject and which will enaLle me to make assurances in behalf of the Government in which they can confide." Ross argued that the government could not hold the Cherokees responsible for disloyalty when the administration had violated solemn treaty obligations to protect them" Lincoln told Ross he would investigate the alleged treaty violations. On 25 September, Lincoln wrote Ross that his "multitude of 2. Mark W. Delahay to Lincoln, 21 AuguSl 1862, Roll 40, Lincoln Papers, LC. 3· James G. Blunt to Lincoln, '3 August ,862, Roll 39, ibid., also found in OR, 1:13, pp. ~-66. 4. Lincoln 10 Caleb B. Smith, II September 1862, Roy P. Basler, cd., ColluuJ Works 0/ Abraham Lincoln, 5:4'5; Ross to Lincoln, 16 September ,862, Roll 4', Lincoln PlIIPCrs. LC. 55 LINCOLN AND THE INDIANS cares" had kept him from his promised examination of the treaty rdations betw~n the government and the Cherokees. "This letter, therefore, must not be: understood to decide anything upon these questions," Lincoln cautioned. He was carefully noncommittal. He promised the Cherokees only "the protection which can be given them consistently with the duty of the government to the whole country.'~ Thus far, John Ross had gotten nowhere with Lincoln. Caleb Smith's report on the treaty question apparently con· vinced Lincoln that Ross's complaints were...