U.S. Army Indian Scouts

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The Indian Scouts of the United States Army were Native Americans recruited primarily to assist and fight in the Indian Wars of the Western United States. Recruitment of Indian scouts was first authorized on 28 July 1866 by an act of Congress.

"The President is authorized to enlist and employ in the Territories and Indian country a force of Indians not to exceed one thousand to act as scouts, who shall receive the pay and allowances of cavalry soldiers, and be discharged whenever the necessity for futher employment is abated, at the discretion of the department commander."^[1]

The scouts were recruited from many Native American nations, such as the Navajo and other Apachean nations and the Crow nation. Among the U.S. Army Indian scouts was a group of Black Seminoles who had enlisted in the Army in 1870 and became known as the "Seminole Negro Indian Scouts".

The length of an "Indian Scout's" enlistment varied as was authorized by the 1866 statute. For example Navajo Scouts were typically enlisted and then discharged for 6 month periods. The same men might serve multiple enlistments. A calavary period of enlistment was for 5 years. In 1895 Indian Scouts, as a class of military soldiers, were merged into the regular army.

[edit] Difference between Civilian and Indian Scouts

Civilians were hired by the military as contractors and were sometimes called scouts. Native Americans were usually enlisted in the military. A civilian contractor scout did not hold rank, although they might have a title (for example "Chief of Scouts"). Native Americans who served repeated enlistments might be given a higher rank (for example Sgt. Jose Chavez). A civilian contractor scout did not receive discharge papers from the military and were not eligible for a pension. "Indian Scouts" received discharge papers. In the 1920s and 1930s, some of these men or their widowed spouses applied for and received pensions for their military service.