In Indian Territory the Civil War is a story best told through shades of gray rather than black and white or heroes and villains. Since neutrality appeared virtually impossible, the vast majority of territory residents chose a side, doing so for myriad reasons and not necessarily out of affection for either the Union or the Confederacy. Indigenous residents found themselves fighting to protect their unusual dual status as communities distinct from the American citizenry yet legal wards of the federal government. The Civil War and Reconstruction in Indian Territory is a nuanced and authoritative examination of the layers of conflicts both on and off the Civil War battlefield. It examines the military front and the home front; the experiences of the Five Nations and those of the agency tribes in the western portion of the territory; the severe conflicts between Native Americans and the federal government and between Indian nations and their former slaves during and beyond the Reconstruction years; and the concept of memory as viewed through the lenses of Native American oral traditions and the modern evolution of public history. These carefully crafted essays by leading scholars such as Amanda Cobb-Greetham, Clarissa Confer, Richard B. McCaslin, Linda W. Reese, and F. Todd Smith will help teachers and students better understand the Civil War, Native American history, and Oklahoma history.

About the Author
Bradley R. Clampitt is an associate professor and chair of the Department of History and Native American Studies at East Central University. He is the author of The Confederate Heartland: Military and Civilian Morale in the Western Confederacy.

Reviews
"The essays anthologized in The Civil War and Reconstruction in Indian Territory together offer a solid overview of the range of social and political themes related to the internal and external challenges imposed by the Civil War."-Andrew Wagenhoffer, Civil War Books and Authors
"Highly recommended for Civil War buffs interested in the Indian Territory and the Trans-Mississippi during the Civil War and Reconstruction."-Joseph Derie, Civil War News
"Clampitt's anthology represents a significant contribution to the larger narrative of the Civil War."-Charles Marks, Southwestern Historical Quarterly
"The Civil War and Reconstruction in Indian Territory provides great insight into this unique period in the history of the Five Nations. . . . Scholars and students alike will benefit from the variety of topics explored by the collection's authors and the perspectives they bring to a history that is so often ignored."-Jeffrey Pearson, Arkansas Historical Quarterly
"This is an excellent addition to the canon of not just the Trans-Mississippi Theater but also the sparingly covered Civil War and Reconstruction history of the Indian Territory."-Stuart McClung, Journal of America's Military Past
"The Civil War and Reconstruction in Indian Territory is a welcome addition to scholarship on the sectional conflict in the American West."-Catharine R. Franklin, Kansas History
"This very readable book demonstrates there is always more to learn about the Civil War west of the Mississippi River, a component so often ignored by scholars focused eastward. Moreover, it is still possible
to find new sources, take new approaches, and gain new insights."-Mary Jane Warde, Western Historical Quarterly
"Readers seeking an introduction to the Native American experience of the Civil War and those hoping to broaden their geographic and thematic understanding of the conflict should read Clampitt's volume."-Robert Glaze, H-War
"This volume provides fresh and interesting material that achieves its goal of appealing to scholars, students, and a general audience."-Robert K. Sutton, Tribal College Journal
"The essays contained in this volume offer an excellent introduction to the intricate nature of the war and Reconstruction and how they affected Native peoples across the territory. . . . An excellent addition to any graduate book list or undergraduate Civil War course."-David P. Hopkins, Journal of Southern History



Book Information
ISBN 9780803277274
Author Bradley R. Clampitt
Format Paperback
Page Count 200
Imprint University of Nebraska Press
Publisher University of Nebraska Press