Quinn Elliott
Indians/Civil War
Sat Jul 21 17:52:13 2001


I gently recall reading in the not too long ago (didn't take notes nor exactly recall where-but will attempt to backtrack to the location) and as I recall, an article dealing with the North Carolina Cherokees in Confederate Service. It seems that on at least one occasion they were angered enough at the Yankees to resort to a little scalping. It's not impossible that scalping occured on both sides in the Western fringe of operations where the more numerous Indian regiments were employed.

As a historical perspective-in the USA probably the last sizeable battle to employ the bow and arrow was when the Sioux/Cheyenne/allies despatched Custer and his crew in June 1876. Lest one think the Indians were all armed with firearms at Little Big Horn, one should consult some of the recollections of the battle by the Indians involved. There are many instances of utilization of the bow and arrow at Little Big Horn.
Almost three years later in January 1879 on the world scene and in South Africa the Zulus despatched most of one of Queen Victoria's finest British Army units. While some firearms were utilized, mostly the zulus at Isandlwana did their duty with the short spear/Assegai. Most likely there were other uses at these late dates of these various types of primitive but effective weapons