How many Navajos were involved in the Bosque Redondo walk?
Navajo Long Walk to Bosque Redondo. March 7, 2014 by. The procession from Fort defiance in Navajo land to Fort Sumner 300 miles away, began on March 6, 1864, with 2400 Navajos.
What happened at Bosque Redondo?
Yet the land at Bosque Redondo was not suited for farming, and the prisoners faced deprivation, starvation, disease, and death. By November 1864, about 8,570 people were imprisoned at Hweeldi, the Navajo (Diné) word for Bosque Redondo. As Navajo (Diné) faced deteriorating conditions, news of the internment camp spread.
What was the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo?
“Officials called it a reservation, but to the conquered and exiled Navajos, it was a wretched prison camp.” – David Roberts, Smithsonian Magazine The Long Walk of the Navajo, also called the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo, was an Indian removal effort of the United States government in 1863 and 1864.
What happened to the Navajos of New Mexico?
These groups scattered to Navajo Mountain, the Grand Canyon, the territory of the Chiricahua Apache, and to parts of Utah. Major General James H. Carleton was assigned to the New Mexico Territory in the fall of 1862, it is then that he would subdue the Navajos of the region and force them on the long walk to Bosque Redondo.
How many Navajo died in the Long Walk?
200Navajos were forced to walk from their land in what is now Arizona to eastern New Mexico. Some 53 different forced marches occurred between August 1864 and the end of 1866....Long Walk of the NavajoAttack typeForced displacementDeathsAt least 200VictimsNavajo peoplePerpetratorsU.S. Federal Government, U.S. Army4 more rows
How long did Navajo stay at Bosque Redondo?
Hundreds of Diné died as a result of these conditions. As well, those who could not keep up with this pace (tribal elders, the sick, pregnant women) were shot. The Diné continued to arrive at Bosque Redondo for a period of over two years.
What happened at Bosque Redondo?
In 1863, some 10,000 Navajos were forced to make the “Long Walk,” 450 miles across New Mexico to the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation, or H'weeldi, meaning place of suffering. Hundreds of Mescalero Apaches were also interned there. The Navajos lost 20 percent of the tribe due to the insufferable conditions.
Why did Bosque Redondo fail?
Bosque Redondo was hailed as a miserable failure, the victim of poor planning, disease, crop infestation and generally poor conditions for agriculture. The Navajo were finally acknowledged sovereignty in the historic treaty of 1868.
How many people died at Bosque Redondo?
On June 1, 1868, Navajo (Diné) leaders signed a final Treaty with the United States at the Bosque Redondo Reservation in New Mexico, where 2,000 Navajo (Diné) internees, one out of four, died and remain buried in unmarked graves.
Did the camp at Bosque Redondo work?
The incarceration experiment at Bosque Redondo had been a resounding failure. The place would forever be known to the Navajos as Hwéeldi—a place of suffering and fear.
How did the Navajo leave Bosque Redondo?
Between 1863 and 1866, more than 10,000 Navajo (Diné) were forcibly removed to the Bosque Redondo Reservation at Fort Sumner, in current-day New Mexico. During the Long Walk, the U.S. military marched Navajo (Diné) men, women, and children between 250 to 450 miles, depending on the route they took.
How many Navajo died at Fort Sumner?
In the dead of winter, they made the 300-plus-mile trek to a desolate internment camp along the Pecos River in eastern New Mexico called the Bosque Redondo Reservation, where the military maintained an outpost, Fort Sumner. Along the way, approximately 200 Navajos died of starvation and exposure to the elements.
Why is Bosque Redondo important?
This June marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Bosque Redondo between the U.S. Government and the Navajo, which allowed those imprisoned to return to their homelands and established the sovereignty of the Navajo Nation.
Where did the Navajo originally come from?
According to scientists who study different cultures, the first Navajo lived in western Canada some one thousand years ago. They belonged to an American Indian group called the Athapaskans and they called themselves "Dine" or "The People".
How did Navajo survive?
Originally hunters and gatherers, the Navajo developed an agricultural economy through contact with their Pueblo neighbors and the Spanish. The Navajo depend on agriculture and live-stock but supplement their income through commerce in native crafts.
When did the Navajo returned home from Bosque Redondo?
June 28, 1868On June 28, 1868, thousands of Navajo (Diné) began the journey home.
When did the Navajo returned home from Bosque Redondo?
June 28, 1868On June 28, 1868, thousands of Navajo (Diné) began the journey home.
What was the Bosque Redondo reservation?
From 1863 to 1868, Fort Sumner, New Mexico was the center of a million-acre parcel known as the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation.
How long was the Long Walk Navajo?
The forced removal of the Navajo, which began in January 1864 and lasted two months, came to be known as the "Long Walk." According to historic accounts, more than 8,500 men, women, and children were forced to leave their homes in northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico.
What was unique about the Treaty of Bosque Redondo?
It ended the Navajo Wars and allowed for the return of those held in internment camps at Fort Sumner following the Long Walk of 1864. The treaty effectively established the Navajo as a sovereign nation.
What was the plan of the Apache and Navajo?
The plan was to turn the Apache and Navajo into farmers on the Bosque Redondo with irrigation from the Pecos River. They were also to be “civilized” by going to school and practicing Christianity. The Apache and Navajo, who had survived the army attacks, were then starved into submission.
Why was Bosque Redondo established?
Though some officers specifically discouraged the selection of Bosque Redondo as a site because of its poor water and minimal provisions of firewood, it was established anyway. It was to be the first Indian reservation west of Oklahoma. The plan was to turn the Apache and Navajo into farmers on the Bosque Redondo with irrigation from ...
What was the Bosque Redondo?
Bosque Redondo was hailed as a miserable failure, the victim of poor planning, disease, crop infestation and generally poor conditions for agriculture. The Navajo were finally acknowledged sovereignty in the historic treaty of 1868. The Navajo returned to their land along the Arizona-New Mexico border hungry and in rags.
How many people died in the Navajo march?
Traveling in harsh winter conditions for almost two months, about 200 Navajo died of cold and starvation. More died after they arrived at the barren reservation. The forced march, led by Kit Carson became known by the Navajo as the “Long Walk.”
What was the name of the Indian reservation that the Navajos walked to?
Navajo Long Walk to the Bosque Redondo. “Officials called it a reservation, but to the conquered and exiled Navajos, it was a wretched prison camp.”. – David Roberts, Smithsonian Magazine. The Long Walk of the Navajo, also called the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo, was an Indian removal effort of the United States government in 1863 and 1864.
What is the largest Native American community in the United States?
Today the Navajo Nation is the largest Native American community in the United States. © Kathy Weiser / Legends of America, updated March 2020.
When did the Mescalero Apache abandon the reservation?
Most of the Mescalero Apache eluded their military guards and abandoned the reservation on November 3, 1865; but, for the Navajo, another three years passed before the United States Government recognized that their plan for Americanizing the Navajo had failed. Fort Sumner, New Mexico today by Kathy Weiser-Alexander.
How much did the Navajo population drop in 1865?
According to one estimate, from March to December 1865, the total population dropped from approximately 9,000 to some 6,000. Meanwhile, Bosque Redondo was incurring great expense to the government to maintain. In 1865 the cost of feeding and guarding the Navajo reached some $1,250,000.
What did the Navajo do at Bosque Redondo?
According to Carleton's planned assimilation, while at Bosque Redondo the Navajo would "become farmers, would live in villages, and would be instructed in Christianity and other American practices".
What was the agreement between the Navajo and the US Federal Government?
1868 agreement between the Navajo and the US Federal Government. First page of the Treaty of Bosque Redondo. The Treaty of Bosque Redondo (also the Navajo Treaty of 1868 or Treaty of Fort Sumner, Navajo Naal Tsoos Sani or Naaltsoos Sání) was an agreement between the Navajo and the US Federal Government signed on June 1, 1868.
What did Tappan liken the Navajos to?
Tappan likened the plight of the Navajo to that of prisoners of war during the Civil War, imprisoned at Andersonville, Georgia, where conditions deteriorated so dramatically nearly 13,000 had died there. In Sherman's words, "The Navajos had sunk into a condition of absolute poverty and despair.".
What was the purpose of the Treaty of Fort Sumner?
The treaty effectively established the Navajo as a sovereign nation.
How many people were forced to march from their native land near the Four Corners area?
This culminated in the Long Walk of 1864, wherein some 8,000 to 10,000 Navajo and Apache, including women and children, were forced to march over 350 miles from their native land near the Four Corners area.
Did Carleton's Bosque Redondo experiment succeed?
Although in some respect the treated ended Carleton's Bosque Redondo experiment in failure, he had succeeded in ending the Navajo wars, nullifying the independence of the Navajo, and rendering them "wards of the government".
How many Navajos walked to Bosque Redondo?
Navajo Long Walk to Bosque Redondo. The procession from Fort defiance in Navajo land to Fort Sumner 300 miles away, began on March 6, 1864, with 2400 Navajos. They had walked every mile of the way enduring the freezing temperatures hunger and other scornful jeers of the soldiers as well as death that accompanied them as they traveled.
How many Navajos died at Fort Sumner?
During their journey to their cruel destination at Fort Sumner 197 Navajos lost their lives. Indian captives at Issue House, Bosque Redondo Era, Fort Sumner, New Mexico. On March 20 of the same year 800 more Navajos began the same long journey to Fort Sumner, leaving their beloved homeland behind. Most of them women, old men ...
What was the purpose of counting Navajos at Bosque Redondo?
The US government had hoped that in a new home far from the enemies the Navajos could give up their belligerent ways and could begin a new way of life as farmers. The government also had high hopes of educating the Navajo people. Few preliminary plans were made by the US government to initiate their goals.
Why did the White Americans use the Treaty of Fort Sumner?
White Americans would use the treaty to force the novel to Navajo children into classrooms where they would be taught to live the white American way. The Navajos would resist the change. The Navajos did not gain a sense of unity from their experiences at Fort Sumner.
Why were the Navajos sent to their native land?
The Navajos would be sent to their native homeland only if they agreed to keep the peace with their neighbors and not to oppose the building of the railroad.
What problems did the Navajos face?
Many Navajos had to dig small holes in the ground and had to look for what ever materials they could find to build roof over a whole used as a protection.
What would happen if the Navajos relocated?
The US government took the Navajos feelings into consideration. They knew that if they force the Navajos to relocate again it would only open doors to more problems. Navajos would remain on the reservation by force and not by choice.
What is the Long Walk of the Navajo?
Long Walk of the Navajo. The Long Walk of the Navajo, also called the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo ( Navajo: Hwéeldi ), refers to the 1864 deportation and attempted ethnic cleansing of the Navajo people by the United States federal government.
What is the name of the event that happened in 1864?
Padre Canyon Incident. Bai-a-lil-li Incident. Bluff War. The Long Walk of the Navajo, also called the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo ( Navajo: Hwéeldi ), refers to the 1864 deportation and attempted ethnic cleansing of the Navajo people by the United States federal government.
Why did the Navajos surrender?
Navajos who surrendered were taken to Fort Canby and those who resisted were murdered. Some Navajos were able to escape Carson's campaign but were soon forced to surrender due to starvation and the freezing temperature of the winter months. The "Long Walk" started in the beginning of spring 1864.
When was the Treaty of Bosque Redondo signed?
Treaty of Bosque Redondo. Marker where the Treaty of June 1, 1868 was signed. The Treaty of Bosque Redondo between the United States and many of the Navajo leaders was concluded at Fort Sumner on June 1, 1868.
Where did the Long Walk begin?
Bands of Navajo led by the Army were relocated from their traditional lands in eastern Arizona Territory and western New Mexico Territory to Fort Sumner (in an area called the Bosque Redondo or Hwéeldi by the Navajo) in the Pecos River valley.
How many Apaches were there before the Navajos?
About 400 Mescalero Apaches were placed there before the Navajos. The Mescaleros and the Navajo had a long tradition of raiding each other; the two tribes had many disputes during their encampment. Furthermore, the initial plan was for around 5,000 people, certainly not 10,000 men, women, and children.
What were the groups that raided the Southwest?
This included interactions between Navajo, Spanish, Mexican, Pueblos, Apache, Comanche, Ute, and later European Americans.
What happened to the Navajos in 1864?
In spring of 1864, the Navajos were forced to journey to Bosque Redondo. They did not know where they were going, how far they would travel, or how long the trip would last. They were not prepared for such a journey. Those who could not keep up were left behind. Fort Sumner was not big enough for the large number of Navajos plus the Mescalero Apaches that were also relocated there. Inadequate amounts of food and supplies caused near starvation. When they were given food, it was spoiled or they did not know how to prepare it. Crops that the Navajos grew failed greatly each year. Carleton’s experiment was unsuccessful.
What was the Navajo long walk to Bosque Redondo?
By Cherie Elise Gutierrez, Brigham Young University. The forced relocation of Navajo to Fort Sumner in the 1860s was a time of loss and sorrow. The United States government was unable to support the large number of people forced out of their homes. Text.
How many Navajos died in the Bosque Redondo?
Around 8,000 Navajos were forced to make the journey. Hundreds, including the elderly and children, died on the way. Many more died during the four years at Bosque Redondo. Navajo homelands cover northeast Arizona, northwest New Mexico, southeast Utah, and southwest Colorado.
What happened to the Navajos when they were given food?
When they were given food, it was spoiled or they did not know how to prepare it. Crops that the Navajos grew failed greatly each year. Carleton’s experiment was unsuccessful. On June 1, 1868, the Treaty of Bosque Redondo was signed by the United States Government and Navajo leaders.
What is the name of the tribe that lived in Dinétah?
Their home, which they call Dinétah, is bordered by the four sacred mountains. Leading up to the Long Walk, the Navajos had difficult relations with the United States Army. This included broken treaties, the Army not protecting the Navajos from other raiding tribes, and some Navajos raiding the soldiers.
When did the last Navajo school close?
The last of these schools closed in the 1980s. The tragedy of the Long Walk is still evident in the culture and attitudes of the Navajo. While it is difficult for them to reflect upon, they remember the strength of their ancestors that led to the continuation of their people. Media.
Who helped the Navajos abandon their land?
He received help from Christopher “Kit” Carson, who eventually got the Navajos to abandon their land after burning and destroying everything they had. The majority surrendered, but others hid from and fought the soldiers. In spring of 1864, the Navajos were forced to journey to Bosque Redondo.
Early history
Prelude
- By the 1860s, as more and more Americans pushed westward, they met increasingly fierce resistance from the Mescalero Apache and Navajo people who fought to maintain control of their traditional lands and their way of life. Under the leadership of the new commander of Fort Defiance, William T. H. Brooks, the Navajo and the U.S. Army began a destructive cycle of raids a…
Origin
- Originated by General James H. Carleton, New Mexicos U.S. Army commander, the plan called for the removal of the Navajo from their native lands, including areas in northeastern Arizona, through western New Mexico, and north into Utah and Colorado.
Setting
- To accomplish their plan, the U.S. Army made war on the Mescalero Apache and Navajo Indian tribes, destroying their fields, orchards, houses, and livestock. Before the Indians were even defeated, Congress authorized the establishment of Fort Sumner, New Mexico at Bosque Redondo on October 31, 1862, a space forty miles square.
Culture
- Though some officers specifically discouraged the selection of Bosque Redondo as a site because of its poor water and minimal provisions of firewood, it was established anyway. It was to be the first Indian reservation west of Oklahoma Indian Territory. The plan was to turn the Apache and Navajo into farmers on the Bosque Redondo with irrigation from the Pecos River. Th…
Aftermath
- The Apache and Navajo, who had survived the army attacks, were then starved into submission. During a final standoff at Canyon de Chelly, the Navajo surrendered to Kit Carson and his troops in January 1864. Following orders from his U.S. Army commanders, Carson directed the destruction of their property and organized the Long Walk to the Bosque Redondo reservation, already occu…
Assessment
- Bosque Redondo was hailed as a miserable failure, the victim of poor planning, disease, crop infestation and generally poor conditions for agriculture. The Navajo were finally acknowledged sovereignty in the historic Treaty of 1868.
Lyrics
- Cage the badger and he will try to break from his prison and regain his native hole. Chain the eagle to the ground he will strive to gain his freedom, and though he fails, he will lift his head and look up at the sky which is home and we want to return to our mountains and plains, where we used to plant corn, wheat and beans.
Overview
The Treaty of Bosque Redondo (also the Navajo Treaty of 1868 or Treaty of Fort Sumner, Navajo Naal Tsoos Sani or Naaltsoos Sání ) was an agreement between the Navajo and the US Federal Government signed on June 1, 1868. It ended the Navajo Wars and allowed for the return of those held in internment camps at Fort Sumner following the Long Walk of 1864. The treaty effectively established the …
Background
Following conflicts between the Navajo and US forces, and scorched earth tactics employed by Kit Carson, which included the burning of tribal crops and livestock, James Henry Carleton issued an order in 1862 that all Navajo would relocate to the Bosque Redondo Reservation near Fort Sumner, in what was then the New Mexico Territory. Those who refused would face "immediate military a…
Negotiations
Sherman and Tappan arrived at Fort Sumner on May 28, 1868 with full authority granted by Congress earlier that year to negotiate a treaty. The conditions on the reservation "deeply impressed Sherman" and "appalled Tappan". Tappan likened the plight of the Navajo to that of prisoners of war during the Civil War, imprisoned at Andersonville, Georgia, where conditions deteriorated so dramat…
Provisions
The treaty was divided into 13 articles. Much of the substance was modeled after the Treaty of Fort Laramie crafted for the Sioux earlier that year, and similar to many other such treaties, Bosque Redondo included a number of so-called civilization or assimilation provisions, designed to incentivize a transition to a landed agricultural existence. Provisions of the treaty included the following:
Aftermath and legacy
The signing of the treaty, as a treaty, and so defined by the US government as "an agreement between two nations", effectively established the sovereignty of the Navajo Nation, although still dependent on the federal government. However, according to historian Jennifer Nez Denetdale, the treaty was also "the point at which the Navajo people lost their freedom and autonomy, and came under A…
See also
• Indian Appropriations Act – Legislation passed by the US government related to tribal lands
• List of United States treaties – Articles on treaties to which the US was a party
• Medicine Lodge Treaty – Negotiated by the Peace Commission with southern Plains Indian tribes in 1867
External links
• Works related to Treaty of Bosque Redondo at Wikisource
• Proclamation from the Navajo Nation honoring the 150th anniversary of the treaty