Camp Napoleon Council facts for kids

The Camp Napoleon Council was a very important meeting of Native American tribes in what is now Oklahoma. It happened on May 24, 1865, near a place called Verden in Grady County. At this council, the tribes created a special agreement, or compact, to work together.

Why the Council Happened

By early 1865, the Civil War was almost over. The Confederate side was losing badly. Before this, the Confederates had helped protect the Indian Territory. This area acted like a buffer zone between Texas and the United States.

However, after 1864, the South had to move its soldiers and supplies away. They needed to defend their own states west of the Mississippi River. The fighting in the Indian Territory was mostly over. Only Native American troops under General Stand Watie were still fighting for the Confederates.

The Native American tribes who had supported the Confederacy knew things were changing. They agreed that a big meeting was needed. This meeting would include the Five Civilized Tribes, the Prairie Indians, and the Plains Indians. The main goals were to stop fighting among themselves and to talk about returning their loyalty to the United States.

The government of Texas was worried about its northern border. They wanted the tribes in the Indian Territory to keep protecting against Union attacks. Texas even planned to send its own representatives, like Albert Pike or Douglas H. Cooper, to the council.

The meeting was first planned for May 14, 1865, at Council Grove, near today's Oklahoma City. But then, news came that Union troops might try to stop the meeting. So, the council was moved to Camp Napoleon and rescheduled for May 26, 1865. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture says Camp Napoleon was on the Washita River. It covered the area of the present-day city of Verden.

What the Council Wanted to Do

The Native American tribes in the Indian Territory understood that the Confederacy could no longer help them. So, the Camp Napoleon Council was called to write an agreement. This agreement would show a united front as they talked about returning their loyalty to the United States.

Native American tribes from further west were also invited. Many of these tribes were also fighting with United States troops. Several of them came and took part in the council.

The Camp Napoleon Agreement

The tribes of the Indian Territory agreed to stop fighting with each other. They decided to work together to form a group. This group would help keep the Indian Territory strong and independent.

They also chose people to go to Washington, D.C., and talk with the U.S. government. They agreed on a special document called a "compact." This compact described the main ideas they wanted in any peace treaties after the war.

Representatives from many Indian nations signed this important agreement. These nations included:

• The Cherokee Nation
• Creek
• Choctaw
• Chickashaw
• Seminole
• Reserve Caddo Nation
• Osage Nation
• Reserve Comanche Band
• Kiowa Nation
• Arapahoe Nation
• Cheyenne Nation
• Lapan Band of Opaches
• Noconee Band of Comanche Nation
• Cochahkah Band Comanches
• Tinnawith Band Comanches
• Yampucka Band of Comanches
• Nooches Band of Commanches

What Happened After

After the meeting, the council chose people, called commissioners, to go to Washington, D.C. There would be no more than five commissioners for each tribe. They would present and discuss the results of the Camp Napoleon Council with the U.S. government.

However, the U.S. government refused to talk with such a large group of tribes. They also thought the Camp Napoleon meeting was not official or allowed. The President later called for a different meeting at Fort Smith. This meeting, called the Fort Smith Council, happened in September 1865.

For the Native American tribes, the Camp Napoleon Council and its agreement were very important. It helped stop fighting between the tribes after the Civil War. But it did not change the U.S. government's plan to punish tribes who had supported the Confederacy.

In 1931, the Oklahoma College for Women put up a special marker at the Camp Napoleon site. It is on the school ground near State Highway 62. The marker says:

CAMP NAPOLEON COUNCIL

"Here on May 26, 1865 a compact was entered into between the Confederate Indian Tribes and the Prairie Indian Tribes
That the ancient council fires shall be kept kindled and blazing."