How did American Indians aquire guns and ammunition?

[hengest]

I've been thinking about the "Indian wars" of the latter part of the 19th century and wondering how the injuns aquired the guns (and most importantly...the ammunition) in order to have put up such a fight. And how did they pay for it all?

[Owain Gwynedd]

That and traders and they aquired weapons and ammunition from raids...

[Hudson]

I thought he was talking about the revolutionary war, but he is talking about the late 1800s.

[AussieWN]

The redskins no doubt got their guns and ammo through trading with fur traders as well as raids.

[Owain Gwynedd]

Originally Posted by Hudson

I thought he was talking about the revolutionary war, but he is talking about the late 1800s.

Same scenario, the English did supply them weapons, so did the Spanish, they were still butt hurt over the Revolutionary War and the Spanish American war...

[Thomas de Aynesworth]

Coureur de Bois did a lot of trading with the Amerinds in Canada, firearms and ammunition were highly sought by them.

[MikeTodd]

Originally Posted by Hudson

I thought he was talking about the revolutionary war, but he is talking about the late 1800s.

By the late 1800s Indians acquired firearms the same way everybody else did either by purchase at the local hardware store or mail-order from the Montgomery-Ward catalog.

[hengest]

Originally Posted by MikeTodd

By the late 1800s Indians acquired firearms the same way everybody else did either by purchase at the local hardware store or mail-order from the Montgomery-Ward catalog.

If that is true, then why were they ALLOWED to do so, if there was a major conflict going on between Whites and Indians? Wouldn't supplying the enemy, be tantemount to treason?

[Thomas de Aynesworth]

Two things, Hengest. 1. Amerindians were receiving firearms since before the US was a country, and 2. Other world players at the time could have been supplying firearms to the Amerinds to undermine US success.

[MikeTodd]

Originally Posted by hengest

If that is true, then why were they ALLOWED to do so, if there was a major conflict going on between Whites and Indians? Wouldn't supplying the enemy, be tantemount to treason?

First of all you must understand that there never was any sort of large over-arching major conflict involving all Whites against all Indians at every time and place in America in the years between the Civil War and WWI.

These affairs were generally regional or localized involving a specific tribe or tribes or sometimes even just a particular tribal faction and the goal as often as not would be to herd them onto reservations.

Also the quality of American was much different then, he didn't ask govts. permission to be ALLOWED to do anything, unlike the mother-may-I's of modern day he just went ahead and did it.

Guns were often traded or bartered for fur which was in high demand at the time as a necessity and not merely a luxury item as it is today.
Guns were often used as a form of toll by Indians for White settlers wishing to peacefully cross Indian lands.
Arming tribe A against tribe B was a time honored tactic.
Another thing to consider is the gun as a survival tool in this country. Almost everybody needed at least a varmint rifle and/or a shotgun, including Indians.
I don't think it was anybodies intention at the time to dis-allow to non-hostiles the means to feed and protect themselves or their families.

I hope that helped clear up some of your questions, hengest.
The relationship between Americans and the various Indian Nations inhabiting the USA of the 19th century was usually far more complex and dynamic than portrayed in movies and popular literature.

[hengest]

Originally Posted by MikeTodd

First of all you must understand that there never was any sort of large over-arching major conflict involving all Whites against all Indians at every time and place in America in the years between the Civil War and WWI.

These affairs were generally regional or localized involving a specific tribe or tribes or sometimes even just a particular tribal faction and the goal as often as not would be to herd them onto reservations.

Also the quality of American was much different then, he didn't ask govts. permission to be ALLOWED to do anything, unlike the mother-may-I's of modern day he just went ahead and did it.

Guns were often traded or bartered for fur which was in high demand at the time as a necessity and not merely a luxury item as it is today.
Guns were often used as a form of toll by Indians for White settlers wishing to peacefully cross Indian lands.
Arming tribe A against tribe B was a time honored tactic.
Another thing to consider is the gun as a survival tool in this country. Almost everybody needed at least a varmint rifle and/or a shotgun, including Indians.
I don't think it was anybodies intention at the time to dis-allow to non-hostiles the means to feed and protect themselves or their families.

I hope that helped clear up some of your questions, hengest.
The relationship between Americans and the various Indian Nations inhabiting the USA of the 19th century was usually far more complex and dynamic than portrayed in movies and popular literature.

Many thanks, Mike.

[littlefieldjohn]

Originally Posted by MikeTodd

First of all you must understand that there never was any sort of large over-arching major conflict involving all Whites against all Indians at every time and place in America in the years between the Civil War and WWI.

These affairs were generally regional or localized involving a specific tribe or tribes or sometimes even just a particular tribal faction and the goal as often as not would be to herd them onto reservations.

Also the quality of American was much different then, he didn't ask govts. permission to be ALLOWED to do anything, unlike the mother-may-I's of modern day he just went ahead and did it.

Guns were often traded or bartered for fur which was in high demand at the time as a necessity and not merely a luxury item as it is today.
Guns were often used as a form of toll by Indians for White settlers wishing to peacefully cross Indian lands.
Arming tribe A against tribe B was a time honored tactic.
Another thing to consider is the gun as a survival tool in this country. Almost everybody needed at least a varmint rifle and/or a shotgun, including Indians.
I don't think it was anybodies intention at the time to dis-allow to non-hostiles the means to feed and protect themselves or their families.

I hope that helped clear up some of your questions, hengest.
The relationship between Americans and the various Indian Nations inhabiting the USA of the 19th century was usually far more complex and dynamic than portrayed in movies and popular literature.

What time period are you trying to talk about here - between the Civil War and WWOne?
Furs were in "high demand at the time" ?? lmao