Isaac Stevens, Indian Treaties, Transcontinental Railroad, Indian Uprising
Isaac Stevens
born: March 28, 1818
died: 1862 at the battle of Chantilly, Virginia
Military man and politician, Isaac Stevens headed the surveying party in 1853 from Minnesota to the Puget Sounds, Washington. Isaac Stevens exploring the location of the Transcontinental Railroad Route
Isaac Stevens was appointed the first governor of the Washington territory in the same year
Overzealous and desperately wanting a railroad connecting Minnesota to Washington, Isaac Stevens applied every method of pressure possible to cajoled the Indians into giving over their land in Indian treaties
Much to Isaac Stevens dismay these Indian treaties were almost immediately broken by the white settlers. As were most Indian treaties or contracts sacrificing a few Indian Treaty right 's for the good of the many was quite acceptable
With the Cavalry close at hand to protect not the Indian treaties rights but the white settlers who were breaking the new Indian treaties an Indian uprising was inevitable
The Political times were such that it was common that anyone who spoke for the Indian treaties was arrested
When the Indians had been abused just about enough an Indian uprising came about. Cavalry engaged in an absolute and brutal put down of that Indian uprising
In 1857 Isaac Stevens resigned as governor in order to run for Congress. Isaac Stevens knew the broken and badly abused Indian treaties could only be salvaged in Congress
Politics were not in the favor of Indian treaties. Isaac Stevens braved many a gauntlet in Congress to gain compromise for broken Indian treaties
When the Civil War erupted Isaac Stevens returned to the military to become a major general. Once again following a lead to where he could do the most good for the people of this country |
