Days Without End

The American Indian Wars is the name given to the series of conflicts between European or United States military forces and Native American tribes. The period that is contained within this term began in 1609, when Iroquois and French forces fought in the Great Lakes region of North America. These wars were fought until 1924 when the conclusion of hostilities between certain Apache groups and the U.S. Military marked the end of the long duration of conflict. The height of the American Indian Wars took place during the mid-19th century, including the era in which Days Without End takes place.

Between 1850 and 1890, numerous conflicts took place between the American army and Native American groups west of the Mississippi River, leading to more than 20,000 deaths, though this number, gathered from U.S. Army records, is likely much lower than the actual total death toll. Estimates find that approximately 70% of these deaths were of Native Americans, decimating the populations of many tribes. During this period, various events influenced the interactions between white settlers and Native Americans, including the 1859 Gold Rush, which caused white settlers to head west in significantly greater numbers than they had previously done. The Homestead Act of 1862, which granted land ownership to settlers by the United States government, likewise enticed American settlers to move west. This influx of white settlers, many of whom possessed racist, stereotypical attitudes about Native Americans, further stressed already difficult relationships between the groups.

Various attempts were made to make peace between American emigres crossing the Great Plains and the Native American inhabitants who had long lived in the area. One such instance is described in Days Without End: the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie (though, based on Thomas’s recounting of his memories, this event may take place in a later year in Barry’s version of events). Signed by representatives of eight Great Plains tribes and representatives of the United States government, the Treaty of Fort Laramie divided lands in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and Wyoming according to histories of territorial claims by the different tribes of the area and guaranteed safe passage for settlers traveling the Oregon Trial. The treaty was short-lived, with conflicts breaking out by 1853 and continuing for more than a decade after.