Prisoners from Ft. Marion (1875-1878)

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ending 1878, containing reports on the Indians at the Hampton Institute and a report by Lieut. Richard Henry Pratt regarding the recruitment of students for that school. Both reports discuss the education of students at…

The first page opened with an article titled "THE INDIAN TRAINING SCHOOL," that described the progress of the school, its Christian methods, the work of the former Ft. Marion prisoners of war preparing buildings for use, the importance of the town Sunday Schools, the school curriculum that emphasized farmwork for boys and housekeeping for girls…

Page one opened with a teacher identified as A.J.S. (Alfred J. Standing) reminiscing about his time teaching Native Americans before he came to Carlisle. Also on the page was an article signed by "G. Le R. B." (George Le Roy Brown) on the civilization of the Indians, comparing it to the conquests of the Roman Empire and its assimilation of less…

Page one opened with information, including statistics, from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs about Carlisle and other schools as reported by Indian agents. Page two contains more arguments for, and accounts of support for, educating Indian youth. The article "Our Dining Hall" describes the physical space, the work the…

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of Indian Affairs for the fiscal year ending 1880, containing the first annual report of the Carlisle Indian School. The report discusses the school's opening, recruitment of students, educational and industrial curricula, and overall health. Also included…

Issue Seven opens with Roman Nose explaining how he came to Carlisle after being held captive in St. Augustine for three years. He explains his time there was good because of the kindness of Capt. Pratt. After the editorial about the benefits of speaking English, there was a small letter from a Sioux boy named Phillip, to show how “large boys…

Issue Eight opens with a continuation of Henry C. Roman Nose’s journey from St. Augustine, to New York city and eventually Tarrytown, New York. The next page was an editorial on the importance of Hard Work, and how Indians should strive to work hard like White men do, along with a series of little blips about the school, including the arrival…

Issue nine, continues Roman Nose’s story, showing him attending Hampton School and eventually traveling to Lee, Ma. This issue’s editorial featured a piece on the hopes that the new U.S. President Garfield will put all Indian children in school. On the same page Robert W. Stewart (Creek) wrote about George Washington’s birthday. A bit about…

An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior for the fiscal year ending 1881, containing the second annual report of the Carlisle Indian School. The lengthy report includes discussions of curriculum, student recruitment, the school's campus, the success of the sending students on…

Page one opened with a poem by E.G.P. and the story of the Great Turtle, which was based on the arrival of a Spanish Ship. There was also a piece on the trouble that Billy Cornipachio faced, which included the opposition of his people to his education. Page two had a piece about visiting chiefs and on three former prisoners from Fort Marion in…

Page one opens with a discussion on the various types of Indian education, from day and boarding schools in Indian Territory to Boarding schools like Carlisle in the east. It also talked about the construction of new buildings on campus. Page two had more statistics on other Indian Schools. Page three had a letter from George (Kit-Ka-Hoc) La-Lu…

Portrait of White Bear, Zonkeuh, Koba, Henry Roman Nose, Little Chief, Charles Oheltoint, Etadleuh Doanmoe, and White Man posed on the grounds of the school. 

Note: The Cumberland County Historical Society notes the identification of these people is based on a copy of the image posted for sale on eBay. That copy was identitied as "…

Richard H. Pratt states that he currently has 57 male students at Hampton and is looking to recruit 20 female students. He goes on to say that he plans to send most of the former Ft. Marion prisoners currently enrolled at Hamtpon on outings, believing that placing Indian students in white families where they will learn a trade will help give…

Richard H. Pratt informs Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. A. Hayt that it will take a week to place the male students from Hampton on farms in Massachusetts and then he will travel to Florida. Pratt expects to place a dozen male students on farms in Berkshire County as well.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives…

Acting Secretary of the Interior A. Bell informs the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that he is giving permission to Lieutenant Richard Henry Pratt to proceed to Lee, Massachusetts. Bell notes that Pratt will secure current Hampton Institute students who are on outing and take them to the Carlisle Barracks. These Hampton students will become…

Richard Henry Pratt writes to Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra Hayt for instructions on how to process donations received for the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt notes that he received a donation for the continued education of a former prisoner-of-war held at Fort Marion in St. Augustine, Florida. He requests specific instructions on how or…

Captain Richard Henry Pratt writes to Ezra H. Hayt, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, regarding the first groups of Sioux, Menominee Ponca, Pawnee, Kiowa, Comanche, Wichita, Seminole, Cheyenne, and Arapaho children and young adults brought to the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt offers a detailed description of the journey, and then lists each…

Richard Henry Pratt writes to Commissioner of Indian Affairs Ezra Hayt suggesting the return home of the former Ft. Marion prisoners, who had gone to Hampton and then Carlisle following their release. Pratt notes that they have been very helpful both at Carlisle and in general in generating good will among their people, and that sending them…

Two duplicate copies of the monthly school report for January 1880, submitted by the Carlisle Indian Training School to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The report includes a list of employees, a count of students by Nation/Tribe, descriptions of the educational program, and Superintendent Richard Henry Pratt's remarks about developments and…

Richard Henry Pratt telegrams the Commissioner of Indian Affairs asking for permission to send Alfred John Standing to the Comanche Agency to recruit students. Pratt also asks if the former Florida prisoners can be sent back.

Richard Henry Pratt tells Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. J. Brooks to let Charles Ohettoint go and that it won't disturb the Carlisle Indian School if the party returns.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed from the original documents found in Record Group 75, Entry 79…

Richard Henry Pratt states that Bishop Huntington of New York is teaching four former Florida prisoners but would like to send two to the Carlisle Indian School. Pratt asks the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to grant Huntington's request.

Note: This item was copied from U.S. National Archives microfilm reels (M234), which were filmed…

Richard Henry Pratt writes to Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. M. Marble regarding three former Florida prisoners that should be returned home, escorted by Agent Miles. The first is going to die soon because of an accident suffered while playing baseball, and his chiefs want him to die at home. The second is the son of the late Cheyenne…

Richard Henry Pratt informs the Commissioner of Indian Affairs that he's received the two new students from Bishop Huntington. He sent the first one home almost immediately due to poor health, but the second one was fine, and he receives quarterly payments from a patron on the student's behalf. He asks if the quarterly payments should be placed…

Richard Henry Pratt forwards a letter he received from Dr. H. Caruthers of Tarrytown, New York who is requesting the permission of the Secretary of the Interior to start a small school dedicated to educating Indian pupils. Pratt and Caruthers note that they met when Pratt was in St. Augustine, Florida and Dr. Caruthers wife was an assistant at…