Native American Austins in the Civil War
Civil War Volunteers Named Austin in
Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Confederate Regiments
Approximately 20,000 Native Americans served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War, many of them rising to the highest ranks. They volunteered for service in an attempt to gain favor for supporting the war effort, while at the same time, hoping to end discrimination and forced relocation from their native lands to the western territories.
This list was compiled by Helen Cook Austin in 2011 from a search for Volunteer Confederate Troops with the surname Austin. Soldiers were in Regiments of the Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee Native Americans (1).
| Name | Rank | Co. | Regiment | Other | Age | Remarks |
| Amalatub Austin | Pvt. | 1st Chickasaw Infantry | Gregg’s Company | Enlisted 1863 at Talequah Creek Nation for 3 years. | ||
| Benjamin Austin | Pvt. | F | 1st Choctaw Mounted Rifles | Capt. Ok-la-bi’s Company | Wounded at Newtonia, MO Sep 30, 1862. | |
| Daniel Austin | Pvt. | D | 1st Choctaw Mounted Rifles | A. Musician (2) Co. E. 1862 |
17 | Enlisted at Buck Creek Camp, Creek Nation, 1861 to Jun 30, 1863. |
| Elijah Austin | Pvt. | E | 2nd Cherokee Mounted Rifles | AWOL Jun 22-30, 1863 |
Enlisted 1862 Ft. Smith to 1863. Died before 1900 at Starkville, MS. | |
| G. W. Austin | Pvt. | 1st Chickasaw Infantry | Hansell’s Comapny |
Enlisted 1863 at Talequah, Creek Nation for 3 years. | ||
| Henry Austin | Pvt. | G | 1st Choctaw Mounted Rifles | Capt. C. E. Nelson’s Company | Paid for clothing Aug 13, 1862. | |
| Jacob Austin | Pvt. | F | 1st Choctaw & Chickasaw Volunteers | Edward Dwight | 20 | Enlisted 1861 Buck Creek Camp for 1 year. |
| Lewis Austin | 2nd Lt. | F | 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles | Capt Ok-la-bi’s Company | At Ft. McCullough Jun 21, 1862, Clothing Nov 1862. | |
| Stephen Austin | Pvt. | K | 1st Choctaw Mounted Rifles | Capt. E. Gardner’s Company | Paid $25 for clothing. | |
| William B. Austin (3) | E | 2nd Cherokee Mounted Rifles | Col Stand Wartie | 35 | Enlisted at Ft. Smith, AR 1862 (mustered?) out Jun 30, 1863 |
Notes:
- These soldiers could be ancestors or relatives of some of the Native Americans identified in the Native Americans section of the AFAOA website, Helen C. Austin, compiler (see also the Dawes Report).
- "A Musician" appears in the record, and refers to Daniel's role in Company E. See Austin Civil War Volunteers with the following entry: "Austin, Daniel; 1st Choctaw & Chickasaw Mtd. Rifles, 2nd Co. D, 3rd Co. E Music."
- William Bryant Austin, born 11 Jun 1827 in Bedford, TN, son of Willis, died 1855 Benton, AR is a member of the AFAOA database William and Ruth Austin of North Carolina.
Sources
- The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database of the National Park Service.
- Compiled Service Records for some of the soldiers are available at fold3.com.