[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 98 (Monday, July 25, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
    INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING HONEY SPRINGS NATIONAL 
       BATTLEFIELD AND WASHITA BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

                                 ______


                          HON. FRANK D. LUCAS

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 25, 1994

  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, the senior 
House Member from Oklahoma, Mr. Synar, to introduce the Honey Springs 
National Battlefield and Washita Battlefield National Historic Site Act 
of 1994.
  These two sites represent two of the most significant historical 
events that took place in the region that is now our State of Oklahoma. 
Prior to the great landruns of the late 1800's and statehood in 1907, 
Oklahoma was referred to on most maps by the name ``Indian Territory''. 
In the 1860's, Indian Territory truly represented our Nation's western 
frontier. It was a land populated by indigenous Indian tribes, Indian 
tribes who had been forcibly settled due to Anglo expansions in the 
East, Union Forces, Confederate Forces, and freed slaves.
  The Battle of Honey Springs on July 17, 1863, and the Battle of 
Washita on November 27, 1868, helped map the course of history of both 
the Union dominance in the West following 1863, and the U.S. Army's 
treatment of the Indian population following the American Civil War.
  While I am sure Mr. Synar will go into greater detail about Honey 
Springs, I must state this battle represented the highwater mark of the 
Confederacy's dominance in Indian country. Its significance cannot be 
understated. It was one of the few multiracial engagements of the Civil 
War, as it pitted Indians along side with Anglos and African-Americans 
fighting against similar forces on the other side. It is truly 
deserving of this designation.
  The Battle of Washita, whose site is in my district, the sixth 
District of Oklahoma, was the largest engagement between plains tribes 
in Indian territory and the U.S. Army. It had significant impact to 
both the history of the Cheyenne Tribe and the U.S. Army's dealings 
with native-Americans.
  In the early morning hours of November 27, 1868, Lt. Col. George A. 
Custer led his 7th Cavalry in a fatal attack on the sleeping village of 
Cheyenne Peace Chief Black Kettle. Over 150 inhabitants of this village 
were killed or wounded, many of whom were women and children. This 
Custer victory is seen as a precursor to his later defeat at Little Big 
Horn where he engaged many of the same tactics he used on this Cheyenne 
village.
  For the plains tribes, the engagement represents a solemn reminder of 
their struggles against reservation confinement and their fight to 
maintain traditional lifestyles.
  It also must be stated that this site retains much of the same 
character as it did in 1868 and that it is already a registered 
National Historic Landmark.
  Both Representative Synar and I, along with the National Park 
Service, have had the opportunity to hold public hearings with the 
landowners of both of these impacted areas. These hearings have given 
the citizens of both sites the ability to raise questions, concerns, 
and listen to the Park Service's plans for each site. You can be 
assured that we will continue to have these kind of events throughout 
the process as we work to give these two historic battles the national 
recognition they deserve.
  In closing, I would like to thank Mr. Synar for his efforts on this 
bill. I further would like to thank Bob Blackburn of the Oklahoma 
Historical Society who has spearheaded these actions and would commend 
the Park Service for their guidance in this process.

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