My "autobiography"

[Daniel Nighteyes]

I posted this in another thread, but at the urging of Willie Dixon I'm posting it here as well.  I welcome comments, proposed additions, etc.  Here it comes:

================================================

I chose the handle "Daniel Nighteyes" to tell a story in itself.  You see, it is HIS alias!

Daniel's real name is "Daniel Ferguson".  He is the only child of Angus Ferguson, a Scotsman who emigrated to the New World just half-a-jump ahead of the hangman's noose, and Emily Tubbee, a young Choctaw woman whom Angus courted and married in 1832.  They were Removed from Mississippi to the Indian Territory in 1833.  During their journey along what later became known as the Trail of Tears, Angus died of pneumonia. Emily died shortly after giving birth to Daniel in early 1834.  He was raised by Joseph and Martha Tubbee, his grandparents.  Being a devout Christian, Martha named him after her favorite Bible story, Daniel and the Lion's Den.

Daniel served in the Trans-Mississippi Confederacy beginning in 1861, initially with the Choctaw Mounted Rifles.  However, his facility with languages (he spoke seven) got him transferred to the Second Cherokee Artillery to serve as an interpreter.  While serving guard duty late one night, Daniel spotted a group of Union soldiers trying to sneak up on a battery of field guns.  His warning saved the battery.  The Cherokee quickly named him "Nighteyes", for obvious reasons.

At war's end, and having lost his entire family to the Civil War within the Choctaw Nation (a long story in itself), Daniel drifted westward.  He spent time among the Kiowa and Comanche, and later the Lipan and Jicarilla Apache.


================================================

I have more, of course, but want your input, comments and criticisms.

Regards,

-- Nighteyes

[Silent Joe]

A heavy story, Daniël. I've read about "The Trail of Tears" and it is very sad what is happend with this people. Moved from your homeland to a unknown country, it is terrible. I like to know the rest of your story. Greetings, S.J.

[Daniel Nighteyes]

I've read about "The Trail of Tears" and it is very sad what is happened with this people.S.J.

Here's a little something that many folks don't know.  According to historical accounts and documents (reports, letters, etc.), "The Trail of Tears" was named, not by the Indians, but by whites along the way who witnessed what the Indians were forced to endure.  The "Tears" belonged to those same whites. For further information, check out this book:  http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Removal-Grant-Foreman/dp/0806100192

Here's another little something that many folks don't know.  My Choctaw ancestors allied themselves with General Andrew Jackson against the British in the War of 1812.  In fact, a contingent of Choctaw troops fought alongside his forces in the Battle of New Orleans.  Later, as President Andrew Jackson, he was the prime mover behind the Indian Removal Act of 1830.  The Choctaw were the first of the Five Civilized Tribes (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, Seminole) to be Removed to Indian Territory. 

Nice fellow, huh?   

By the way, the word Oklahoma is Choctaw.  It means Red People or Red Nation.  Interestingly, it can also be interpreted as Angry People/Nation.

Andy Jackson's little act of kindness played no small part in the decision by many Nations to support the Confederate States of America about 25 years later.  Not all tribal members agreed, which resulted in a Civil War within the Nations complete with raids and bloodshed.

Here's more of Daniel's story:

It was one such internal raid that took the lives of Daniel's family -- mother, father, wife, both in-laws, and two children -- as the result of a tragic misunderstanding.  When Daniel returned after the War, his grief and outrage over the loss of his family at the hands of other Choctaws made it impossible for him to remain.  He cut all ties with his former life, including dropping the surname "Ferguson" in favor of "Nighteyes"'  His experiences in the War strengthened his distrust of whites, so he drifted westward through the Nations. For a couple of years he was truly a man alone.

[Jamie]

I've read elsewhere that Old Hickory wasn't the sort of person you'd really want to trust with anything or anyone.  I just got in here and read the opening of the story.  I sure hope it's just an opening and there's more to come!  I know a few stories about some of my ancestors, and telling them sort of puts the past into reality as opposed to seeing it as unrelated "history," if that makes any sense.  My Irish comes from a couple who jumped aboard a ship in the early 1800's and were married the night they left.  Interestingly enough, it was also the night before he was to take his final vows as a Roman Catholic priest.  As I said, real people, not just history.  Please keep up the narrative Daniel!  Thanks,
Jamie

[GunClick Rick]

I was just watchin the story last night about Jackson ,Marshall and the indian land in Goergia.Ya reckon if they just left things alone sooner or later they just work themselves out??? I don't think Lincoln would have wrote the amancipation act if he didn't think he needed too to win the war..Just leave other humans alone..You own the masses ya get the molasses,thing is molasses runs pretty damn thick..

[Daniel Nighteyes]

I was just watchin the story last night about Jackson ,Marshall and the indian land in Goergia.Ya reckon if they just left things alone sooner or later they just work themselves out??? I don't think Lincoln would have wrote the amancipation act if he didn't think he needed too to win the war..Just leave other humans alone..You own the masses ya get the molasses,thing is molasses runs pretty damn thick..

Barbara Hershey's character(a cultural anthropologist) in the movie Last of the Dogmen summed it up quite nicely.  "What happened," she said, "was inevitable.  How it happened was unforgivable."

[Silent Joe]

Daniël, I've seen this movie and it is one of my favorites.  An old story in a modern setting. I like the way of life of the Dogmen.  It is  a pity I can't find it here in Holland on DVD. Now I have it on Video.

[Major 2]

"I have more, of course, but want your input, comments and criticisms."
those three short paragraphs , cought and held my interest...I'm ready to read more 

[lethal larry]

Please write more! This is VERY interesting to me.  Thank you.

[Ace Lungger]

Daniel,
Most likely this will stir up a hornest nest I have allways spoke how I feel and I allways will! I live pretty close to the Trail of Tears! First and foremost, I feel that The American Indian got the SHAFT from the day we stood on the soil of the USA. Many things have changed over all the years! From my understanding, when the Pilgrams set foot on the soil of the Land of the American Indians, the Indians and Pilgrams seemed to get along? But it seems that the American way of life is based around GREED, so, we (as a white man) just kept taking and taking, and doing whatever we wanted, to take over a place where the American Indain had lived for many years!!
I personaly apoliges for what  happen to the American Indian in the early years of the forming of the USA. There are other conflicts over the world that doesn't make since to me, but since I am not apart of any of that I cannot speak for the problems!!
I in no way have made this statement to make anyone upset with me, I just feel that things should of been handled differntly
Daniel, for what it is worth, I am glad you are telling your story, and hope that you will keep it going!
Later
ACE

[Curley Cole]

Excellent book worth reading
"Walking The Trail" "One mans journey along the Cherokee Trail Of Tears" by Jerry Ellis.  He felt bound to retrace the Trail of his People.

curley

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Daniel.

My great grandmother must have been about four or five. I think that the Creeks thought that she would never survive the Trail of Tears and adopted her into their tribe ... so I am 1/8 Cherokee or full blooded Creek ....

TTFN,