United States Army Indian Scouts Native Americans have made up an integral part of U . S . military conflicts since America ' s beginning . Colonists recruited Indian allies during such instances as the Pequot War from 1634 – 1638 , the Revolutionary War , as well as in War of 1812 . Native Americans also fought on both sides during the American Civil War , as well as military missions abroad including the most notable , the Codetalkers who served in World War II . The Scouts were active in the American West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries . Including those who accompanied General John J . Pershing in 1916 on his expedition to Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa . Indian Scouts were officially deactivated in 1947 when their last member retired from the Army at Fort Huachuca , Arizona . For many Indians it was an important form of interaction with white American culture and society their first major encounter with the whites ’ way of thinking and doing things . Recruitment and enlistment . Recruitment of Indian scouts was first authorized on 28 July 1866 by an act of Congress . " " The President is authorized to enlist and employ in the Territories and Indian country a force of Indians not to exceed one thousand to act as scouts , who shall receive the pay and allowances of cavalry soldiers , and be discharged whenever the necessity for further employment is abated , at the discretion of the department commander " . " There were different types of scouts , some enlisted as Indian Scouts for brief terms and there were others who were hired as scouts by the U . S . Army . Some individual may have served at different times as a hired scout and an enlisted scout . Prior to the act in 1866 these scouts were considered employees rather than soldiers . Enlistment records and muster rolls , from 1866 to 1912 were in many instances filed by state , some records were broken down by company or military post providing information such as when , where , and by whom the scout was enlisted ; period of enlistment ; place of birth ; age at time of enlistment ; physical description ; and possibly additional remarks such as discharge information , including date and place of discharge , rank at the time , and if the scout died in service . Indian scouts who were officially enlisted in the army after 1866 were issued old pattern uniforms from surplus stock legally exempt from sale . Their uniforms were worn with less regulation , sometimes mixed with their native dress . In 1870 , Captain Bourke of the 3rd cavalry described Apache scouts in Arizona as “ almost naked , their only clothing being a muslin loin - cloth , a pair of point toed moccasins and a hat of hawk feather ” . In 1876 a description of Crow Scouts reads that they wore , “ an old black army hat with top cut out and sides bound round with feathers , fur and scarlet cloth ” . With the availability of army clothing some Native scouts took advantage of the availability of the clothing . In 1902 when new regulations were introduced in March the U . S . Scouts received a new more regulated uniform . In the Indian wars following the U . S . Civil War , the Indian scouts were a fast - moving , aggressive , and knowledgeable asset to the U . S . army . They often proved to be immune to army notions of discipline and demeanor , but they proved expert in traversing the vast distances of the American West and providing intelligence — and often a shock force — to the soldiers who sought hostile Indians . Pawnee Scout leader Luther H . North commented , " Neither the Wild Tribes , nor the Government Indian Scouts ever adopted any of the white soldier ' s tactics . They thought their own much better . " Another chief of scouts , Stanton G . Fisher , emphasized the importance of Indian Scouts by saying of the soldiers , “ Uncle Sam ’ s boys are too slow for this business . " Fears . There existed doubts as to whether Indian Scouts would remain faithful or whether they would betray the white soldiers and turn against them in conflict . The Cibicue Apaches were among the first regular Army Scouts . They are also the only recorded 19th - century incident in which Indian scouts turned against the U . S . Army at Cibicue Creek in Arizona Territory . These Apache scouts were asked to campaign against their own kin , resulting in a mutiny against the army soldiers . Three of the scouts were court - martialed and executed . Reduction of Forces / Pensions . The end of hostilities on the frontier meant a reduction in the number of the Indian scouts needed . Army General Order No . 28 issued on March 9 , 1891 reduced the number of scouts to 150 , distributed among the different departments . This brought the numbers down to ; Department of Arizona , 50 , Departments of the Dakota , Platte and Missouri , 25 each ; Department of Texas , 15 , and Departments of the Columbia , 10 . Pension files provide information not only on Indian Scouts but also about his family and others with whom he may have served or who knew him or his wife . Indian Scouts and their widows became eligible for pensions with the passage of an act on March 4 , 1917 , relating to Indian wars from 1859 to 1891 . Notable Figures / Recognition . Frontier Scouts included ; black , native and mixed blood individuals . Native involvement in military service come from different tribes and regions across the United States including Narragansett , Mohegan , Apache , Navajo and native Alaskans ( who would become involved in the 1940s ) . One of the most notable U . S . Army Indian Scouts is Curley , a member of the Crow tribe who became a scout in April 1876 under Colonel John Gibbon . He then joined General Custer . Curley is most often identified as the lone survivor of “ Custer ’ s Last Stand ” . He denied witnessing the battle . The Chicago Tribune published an article claiming that Curly had made statements to them about the battle . John F . Finerty claimed that " Curley said that Custer remained alive throughout the greater part of the engagement , animating his men to determined resistance , but about an hour before the close of the fight received a mortal wound . " The official website of the Navy lists the American Indian Medal of Honor Winners , including twelve from the 19th century . In the 20th century , five American Indians have been among those soldiers to be distinguished by receiving the United States ' highest military honor : This honor is given for military heroism " above and beyond the call of duty ” , exhibiting extraordinary bravery , and for some , making the ultimate sacrifice for their country . The role of Native American women in the U . S . Army is being slowly filled by the efforts of such groups as The Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation . It is known of individuals such as Tyonajanegen , an Oneida woman , Sacajawea , a Shoshone , and various female nurses have aided the military as far back as the American Revolution . Little information is currently listed on women ’ s roles as scouts during the 19th century . Insignia . In 1890 the Scouts were authorized to wear the branch of service insignia of crossed arrows . In 1942 the insignia was authorized to be worn by the 1st Special Service Force . As their traditions passed into the U . S . Army Special Forces , the crossed arrows became part of their insignia being authorized as branch of service insignia in 1984 .