By the early 1860s, American soldiers had situated themselves in many places where Native American tribes lived. Many had moved into a large territory known as the Colorado Plateau. This swath of land covered four corners of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Many white settlers within the Colorado Plateau and beyond believed it was their right to take fertile land and make the best of it. At the time, this was popular philosophy was known as “manifest destiny.” New Americans considered it their duty to expand their culture and religion across the continent by any means necessary, and saw Native Americans as obstacles on their path toward glory. In New Mexico, the US government was showing increased interest in kicking the natives off their land.

In 1863, on the orders of New Mexico’s Army commander, General James H. Carleton, US soldiers began the removal of Navajo tribes from their homes. The plan was to force them through western New Mexico to Fort Sumner at Bosque Redondo. Fort Sumner was to be an Indian Reservation occupying 40 square miles. The Native Americans who were taken there called Fort Sumner “Hwéeldi.”

The Navajo refer to this forced removal as “the Long Walk.” Mescalero Apache tribes were also forced to leave their land. Native American homes were burned, their fields destroyed, and they were left with no other choice than to submit to the demands of the white settlers.

The Long Walk began in January 1864. More than 8,500 men, women, and children made the trek during a frigid winter. Over 50 Native American groups traveled more than 300 miles over the course of three years. Several hundred Navajo died along the way, while slave traders captured others. Those unable to keep up were shot. It was a horrific and tragic experience for all involved.

Firsthand Accounts
Not only did Native Americans die along the journey to Fort Sumner, they also suffered terrible conditions and perished in great numbers during the years they lived there. When the ordeal was over, many who survived the Long Walk did not wish to speak of it.

Mary Pioche, a descendant once said, “When men and women talk about Hwéeldi (Fort Sumner), they say it is something you cannot really talk about, or they say that they would rather not talk about it. Every time their thoughts go back to Hwéeldi, they remember their relatives, families, and friends who were killed by the enemies. They watched them die, and they suffered with them, so they break into tears and start crying. That is why we only know segments of stories, pieces here and there. Nobody really knows the whole story about Hwéeldi.”

In a book published by the Navajo Community College Press titled Navajo Stories of the Long Walk Period, descendants of those who survived the Long Walk spoke candidly. Here are two of those firsthand accounts:

"According to my great-grandmother, when the journey to Fort Sumner began (they) had hardly anything to comfort them or the keep warm... Women carried their babies on the backs and walked all the way hundreds of miles. They didn’t know where they were headed. Finally, (they) reached their destination, but they were to shed many tears during their stay at Hwéeldi. The rations that were given out were unfamiliar to them and made them sick, and many died of the food." – Florence Charley

"During the third year (at Fort Sumner) women, young men and girls cried, and the men said, ‘We miss our country; give our country back to us.’" – Eli Gorman

On June 1, 1868, United States General William T. Sherman visited Fort Sumner. After negotiating with the Navajo chief and other tribal leaders, Sherman agreed to allow the tribe to return to their homeland. At sunrise on June 18, the Navajo people left Fort Sumner forever.

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Consider the oral histories documented in this passage. How you would feel if this experience happened to you?