Posey War

Posey War
Part of the Ute Wars, American Indian Wars

A group of Ute and Paiute Native Americans who were involved in the Posey War of 1923. Chief Posey is standing second from left.
DateMarch 20–23, 1923[1]
Location
San Juan County, Utah
Result United States victory
Belligerents
 United States
Commanders and leaders
United States Charles Mabey Posey  †
Casualties and losses
none[1] 2 killed[2]

The Posey War was a small, brief conflict with Native Americans in Utah. Though it was a minor conflict, it involved a mass exodus of Ute and Paiute native Americans from their land around Bluff, Utah to the deserts of Navajo Mountain. The natives were led by a chief named Posey, who took his people into the mountains to try to escape his pursuers. Unlike previous conflicts, posses played a major role while the United States Army played a minor one. The war ended after a skirmish at Comb Ridge. Posey was badly wounded and his band was taken to a prisoner-of-war camp in Blanding. When Posey's death was confirmed by the authorities, the prisoners were released and given land allotments to farm and raise livestock.[3][4] According to the Utah Encyclopedia, "for the Indians it was not a war and never was intended to be such ... a few shots fired as a delaying action, and a very rapid surrender do not justify elevating an exodus to a war."[5]

  1. ^ a b "Utah History Resource Center". Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
  2. ^ "Utah History Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on October 16, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
  3. ^ "The Last Indian Uprising". Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  4. ^ Young, pg. 63-64
  5. ^ Robert S. McPherson, "Posey War", Utah Encyclopedia (1994)