Indian Campaign Medal - Definition and Overview

The Indian Campaign Medal is a decoration of the United States Army which was first created in 1905. The medal was retroactively awarded to any soldier of the U.S. Army who had participated in military actions against Native American Indians between the years of 1865 to 1891.

The United States Department of the Army declared the following fourteen campaigns as credible service to the Indian Campaign Medal.

• 1865 – 1868: Northern California, Nevada, Oregon, and Idaho
• 1867 – 1869: Colorado, Indian Territory, and Kansas for actions against the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Commanche, and Kiowa
• 1872 -1873: Modoc War
• 1873: Arizona for actions against the Apache
• 1874 – 1875: Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas for actions against the Cheyenne, Commanche, and Kiowa
• 1876 – 1877: Actions against the Northern Cheyenne and Sioux
• 1877: Nez Perce War
• 1878: Bannock War
• 1878 – 1879: Actions against the Northern Cheyenne
• 1879: Actions against the Sheep-Eaters, Piute, and Bannocks
• 1879 – 1880: Colorado for actions against the Ute
• 1885 – 1886: Arizona for actions against the Apache
• 1890-1891: Actions against the Sioux
• 1865 – 1891: Any action against hostile Indians in which U.S. troops were killed or wounded

The Indian Campaign Medal was issued as a one time decoration only and there were no devices or service stars authorized for those who had participated in multiple actions. The only attachment authorized to the medal was the silver citation star, awarded for meritorious or heroic conduct. The silver citation star was the predecessor of the Silver Star and was awarded to eleven soldiers between 1865 and 1891.

In the mid-20th century, the Army declared the Indian Campaign Medal obsolete and began an effort, under pressure, to collect and destroy original and reproduced Indian Campaign Medals. This was due large in part to the unpopular notion that the Indian Campaign Medal represented an effort to subjugate an entire culture and its people. In the modern age, the Indian Campaign Medal is one of the most difficult antique decorations to locate.

See also

• Awards and decorations of the United States military
• U.S. military history: Indian conflicts, wars, battles, expeditions and campaigns
• Indian Wars