Native American Art

Collected by Major General Oliver Otis Howard (1830-1909)

Oliver Otis Howard (1830–1909) was a United States Army officer who served as a Union general during the American Civil War. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he lost his right arm after being wounded at the Battle of Fair Oaks, yet remained in active command. Following the war, he was appointed commissioner of the Freedmen's Bureau, overseeing efforts to aid formerly enslaved people. In the 1870s, he commanded the Department of the Columbia, directing U.S. Army operations in the Pacific Northwest during the Indian Wars. In this capacity, he led federal forces during the Nez Perce War, pursuing the band led by Chief Joseph across the northern Rockies.