Quote Originally Posted by jcustis View Post
Would you agree or disagree that the suppression of Native Americans displayed elements of successful COIN principles, such as population control measures?
The outcome of the Great Sioux War hinged largely upon what could be called population control measures. Little forced relocation was involved, however. The greater part of the Sioux had relocated near federal agencies after Red Cloud's War. (Red Cloud's War is sometimes described as having been won by the Sioux. Whatever term one uses, the terms were quite favorable to them.) Here is a brief report I drew up this past summer touching on some of that.

Population control, if I understand the way in which you are using the term, was often not an option because the Native group had the option to relocate and would do so. That was the situation after the Yamasee War, for example. The Yamasee had a long history of cooperation/conflict cycles with European settlers that began with the Spanish in the 17th century. They later allied with the Carolina Colony and relocated to the Sea Islands (I believe they had a presence at Parris Island at this time). Shortly after aiding the Carolinians in the Tuscarora War, poor trading policy contributed to the outbreak of the Yamasee War. In the wake of that, they relocated west with the nascent Creek Confederation. Some of them eventually moved south to become part of the Seminole.

Quote Originally Posted by jcustis View Post
I got on this path of query because I thought about the issue during my visit to the Castillo De San Marcos at St. Augustine, FL. There were several historical presentations about captured Indian warriors who were imprisoned in the fort for a space of time.

I spent a lot of time thinking on the Indian Wars and realized that I only have a topical level of knowledge about them, which does not necessarily support my casual belief that the Indian Wars are an example of effective COIN.
It depends a lot on the definition of "effective." The Seminole Wars almost certainly were not.

There might be some justification for referring to the series of conflicts occurring on the Plains and in the Southwest in the decades immediately before and after the Civil War as the Indian Wars. They have some things in common. But if you are calling all conflict between the U.S. government and Native peoples the Indian Wars I think you are lumping a lot of apples and oranges.

Links to some articles I like follow. I have bunches more, as well as scores of references. The best provide good social and historical context.