How did the Civil War affect the Native Americans?

The Civil War actually delayed the fate of Native Americans, for it occupied the US military for over four years, years which would have been spent trying to control and colonize the Indians.  Once the war broke out, many experienced military leaders were pulled from the West, and most were Southerners.

Additionally, the Civil War and its final outcome renewed the sense of entitlement and power that many Americans felt following the Revolution and the War of 1812.  After fighting such a horrific, bloody war, Americans certainly felt that the conquest of the entire northern continent was their right.  Certainly the Indians would not be permitted to threaten the expansive lifestyle that over 600,000 Americans had died to protect.

Another important aspect of the Civil War was the military experience it yielded.  Many men were novices who eventually mastered their trade by the end of the war.  These hardened men were sent West after the war, and their mentality was completely changed by the horrors they had seen in the war.  Additionally, after previously facing fellow countrymen in battle, these soldiers were now facing an enemy of a different color, an aspect that allowed them to justify the horrfic actions that took place during the Indian struggles that followed the Civil War.