It is revealing that in the recent debates about Pres. Grant, there has been almost no mention of his Indian policy, which was, let's just say, complicated.

Grant appointed the first Indigenous person to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs: Ely S. Parker (Seneca). Parker had previously served as Grant's adjutant and took down the peace terms at Appomattox.

Grant inaugurated the "Peace Policy" towards Native Americans when he became president in 1869. This policy proposed placing Indians on reservations run by Christian groups as an alternative to the previous corruption of the Indian Service.

Placing Christian missionaries in charge of reservations meant US sanction for deep intrusions into Native culture, including suppression of Indigenous languages and religion.

Grant also signed the Indian Appropriation Act of 1871 which ended the treaty system and redefined Indigenous peoples as "wards" of the US government rather than independent nations.

Grant's "Peace Policy" towards Native Americans thus contained a core of violence. Indians who would did not remove to the US-created reservations were vulnerable, in Grant's words, to "a sharp and severe war policy."

It is not at all coincidental that Grant's administration, despite its avowed "Peace Policy," was marred by a series of Indians "wars" (I prefer to call them invasions of Indigenous homelands): Modoc War in CA, New Perce War in WA, Red River War on Southern Plains, etc.