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Warren Wagon Train Massacre |
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SH 16, NE of Graham, Graham,
TX,
USA
Latitude & Longitude:
33° 13' 1.0236",
-98° 30' 23.9508"
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Texas State
Historical Marker |
On Salt Creek Prairie (1.5 mi. W), On May 18,1871, Kiowas and Comanches from the Fort Sill Reservation, in present Oklahoma, attacked a train of 12 wagons owned by Capt. Henry Warren, contractor of supplies for U.S. forts in this frontier region. Seven teamsters were killed. The chiefs who led the raid were soon arrested, and Satank committed suicide. In a nationally spotlighted trial at Jacksboro, Satanta spoke with great eloquence on behalf of his people. Texas' Governor, E. J. Davis, later commuted the death sentences given by the court.
This page last updated: 7/15/2008
| StoppingPoints.com Editorial on Warren Wagon Train Massacre: | (The Warren Wagon Train Massacre is also known as the Salt Creek Massacre.)
Actually, Satank (aka Sitting Bear) technically did not commit suicide he attempted to free himself and attacked his guards and they shot him to death.
General Sherman ordered the trial of Satanta and Big Tree, along with Satank making them the first Native American Leaders to be tried for raids in a US Court. Sherman ordered the three Kiowa sub-chiefs taken to Jacksboro, Texas, to stand trial for murder.
Satank had no intention of allowing himself to be humiliated by being tried by the white man's court, and told the Tonkawa scouts before being transported to Fort Richardson that they should tell his family they would be able to find his body along the trail. Satank initially refused to get in the wagon, and after the soldiers threw him in, he hid his head under his red blanket (worn as a sign of his membership in the Koitsenko the society of the bravest Kiowa warriors). The soldiers apparently believed the old chief was hiding his face because of being humiliated, but in reality, he was gnawing his wrists to the bone so that he could get out of the chains they had put on him. He began singing his death song, and when his hands were free, stabbed one of his guards with a knife he had secreted in his clothes, and managed to wrestle the man's rifle from him. Satank was shot to death before he could manage to fire. His body lay unburied in the road, with his people afraid to claim it, for fear of the Army, although Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie assured his family they could safely claim Satanks remains. Nonetheless, they were never claimed.
Lawrie Tatum, the Quaker Indian Agent for the Kiowa, wrote a letter on May 30, 1871, in which he described the speech of Satanta's on the Warren Wagon Train Raid:Satanta made, what he wished understood to be a Big Speech, in which he said addressing me I have heard that you have stolen a large portion of our annuity goods and given them to the Texans; I have repeatedly asked you for arms & ammunition, which you have not furnished, and made many other requests which have not been granted, You do not listen to my talk. The white people are preparing to build a R. R. through our country, which will not be permitted. Some years ago we were taken by the haid & pulled here close to Texans where we have to fight. But we have cut that loos now and are all going with the Cheyennes to the Antalope Hills. When Gen Custer was here two or three years ago, he arrested me & kept me in confinement several days. But arresting Indians is plaid out now & is never to be repeted. On account of these grievances, I took, a short time ago, about 100 of my warriors, with the Chiefs Satank, Eagle Heart, Big Tree, Big Bow, & Fast Bear, & went to Texas, where we captured a train not far from Ft Richardson, killed 7 of the men, & drove off about 41 mules. Three of my men were killed, but we are willing to call it even. If any other Indian come here & claims the honor of leading the party he will be lieing to you, for I did it myself. |
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Image Gallery
Warren Wagon Train Massacre Historical Marker Location Map, Graham, Texas
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