Stand Watie was a second principal chief of the Cherokee tribe, and the only Native American to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in the Civil War. Watie fought for the Confederacy and was the last major Confederate general to surrender on June 23, 1865. Watie wrote a number of letters to his wife, Sarah, throughout the war. In a letter from 1863 Stand relates his whereabouts and discusses various scouting missions he has been a part of. He also makes mention of prisoners he has taken, among them is John Ross, the principal chief of the Cherokee tribe. Ross had switched to supporting the Union, and was therefore an enemy of Watie’s. Stand states that he did not kill Ross at the urging of his wife’s request to consider “old Mrs. Jack Ross.” Watie also writes of Andy Nave, who was killed by another soldier after he refused to surrender. Stand Watie expresses remorse at his killing, because he was friendly with him before the war. This letter is a valuable primary source from the Civil War because it shows daily activities of a Native American general. It also expresses the human elements of the Civil War, where men on opposite sides were friends before the fighting broke out. As a site dedicated to dark history Stand Watie’s story shows us the darker and complex side of humanity. He was a man from a community seen as less than at the time, however he chose to fight for a side that infamously suppressed African American’s as slaves. His motivations for fighting were to stand with the side he saw as best benefiting himself and his community. Watie can be seen as an intriguing historical figure, and a reminder that Native Americans were a strong presence in the Civil War era.
Additional Reading:
Watie, Stand. Document 18.5 Stand Watie, “To Mrs. Stand Watie” (1863). Letter. From Chronicles of Oklahoma, Volume 1 (1921-1923): 41-43. https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3-euw1-ap-pe-ws4-ces-documents.ri-prod/9780415896009/Document18-5.pdf
My Dark History 