Black Kettle was a man who was a warrior, a hero, a peacemaker and a leader of the Native American Indian Tribe, Cheyenne. He was someone who always thought of his people first and did everything he could, to protect them. He guided them to choose the path of peace and live with resistance for their survival with the whites. Nonetheless, his efforts for finding peace did not turn in his favor.
Black Kettle was born in 1803 in the Southern Cheyenne tribe in Black Hills. He proved himself over time and became Chief of his council of forty-four in 1854 (Martinek). He was known to keep trying to make peace with the US government even though they betrayed him over and over again but that did not affect his morale or efforts. Under the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851, which the government and the Cheyennes agreed upon, the tribe was given permission to live on the land within the territory of Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado. Within a time frame of ten years, during the Pikes Peak gold rush, there was a sudden boom of American settlers invading the land that was guaranteed to the tribe. The government admitted to the uncontrollable migration and their defiance of the treaty that was signed with the Cheyenne leader (Martinek).
During the continued intrusion of people into their lands, Black Kettle went all the way to Washington, DC to meet the president and prove that he is a good friend of the United States. The President even gave him a loyalty gift of an American flag to show that they are indeed friends of the USA (Martinek). However, over the following years, the chief realized that immigrants were continuing to take over their land and the resources. The younger warriors were refusing to comply with the treaty, which bounded them not to interfere with the nearby settlers or go to their lands. They started with raids on the white people, causing hindrance in their mail routes, disturbing their cattle stock and eventually leading to a Denver-resident murder. The victim’s body was displayed to the public to create horror against the Indians. The governor at that time issued a notification to assemble peaceful Indians at Fort Lyon and also to kill those who do not show up.
On the other hand, upon hearing the orders of Governor Evans, Major Scott Anthony, of Fort Lyan, ensured the Indians that they will be safe if they move to Sand Creek. He even handed the chief a white flag to show his intentions are in their favor. However, this was not the case as it eventually turned out to be a plot of Colonel Chivington in which he lured the Indians to one small ground to make the attack easier. The Colonel and his cavalry were keeping an eye on the tribe simultaneously. The plan was to kill them all and not take any prisoners. The attack took eight long hours and was one of the most barbaric acts of savagery that have existed in Colorado history. This attack eventually killed Black Kettle’s friend when all he was doing was trying to welcome the soldiers unharmed. Perplexed on what was happening, Black Kettle raised the white flag to show that he surrenders and does not want the war to continue, but Chivington ignored the gesture and kept shooting openly (Christian). His wife was severely injured, but Black Kettle came to her rescue and took her away to save their lives. Chivington was not charged with anything over his act of barbarity. Meanwhile, Cheyenne continued with their raids but Black Kettle, as usual, was not a part of it. He still believed that the mantra of peace could work for them. However, many of his people blamed him for the massacre. The government offered a treaty in 1861 to Black Kettle, annulling the previous Fort Laramie treaty and only giving them a small land, Sand Creek, further away from their native land which was barren and did not support agriculture. This did not seem to favor them and rather resulted in mass betrayal. However, having no choice and fearing that he could end up having nothing for this people’s survival, Black Kettle agreed upon it and signed the treaty of 1861 and made sure his tribe also adhered to it (Martinek). His continued actions of making peace with the government all seemed to be going in vain. In his tribe, some thought he was not a good decision maker and tried to raid the nearest settlers for food when children started to die of hunger. This led to a creation of warrior groups among the settlers nearby which later started the Colorado War. Black Kettle always believed in fighting the chaos with peace; he was a peaceful man who chose negotiations over wars, and this gave him the respect among the Native American tribe leaders if not young warriors.
In the year following the confusions, Black Kettle went to Denver to meet Colonel Chivington to have a talk with him about the peace which he so profoundly wished to maintain. He told him that they should know that they are here for only peace and that the Cheyennes sought nothing but peace. Kettle told Colonel Chivington that they should not think of them as their enemies but rather as allies. Kettle also said that he and Cheyenne want to live with the whites in solidarity and brotherhood, without having to fight over any land or food. He complained that they were continuously mistaken as outsiders and enemies which they are not. (Martinek)
Black Kettle was a man of honor and trust; he hoped that his talks with the officials could bring peace in the area. However, it was not how it turned out. In 1864, Chivington attacked Kettle’s camp at Sand Creek and massacred his people before his eyes while he was waving the US flag given by the President to him as a symbol of guarantee that he or his people would not be harmed. He made it out somehow, but his wife was critically injured. The aftermath of this attack was an uprising of several conflicts within the tribe. At times, the violence and the stubbornness of the young warriors got out of hand, and the old chiefs were unable to control them, as they were not used to such massive violence. After the attack, the bodies of the corpses were displayed for the spectators by the forces as if they were medals. However, the chief did not rest even after this massacre and kept his promise of peacemaking by meeting the people in government who make peace treaties once again to show that he leaves it all behind and is willing to forgive them for the massacre.
Comanche and Lakota, the native Southern Cheyenne tribes, took the chance to attack those who had intruded their land. During this time, the civil war was going on, and the Army did not have many soldiers to spare for the Cheyenne problem. As the American Forces were losing men in the already undergoing civil war, the Cheyennes increased their raids on Americans. A solution to this lack of soldiers was devised, and civilian volunteers were recruited to handle the problem. A treaty named “Medicine Lodge treaty” was signed. As a result of which it was decided the Indians will get the annual provisions, land, and food but that when the promises could not be fulfilled, part of Cheyennes joined Roman Nose, a Cheyenne War Chief. Roman conducted raids across Kansas, Colorado, and Texas. He used violence as his strategy for defense.
Roman and Kettle’s conflicts were obvious, due to his audaciousness and Black Kettle’s fading leadership, it was unknown if Black Kettle could control Roman’s actions. Roman, although not as visionary as Black Kettle, was a true Native American regarding bravery and spirit. He always thought of defending his people against the whites, but Roman Nose was also the same person who led the attacks on American settlers and kept ignoring the chief's peace treaty with whites which resulted in angered American force's retaliations. He was a bit of a reckless leader having sacrificed many youths over time in attacks. He performed overconfidence throughout his life and especially in times of wars.
In 1868, When Major Gen. Philip of the United States Army sensed that the Medicinal Lodge Treaty was not able to mend the gaps between the two cultural tribes he devised a plan. His plan was to attack the camps of the Cheyenne Tribe at Washita River in the winter when the tribe was most vulnerable. The Seventh Cavalry commander, George Armstrong Custer, majorly led the attack from Fort Dodge and set up their camps in the Indian Territory. Although they were supposed to meet another Cavalry, the Volunteer Cavalry could not make it because of weather conditions so Custer without wasting the chance, headed for the attack. His baggage train was also delayed due to the weather, but nothing could stop him from what barbaric plans he had for the Indians and decided to attack at dawn. Black Kettle had been earlier informed about the Army’s plan of attack so he tried to move his village to the area where other Indians were also present thinking a larger number of people might help in defending the attack. Soon the forces overran the village. Their women and children despite trying to flee were murdered, their camps were burnt, and warriors killed along with the peaceful Cheyenne chief, Black Kettle, too. Custer ignored Kettle’s raised the white flag during the attack, knowing he is declaring surrender, but his hatred took over him, and he killed him along with his wife and 150 other men while imprisoning the rest of them (Christian).
Kettle, having lived in a time when the US government was insensitive to the rights of Native Americans and witnessing that they will be sidetracked no matter what they do did not give up on the idea of peace. His people were violent, but he was not. From time to time, Kettle was asked to sign treaties that were not fair and did not benefit his people. He also witnessed those treaties being amended as per the government’s wishes and however that was convenient to them. Despite the injustices, Kettle was sane enough to understand that the government has more power regarding the military, and they do not stand any chance against them if the need arises. So, he embraced the injustice every time even though his tribe people were turning against him. In the Sand Creek Massacre, Kettle injured his wife and his old friend, but he did not give up on peace. He was continuously asked to sign amended treaties instead of getting justice by the government, where the government should have expelled those who disobeyed them but nothing as such happened even when the intruders started taking the Cheyenne’s land. Not even the Sand Creek reservation could sustain the tribe’s survival which was a non-breeding ground, given to the Cheyennes in response to their willingly leaving their native land (Martinek). He was the kind of a leader who despite broken promises and attack on his life, wanted honor for his people while coexisting with other cultures in states.
When Roman Nose died, those who had previously gone to fight with him returned to Black Kettle. He, being such a compassionate man, welcomed them and gladly accepted them to be a part of his tribe and continue the work of peace with him. He was known as the “peace chief” and was honored with chivalry. He was a person who had a goal, a goal to bring peace and to coexistence with the whites on his land. He believed the US military power was suppressing and overwhelming. He was the person who preferred negotiations and talks to war and continued to portray this at every test that came his way. During all the attacks, he opted to surrender so no more of his people could be harmed or killed. He tried to save his people and their lives in every way he could. He met every important person that could shape this decision for him and tried to reason with the officials that war is not the answer. He was a leader, who wanted the future of his people by sacrificing and not by retaliations. His actions were a result of his education to be a chief who seeks peace. He was brought up in this manner that peace should be the sole goal of everyone. The Cheyenne tribe had a code of conduct that whoever will be appointed as the peace chief will forego all actions of violence and will behave without any aggression. The peace chief will be generous with all and especially the poor, and the goal will bet to maintain peace among the tribe and the white people.
The 1964 Massacre, did not just cost the tribe material losses, but the leadership was also affected because of the deaths of eight members of the forty-four council members. Among the causalities were White Antelope and those who were for peace-seeking treaties. This created conflicts among the leadership and the followers, and there was an issue of the Roman Nose and his Dog Soldiers too that needed control from the Chiefs. In Indian Cheyennes, the Dog soldiers were the six military societies that sided Roman Nose's approach of war (Martinek). The most unsettling action of the chiefs that angered the young warriors was the treaty that confined them to Sand Creek, the land which was barren and ended up in epidemic and desperation of the followers to retaliate the treaty. Despite the betrayal at Sand Creek, he performed sheered generosity by still trying to seek peace with the government.
Of all the injustices he had to undergo, Kettle’s legacy of peacemaking will remain and likely inspire the leaders of the 20th century (Christian). He sacrificed so much and so many people for his belief, which was to seek peace in all circumstances. He remained persistent on this philosophy and tried to preach his tribe these values while being a leader. Moreover, it did work until the camps were started being attacked and people started dying of hunger and starvation. He taught patience and negotiation to his friends, educated them to be friends with those superior, so you do not end up suppressed. His approach was right, but the people were not as kind hearted. He is a hero because he thought of changing their future, he wanted to be allied with the ruling parties so they could live in peace. Black Kettle was the man who was willing to give it all for Cheyenne’s future and their safety.
When Black Kettle died, many people were outraged and disheartened, and these were not just those who belonged to the Cheyenne Tribe but also those who came to know about him over time. His tribe separated, and they chose different paths after him, but they remembered him, and he was an inspiring figure who taught the lesson of peace and preached peace over weapons for the generations to come (Christian). Those who read his story how important his people were to him. He faced betrayal; lost his childhood friend, lost his people in a massacre and his people abandoned him to retaliate against the government treaties because they were being treated unjustly. It is not that Black Kettle did not care about the justice, but he was aware that if they had to go to war with US forces, they would lose. Being the peace chief, his whole life's goal was to maintain peace so that the future of his people is protected and they are not considered as just savages.
Work Cited
Christian, "The My Hero Project - Chief Black Kettle." myhero.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.
Martinek, Katelyn. "The Life Of Black Kettle." Kawvalley.k12.ks.us. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.
