Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-20
GENERAL sherman and snlanIa.

A newspaper correspondent in the Indian ter
ritory tells of n conversation with General Sher-
man in regard to the arrest at Fort Sill OF the
Notorious Kiowa chiefs, Satanta Satank and
Rio Tree from which it seems that the general
was for a moment in rather tight place, The
writer says;
"This trucuent chief, Satanta, it would APP
! near is one whom civilization can never tame.
lie is treacherous, cruel and irrecOncilably hos
tile to the white race. On the 9th of May, he
led a party of one hundred Kiowa warriors
against a supply train on the Belknap road, on
its way to Fort Griffin, Texas, and murdered
ten of the party, one OF whom was burnt to
cinders at a cart wheel This the great chief
regarded as a wonderful achievement, and in his
elation was led to boast of his proves to Agent
Tatum and Others while visiting Fort Sill. This
boast came TO Gen. Grierson's ears, the COM
handing officer of the fort, and he reported it
to Gen. Sherman. The rest of the narrative
give in Gen. Sherman's own words:
4 was sitting in the porch of Gen. Grerson's
quarters, said Gen. Sherman, when it was re-
ported TO me that Satanic had been Boosting TO
agent Tatum of having robbed train and
massacred number of Transfers determined
to put an immediate stop to this, and sent word
by an orderly that the General wanted to see
Satanta at his quarters. The chief came up at
this summons, and sat down on the porch. l
asked him if it was true that he had been killing
unarmed whites that we could see nothing
brave in this, but regarded it as cowardly. l
told him if he wanted TO fight, we had plenty of
soldiers, and we could indulge him with all the
fighting he wanted. / had previously learned
the full details of the massacre from one of the
train men who had served in the korteth Hi
nois, my favorite regiment, and had escaped the
massacre so | knew there was no danger of
making mistake Satanic evidently felt an
easy, and at the first chance left the porch and
made off to his horse, which was hitched to
tree near by. Iordered Grierson TO arrest him,
and a colored orderly, who was standing by,
without word of command, rushed after the
chief and placing his pistol at his head, brought
him back now wanted to get the other chiefs,
and directed Grierson to station guard in the
rear of his quarters, out of sight, and send for
Satank, Big Tree and Big Heart. The last
named failed to come, but the other two re-
sponded, and seated themselves by the side of
Satanic. Very soon afterward, Kicking Bird
and Lone Wolf came running on to the porch,
and Gen. Grierson says that the former handed
a carbine each to two of the Kiowas and strung
his bow. did not see this action myself; but
if / had it is uncertain what should have done.
There was about man for man present, and for
few moments there was imminent danger OF a
scene Of blood taking place. ordered the
guards up, and directed them to arrest the party
of chiefs; but Kicking Bird and Lone Wolf
managed TO get away. then ordered Satanta
and Satank to be placed in double irons and
sent to Texas, where they had committed the
murders, to be tried by civil law. then ordered
the garrison out, under Gen. Mckenzie, to scour
the country for Satanta's followers, but when
left Fort Sill to come here the party had not
been met with"
Gen. Sherman gives it as his opinion that
these Kiowa chiefs stand but poor chance of
escape with Texas jury, and the humane SUI
perintendent (HOag), who had listened with in
tense interest to the narrative, was constrained
to admit that the execution of these three muir
derous chiefs would have a wholesome effect
upon the tribe"