The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-07
INDIAN MURDEREns CAUGHT.
How General Sherman Dealt with Redskins
that Killed Whites in Texas.

| How General Sherman Dealt with Redskins
that Killed Whites in Texas.
| New Orleans States.
It was upon the very banks of Salt creek that
/ the Warren train massacre occurred-a massacre
| famous from the personal proximity to its scene
| of Gen. W. L. Sherman and his connection with
its sequel General Sherman was out in Texas
| investigating complaints of Indian outrages He
was to have crossed Saltcreek prairie with War
| ren's train, hut for some reason preceded it by a
| few hours with an escort of United States
| troops. He had barely reached Fort Richard
! son when the news came that Warren's train had
been destroyed and nine teamsters massacred,
| with several women and children. The opportu-
nifty was golden for General Sherman. Returned
back with the small escort with which he had just
| crossed the prairie, and reached the scene of
the massacre. Nothing had been disturbed
| since the Indians left The corralled wagons
| were mass Of charred ruins with the corn-sack
| breastwork. The bodies of the massacred peo-
| pie were found in various conditions of burned
| and savage mutilation. The charred remains of
one man were found bound with logchain to
| the remnants of burned wagon-wheel. The
! story was the old one OF the frontier The brave
| band of pioneers had been descended upon by an
overwhelming force of hostile Indians. They
| had made their desperate fight and died like
men. One man, who had sighted the Indians in
| time, had taken to the woods from the hind
! most team and made his escape. The Indians
! had also escaped with the stock of the ill fated
| train. General Sherman turned sadly back and
continued his tour of the frontier posts From
Fort Griffith he proceeded to Fort Sill and then
| to Fort Concho
| While at the latter post baud of Kiowas un-
| der command of the famous Santanate appeared
| in the neighborhood and wanted to sell some
mules and horses. Some of the escort who had
i been with Sherman from Fort Richardson rec
! ognized the mules as belonging to Warrens
| train, and reported the fact to "Tecumseh." He
| determined to have an interview in the charac-
| ter of trader with Santante, and invited him
| to rendezvous. the General wearing citizens
! Clothes but retaining body guard. Santante
was also accompanied by some of his braves,
among them Satank and Big Tree General
| Sherman pretended to want to buy the mules
and in the course of the conversation elected the
/ fact that the animals had been captured in
| Texas, and enough besides to convince him that
| they were the identical ones which had been
| had been taken from Warren's train. Old San
| tante the drift of his questions and got on
| his dignity. Strengthening himself up he said,
| with threatening air:
"You white man big trader and big captain,
but Santante bigger captain than YOU
But you took those mules from wagon
| train in Texas, massacred the people, and left
| one man to burn to death tied to a Wheel the
General said. anerily. you are thief and
! much excited. and Big Tree. fierce young
| brave actually drew revolver aud presented it
/ at Sherman. But the United States troops were
| on their guard. They seized Big Tree, and. at
| the orders Of Sherman, took the whole party
prisoners.
| ssThe three chiefs, Santante, Satank and Big
| Tree, were bound and placed under guard of
troops to be taken back to Texas for trial as
thieves and murderers by the civil authorities
Sherman's orders to the guard. which was o
small one, were to shoot the prisoners upon the
/ spot upon the appearance of any band of
marauding Indians, and then to look out for
| themselves. The guard had hardly been out
| half day when SatanE, veteran warrior and
| implacable enemy of the whites, threw his
blanket over his head and gnawed through the
| rawhide thongs with which he was bound. He
| had even got his hand Winchester rifle
| which had been carelessly left in the wagon
| with the prisoners The rife had caught
| some way in his blanket and be was trying to
extricate it when one of the leutenants observed
the situation and shot the old chief instantly