The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-03-01

runner atllolg tie indian scouts en-
pl6yed ~ tie British In the reyolu-
tionary war. He was tireless and
covered long stretches Of rough for
est country With marvellous speed A
British officer toward the END Of the
revolution gave sagoyewatha a
caston Uniform Jacket, brilliant scar
let and faced With gold braid. The
gift was 4 prize for cumming 4
saE6ye Satiia b barbaGic soul re.
56icsd at 50 gaudy q garment. He
wore II dsy and, night trtil II was In
shreds. And thereby he won for
himself the nleknane BY which he
Is best Known 70 histpry5zaed Jack,
Ell. S,s. isa,
Red Jacket was q strange man,
Even his own people did not know
whether to despise or honor him. In
battle be was a coward. In council
he was a genius. He was at once a
patriot and ID. low politician; a re;
former and d crook; a friend to the
white men and their bitter foe. His
eloquencs could sway d whole Indian
''natlon.s:S Hescould plan inspired
campaigns OF war or diplomacy. Yet
he shrank, from fighting apd often
failed to I've up to his own teachings,
He sought to- turn the Indians from
drunkennessSl etc. Yet he died an
imbecile drqnkard.
The Man Of Many Natures,
Red jacket was born near Geneva,
N. Y, IN 1751, and succeeded the
great Bfant as chief OF the Wolf tribe
Of the Seneca nation Braht de-
spised him for. hlsl eoSardicet and in
contempt nicknamed him 1.-THE Cow
killer" Yet within a few years Red
Jacket became the foremost man in
the mighty six Nations" talking his
way to supremacy among people
Who admired deeds rather than
words When the revolution broke
out he and his people espoused the
British, cause. 1t was as forest run
ner and scout for the English oticers,
rather than as a warrior, that Red
Jacket distinguished himself during
the Revolutionary years.
In 1854 a conference was held at
Fort stanwlx to discuss a treaty be-
tween the six Nations and the United
States, Red Jacket argued fiercely
against such treaty. and used all
his wonderful eloquence to avert 1t.
Yet, when. he failed and the treaty
was ratified, he promptly threw his
influence upon the other side and
rendered the country such good serv-
lee among, his own people that In
1892 the president conferred upon
him a huge silver medal. This med.
al represented George Washinst ton
and Red Jacket smoking the pipe Of
peace toglher. The glitter Of the sill
yer and the picture Of himself on
terms oil. equality with Washington
80 tlckled tAe,-Indlan's vanity and
love of display that he hencerorth
wore the medallion until the day of
his death. 1t was his dearest treas.
urA.
Red Jacket gave far more than
"yalue received" for the Washington
medal. For when Tecumseh strote
to rouse the various Indian tribes
against the white men 1t was he who
learned Of the plot and notified the
government, His tidlrgs did much to
help Uncle Sam check this wholesale
conspiracy. Soon akerward, at the
beginning Of the war Of 1872 with
England, he and the senecas cast In
their lot With the United States. In
council and in secret service rather
than in fighting Red Jacket was Of
tremendous assistance to the govern
meht throughout that conflict, though
his admirers claim that in the battle
near Fort George, on the NiagaEa
boundary line, In 1873, he did valiant
work.
In spite OF all these proofs OF devo-
ton TO the government he hated all
white men. Had he been able he
would have rid the land of them. He
could not be induced to embrace any
Of the habits OF civilization. He not
only refused. to become Christian
but was the sworn enemy Of the mis-.
sionarles who were sent to his PEG
Isple. - : y
.@s Fight Against Prosress.
To the last he held to the old re-
llglon,g dress. language and ways OF
his savage, ancestors, and strove to
prevent his followers from adopting
white. mems customs. The only
change be Himself made from the
primitive. Indian, life. was in learning
to drink whisky.
Red jacket was as wise as he was
.cowardly. He foresaw that soon or late
the once powerful Indians would be
crushed under the advance of Progress
and would be utterly driven from the
hunting grounds OF their fathers
With all his cunning and ability be
fought to postpone that evil day as
long as, possible, He tried to pre-
Event his people from initiating the
white menEand thus sapping their
own independence. He sought to
train the youdg Indians to resist
Weakening Influences Of civilization.