Stand Watie

Stand Watie

Stand Watie (born December 12, 1806 in Oothcaloga , near Rome , Georgia , † September 9, 1871 at Honey Creek , Oklahoma ) was a member of the Cherokee and General of the Confederate Army in the Civil War .

Life

Stand Watie's name was derived from the fact that he came from the tribe of the Ridge-Watie and his name was De-ga-ta-ga = he stands (the one standing) in the Cherokee language . He attended a mission school in Springplace, Georgia, and in 1829 became secretary of the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court. He later worked temporarily as an editor of the Cherokee Phoenix , a magazine printed in Cherokee and English , the editor of which was his brother.

He was one of the tribal leaders who bowed to the brutal expulsion into Indian territory ( Oklahoma ). After his uncle Major Ridge and some of his brothers and cousins ​​were killed, Watie became chief of the Ridge-Watie in 1845 and was in constant opposition to his adversary, Chief John Ross , the chief chieftain of the Cherokee.

During the Civil War he led his own regiment , which was famous for its high level of discipline. In 1862 he succeeded John Ross as chief chief of the Cherokee. In 1864 he was promoted to brigadier general. He was the only Indian who held the rank of general during the civil war . On June 23, 1865, Stand Watie signed a ceasefire agreement at Fort Towson in the Choctaw part of Indian Territory (now Oklahoma ) , making him the last southern general to surrender .

After the end of the Civil War, he was no longer accepted as a tribal leader of the Cherokee by the new Union-led US government . Instead, his predecessor John Ross was again head of the Cherokee.

Stand Watie subsequently retired from public life and died on September 9, 1871.

Web links

Commons : Stand Watie  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Stand Watie Biography Page
• Stand Watie in the database of Find a Grave (English)