Chief Black Kettle

Chief Black Kettle (http://www.freewebs.com/sheriff-black-jack/opperhoofden/ChiefBlackKettle.jpg)

Chief Black Kettle was a Cheyenne Indian leader and lived in the 19th Century. He was born in 1803 near the Black Hills of South Dakota. Motavato was tragically killed along with his wife on November 27th 1868. He was a Cheyenne Indian leader because of his strong leadership skills and his strength. Motavato's actions were important because the weapon that he used to fight with was peace. Chief Black Kettle was always a peaceful man, because even when the Cheyenne struck back against the Americans with continued raids on wagons and ranches, he continued to counsel peace.

The main actions I am focusing on in this paragraph is how Motavato always used peace during the Civil War and the Colorado War. While the Civil War was raging on in America, Motavato and his tribe continued to try to counsel peace in every way they could. Motavato and his tribe tried to make treaties with the American Government in a peaceful way, but the government still refused and made them return to their assigned lands. Motavato is a true hero in this situation because he tried to do these acts out of peace. As the Civil War progressed in the east, the number of soldiers decreased which raised the number of Indian attacks. This caused the area settlers to form a militia which soon led to the Colorado War of 1864-1865. During this war, there was a brutal attack called the Sand Creek Massacre. After this massacre, 150 Indians lay dead and Motavato's wife was shot several times. The whole time this attack was going on, Motavato still led with peace. If Motavato never lived, the wars would be more chaotic. Motavato had a huge impact on white soldiers because he tried to be very peaceful with them and they usually accepted the Cheyenne's peace treaties. "All we ask is that we have peace with the whites. We want to hold you by the hand. You are our father" -Motavato

Sand Creek Massacre (http://www.nps.gov/archive/foda/fort_davis_web_page/Assets/Sand%20Creek.jpg)

This act focuses mainly on how Black Kettle was still and always has been a peaceful man. He showed that he wanted to surrender and was setting a good image to his warriors because he wanted to make peace with the whites. As the Cheyenne continued to raid farms in Colorado and Kansas, General Philip Sheridan once again launched attacks against the Cheyenne encampments. A Seventh Cavalry commander named George Armstrong Custer took the lead in one of those attacks. He followed tracks of a small Cheyenne raiding party to one of their villages on the Washita River. This village was within the boundaries of Black Kettle's village. Motavato raised a white flag over his tepee, which showed that he did not want to fight and that he surrendered, Custer ignored the flag and commanded an attack on Black Kettle's village. Black Kettle ended up being killed along with his wife and approximately 150 warriors. it is estimated that 20 or more civilians also died and the rest were taken as prisoners. Black Kettle had a big impact on people's lives because without him, his warriors had no one. They died with Black kettle because they had hopes of becoming independent people. "I want you to give all these chiefs of the soldiers here to understand that we are for peace, and that we have made peace, that we may not be mistaken by them for enemies." -Motavato

George Armstrong Custer (http://bcm.bc.edu/wp-content/images/summer_2006/custers-field-1.jpg)

I would not consider Motavato a hated man, but there is the exception of one person who did not like him. This man's name was George Armstrong Custer. This man was the Seventh Cavalry commander that usually led campaigns to fight off the Cheyenne Indians. Since Motavato's men were violent and he wasn't, Custer assumed that Motavato was a violent man. Custer ordered an attack the Cheyenne's village. He tried to stop Black Kettle by killing him even though there was a white flag above Black Kettle's tepee. Unfortunately, black Kettle was not able to avoid this situation and tragically died.

After Black Kettle died, many people were sad and outraged. The people that had these feelings were not just the Cheyenne's, but everyone in the future that read his story. The Cheyenne's were split up after he died and that group slowly faded away. I am not saying the death of Motavato had a negative impact, because it also had a positive impact as well. Black Kettle inspired many people and made them realize, you don't need weapons to fight. Motavato most likely inspired Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. because they both fought with peace. This man changed many lives including mine. When I read this story it occurred to me that you have to believe to succeed, and the best fighting tool to use, is peace.