The name Kiowa Chief Satank, also known as Setangya or Sitting Bear, resonates as a powerful symbol of defiance and warrior spirit among the Kiowa people. Born around 1810 in the sacred Black Hills, Satank rose to prominence not only as a formidable chief and revered medicine man but also as the distinguished leader of the “Koitsenk,” the elite Kiowa honor society comprising their Ten Bravest Warriors. His life, marked by both strategic leadership and unwavering resistance, profoundly shaped a critical era in Kiowa history, challenging the encroaching American frontier.
Early Life and Strategic Leadership
Born into an era of significant change for the Plains tribes, Kiowa Chief Satank quickly distinguished himself through his courage, wisdom, and leadership abilities. His early prominence was cemented by his instrumental role in negotiating a lasting peace between the Kiowa and the Cheyenne around 1840, a diplomatic achievement that brought stability to the region during a volatile period. This demonstrated his capacity for strategic thinking beyond the battlefield, showcasing a leader who understood the complex interplay of warfare and diplomacy essential for his people’s survival and prosperity. His influence was so significant that his name proudly headed the list of signers for the pivotal Medicine Lodge Treaty of 1867. However, his participation was not born of full agreement, but rather a reluctant acknowledgement of an inevitable, albeit unfavorable, shift in power dynamics, portending the challenges that lay ahead for the Kiowa way of life.
The Erosion of Freedom and a Warrior’s Defiance
The signing of the Medicine Lodge Treaty ultimately led to the relocation of the Kiowa to the newly established Fort Sill reservation in Oklahoma. For a proud warrior like Satank, whose entire existence was intrinsically linked to the nomadic freedom of the Plains, the confines of reservation life were an intolerable affront to his spirit and his people’s traditions. He quickly emerged as a vocal and active resister of the authority imposed by the U.S. government, refusing to abandon the ancestral practices and self-determination that defined the Kiowa. This period of intense friction was further exacerbated by a deeply personal tragedy that would ignite a fierce retaliatory spirit within him.
The Death of a Son and Renewed Conflict
In 1870, the profound loss of his son, who was tragically killed by white men during a revenge raid in Texas, shattered any lingering hopes of peaceful coexistence for Kiowa Chief Satank. This devastating event served as a catalyst, transforming his earlier reluctance and resistance into open warfare. Consumed by grief and a burning desire for justice, he began to lead raids against settlers, believing that direct action was the only way to avenge his son and protect his people’s diminishing sovereignty. These attacks signaled a clear and defiant rejection of the reservation system and the imposed peace, reaffirming his commitment to the traditional Kiowa warrior ethos.
The Warren Wagon Train Raid: A Bold Act of Resistance
The most infamous of these retaliatory actions was the Warren Wagon Train Raid, also known as “The Salt Creek Massacre,” which occurred on May 18, 1871. Satank, alongside fellow prominent Kiowa warriors Satanta and Big Tree, orchestrated and led this audacious attack in Texas. The target was a freight train contracted by Henry Warren, transporting vital supplies to various Texas forts, including Fort Richardson, Fort Griffin, and Fort Concho. The encounter itself was charged with dramatic irony: earlier that day, the caravan had crossed paths with General William T. Sherman, who, unaware of the warriors’ true intentions, had allowed Satanta and his men to pass unmolested. Less than an hour after this fateful encounter, the wagon train, making its way down the Jacksboro-Belknap Road towards Salt Creek Crossing, spotted approximately 100 Kiowa and Comanche warriors preparing to strike.
Recognizing the imminent threat, the twelve teamsters valiantly attempted to form a defensive ring with their wagons. However, the sheer numerical superiority and ferocity of the Kiowa warriors quickly overwhelmed them. The ensuing conflict was brutal and swift, culminating in the capture of all supplies and the gruesome killing and mutilation of seven wagoneers. Five men miraculously managed to escape the carnage, with Thomas Brazeale enduring a grueling 20-mile journey on foot to reach Fort Richardson and report the devastating attack. Upon receiving the news, Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie promptly informed General Sherman, who, now fully aware of the Kiowa chiefs’ defiance and the significant loss of life, dispatched Mackenzie with explicit orders to bring the offending Native American leaders to justice.
Arrest, Final Defiance, and Enduring Legacy
Following the Warren Wagon Train Raid, Satank, Satanta, and Big Tree made public boasts of their involvement to the agent at Fort Sill, a defiant act that sealed their fate. Military authorities swiftly moved to arrest the three chiefs, intending to transport them to Texas for trial – an unprecedented move for Native American leaders at the time. As preparations were made for their transfer, the elderly Kiowa Chief Satank refused to accept the indignity of captivity. With an unyielding warrior’s spirit, he made a conscious decision to choose death over submission. While being transported in a wagon, fettered and guarded, he managed to wrench his wrists free from the chains, retrieve a concealed knife, and lunged at a guard in a final, desperate act of resistance. The soldiers reacted swiftly, firing upon him, ending his life on the spot. His final resting place became the military cemetery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
The death of Kiowa Chief Satank marked a poignant moment in the history of the Kiowa people and the broader Plains Indian Wars. His life exemplified the fierce independence and unwavering spirit of a people determined to protect their culture, land, and freedom against overwhelming odds. Though his physical resistance ended on that fateful day, his legacy as Setangya, the Sitting Bear, a strategic leader and defiant warrior, continues to inspire and remind us of the profound sacrifices made during a tumultuous period of American history. He remains a powerful symbol of Native American sovereignty and the enduring strength of the Kiowa spirit.
