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Identifier
Ball Collection. E 83.866 T75
Description
Trial of Satanta and Big Tree, July 5 & 6, 1871. Pageant Trial, July 4 & 5, 1940.
The trial of Satanta and Big Tree in 1871 was the first instance the United States brought Indigenous American chiefs to trial in a state court. Indigenous American tribes such as the Kiowa, Comanche, and Kiowa-Apache had been confined to reservation lands in Oklahoma. In response to these restrictions, warriors persisted with raids into Texas. On May 18th, 1871, a wagon train led by Henry Warren was hauling supplies to army forts in the west of Texas. A small army group led by General George T. Sherman encountered the train and continued on to Fort Richardson. A war party led by the Kiowas and Comanches let the army group pass and then attacked the Warren wagon train, killing seven teamsters. The train's survivors went to Fort Richardson and encountered General Sherman, who ordered the war party to be pursued and those responsible brought back. The Kiowa leaders, Satanta (White Bear), Ado-eete (Big Tree), and Satank (Sitting Bear) were arrested. Satank freed himself and attacked a guard during transportation to trial and was killed. Satanta and Big Tree were tried and convicted on seven counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. This sentence was later commuted.