” Your post it very timely, particularly since I was just searching for a FReeper by that name less than an hour ago, but I couldn’t remember the correct spelling.
Interesting information. Thanks for posting! “
Thank you. Stand Watie was a fascinating character. He was articulate, a devout Christian and beloved leader who inspired a rare kind of loyalty. If you go to that website, you’ll see a rare photo of him in his younger days. He was married to my grgraunt who was known as Sally, also pictured. I was blessed to find volumes of family letters left by them. And my father knew for 23 years and often spoke with his grgrandfather James Madison Bell, Watie’s Brother in law, friend & Colonel/strategist/lawyer, so the stories were pretty ‘fresh’ for as long ago as it was. My dad was born in 1893. Jim Bell lived until 1915, 88 years.
Any quotes below were taken from actual letters. I didn’t need or want to put words in these people’s mouths. They were more than capable of speaking for themselves.
This is how Jim Bell described the ‘peace’ agreement. He returned from the war to find his wife near death.
From Chapter 14 “Peace”
Bell could hardly distinguish the difference in the emotions boiling inside him. Was it the joy in his children’s faces or a tragic irony he felt most as he moved alone through the door to his failing wife.
He exited later with more determination than when he entered. Still he was consumed with the thought that the last day of this war and finally coming home to his family would be the worst day of it all. “Children, everybody, gather your things. Tomorrow, we prepare to go home.”
Sally couldn’t have agreed more. “I don’t believe I could live one year longer if I knew that we could not be settled...I am so perfectly sick of the world!” proclaimed Sally, who couldn’t get out of the refugee camps of Texas soon enough. “I never knew so much of this world as I do since I came to this country. I used to think that everyone had some sort of a soul, but one half of them has only gizzards, and some only craws!”
“Jim?” Sally looked worried. “Where is my husband and my son? Why aren’t they with you?”
“They’re fine, Sister. They’ll be along soon enough. General Watie commissioned me and Colonel Adair to meet with General Francis Herron and Brigadier-General Veatch in Shreveport to negotiate terms of surrender for the Confederate Cherokee. We prepared papers and agreement to cease hostilities. They and the others have probably signed by now. We agree only on our terms of no retaliation to us by the Federals and not relinquishing any of our lands except to provide for the Negroes. We’ve been reassured they will sign.”
He explained more of the meeting. “We begged for arrangements to be made for the Confederacy to feed all these indigent refugees. We told him the refugees are in a state of the greatest destitution and desperate from impending starvation. I think Veatch was impressed by our presentation, though he has no authority himself to appropriate funds for such a purpose, he sent our request to his superior with the recommendation that it would probably be cheaper to feed the refugees than to punish them for raiding and stealing.”
Jim dug into a pocket. “This is a note Stand sent for you.” Sally read out loud.
“My Dear Sally,
We leave this morning. Intend to go as far as Jarrett’s. Have agreed upon the cessation of hostilities with the commanders. They will leave tomorrow. Gen. Smith had surrendered the whole department on the 26th day of May. The grand council will convene 1st day of Sep when a commander from Washington is expected to arrive. I will return home soon as our council is over at Nail’s mill.
Your Husband, Stand”
I did as little editing as possible of their words, and they didn’t need much correction. These were well educated people.
http://jesusweptanamericanstory.blogspot.com/
Yes, they were. You make me ashamed to admit my ignorance when it comes to the Cherokee people.
Particularly since my ancestors intermarried with them on a fairly regular basis for several centuries!