BG Stand Watie was an AMAZING & (largely) SELF-taught leader who did a great deal for THE CAUSE, with almost nothing.(what little funds he had at the beginning of the WBTS was expended to mount/equip/feed his warriors.)
my ancestor was one of those who had LITTLE of material worth at the time of his enlistment, BUT he fought well/proudly/bravely for his family/honor/tribe/the CSA.
to give you some idea of just how LITTLE "the lads in gray rags" had, there is a letter from mid-war to his wife, that says that she should NOT fear for final victory AND that he was "over my sickness as is David", that they had TOGETHER received a half-cup of cornmeal & 4 ACORNS to eat, that day.
he also asked (in another note) if she could send him "some warm thing, that i might sleep dry" = he must NOT have had even one blanket.
i HONOR his memory & that of every other MARTYR/HERO/HEROINE of THE TRUE CAUSE!
free dixie,sw
Goodness!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing that. What a brave and honorable man!
I can see why you are proud.
Some of Stand Watie’s words, taken from letters to and from his wife Sarah “Sally” Bell Watie(my grgraunt):
“Let me hear from you often and let me know how you are all doing,” her husband instructed. “Whenever the troops go into winter quarters I will go home to you, wherever home will be. I have not been as well this year as I used to. Can’t get rid of this bad cough. Saladin is well. The wild Indians from Kansas are getting to be very troublesome on the western border. Colonel Adair crossed the Arkansas River below Gibson but we have not heard from him since. Adair has stirred up the Pins no doubt before now. All agree that the Feds are short of provisions, since the failure of the enemy to occupy Texas.”
He continued, “Quantrill crossed the Arkansas River near the Creek Agency and killed eight men. Creeks. One of them shot a little boy and killed him. Some of the Creeks who were along returned today and brought this news. I have always been opposed to killing women and children although our enemies have done it. Yet, I shall always protest against any acts of that kind,” he insisted.
Stand reluctantly reported, “Two days ago a part of Quantrill’s men fired on the guard at Boggy Depot. Killed one man and wounded another. A few days ago a party of Missourians took off Shelton’s black boy Peter. In the fray Wiley Forester was killed. No property is safe anywhere, stealing and open robbery is of every days occurrence. I am very tired of this camp. We have very bad water.” He complained as he spat the last drop of it on the ground.
Sally gazed at her husband, who seemed to have aged ten years in the last months of this war. She wondered if he thought the same of her. He continued his details of recent circumstances.
“After Park’s death all sorts of lies were told that I had planned everything. I am sorry that I should be charged in public of an act of that kind but it seems that is my doom. Although these things have been heaped upon me and it would be supposed that I become hardened and would be reckless, but it still hurts my feelings. I am not a murderer!”
Watie’s moral turmoil was apparent. “Sometimes I examine myself thoroughly and I will always come to the conclusion that I am not such a bad man at last as I am looked upon. God will give me justice. If I am to be punished for the opinions of other people, who do not know my heart, I can’t help it. My great crime in the world is blunder. I will get into scrapes without intention or any bad motive. I call upon my God to judge me. He knows that I love my friends and above all others my wife and children, the opinion of the world to the contrary notwithstanding.”
From Chapter 9 - Camp Watie
The Red River, Choctaw Nation, 1863, Cherokee Mounted Rifleman Unit
From the book, “Jesus Wept” An American Story