Draft:Stand watie

From RationalWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Information icon.svg This is a draft that anyone is free to edit as they would a mainspace page.

Do not add categories to draft pages; use {{draft categories}} instead for a view.

Contributors should nominate draft articles for deletion only if they believe that the article is not applicable to RationalWiki's mission.

Articles involving living persons must conform to our guidelines on biographies of living people.

Stand Watie

Early Life and Background Stand Watie, born on December 12, 1806, in Jonesboro, Georgia, was a prominent leader of the Cherokee Nation and a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Watie was of mixed Cherokee and European descent and was raised in a society that prioritized traditional Cherokee values, alongside influences from European-American culture. He was educated in both the Cherokee language and English, enabling him to navigate both worlds.

Political Involvement Watie was an influential figure in Cherokee politics, particularly during the tumultuous periods of the 1830s and 1840s, which included the forced removal of the Cherokee people from their ancestral lands, known as the Trail of Tears. Initially, Watie and his family supported the Treaty of New Echota in 1835, which led to the removal and was a point of contention among the Cherokee. Despite the controversy, he became a prominent supporter of the traditionalist faction within the Cherokee Nation, advocating for state sovereignty and resistance to federal encroachment.

Civil War and Confederate Service When the Civil War erupted in 1861, Watie emerged as a significant military leader among the Cherokee people. Aligning with the Confederacy, he believed that joining the Southern states would better serve the interests of the Cherokee Nation. He was appointed as a brigadier general, making him the only Native American to hold that rank in the Confederate Army.

Watie led his troops, known as the First Cherokee Mounted Rifles, in several skirmishes throughout the war. His most notable engagement was at the Battle of Pea Ridge in 1862, where his forces supported Confederate troops and fought valiantly against Union forces. Watie's ability to navigate both guerrilla tactics and traditional military strategies contributed to the impact his troops had in the region.

Legacy and Later Years After the Civil War concluded in 1865, Stand Watie was a staunch advocate for the rights of Native Americans and the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation. His post-war years were marked by struggles to rebuild the Cherokee Nation and reconcile the effects of the war. In 1866, he was elected as the last principal chief of the Cherokee Nation under the Confederate government.

Watie's legacy continues through his significant contributions to both Cherokee history and American military history. He passed away on September 9, 1871, leaving behind a complex legacy intertwined with the themes of loyalty, sovereignty, and identity. His life serves as a testament to the diverse experiences and roles of Native Americans during the Civil War era.