I saw two mistakes immediately. The Oklahoma portion of the famous trail known as "The Chisholm Trail," was actually blazed in May 1861, not 1867, Further, it was the famous Delaware Indian Chief and U.S. army scout named Black Beaver who blazed the trail, not Jesse Chisholm. Black Beaver, Jesse Chisholm's good friend, led 750 Union soldiers and some civilians (including Jesse Chisholm) on a dangerous route north out of Indian Territory at the beginning of the Civil War. Four years later, Jesse Chisholm followed Black Beaver's Trail south as he left Wichita to return to Council Grove (Oklahoma City) to open again his trading business with the Indians. The story of how Black Beaver came to blaze this trail in May 1861 is the culmination of The Civil War's First Secret Mission.
After the Confederate bombing of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, which officially began the Civil War (1861-1865), President Abraham Lincoln and United States General-in-Chief Winfield "Old Fuss and Feather's" Scott, sent U.S. Cavalry Lieutenant William Averell to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) with orders to evacuate the 750 Union officers and troops stationed in Indian Territory. The soldiers were to evacuate to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and then move to Washington Capital. Lincoln needed these troops - the finest in the United States military - to protect the vulnerable nation's capital from what the President called "the insurrection."
Dressed as a Confederate, Lieutenant Averell made his way from the nation's capital to Arkansas and then entered Indian Territory (Oklahoma) through Fort Smith. The Union fort called Fort Smith had been captured just hours earlier by the Confederates. Observed by a Confederate commander who thought he was up to no good, Averell was chased by Confederate cavalry through Oklahoma Territory in one of the greatest horse rides in American history. Averell eventually made it to Fort Arbuckle, the Union's headquarters in Oklahoma Territory, where he presented to Colonel William H. Emory the order from Lincoln and Scott to evacuate.
The Cherokee Outlet (Yellow) |
Black Beaver |
On May 4, 1861 the flag was lowered at Fort Arbuckle. For the next 27 days, Black Beaver guided a mile-and-a-half long train of troops, supplies, dependents, and livestock on their way to U.S. Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. Black Beaver knew exactly where to stop along the route north, allowing for the people and horses to drink deeply from the natural springs that dotted the landscape. Black Beaver also knew where to ford major east/west rivers in Oklahoma (Washita, North Canadian, Salt Fork, and the Arkansas). The Union troops made it safely to Fort Leavenworth on Friday, May 31, 1861. Of the 750 troops that Black Beaver led to Fort Leavenworth, at least seven went on to become Union Generals during the Civil War, leading the United States to ultimate victory against the Confederate States of America. In addition, two of the men would be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism and valor.
Black Beaver would not return to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) until after the Civil War. He couldn't. The Confederates placed a bounty on his head - dead or alive. In addition, news reached Black Beaver while in Kansas that the Confederates who had come north from Texas into Indian Territory and had destroyed his crops, burned down his house, and taken his family as prisoners. Black Beaver stayed in Wichita for the remainder of the Civil War with his good friend Jesse Chisholm. Black Beaver and Chisholm had been friends for more than thirty years/ Both of them had been part of the historic Leavenworth-Dodge Expedition of 1834, the first meeting between whites and the southern Plains Indian tribes, which occurred at the present site of United States Army Military Post Fort Sill.
Jesse Chisholm |
Wade with Black Beaver's family |
On August 10, 1975, the United States military exhumed the body of Black Beaver and with full military honors, reburied Black Beaver on the grounds of U.S. Army Military Post Fort Sill, Oklahoma. As Black Beaver's coffin was lowered into the ground, a 21-gun salute fired. Then, Lieutenant General David Ott, base commander, gave a moving tribute to Black Beaver's legacy, closing with these words:
"It is with a great deal of pride that Sill accepts Chief Black Beaver."Unfortunately, the name Black Beaver is mostly unknown to Americans. Were the Chisholm Trail properly named, Black Beaver's contributions to our nation's heritage would be front and center.
10 comments:
I find these blogs about this area of american and Indian history very informative and inspiring. I make two suggestions:
1, Please keep posting such information for us.
2. Do you recommend some sources where we can find and read additional articles?
I studied history in college and maintain an interest in such matters and would like to pursue additional study.
God bless you and your continued ministry in Enid.
Byron
Byron,
The best I can do is suggest you Google "Black Beaver" and then look at the footnotes on any article. The source material is the best place to find books or articles that might be of interest.
I use the Oklahoma Chronicles all the time as well (online editions).
Thanks for your kind words.
Wade
Fascinating. Does the Chisholm Trail run through Kingfisher Oklahoma?
Byron,
We see how many years passed when Wade exposed the truth that Black Beaver was the real trail blazer of the ‘Chisholm Trail’.
If you have an interest in history, in one day it will be 53 years since a picture was made on Air Force One at 41,000 feet.
That picture is on the front page of today’s paper (Herald Democrat at Sherman, Texas.) www.heralddemocrat.com
Above the picture:
“Dallas has a problem with JFK’s assassination”.
Below the picture:
“Lyndon B. Johnson takes the oath of office aboard Air Force One at Love Field Airport two hours and eight minutes after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas. Jackie Kennedy, right, [her shoulder is touching LBJ’s] still in her blood-soaked clothes, looks on.”
The newspaper did not print as reported by: http://johnsonbushandnixonkilljohnfkennedy.blogspot.com/
(I believe a lot of this but not everything)
1. “Mrs. Kennedy refused to remove her bloodstained clothing, and regretted having washed the blood off her face and hands as she stood next to Johnson on board the plane when he took the oath of office as President, she said later, "I want them to see what they have done to Jack."
2. “LBJ had Federal Judge Sarah T Hughes come to the airport to administer the oath of office, but she didn’t have a copy of the ‘Swearing in Ceremony’, LBJ gave her one from his pocket.”
3. “Frames of the Zapruder film were cut out to hide the fact that the car had come to a complete stop for 2 seconds between two yellow strips on the curb when shots were fired. Beverly Oliver got yellow paint on her shoes because the paint was still wet.” (Had the driver been told to stop there for photographs?)
4. LBJ told his mistress about the assassination, the night before Kennedy was killed.
5. Billy Joe Martin, a motorcycle cop, saw LBJ ducking down in his car 30 seconds before the first shot was fired.
6. Dorothy Kilgallen a writer for numerous political columns had interviewed Jack Ruby in prison and told some friends she had information about the JFK assassination that would "blow the case wide open." Days later she was discovered dead in her apartment, and her manuscript was gone.
7. Robert Kennedy smashed his fist into one of the White House pillars when he asked Johnson: "Why did you have my brother killed?
8. Robert asked CIA director John McCone and his Cuban friend Enrique “Harry” Ruiz Williams if their people were responsible for his brother’s murder. Robert said: “One of your guys did it.”
9. Sirhan's lawyers say the audiotape reveals that a second gun fired at least five shots in addition to the eight shots fired by their client. (Sirhan’s gun held 8)
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/04/justice/california-rfk-second-gun/index.html
10. RFK assassination witness tells CNN: There was a second shooter
http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/28/justice/california-rfk-second-gun/
And
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/11/justice/california-rfk-second-gun/
Sirhan was a pasty convicted of killing Robert just like Oswald!
At Sirhan’s trial the jury was denied the autopsy report that revealed powder burns were from the rear. (Sirhan was in front)
Also the bullets in Sirhan’s victims were different from those in RFK, but at the trial substitute bullets (all the same) were shown the jury. I believe President LBJ had his finger in the pie.
Robert was sure to be elected as President. I believe LBJ didn’t want that for fear he would be in a courtroom hearing “Why did you have my brother killed!”
PS
The Herald Democrat newspaper article only referred to a proposed exhibit: “Transition from Tragedy, a President is Sworn in at Love Field.”
It also said, “…Johnson and Mrs. Kennedy were rushed back to the airport, the vice president huddling below window level of his limousine to avoid potential snipers.”
Ha ha ha ha ha! What an actor!
Scott,
It does - and Dover, Hennessey, Enid, etc.. - all the land where cities were formed had major natural springs. :)
Rex Ray,
It may be in heaven, but one day the truth will be known!
Wade,
I know what you mean, but I think hell already knows the truth and we’ll know only good stuff in heaven.
BTW, I was wrong about the picture being taken at 41,000 feet; it was taken with the plane on the runway.
Thanks Wade. Our company has a liquid truck terminal at Kingfisher. Going to bone up on Chisholm trail before next visit up there.
"Woke up one mornin' on the old Chisholm Trail, a ribbon on a heifer and a bull by the tail, come a-ti yi yippie yippie yippie yippie yea, ti yi yippie yippie yea."
Great story. Great stuff.
Thanks for sharing.
Happy Thanksgiving Wade!
Louis
Jesse Chisholm was a 3rd Gen. Slave Broker. 1860 Census Shows him owning 5 Black Female Slaves average age of 15.Why would he take them on a Cattle trail? He was a Fugitive Slave Hunter. He Hung 5 Slaves. His Fatherinlaw was Killed by Runaway Slaves and he and his Uncle hunted them down and killed them Back. Wade I like your style and I would love to share 21 years of research for posterity. As a Texas Cowboy, I opposed to naming a National Historic Trail after this Gutless Coward.
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