Sitting Bear

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Sitting Bear

Satank (Set-ankeah, translated as Sitting Bear), was a prestigious Kiowa warrior and medicine man. He was born about 1800, probably in Kansas, and killed in 1871. An able warrior, he became part of the Koitsenko (Ko-eet-senko), the society of the bravest Kiowa warriors. He led many raids against the Cheyennes, the Sacs, and the Foxes. As the white settlers importance increased, he raided settlements, wagon trains and even army outposts.

In 1860 Satank was a frequest visitor at the Peacock Ranch near present Day Great Bend, Kansas. Satank asked Mr. George Peacock to write a letter of introduction (begging paper) saying Satank was a good Indian. Peacock played a trick on Satank and wrote that Satank was a bad Indian. (Satank could not read). When the Chief learned about the trick from Buffalo Bill Mathewson (?), Satank's tribe attacked the Ranch killing Peackock and several other people (1)

After the death of the Kiowa supreme chief Dohäsan in 1866 Satanta took over the leadership, with Satank leading the Koitsenko. 1867 he signed the Medicine Lodge Treaty together with Satanta and other Kiowa chiefs. 1870, after the death of his son, he took part in various raids conducted by Satanta and other discontented Kiowa, Comanche and Apache tribes, including the Warren Wagon Train Raid. In the aftermath of that raid he was taken prisoner, together with Satanta and a warrior named Big Tree. During their transport to Fort Richardson, Texas, where they were to be tried for murder, Satank started singing the death song of the Koitsenko and gnawed his wrists to the bone. Thus he could wring free of his handcuffs. Brandishing a previously concealed knife, he attacked a guard and threw him off the wagon, and tried to use his captor's rifle. The 70 year old warrior was killed by several shots at point-blank range and thrown off the wagon.

His corpse was never claimed, in fear of retribution by the army, and now lies buried in Fort Sill.