Customer Reviews

Satanta: The Life and Death of a War Chief

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If you enjoy reading about the Kiowa tribe you'll love this book. It provides an interesting insight into the life of Chief Satanta (White Bear), his family and all those involved trying to bring peace between the Kiowas and the white man. It is also very informative about the Native Indian culture. My fastest read yet!

I have been fascinated by Kiowa chief Satanta since 1970, and studied as much on him as I could find over the decades. This book covers his life in detail, provides a look at the man, his strengths and weaknesses, how he percieved the world and himself, his place in it. He was perhaps the bravest, most terrifying warrior of the 1860s and early 70s in North and central Texas as well as KS, CO, NE and Mexico. His bugle, his 1798 sacred medicine shield, his lance, bow & arrow, peace medal, army captains coat, and red ochre painted face, presented a frightful sight, to Texas settlers. His face was the last many were to gaze on before their eternal flight. I highly recommend this book to the serious student of Satanta, Satank and Big Tree, or anyone interested in the Warren Wagon Train massacre, the first battle of Adobe Walls, and the Kiowa of the 1860s in I.T. and Texas. Satanta's life and death sadly reflected the demise of the free roaming plains Indian from a free man, to one imprisoned for life in the Texas state prison at Huntsville, a fate worse than death!