| Show G ALES of J CHIEFS By EDITHA L WATSON VATSON PUSHMATAHA In 1704 on the bank of ot an obscure creek In Mississippi was born a'S a S 'S Choctaw Indian boy who was destined to earn a high place In the regard of oboth both red men and white Pushmataha the S S Indian general asLe ashe as he Le became known known while still stUl In hia teens exhibited his f- f chief characteristic that of ot direct as ae- ac Pushmataha tion along a dan line In an a against the Osage which last lasted all day the lad disappeared early In the morning and did not return until late Naturally his comrades jeered at him calling him hima a coward but he calmly said cald Let those laugh who can show as AI many scalps as I can and produced the five scalps which he had bad collected tn In his attack on tho the enemy's rear This act won on him a chieftainship and from this time he became an in- in In tn Influence lie fluence In his hia tribe He lie was a n spec spec- spec warrior Pushmataha seems to have been always friendly to the whites When Tecumseh In 1811 visited the Choc Choe- Choctaw taw Choc taw v and tried to Incite an uprising It was largely Pushmataha's opposition opposition which caused the fiery nery orator to fall The War of ot 1812 brought out this loyalty In a striking man man- manner manner ner Pushmataha Is reported to have sa said III to his people The Creeks were once our friends They have joined the English and we must now follow v different trails When our fathers took the hand of ot Washing Washing- Washington Washington ton tOD they told him the Choctaw would always be the friends of ot his nation and Pushmataha cannot be false to their promises I am now ready to fight against both the Eng Eng- English Eng English lish and the Creeks Five hundred of ot his tribesmen roused by this patriotic speech followed him Into the service of ot the Americans American and he led them through 24 engagements This connection with the Ameri Amen American can ean army taught Pushmataha a great deal about discipline and training and that this was not wasted upon him was shown by the efficiency of ot his bis men whom he changed from savage warriors to rIgidly trained soldiers It was waa per per- perhaps perhaps haps his knowledge of ot the value ot of discipline which caused him to be- be become become be become come so vitally Interested In lo the education of ot his people It Is said that he gave 2000 of his annuity for 35 15 5 years toward the support ot of Choctaw schools He lie stood as high In the regard ot of his own people as In that of ot the whites The Choctaw selected him to represent them In with the government and he signed several trestles treaties for them In the thelast thelast thelast last of ot these negotiations he was pitted against General Jackson and proved pro himself eloquent and wise In 1824 Pushmataha went to Washington for his tribe to negotiate negotiate negotiate another treaty and while there paid a visit to Lafayette who was then In this thia country It Is 19 unfortunate unfortunate that we have no picture ot of these two scarred battle veterans as they met In the capital of the na- na nation nation na nation tion for tor which both had so nobly fought However we may Imag- Imag ImagIne Ine Ine the suave Frenchman with his poise and breeding talking amiably with the Indian of unknown ances ances- ancestry ancestry ancestry try who was probably blunt and direct but doubtless equally as poised History which delights In contrasts has perpetuated this one for tor us In Pushmataha's speech to the French general There has bas passed nearly ro 50 snows since you drew the sword as asa asa asa a companion of ot Washington With him you have combated the enemies ot of America Thou hast bast generously enemy and bast hast proved thy devot- devot devotedness devot edness to the cause which thou do- do de After Atter thou finished that war thou returned Into thy country and now thou to visit that land where thou art honored and beloved In the bronce branco of ot a numerous and powerful people Thou seest everywhere the children of those for whom thou hast bast defended liberty crowd around thee and press pross thy hands bands with filial affection Wo We have heard related all thew things In the tho depths ot of the distant forests and our hearts have bave been cn ravished led with a d desire to behold thee We come are are come we have pressed thy hand and we are arc satis- satis satisfied satisfied fled satis-fled fied This la u the first time that wo we have seen thee and It will wUl probably probably probably ably be the last We have lIa DO no more to add The earth will part is as forever for for- ever vcr cr This Thia visit was Pushmataha's lat last net act for tor be he fell and died within 24 hours afterward The afterward The In- In Indian In Indian dian General was burled buried with mill mili military tary tarp honors and President Jackson himself with over o 2000 other per per- per per-eona r- r eons followed the body to the Con Con- Congressional Congressional Congressional gressional cemetery The Tho monument over his grave gra says In part Pushmataha was a warrIor of ot great distinction lIe He was wise In council c eloquent In Inan Inan Inan an extraordinary degree and 0 m all I occasions and under all circum circum- circumstances circumstances stances the white mans man's friend C C lIU 1112 1132 western Weitra Newspaper Union |
