Cherokee chief. Confederate Brigadier General. Commander of the last Confederate army to surrender to the Union. b. 1806 d. 1871.

With the onset of the [American Civil War], the [Cherokee Nation] was split. After [John Ross], a Cherokee leader, allowed himself to be "captured" with [important documents] he is said to have used those documents to [barter] for a position in the [Union army]. Some Cherokee took Ross's actions as a [betrayal] while others saw him [acting in their best interest] in [the bigger picture]. One half retained [allegiance] to the [Union] while the other half allied itself with the [Confederacy]. Many of those who moved to join the Confederacy were "[half-breeds]," southeastern [slave owners] and [Indians] who had suffered multiple [relocations] at the hands of the [United States] government. Those that favored [the southern cause] chose Stand Watie as [their leader].

To [honor his position] amongst the [Cherokee], the [Confederacy] promoted Watie to the rank of [Brigadier General]. They did so mostly with the [intention] of keeping their [Native American] [alliance|allies] happy and faithful to the cause. All said, the Confederates considered the Indians [part of their army] while the Indians considered themselves [allies of the Confederacy]. Watie's forces covered Confederate [retreats] in the [western theatre] and specialized in [harrassing] Union [supply lines].

Watie's army did not [surrender] until June 23, [1865] more than two months after Lee's surrender to Grant at [Appomattox Court House]. Much of the [resistance] to surrender came from the Indian [viewpoint] that newly [freed slaves] were being accorded rights while their issues and position continued to be [misrepresented] and [abused].