Satanta: The Life and Death of a War Chief

by Charles M. Robinson III

In 1867 the New York Times wrote that "in cunning or native diplomacy Satanta has no equal in boldness, daring and merciless cruelty." Even in 1867, however, the Times was able to admit that there are "good points in this dusky chieftain which command admiration." Here at last is a brilliantly researched and written biography of the Kiowa chief who terrorized the western frontier but who fascinated the eastern press.

The war leader of the Warren wagon train massacre was also the orator and diplomat who did much to publicize to the eastern establishment the 19th-century tragedies being inflicted upon the Indian tribes. From Satanta's birth ca. 1815 to his ignominious death in a Texas prison in 1878, award-winning biographer Charles M. Robinson III deals with Satanta, as both legend and man, within the context, heritage, and history of the Kiowa culture as it came face-to-face with the encroachments of western immigration.

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Charles M. Robinson III was an American author, illustrator, and adventurer. He was a history instructor with South Texas College in McAllen, Texas, until early 2012 and was a member of the 2010 Oxford Round Table. He was a graduate of St. Edward's University and the University of Texas–Pan American.

He wrote several books that focused on the American Old West, as well as the American Civil War and the Spanish conquest of Mexico. He also wrote magazine articles on seafaring, sailing, hunting, guns, and antique automobiles. In 1993 he was awarded the T. R. Fehrenbach Book Award by the Texas Historical Commission.

Robinson passed away in 2012 due to complications from lung cancer.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting and well researched. It is one of the few books that I have found dealing with this tribe. There are numerous books written about other tribes mentioned in the book, such as the Apache, Comanche, and Cheyenne. As informative and well researched as I found the book to be, it is also rather dry. It tells the story of their warfare largely from the prospective of the Indian, but it is told fairly. Satanta was a great war chief, but also a man with serious flaws that led to his ultimate downfall.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a slim, scholarly volume on Satanta, the Kiowa tribe, or Texas history. However if you are looking for a fast action packed read that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is not it.