Warren Wagon Train , Cabin #7

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As you enter the Wildcatter Steak House, note the painting above the fireplace by actor and artist Buck Taylor. This painting depicts one of the most historic yet terrifying moments in Young County history.

The scene shows a wagon train under attack by Indians with an ominous thunderstorm providing the backdrop. Twenty-five minutes from the gates of Wildcatter Ranch, the event known as “The Warren Wagon Train Massacre” took place on May 18, 1871.

Indians located at the Fort Sill Agency, overflowing with resentment against Texas, had continued to raid in the winter of 1871. The most notable of these raids was the killing of three African American pioneers, including the famous Britt Johnson. Johnson had successfully negotiated the release of hostages taken in the Young County Elm Creek Raid of 1864. The leader of this attack was the sinister spiritual leader of the Kiowas, Mamanti, aka The Owl Prophet. He, too, would play a major role in the Warren Wagon Train Massacre.

The heinous Johnson killing, plus numerous other Indian depredations, had incited Texans to plead for help from the United States government. General William T. Sherman, famous for the “scorched earth policy” in Georgia during the Civil War, arrived in Texas in May 1871 to inspect the area. Sherman felt Texans had exaggerated the problem but continued his inspection, leaving Fort Belknap traveling to Fort Richardson (present day Jacksboro) on May 17, 1871.
Sherman was escorted by a small entourage of soldiers, including General Randolph B. Marcy, the famous western explorer. During this trip, they would travel through the infamous Salt Creek Prairie of Young County. This long stretch of flat plain, extending several miles, was sandwiched between two heavily timbered sandstone hills, the eastern most called Cox Mountain.

This route had been the old Butterfield Overland Stage Route and numerous graves dotted the landscape where unfortunate pioneers had met death at the hands of Indian warriors.

Half way between these larger hill formations was a smaller nameless conical hill. It was from behind this hill that more than 100 Kiowa, Comanche and Kiowa Apache warriors watched as the troops passed. This is where Mamanti would literally change the course of history.

For whatever reason, he forbid the group to attack this famous entourage, although the Indians outnumbered the group by at least four to one. The spirits had told him to attack the second group that would pass before them. This was a very unfortunate decision for the 10 wagons and 12 teamsters carrying freight from Fort Richardson to Fort Griffin on the early afternoon of that fateful day.

It had been almost 24 hours since Sherman’s passing and the warriors were overly anxious to attack. As the wagons moved slowly from Cox Mountain west to an area near the conical hill, the attack began.

Under stormy skies, the Indians streamed from behind the hill. The wagon master ordered the wagons to form a circle, but the first Indians arrived before the circle could be closed. Indians made it inside the incomplete corral and continued firing on the wagons and their drivers. Three drivers died in the first rush.

The Indians pulled away from the circle of wagons and began running the classic circle around the wagons. The area was obscured by a thick pall of dust and smoke. Through an opening in the wagons, seven teamsters broke through and made a mad dash toward the trees by Cox Mountain. The Indians gave chase and killed two, yet five made it safely to the trees.

The Indians turned their attention to the wagons. They circled, firing their rifles until no shots were returned from the teamsters inside. The older experienced warriors approached the now silent wagons cautiously, but a young warrior bolted toward the wagons to make his coup. As he touched the wagon a teamster raised the freighter’s canopy and fired, hitting the young brave in the head.

The brave would later die of screw worms and the teamster would be chained to a wagon tongue and roasted over an open fire. Conjecture is that he was still alive when this horrific act was performed, but then again we will never really know the truth.

The final count was seven dead, 10 wagons plus freight destroyed and 41 mules taken.

The five surviving teamsters who had safely made it to Cox Mountain arrived at Fort Richardson late that night. They told their story to Sherman himself and this completely altered the general’s opinion of the Indian situation. He sent Ranald MacKenzie to inspect the scene.

MacKenzie sent back the description to Sherman of the massacre sight. MacKenzie’s troops placed the seven dead teamsters in the bed of a wagon and buried it at the site, marking it with stones. MacKenzie then set out to trail the Indians and Sherman made plans to go to the Fort Sill Indian Reservation.

After arriving at Fort Sill and being greeted by Indian Agent Laurie Tatum, Sherman began his investigation. It wouldn’t be difficult to locate the perpetrators.

Satanta, the famous bugle-carrying Kiowa chief, boasted he had been the leader, along with Chiefs Big Tree and Satank. After several tense moments, Sherman’s troops apprehended all three and began the journey back to Fort Richardson. On the way, Satank attempted escape and was killed and left on the side of the road.

In the first federal trial of a Native American, Satanta and Big Tree were found guilty and sentenced to death. Their sentences were later commuted to life and in a few years both were released.

Big Tree later converted to Christianity and became a respected Baptist deacon. Satanta, though, continued his old ways and was later confined to prison in Huntsville, where he committed suicide by jumping from the second floor of the prison hospital on Oct. 11, 1878.

Does this sound familiar? In Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry’s character “Blue Duck” meets the same fate.

This massacre marked the beginning of the end for Kiowa, Comanche and Kiowa Apache warriors. Military operations were stepped up and by 1875, largely due to the efforts of Ranald MacKenzie and his troops; Indian raids and killings in North Texas were finished.