Tonkawa massacre facts for kids
The Tonkawa massacre was a sad and important event that happened in October 1862. It took place near what is now Fort Cobb, Oklahoma. During this time, the United States was in the middle of the Civil War. This war made things very difficult for many Native American tribes, including the Tonkawa people.
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The Tonkawa Massacre: A Difficult Time
The Attack on the Tonkawa People
The Tonkawa people, about 300 of them, lived near a place called the Wichita Agency. This agency was held by the Confederacy, one of the sides in the Civil War. The Tonkawa tribe was friendly with the Confederacy.
On October 23, 1862, other tribes who had been enemies of the Tonkawa for a long time saw a chance to attack. They noticed that the Civil War had made the agency weaker. During this attack, the Confederate agent, Matthew Leeper, and some other white people were killed.
Fleeing for Safety
After the attack, the Tonkawa people quickly started to move south. They hoped to reach Fort Arbuckle, another place held by the Confederacy, where they would be safe.
However, on October 24, before they could reach the fort, they were caught. A terrible event happened, which is now known as the Tonkawa massacre. It's believed that about 137 Tonkawa people, including men, women, and children, were killed. Among them was their leader, Chief Ha-shu-ka-na, whose name meant "Can't Kill Him."
Who Was Involved?
There are different stories about which tribes were involved in the attack. Some accounts mention the Osage, Shawnee, Caddo, Comanche, Kiowa, Wichita, and Seminole tribes.
Why Did This Happen?
There were several reasons for the attack on the Tonkawa.
- Some stories say that the Tonkawa had killed and eaten two Shawnee people.
- There were also rumors that they were responsible for the death of a young Caddo boy. The Tonkawa had a reputation for unusual eating habits.
- Another main reason was that the Tonkawa were allies of the Confederacy during the Civil War.
- Also, the Tonkawa had been scouts for the Texas Rangers for many years. They had fought alongside the Rangers against other tribes, including the Comanche. This had created a lot of bad feelings between the Tonkawa and their neighbors.
Life After the Massacre
Finding a New Home
After the massacre, many of the Tonkawa survivors went to Confederate-held Fort Arbuckle. This fort was home to the Chickasaw Battalion, who were also friendly with the Confederacy. From there, they moved to Fort Belknap in Texas in 1863.
The massacre had a very strong and sad effect on the Tonkawa tribe. They lost their leader and were left feeling very discouraged and divided. For a while, they lived in difficult conditions near Fort Belknap.
Relocation and Land
The remaining Tonkawa people then lived near Fort Griffin in Texas until 1884. The government then made them move again, first to the Sac-Fox agency, and then in the spring of 1885, to Fort Oakland. This place was also home to Chief Joseph's Band of Nez Perce people at the time.
In 1891, the Tonkawa tribe was given land by the government. About 73 members received 994.33 acres (about 4.02 square kilometers) of federal trust land. They also received an additional 238.24 acres (about 0.96 square kilometers) in individual plots. This land was near the old Fort Oakland, which is now the town of Tonkawa, Oklahoma. It is about 12 miles (19 kilometers) west of Ponca City.
In 2011, there were 537 people living on the reservation, with 481 officially listed as members of the Tonkawa tribe.
