Yellow Wolf (Comanche) facts for kids

Yellow Wolf (Comanche name: Isa-viah) was a brave War Chief of the Penateka division of the Comanche people. He was born around 1800 or 1805 and passed away in 1854. Yellow Wolf was the nephew of Mukwooru, a respected Spirit Talker, and a close cousin and strong supporter of Buffalo Hump. He became well-known after a sad event called the Council House Fight. After this, Buffalo Hump, with Yellow Wolf and Santa Anna, led the Comanches in a huge attack known as the Great Raid of 1840.

Yellow Wolf's Early Life and Training

Yellow Wolf and Buffalo Hump likely learned how to be warriors and leaders from their uncle, Mukwooru. He was a chief and spiritual leader of the Penateka Comanches.

Raids and Battles in the Early 1800s

In 1829, Yellow Wolf and Buffalo Hump chased a group of Cheyenne warriors north. The Cheyenne had stolen many Comanche horses. Other Comanche groups, like the Yamparika, Kotsoteka, Nokoni, and Kwahadi, also fought their enemies in this area. Famous leaders like Ten Bears and Iron Jacket were active then.

Yellow Wolf and his group raided a Cheyenne camp and took back their horses. However, a famous Cheyenne chief, also named Yellow Wolf, chased them. The Cheyenne managed to steal the horses back using their rifles.

Later in 1829, Yellow Wolf and Buffalo Hump led a raid into the Guadalupe valley. This made them famous as raiders among the Mexican people.

Comanche Leaders and Treaties

By 1835, Yellow Wolf and Buffalo Hump were important war leaders. They led 300 Comanche warriors in an attack on Parral, a town in the Sierra Madre mountains.

In 1838, Buffalo Hump went with other peace chiefs to meet Texan President Sam Houston. They signed a treaty. Yellow Wolf and Santa Anna stayed behind with the warriors. They made sure the delegation was safe and were ready to lead if there was any trouble.

When Mirabeau B. Lamar became president in December 1838, fighting started again. Lamar wanted to push the Native Americans out of Texas.

The Council House Fight: A Sad Betrayal

In March 1840, Comanche chiefs met with Texans in San Antonio to talk about peace. The Comanche delegation, including chiefs and women, came under a white flag, meaning they expected peace.

What Happened at the Council House?

The Texans expected the Comanches to bring back many white captives. But the chiefs explained they only had one captive, Mathilda Lockhart. The Texans didn't understand that the chiefs couldn't force other Comanche groups to give up their captives.

Suddenly, the Texans pulled out guns. They said the Comanches were now prisoners until all white captives were returned. The Comanches had come unarmed, but they fought back with knives. Texan soldiers, hidden outside, shot into the room.

Thirty-five Comanches were killed, including all the chiefs, three women, and two children. Twenty-nine were captured. Seven Texans also died. The Texans sent Mukwooru’s widow back to warn her people. She was told that if the remaining white prisoners were not returned, the Comanche prisoners in San Antonio would be killed.

Aftermath of the Fight

This event made the Comanches see Texans as untrustworthy. They felt their unarmed leaders had been tricked and killed. After this, Amorous Man and Old Owl became the main Penateka chiefs. Buffalo Hump became the main war chief, with Yellow Wolf and Santa Anna as his trusted partners.

The Great Raid of 1840: Comanche Revenge

In the summer of 1840, Buffalo Hump called a meeting. He, Yellow Wolf, and Santa Anna planned a huge raid on white settlements in Texas to get revenge for the Council House Fight.

Planning the Attack

Buffalo Hump, Yellow Wolf, Santa Anna, and Isimanica, with 400 warriors, raided areas between Bastrop and San Antonio. This tired out the Texan Rangers and militia. When they were ready, Old Owl also joined the large war party.

It's believed that many important Comanche chiefs took part, possibly even their allies, the Kiowa.

The Raid on Victoria and Linnville

The Comanches traveled all the way from west Texas to the coastal cities of Victoria and Linnville. Linnville was the second-largest port in Texas at the time.

This was one of the biggest organized raids by the Comanches. They attacked, burned, and looted these towns. They killed many enslaved people and captured over 1,500 horses.

The Battle of Plum Creek

On their way back from the coast, the Comanches easily defeated several Texan militia groups.

The Fight Near Lockhart

Texan forces gathered under General Felix Huston. Texas Rangers, led by Jack Hays and Benjamin McCulloch, and militia groups attacked the Comanches at the Battle of Plum Creek. This battle happened near Lockhart on August 12, 1840.

About 80 Comanches were reported killed, which was a very high number for them. However, they still managed to escape with most of their stolen horses and goods. The Comanches saw this battle as a great victory, which increased the prestige of their chiefs.

Comancheria's Borders and Treaties

In early 1841, Yellow Wolf led 80 warriors near San Antonio. They attacked a wagon train and stole cattle. Texas Rangers, led by John Coffee Hays, caught up with them. In the fight, the Comanches suffered many casualties, partly because the Rangers had better weapons like Paterson Colts. Yellow Wolf was seriously wounded.

Negotiating with Texas and the U.S.

In August 1843, the Comanches and Kiowas made a truce with Texas. In October, several Comanche groups, including the Penateka, agreed to meet the Texan President to discuss a peace treaty.

Buffalo Hump, showing his trust in President Houston, and peace chiefs like Amorous Man and Old Owl, signed the Treaty of Tehuacana Creek in October 1844. This treaty included freeing white prisoners. However, Yellow Wolf and Santa Anna refused to sign. They didn't trust the Texans.

When the Texas Senate removed the part about the Comancheria borders from the treaty, Yellow Wolf and Santa Anna's suspicions were confirmed. Buffalo Hump then sided with them, realizing they had been right about the Texans' intentions. They rejected the treaty and fighting started again.

Dealing with the United States

After Texas joined the United States, Buffalo Hump, Yellow Wolf, and Santa Anna knew they couldn't stop the large number of new settlers. In May 1846, they met with U.S. delegates and signed a new treaty.

Buffalo Hump and Yellow Wolf then led a large raiding party into Mexico. In 1847, Yellow Wolf did not attend a council where some Penateka chiefs met with Indian agent Robert Neighbors and German immigrants. They allowed the Germans to settle in Fredricksburg.

Later in May 1847, the chiefs met Neighbors again. They learned that the U.S. Senate had removed the part of the treaty that stopped white people from entering Comanche territory. Santa Anna claimed the right to raid Mexico, and since the U.S. was at war with Mexico, Neighbors didn't object. So, Buffalo Hump, Yellow Wolf, and Santa Anna led hundreds of warriors into Mexico, raiding towns and taking horses and captives.

In the late 1840s and early 1850s, Yellow Wolf mostly dealt peacefully with U.S. representatives. In 1849, he and Shanaco helped escort Robert S. Neighbors' expedition from San Antonio to El Paso.

Continued Clashes and Treaties

However, white settlers moving into "Comancheria" led to more conflicts. On November 16, 1850, Yellow Wolf led 100 Comanches to raid a wagon train, killing four people. But on December 10, 1850, Yellow Wolf joined Buffalo Hump in signing the Fort Martin Scott treaty. In 1851, Yellow Wolf and Buffalo Hump again led a big raid into Mexico.

The End of Penateka Freedom

In September 1853, Yellow Wolf, Ketumse, and Shanaco met with Neighbors, who was again an Indian agent. They asked for the promised supplies and for action against white settlers on their land. Neighbors tried to help, suggesting that the Comanches be given land on the Brazos River.

Yellow Wolf's Final Stand

In the summer of 1854, Neighbors found two areas for reservations. In November, Neighbors tried to convince Buffalo Hump and others to move to a reservation. But Yellow Wolf refused. He still wanted the border between Texas and Comancheria to be officially recognized.

One week later, Yellow Wolf was killed by a group of Lipan hunters. After his death, Buffalo Hump waited almost two more years. But in 1856, he finally led his Penatekas to the Brazos River and settled on the reservation.