ONEOFMANYFEATHERS'
Great Leaders, Warriors and People
Chief Red Jacket
Sagoyewatha
Seneca
Red Jacket , Seneca chief and orator, also known as Sagoyewatha, was born ca. 1758 at either Canoga at Cayuga Lake in western New York, or Kanadesaga, near modern Geneva, N.Y. He was the son of Ahweyneyonh of the Seneca Wolf clan. His father was possibly Cayuga. Red Jacket enters the historical record around the time of the American Revolution when he is said to have habitually worn a red coat given to him by the British, who employed him as a messenger. That is how he had gotten his English name.
During the conflict, his war record was average. He fled from the field at the battle of Oriskany August 6th 1777, and early in the Cherry Valley campaign in November 1778 he left the Indian-loyalist force, complaining it was too late in the year to fight. Once he carried a bloody axe as evidence of his prowess as a warrior, but it was discovered that he had used the axe to kill a cow. War leaders such as the Mohawk Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) later accused him of cowardice.
Instead it was at the council fire, not on the battlefield that Red Jacket achieved his position of fame. He was both arrogant and tireless in his defense of Seneca values. He once upbraided an inattentive U.S. official at a treaty negotiation: "When a Seneca speaks he ought to be listened to with attention from one extremity of this great island to the other." Later he told missionaries that before preaching among the Seneca, they should first refine the morals of the citizens of Buffalo, New York, so that they would no longer cheat Indians.
Red Jacket played an important role in negotiations between the Seneca and the new American republic. He personally maintained the greatest influence at Buffalo Creek (now part of Buffalo), which was the most populated Seneca reservation until its sale, in 1838. To assert Seneca grievances and claims, Red Jacket headed a delegation of fifty to the seat of the U.S. government in Philadelphia in 1792. There George Washington, continuing a French and British diplomatic custom, presented him with a large silver peace medal, which Red Jacket invariably wore when posing for portraits later in his life.
Red Jacket's influence was not without challenge. The Seneca who had settled on the Allegheny River were followers of Cornplanter. There, Cornplanter's half brother, Handsome Lake, had a vision in 1799, which instructed him to preach religious reform and revitalization among the Seneca and the other Iroquois nations. Handsome Lake's message was accepted with enthusiasm by many, but not by Red Jacket. Matters came to a head in 1801 when Handsome Lake accused Red Jacket of practicing witchcraft, punishable by death under Seneca law. Red Jacket's practiced a rigorous defense of his personal conduct and was cleared of the charge.
When the War of 1812 broke out, Red Jacket, like many Seneca, became an ally of the United States. In his sixties, he fought bravely at the battles of Fort George on the 17th of August 1813, and Chippawa on the 5th of July 1814, and so disproved earlier charges of cowardice.
The remainder of Red Jacket's life was devoted to defending Seneca culture and religion against white domination. In 1821 he testified in the successful defense of Tommy Jemmy, a Seneca who was on trial for murder after executing a woman who had been declared a witch. Three years later he brought about the brief removal of missionaries from Buffalo Creek.
In 1827 Christians on the Buffalo Creek Reservation attempted to depose him, but he managed to reassert his right to be chief. However, Red Jacket refered to himself at that time as "an aged tree"--"My leaves are fallen, my branches withered, and I am shaken by every breeze." He died of cholera on the Buffalo Creek Reservation on January 20th 1830. Despite his opposition to Christianity, he was buried in the mission cemetery there. His remains were later moved to the Forest Lawn cemetery in Buffalo.
"You say that you are sent to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably to His mind, and, if we do not take hold of the religion which you white people teach, we shall be unhappy hereafter. You say that you are right and we are lost. How do we know this to be true? We understand that your religion is written in a book. If it was intended for us as well as you, why has not the Great Spirit given to us, and not only to us, but why did He not give to our forefathers the knowledge of that book, with the means of understanding it rightly? We only know what you tell us about it. How shall we know when to believe, being so often deceived by the white people?
Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the book?
Brother, the Great Spirit has made us all...we do not wish to destroy your religion or take it from you. We only want to enjoy our own. . .you say you have not come to get our land or our wealth but to enlighten our minds. . .you have been preaching to the white people in this place. These people are our neighbors. We are acquainted with them. We will wait a little while and see what effect your preaching has upon them. If we find it does them good, makes them honest and less disposed to cheat Indians, we will then consider again of what you have said.
Brother, you have now heard our answer to your talk, and this is all we have to say at present. As we are going to part, we will come and take you by the hand and hope the Great Spirit will protect you on your journey and return you safe to your friends."
