41 Facts About Red Jacket

Red Jacket helped secure some Seneca territory in New York state, although most of his people had migrated to Canada for resettlement after the Paris Treaty.

Red Jacket's birthplace has long been a matter of debate.

Red Jacket was considered to be born into his mother's Wolf Clan, and his social status was based on her family and clan.

Red Jacket lived much of his adult life in Seneca territory in the Genesee River Valley in western New York.

Red Jacket alleged that at the Battle of Newtown in 1779, Red Jacket killed a cow and used the blood as evidence to claim he had killed an American rebel.

Red Jacket became famous as an orator, speaking for the rights of his people.

Red Jacket wore this medal on his chest in every portrait painted of him.

Red Jacket was presented with a silver inlaid half-stock long rifle, bearing his initials and Wolf clan emblem in the stock and his later name Sagoyewatha inlaid on the barrel.

In 1794, Red Jacket was a signatory, along with Cornplanter, Handsome Lake, and fifty other Iroquois leaders, of the Treaty of Canandaigua, by which they were forced to cede much of their land to the United States due to the defeat of their British ally during the war.

Red Jacket had tried to prevent the sale but, unable to persuade the other chiefs, he gave up his opposition.

Red Jacket retained only the Morris Reserve, an estate near the present-day city of Rochester.

Red Jacket took his name, one of several he used as an adult, from a highly favored embroidered coat given to him by the British for his wartime services.

Peter B Porter was able to successfully negotiate an alliance with Red Jacket to assist the American armed forces in the Battle of Chippawa.

Red Jacket conceived of a plan to maneuver his force of 300 Seneca warriors close enough to ambush the enemy force which consisted of British regulars, Canadian militia, and Mohawkss.

Porter and Red Jacket headed with their combined force of 600 Senecas, militia, and regulars to ambush the British-allied force.

Red Jacket's Senecas were in the 2 front arcs while Porter's men were in the third arc in the rear.

When in 1805 Mr Cram, a New England missionary, asked to do mission work among the Seneca, Red Jacket responded by saying that the Seneca had suffered much at the hands of Europeans.

Red Jacket developed a problem with alcohol and deeply regretted having taken his first drink.

Red Jacket was once a great man, and in favor with the Great Spirit.

Red Jacket was a lofty pine among the smaller trees of the forest.

In 1876, the politician William C Bryant presented a plan to the Council of the Seneca Nation to reinter Red Jacket's remains in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo.

George Catlin painted him twice, Henry Inman once, and Robert W Weir did his portrait in 1828, when Red Jacket was on a visit to New York City.

Red Jacket spoke in 1805 as a response to a request by Jacob Cram, a New England missionary, to evangelize among the Seneca.

Red Jacket responded to Cram's words: "There is but one religion, and but one way to serve God, and if you do not embrace the right way, you cannot be happy hereafter".

Red Jacket argued peacefully that the European Americans and Native American peoples should each have the right to worship the religion that suits them best.

Red Jacket made it clear that he and his people would not change their religious beliefs based on the white man's word.

Red Jacket said that his peoples' beliefs were very like those of the missionary, differing only in the names of their omnipresent and almighty creator.

Red Jacket had created the buffalo, the deer, and other animals for food.

Red Jacket had caused the earth to produce corn for bread.

Red Jacket questioned the legitimacy of the white man's beliefs.

Red Jacket knows what is best for his children; we are satisfied.

Red Jacket acknowledged that the white settlers' religion was beset with divisive controversies, unlike his peoples' own faith.

Red Jacket's emotional appeal to members of the US Senate, whom he feels are neglecting the Indians' right of religious freedom, is an example of his attempt to persuade his audience to recognize their fallacies.

Red Jacket repeatedly refers to the Great Spirit, who he believes oversees both the red and white man.

Red Jacket is referring to the history of how the white man has treated the red man on the latter's native soil.

Red Jacket noted the European Americans had tried to force their religion on the Indian peoples.

Red Jacket recognized religion as a cultural right, but he explained that the Indians had inherited their belief system within their culture just as the European Americans had been given the Bible and Christianity.

Red Jacket said that both people came from a similar Great Spirit, yet it is up to the beholder as to how he accepts religion.

Red Jacket continues to identify the religious continuities that exist between both people with his elaboration on the Great Spirit.

Red Jacket argues the injustices of the cultural system in the time period but does not back away from recognizing their common cultural and religious beliefs.

Red Jacket wearing the "Peace Medal" given to him by George Washington.