Rare CDV of Confederate Cherokee General Stand Watie

Rare Carte-de-Visite (CDV) of Confederate Cherokee Brigadier General Stand Watie – A True Rarity in Private Hands
 
When it comes to scarce and historically significant Civil War imagery, this carte-de-visite (CDV) of Brigadier General Stand Watie stands alone as one of the rarest examples available. After extensive discussions with fellow collectors, dealers, and researchers, no other authentic CDV portraits of Watie appear in private collections—most known images reside in institutional holdings such as museums, historical societies, or archives (e.g., Oklahoma Historical Society, Gilcrease Museum, or university collections). No recent auction records or public sales of comparable CDVs have surfaced, underscoring this as potentially one of very few—if not the only—authentic examples still in private hands. This is the kind of piece that elevates a collection: a direct visual link to the only Native American to achieve the rank of brigadier general in the Confederate Army, and the last Confederate general to surrender.
 
The photograph captures Watie in a compelling waist-up seated pose, wearing civilian attire with a stone-cold, resolute expression that reflects his storied life and unyielding character. Born Degadoga ("He Stands") on December 12, 1806, in Oothcaloga (near present-day Rome, Georgia), he was given the name Isaac S. Watie by his parents but later dropped his Christian first name to become known as Stand Watie. By age 22, he had earned a license to practice law and served as clerk of the Cherokee Supreme Court. During the secession crisis, Watie organized the Knights of the Golden Circle in Indian Territory to rally Southern supporters, helping align the Cherokee Nation with the Confederacy. Commissioned a colonel on July 12, 1861, he raised the Cherokee Mounted Rifles (a regiment of mixed-blood Cherokee warriors) and led it into Confederate service on October 7, 1861.
 
Watie's military record is legendary: His regiment performed admirably at the Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), followed by numerous skirmishes and engagements. Promoted to brigadier general on May 6, 1864—the highest rank attained by any Native American in the Confederate forces—he achieved his greatest successes in 1864, capturing the Federal steamboat *J. R. Williams* on June 15 (with $100,000 in supplies) and, on September 19, seizing a massive 300-wagon Federal supply train worth $1.5 million at the Second Battle of Cabin Creek—often hailed as the biggest Confederate victory in Indian Territory. On June 23, 1865, Watie surrendered his command at Doaksville, becoming the last Confederate general to capitulate, two months after Appomattox.
 
This CDV is a museum-quality artifact of immense historical weight: a rare photographic testament to Watie's leadership, Cherokee sovereignty amid division, and the complex role of Native Americans in the Civil War. Ideal for advanced collectors of Confederate generals, Native American history, Indian Territory campaigns, or ultra-rare period photography. Condition appears strong based on description (detail, good contrast, light creasing in the lower right of the image and slight crease in the middle top of the card and typical minor age toning expected in 19th-century CDVs). A once-in-a-generation opportunity—don't miss owning a piece of history that few have ever held in private hands.