Irateba (chief)
Irateba was a hereditary chief of the Huttoh-pah band of the Mojave people, known for his interactions with white explorers in California during the mid-19th century. He played a significant role in aiding several expeditions, including those led by Lieutenant Joseph Ives and Lieutenant Lorenzo Sitgreaves, as they explored the Colorado River and San Diego regions, respectively. Despite initially welcoming these explorers, Irateba's outlook changed with the increasing encroachment of white settlers, which led to tensions and conflicts, including a notable ambush by militant Mojaves in 1858.
After the Mojave chiefs were imprisoned at Fort Yuma, Irateba emerged as a leader following the death of principal chief Cairook. He sought to maintain peace for his people until the discovery of gold in 1862 sparked further conflict. Irateba participated in a federally sponsored trip that brought him to eastern cities, where he met President Abraham Lincoln and endeavored to convey the realities of white wealth and power, though his accounts were largely dismissed. His influence waned as the militant resistance within the Mojave community grew stronger. Irateba passed away in 1878, likely due to smallpox, leaving a complex legacy shaped by both cooperation and conflict during a tumultuous period in U.S. history.
Irateba (chief)
- Born: c. 1814
- Birthplace: Near present-day Needles, California
- Died: June 17, 1878
- Place of death: Unknown
Category: Guide, chief
Tribal affiliation: Mojave
Significance: During initial white explorations of the Mojave region of California, Irateba was the principal Indian guide
Irateba, hereditary chief of the Huttoh-pah band, welcomed white explorers into California. In 1849-1850 and again in 1856-1858, he aided Lieutenant Joseph Ives in his exploration of the Colorado River. Irateba also guided Lieutenant Lorenzo Sitgreaves’s expedition to San Diego, 1854, and Lieutenant Amiel Whipple’s trek to Los Angeles.
Dismayed by advancing white settlement, in 1858, militant Mojaves ambushed a wagon train and in 1859 attacked the newly constructed Fort Mojave. When the Mojave chiefs surrendered, Irateba played a key role in negotiations. The chiefs were imprisoned at Fort Yuma and held as hostages to ensure the cooperation of their people. When principal chief Cairook died attempting escape, Irateba assumed leadership of the Mojave. Until the discovery of gold in 1862, Irateba’s Mojave enjoyed relative peace.
On a federally sponsored trip in 1862-1863, Irateba traveled to several eastern cities, met with President Abraham Lincoln, and returned with accounts of white wealth and might. Considered exaggerations, his stories were discounted, and Irateba lost influence with the militant chief, Hojmoseah Quahote, who advocated violent resistance. Irateba died in 1878, probably from smallpox.