Crai g 0 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site •

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

SEEDS OF CONFLICT TheThe CheyenneCheyenne and and Arapaho Arapaho entered entered what what Afurther reservation divided established cultures alreadyin eastern struggling Col- torialzens sawgovernment their worst unfortunately fears realized. provided Official wouldwould becomebecome Colorado Colorado in in the the early early 1800s. oradowith different in 1861 waslanguages insufficient and lifestyles. for the no- noproclamations instructions toon ‘kill how and to tell destroy’ the differ- hostiles They1800s. had They traveled had traveled from Minnesota from Minnesota to the madic southern bands of the and ence.were issued alongside assurances of Blackto the Hills Black of Hills South of Dakota, South Dakota, then into then Arapaho.A reservation This establishedbarren ground in eastern between Col- amnesty for ‘friendly’ tribesmen. The ter- Montanainto Montana and Wyoming. and Wyoming. Later, Later, southern south- Sandorado Creek in 1861 and was the insufficient Arkansas River for the was no- Inritorial August, government the War Department unfortunately authorized pro- bandsern bands ventured ventured into Coloradointo Colorado and western and onlymadic a fraction southern of bands what theof theUnited Cheyenne States Territorialvided no instructions Governor John on howEvans to to tell raise the a Kansas. had promised the tribes just ten years ear- new volunteer regiment, the Third Col- western Kansas. and Arapaho. This barren ground between difference. lier. orado, for service against the Indians. Over Sand Creek and the Arkansas River was With the discovery of gold in 1858, “Pike’s a thousand men responded to the call for PeakWith or the Bust” discovery became of thegold rallying in 1858, cry “Pike’s for Conflictonly a fraction escalated of whatto confrontation the United Statesby recruits.In August, A Septemberthe War Department meeting between author- thousandsPeak or Bust” of prospectors, became the speculators,rallying cry for 1864.had promised In the spring, the tribes US troops just ten killed years the ear- Arapahoized Territorial and Cheyenne Governor chiefs, John Governor Evans to businessmen,thousands of andprospectors, settlers. Towns speculators, sprang up Cheyennelier. Chief Lean Bear. Cavalrymen Evans,raise a andnew Colonel volunteer John regiment, Chivington the Thirdac- bybusinessmen, the dozens seeminglyand settlers. overnight. Towns sprang This ex- burned the Cheyenne camps of Crow complishedColorado, for little. service The Cheyenneagainst the and Indians. Ara- plosiveup by the growth dozens spurred seemingly Congress overnight. to create ChiefConflict and escalated Raccoon, to and confrontation fired on the bypeace- pahoOver werea thousand directed men to makeresponded their way to the theThis new explosive Territory growth of Colorado spurred in Congress 1861. ful1864. Arapaho In the Chiefspring, Left US Hand. troops That killed sum- the towardcall for Fortrecruits. Lyon A near September the reservation, meeting be- to create the new Territory of Colorado in mer,Cheyenne the Hungate Chief Leanfamily Bear. was killedCavalrymen on a whiletween Colonel Arapaho Chivington and Cheyenne made chiefs, plans for a As1861. the territory grew, tensions escalated be- ranchburned only the 25 Cheyenne miles from camps . of Crow When winterGovernor campaign Evans, on and the Colonel Colorado John plains. Chiv- tween the new settlers and the Cheyenne theirChief mutilated and Raccoon, remains and were fired displayed on the in ington accomplished little. The Cheyenne and Arapaho. Competition for resources public, many Colorado officials and citi- As the territory grew, tensions escalated peaceful Arapaho Chief Left Hand. That and Arapaho were directed to make their increased dramatically. Intense economic, zens saw their worst fears realized. Official between the new settlers and the summer, the Hungate family was killed on way toward Fort Lyon near the reserva- political, and social pressures further di- proclamations to ‘kill and destroy’ hostiles videdCheyenne cultures and already Arapaho. struggling Competition with dif- for werea ranch issued only alo 25ngside miles assurancesfrom Denver. of When tion, while Colonel Chivington made ferentresources languages increased and dramatically.lifestyles. Intense amnestytheir mutilated for ‘friendly’ remains tribesmen. were displayed The terri- in plans for a winter campaign on the Col- economic, political, and social pressures public, many Colorado officials and citi- orado plains.

L-R: Chief Lean Bear; Chief Whirlwind, a Sand Creek survivor who later led his L-R: Ordained minister Colonel John Chivington, commanded the troops at Sand people to a reservation in Indian Territory. Creek; Colonel George Shoup, commanded the Third Regiment, and later became Idaho’s first Governor.

Thank you for your interest in Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site! Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

NOVEMBER 29, 1864 The dawn silence was shattered by musket For five miles or more the Cheyenne and Valley in a listless pursuit of an Arapaho andThe artillery dawn silence fire, and was the shattered rumble of by nearly musket Arapahoteenagers beat to aold bloody men, pathdefended northward. their bandhorses before exhausted, returning and to their Denver. supply There train he 700and cavalry artillery horses fire, andcantering the rumble toward of the nearly Alongpeople’s the way,retreat. many dug hiding pits in the proclaimednearly 20 miles a smashing south ofvictory the massacre over what site, village.700 cavalry Volleys horses were canteringfired into towardthe camps the sand only to be bombarded with howitzer oneChivington of his officers abandoned described his planas “the to con-only fromvillage. the Volleyssoutheast, were then fired the into southwest. the camps shells.For five At leastmiles 165 or more Cheyenne the Cheyenne and Arapaho and peaceabletinue the Indiansexpedition in the northward. country.” HeThe in- from the southeast, then the southwest. perished.Arapaho The beat survivors, a bloody manypath northward. of whom warstead that led Colorado his column citizens down had the feared Arkansas now Some Cheyenne and Arapaho ran toward wereAlong wounded, the way, fled many north dug towardhiding pitssafety in thein becameValley ina reality a listless as alliedpursuit Cheyenne, of an Arapaho theSome banks Cheyenne of Sand andCreek; Arapaho others ran made toward a thesand Dog only Soldier to be camps bombarded 100 miles with away. howitzer Arapaho,band before and Siouxreturning warriors to Denver. rampaged There he dashthe banksfor horses of Sand and Creek;weapons. others An Ameri-made a shells. At least 165 Cheyenne and Arapaho acrossproclaimed the plains a smashing in revenge victory for Sand over what candash flag for was horses raised and by weapons.Chief Black An Kettle. Ameri- Theirperished. ammunition The survivors, nearly spent,many ofthe whom men Creek.one of his officers described as “the only Chiefcan flag White was Antelope raised by sang Chief his Black journey Kettle. ofwere the Third wounded, Colorado fled north and other toward units safety in peaceable Indians in the country.” The songChief – “Only White the Antelope Earth and sang Mountains his journey brokethe Dog off theSoldier attack camps by nightfall. 100 miles With away. 12 war that Colorado citizens had feared now Livesong Forever.” – “Only the Earth and Mountains dead and dozens more wounded, men and became a reality as allied Cheyenne, Live Forever.” horsesTheir exhausted,ammunition and nearly their spent, supply the train men Arapaho, and Sioux warriors rampaged Companies came forward, crossing Sand nearlyof the 20 Third miles Colorado south of andthe massacreother units site, across the plains in revenge for Sand CreekCompanies while several came forward, dozen warriors, crossing Sand Chivingtonbroke off the abandoned attack by his nightfall. plan to With con- 12 Creek. teenagersCreek while to old several men, dozendefended warriors, their tinuedead the and expedition dozens more northward. wounded, He men in- and people’s retreat. stead led his column down the Arkansas AN EYEWITNESS MAP The map (left) was drawn in the early 1900’s by Sand Creek participant George Bent. Bent shows the bending streambed, Chiefs’ camps, Chivington’s trail, artillery positions, rifle pits, bluffs, and other information. After fleeing the village, Bent was wounded in the hip. With others, he survived by defending him- self in a pit dug along Sand Creek several miles above the village.

George Bent, 1843-1918, and his wife Magpie. THE AFTERMATH Questions about the attack and claims of cowards who would massacre disarmed atrocities led to investigations and inquiry. prisoners of war! Nor the vain braggarts to Controversy arose as some, like Captain bring home trophies of a battle with defense- Silas Soule, condemned the attack. Soule less and already subjugated enemies…We wrote, “I refused to fire and swore that are men who proved our manhood by going none but a coward would, for by this time out in defense of all we hold dear.” hundreds of women and children were com- ing towards us and getting on their knees for The conflicts that followed the Sand

Captain Silas Soule, Sergeant Stephen Decatur, mercy…” Soule was later murdered on the Creek Massacre raged for another 12 years Company D, Fort Lyon Company C, Third Colorado streets of Denver. at places like Beecher’s Island, Washita, Battalion, First Cavalry Regiment. of Colorado. Summit Springs, Palo Duro Canyon, and Volunteers anxious to defend the attack the Little Big Horn. The massacre also led called themselves the “Vindicators.” Ser- to new treaties, reforms in federal Indian geant Stephen Decatur wrote, “We are not policy, and generated movements for Na- violators of flags of truce! We are not the tive American assimilation and education.

Contact Information Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site Mailing address Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site is located in Colorado’s southeastern Sand Creek Massacre National corner. Enter the park from State Highway 96 at Kiowa County Roads 54 or 59. Historic Site Travel north to Kiowa County Road W and follow signs to the site. P.O. Box 249 Eads, CO 81036 Stop at the ranger station and bookstore for brochures, schedules and informa- tion. Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, established in 2007, is one of Park Website 391 units in the national park system. http://www.nps.gov/sand http://www.nps.gov

Park Headquarters Open Daily 9am – 4pm 719-729-3003 or 719-438-5916 Please check with park for winter schedule (December – March)