The Sand Creek Massacre

The Sand Creek Massacre, a chilling episode etched into the history of the American West, unfolded on November 29, 1864. This event, a brutal clash between the U.S. Army and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, stands as a stark reminder of the violence and injustice that characterized the Indian Wars. Initially heralded as a military victory in the press, the true nature of the event soon surfaced through conflicting eyewitness accounts, triggering both military and Congressional investigations that sought to uncover the truth behind the carnage.

The seeds of the Sand Creek Massacre were sown in the mid-19th century, with the influx of white settlers into the Rocky Mountains. The discovery of gold and silver deposits sparked a frenzied rush, drawing thousands of prospectors, miners, and entrepreneurs to the region. This surge in population dramatically altered the landscape, disrupting the traditional way of life for the indigenous Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples who had long inhabited the land.

The Pike’s Peak Gold Rush of 1858 further intensified the tensions. As the newcomers staked their claims and established settlements, the Cheyenne and Arapaho found themselves increasingly marginalized, their hunting grounds encroached upon and their resources depleted. The escalating competition for land and resources led to a series of conflicts, igniting a powder keg of resentment and distrust. The Sand Creek Massacre was one of the most infamous events during this time.

The simmering tensions soon boiled over into open conflict. Native American warriors began launching raids on wagon trains, mining camps, and stagecoach lines, targeting the symbols of white encroachment. These attacks intensified during the Civil War, as the Union Army’s focus shifted eastward, leaving the western territories with a reduced military presence. This period of heightened conflict became known as the Colorado War of 1863-1865, a brutal struggle for control of the land. The Sand Creek Massacre was a horrific culmination of this war.

In the midst of this escalating violence, territorial governor John Evans appointed Colonel John Chivington, a former Methodist minister, as the commander of the Colorado Volunteers. Tasked with quelling the unrest, Chivington’s approach was far from conciliatory. His well-documented animosity towards Native Americans fueled a desire to eliminate them from the territory. Evans further exacerbated the situation by issuing two controversial proclamations. The first directed "friendly Indians" to gather at designated camps, threatening those who failed to comply with military action. The second order effectively authorized citizens to "kill and destroy" any Native Americans deemed hostile by the state. The Sand Creek Massacre would become the horrible event that followed.

In the spring of 1864, while the nation was consumed by the Civil War, Chivington launched a campaign of violence against the Cheyenne and their allies. His troops indiscriminately attacked Native American villages, razing homes and killing inhabitants. This aggressive strategy pushed the Cheyenne, joined by neighboring Arapaho, Sioux, Comanche, and Kiowa tribes, into a defensive warpath, further escalating the conflict across Colorado and Kansas.

Seeking to bolster their forces, Evans and Chivington reinforced the militia, raising the Third Colorado Cavalry, comprised of short-term volunteers who were known as the "Hundred Dazers." After a summer marked by scattered raids and skirmishes, both the Cheyenne and Arapaho expressed a desire for peace. Consequently, tribal representatives met with Evans and Chivington at Camp Weld, near Denver, on September 28, 1864. Although no formal treaties were signed, the Native American leaders believed that by reporting to and camping near army posts, they would be signaling their intention to pursue peace and would be afforded sanctuary.

However, unbeknownst to the Native American representatives, Chivington had received a telegram from his superior officer, General Samuel Curtis, on the very day of the "peace talks." Curtis’s message was unequivocal: "I want no peace till the Indians suffer more… No peace must be made without my directions." This communication revealed a clear directive to continue hostilities against the tribes, effectively undermining any hope for a peaceful resolution.

Unaware of Curtis’s uncompromising stance, Black Kettle, a Cheyenne chief renowned for his advocacy of peace, led approximately 550 Cheyenne and Arapaho men, women, and children south to Sand Creek. There, they established a camp under the perceived protection of Fort Lyon, as promised during the Camp Weld discussions. Those who remained skeptical of the peace overtures journeyed north to join the Sioux, underscoring the deep divisions within the tribes regarding the path forward.

Exploiting the Indians’ trust and the absence of most of their warriors, Chivington led his 700 troops, many of whom were reportedly intoxicated, to Sand Creek. He strategically positioned his forces, including four howitzers, around the unsuspecting village. Displaying unwavering faith in the promised peace, Black Kettle raised both an American flag and a white flag of truce above his teepee, signaling his peaceful intentions.

Despite these clear symbols of peace and surrender, Chivington disregarded them, raising his arm as a signal to attack. The ensuing massacre was a scene of unimaginable brutality. Cannons and rifles unleashed a barrage of fire upon the defenseless camp, sending the inhabitants scattering in panic. The soldiers, driven by a frenzy of violence, charged into the village, indiscriminately hunting down men, women, and children, shooting them without mercy. A few warriors managed to mount a desperate defense, providing cover for some of the camp members to escape across the creek.

Amidst the carnage, a glimmer of humanity emerged. Captain Silas Soule, a staunch abolitionist from Massachusetts, refused to obey Chivington’s orders, preventing his cavalry company from participating in the slaughter. His courageous act of defiance stands as a testament to the moral compass that guided some individuals during this dark chapter in American history.

The troops continued their relentless assault for the better part of the day, perpetrating numerous atrocities. One lieutenant was reportedly responsible for killing and scalping three women and five children who had surrendered and pleaded for their lives. Finally, as the day drew to a close, the soldiers ceased their attack, returning to the camp to kill any wounded survivors they could find. They then proceeded to mutilate and scalp the dead, including pregnant women, children, and babies. Before departing, they plundered the teepees and seized the Indians’ horse herd, further compounding the devastation.

When the carnage subsided, the grim toll was staggering. An estimated 150 Native Americans lay dead, the vast majority of whom were elderly men, women, and children. In stark contrast, the cavalry suffered minimal losses, with only nine or ten men killed and approximately three dozen wounded. Black Kettle and his wife, miraculously surviving the onslaught, followed the survivors up the creek bed, his wife having been shot multiple times.

The survivors, many of whom were wounded, sought refuge at the camp of the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers, a warrior society that had opposed the peace treaty, located along the Smoky Hill River. The massacre served as a catalyst, prompting many Native Americans to join the Dog Soldiers, concluding that peaceful negotiations with the white men were futile and that armed resistance was the only viable option. The Sand Creek Massacre is frequently cited as a major contributing factor to the Battle of Little Bighorn, as many Cheyenne warriors dedicated their lives to waging war against the U.S. military in retaliation for the atrocities committed at Sand Creek.

Upon their return to Denver, the Colorado Volunteers were greeted as heroes, parading through the streets with the scalps of their victims. Initially, the press portrayed the event as a decisive victory against a fiercely resisting Cheyenne force. However, within weeks, conflicting eyewitness accounts began to emerge, prompting a military investigation and two Congressional inquiries into the events. Captain Silas Soule, determined to expose the truth, eagerly stepped forward to testify against Chivington. Tragically, after providing his damning testimony, Soule was murdered by Charles W. Squires, a crime widely believed to have been orchestrated by Chivington to silence a key witness.

As the details of the Sand Creek Massacre became public, the U.S. public was horrified by the sheer brutality of the event. The Congressional investigation concluded that the massacre was a "sedulously and carefully planned" atrocity. During the military inquiry, one of the soldiers recounted Chivington’s chilling justification for killing children: "Nits make lice." Although Chivington was condemned in the investigation and forced to resign from his military post, neither he nor anyone else was ever held accountable for the massacre.

While the Sand Creek Massacre sparked outrage among easterners, it was met with approval by many residents of the Colorado Territory. Chivington later capitalized on his notoriety, appearing on a Denver stage where he entertained audiences with his war stories and proudly displayed an array of 100 Indian scalps, including the hair of women.

News of the Sand Creek Massacre spread rapidly among the Native American tribes of the southern and northern plains, solidifying their resolve to resist white encroachment. The massacre ignited a wave of retaliatory attacks, plunging the region into a prolonged period of conflict that would not subside for another quarter of a century.

Over the years, the site of the Sand Creek Massacre has served as a place of remembrance and commemoration. John Chivington returned to the area in 1887, and in 1908, veterans of the Colorado Regiments organized a reunion at the site. In 1950, the Colorado Historical Society collaborated with local residents and the Chambers of Commerce of Eads and Lamar to erect a marker atop the bluff at Dawson South Bend. Descendants of the victims of the Sand Creek Massacre remain active in tribal communities in Montana, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, and Council Representatives continue to collaborate with the National Park Service. Despite these efforts, the Sand Creek Massacre remains a contentious historical event, particularly in Colorado, where it has traditionally been viewed as a founding victory for the state.

The Sand Creek Massacre was officially designated as a National Historic Site on August 2, 2005, nearly a decade after Congress mandated the action in 1998. The establishment of the site was plagued by delays and controversies, but ultimately resulted in a place for accurate reflection on the tragic events in American History.

In November 2014, the Smithsonian Magazine published an article, "The Horrific Sand Creek Massacre Will Be Forgotten No More," highlighting the importance of the National Historic Site in restoring public memory of one of the worst atrocities ever committed against Native Americans.

In 1864, Colorado’s territorial governor, John Evans, issued two proclamations that led to the Sand Creek Massacre. Those proclamations were never rescinded, but that changed when Colorado Governor Jared Polis officially rescinded the two proclamations on August 17, 2021.

Sand Creek National Historic Site Contact Information:
P.O. Box 249
Eads, Colorado 81036
719-438-5916