The Sand Creek Massacre
I looked towards Fort Lyon Trail south of the village when I seen long black line. Then I knew soldiers were coming to attack the village.
I found my war bonnet, shield and my quiver full of arrows… While I was putting on my war bonnet and shield, bullets were hitting all around me and bullets were hitting the lodges like hard storm… On way up [Sand Creek] the feathers of my war bonnet were shot away and my shield was shot several times, but I did not get hit.
When I got to the bank of the creek I seen Big Head, Crow Neck, Cut Lip Bear, and Smoker, standing behind the bank so I joined them… We were west end of the village… Big Head and his party… ran west. I turned and went north as I seen big crowd [of Cheyenne] going that way. About 20 soldiers followed me. Big Head and his party were all killed over the hill…
I seen lots of women and children that had been killed. Some were not dead yet… After the fight was over I seen 2 or 3 soldiers together standing over the dead I suppose scalping them."
Little Bear, translated by George Bent 1906
Little Bear, survivor of The Sand Creek Massacre
Photographed in 1891, Washington D.C.
National Anthropological Archives
Photographed in 1891, Washington D.C.
National Anthropological Archives
On the morning of November 29, 1864, 700 Union soldiers, led by Colonel John M. Chivington attacked a village of nearly 500 Cheyenne and Arapaho woman, children and elderly who were camped along the banks of the Sand Creek in southeastern Colorado. The Indians believed that they were under the protection of the U.S. Army according to the Treaty of Fort Wise (Colorado) which was signed by Cheyenne and Arapaho chief’s in1861. Colonel Chivington, whose commission in the Union Army had expired in September and had not been relieved of command, was determined to wipe out the Indians at Sand Creek and “Damn any man in sympathy with Indians!” When the Indian saw the troops arrive, they raised the American flag and white flag of surrender. Colonel Chivington ordered the Third Regiment to begin the attack and several officers refused to have their troops engage the Indians who were to be protected. The troops that did attack randomly slaughtered men, women and children, taking scalps as trophies, killing the wounded, mutilating bodies and shooting babies and small children. Prisoners were ordered shot and the death toll reached nearly 200. Colonel Chivington was initially hailed as a hero when he arrived in Denver.
In January 1865, the House of Representatives ordered an investigation of the Sand Creek Massacre by the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Colonel Chivington could not be court-martialed because he was no longer in service. The Sand Creek Massacre helped delay Colorado’s statehood until 1876.
In January 1865, the House of Representatives ordered an investigation of the Sand Creek Massacre by the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Colonel Chivington could not be court-martialed because he was no longer in service. The Sand Creek Massacre helped delay Colorado’s statehood until 1876.
"George Bent's mother was Cheyenne and his father was William Bent, a prominent white trader. George went to school in St. Louis and fought for the Confederacy. After being captured in battle and later released, he returned to Colorado and rejoined his mother's people. He was in the village when Chivington's forces attacked. George Bent fought the Union as both a Confederate soldier and an Indian warrior. He is pictured here with his wife, Magpie." Denver Public Library, Western History Collection