



|
Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings
 |
SAND CREEK MASSACRE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Colorado
|

|
Location: Kiowa County, on an unimproved road,
about 9 miles northeast of Chivington.
|
|
 |
Coloradans applauded and
Congress denounced Col. John M. Chivington ("The Fighting Parson") for
the butchery at Sand Creek. Portrait from Frank Leslie's Illustrated
Newspaper (December 19, 1863). (Denver Public Library, Western
Collection) |
At this site occurred the tragic Sand Creek, or
Chivington, Massacre, one of the results of the Indian-white conflict
that boiled in Colorado during the Civil War. The Southern Cheyennes and
Arapahos, resenting the mounting invasion of settlers and miners and
taking advantage of the absence of Regular troops, took to the warpath.
Both Indians and whites committed savage killings. By the spring of 1864
Coloradans were screaming for revenge. As a prelude to military action,
that summer Territorial officials extended vague promises of sanctuary
to Indian groups reporting to Army forts. One of those that did so, at
Fort Lyon, Colo., in October, was led by Black Kettle. Believing
themselves to be under the protection of the fort, he and about 500
Cheyennes and a handful of Arapahos camped at Sand Creek, 40 miles down
the Arkansas River.
On November 29 Col. John M. Chivington, a strong
advocate of Indian extermination, and 700 Colorado Volunteers appeared
at the camp without warning, following a march through bitter cold and
snow from Fort Lyon. Although Black Kettle hastily raised the U.S. and
white flags to confirm his peaceful intent, the troops swooped down on
his poorly armed people and indiscriminately killed and mutilated 200 of
them, nearly two-thirds women and children, though Black Kettle managed
to escape. Most Denverites approved of Chivington's actions, but a
congressional investigation denounced him for the wanton slaughter and
he resigned. The word of the massacre spread swiftly among the Plains
Indians. By the following summer practically all the tribes between
Canada and the Red River were at war, and the weak Army garrisons were
forced to stand by impotently.
 |
Robert Lindneux's version of the
Sand Creek Massacre. (Colorado Historical
Society) |
The natural features of the site, privately owned
rangeland, have not changed essentially since 1864. A stone marker is
located on a ridge overlooking the bottomland where Black Kettle's
village stood. Designated Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in
2000, it is authorized, but will not be established until the NPS
acquires enough land to provide for the preservation,commemoration, and
interpretation of the Sand Creek Massacre. While the NPS has acquired
920 acres within the authorized boundary, the remainder of the land is
under private and state ownership. Until enough land has been acquired
to establish the National Historic Site, it will not be open to the
public.
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/soldier-brave/sitea10.htm
Last Updated: 19-Aug-2005
|