[The following is in regards to the Sand Creek Massacre.]
Back in Denver, the Third's one hundred days were about to expire, and the newspapers were thrashing them as "the bloodless Third" because they had yet to fight a single battle. When Colonel Chivington with six hundred of his men arrived at the fort the next day, they included most of the Third, who were itching for blood. Chivington, himself, was talking of "collecting scalps" and "wading in gore." When several of his officers protested, Chivington yelled, "Damn any man who sympathizes with Indians! I have come to kill Indians, and believe it is right and honorable to use any means under God's heaven to kill Indians." Under threat of court martial, these officers went along but secretly ordered their men only to fire in self-defense.
After dark on November 28, seven hundred soldiers with four howitzers set out for Sand Creek with half-Cheyenne rancher Robert Bent as a guide. Black Kettle's camp now contained some six hundred people. Two thirds of them were women and children, since the warriors were out hunting buffalo, as Major Anthony had suggested to them. In the camp, the people spent almost the entire night celebrating the peace they thought they'd achieved.
Robert Bent's brother, George, who was a trader, was in the camp. In the morning, George was still in bed when he heard people running around. He said:
From down the creek a large body of troops was advancing at a rapid trot... more soldiers could be seen making for the Indian pony herds to the south of the camps, in the camps themselves all was confusion and noise - men, women, and children rushing out of the lodges partly dressed; women and children screaming at sight of the troops; men running back into the lodges for their arms. I looked toward the chief 's lodge and saw that Black Kettle had a large American flag tied to the end of a long lodgepole and was standing in front of his lodge, holding the pole, with the flag fluttering in the gray light of the winter dawn. I heard him call to the people not to be afraid, that the soldiers would not hurt them; then the troops opened fire from two sides of the camp.
Soon, hundreds of Cheyenne women and children had gathered for protection under the U.S. flag and a white flag that Black Kettle had run up under it. About this time, Robert Bent came in sight of the camp. He later testified before Congress, saying:
I saw the American flag waving and heard Black Kettle tell the Indians to stand around theflag, and there they were huddled - men, women, and children. This was when we were within fifty yards of the Indians. I also saw a white flag raised. These flags were in so conspicuous a position that they must have beenseen. When the troops fired, the Indians ran, some of the men into their lodges, probably to get their arms... I think there were six hundred Indians in all. I think there were thirty-five braves and some old men, about sixty in all... the rest of the men were away from camp, hunting. After the firing the warriors put the squaws [derogatory term for Native American women] and children together, and surrounded them to protect them. I saw five squaws under a bank for shelter. When thetroops came up to them they ran out and showed their persons to let the soldiers know they were squaws and begged for mercy, but the soldiers shot them all. I saw one squaw lying on the bank whose leg had been broken by a shell; a soldier came up to her with a drawn saber; she raised her arm to protect herself, when he struck, breaking her arm she rolled over and raised her other arm, when he struck, breaking it, and then left her without killing her. There seemed to be indiscriminate slaughter of men, women, and children. There were some thirty or forty squaws collected in a hole for protection; they sent out a little girl about six years old with a white flag on a stick; she had not proceeded but a few steps when she was shot and killed. All the squaws in that hole were afterwards killed, and four or five bucks outside.
The squaws offered no resistance. Every one I saw dead was scalped. I saw one squaw cut open with an unborn child, as I thought, lying by her side. Captain Soule afterwards told me that such was the fact. I saw the body of White Antelope [a seventy-five-year-old chief] with his privates cut off, and I heard a soldier say he was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. I saw one squaw whose privates had been cut out… I saw a little girl about five years of age who had been hid in the sand; two soldiers discovered her, drew their pistols and shot her, and then pulled her out of the sand by the arm. I saw quite a number of infants in arms killed with their mothers.
Source:
Stephens, John Richard. “Victims of History.” Weird History 101: Tales of Intrigue, Mayhem, and Outrageous Behavior. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2006. 175-76. Print.
Further Reading:
Sand Creek Massacre / Chivington Massacre / Battle of Sand Creek / Massacre of Cheyenne Indians
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