Sand Creek and Wounded Knee

[pksgigi]

Black Kettle, a chief of a group of around 800 mostly Southern Cheyennes, reported to Fort Lyon in an effort to declare peace. After having done so, he and his band, along with some Arapahos under Chief Left Hand, camped out at nearby Sand Creek, less than 40 miles north. The Dog Soldiers, who had been responsible for much of the conflict with whites, were not part of this encampment. Assured by the U.S. Government's promises of peace, Black Kettle sent most of his warriors to hunt, leaving only around 60 men in the village, most of them too old or too young to participate in the hunt. Black Kettle flew an American flag over his lodge since previously he had been assured that this practice would keep him and his people safe from U.S. soldiers' aggression.[11]

Setting out from Fort Lyon, Colonel Chivington and his 800 troops of the First Colorado Cavalry, Third Colorado Cavalry and a company of First New Mexico Volunteers marched to Black Kettle's campsite. On the night of November 28, soldiers and militia drank heavily and celebrated their anticipated victory.[12] On the morning of November 29, 1864, Chivington ordered his troops to attack. One officer, Captain Silas Soule refused to follow Chivington's order and told his men to hold fire. Other soldiers in Chivington's force, however, immediately attacked the village. Disregarding the American flag, and a white flag that was run up shortly after the soldiers commenced firing, Chivington's soldiers massacred the majority of its mostly unarmed inhabitants.

Fifteen U.S. soldiers were killed and more than 50 wounded.[13] Between the effects of the heavy drinking and the chaos of the assault, the majority of the U.S. casualties were due to friendly fire.[12] Between 150 and 200 Indians were estimated killed, nearly all elderly men, women and children. In testimony before a Congressional committee investigating the massacre, Chivington reported that as many as 500-600 Indian warriors were killed. [14]. One source from the Cheyenne said that about 53 men and 110 women and children were killed.[15] Before Chivington and his men left the area, they plundered the tipis and took the horses. After the shooting began, Chivington's men came back and killed many of the wounded. They also scalped many of the dead, not mattering whether they were women, children, or babies. Chivington and his men dressed their weapons, hats and gear with scalps and other body parts, including human fetuses and male and female genitalia. They also publicly displayed these battle trophies in the Apollo Theater and saloons in Denver.

[pksgigi]

I'm am part Cheyenne and I used to listen to my great grandmother talk about stories that her mother told her of the day that is known as the Sand Creek Massacre. I was lucky enough to have read my great great grandmother's journal. All that she experienced. She lost her mother her father and little sister and brother . She watched as Soldiers killed her family and took her baby sister and bashed her head against a rock to kill her just so the army could save bullets. I thought I would share some pictures sorry no gore but enough dead bodies.
1st pic dead Cheyenne Woman.
2nd pic Chief big foot
3rd pic Indian Warrior
4th Medicine man (tried to get the full pic he is laying on other bodies that were just tossed in a pile.)

[SE10]

The big pic is from the lolocaust........unless Custers 7th cavalry used to hand out striped pyjamas prior to a massacre.

[Thanatos]

^ but the pale guy in the middle of all of that mess is def. holding a pipe.
Nice pics.Cheers.

[pksgigi]

Originally Posted by SE10

The big pic is from the lolocaust........unless Custers 7th cavalry used to hand out striped pyjamas prior to a massacre.

The site I found it on said that it was Cheyenne, Sioux and Arapaho women and children.
Hmm could be a mistake on their part, thanks for the notice I will remove that pic I want to make it as accurate as possible, and when I checked out the site they didn't show the whole picture,

[Tinkerhell]

Awesome post and info pks, thanks.

You need to get all that you know and remember in a journal for future generations.
Your great grandmother's stories should never be forgotten.

[pksgigi]

Originally Posted by Tinkerhell

Awesome post and info pks, thanks.

You need to get all that you know and remember in a journal for future generations.
Your great grandmother's stories should never be forgotten.

Thank you Tink I do have her journal If anyone likes I can post bits and pieces of it here if anyone is interested.

[Tinkerhell]

Originally Posted by pksgigi

Thank you Tink I do have her journal If anyone likes I can post bits and pieces of it here if anyone is interested.

I'd love to read it if you have the time to post...or maybe just get some good scans.
Reading first hand accounts about this time in history is a rare treat.

[pksgigi]

Tink,
yes when I get time to post I will put parts of her journal on here.

[sick Apache]

There have been many Massacres against Native Americans in North Americas history by New comers but we are still here.

[gibing]

Some of america's darkest hours!