More history you didn't learn in school.
On November 29, 1864, nearly 700 volunteer soldiers from the Third Colorado Cavalry under the command of Colonel John Chivington attacked peaceful village of Cheyenne and Arapaho people in southeastern Colorado Territory, killing anywhere between 69-600 people, mostly women and children.
The 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie between the US and seven Native American nations gave the tribes land that included southeastern Wyoming, southwestern Nebraska, most of eastern Colorado, and western Kansas. However, when gold was discovered in Colorado in November 1858, the US pushed the Treaty of Fort Wise on the local tribes, substantially reducing the amount of land given to the tribes.
This led to much dissension among the tribes, but in 1864, a coalition of Sioux, Comanches, Kiowas, Cheyennes, and Arapahos engaged in hostilities to drive the whites out of their country. But since the American Civil War was going on, the US government was more concerned with defeating the Confederates. Native Americans continued to attack.
In September 1864, the Cheyenne met with Governor John Evans at his invitation. He told them that this was not to secure peace, but to offer protection to Native Americans who were friendly.
Chief Black Kettle, led Southern Cheyenne and some Arapahos to Fort Lyon in compliance with a peace parley held in Denver in September 1864. But they were told to relocate to Big Sandy Creek about 40 miles away. Black Kettle flew a US flag with a white flag underneath it to show he was friendly and hope to forestall any attack by Colorado soldiers.
On November 29, 1864, Col. Chivington, despite being warned to attack a peaceful camp, gave the order to attack. Captain Silas Soule and Lt Joseph Cramer refused to obey and told their men to hold fire. Chivington's men ignored the white flag and murdered as many Native Americans they could find, including women, children, and infants.
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