Massacre at Sand Creek: A Tragic Chapter in American History
The Massacre at Sand Creek, also known as the Sand Creek Massacre, was a tragic event that occurred on November 29, 1864, in southeastern Colorado. This incident, which resulted in the deaths of around 150 Cheyenne and Arapaho Native Americans, has become a symbol of the brutal treatment of Native Americans by the U.S. military during the late 19th century.
The Context of the Massacre
At the time of the massacre, the United States was in the midst of a conflict known as the Indian Wars. This period, which spanned from the 1860s to the 1890s, was marked by a series of military campaigns aimed at removing Native Americans from their ancestral lands and relocating them to reservations. The Sand Creek Massacre was one of the most infamous events of this era.
The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes had been living in the region for centuries, but as white settlers moved westward, tensions between the two groups grew. In the summer of 1864, a group of Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors attacked a camp of white settlers near Fort Lyon, killing several people. This incident, known as the Julesburg Massacre, led to the U.S. military’s decision to launch an attack on the Cheyenne and Arapaho villages at Sand Creek.
The Attack on Sand Creek
The attack on Sand Creek was carried out by a detachment of the Colorado Volunteers, a militia unit. Under the command of Colonel John Chivington, the soldiers set out to punish the Native Americans for the Julesburg Massacre. On the morning of November 29, 1864, the soldiers arrived at the Cheyenne and Arapaho villages, which were located near the South Platte River.
Despite the fact that the villages were located on a reservation and that the Cheyenne and Arapaho had been living there peacefully, the soldiers attacked without warning. They fired into the villages, killing men, women, and children alike. Many of the victims were defenseless, having been asleep when the attack began. The soldiers also burned the villages to the ground, leaving the surviving Native Americans with nowhere to go.
| Number of Native Americans killed | Estimated number of Native Americans present |
|---|---|
| Approximately 150 | Approximately 500 |
The Aftermath and Legacy
The Sand Creek Massacre was met with widespread outrage across the United States. Many people were appalled by the brutal treatment of the Native Americans and the fact that the soldiers had acted without authorization. In response to the public outcry, President Abraham Lincoln ordered an investigation into the incident.
Colonel Chivington was eventually court-martialed and found guilty of misconduct. However, he was not punished for the massacre, and his career in the military continued. The survivors of the Sand Creek Massacre were relocated to other reservations, where they faced further hardship and discrimination.
The Sand Creek Massacre has had a lasting impact on the relationship between Native Americans and the U.S. government. It has become a symbol of the violence and injustice that characterized the Indian Wars. Today, the event is remembered as a tragic reminder of the suffering endured by Native Americans during this period of American history.
