Nebraska's Notorious Sand Creek Massacre
Traveling through Nebraska reveals a state rich in history, with significant events that have shaped the United States. One such notorious event is the Sand Creek Massacre, a pivotal moment in the region's history that remains crucial in understanding the country's past. The Sand Creek Massacre, also known as the Chivington Massacre, took place on November 29, 1864, southeast of present-day Eads, Colorado, but near the Nebraska border.
The context surrounding the massacre involved a long-standing conflict between the United States government and the Native American tribes of the Great Plains, including the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. The discovery of gold in the western territories and the rapid growth of the railroad had drawn thousands of settlers to the region, resulting in encroachment on Native American lands and ongoing clashes over territory. By 1863, many of the Great Plains tribes had reached a breaking point, as the influx of settlers threatened their very existence.
On September 30, 1864, Colorado's territorial governor, John Evans, received federal authorization to organize a militia to engage Native American tribes in the area. This eventually led to the formation of a volunteer force led by Col. John Chivington. Initially, some of the local tribes, led by leaders such as Cheyenne leader Black Kettle and Arapaho chief Little Raven, were willing to negotiate with the U.S. government. However, after ongoing interactions and failed peace negotiations, Col. Chivington, convinced that the local Native American tribes represented a threat to U.S. interests, ordered his men to form an alliance to quell the tribes once and for all.
Under Chivington's command, approximately 700 volunteers set out towards Sand Creek, an area established as a safe haven by U.S. Army officers, including Governor Evans, for Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho bands who desired to make peace with the government. The troops attacked on November 29, 1864, targeting women, children, and old men in particular, leading to an estimated 150 to 200 Native American fatalities. Most of the warrior men of the tribe had traveled from the village the night before to a nearby Cheyenne gathering, inadvertently escaping the U.S. attack. The aftermath saw numerous witnesses criticize Col. Chivington for the horrors of the Sand Creek Massacre.
One eyewitness, U.S. army officer, Captain Silas Soule, who refused to take part in the attack, stated that "the women and children were indiscriminately slaughtered" and accused Chivington of committing atrocities. The outrage from U.S. army officers and government officials following the Sand Creek Massacre led to investigations, but these proved to be ineffective; none of those responsible for the massacre received punishment. This pivotal event spurred, however, Congress to dismantle the Bureau of Indian Affairs and oversee its responsibilities under the more comprehensive Interior department. Furthermore, on July 12, 1868, the Fort Laramie Treaty allowed the government greater administrative flexibility over tribal reservations within the newly claimed Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. Colorado formally acknowledged and denied culpability in 2014 and 2019, respectively.
Today, visitors can visit the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, operated by the U.S. National Park Service, in southeastern Colorado to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the Sand Creek Massacre. The site comprises the Sand Creek Massacre site itself as well as the Ute Council Trees located nearby. Knowledge of Nebraska history provides context to this pivotal event in American history. Understanding the pivotal role it played as a driving factor behind national and international opinion and eventually shaping the Fort Laramie Treaty offers an account of U.S. settlement, especially in relation to western encounters and the plight of Native American tribes under colonial authority.
Additionally, in terms of traveling through the Great Plains, consideration for the indigenous populations that suffered from ongoing suppression should factor into how a traveler addresses historical milestones like the Sand Creek Massacre. A brief moment of understanding may shed new light on the numerous intercultural losses embedded in the battle-torn surface that travelers encounter when examining historical places such as Nebraska.
The context surrounding the massacre involved a long-standing conflict between the United States government and the Native American tribes of the Great Plains, including the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. The discovery of gold in the western territories and the rapid growth of the railroad had drawn thousands of settlers to the region, resulting in encroachment on Native American lands and ongoing clashes over territory. By 1863, many of the Great Plains tribes had reached a breaking point, as the influx of settlers threatened their very existence.
On September 30, 1864, Colorado's territorial governor, John Evans, received federal authorization to organize a militia to engage Native American tribes in the area. This eventually led to the formation of a volunteer force led by Col. John Chivington. Initially, some of the local tribes, led by leaders such as Cheyenne leader Black Kettle and Arapaho chief Little Raven, were willing to negotiate with the U.S. government. However, after ongoing interactions and failed peace negotiations, Col. Chivington, convinced that the local Native American tribes represented a threat to U.S. interests, ordered his men to form an alliance to quell the tribes once and for all.
Under Chivington's command, approximately 700 volunteers set out towards Sand Creek, an area established as a safe haven by U.S. Army officers, including Governor Evans, for Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho bands who desired to make peace with the government. The troops attacked on November 29, 1864, targeting women, children, and old men in particular, leading to an estimated 150 to 200 Native American fatalities. Most of the warrior men of the tribe had traveled from the village the night before to a nearby Cheyenne gathering, inadvertently escaping the U.S. attack. The aftermath saw numerous witnesses criticize Col. Chivington for the horrors of the Sand Creek Massacre.
One eyewitness, U.S. army officer, Captain Silas Soule, who refused to take part in the attack, stated that "the women and children were indiscriminately slaughtered" and accused Chivington of committing atrocities. The outrage from U.S. army officers and government officials following the Sand Creek Massacre led to investigations, but these proved to be ineffective; none of those responsible for the massacre received punishment. This pivotal event spurred, however, Congress to dismantle the Bureau of Indian Affairs and oversee its responsibilities under the more comprehensive Interior department. Furthermore, on July 12, 1868, the Fort Laramie Treaty allowed the government greater administrative flexibility over tribal reservations within the newly claimed Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. Colorado formally acknowledged and denied culpability in 2014 and 2019, respectively.
Today, visitors can visit the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, operated by the U.S. National Park Service, in southeastern Colorado to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the Sand Creek Massacre. The site comprises the Sand Creek Massacre site itself as well as the Ute Council Trees located nearby. Knowledge of Nebraska history provides context to this pivotal event in American history. Understanding the pivotal role it played as a driving factor behind national and international opinion and eventually shaping the Fort Laramie Treaty offers an account of U.S. settlement, especially in relation to western encounters and the plight of Native American tribes under colonial authority.
Additionally, in terms of traveling through the Great Plains, consideration for the indigenous populations that suffered from ongoing suppression should factor into how a traveler addresses historical milestones like the Sand Creek Massacre. A brief moment of understanding may shed new light on the numerous intercultural losses embedded in the battle-torn surface that travelers encounter when examining historical places such as Nebraska.
