By Mike Bowen, co-author, We Found the Lost Sand Creek Site
The theory that Sand Creek was a massacre is partly based on the idea the Indians were defenseless and unarmed.
George Bent’s statements about Sand Creek are contrary to that theory.
“Black Kettle’s wife was wounded 9 times at Sand Creek and Black Kettle left her for dead between the camp and where we all took stand to fight,” Bent wrote to historian George Hyde (Bent to Hyde, 4-25-1906.)
Bent was not only an eyewitness, he was living in Black Kettle’s village as a warrior, also known as a Dog Soldier. He said the Indians, “took stand to fight.” For those that want to continue to believe Sand Creek was not a battle, your argument is not with us, but with those who experienced it. The massacre claim says the soldiers surprised the Indians, rode around the village and killed them as they awoke and came out of their tipis. Bent provides a clear difference between the village and battleground. Our Lost Sand Creek Site discovery also verifies there was very little fighting in the village and that Sand Creek was a running battle. Learn more about this in our book, We Found the Lost Sand Creek Site. Bent said the Indians fought, per the letter above.
George Bent’s original handwritten letters were transcribed at Yale University. We have over 400 pages of Bent’s typed letters in our archives, which we received many years ago from former NPS Sand Creek ranger Craig Moore.
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