Over 70 Soldiers Were Killed or Wounded at Sand Creek
By Mike Bowen, co-author, We Found the Lost Sand Creek Site
On November 29, 1864, Colonel Chivington led members of the 1st Colorado Cavalry and 3rd Colorado Cavalry to fight Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians at Sand Creek.
The traditional massacre story claims about 700 soldiers attacked a peaceful sleeping village of women, children and elderly Indians, who were unable to defend themselves, and they were slaughtered as they awoke and came out of their tipis.
But, how much of that is true?
There are a lot of facts missing from the massacre story and it includes claims that have never been verified. However, people have believed it because that’s what’s been told for about 160 years.
During the spring and summer of 1864, Cheyenne Dog Soldiers (warriors) were terrorizing the settlers of Colorado territory along the Platte near Denver. They were raiding wagon trains, running off stock, stealing government mules, killing and scalping white settlers including very young children, taking captives, killing captives, and more.
On this anniversary of the Sand Creek battle, we remember the Hungate family who was brutally murdered by Indians near Denver on June 11, 1864, about five months before Sand Creek.
A father, mother and two little girls were slain, throats cut open and they were gutted.
Their bodies were put on public display in Denver which led to many wanting to fight back and defend Colorado Territory.
Nathan Hungate and his wife were both in their late 20s and their two daughters were 6 months old and 2 ½ years old.
Colorado Territory Governor John Evans made many pleas for help to the government.
‘Officials in Washington, D.C., seemed unresponsive to territorial Governor John Evans’s appeals for help, while attacks and feeling of siege continued. On 11 June, the ‘Hungate massacre’ near Denver brought terror to the white population. The ranch where the Hungate family lived was found in ruins: the house burned, the family—husband, wife, and two little children—killed, scalped, and mutilated. Their bodies were brought to Denver and publicly exhibited side by side in a box. Everybody saw the four, and anger and revenge mounted all day long as the people filed past or remained to talk over Indian outrages and means of protection and reprisal. During the rest of the summer, attacks and hysteria continued; finally in August Governor Evans created a hundred-day volunteer regiment’ (Holsclaw, Birdie Monk, Life and Death on the Frontier: The Robert and Loana McFarland Family of Boulder Valley, Colorado, NGS Centennial).
John Evans, Governor of C. T. and Superintendent of Indian Affairs:
‘To the friendly Indians of the plains:
Agents, interpreters, and traders will inform the friendly Indians of the plains that some members of their tribes have gone to war with the white people. They steal stock and run it off, hoping to escape detection and punishment. In some instances they have attacked and killed soldiers and murdered peaceable citizens. At this the great father is angry, and will certainly hunt them out, and punish them. The war on hostile Indians will be continued until they are all effectually subdued’ (Report on the Conduct of the War, 38 Congress, 2nd session, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1865).
Governor Evans’ requests for help were later accepted by General Curtis, who sent the following orders:
‘June 3, 1864
Fort Leavenworth
To Colonel Chivington, Denver:
Send out force to crush the Indians that are in open hostility, as requested by Governor Evans.
S. R. Curtis, Major General.” (Report on the Conduct of the War, 38 Congress, 2nd session, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1865).
‘September 28, 1864
Fort Leavenworth
To Colonel Chivington:
I shall require the bad Indians delivered up; restoration of equal numbers of stock; also hostages to secure. I want no peace till the Indians suffer more…I fear the agent of the Interior Department will be ready to make presents too soon. It is better to chastise before giving anything but a little tobacco to talk over. No peace must be made without my directions.
S. R. Curtis, Major General’ (Report on the Conduct of the War, 38 Congress, 2nd session, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1865).
The 3rd Colorado Cavalry was organized and from the orders of General Curtis, help was on the way for Colorado Territory.
Many of the soldiers that fought at Sand Creek came from the Denver and Longmont areas and traveled about 200 miles on horseback, as they faced tremendously cold conditions. Soldier Irving Howbert said the main regiment of the 3rd along with some of the 1st Colorado Cavalry started their ride to Fort Lyon mid November (Howbert, Irving, Memories of a Lifetime In the Pike’s Peak Region, page 121). They arrived on November 28 and left for Sand Creek that night about 9 o’clock. It was a cold, dark night, with the only light coming from the stars—there was no moonlight. Many napped in their saddles as they rode the 40 miles from Fort Lyon to Sand Creek (Coffin, Morse, The Battle of Sand Creek, page 18).
From our blog: Boy Scouts Hold Sand Creek Re-enactment in 1937 – How Artifacts Tell the Truth
‘There were over 70 soldier casualties at Sand Creek, and a soldier was the first killed in the engagement (The Rocky Mountain News (Daily), Volume 5, Number 114, January, 1865; Official Report Of The Battle Of Sand Creek; Report of the Secretary of War – 39th Congress, 2nd Session). The soldiers rode about 200 miles to fight a village full of warriors, and when they rode through the Denver area they traveled through snow and harsh cold weather, some even getting frostbite on their feet. It is well documented there were about 700 soldiers at Sand Creek, and if the village was only filled with defenseless women, children and elderly, that event would have been quick and without a single soldier casualty. It’s also well documented the Sand Creek event went on for several hours, from just as the sun was coming up into the afternoon (Official Report Of The Battle Of Sand Creek; Report of the Secretary of War – 39th Congress, 2nd Session)’ (HowArtifactsTellTheTruth).
Robert Bent, who had two brothers, George and Charley, camped at Sand Creek, was compelled to lead the soldiers from Fort Lyon to Sand Creek. He had no intention of helping the soldiers. He made multiple attempts to thwart the attack. He eventually convinced Colonel Chivington to turn off the lodgepole trail. This move set up the soldiers where they could be seen on a ridge several miles away in the village.
Read about Robert’s efforts in chapter five of our book, We Found the Lost Sand Creek Site.
The soldiers arrived at Sand Creek shortly before the sun came up. Many of the Indians had fled the village before the engagement began, per George Bent and other eyewitnesses. (Coffin, Morse H., The Battle of Sand Creek, page 19), (Report on the Conduct of the War, 38 Congress, 2nd session, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1865).
It’s also well documented the battle lasted from just before the sun came up until about 3 in the afternoon—it lasted several hours, however, the massacre story claims the Indians were all camped below a bluff in a small congested area where they couldn’t see or hear an approaching enemy. If that were true, the battle would have been quick, lasting less than an hour.
No battle or village artifacts have ever been found at the alleged massacre location below that bluff at the National Park Service Sand Creek Site.
No bullets, no battlefield.
George Bent, Robert’s brother, was half Cheyenne and was a Dog Soldier in Black Kettle’s village. He was at Sand Creek, along with many other warriors. Nearly 40 years after Sand Creek, while George was working as an Indian agent in Colony, OK, historians wrote letters to him asking about his Cheyenne life and time as a Dog Soldier. He wrote about the wagon train raids he was on, stealing stock, scalping white enemies, taking captives and more. George was not just an eyewitness to all of it, he was a participant.
Before joining the Dog Soldiers, George Bent fought as a Confederate in four Civil War battles. He was captured at the Battle of Corinth, and upon his release, he was sent back to Colorado Territory. He was living in Missouri for his schooling, and while there, the War started. Since Missouri was a border state, he could choose to fight as either a Confederate or Union soldier. He chose the Confederacy likely because the Bent family in St. Louis had been slave owners. When Bent returned to Colorado Territory, he continued to see the Union soldier as the enemy. He fought Union soldiers any chance he could as a Dog Soldier.
The Indians were not camped below any bluff—they were camped where they could see an approaching enemy. They were also not camped in a small congested area—the village was over two miles long, per eyewitness accounts and the location Chuck Bowen found village artifacts on the Bowen family ranch, the location of the Lost Sand Creek Site. Tipis would have been placed close to water sources, not bunched together. They would also require extra space to tether their horse next to their tipi.
Chuck Bowen found over 4,000 village and battle artifacts, proving the village stretched along the creek for over two miles. There was little fighting in the village. The battle areas started on the opposite side of the creek from the village, also stretching up and along the creek for over three miles.
All of the artifacts he found were on the Bowen family ranch, starting nearly two miles up the creek from the NPS Sand Creek site.
The artifacts prove fighting between soldiers and warriors.
We have over 400 pages of George Bent’s letters in our archives, and he never makes any claims that warriors were off hunting. They were camped at Sand Creek, ready to set up a winter camp and prepare for springtime fights. The Indians didn’t like to fight in the winter—they liked to fight in the spring and summer.
Bent said that warriors fought off soldiers while he and others were getting into rifle pits.
“Women and children dug the pits while men fought off the soldiers until the pits were ready to get into,” Bent said (Bent to Hyde 4-30-1913). It’s unlikely the pits were dug that day, but Bent makes it clear warriors were fighting soldiers. He likely meant they were digging into the pits they already dug—they wouldn’t be digging pits while soldiers were firing at them.
There were over 70 soldier casualties at Sand Creek.
A full list of soldiers killed and wounded is in our book.
One of the soldiers killed was Robert McFarland. His friend, James Carr, a fellow soldier, who had charge of the dead and wounded, found his slain friend on the battleground. Carr wrote a letter about it 20 years after Sand Creek (West, Tom, great-grandson of Robert McFarland, Email to Chuck Bowen, June 21, 2018). Carr was also one of the wounded.
‘I was a member of Co. D. 3rd Colorado Cavalry. The same as Soldier Robt McFarland. I had charge of the dead & wounded of our company. I first knew Robt McFarland at his farm in near Valmont Boulder County Colorado in 1860.
I was well acquainted with him and his children continually from that time until his death. Robt McFarland was killed in the celebrated battle of Sand Creek in Nov. 1864 in Southern Colorado while fighting for his country. I was with him when he was killed by the Indians. His heart was cut out and stuffed in his mouth. I buried him and brought a lock of his hair and his trinkets & personal effects back to Boulder County to his children George & Adella McFarland…
James A Carr
Dec 17 1884’
We made a short film about his letter and McFarland’s death at Sand Creek. Mac was killed by a warrior in hand-to-hand combat. Carr, an eyewitness, stated that Mac was killed in battle while fighting for his country.
Watch the short film here: PrivateMacTheJamesCarrLetter
On this anniversary of Sand Creek, we remember the over 70 soldiers that were killed or wounded while fighting for their country. As we reflect on the 161st anniversary of Sand Creek, we can’t allow an emotional story to overtake the truth. The truth is found in the physical evidence and the location they were found. Sand Creek was no doubt a running battle between soldiers and warriors.
The official count of dead Indians was 69, per the testimony of Major Wynkoop—the count came from District Inspector, Captain Booth. Major Anthony, Commanding Officer of Fort Lyon, sent out a scouting party and their number was also 69 dead Indians. Captain Silas Soule testified to seeing 69 dead Indians when he went back a month later. Other higher counts are not attributed to an eyewitness, however we have three counts of 69, all from eyewitnesses. (Report on the Conduct of the War, 38 Congress, 2nd session, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1865).
Remember Sand Creek with the truth in mind.
‘This battle is usually (especially in the east) referred to as the ‘Sand Creek Massacre,’ or Chivington’s Massacre; and as such has it gone forth to the world, and as such is it likely to be handed down to posterity. I think this is unjust. It merits no such infamous brand. If this was a massacre, and not a battle, in the ordinary sense of the word, then am I at a loss to know just what constitutes a battle, and I wish to be absent from all battles. Many who were in this fight had seen service, and been in battles elsewhere; and these called this a battle, and very much of a one too’ Sand Creek soldier Morse Coffin said (Coffin, Morse H., The Battle of Sand Creek page 38).
Sand Creek was a hard-fought battle.
Many other soldiers defended Sand Creek as a battle, and they did not know each other or live near each other. There couldn’t have been any attempts for them to get together and make sure their accounts of Sand Creek all lined up. See our blog here: SoldierAccounts.
It’s also important to note that Colonel Chivington was denied witnesses in the hearings at Denver, and the hearings were led by his known enemy, Lt. Colonel Sam Tappan. Read more about that in our book and also in a blog here: SandCreekSynopsis.
The Water Valley School House sits at the Lost Sand Creek Site, and it is our monument of truth. Truth was taught at the Water Valley School House, and it was the last remaining building for the townsite. We are also about telling the truth concerning Sand Creek. Read about the importance of the Water Valley townsite in chapter 11 of our book.
We also made a short film about the school house and it’s importance to our Sand Creek site discovery.
Watch that short film here: WaterValleySchoolHouse
Learn about this massive and incredible discovery of the Lost Sand Creek Site, made by Chuck Bowen, with the assistance of his wife Sheri.
The truth about Sand Creek needs to be known.
Get a copy of our book, We Found the Lost Sand Creek Site. Click on the Buy The Book tab in the top right corner of the page. We have some copies on hand and can be picked up locally or shipped for a small fee. Our book makes a great Christmas gift! Email us at chuck@thelostsandcreek or get a copy!
Truth matters. Truth wins.
