Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-07-21
REPORT OFTI,E COMMITTEE ON THE
CONDUCT OF THE war;
Tne Massacre OF the Cheyenne Indians
Snarses against Colonel Chivington Sus-

s;sSf g. ~s"nse Seionel Chivington Sus-
There appeared in the newspapers of the
country last winter an account OF the massacre,
by United States troops, of .. Village of Ghey-
enne Indians, near Fort Lyon, IN Colorado
Territory. Congress took the matter i'm hand
and Instructed the Committee on the Conducr
Of the War to inquire into and report all the
facts. Their report is just p nbiished, and from
it we get the following particulars, which seem
time:
In the summer of 1861 Governor Evans, Of
Colorado Territory, as Acting Superintendent
OF Indian Affairs, sent notice to all the friendly
Indians within his jurisdiction, advising them
to repair to the nearest military post, so That
they would be safe from the soldiers who were
to take the field against the hostile Indians.
Near the close of summer some Cheyenne
Indians near Fort Lyon voluntarily delivered
10 Major Wynkoop, Commanding the fort, some
white captives whom they had purchased OF
other Indians. At the same time several chiefs
of the friendly Indians, by invitation OF Major
Wynkoop, visited Denver with HIM for the
purpose of conferring with the authorities
there in regard TO keeping peace. At the con-
ference the chiefs stated that hey were friendly
to the whites, and always had been, and that
Evans and Colonel Chivington they went to
Fort Lyon, where they were treated somewhat
as prisoners. receiving rations and being con-
lined within certain bounds.
Major Anthony relieved Major Wynkoop i'll
command of Fort Lyon, and very soon ceased
issuing rations to them. They Were told they
mad better go We're they could gain subsistenca
by hunting Their arms We're given them, and,
on the suggestion of Major Anthony, thew went
10 a point on Sand Creek, about IS miles from
Fort Lyon. While the Indians were thus rest
ing in fancied security, and some of them un-
der pay from Government scouts, Colonel
Chivington, with seven hundred mounted men
and two pieces of artillery, appeared at Fort
Lyon, was there joined by additional forca
Of one hundred and twenty five men with five
pieces of artillery, and eoncealing carefully
his purpose. marched on the camp of the In
N m n mn hnn nd drad
lodges of Cheyennes, under Black Kettle, and
eight or ten lodges OF Arapahoes, under Left
Hand. 1t is estimated that each lodge contained
five persons, and that half or more of them
frier diy signs upon the approach of the troops,
but they were disregarded. "Then," we quote
here from the committees report, 'sthe scene Of
muroer and barbarity here began-men, wo.
men and children were indiscriminat
slaughtered. In few minutes all the Indians
We're fiying over the plain in terror and con.
FUSION few who endeavored TO hide them
selves under the bank of the creek were sur
rounded and shot down in cold blood Offering
but feeble resistance. From the sucking babe
to the old warrior, all who were overtakeu
with killing women and children, who wers
incapable of offering any resistance, the SOL.
dlers lndulged in acts of barbarity Of the most
Ievoltng character" This continued moro
than two hours, the officers making no efforts
to restrain the savage cruelty of their men.
Over one hundred bodies, chiefly of women
and children, were left on the field. The COM
mlttee is particularly severe in its remarks
upon Governor Evans and Colonel Chiving-
ton, concluding their report with the following
recommendation: "Your committee are OF
cause of justice and upholding the honor OF the.
natlon prompt and energetic measures should
be at once taken to remove from office those
who have thus disgraced the Government by
whom they are employed, and to punish, as
their crimes deserve, those who have been
guilty of these brutal and cowardly acts."