New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-03
THE SAND CREEK uASSACRE.

en- H." TAKES A FINAL SHOT AT MIR. WILLIAM N
BYFRs AND HIS ACCOUNT OF THE AFFAIR
TO the Editor OF The Tribune
SIR: In reply to the assertion that the perpetra-
tors of the Sand Greek Massacre were denied
hearing in their defence" / wish to state to the
readers of THE TRIBUNE that In addition 10 the
Congressional Committees from whose reports l
have already quoted, there was appointed Military
Commission TO investigate that massacre. This
Commission sat seyenty-three days. In Denver ana
Mt Fort Lyon. Colonel j. NJ. Cbivingtou called be-
fore Il in his defence" all the witnesses he chose
md rave notice on the seventy-third day of the
Commissions sitting that he did not wish to nitro
dnoe any more witnesses for the defence" He also
had and used) the privilege of cIOss-examining
everv witness called by the Commission. The owl
depce given before this Commission occupies over
two hundred pages OF Volume 2, Senate Documents
for 1SG6'67.
In reDiy to the assertion that ca great majority
of The savage atrocities of that period occurred be-
fore the massacre at Sand Creek and that " com
partyely few occurred after" l will give to the
readers Of THE TRIBUNE one extract from the re-
mort OF the Indian Peace Commission of lS6S. Al
luding TO the Sand Creek Massacre the report saws
IL scarcely has its parallel IN the records OF 'da
barbarIty fleeing wOmen holding up then banOs ana
praying for mercy were saut down infants nIe hi!e'
and eca.ped IN nItsOh; men were tortured ana uull
Hted ia q manner that would put 10 shame lt sN"kts
oi interior Africa. No one Will be asto9sed a' "a
tnsued, which cost the Government 95OVuOVOV' anu
carried cOAdlgratiOD and death INTO the h0I st'le-
ments Daring the summer and spring OF leo)' no less
than 5000 troops we're "ItauIt"u i4oi nt t ~
forces ged In the Rebellion 10 meet inns hdaD ""i
The Commissioners who made this report were ::
n. j. Taylor, president J. b. Henderson, John Is.
Sanborn, William I. Sherman, Northumberland;
William s. Harvey. Breyet MajOrGeneral; Alfred
H. Terry, Brevet Major-GeneIalj &C. AuguT' Breyet
Naior-Gcneral; ; S. +. Iappan.
q NOT
"either Bought or paid for any land" l will ask
such Of THE TRIBUNE readers as are interested M
tine subject 10 read the Brunot Treaty" made
September -, 1873 between Felix X. Brunot,
Commissioner for the United States, and The chiefs,
headmen and men OF he seven coniederated bands
OF Utos 1t is to be found IN the report OF the De-
partmeut of the Interior tor 1873, p. 454.
In conclusion Of tho discussion as to the Sand
Creek Massacre. viii relate one more incident Of
that ,err Die day Il has not been recorded in any
of the reports 1t tod IN Colorado to one Of tho
members 0fthe Senate Committcea az t-c time Of their
INVESTIGATION: One of he squaws had escaped from
the village, and was crOuchug behind some low sage
brush. frightened horse came running toward
her hiding place, lis owner IN hot pursuit. Seeing
that The horse was making directly tor her shelter
and that she would inevitably be seen, and think
ing at possibly if she caught the horse, and gave
him back TO the owner, she might thus save her he,
she ran after the horse, caughtit. and stood holding
it till the soldier came MP. Remembering nat with
her blanket rolled tight around her, she might pos
sibly be taken for a man, as she put into the sol
der's hand the horses bride, with the other hand
she threw open her blanket enough TO show her
bosom hat he might that he was a woman. He
put the muZZle OF ms pistol between her breasts and
shot her dead and, afterwards, was not ashamed
to boast If the act. Ii was by such deeos IS TINS
Shat " the Colorado soldiers acquitted themselves
well. and covered themselves with s.0iy" l.. II.
Aeir- York. Feb. %, 1850.