Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-12
cH1v1NGroN AND SAND CREEK.
AT HONE, HAPPY Hollow, Kan.
October, 1883.

To the Editor Of the Eagle.
Not very long ago was at a neigh
boris and always being of disposition
to see and to know all that was going
on l picked up newspaper printed In
Wichita. When nearly the first word /
seen distinctly was Col. Chivington and
massacre, being one Of the pet lambs I
understood was up. Now the writer
has only told one side of the story and
makes it look very plausible to the read
ing part of the community that know
nothing of the other side that his side is
right. 1t has been about twenty-four
years since the Sand creek fight and may
not be able to give our side just exactly
as it was in every particular, but l will
try and not exagerate in coloring. Black
Kettle was in command of the Cheyennes
at Sand creek, and perhaps month be-
fore the fight occurred he dug rifle pits
and sent challenge to the commander
at Fort Lyon to come out and fight him,
distance of about forty miles. Win
koop, | think he was in command at
Fort Lyon, a major of the(pet lambs)Colo-
RADIO First, sent word to Denver to Col.
Chivington that Black Kettle was,at Sand
creek spelling for fight, and wanted him
to come out TO fight him. Winkoop, or
the major in cammand at Fort Lyon,
had only about 200 men all told in his
command; some of that number were
out on a scout, others guarding the mail
and some would have to guard the Fort,
so he had but few men that he could
take. Chivington had, think, two
companies of the First and took nearly
all the colored Third, commanded by
Col. Shoup.
Now the way Col. Chivington man.
aged to come on the (theiving) hunting
party by surprise was this: The dis
lance from Denver to Fort Lyon was
two hundred and fifty miles. Col.
Chivington started from Denver
and Travelled on easy marches to
Bent's old fort, about forty-five miles
from Ft, Lyon, camped there one night;
had stopped the stage both ways and all
messengers; allowed no man to leave
the command that was travelling. From
Bent's Fort to Fort Lyon was forced
march, getting there by 10 a. N. the
same day His first order, not man to
touch drop of liquor that day. Second
order, to prepare three days cooked ra-
tons right away, and at shutdown start
for Sand creek with all the men that
could be spared from the fort: got to
Sand creek just at coming daylight next
morning, but not early enough to catch
the Indians mapping. A brother of
George Bent, or some one from Fort
Lyon got there just as the troops did, or
before, and gave the alarm and they got
away with the most of their stock, but
we got think about sixty head of horses,
mostly Indian ponies. The squaws and
pappooses fought as hard as the men
and as venomous as they could.
The writer in the paper alluded to
intimates that the Indians were surprised
and at disadvantage. How was it with
the Hungate family; did the Indians
send them word they were coming? Nay,
verify; but came on them in cold blood
and murdered them and scalped them,
some of them twice. Seven or eight
Indians and only three whites, a man,
his wife, and l think little daughter
This was in June or July before the
Sand creek fight. only few miles out
from Denver, perhaps twelve or fifteen
miles, where they were living on ranch.
l have said perhaps, enough for one
time. l intimated that this was a thiev-
ing pack of Indians; / will give my rea-
sons for SO saying in another article.
ZARCH MCCLUNG.
81