The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-23

Il
turned that knowledge to account. They
placed themselves at the head OF bands
LOT Cheyennes, their mothers being
Cheyenne women, and went on pill
laying expedition. They had paid par
ticular attention to intrenching such
as was being employed in the civil war
then in progress, also as to the cOnstruc-
ton Of rif1e-pits. They fortified q place
on Sand Creek, SO called because OF its
sandy nature. This place was about As
miles due north of old Fort Lyon. After
completing their Notifications and OBJ
tanning all the arms they could by pur-
chase and plumber, they concluded their
position was impregnable and sent a
written challenge to Fort Lyon for the
soldiers to come out and fight them.
about As or so men. the commander
did not deem 1t advisable to divide his
force and accept the challenge
The fortified place Of the Indians on
| Sand Creek was about 40 miles west
Of the dividing line between Colorado
and Kansas.
The numbering and plundering con-
tinued until the Governor and citizens
concluded it was time to put stop to
| it. The old list Colo. Cav. had become
pretty we'll depleted by reason of the
three years men being discharged. The
regiment at that time was composed
of a few men who had veteranized and
a few recruits, and was scattered over
the Territory in small squads, guarding
stage stations and other places Con-
sequently another regiment was raised
for term of 100 days, including the
battalion that was left of the old LIST
Cav. of about 100 men. These were all
concentrated at old Fort Lyon, and
about sunset of Nov. %, 1864, the COM
mand started for the Indian camp, pre-
coded by guides and scouts, with
the veteran battalion riding in the rear
hn dow Tn hot ,nv~
the cavalcade rode until the first
streaks of day appeared in the east,
when the scouts came in and reported
that the Indian camp was in sight. The
command was halted and the battalion
of the old LIST Colo. Cav. was ordered
'Trot," quickly followed by "Gallop"
and "Charge!"
Zone thing that impressed me was
that the only two bald-headed men in
my company lost their hats in the
charge" says Comrade Ballou. 1--WE
ponies and they broke and ran for their
| Notifications. 200 or 800 yards further
up the creek. Their camp consisted of
SO lodges, in which were found plumber
captured by them from trains crossing
the plains. Three scalps were also
| found, one Of them having fiery-red
hair.
"At the point the Indians had chosen
to fortify the dry bed of the creek was
about 200 yards across the west bank.
For 500 feet the bank was perpendicu-
lar to the height of from IL to Is feet,
and along the base Of the bank they
had dug trench four feet deep, throw
| ing the dirt forward, which made a
| formidable breastWork. Back Of the
bank and under it they had dug large
| tunnels, Is to 80 feet long, for the pro-
lection Of the non-combatants. Along
the top of the bank they had dug rifle
pits about so feet apart, which would
shield four or five men each.
After the lively fight we found we
| had nine men killed and 81 wounded,
including myself. One arrow, after go
| ing through my carbine sling, pune
| tured my kidney.
1--WE did not find any white prisoners
/ after the fight, and there were no off,
GERS dismissed from the service, as has
been stated, for their participation in the
affair. The one principal reason for 1t
being termed a massacre was because
of a statement made by old Jack Smith,
the squaw man, and father Of young
Jack, the halfbreed. The old man had
long been a successful trader with the
| tribe, and was with the Indians when
1--WE attacked them. He lost his business
| as q result Of our raid and sued the
Government for 100000, but I never
heard that he received one cent Of the
amount claimed"
In conclusion, Comrade Ballou tells
| OF how his regiment, the 1st Colo. Cav,
met Gen. Sibley and his Texas Rangers,
when Sibley started on a raid with. the
ANNOUNCED intention Of cutting off ev-
erything west of the Rio Grande and
establishing a Pacific Confederacy.
But" says COmrade BallOu, "they