17. The Colorado War
The Colorado War began in the spring of 1864 in a series of encounters between Cheyenne and white ranchers, including one incident in which the Cheyenne were found with 175 head of branded cattle stolen from Colorado settlers. A series of raids on isolated settlers by Cheyenne and Arapaho expanded during the summer to involve the Lakota, and along the Arkansas River, the Comanche and Kiowa also conducted raids. The 1st Colorado Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, expanded and supported by territorial militia, moved to subdue the Cheyenne, believing them to be the principal leader among the tribes. They were also considered the perpetrators of the massacre of the Hungate family, in which Nathan Hungate, his wife, and their two young daughters were brutally slaughtered.
Colonel John Chivington led the 1st Colorado Cavalry regiment that summer and fall. In November, a large encampment of Cheyenne and Arapaho were ordered to move their encampment to Big Sandy Creek. Most of the Cheyenne and Lakota Dog Soldiers, who were responsible for the majority of attacks on settlers throughout the preceding summer, were absent. When the Cheyenne and their allies refused to move they were attacked, with the result known to history as the Sand Creek Massacre. Following the action at Sand Creek many Arapaho and Cheyenne warriors opted to join the Dog Soldiers (essentially renegades), and attacks on settlers continued during the winter and into 1865, as the American Civil War continued to rage in the east.
Read More: Sand Creek Massacre: Part 2 – Slaughter of the Innocents.