The Indian Difficulties.
The Indian Difficulties.

The Indian Difficulties.

    In September last, Governor Evans, Major Wynkoop and Colonel Chivington had a talk with Black Kettle and several others of the principal chiefs of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, who then signified their desire for peace--Black Kettle and others declaring that they had nothing to do with the outrages that had been committed, but had always opposed them. These declarations were perfectly consistent with the actions of the chiefs in aiding Wynkoop in recovering several prisoners from the Indians, a short time before--among them a Miss Roper who had been captured at the first Indian attack on the Little Blue. Terms of amnesty were then entered into. The amnesty included a very large proportion of the plains Indians. They went to Fort Lyon, gave up their arms, and waited for Governor Evans to procure authority from Washington to negotiate a permanent treaty with them. In the mean time, they were to be supplied with food from the post. But provisions becoming short, the Indians were allowed their arms to hunt buffalo for their subsistance. They thus went out from Fort Lyon with their lodges, their women and children in perfect confidence, having the assurance of the highest authorities in Colorado that the amnesty should be fully carried out, and that they should be notified when the Great Father at Washington should send to them guarantees of peace. They were in their camp, they and their women and children, on the 29th of November, when Col. Chivington attacked and massacred them. The butchery was committed chiefly by men of the 3d Colorado--hundred days' men who had been enlisted especially to kill Indians--and who generally knew nothing of the stipulations of peace which had been made with the Indians. Men, women and children were indiscriminately butchered and barbarously mutilated. Black Kettle himself and other chiefs, who had always been for peace, were among the slain.
    This is the cause of the united determination of all the others to engage in a general warfare upon the Whites. This is the account which Colorado men give of the present aspect of affairs. We doubt not the account is correct.
    We clip the above from the Kansas City Journal of Commerce which republishes it from the Atchison Free Press.
    In the Miner's Register of Feb. 27th occurs the following editorial endorsement of the Atchison Free Press.
    "THE ATCHISON FREE PRESS IS SOUND ON THE INDIAN QUESTION."
    For ourself, we are not prepared to go so far as that. We believe that an amnesty had been agreed on and that efforts were being made to effect a treaty, but we do not personally know it. We believe that Black Kettle's Indians were faithful to the conditions of the amnesty; that they committed no depredations on the Whites and took no lives of the Whites between the date of the Denver Council and the 7th of January--about forty days after the battle of Sand Creek; but we do not positively know it.
    And by the way, this is the turning point of the affair. If, upon investigation, it shall appear that the Indians complied with the conditions of the amnesty imposed by Major Wynkoop, (since Governor Evans, as General Indian Agent, and Col. Chivington, as military commandant of the District of Colorado, authorized him to impose conditions and make such arrangements as he deemed best)--if, as we say, they complied with the conditions of the amnesty imposed by Wynkoop, upon what principle will any one attempt to justify Col. Chivington's attack on them at Sand Creek? If they did not comply with those conditions, the attack will need no justification; it will merit commendation. The question is, then, whether or not the Indians refrained from committing hostilities during the interval between the 29th of September and the 29th of November.
    As its determination is the object of the Court of Inquiry, we do not propose to endeavor to settle it, one way or the other. Whatever we might say ourself or publish on the authority of others concerning the matter, except it were in the shape of affidavits or sworn statements made before a competent court, would have little weight. And our object being to produce conviction, not to cover crime or shield criminals nor to stir up ill feeling among men who should be friends, we shall say no more about it at present.


Source:

Unknown, "The Indian Difficulties," Daily Mining Journal, Black Hawk, Colorado, Wednesday, 1 March, 1865, Page 2.

Created November 18, 2005; Revised November 18, 2005
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