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    THE NEWS which came by last evening's mail pretends to reply to our article of Friday week, concerning the responsibility of the Indian war--One half the article of the News refers to trivial points having no bearing at all on the main question. Such are the hopelessness, in the estimation of the News of convincing the Journal that it is in error; the opinions and sympathies of the Journal on the general subject of Indians; the acknowledgment by the News of having falsified the record in a former issue; the alleged garbling of extracts from the News by the Journal; the authorizing of Wynkoop by the Governor and Col. Chivington to make a treaty with Black Kettle; the cause of Maj. Downing's leaving the Service; the telegrams of Curtis, as if he, being in Leavenworth, should know what was going on except as told him. All these points, raised to divert attention from the main issue, are of no importance, and the News will excuse us from further alluding to them.
    The News then gives its version of the commencement of the Indian war, in substance as follows:

    "On the 7th of April the Indians drove off about 175 head of cattle belonging to Irwin & Jackman, which were being herded on the bend of Big Sandy, information whereof reached Denver on the 9th.
    A day or two later a descent was made upon the herd of Mr. Ripley, living on Bijou Creek, and thirty-five head of horses and mules driven off. A good deal of stock was taken from the same neighborhood at the same time. On the 11th of April Mr. Ripley reached Camp Sanborn and reported the loss of his stock; also that the Indians were taking all the stock, and the settlers were all fleeing for their lives from the Bijou valley. Capt. Sanborn, in command of the camp named, at once ordered Lieut. Dunn with forty men in pursuit of the Indians to recover the stock. The command started on the 12th, accompanied by Mr. Ripley. To increase the chances for success the little force was divided into two or three squads. About 5 o'clock in the evening, Lieut. D., with fifteen men, came up with the Indians. They were driving a large herd of stock and in it Mr. Ripley recognized his stolen animals.
    Lieut. Dunn demanded the restoration of his stock, but the Indians only laughed in his face. He urged his demand and they replied that they would fight first. To impress them with his pacific intentions, he dismounted and advanced on foot and alone towards the Indians. When within ten steps, or less they fired upon him, which was the signal for a general fight. In the meantime the Indians had been hurrying the stock to the bluffs, and succeeded in getting it away. This was the first collision and the first bloodshed. The Indians were the first to fire upon a single dismounted man. They had before stolen hundreds of cattle, horses and mules; certainly sufficient provocation to justify a demand for the restoration of a few animals at least. The fight resulted in the wounding of four of Lieut. Dunn's men, two of whom died. The Indians numbered forty-five or fifty and several were killed and wounded.
    Lieut. Dunn returned to Camp Sanborn the same night, and the next day again started in pursuit of the savages, with fresh horses, but a severe snow storm coming on obliterated the trail and he returned without effecting anything. The facts were all reported to Col. Chivington, and on the 18th of April, he dispatched Major Downing, with companies C and H, of the Colorado First, with instructions to "appropriately chastise the Indians for their acts of lawlessness." He overtook them at Cedar Cannon and had a severe battle, which resulted in loss to both sides. This was almost a month after their first depredations were committed, and long subsequent to many other outrages by the Indians along the Platt and upon other frontier settlements. This shows who began the Indian war, but perhaps the Journal thinks our people should have borne in silence the encroachments of the red devils upon our settlements.

    That shows who began the war, we admit, if it be true. Had we not heard several soldiers and teamsters who were through it all tell very different stories; and were not the News in the habit of committing most grevious errors of statement, one of which is acknowledged in the article before us, we might take it for granted. As it is, we do not credit it, but lay it before our readers that they may see both sides, since it is not our aim or intention to do injustice to anybody or any party.

Source:

Unknown, "Local and Miscellaneous," Daily Mining Journal, Black Hawk City, Gilpin County, Colorado, Saturday, 4 March, 1865, p. 3.