Sand Creek Massacre ~ "Nits make Lice"
***WARNING Explicit Content***
Governor John Evans of Colorado Territory sought to open up the Cheyenne and Arapaho hunting grounds to white development. The tribes, however, refused to sell their lands and settle on reservations. Evans decided to call out VOLUNTEER militiamen under Colonel John Chivington to quell the mounting restlessness. John Chivington HAD ONCE BELONGED TO THE CLERGY, but his compassion for his fellow man did not extend to the Indians.
In the spring of 1864, Chivington launched a campaign of violence against the Cheyenne and their allies, his troops attacking any and all Indians and razing their villages. Evans and Chivington reinforced their militia, raising the Third Colorado Calvary of short-term volunteers who referred to themselves as "Hundred Dazers". After a summer of scattered small raids and clashes, white and Indian representatives met at Camp Weld outside of Denver on September 28th. Chief Black Kettle, a peace keeping Chief of a band of some 600 Southern Cheyennes and Arapahos reported to Fort Lyon and then camped on the banks of Sand Creek about 40 miles north. No treaties were signed, but the Indians believed that by reporting and camping near the army posts, they would be declaring peace and accepting sanctuary.
Ever trusting Chief Black Kettle had raised both an American and a white flag of peace over his tepee. In response, Chivington raised his arm for the attack. Chivington wanted a victory, not prisoners, and so men, women and children were hunted down and shot. With cannons and rifles pounding them, the Indians scattered in panic. Then the crazed soldiers charged and killed anything that moved. A few warriors managed to fight back to allow some of the tribe to escape across the stream, including Chief Black Kettle. Col. Chivington was as thorough as he was heartless. An interpreter living in the village testified, "THEY WERE SCALPED, THEIR BRAINS KNOCKED OUT; THE MEN USED THEIR KNIVES, RIPPED OPEN WOMEN, CLUBBED LITTLE CHILDREN, KNOCKED THEM IN THE HEAD WITH THEIR RIFLE BUTTS, BEAT THEIR BRAINS OUT, MUTILATED THEIR BODIES IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. ONE WOMAN WAS CUT OPEN AND A CHILD WAS CUT OUT OF HER AND THEN SCALPED. WHITE ANTELOPE, WAR BONNET AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS HAD THEIR EARS AND SCROTUMS CUT OFF. THE VULVAS OF WOMEN WERE CUT OUT FOR TROPIES. By the end of the one-sided battle as many as 200 Indian, had been slaughtered and viciously mutilated. More than half of them were women and children,
Col. Chivington later appeared on a Denver stage where he delighted audiences with his war stories and displayed 100 'INDIAN SCALPS, including the 'PUBIC HAIRS OF WOMEN.' Chivington was later denounced in a congressional investigation and forced to resign. When asked at the military inquiry why children had been killed, Chivington was quoted as saying, "NITS MAKE LICE."
— with Princess Margarita Lyttle-falamoe andPrincess Margarita Lyttle.
***WARNING Explicit Content***
Governor John Evans of Colorado Territory sought to open up the Cheyenne and Arapaho hunting grounds to white development. The tribes, however, refused to sell their lands and settle on reservations. Evans decided to call out VOLUNTEER militiamen under Colonel John Chivington to quell the mounting restlessness. John Chivington HAD ONCE BELONGED TO THE CLERGY, but his compassion for his fellow man did not extend to the Indians.
In the spring of 1864, Chivington launched a campaign of violence against the Cheyenne and their allies, his troops attacking any and all Indians and razing their villages. Evans and Chivington reinforced their militia, raising the Third Colorado Calvary of short-term volunteers who referred to themselves as "Hundred Dazers". After a summer of scattered small raids and clashes, white and Indian representatives met at Camp Weld outside of Denver on September 28th. Chief Black Kettle, a peace keeping Chief of a band of some 600 Southern Cheyennes and Arapahos reported to Fort Lyon and then camped on the banks of Sand Creek about 40 miles north. No treaties were signed, but the Indians believed that by reporting and camping near the army posts, they would be declaring peace and accepting sanctuary.
Ever trusting Chief Black Kettle had raised both an American and a white flag of peace over his tepee. In response, Chivington raised his arm for the attack. Chivington wanted a victory, not prisoners, and so men, women and children were hunted down and shot. With cannons and rifles pounding them, the Indians scattered in panic. Then the crazed soldiers charged and killed anything that moved. A few warriors managed to fight back to allow some of the tribe to escape across the stream, including Chief Black Kettle. Col. Chivington was as thorough as he was heartless. An interpreter living in the village testified, "THEY WERE SCALPED, THEIR BRAINS KNOCKED OUT; THE MEN USED THEIR KNIVES, RIPPED OPEN WOMEN, CLUBBED LITTLE CHILDREN, KNOCKED THEM IN THE HEAD WITH THEIR RIFLE BUTTS, BEAT THEIR BRAINS OUT, MUTILATED THEIR BODIES IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. ONE WOMAN WAS CUT OPEN AND A CHILD WAS CUT OUT OF HER AND THEN SCALPED. WHITE ANTELOPE, WAR BONNET AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS HAD THEIR EARS AND SCROTUMS CUT OFF. THE VULVAS OF WOMEN WERE CUT OUT FOR TROPIES. By the end of the one-sided battle as many as 200 Indian, had been slaughtered and viciously mutilated. More than half of them were women and children,
Col. Chivington later appeared on a Denver stage where he delighted audiences with his war stories and displayed 100 'INDIAN SCALPS, including the 'PUBIC HAIRS OF WOMEN.' Chivington was later denounced in a congressional investigation and forced to resign. When asked at the military inquiry why children had been killed, Chivington was quoted as saying, "NITS MAKE LICE."
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