In 1851 the terms of the Treaty of Fort Laramie had guaranteed the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians ownership of land north of the Arkansas River to the Nebraska border.
During the 1850s European and American prospectors took to the region in search of gold and by the end of the decade there were increasing conflicts between the Indians and the settlers.
In 1861 a delegation of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe led by Chief Black Kettle agreed a second treaty, The Treaty of Fort Wise, whereby they gave up rights to the land in exchange for a place on a reservation and a guaranteed financial yearly payment.
Many Indians did not support the treaty, particularly when it became clear that the land they had been given, even with the financial yearly payment, would not support the tribes and continued to hunt on their old lands.
In 1861 the American Civil War broke out. Colonel John Chivington was put in command of the First Regiment of Colorado Volunteers. Chivington, like Colorado Governor John Evans believed that the Indians should be forced to remain on the reservation and that those caught stealing livestock should be dealt with severely.
On 16th May 1864, an army force led by George S. Eayre shot and killed a number of Indians hunting buffalo even though the natives had signalled peace. This action sparked off a new wave of conflict between Indians and whites. However, Black Kettle was determined to maintain a peaceful stance and entered new negotiations.
In August 1864 Black Kettle agreed with Governor Evans to move his tribe to Fort Lyon. In late November the tribe were allowed to camp along the Sandy Creek bank and the American flag was flown above Black Kettle’s tepee to show that they were peaceful. Most of the warriors were hunting buffalo leaving women, children and those men who were too old or too young to join the hunt in the camp.
On the evening of November 28th John Chivington took 700 soldiers in search of Black Kettle’s camp. On the morning of 29th November Chivington gave the order to attack. Two officers refused to comply with the order but others followed his order and attacked. About 150 Indians were killed, over half of them women and children. The soldiers mutilated the bodies and burnt the tepees.
Initially hailed as a victory for the army, the events were soon condemned as it became clear that a massacre had occurred. Chivington resigned from the army in disgrace.
