I am twenty-four years old; was born on the Arkansas
river. I am pretty well acquainted with the Indians
of the plains, having spent most of my life among
them. I was employed as guide and interpreter at
Fort Lyon by Major Anthony. Colonel Chivington ordered
me to accompany him on his way to Sand creek. The
command consisted of from nine hundred to one thousand
men, principally Colorado volunteers. We left Fort
Lyon at eight o'clock in the evening, and came on
to the Indian camp at daylight the next morning.
Colonel Chivington surrounded the village with his
troops. When we came in sight of the camp I saw
the American flag waving and heard Black Kettle
tell the Indians to stand round the flag, and there
they were huddled--men, women, and children. This
was when we were within fifty yards of the Indians.
I also saw a white flag raised. These flags were
in so conspicuous a position that they must have
been seen. When the troops fired the Indians ran,
some of the men into their lodges, probably to get
their arms. They had time to get away if they had
wanted to. I remained on the field five hours, and
when I left there were shots being fired up the
creek. I think there were six hundred Indians in
all. I think there were thirty-five braves and some
old men, about sixty in all. All fought well. At
the time the rest of the men were away from camp,
hunting. I visited the battle-ground one month afterwards;
saw the remains of a good many; counted sixty-nine,
but a number had been eaten by the wolves and dogs.
After the firing the warriors put the squaws and
children together, and surrounded them to protect
them. I saw five squaws under a bank for shelter.
When the troops came up to them they ran out and
showed their persons to let the soldiers know they
were squaws and begged for mercy, but the soldiers
shot them all. I saw one squaw lying on the bank
whose leg had been broken by a shell; a soldier
came up to her with a drawn sabre; she raised her
arm to protect herself, when he struck, breaking
her arm; she rolled over and raised her other arm,
when he struck, breaking it, and then left her without
killing her. There seemed to be an indiscriminate
slaughter of men, women, and children. There were
some thirty or forty squaws collected in a hole
for protection; they sent out a little girl about
six years old with a white flag on a stick; she
had not proceeded but a few steps when she was shot
and killed. All the squaws in that hole were afterwards
killed, and four or five bucks outside. The squaws
offered no resistance. Every one I saw dead was
scalped. I saw one squaw cut open with an unborn
child, as I thought, lying by her side. Captain
Soulé, afterwards told me that such was the
fact. I saw the body of White Antelope with the
privates cut off, and I heard a soldier say he was
going to make a tobacco-pouch out of them. I saw
one squaw whose privates had been cut out. I heard
Colonel Chivington say to the soldiers as they charged
past him, "Remember our wives and children
murdered on the Platte and Arkansas." He occupied
a position where he could not have failed to have
seen the American flag, which I think was a garrison
flag, six by twelve. He was within fifty yards when
he planted his battery. I saw a little girl about
five years of age who had been hid in the sand;
two soldiers discovered her, drew their pistols
and shot her, and then pulled her out of the sand
by the arm. I saw quite a number of infants in arms
killed with their mothers. |