Sand Creek Massacre

We want to take good tidings home to our people, that they may sleep in peace I want you to give all the chiefs of the soldiers here to understand that we are for peace, and that we have made peace, that we may not be mistaken by them for enemies.
Black Kettle (Motavato), Southern Cheyenne

The Cheyennes will have to be soundly whipped before they will be quiet. If any of them are caught in your vicinity kill them, as that is the only way.
Colonel John Chivington, United States Army

From down the creek a large body of troops was advancing at a rapid trot, some to the east of the camps, and others on the opposite side of the creek, to the west...I looked toward the chief's lodge and saw Black Kettle had a large American flag tied to the end of a long lodgepole and was standing in front of his lodge holding the pole...I heard him call to the people not to be afraid, that the soldiers would not hurt them; then the troops opened fire...That night will never be forgotten as long as any of us who went through it are alive...Many who had lost wives, husbands and children, or friends, went back down the creek and crept over the battleground among the naked and mutilated bodies of the dead. Few were found alive, for the soldiers had done their work thoroughly.
George Bent, Southern Cheyenne

There was one little child, probably three years old, just big enough to walk through the sand...I saw one man get off his horse...and draw up his rifle and fire, he missed the child. Another man came up and said, "Let me try the son of a bitch; I can bit him"...but he missed him. A third man came up and made a similar remark, and fired, and the little fellow dropped.
Major Scott Anthony, United States Army

I did not see a body of a man, woman, child but was scalped; and in many instances their bodies were mutilated in the most horrible manner, men, women, and children-privates cut out, etc. I heard one man say that he had cut a woman's private parts out and had them for exhibition on a stick; I heard another man say that he had cut the fingers off an Indian to get the rings on the hand...I also heard of numerous instances in which men had cut out the private parts of females, and stretched them over the saddle bows, and wore them over their hats, while riding in the ranks.
First Lieutenant James Connor, United States Army

I once thought that I was the only man that persevered to be the friend of the white man, but since they have come and cleaned out our lodges, horses, and everything else, it is hard for me to believe white men any more.
Black Kettle (Motavato), Southern Cheyenne

But what do we want to live for? The white man has taken our country, killed all of our game; was not satisfied with that, but killed our wives and children.
Southern Cheyenne Council

The hatred of the whites to the Indians would seem to have been inflamed and excited to the utmost...Governor [Evans] in a proclamation calls upon all "either individually or in such parties as they may organize, to kill and destroy as enemies of the country, wherever they may be found, all such hostile Indians."...What Indians he would ever term friendly it is impossible to tell.
Joint Special Committee of United States Congress

As to Colonel Chivington, your committee can hardly find fitting terms to describe his conduct...he deliberately planned and executed a foul and dastardly massacre...Having full knowledge of their friendly character, having himself been instrumental to some extent in placing them in their position of fancied security, he took advantage of their inapprehension...the truth is that he surprised and murdered, in cold blood, the unsuspecting men, women, and children on Sand Creek...and then returned to Denver and boasted of the brave deeds he and the men under his command had performed.
Joint Special Committee of United States Congress

An account of the Sand Creek Massacre