This is the only National Park Land that uses the word massacre in it according to the Ranger. It focuses on the mistakes the US made rather than spinning the story to make it less bad. And this one is …bad. The US took responsibility for it and called it heinous. They promised reparations to the survivors. 155 years later – no reparations.
Captain Silas S. Soule, one of the two officers who refused to participate in the unprovoked killing of kids, women, elderly and the men, wrote a detailed report that was used by congress to figure out what happened. Soule was then killed in the streets of Denver. Even though the killers were identified. No charges were filed.
Hundreds of innocent Cheyenne and Arapaho were butchered and the soldiers took their scalps and genitals back to Denver to celebrate. They were given a heroes welcome. Down the road from the slaughter, the people named a city after the military leader in charge. Chivington, CO still exists.
I drove back to Missouri in a subdued mood. Saddened by all of this.
These are the true plains of Eastern Colorado – where the Buffalo once roamed
The United States Government decided NOT to sugar coat this story
The 750 Cheyenne and Arapaho were trying to live in peace on the little land that they had remaining.
They were told, fly this flag – you will not be harmed
Besides the death and mutilation, the entire Cheyenne and Arapaho nations suffered from the trauma
These letters resurfaced 135 years later.
No Charges for Anyone. No prosecution for a single person.
The sadness permeates the ground
The bodies are buried there – it is a sacred site
The flowers remember
The plants still mourn
It’s an ongoing tragedy still affecting people today
This area of Colorado was sheltered a large group of Chiefs and their people
I cannot imagine the horror as people tried to hide, tried to flee, and tried to fight
This chief and his wife survived
…changed forever…
This peace delegation was destined to die
I shed tears of sorrow centuries later
At least the Park Service has provided this memorial for us to remember. We must not forget.
Freshly "Pic'ed" 