Today in History:

959 Series I Volume XLI-I Serial 83 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part I

Page 959 Chapter LIII. ENGAGEMENT ON SAND CREEK, COLO. TER.

village to take care of the killed and wounded companions. Company E lost 1 killed and 1 wounded; Company F, 1 wounded; Company D, 2 killed and 1 wounded.

As for the bravery displayed by any one in particular, I have no distinction to make. All I can say for officers and men is that they all behaved well and won for themselves a name that will be remembered for ages to come. The number of Indians killed by my battalion is 60.

I am, colonel, yours, truly,

T. G. CREE,

Captain, Commanding Third Batt., Third Colorado Cav.

Colonel GEORGE L. SHOUP.


Numbers 9. Report of Major Edward W. Wynkoop, First Colorado Cavalry, of an investigation of Indian affairs in the vicinity of Fort Lyon, Colo. Ter.

FORT LYON, COLO. TER., January 15, 1865.

SIR: In pursuance of Special Orders, Numbers 43, headquarters District of Upper Arkansas, directing me to assume command of Fort Lyon, as well as to investigate and immediately report in regard to late Indian proceedings in this vicinity, I have the honor to state that I arrived at this post on the evening of the 14th of January, 1865, assumed command on the morning of the 15th of January, 1865, and the result of my investigation is as follows, viz:

An explanatory, I beg respectfully to state that while formerly in command of this post, on the 4th day of September, 1864, and after certain hostilities on the part of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians, induced, as I have had ample proof, by the overt acts of white men, three Indians (Cheyennes) were brought as prisoners to me, who had been found coming toward the post, and who had in their possession a letter written, as I ascertained afterward, by a half-breed in the Cheyenne camp as coming from Black Kettle and other prominent chiefs of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Nations, the purport of which was that they desired peace, had never desired to be at war with the whites, &c., as well as stating that they had in their possession some white prisoners, women and children, whom they were willing to deliver up provided that peace was granted them. Knowing that it was not in my power to insure and offer them the peace for which they sued, but at the same time anxious, if possible, to accomplish the rescue of the white prisoners in their possession, I finally concluded to risk an expedition with the command I could raise (numbering 127 men) to their rendezvous, where, I was informed, they were congregated to the number of 2,000, and endeavor by some means to procure to aforesaid white prisoners, and to be governed in my course in accomplishing the same entirely by circumstances. Having formerly made lengthy reports in regard to the details of my expedition, I have but to say that I succeeded--procured four white captives from the hands of these Indians--simply giving them in return a pledge that I would endeavor to procure for them the peace for which they so anxiously sued, feeling that under the proclamation issued by John Evans, Governor of Colorado and superintendent of Indian affairs (a copy of which becomes a portion of this report), even if not by virtue of my


Page 959 Chapter LIII. ENGAGEMENT ON SAND CREEK, COLO. TER.