The Sand Creek Massacre
First Proclamation issued by Governor John Evans, June 27, 1864
First Proclamation issued by Governor John Evans, June 27, 1864
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COLORADO SUPERINTENDENCY INDIAN AFFAIRS,
Denver, June 27, 1864.
TO THE FRIENDLY INDIANS OF THE PLAINS:
Agents, interpreters, and traders will inform the friendly Indians of the plains that some members
of their tribes have gone to war with the white people. They steal stock and run it off, hoping to
escape detection and punishment. In some instances they have attacked and killed soldiers and
murdered peaceable citizens. For this the Great Father is angry, and will certainly hunt them out
and punish them, but he does not want to injure those who remain friendly to the whites. He
desires to protect and take care of them. For this purpose I direct that all friendly Indians keep
away from those who are at war, and go to places of safety. Friendly Arapahoes and Cheyennes
belonging on the Arkansas River will go to Major Colley, U. S. Indian agent at Fort Lyon, who will
give them provisions, and show them a place of safety. Friendly Kiowas and Comanches will go
to Fort Larned, where they will be cared for in the same way. Friendly Sioux will go to their agent
at Fort Laramie for directions. Friendly Arapahoes and Cheyennes of the Upper Platte will go to
Camp Collins on the Cache la Poudre, where they will be assigned a place of safety and
provisions will be given them.
The object of this is to prevent friendly Indians from being killed through mistake. None but those
who intend to be friendly with the whites must come to these places. The families of those who
have gone to war with the whites must be kept away from among the friendly Indians. The war on
hostile Indians will be continued until they are all effectually subdued.
JOHN EVANS,
Governor of Colorado and Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
“War of the Rebellion” - United States War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the
Union and Confederate Armies. Four series, 128 volumes. Series I - Volume XLI - Part I. Washington: Government
Printing Office. 1880-1901. pp. 963-964
Denver, June 27, 1864.
TO THE FRIENDLY INDIANS OF THE PLAINS:
Agents, interpreters, and traders will inform the friendly Indians of the plains that some members
of their tribes have gone to war with the white people. They steal stock and run it off, hoping to
escape detection and punishment. In some instances they have attacked and killed soldiers and
murdered peaceable citizens. For this the Great Father is angry, and will certainly hunt them out
and punish them, but he does not want to injure those who remain friendly to the whites. He
desires to protect and take care of them. For this purpose I direct that all friendly Indians keep
away from those who are at war, and go to places of safety. Friendly Arapahoes and Cheyennes
belonging on the Arkansas River will go to Major Colley, U. S. Indian agent at Fort Lyon, who will
give them provisions, and show them a place of safety. Friendly Kiowas and Comanches will go
to Fort Larned, where they will be cared for in the same way. Friendly Sioux will go to their agent
at Fort Laramie for directions. Friendly Arapahoes and Cheyennes of the Upper Platte will go to
Camp Collins on the Cache la Poudre, where they will be assigned a place of safety and
provisions will be given them.
The object of this is to prevent friendly Indians from being killed through mistake. None but those
who intend to be friendly with the whites must come to these places. The families of those who
have gone to war with the whites must be kept away from among the friendly Indians. The war on
hostile Indians will be continued until they are all effectually subdued.
JOHN EVANS,
Governor of Colorado and Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
“War of the Rebellion” - United States War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the
Union and Confederate Armies. Four series, 128 volumes. Series I - Volume XLI - Part I. Washington: Government
Printing Office. 1880-1901. pp. 963-964
On June 27, 1864, Colorado Territorial Governor John Evans
issued a proclamation: To The Friendly Indians of the Plains,
hoping to separate non-combatant Plains Indians tribes from the
warrior clans that had declared war on Colorado settlers. Given
time and proper communication between the Administrative and
Military branches of the government, Evans’ plan might have
been successful. Unfortunately, military leaders, who were
preoccupied with the Civil War, had paid little attention to the
growing problems brewing between the Indians and settlers in
Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado.
Union soldiers on the plains were left on their own to make
decisions, and Colonel John M. Chivington was given specific
orders to ignore district lines to pursue and kill the warriors
guilty of murdering soldiers and civilians, and taking white
women and children hostages. Chivington, in turn, had ordered
all fort commanders to keep the Indians away from their
respective military outposts, authorizing a shoot first, ask
questions later policy. The commanders were given no order to
attempt to differentiate friendly Indians from the warriors.
Because Evans had no authority over the military, his
proclamation ran in direct conflict with military policy, and many
Cheyennes and Arapahos that received the Governor’s orders
were fired upon when they attempted to surrender.
issued a proclamation: To The Friendly Indians of the Plains,
hoping to separate non-combatant Plains Indians tribes from the
warrior clans that had declared war on Colorado settlers. Given
time and proper communication between the Administrative and
Military branches of the government, Evans’ plan might have
been successful. Unfortunately, military leaders, who were
preoccupied with the Civil War, had paid little attention to the
growing problems brewing between the Indians and settlers in
Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado.
Union soldiers on the plains were left on their own to make
decisions, and Colonel John M. Chivington was given specific
orders to ignore district lines to pursue and kill the warriors
guilty of murdering soldiers and civilians, and taking white
women and children hostages. Chivington, in turn, had ordered
all fort commanders to keep the Indians away from their
respective military outposts, authorizing a shoot first, ask
questions later policy. The commanders were given no order to
attempt to differentiate friendly Indians from the warriors.
Because Evans had no authority over the military, his
proclamation ran in direct conflict with military policy, and many
Cheyennes and Arapahos that received the Governor’s orders
were fired upon when they attempted to surrender.
| Colorado Territorial Governor John Evans (Denver Public Library Western History/Genealogy Dept.) |
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