The Sand Creek Massacre - Black Kettle Letter
to Agent Samuel Colley and Major Edward Wynkoop



In late August 1864, Cheyenne Principal Chief Black Kettle held council at his Smoky Hill River camp with other Cheyenne and Arapaho chiefs to discuss a peace proposal to the Union Army. The growing number of warrior depredations against whites during the summer had reached a fevered pitch, leaving the non-combatant tribes vulnerable to army reprisals. Black Kettle, War Bonnet, White Antelope, and One Eye, with Arapaho chiefs Left Hand and Little Raven, couldn’t convince the warrior clans among their own tribes to cease hostilities. They therefore decided to propose a peace council with Major Edward Wynkoop at Fort Lyon that might secure the safety of the peaceably inclined Indians within their own clans.


Although the whole of the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers and Arapaho warriors refused to endorse the proposal, Black Kettle did enlist the support of one war chief, Bull Bear of the Dog Soldiers. With the help of George Bent (the half-Cheyenne son of William Bent) and Bent’s brother-in-law, Edmund Guerrier (married to George Bent’s sister), the following letter resulted. Two letters were actually written, one to Indian Agent Samuel Colley, and an identical copy to Major Wynkoop, on the recommendation of Bent, who advised Black Kettle to direct his proposal to both a military commander and also to a government representative. This letter, accepted by Wynkoop, led to the Smoky Hill Council, in which Wynkoop successfully treated with Black Kettle and rescued four captive white children held by the Cheyennes and Arapahos.



Cheyenne Village Aug. 29th/64

Maj. Colley.


Sir

We received a letter from Bent wishing us to make peace.1 We held a consel in regard to it & all came to the conclusion to make peace with you providing you make peace with the Kiowas Commenches, Arrapahoes Apaches and Siouxs.


We are going to send a messenger to the Kiowas and to the other nations about our going to make with you. We heard that you some prisoners in Denver.2 We have seven prisoners of you which we are willing to give up providing you give up yours.3


There are three war parties out yet and two of Arrapahoes. they have been out some time and exspect now soon.


When we held this counsel there were few Arrapahoes and Siouxs present. we want true news from you in return, that is a letter.


Black Kittle &other Chieves


Brought to Ft Lyon Sunday Sept 4th 1864 by One Eye –



1 – The “letter from Bent” that Black Kettle refers to is the first proclamation issued by Governor Evans. This proclamation, written in late June, was not delivered to Black Kettle until sometime in August. Bent, as well as many of the other agents sent to deliver the proclamation, had a difficult time finding the hundreds of nomadic Indian bands roaming Kansas and Nebraska. In the meantime, Evans had abandoned his first proposal and issued his second proclamation that essentially declared war on all Indian tribes on the Plains.


2 – Although Black Kettle refers to Indian prisoners in Denver, no such captives existed, for any Indians that ventured near the city would surely have been killed on sight.


3 - Laura Roper, Isabel Eubank, Dan Marble, Ambrose Archer were in the possession of Left Hand and his brother, Neva. Left Hand and Black Kettle had negotiated a trade with the Dog Soldier warriors that captured them in a murderous raid on the Little Blue River. Lucinda Eubank and her infant son, William Jr., were separated from Laura and Isabel after the raids, and were in the possession the Sioux warrior Two Face. Two women, known as Mrs. Snyder (kidnapped by Little Raven’s son near Fort Lyon), and a Mrs. Morton (kidnapped on the Platte) were the other captives. At the time Black Kettle sent this letter, he only knew the exact whereabouts of Laura and the three other children. He was apparently gambling on the possibility of rounding up the others, if Wynkoop agreed to his terms. In the end, Black Kettle only returned Laura, Isabel, Dan and Ambrose. He would promise to try to find the others but failed to do so. Read about Laura Roper's ordeal.




Black Kettle letter photograph Copyright © Colorado College

Courtesy Special Collections, Tutt Library, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado.







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