The Indians of the Pike's Peak Region: Including an Account of the Battle of Sand Creek, and of Occurrences in El Paso County, Colorado, during the War with the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, in 1864 and 1868Howbert, Irving
History
The Indians of the Pike's Peak Region: Including an Account of the Battle of Sand Creek, and of Occurrences in El Paso County, Colorado, during the War with the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, in 1864 and 1868
Howbert, Irving
El Paso County, Colo. -- History; Indians of North America -- Colorado; Sand Creek Massacre, Colo., 1864
While this engagement had been going on, stirring events had been
happening in the neighborhood of Colorado City and elsewhere in the
county. As I have already stated, within the next few days after the
killing of Mrs. Dieterman, and the raid upon Teachout's horses, most
of the ranchmen down the Fountain Valley had brought their families to
Colorado City for protection. The people of the Divide gathered for
defense at McShane's ranch near Monument, at John Irion's on Cherry
Creek, and at Husted's mill in the pinery. The air was full of rumors
of Indian depredations in every direction; but, as it was harvest time,
it was imperative that the gathering of the crops be attended to. This
made it necessary that some chances be taken, and it so happened that,
when the crisis came, many of the men of Colorado City were out in the
harvest fields of the surrounding country.
About noon on September 3, 1868, a band of forty to fifty Indians came
dashing down the valley of Monument Creek, capturing all loose horses
in their path. The first white man they ran across was Robert F. Love,
of Colorado City, who was riding along the higher ground to the east
of Monument Creek, not far from the present town of Roswell. As soon
as Love saw the Indians, instead of trying to get away, which he knew
would be useless, he dismounted, keeping his pony between himself and
the savages, and, by keeping his revolver pointed in their direction,
showing them that he was armed. After maneuvering around him for a time,
the Indians passed on, apparently convinced that some of them would get
hurt if they remained. It was not their policy to take many chances, as
was evidenced throughout their entire stay in this region. They seldom
troubled people who seemed to offer any serious resistance, seeking rather
defenseless men, women, and children. Soon after leaving Love, a few of
the Indians crossed Monument Creek to the house of David Spielman, which
stood on the west side, about half a mile above the Mesa Road Bridge in
the present city of Colorado Springs. Spielman had just finished moving
his family and household effects to Colorado City, and being tired, had
lain down behind the open front door, and had gone to sleep. The Indians
looked in at the open door, but fortunately did not see him. They then
went to the corral and took from it a horse that Spielman had purchased
only the day before. After that they recrossed Monument Creek and joined
the main body, which continued rapidly along the low ground east of the
creek, crossing the present Washburn Athletic Field, on the way, and
coming out on to the higher ground a few hundred yards south of Cutler
Academy, near where the Hagerman residence now stands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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