Forgotten Heroes & Villains of Sand Creek

by Carol Turner

On November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington led a bloody and terrible raid on an encampment of Arapaho and Cheyenne who had come to the area believing they were on a path to peace. Before it was over, between 130 and 180 Native Americans had been massacred. This attack, known as the Sand Creek Massacre, is one of the most well-known and notorious events in Colorado's history. In Forgotten Heroes and Villains of Sand Creek , author Carol Turner turns an eye to the central characters, their histories and how they came to be part of this bloody episode. This fascinating look at such a pivotal event, its instigators and its martyrs includes the stories of John Chivington, an ambitious preacher with a streak of cruelty; Captain Silas Soule, a man who is still honored today by the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes for his efforts to save their ancestors; Ned Wynkoop, the Fort Lyon commander who had a change of heart regarding the tribes; Chief One Eye, a persuasive and charismatic medicine man; and many, many more.

Genres: History

128 pages, Paperback

First published June 11, 2010

About the author

Carol Turner was born and raised in Colorado and lived for many years in Northern California. She has a BA in English from Sonoma State University and an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Bennington College. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous literary magazines. She lives in Port Angeles, Washington.

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly fresh take on Sand Creek, looking at it through 14 short biographies instead of chronologically. Allowed me to get inside the minds of several of the principals in a way that previous books didn’t.