Chivington, John (1821-1894)

US soldier and Methodist minister. He was regarded as a hero during the American Civil War (1861-65) for defending Colorado against the Confederates at the Battle of Glorietta Pass in 1862, but as a villain for leading the Sand Creek massacre of 1864, an unprovoked attack by US Army volunteers on the sleeping Cheyenne and Arapaho camp of peace chief Black Kettle. Although congratulated locally, news soon leaked to the East that two-thirds of the 450 dead were women and children, many terribly mutilated. The subsequent condemnation of Chivington's actions by the US press and government destroyed his career and reputation.

Chivington's downfall showed that while the actions of the US Army and government in the Plains Wars were often brutal and barbaric, there were some occasions when they were unacceptable to the American people. Chivington was never officially punished for his part in the Sand Creek massacre, but his political and military career was destroyed, even in Colorado.

Early career Chivington was a minister in the Methodist church from 1844, and moved around the new territories and states of the West between 1844 and 1860 including Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Chivington was publicly anti-slavery, and his views had forced him to leave Missouri in the period before the American Civil War. He joined the Colorado Volunteer Regiment in 1860 and rose to the rank of major. He was instrumental in the defeat of the Confederate forces at the Battle of Glorietta Pass in 1862. This victory stopped the Confederate forces from gaining control of the West and the gold fields of Colorado. Chivington became a hero in Colorado and rose in politics in Denver, the territory's capital.

Chivington was a strong supporter of Colorado becoming a state and a strong opponent of the rights of the local American Indian population. In 1864 Chivington was made commander of the US Army's newly formed 3rd Colorado Volunteers. The atmosphere in Denver was strongly anti-Indian and, despite the efforts of Cheyenne chief Black Kettle to make peace with the territory's governor and regular US Army commanders, Chivington was intent on defeating the Cheyenne. Chivington had made it clear in many public speeches that he believed it was impossible for the people of Denver and the Cheyenne to co-exist, and that only the total destruction of the Cheyenne was acceptable.

Sand Creek massacre, 1864 By the second half of November 1864, the 100-day term of the 3rd Colorado Volunteers was almost up and they were being mocked for their lack of action by the Denver press, who called them the ‘Bloodless Third’. Seeing his chance for glory and political advancement fading, Chivington led an unprovoked assault on the camp of Black Kettle's Cheyenne on Sand Creek on 29 November 1864. It contained 700 American Indians, comprising Cheyenne and a group of Arapaho under Chief Left Hand. Chivington attacked the camp with 1,000 soldiers at dawn although Black Kettle had raised the white flag of surrender and the US Stars and Stripes over the camp as a sign of friendship. During the ensuing massacre Chivington personally led his volunteers into battle and the soldiers slaughtered over 450 of the 700 Cheyenne. Chivington declared that this was justifiable treatment as the American Indians had attacked the settlers and miners of Colorado for the previous three years.

Disgrace and downfall Chivington was at first treated as a hero by the people of Denver, a parade was even held in his honour. He believed that his political ambitions to become the first senator for the soon-to-be-declared State of Colorado were set to be fulfilled. However, as news of the barbarity of the massacre leaked out from the soldiers who had refused to take part, Chivington's reputation soon lay in tatters. He attempted to silence his critics by having six of the soldiers and officers who refused to take part in the Sand Creek massacre arrested, but this failed.

The press and politicians in the East attacked Chivington as a butcher. The US Army and government wanted to put Chivington on trial for his actions, but by 1865 he was no longer a soldier and was, therefore, never punished for Sand Creek. However, he was totally condemned and his political ambitions in Colorado were destroyed. He continued as a Methodist preacher, moving his family to Nebraska and then on to Ohio where he tried to resurrect his political career. However, the legacy of Sand Creek never left Chivington, and he was forced to abandon his campaign in the face of allegations about his brutality in 1864.

Chivington eventually returned to the one place that would accept him, Denver, Colorado, where he became a deputy-sheriff in 1884, giving him a respectable role in Colorado society again.