Sunday, January 4, 2015

When Western History Turns Out, In Fact, Finally To Be WESTERN FICTION by Steve Kohlhagen


Those of us who write (or, at times, TRY) to write engaging western fiction and, in particular, western historical fiction, are at times amused or appalled when facts turn out to be fiction. This should be viewed as quite a different phenomenon than those who claim "life is more amazing than fiction."

Such is the case for the famous, and now rightly infamous, 1864 Sand Creek Massacre. One hundred fifty years ago last November, the commander of the Colorado Volunteers, John Chivington took his troops out after the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians camped on Sand Creek. Already a Civil War hero for his efforts at Glorietta, the Methodist Minister-turned-soldier marched his troops from Denver City and routed, destroyed, massacred the sleeping Indians whose warriors were out hunting.

In the century and a half since, many Coloradans and descendants of the early settlers held this battle up, oddly, as a great Civil War victory. And plaques to that effect still can be found in Denver and elsewhere in the state.

The problem is, as many soldiers of the times knew (some refused the order to attack), this was not only not a great Civil War battle, but, as has been chronicled in some history books, movies, and historical fiction (including my forthcoming Chief of Thieves from Sunstone Press), it was a massacre of innocent women and children peacefully camped under both an American and a white flag. Furthermore, many of the soldiers committed horrible atrocities and paraded the results of those atrocities through the streets of Denver City.

Last November 29th, on the 150th Anniversary of the massacre, Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado publicly apologized on behalf of the State of Colorado.

Here is a thorough Denver Westword article on the issues leading up to the public ceremony and the ceremony itself, both from the white and Indian point of view:

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2014/12/sand_creek_massacre_apology_colorado_john_hickenlooper.php?utm_source=Newsletters&utm_medium=email

The overriding takeaways from this incident are, of course, horrible: from Chivington's (and some say Governor John Evans') duplicity and bestiality; to the betrayal of Black Kettle's serial attempts at peace with the whites; to the atrocities committed on innocent women, children, and babies by individual soldiers; to the murder of Captain Silas Soule in a Denver City alley after he testified against Chivington; to the enmity and rationalizations that led to the false Coloradan century-long memories and celebrations of an exemplary Civil War victory.

Kudos to Governor Hickenlooper and those responsible for the apology and for setting the facts straight and for putting the fiction irrevocably to bed. And kudos, too, to the patience and grace of the contemporary Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples.





  

18 comments:

  1. Thus we find the 'problem' with history and research. Always two sides to stories and when looking at the past, despite the best effort to not do so, it is filtered through the researachers own life experiences and beliefs. Thank you for the post. Doris

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    1. Indeed. I found this to be endemic in my research for my two books. Human nature performing the deeds combined with, well human nature reporting them. Thanks so much for your thoughts and kind support. swk

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  2. This apology was a long time coming and is meaningless unless today’s Indian treaty rights are upheld.

    Just four years later Custer comes along and repeats the atrocities and this time kills Black Kettle and other innocents all in the name of chasing hostiles. Would a white peaceful village be allowed to be wiped out, just because some thieves and killers were hiding among the residents? We have a long way to go to reveal the real history of our past and how Native Americans were systematically eliminated. To this day treaty violations continue and we fail to learn from the past.

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    1. Yes, Charlie. My research for this included Washita as well. Both battles are prominent in my forthcoming "Chief of Thieves" from Sunstone Press. A whole lot of complicated people trying to just get by, and then others reporting it badly. My book ends with what I believe actually happened to Custer when he tried to replicate his success on the banks of the Little Bighorn. Interestingly, and not surprisingly, some of the same Cheyenne were at all three battles. Thanks for the kind words. swk

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  3. Steve, wonderful post. This is one of the saddest, most despicable times in our history, I think. I just can't even imagine someone killing children. Makes you wonder how they slept at night after doing something so horrendous, doesn't it? Thanks for this reminder--we must never ever forget.
    Cheryl

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    1. Sadly, soldiers kill children as a byproduct of what caused the wars in the first place, namely dehumanizing "others". Very, very sad. Thanks for the support. swk

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  4. That's what keeps us writing about this rich period in American history. The people and times were so complex. Charlie is right...we still have a long way to go in terms of facing and rectifying our social misdeeds.

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    1. Indeed. In my forthcoming book, the heroine has a thought-provoking conversation with General George Crook about who had a tougher life, pioneer ranching women, or Army Generals. Or the indigenous peoples they displaced? Thanks for your supportive comments. swk

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  5. I learned a long time ago that there are at least two, often more, sides to historical events. Thanks for posting this.

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    1. Yes, often with each side entitled to its perspective. Human beings make for complex bed fellows. Thanks for the support, Gordo. swk

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  6. Interesting and informative post, Steve. Man's inhumanity to man yet again. Thank you.

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    1. Thanks you, Keith. and then even inhumane in his reporting of the "facts." Thank you. swk

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  7. Thank you for an informative post - reminds me yet again why I usually played the Indian when we were kids, instead of the Cowboy...

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    1. Interestingly, one of my best friends, today a Chenne Chief, always played the cowboy. Now THERE'S a story! thank YOU! swk

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  8. Thanks Steve for setting things straight. Good post.

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    1. Thank YOU. Humans weave a strange history. swk

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  9. Thank you for your great post setting the record straight. Although I can see that based on the prejudices that existed at the time of the Sand Creek Massacre that many Americans of European descent viewed it as a great victory in the Indian wars, I have always considered it one of the blackest moments in U.S. military history. Thank you for listing a blog post with more details. Great article.

    Robyn Echols writing as Zina Abbott

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    1. I'm with you. What on earth could Black Kettle have better done for his people? Sand Creek, THEN Washita. Not civilized like us today, right?!? Thanks for your supportive comments. swk

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