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Battle of Julesburg

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decoys. About three miles from the fort, O'Brien had almost ridden into the ambush when young Indian warriors fired at the soldiers prematurely, alerting him to the presence of a large number of warriors hidden behind nearby bluffs. The soldiers fled back toward the fort with the Indians in pursuit. The Indians caught them about 300 yards from the fort. Some of the soldiers were cut off. They dismounted to defend themselves and were killed. The surviving soldiers and civilians, including Captain O'Brien, made it back to shelter in the fort. Fourteen soldiers and four civilians were killed in the battle. Bent says that no Indians were killed or wounded, although the soldiers claimed they killed about 60.
350: 443:. The Cheyenne captured 500 cattle and had a skirmish with a company of army cavalry. The army claimed they killed 20 Indians and recovered the cattle; Bent said none were hurt, two soldiers were wounded, and only a few cattle were re-captured by the soldiers. Most of the Indian depredations were unopposed, although three Sioux warriors were killed in an attack on a wagon train. Bent noted that nine recently discharged soldiers who had participated in the Sand Creek massacre were killed by Cheyenne and their bodies mutilated. 373: 389: 409:) and marched southwest to find and punish the Indians who had attacked Julesburg. On January 19, he found their camp on Cherry Creek, but the Indians had departed several days previously. With more than 50 soldiers incapacitated by frostbite in the bitterly cold weather, Mitchell gave up the chase and returned to his base. The only action during his expedition was when a small band of Indians rode through his camp at night, firing into the soldier's tents. 658: 447:
sheltered in Fort Rankin did not venture outside the walls of the fort. Captain O'Brien and 14 men, who had been away from the fort, returned during the raid. Their presence was concealed for a time by smoke from the fires. Nearing the fort, O'Brien scattered the Indians with a round from his field howitzer; the men in the fort fired another howitzer to aid him, and O'Brien and his men dashed to safety inside the fort.
337:. It consisted of a stagecoach station, stables, an express and telegraph office, a warehouse, and a large store that catered to travelers going to Denver along the South Platte. The residents were described as "Fifty men ... all armed to the teeth with everything arranged so they could fight behind sod walls". One mile west was Fort Rankin (later 34: 446:
On February 2, the Indian caravan of several thousand women, children, and livestock crossed the frozen South Platte 25 miles (40 km) west of Julesburg, heading north. The warriors raided Julesburg again, took the remaining supplies, and burned all the buildings. The 15 soldiers and 50 civilians
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The Indian plan was to lure the soldiers out of Fort Rankin into an ambush and overwhelm them. Big Crow, a Cheyenne, picked ten men as the decoys. They charged at the fort and retreated in haste. Captain O'Brien led most of his men and a few civilian volunteers out of the fort to chase the Indian
436:. The Sioux struck east of Julesburg, the Cheyenne west of Julesburg, and the Arapaho in between. At night, Bent said "the whole valley was lighted up with the flames of burning ranches and stage stations, but the places were soon all destroyed and darkness fell on the valley." 384:
All the civilians in the community were sheltering in the fort and the Indians, unopposed, looted the stage station, store, and warehouse carrying away a large amount of plunder. The soldiers in the fort fired a couple of artillery rounds at the Indians without effect.
341:) with a complement of one company of cavalry, about sixty men, under Captain Nicholas J. O'Brien. The fort, although only four months old, was formidable, measuring 240 by 360 feet (73 by 110 metres), and ringed by a sod wall 18 feet (5.5 m) tall. 275:
Indians and about 60 soldiers of the U.S. army and 40 to 50 civilians. The Indians defeated the soldiers and over the next few weeks plundered ranches and stagecoach stations up and down the
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was probably among the Cheyenne warriors. The Indian army numbered about 1,000 warriors. They decided that their target would be Julesburg, Colorado, located along the South Platte River.
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With the Sioux leading, because they were more familiar with the route, the Indians left Julesburg behind and proceeded north across the divide between the South Platte and
428:. En route, from January 28 to Feb 2, the Indians raided ranches and stagecoach stations along 150 miles of the South Platte Valley between what are today the towns of 170: 1032: 1075: 624: 646: 302:
to intensify hostilities against the U.S. Army and white settlers. On January 1, 1865, the Indians met on Cherry Creek (near present-day
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The Julesburg Battle is unusual in that the main source of information about the battle comes from the Indian side, mostly from
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gathered together 640 cavalry, a battery of howitzers, and 200 supply wagons at Cottonwood Springs (near present-day
156: 361:, a half Cheyenne/half White warrior who participated in the battle. Bent later told the story to anthropologists 639: 886: 1095: 1090: 950: 726: 654: 955: 632: 680: 995: 989: 896: 859: 402: 1080: 906: 824: 743: 235: 211: 891: 753: 690: 406: 376:
A painting of the Brule chieftain Spotted Tail, one of the leaders of the Sioux in the battle.
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Cheyenne warrior George Bent and his wife Magpie in a photo taken many years after the battle
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of Cheyenne and Arapaho on November 29, 1864, caused a large number of Indians on the
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Bent participated in a raid near the Valley stagecoach station, near present-day
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Robrock, David P. "The Seventh Iowa Cavalry and the Plains Indians Wars."
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The Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho had decided to move north to the
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rivers. They would have additional skirmishes with the army at
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The location of Julesburg, Colorado and the battle.
513:https://archive.org/details/historyofwyoming00cout 1047: 310:, the Northern Arapaho, and two bands of Lakota 89:Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Lakota Native Americans 640: 507:Hyde, pp. 169–170; Coutant, Charles Griffin. 333:Julesburg was a prominent way station on the 164: 647: 633: 171: 157: 32: 496:Montana: The Magazine of Western History. 387: 371: 348: 1048: 628: 485:. Norman: U of OK Press, 1968, p. 168 152: 564:Robrock, p. 13; Grinnell, pp 189–190 498:Vol. 39, No. 2 (Spring, 1989), p. 12 259:took place on January 7, 1865, near 1076:Native American history of Colorado 13: 621:List of battles fought in Colorado 546:Hyde, pp. 171–172, Coutant, p. 423 401:Responding to the attack, General 14: 1107: 656: 178: 603: 594: 585: 576: 1061:Battles involving the Cheyenne 567: 558: 549: 540: 527: 518: 501: 488: 475: 1: 1066:Battles involving the Arapaho 1033:Historical trails of Colorado 353:Painting of a Cheyenne scout. 282: 951:Fort Logan National Cemetery 396: 7: 1071:Battles involving the Sioux 956:Fort Lyon National Cemetery 862:(Cantonment at Uncompahgre) 615: 99:Captain Nicholas J. O'Brien 10: 1112: 1056:1865 in Colorado Territory 1086:Sedgwick County, Colorado 1015: 964: 943: 922: 847: 838: 805: 708: 699: 681:List of forts in Colorado 673: 344: 188: 132: 117: 93: 78: 42: 31: 23: 18: 996:Battle of Summit Springs 990:Battle of Beecher Island 469: 466:in early February 1865. 403:Robert Byington Mitchell 909:(Fort Sangre de Cristo) 825:American Ranch massacre 533:Grinnell, George Bird. 236:Battle of Platte Bridge 212:American Ranch massacre 70:Native American victory 691:Prehistory of Colorado 535:The Fighting Cheyennes 407:North Platte, Nebraska 393: 377: 354: 326:under Pawnee Killer. 94:Commanders and leaders 515:, accessed 8 Mar 2012 430:Fort Morgan, Colorado 391: 375: 352: 244:(about July 26, 1865) 226:( February 4–6, 1865) 224:Battle of Mud Springs 220:(January 15–16, 1865) 218:Raid on Godfrey Ranch 133:Casualties and losses 1023:List of mountain men 813:Fort Pueblo Massacre 418:Powder River Country 363:George Bird Grinnell 242:Battle of Red Buttes 232:(February 8–9, 1865) 230:Battle of Rush Creek 128:About 1,000 warriors 1096:Battles in Colorado 1091:January 1865 events 978:Battle of Julesburg 972:Sand Creek massacre 944:National cemeteries 483:Life of George Bent 304:St. Francis, Kansas 289:Sand Creek Massacre 261:Julesburg, Colorado 257:Battle of Julesburg 206:Battle of Julesburg 202:(November 29, 1864) 200:Sand Creek massacre 86:Civilian volunteers 60:Julesburg, Colorado 19:Battle of Julesburg 887:Fort Massachusetts 848:Extinct or museums 733:Fort Davy Crockett 686:Colorado Territory 509:History of Wyoming 458:(near present-day 441:Sterling, Colorado 394: 378: 355: 277:South Platte River 214:(January 14, 1865) 140:4 civilians killed 138:14 soldiers killed 125:50 armed civilians 84:United States Army 1041: 1040: 1011: 1010: 984:Comanche campaign 834: 833: 700:Trading posts and 609:Hyde, pp. 186–193 555:Hyde, pp. 172–173 252: 251: 208:(January 7, 1865) 147: 146: 74: 73: 1103: 1016:Related articles 845: 844: 839:U.S. and Spanish 776:Fort Uncompahgre 770:Fort Saint Vrain 706: 705: 661: 660: 649: 642: 635: 626: 625: 610: 607: 601: 598: 592: 589: 583: 580: 574: 571: 565: 562: 556: 553: 547: 544: 538: 531: 525: 522: 516: 505: 499: 492: 486: 481:Hyde, George E. 479: 460:Dalton, Nebraska 434:Paxton, Nebraska 287:The U.S. Army's 194:Hungate massacre 183: 173: 166: 159: 150: 149: 44: 43: 36: 16: 15: 1111: 1110: 1106: 1105: 1104: 1102: 1101: 1100: 1046: 1045: 1042: 1037: 1028:Pike's Stockade 1007: 1002:Meeker Massacre 960: 939: 918: 840: 830: 801: 721:Bent's Old Fort 716:Bent's New Fort 701: 695: 669: 655: 653: 618: 613: 608: 604: 599: 595: 590: 586: 581: 577: 572: 568: 563: 559: 554: 550: 545: 541: 532: 528: 523: 519: 511:, pp. 422–433. 506: 502: 493: 489: 480: 476: 472: 399: 347: 285: 253: 248: 247: 238:(July 26, 1865) 196:(June 11, 1864) 184: 179: 177: 139: 124: 85: 62: 37: 12: 11: 5: 1109: 1099: 1098: 1093: 1088: 1083: 1081:Overland Trail 1078: 1073: 1068: 1063: 1058: 1039: 1038: 1036: 1035: 1030: 1025: 1019: 1017: 1013: 1012: 1009: 1008: 1006: 1005: 999: 993: 987: 981: 975: 968: 966: 962: 961: 959: 958: 953: 947: 945: 941: 940: 938: 937: 926: 924: 920: 919: 917: 916: 910: 904: 899: 894: 889: 884: 878: 873: 868: 863: 857: 851: 849: 842: 841:military forts 836: 835: 832: 831: 829: 828: 822: 816: 809: 807: 803: 802: 800: 799: 793: 791:Francisco Fort 788: 783: 778: 773: 767: 762: 761:(Fort Meribeh) 756: 751: 746: 741: 736: 730: 724: 723:(Fort William) 718: 712: 710: 703: 702:civilian forts 697: 696: 694: 693: 688: 683: 677: 675: 671: 670: 652: 651: 644: 637: 629: 617: 614: 612: 611: 602: 600:Robrock, p. 15 593: 584: 575: 566: 557: 548: 539: 526: 524:Robrock, p. 12 517: 500: 487: 473: 471: 468: 398: 395: 367:George E. Hyde 346: 343: 335:Overland Trail 284: 281: 263:between 1,000 250: 249: 246: 245: 239: 233: 227: 221: 215: 209: 203: 197: 190: 189: 186: 185: 176: 175: 168: 161: 153: 145: 144: 141: 135: 134: 130: 129: 126: 120: 119: 115: 114: 100: 96: 95: 91: 90: 87: 81: 80: 76: 75: 72: 71: 68: 64: 63: 58: 56: 52: 51: 50:7 January 1865 48: 40: 39: 29: 28: 21: 20: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1108: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1077: 1074: 1072: 1069: 1067: 1064: 1062: 1059: 1057: 1054: 1053: 1051: 1044: 1034: 1031: 1029: 1026: 1024: 1021: 1020: 1018: 1014: 1003: 1000: 997: 994: 991: 988: 985: 982: 979: 976: 973: 970: 969: 967: 963: 957: 954: 952: 949: 948: 946: 942: 935: 931: 928: 927: 925: 921: 914: 911: 908: 905: 903: 902:Fort Sedgwick 900: 898: 897:Fort Reynolds 895: 893: 890: 888: 885: 882: 879: 877: 874: 872: 869: 867: 864: 861: 860:Fort Crawford 858: 856: 853: 852: 850: 846: 843: 837: 826: 823: 820: 817: 814: 811: 810: 808: 804: 797: 794: 792: 789: 787: 784: 782: 779: 777: 774: 772:(Fort George) 771: 768: 766: 763: 760: 757: 755: 752: 750: 747: 745: 742: 740: 739:Fort Huerfano 737: 735:(Fort Misery) 734: 731: 729:(Fort Pueblo) 728: 725: 722: 719: 717: 714: 713: 711: 707: 704: 698: 692: 689: 687: 684: 682: 679: 678: 676: 672: 668: 664: 659: 650: 645: 643: 638: 636: 631: 630: 627: 623: 622: 606: 597: 588: 579: 570: 561: 552: 543: 536: 530: 521: 514: 510: 504: 497: 491: 484: 478: 474: 467: 465: 461: 457: 453: 448: 444: 442: 437: 435: 431: 427: 423: 419: 415: 410: 408: 404: 390: 386: 382: 374: 370: 368: 364: 360: 351: 342: 340: 339:Fort Sedgwick 336: 331: 329: 325: 321: 317: 313: 309: 305: 301: 298: 294: 290: 280: 278: 274: 270: 266: 262: 258: 243: 240: 237: 234: 231: 228: 225: 222: 219: 216: 213: 210: 207: 204: 201: 198: 195: 192: 191: 187: 182: 174: 169: 167: 162: 160: 155: 154: 151: 142: 137: 136: 131: 127: 122: 121: 116: 112: 111:Pawnee Killer 108: 104: 101: 98: 97: 92: 88: 83: 82: 77: 69: 66: 65: 61: 57: 54: 53: 49: 46: 45: 41: 35: 30: 27: 22: 17: 1043: 977: 965:Major events 907:Spanish Fort 866:Fort Garland 855:Camp Collins 819:Colorado War 806:Major events 798:(Fort Leche) 781:Fort Vasquez 765:Fort Namaqua 744:Fort Jackson 619: 605: 596: 591:Hyde, p. 181 587: 582:Hyde, p. 178 578: 573:Hyde, p. 181 569: 560: 551: 542: 534: 529: 520: 508: 503: 495: 490: 482: 477: 452:North Platte 449: 445: 438: 422:South Dakota 411: 400: 383: 379: 356: 332: 320:Spotted Tail 308:Dog Soldiers 300:Great Plains 286: 256: 254: 205: 181:Colorado War 107:Spotted Tail 79:Belligerents 26:Colorado War 24:Part of the 986:(1867–1875) 934:Camp Carson 930:Fort Carson 915:(Camp Weld) 892:Fort Morgan 883:(Fort Wise) 821:(1863–1865) 786:Fort Wicked 759:Fort Mary B 754:Fort Lupton 749:Fort Le Duc 456:Mud Springs 414:Black Hills 359:George Bent 143:Likely none 123:60 soldiers 1050:Categories 876:Fort Logan 871:Fort Lewis 464:Rush Creek 328:Roman Nose 322:, and the 283:Background 113:, Big Crow 103:Roman Nose 913:Fort Weld 881:Fort Lyon 796:Milk Fort 727:El Pueblo 397:Aftermath 674:Overview 667:Colorado 616:See also 316:Sichangu 297:Colorado 279:valley. 265:Cheyenne 118:Strength 55:Location 426:Wyoming 269:Arapaho 1004:(1879) 998:(1869) 992:(1868) 980:(1865) 974:(1864) 923:Active 827:(1865) 815:(1854) 462:) and 345:Battle 324:Oglala 318:under 314:, the 293:Kansas 273:Lakota 271:, and 67:Result 709:Forts 663:Forts 470:Notes 312:Sioux 432:and 424:and 416:and 365:and 295:and 255:The 47:Date 665:in 420:of 1052:: 369:. 267:, 109:, 105:, 936:) 932:( 648:e 641:t 634:v 172:e 165:t 158:v

Index

Colorado War

Julesburg, Colorado
Roman Nose
Spotted Tail
Pawnee Killer
v
t
e
Colorado War
Hungate massacre
Sand Creek massacre
Battle of Julesburg
American Ranch massacre
Raid on Godfrey Ranch
Battle of Mud Springs
Battle of Rush Creek
Battle of Platte Bridge
Battle of Red Buttes
Julesburg, Colorado
Cheyenne
Arapaho
Lakota
South Platte River
Sand Creek Massacre
Kansas
Colorado
Great Plains
St. Francis, Kansas
Dog Soldiers

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