Third Colorado Cavalry. -- Col., George L. Shoup; Lieut.-Col.,
Leavitt L. Bowen; Majs., William F. Wilder, Samuel M. Logan,
Hal Sayr.
This regiment was organized at Denver from Aug. 20 to Sept.
21, 1864, to serve for 100 days, and was mustered out Dec. 28
to 31, 1864, on the expiration of its term. With the
exception of the engagement fought with the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe Indians at Sand creek, Col., it had no opportunity to
distinguish itself in battle.
All the mounted men of the regiment, numbering about 450 under
command of Col. Shoup, were ordered by Col. Chivington of the
1st Col. to proceed to Fort Lyon as part of an expedition he
had planned against a body of hostile Indians encamped not far
from that post. The remainder of Chivington's force consisted
of Wilson's and Anthony's battalions of the 1st Col. cavalry
the whole numbering some 1,000 men.
Says Col. Chivington in his official report of the engagement:
"Of the conduct of the 3rd regiment 100-days service, I have
to say that they well sustained the reputation of our Colorado
troops for bravery and effectiveness, were well commanded by
their gallant young colonel, George L. Shoup, ably assisted by
Lieut.Col. L. L. Bowen, Maj. Hal Sayr, and Capt. Theodore G.
Cree, commanding 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions of that
regiment."
The camp of the Indians, consisting of about 130 lodges, was
located on Sand Creek, about 40 miles north of Fort Lyon.
After a forced march from the fort the troops surprised them
on the morning of Nov. 29, 1864, and after a fierce battle in
which desperate bravery was displayed on both sides, the
Indians were routed with great slaughter.
Col. Shoup, in his official report of the engagements says: "I
dismounted my men and fought them for some time on foot. At
this point Capt. Talbot of Co. M fell severely wounded while
bravely leading his men in a charge on a body of Indians who
had taken refuge under the banks on the north side of the
creek. Here a terrible hand-to-hand encounter ensued between
the Indians and Talbot's men and others who had rushed forward
to their aid, the Indians trying to secure the scalp of Capt.
Talbot.
I think the hardest fighting of the day occurred at this
point, some of our men fighting with clubbed muskets, the 1st
and 3rd Col. regiments fighting side by side, each trying to
excel in bravery and each ambitious to kill at least one
Indian. Many valuable lives of officers and men were saved by
others just as the fatal knife was raised to perform its work
of death."
The loss of the 3rd in this engagement was 9 men killed, 44
wounded and 1 missing. Among the wounded were Capt. Talbot and
Lieut. Hawley.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 452
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APRIL 11, 1863.--Skirmish near Squirrel Creek Crossing, Colo.
Report of Lieut. Col. George L. Shoup, Third Colorado Cavalry.
This line should read Report of Lieut. George L. Shoup, Colorado Volunteers.
Correction from General Index.
SQUIRREL CREEK CROSSING, COLO.,
April 11, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to report that at daylight this morning I surprised
and captured a small of guerrillas. The loss of the guerrilla band is 1
man killed and 2 taken prisoners; one of the prisoners is shot through
the leg. They (the guerrillas)were in camp about 10 miles east of this
place. I have no clew to the whereabouts of other desperadoes.
I left Pueblo the day after the detachment that you ordered to Colorado
City. I went direct to Colorado City. I there learned that the detachment
had taken the Cherry Creek road. I left Colorado City yesterday
morning. Procured Mr. Templeton (about 12 m.) as guide. Found the
detachments s Smith's saw-mill. Left there at 4 p. m., and arrived here
about dark. Soon after dark, I discovered a camp-fire, that I supposed
to be near by. I detailed Sergeant Rigsby and 4 others to reconnoiter the
camp. Sergeant Rigsby and party returned about 12 o'clock at night. He
reported the camp to be 10 miles distant. He saw in camp 1 man and 2
mules. He saw other camp-fired beyond, but did not visit them.
I took Sergeant Rigsby, Corporal Wood, and 9 others, and rode rapidly
to and passed the camp visited in the forepart of the night by Sergeant
Rigsby. Finding a good place to leave my horses, I took 3 men with me;
visited the other fires, but found them to be burning logs that had taken
fire from the burning prairie. I then returned to the camp visited by
Sergeant Rigsby, and made a reconnaissance myself. I could tell nothing
of their number. Their position was a good one, among large rocks, in
a canon. Day was breaking, and I decided to charge their camp from
below and above, that there might be no chance for them to escape.
The charge was made with the result above stated. I asked them
who they were, and demanded them three different times to surrender.
I did not fire on them until one of them raised his gun on Sergeant
Rigsby. William Waggle was killed; John Rily shot through the leg;
William Way is a prisoner.
You will be generous enough to overlook this soiled letter, the only
piece of paper that I could procure. I will take the prisoners to Colorado
City, and there await your orders.
I am, colonel, truly, your obedient servant,
G. L. SHOUP,
Lieut.-Col. of Volunteers.
Col. J. M. CHIVINGTON,
Cmdg. District of Colorado.
Source: Official Records
PAGE 249-32 MO., ARK., KANS., IND. T., AND DEPT. N. W. [CHAP. XXXIV.
[Series I. Vol. 22. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 32.]
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Report of Col. George L. Shoup, Third Colorado Cavalry.
HDQRS. THIRD COLORADO CAVALRY,
In the Field, December 7, 1864.
DEAR SIR: I have the honor to report the part taken by my regiment,
Third Colorado Cavalry, in the engagement with the Indians on Sand
Creek, forty miles north of Fort Lyon, Colo. Ter., November 29, 1864:
I brought my regiment into action at sunrise. The first order given was
to Capt. John McCannon, Company I, to cut off the Indians from
their ponies on the south side of the village. This order was obeyed with
great celerity and success. Capt. McCannon captured about 200 ponies
at the first dash, but being closely pressed by hundreds of Indians sent
the ponies to the rear and opened a terrible and withering fire on the
Indians, completely checking them, killing many and causing them to
retreat up Sand Creek. Capt. O. H. P. Baxter, with his company (G),
was sent to re-enforce Capt. McCannon. The two companies then
fought the Indians up the south side of the creek for about two miles. At
this point many of the Indians took refuge in the banks of the creek,
where they had prepared rifle-pits. Capt. McCannon, with his
company, remained at this place until late in the afternoon and was the
last to leave the field of battle. His brave company killed 26 Indians in
one pit and must have killed 50 or more during the engagement.
Company C, led by Capt. Baxter and Lieut. Templeton, pursued
the demoralized and flying savages to the south and west, killing upward
of 20 Indians. Lieut. W. E. Grinnell, with a detachment of
twenty-one men of Company K, fought during part of the engagement
on the southwest side of the battle-field. This brave little detachment
deserve honorable mention for their gallant conduct on the field. They
lost one-fifth of their men in killed and wounded. At the opening of the
engagement I led about 400 of my men up the north side of the creek
and engaged the main body of the Indians, who were retreating to the
west. I dismounted my men and fought them for some time on foot. At
this point Capt. Talbot, of Company M, fell severely wounded while
bravely leading his men in a charge on a body of Indians who had taken
refuge under the banks on the north side of the creek. Here a terrible
hand-to-hand encounter ensued between the Indians and Capt. Talbot's
men and others who had rushed forward to their aid, the Indians trying
to secure the scalp of Capt. Talbot. I think the hardest fighting of the
day occurred at this point, some of our men fighting with clubbed
muskets, the First and Third Colorado Regiments fighting side by side,
each trying to excel in bravery and each ambitious to kill at least one
Indian. Many valuable lives of officers and men were saved by the
bravery of others just as the fatal knife was raised to perform its work
of death.
Early in the engagement Capt. Nichols, with his company (D),
pursued a band of Indians that were trying to escape to the northeast. He
overtook and punished them severely, killing 25 or 30 and capturing
some ponies. Other companies of my regiment fought with zeal and
bravery, but after 10 a. m. the battle became so general and covered so
wide a field that it became necessary to divide my command into small
detachments, sending them in all directions to pursue the flying Indians.
I am told by my officers and men that some of their comrades engaged
the Indians in close combat. I am satisfied from my own observation
that the historian will search in vain for braver deeds than were
committed on that field of battle. My loss is 9 men killed, 1 missing,
supposed to be killed, and 44 wounded. Capt. Presley Talbot and
Lieut. C. H. Hawley are the only officers wounded of my
regiment, Capt. Talbot in left side and Lieut. Hawley in shoulder.
Inclosed herewith you will find copy of the reports of my battalion
commanders to me.
All of which is most respectfully submitted.
I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,
GEO. L. SHOUP,
Col. Third Colorado Cavalry.
Col. J. M. CHIVINGTON,
Cmdg. District of Colorado.
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Report of Lieut. Col. Leavitt L. Bowen, Third
Colorado Cavalry.
SAND CREEK, November 30, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to inclose to you the reports of the company
commanders of the First Battalion, commanded by myself, in the action
of yesterday. I fully indorse all contained in those reports. All behaved
well, each vying with the other as to who could do the enemy the most
injury. This, I think, can truly be said of the whole regiment. I was in
position during the action to see most of the regiment, and did not see
one coward. Permit me to congratulate you upon the signal punishment
meted out to the savages on yesterday, "who so ruthlessly have
murdered our women and children," in the language of the colonel
commanding, although I regret the loss of so many brave men. The
Third Regt. cannot any longer be called in Denver the bloodless
Third. From the most reliable information from actual count and
positions occupied I have no doubt that at least 150 Indians were killed
by my battalion. I cannot speak in terms of too high praise of the
conduct of all the officers and men under my command. The war flag
of this band of Cheyennes is in my possession, presented by Stephen D.
Decatur, commissary sergeant, Company C, who acted as my battalion
adjutant.
Very respectfully,
LEAVITT L. BOWEN,
Lieut. Col. Third Colorado Cavalry, Cmdg. First Battalion.
Col. GEORGE L. SHOUP,
Cmdg. Third Regt. Colorado Cavalry.
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Report of Maj. Hal Sayr, Third Colorado Cavalry.
CAMP, December 6, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken
by my battalion in the action of November 29, on Sand Creek:
Battalion consisted of Company B, Capt. H. M. Orahood, First
Lieut. Charles H. Hawley, Second Lieut. Harry Richmond,
and 64 men; Company I,
Capt. John McCannon, First Lieut. Thomas J. Davis, and 53
men; Company G, Capt. O. H. P. Baxter, Second Lieut. A. J.
Templeton, and 40 men; Company K, Lieut. W. E. Grinnell, and
21 men, making a total of 178 men. Company I was sent at the
beginning of the action to the west of the field, where they remained
during the day; much of the time sustaining a heavy fire from the
enemy, who were secreted under a high bank on south side of Sand
Creek. This company did good service in preventing the escape of the
Indians to the west. Companies B, G, and K moved across the creek and
went into the action on the north side of the creek and west of the Indian
town, where they remained for several hours, doing good service while
under a heavy fire from the enemy who were concealed in rifle-pits in
the bed of the creek. The action became general and lasted from 6.30
a. m. until 1 p. m., when the companies divided into small squads and
went in pursuit of the Indians, who were now flying in every direction
across the prairies, and were pursued until dark. Both officers and men
conducted themselves bravely. The number of Indiana killed by the
battalion, as estimated by company commanders, is about 175 to 200.
Casualties: Company B, Lieut. Hawley wounded in shoulder;
Private Manion wounded in thigh. Company I, 3 killed, 3 wounded.
Company G, none killed or wounded. Company K, 2 killed and 2
wounded; making a total of 5 killed and 7 wounded.
Hoping the above will meet your approval, I am, colonel, very
respectfully, &c.,
HAL SAYR,
Maj., Cmdg. Second Batt., Third Colorado Cavalry.
Col. GEORGE L. SHOUP,
Cmdg. Third Colorado Cavalry.
-----------
Report of Capt. Theodore G. Cree, Third Colorado Cavalry.
CAMP SKEDADDLE, December 6, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to report to you the part taken by the Third
Battalion in the fight of the 29th November. They first formed on the
left of the regiment in the rear of the village; then moved upon the right
bank of the creek near one-half mile; then dismounted and fought the
redskins about one hour, where the boys behaved like veterans. After
finding that we had done all the good that we could do there, I moved
Companies D and E (Company F having gone with Col. Bowen's
battalion) and moved to the right across the hill for the purpose of
killing Indians that were making their escape to the right of the
command in which movement we succeeded in killing many. I then
made a detail from Company D of fifteen men and sent them to capture
twenty ponies, which I could see some four miles to the right of the
village, but before they had reached the ponies some twenty Indians
attached them, when a fierce fight ensued, in which Private McFarland
was killed in a hand-to-hand engagement. But like true soldiers the boys
stood their ground, killing 5 Indians and wounding several others. The
Indians finding it rather warm to be healthy, they left. The boys pursued
them some eight or ten miles, and finding that they could [not] overtake
them [returned], bringing with them the ponies they were sent for. I
then returned with them to the
village to take care of the killed and wounded companions. Company E
lost 1 killed and 1 wounded; Company F, 1 wounded; Company D, 2
killed and 1 wounded.
As for the bravery displayed by any one in particular, I have no
distinction to make. All I can say for officers and men is that they all
behaved well and won for themselves a name that will be remembered
for ages to come. The number of Indians killed by my battalion is 60.
I am, colonel, yours, truly,
T. G. CREE,
Capt., Cmdg. Third Batt., Third Colorado Cav.
Col. GEORGE L. SHOUP.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. LIII.] ENGAGEMENT ON SAND CREEK, COLO. TER. PAGE 956-83
[Series I. Vol. 41. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 83.]
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