Bear Creek Massacre, January 29, 1863


The year 2014 will mark the 150th anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre, on November 29, two days after Thanksgiving. But on this day, January 29 of the year before, a Shoshone village suffered an identical fate. The Bear Creek Massacre was also once called the Battle of Bear Creek, but the only grounds which western military history buffs have to argue that such engagements were “battles” not massacres, is that was how the US cavalry waged its fights against the hostiles, its only victories were raids upon unsuspecting villages.

Here is the official contemporary report of Colonel Connor’s attack. First the cover letter which sets the scene. From the Official Records of the War of Rebellion (what the Civil War was called then), series 1, volume 50, part 1:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC,
San Francisco, February 20, 1863.
Adjt. General L. THOMAS, U. S. Army,
Washington, D. C.:
SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith the report of Colonel P. E. Connor, Third Infantry California Volunteers of the battle fought on the 29th of January, on Bear River, Utah, Ter., between U. S. troops and hostile Indians. Our victory was complete; 224 of the enemy left dead on the field. Colonel Connor’s loss was heavy. Out of 200 men engaged 14 were killed on the field and 4 officers and 49 men wounded; 1 officer and 5 of the men wounded have since died. Colonel Connor’s report of the suffering of his troops on the march and the gallant and heroic conduct of both officers and men in that terrible combat will commend the Column from California and its brave commander to the favorable notice of the General-in-Chief and War Department.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. WRIGHT,
Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, Commanding.

I’ll parse those totals for you. Cowboy casualties: 20 dead, 47 wounded. Indians: 224 dead, 0 wounded.

Here are the more relevant passages of Connor’s report. Notice he puts plenty of emphasis on the fight he encountered, even suggesting that the Shoshones initiated the attack. Connor sheds much less light on the aftermath. (I’ve bolded some parts of import:)

Report of Colonel P. Edward Connor, Third California Infantry, commanding District of Utah. (Excerpt)

As daylight was approaching I was apprehensive that the Indians would discover the strength of my force and make their escape. I therefore made a rapid march with the cavalry and reached the bank of the river shortly after daylight in full view of the Indian encampment and about one mile distant. I immediately ordered Major McGarry to advance with the cavalry and surround before attacking them, while I remained a few minutes in the rear to give orders to the infantry and artillery.

On my arrival on the field I found that Major Mcgarry had dismounted the cavalry and was engaged with the Indians who had sallied out of their hiding places on foot and horseback, and with fiendish malignity waved the scalps of white women and challenged the troops to battle, at the same time attacking them. Finding it impossible to surround them in consequence of the nature of the ground, he accepted their challenge.

The “scalps of white women” was a common motif used in justifying ensuing slaughters. Colonel Chivington cited the presence of same at the Sand Creek camp, although none were ever produced.

The position of the Indians was one of strong natural defenses, and almost inaccessible to the troops, being in a deep, dry ravine from six to twelve feet deep and from thirty to forty feet wide, banks and running across level table-land, along which they had constructed steps from which they could deliver their fire without being themselves exposed. Under the embankments they had constructed artificial covers of willows thickly woven together, from being which they could fire without being observed.

After being engaged about twenty minutes I found it was impossible to dislodge them without great sacrifice of life. I accordingly ordered Major McGarry with twenty men to turn their left flank, which was in the ravine where it entered the mountains. Shortly afterward Captain Hoyt reached the ford three-quarters of a mile distant, but found it impossible to cross footmen. Some of them tried it, however, rushing into the river, but, finding it deep and rapid, retired. I immediately ordered a detachment of cavalry with led horses to cross the infantry, which was done accordingly and upon their arrival upon the field I ordered them to the support of Major McGarry’s flanking party, who shortly afterward succeeded in turning the enemy’s flank.

Up to this time, in consequence of being exposed on a level and open plain while the Indians were under cover, they had every advantage of us, fighting with the ferocity of demons. My men fell fast and thick around me, but after flanking them we had the advantage and made good use of it. I ordered the flanking party to advance down the ravine on either side, which gave us the advantage of an enfilading fire and caused some of the Indians to give way and run toward the north of the ravine.

At this point I had a company stationed, who shot them as they ran out. I also ordered a detachment of cavalry across the ravine to cut off the retreat of any fugitives who might escape the company at the mouth of the ravine. But few tried to escape, however, but continued fighting with unyielding obstinacy, frequently engaging hand to hand with the troops until killed in their hiding places.

The most of those who did escape from the ravine were afterward shot in attempting to swim the river, or killed while desperately fighting under cover of the dense willow thicket which lined the river-banks.

Most were shot, but Connor skimps on the detail. The wounded Shoshones and those feigning injury were prodded with bayonettes then shot, violated sometimes before, sometimes after. Few escaped this fate. Like any population of civilians, the village was at least seventyfive percent women and children.

I have also to report to the general commanding that previous to my departure Chief Justice Kinney, of Great Salt Lake City, made a requisition for troops for the purpose of arresting the Indian chiefs Bear Hunter, San Pitch, and Sagwich. I informed the marshal that my arrangements for our expedition against the Indians were made, and that it was not my intention to take any prisoners, but that he could accompany me. Marshal Gibbs accordingly accompanied me and rendered efficient aid in caring for the wounded.

Of the good conduct and bravery of both officers and men California has reason to be proud. We found 224 bodies on the field, among which were those of the chiefs Bear Hunter, Sagwich, and Leight. How many more were killed than stated I am unable to say, as the condition of the wounded rendered their immediate removal a necessity. I was unable to examine the field. I captured 175 horses, some arms, destroyed over seventy lodges, a large quantity of wheat and other provisions, which had been furnished them by the Mormons; left a small quantity of wheat for the sustenance of 16 and children, whom I left on the field.

El Paso County Clerk Wayne Williams wants voter registration fraud evidence pulled from net

Romney supporter, 20-year-old Mormon Victoria Bautista, registering only Republican votersCOLORADO SPRINGS– A young voter registration activist, by admission soliciting only Mitt Romney supporters, was caught on video saying she worked for the El Paso County Clerk, mistakenly as it turns out. Local Dems have run with the story while Clerk & Recorder Wayne Williams and the Colorado Springs Gazette, both notorious GOP bullies, insist the viral video be taken down because it misrepresents the truth, missing the point about WHO was misrepresenting the truth. Whether the young woman spoke in error, she and perhaps others are representing themselves as county representatives, and the clerk’s damage control is revealing. After clarifying that his office does not employ partisan foot soldiers (although examples abound of Democrats being purged from his staff), Williams scolds only the video taker for “spreading disinformation”. He does not warn citizens to question volunteers who pretend official status, nor does he offer evidence of reprimands or special retraining. Of course all sides are protecting the identity of the 20-year-old Victoria Bautista. Why? At 20 she’s not getting any smarter, or educated obviously. I hardly think it serves our society to coddle anyone screwing with civic participation. Many of our current officials are evidence of what happens when you nurture mediocrity in politics. Are we so hard up we want idiots in authority? I think that’s a characteristic best pruned aggressively like you would rot.

Ya’at’eeh from Tuba City, Arizona!

roadside-Navajo-Arizona
I’d envisioned myself hiking alone in Sedona for three magical days, vortexed into a frenzied energy, taken by wizened hippies to a hillside lair for impromptu meditation. Instead, in spite of the brazenly gorgeous Sedona landscape, I felt the whole place to be a pseudo-spiritual, wildly affluent, corporate-run and supremely phony tourist trap. I was slightly horrified to feel this way about such a beautiful place, and tried to lecture myself into giving further consideration, but to no avail. I got the hell out of Nirvana Dodge after a single (albeit lovely) hike.

That was yesterday. Today I headed north out of Flagstaff on Highway 89 with no particular plan. Shortly after the city faded from the rearview and I was facing the open road, I turned on the radio and heard “You’re listening to Indian Public Radio.” This heralded a perfect Tony Hillerman-esque adventure, I was sure of it, and I was flooded with good cheer.

From the radio came gentle Indian flute sounds, haunting-dancing-with-wolves-vision-quest sounds, which had the hair on my arms standing instantly at attention. Within thirty seconds, however, a techno track and a Navajo-accented rapper barged into the song, resulting in a somewhat bizarre Eminem/Kokopelli kind of thing. I was enthralled.

A retrospective about Harold Drake’s radio show “The Church in Your Hogan” was next, followed by a short discussion of cultural taboos associated with Indian suicide, and an admonition to speak openly about such things. Fleetwood Mac, Peter Frampton, and then this song by some sweet-voiced Hopi girls:

Hey, Cousin! Nice to see you again!
Do you have any duck tape, Cousin? Because my muffler fell off again.
Duck tape. Sigh. Indian glue.

I was becoming giddy.

I took the Navajo Trail (Highway 160) east onto the Navajo reservation and soon came upon Tuba City, a dusty little town of 8,000 residents and seemingly little else. I drove down Main Street and saw house after house boarded up and nothing but dry dusty fields all around. I don’t know where the actual people live, but the town seems reserved for ghosts. In front of the elementary school, at two in the afternoon, were twenty long yellow school buses awaiting what couldn’t possibly be that many kids. In fact I didn’t see any kids, yet one after another the buses pulled slowly away from the curb. Maybe each rural denizen has his or her own bus.

I went into the trading post/interactive Navajo museum ($9)/internet café hoping to find authentic Indian crafts. The store had some very nice moccasins which, on closer inspection, were made by Minnetonka Moccasins — a big corporation headquartered in Minnesota. I tried on a cute black straw cowboy hat made by some beachwear company in Oregon. Then I spied a truly adorable backpack purse of Indian-patterned wool and leather, manufactured — big sigh — by Pendleton, the company responsible for the boiled wool jackets of my Junior League days.

I couldn’t find anything else to do in Tuba City, so I ate some trail mix in the car, drank some warm water from my CamelBack, and did some research on Tuba City. Here are some fun facts:

1. It is the Navajo Nation’s largest community.
2. It was founded by the Mormons in 1872.
3. It was a uranium boom town in the fifties, and regional headquarters for the Atomic Energy Commission.
4. Songwriter-musician Glenn Danzig got his ass kicked in a Tuba City nightclub. It was caught on tape and can be seen on YouTube.
5. SPC Lori Piestewa of Tuba City was the first woman killed in the current war against Iraq. She died in the same ambush that injured her best friend, Jessica Lynch.
Highway-89-Navajo-ArizonaTuba-city-boarded-houseTuba-city-boarded-house-2Tuba-city-boarded-house-3

Judged by God? Probably…

But the anti-Semitism expressed BY (not against) Likud and their allies in AIPAC and the Republican (mostly) Party will rebound.
Jewish people should know better, maybe the “history” taught this newest generation leaves out every part of the Holocaust preceding the attacks on Jews.

Because the Jewish victims weren’t the first victims. They might have been Uncle Alfie’s (Adolf) major priority, but he had to build up to get to the point where he could have a Major Ethnic Group imprisoned.

His first major victims were members of his own Party, The SturmAbteilung Brownshirt Stormtroopers.

Yeah, they deserved condemnation.

But the way it was handled, including building them up and setting them up for the Coup, departs from all standards of decency.

Never mind “Laws”.

Other groups who preceded Jews into the Camps, And I bet the Racist, Fascist Bastardists in AIPAC and the Republican Party strongly support these actions and Hate them just as much as they do Arabs and Jews…

  • Anarchists
    Communists
    Homosexuals
    Mentally Ill
    Polio Victims (at the time Polio was just as incurable as AIDS is today)
    Gypsies
    Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses
  • By demonizing Arabs in general and Palestinians in particular, AIPAC and the Republicans are setting the stage.

    The Play has been performed for sold out audiences across history, but we’re witnessing Act One, Scene 2… again.

    Core religious value of Mormons is hate

    MormonsThe Mormons are a hateful group of elitists, and though ostracized throughout much of their history for it, just keep on finding an angle to spread their hate outward and onto others. Like the Catholic Church, another elitist group of Christians with a long history of spreading hate against others throughout the world, the Mormons are a hierarchical group of religious fanatics. You can see that easily enough in their youth, who often are going by in pairs, dressed in ties, riding their bicycles to who knows where? That’s the junior rank for men.

    Notice they never have women in pairs in Sunday best on those bicycles. I guess they don’t think that women are capable of riding them? Kind of reminds one of the Saudi malefolk and how they are with their women driving cars.

    The Mormons have always hated others than themselves, especially those who they considered low in status. That, of course would include Native Americans, Blacks, outsiders of any non-Christian heathen variety, and YES, Gays. Sheldon Rampton examines Mormon Homophobia up close and personal, where he mentions the fact that the Mormon Church spent $20 million spreading their hate against Gays in California’s last election. The best way to shut these hate mongers up is to take away their tax exempt status, would it not be? In fact, we need to do that with all the hate mongering Christian Churches. Certainly if Islamic charities can be persecuted for their religion’s charity works, the Christians need to at least get their tax exempt status rejected. Demand it next church service, in fact. It’s more than high time to get the churches out of politics!

    WE THE PEOPLE are now nothing more than an ATM for the filthy-rich

    WimpoCrats loudly declare there will be NO change. You might as well have voted Republican!

    I always suspected Mormons are inherently terrorists!

    Secret Service blames Sarah Palin (KKK Party) for death threats against Obama.

    mKKKain supporters burning crosses to protest Obama win.

    Cindy McCain caught having an affair with another maverick?

    Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel wants to enslave all Gentiles age 18 to 25.

    I would warn all Palestinians to flee before the ultra-Zionist Emanuel has them rounded up into concentration camps, too. With his appointment, the US President has become little more than a puppet of the ZioNazi state of Israel.

    The French Revolution was right. We need more guillotines!

    Sarah Palin says God will help her decide about running for President in 2012. [1][2][3]

    Excerpts from Thomas McCullock’s Nov 13 notes, thomasmc.com.

    Texas State Government witch hunt and theft of Eldorado children goes on trial

    The Texas State Government theft of 416 children went on trial today, with 350 lawyers for the kids and their parents, packed into 2 buildings trying to defend against this total abuse of governmental powers. This is just the beginning of this newest government inspired legal nightmare, which certainly matches the legal nightmare of having to defend the federal government use of torture on the POWs at Guantanamo in the courts, too. The Bush Administration really knows its law NOT. They simply think that what they say always goes down, but this time they are going way too far.

    Despite the fact that so many in this country think the parents totally guilty of organized pedophilia just by way of being in this Mormon cult, the government has hardly made any case that would justify what it did in seizing these vulnerable children away from their equally vulnerable parents. This old style Mormon cult does believe in polygamy, but that is hardly the same as automatically believing and participating in pedophilia and the sexual abuse of children, despite media attempts to connect the two into being somehow one and same thing.

    How far can the government and its Right Wing Christian religious supporters go in abusing children, prisoners, and any folk that seemingly get in their way? They claim to be big supporters of families, yet they cannot even provide the children of this nation with medical care, despite spending trillions of dollars in murdering people in other lands, and occupying their countries. And yet, the type of government they support is out there claiming to be protecting these children from their families?

    How far can the liberal Democrats go in turning their backs on these poor parents of this pathetic religious cult and the poor kids being abused by the Texas State government? Supporting abuse of governmental power is not defending children against pedophilia at all. Short cutting normal legal measures that guarantee rights to children by attacking parental rights is not protecting vulnerable children, but abusing them. The State of Texas has yet to prove that even one single case of sexual abuse of a minor actually took place at this Eldorado ranch, and it is more than a week after they initiated their raid!

    The government is simply using the media to try and convict these parents and has little to no evidence of any crimes having taken place. It is all government hear say, and no hard evidence. If the Mormon cultists can have their legal rights shredded in this manner, next it might be you. It’s time to wake up about what a monster your government has been turned into. They are the guardians and protectors of very little these days, and it is just stupid to automatically side with what ‘the authorities’ are doing, even if you have no great love for their victims.

    No freedom of religion for FLDS in Texas

    Mormon mothers ask for their children to be returnedMormon polygamist families at the mercy of a merciless state. In the absence of formal charges, or an accuser, recently released women plead to have their children returned, and wonder what happened to their protection from religious persecution. Custody hearings begin Thursday.

    Illegal raid on Eldorado religious compound goes by without protest

    Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day SaintsThe illegal government raid on the Eldorado religious compound has gone by unprotested by all for a week now. While we have no love for any Right Wing Christian cultists, let alone these split off fundamentalist Mormons, we have a hard time understanding why the liberals and Left of this country are so nonchalant about this particular governmental violation of fundamental US citizen civil liberties? You cannot expect for others to respect your own rights if you stay silent in cases like this.

    This raid at Eldorado, Texas was made seemingly without any evidence against anybody, resulted in no material arrests for any crimes supposedly committed before the raid, and separated hundreds of children from their fathers and mothers. And the liberal community wants to act as if nothing important is going on, and that all has been done legal and fair? It is all very sad, though it seems very typical of the liberal community to see them respond in such a manner.

    Meanwhile, the government propaganda against this pathetic religious sect continues unabated in the press. It is typical of the type of government propaganda meant to justify almost all government actions, and includes unsubstantiated charges, calls for harsh judgment against myriad unspecified people, and a total self justification about why the government has thrown these 417 kids into the miserable Texas Child Protective Services Department’s control. Hardly any ‘liberation’ for these kids at all.

    At least one liberal has stepped up to the plate at this time; that liberal being Gerald Goldstein, attorney for the religious group under attack. Unfortunately, he does not seem to be doing a very good job at getting out his client’s case before the general American public. It is time for others to begin to question how this raid was initiated and handled, to question who are the major government players in the whole affair, and to question their motives for making a small case against one accused man a monstruos call for almost lynch mob hysteria against a whole group of people?

    We should not doubt for a moment, that our government misleaders want always to create comic book villains for the general public to make us hysterical about, in order top better mislead all of us to a sorry end. That is what their Eldorado, Texas ‘event’ is all about. These people under the gun now deserve our defense for their civil liberties, though they do not deserve much respect for their religious belief system. Wrong as they might be, they are people who have rights, and not just media and government made monsters for us to cast our scorn upon.

    Why is Dale Barlow free?

    Why is Dale Barlow free? He is the guy accused of sex with a minor. The total of kids taken into custody in Eldorado, Texas now stands at 417, yet Dale Barlow is free!

    Does that make any sense? Apparently to Republican Judge Barbara Walther, Republican Governor Rick Perry, and Republican President George ‘Dummie’ Bush, it does. Remember? These are the people that made torture legal under national law, even if it’s not considered so in international courts. We got some real legal geniuses at work here! Now don’t we though?

    Still waiting for the national outcry as I am…. ? Apparently we are into the longest night and people are still sleeping….? One really must be kind of contemptuous of the American people as a whole at this point. Just what does it take to wake them up?

    Here is the latest info about Dale Barlow, who apparently is still not under custody living in Arizona.

    taken from the Houston Chronicle at 7PM MT 4/8/2008
    ….Still missing is the 16-year-old whose phone call complaining of having an 8-month-old baby fathered by a 50-year-old man sparked the massive raid.

    The alleged father, identified by a search warrant as Dale Barlow, has been interviewed by deputies with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office at his northwest Arizona home, department spokeswoman Trish Carter confirmed on Monday.

    Carter would not elaborate on the encounter, but, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, deputies collected a sample of Barlow’s DNA and a list of people living at his house.

    “‘At this time, our contact with Mr. Barlow is complete,” Carter said. “We have not been informed of a warrant or any more information being sought.”………

    Well, isn’t that sweet? They have no evidence of anything yet! They cannot even make the arrest of the principle person accused of the only alleged crime! And, it seems, he’s not even living in the state where the judge took actions involving hundreds upon hundreds of people! They have not located the alleged victim either! This is certainly our legal and law enforcement systems at their finest, is it not?

    You might want to telephone the Republican Judge who put 417 kids into foster control, and ask her,

    ‘Where did you study law?’

    Honorable Barbara L. Walther (R)
    State District Judge (Irion)
    Term Ends: 12-31-2008
    District: 51
    Contact and Phone Numbers
    (915) 659-6571

    Church of Latter Day Saints down 200

    White girls await transport to new belief system
    Rival American Christian fringe denominations compete fiercely for their flocks.
     
    The First Baptist Church of Eldorado Texas scored big this weekend when authorities raided the Fundamental Church of the Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and the Baptists were able to score 200 of the underage Mormon girls. Said a bystander of the rescued girls: “They’re singing songs. So happy and sweet and precious. It’s heart-breaking.”

    Setting an example of anti-Semitism

    Adopt an Israeli orphan girl.I ran across this plea for Americans to support orphan girls in Israel. Not adopt, but sponsor. Not orphans, but orphaned GIRLS. I Googled in vain for an orphanage concerned about Israeli orphaned boys. What’s the story?

    All societies have orphans, by accident, abuse or neglect. Israel of course will not just infer, but admonish us of their continuing plight, “despicable terrorism.” How many Israeli children are orphaned compared to children in Palestine, Lebanon or other countries with which Zionists are feuding?

    I also searched for any orphanages focused solely on their religion’s children, seeking outside funding. How can Jews practice this racism while so quick to accuse others of anti-semitism? Plenty of religions have words to describe their non-believers, but who else insists that outsiders adopt laws which forbid criticism of Jews? What audacity, to expect less fortunate Goyim, the unchosen, to show deference.

    The Jewish Religion being matrilineal, its adherents number according to the offspring of its mothers. A Jewish man cannot begat Jewish children. A Jewish wife on the other hand will always propagate the bloodline. Small wonder Israeli soldiers are cast to the wind after their compulsory military service. Like the Mormons, the Jewish religion is only concerned for their spiritual alpha leaders and their girls.

    Would this explain this ad’s solitary focus on orphaned Israeli girls? The girl in the picture is blond and blue-eyed, you might think that LEVLALEV is concerned for the Palestinian or Christian orphans of Israel. Nonsense. Remember too, they don’t want you to adopt these girls, but leave the caretaking in Jewish hands. Here’s how their plea concludes:

    Over the forty years of its existence, the Kiryat Sanz Children’s Home – now the Rubin-Zeffren Children’s Home – has married off many of its students, who have set up beautiful Jewish households.

    A society that routinely abuses children produces violent citizens

    Lots of people once again are talking about the dangers of guns. No doubt about it, a society so thoroughly militarized as US society is certainly got an overload of guns. But guns alone are not the problem alone. Just who are the young people that obsess on shooting and killing? They like to play violent videos oftentimes, and their tastes in music, video, and literature tend towards the violent, too. But why? What makes for such personality disorders like the ones we see more and more often today amongst young people, many of them who want to run amok?

    I’ve got a friend, who has been urging me for a long while to write about Mormons. He hates them, in short. His hatred of them is fanatical and while I find it extreme, I certainly can understand why he got the way he did. Right Wing religious groups tend to abuse the young and that abuse can oftentimes produce extreme hatred in the victims. Put that abuse together with evolved hate, then combine that with guns and hold on there! You have a volatile combination.

    Don’t get me wrong. I do not know if the latest has anything directly to do with religion? I do not know if the youngsters that assaulted a gay teenager last week in Pueblo were from Right Wing religious families either? I do not know if the Columbine shooters were from that background. What I do know is that the Religious Right routinely mistreats children in their control. That’s just a given, I think. And that’s where the Mormons come in. And the Catholic Right. And the Southern Baptists (I know them personally). And the Benny Hinn style Pentecostal nuts talking in tongues. Crazy adults produce crazed kids. Add the Pentagon based economy, and anything can happen.

    And it just did, once again. ( To my friend, I finally did write about your Mormons.)

    Bibles in camouflage

    All dressed up for a fightThis is a military issue NIV Bible for American soldiers, I think circa Desert Storm, more probably Bosnia. Each campaign had its own camo motif. But what is the point here with the camouflage?

    A camouflaged bible? So you can read it in your field of combat without betraying your position? Isn’t it an odd concept- to disguise a bible?

    Is it camouflaged so you can sneak it into the battle zone and spring it on an unsuspecting populace? Imagine Mormons wearing battle camo instead of their trademark suit and tie. The better to establish a beachhead at our front door to surprise us with their offer of salvation for entire nuclear families and their pets.