OCR Text |
Show THE COLORADO MAGAZINE Published . bi- monthly by The Stnte Historical Society of CoIorsJo Vol. XXV Denver. Colorado, May, 1943 No. 3 I m 3K . Major FJoiigll's. - March into Southern I tc Country. 1879 /•' ililifl Inj nOI'. r/ RT. ( » . Ari'lKAKX* on. the L'fi. th of September. .1870, the. White liiv.- r A. uvn- y in N'uriliwestern Colorado was attacked by the Northern I'tes in what appeared to be a general uprising of the hi, linns in that area. ' Die agent, Nathan U. Sleeker, and eleven of Ids employees were killed, while the female residents of the Ajrc- iu- y w,* re « * nr-rie. l off by the attackers. On the mum; day Major T. V. Thorn-burgh, who was marching from Fort Steele. Wyoming, willi a • li'tai'lurteiit of V") 0 men to assist Sleeker in controlling bis charges, w.- i. s ambushed and killed as lie yCa* nearing bis destination. The -..- ws of the Meeker massacre and tire Thurnl'mrgl. ahibush caused •-• reat alarm among the whites in Colorado and. within a Aw days f-. leral troops began to enter tlie state' in immbers. 1 Led by General Wesley Merritt, cavalry and infantry units left Wa. wlins. Wyoming, on the 2nd day of October and by jhe 01b . had relieve! the besieged Thoruburgh detachment... driving ihe Indians farther hack into the mountains. As tlie Interior Department wanted '. 0 negotiate with the Indians, Merritt now suspended active military operations but remained on tl; e scene to click any further Apredations. At the same time thai troops' marched into Northern Ate country. Army authorities ordered other . soldiers to the Southern •' e area, in Southwestern Colorado, directing tlmm to keep these ' ft'linns under e. inlrol and be prepared, if necessary, to tn. iivh Vainst the Xorlbern Ales. Among tb-' se troops w. re four e,, m- J- anies of the 22nd Infantry, commanded by Major Alfred L. • I'mgh, who was at the time of the Meeker massacre stationed at •'•'• I't Oib>,, n, Indian Territory. This rifty- si'\- year'-.. ld officer had * IM-. Atboarn is an ins'tmitor in history n. ( ho University of Colo- * io.~- Ed. • General W. T. Sherman estimated the ] n> i> uhUion of th<- four hands *• Utes to be about LOOP, of wlmni SOfl wviv cmsiii. veil to ho ah'lu war- • lors. |