Dawn November 29, 1864

Dawn November 29, 1864. Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. In the Cheyenne and Arapaho camps, the early hours of November 29, 1864 started like any other day – people up before sunrise greeted the day cautiously, but with little trepidation. , “Heap of Buffalos Coming!” , Always alert to subtle changes across the prairie, some women noticed something different about this morning. In the distance, the sound of hooves caught their attention. A rumble from the south, barely audible, then slightly louder, as several miles away hundreds of animals dashed towards the valley. Within moments these women were the first to notify the camp of ésevone nohto’ahéotse – buffalo approaching! , It soon was apparent this was not buffalo, but the approach of hundreds of mounted soldiers. Within precious moments life and death mingled, as frightened villagers huddled in terror. , Among those who heard what they first thought were buffalo were Cheyenne women Medicine Road and Short Chief and their daughters Standing Woman and Wooly Dog. The memory of this fateful day is etched into family history – their father, Yellow Fingernails, would not survive the day. Wooly Dog passed away December 17, 1941; Standing Woman lived until October 14, 1946 and was perhaps the last survivor of the Sand Creek Massacre. , "...on Tuesday morning, the 29th, a squaw came into the lodge where we were eating breakfast, and said there was a heap of buffalos coming. , David H. Louderback (Louderback accompanied John S. Smith to the Cheyenne and Arapaho village on November 27 and was present the morning of the attack on the 29th. Testimony given March 30, 1865.) , Caption: Standing Woman, who survived the Sand Creek Massacre, is seen here many years later as an adult with her husband Cheyenne Chief Roman Nose.