Julesburg in Ashes
Near here on January 7, 1865, a small band of Cheyenne Dog Soldiers attacked a stagecoach and wagon train. When news of the raid reached Camp Rankin, a small military post nearby, Captain Nicholas J. O'Brien and 37 troopers of Company F, 7th Iowa Cavalry, set out in pursuit.
The war party retreated into the hills southeast of here and the soldiers followed only to find themselves nearly surrounded by over 1,000 warriors. O'Brien and his tiny command fought their way back to the Fort and regrouped, using two cannon to keep the raiders at bay. Meanwhile, the Indians moved into Julesburg, looting as they went. In all, five civilians and fifteen soldiers were killed. Over the next three weeks, nearly every stage station and ranch along the South Platte was attacked and burned.
On February 2, 1865, the warriors returned to Julesburg, hoping to lure the soldiers out of the fort. When the plan failed, the Indians looted the town and torched the buildings.
The first Julesburg had come to a fiery end!!
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1880.
Location.
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Regionally, this marker is in the Eastern Plains. It is also in the American Mountain West, on the Great Plains, and specifically on the High Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A Moving Story (here, next to this marker); Neither Rain Nor Sleet (here, next to this marker); Old Julesburg (here, next to this marker); Overland City (here, next to this marker); Fort Sedgwick, Colorado Territory (approx. 0.9 miles away); Hard Duty on the Plains (approx. 0.9 miles away); Early Campsites and River Crossings (approx. 1.9 miles away); Sugar Town (approx. 1.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Julesburg.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2011, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,444 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 19, 2011, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.
