Robert Burns

A Cheyenne, Burns’ father White Leaf, and other relatives were killed at Sand Creek. It is not known if his mother, Sharp Nose Woman was at Sand Creek. Burns’ wife, Ada Bent, was a granddaughter of William Bent and Owl Woman. Among their children were William White Leaf Burns and Edward G. Burns. Burns later married Nellie Bent, step-daughter of George Bent.

Robert Burns received education at Carlisle Indian School, PA and at Fort Wayne, Indiana College. Burns became a competent and respected businessman, clerk, and interpreter. Robert Burns passed away on November 19, 1930.

George Bent

George Bent, son of pioneer William Bent and Owl Woman, a Cheyenne, was in Black Kettle's village at Sand Creek. Bent described the Sand Creek massacre in letters written to historians George Grinnell and George Hyde. On March 15, 1905 Bent wrote: "Chivington attacked village early in morning. I had not got out of bed when I heard soldiers were coming. When I went out of the lodge I seen soldiers charging towards the village. One company went around east side of the camp and one company west side."

On April 30, 1913 Bent wrote: "About 53 men were killed and 110 women and children killed, 163 in all killed. Lots of men, women and children were wounded...The village was on north side of Sand Creek, about 146 lodges of Cheyennes...Women and children ran up bed of Sand Creek about 2 1/2 miles and dug pits under bank in sand."

When Bent passed away on May 19, 1918, he was survived by six children, Mary, William, Daisy, Lucy, George Jr., and Julia. Magpie, his wife, died May 10, 1886. Bent's other wives, Kiowa Woman and Standing Out, passed away in 1913 and 1945.

Edmond Guerrier

Edmond Guerrier was the son of Frenchman William Guerrier and Walks In Sight, a Cheyenne. Guerrier provided the following testimony to Congressional investigators at Fort Riley, KS in 1865. "I was in the camp of the Cheyennes when Chivington made his attack...I had been with them [Cheyennes] about three days before the attack...After the attack I remained with them about four weeks...I was, at the time of the attack, sleeping in a lodge...I could see the soldiers begin to dismount. I thought they were artillerymen and were about to shell the camp...I went to the northeast; I ran about five miles, when I came across an Indian women driving a herd of ponies...she was a cousin of mine - one of White Antelope's daughters. I went with her to the Smoky Hill [river]. I saw as soon as the firing began, from the number of troops, that there could be no resistance, and I escaped...There were one hundred and forty-eight killed and missing...about sixty were men-the balance women and children."

Edmond Guerrier died on February 22, 1921. Julia, his widow, was a daughter of William Bent. The Guerrier's had three children, William, Rosa (Minnie), and Annie.

George Shoup

George Shoup, a Pennsylvanian, commanded the Third Colorado Volunteers during the Indian Campaign of 1864. At Sand Creek, Shoup's battalion commanders included Leavitt Bowen, Hal Sayre, and Theodore Cree. In his field report written on December 7, Shoup noted "...the historian will search in vain for braver deeds that were commited on that field of battle." Shoup later went to Idaho where he prospered in business and politics. Shoup passed away in Boise, December 21, 1904. Today, a statue of George Shoup sits in Statuary Hall, U.S. Congress.

Theodore G. Cree

Cree was commissioned as an officer of the Third Colorado Regiment in August 1864 and commanded a battalion at Sand Creek. In his field report on December 6, 1864, Cree penned: "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 distinctions 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..."

Cree died in 1921 in Los Angeles, CA.

Captain John McCannon

"The first order given was to Capt. 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. Captain 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...Captain McCannon, with his company, remained...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." – From the report of Colonel George Shoup, commanding the Third Colorado Volunteer Regiment.