Comments on: Death at Summit Springs: Susanna Alderdice and the Cheyennes

By: Christina

Christina — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 02:38:18 +0000

Sad to know and read how something that started out good turned so bad and ugly in the end. When the first settlers set foot on American soil they were helped by the Natives and shown how to live and survive in the New World. There was mutual respect between them and there was peace and friendship. They lived along side each other and helped each other out like only friendly neighbours do. I have read that Thanks Giving Day as we now know it was orginally a ceremony, tradition of the Native Americans by which they gave thanks and expressed their gratefullness to the Great Spirit and nature for all good things received and that the first colonists in the 17th century met with this tradition when they came in contact with the Natives and the latter shared this celebration with them. Only when more and more settlers came, all having to have a place to live and land (which is understandable) and therefore eating in on Indian terriorities (which was regrettable) and with their growing number unintentionally driving the American Native people more and more out of their natural habitat, the scale began to tip over as balance between the two groups got lost. Fear strucked the hearts of bothe sides, fear of losing land and culture on one side and fear of not being able to settle on the other side made Natives and settlers feel thus threatened that it triggered the instinct to survive and soon mutual respect, understanding and peace gave way to misunderstanding, comtempt, hatred and violance in which each party was literally fighting for and defending the lives of themselves and their loved ones, using every (deplorable) means to do so. Whenever people fight each other monstrosities and cruelties of all sorts are committed against one another in order to afflict as much pain and hardship as possible. Man's darkest and most brutal side emerges, erasing all common sense and noble and honourable feelings, only to sow death and destruction to everyone around them. The things both sides were guilty of doing to each other were gruesome and inexcusable. Sadly, moreover, for it derived only out of the protection and the keep safe of families and loved ones. Violance, striking out to one another is one way to solve an issue, but there are other ways too, but in the heat of the moment thinking clearly is hard, very hard. Finding peaceful ways to settle issues can only be done if and when we learn to live out of our souls, our Higher Consciousness, which is pure and loving.
But it's definitely worth trying and keep trying cause we all have so much good to give to each other.

By: Kathy Penniston-Smith

Kathy Penniston-Smith — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:39:32 +0000

Yes, it was very interesting because Sarah White was my grandmother's cousin. Sarah's father, who was killed when Sarah was captured, was my grandmother's uncle. He is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Cloud County, Kansas, next to his wife Mary who died in 1913. Benjamin's tombstone says that he was killed by Indians. Sarah married Erastus Brooks and lived until 1939. She is buried in West Summit Cemetery in Cloud County, Kansas.

By: uncle joe

uncle joe — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:48:44 +0000

I was once introduced to an old cheyenne when I was a young boy my uncle told me that he was a real indian and that he was the last survivor of the sand creek battle (the Chief called it a battle said he earned his first feather there ) I don't know his real name my uncle and his frends all respectfully called him Chief he used indian medicine on my turtle in the turtle race and I won the $.50 first prize I also remember that all his front teeth were filed down to points I wish I could have met him when I was older I would have had a lot of questions I wish I had asked him JTD

By: jeff

jeff — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:01:47 +0000

Roxane respectfully –I am an American of mixed Native and Anglo-Celtic Ancestry–you are correct in your assessment of the whitewashing of US military actions against Native Americans –and also in tht we should not be looking at theseevents in terms of who was the worst—You should however not assume that the horrors endured by European settlers are exaggerations-There are too many accounts of horrific rapes tortures baby murders and the like –the great enemy of Native mericans–Andrew Jackson raised a Native boy–some Indians adopted European children- both usually after there families were brutally murdered–Do not assume because they prevailed eventually that European Americans lied or misrepresented the truth about what settlers endured–why do Europeans singularly among all people of the world have to constantly apologize for their success –people of all kinds migrate conquer and assimilate others–look at the Chinese –the Bantu–the Arabs—Europeans actually whitewashed what was done to their women by Native tribes out of a Victorian sense of decorum–Please do "white" people the same courtesy of respecting their experiences in History as we do othe ethnic groups–

By: JOHN

JOHN — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:07:26 +0000

LOOK WHAT HAPPEND AT SAND CREEK, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL THAT?

By: Edward

Edward — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:47:40 +0000

Why is Tom's statement just been deleted?

By: Edward

Edward — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:46:43 +0000

I agree with Tom.I'm a freshman in O.U.The Cheyenne's are like the Spartans.300 Cheyennes vs 100000000 million and growing.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:26:34 +0000

Native American History books are all written by the cold callous of a mans one sided perspective.Even in here in American these books are being censored.Native American History is being taught by a teacher who doesn't know squat about the subject.I am not Native American myself but I do know BS when I see it.
Heres a fact Gen.Custer and his 7th Calvary paraded with the dead body parts of the Cheyenne.In retaliation of kill there wives and children the Cheyenne Warriors hunted down Custer only to see him dodge and run to a fort.
Fact:Gen.Custer raped a Cheyenne woman,who he confessed as his lover,over his current wife.The Cheyenne woman bore his child.
Fact:Stone forehead pour the ashes on Custer's boot and spoke "If you and the Government go against the Cheyenne again,death will come upon you."
Fact:Stone Forehead was camped in Sweet water 300miles away during the up above fictional story book stated.
Fact:Cheyenne population during this 234.Of that 234 and after massacres remaining of 124.
Fact:US Gov. is solely afraid of the Native Americans.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:10:03 +0000

This is the most inaccurate thing I read so far on the internet.You have to take account Native Americans during this era are at a population drop of 95%.I'm 18 in high school this is the most uber noobtastic thing written.Get you history facts right old folks."White men treat there womans like dogs."..

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 05:07:13 +0000

After reading what those particular Indians did to little children … I would think they deserved no mercy at all!!!