From Sand Creek to Summit Springs: Colorado's Indian Wars

The Colorado Indian wars were indeed tragic. No more so than for the women. Their stories are frightening, tragic, heroic and courageous. From the ashes of the Sand Creek camp site, Mo-chi raises her father's Hawkin rifle and declares, "Today I will become a Cheyenne warrior." Susanna Alderdice is tragically killed at the Battle of Summit Springs. Victims of "collateral damage," the four German sisters struggle to survive their captivity. After being taken hostage, Josephine Meeker advocates for the Ute Indians until her dying day. These are the stories of the women of the Indian wars. This carefully researched history of the conflicts with native peoples in the Colorado territories sheds fresh light on the struggles and courage of the many men and women, settlers and native, for whom the harsh reality of war was all too real.