Chivington, John Milton

Chivington, John Milton (1821–1894) U.S. army officer and clergyman. Born in Warren County, Ohio, Chivington became a Methodist preacher in 1844. He left Ohio in 1848 to become a frontier missionary, and earned the nickname of “Fighting Parson” for his involvement with antislavery forces in Kansas. He was commissioned major in the 1st Colorado Volunteers when the Civil War began, and was promoted to colonel in 1862. He distinguished himself in combat actions in New Mexico during Col. Edward R.S. Canby's campaign to turn back the invasion of Gen. Henry H. Sibley, particularly at Apache Canyon. In 1863 Chivington was appointed commander of the military district of Colorado, where he was responsible for dealing with Indians taking advantage of the absence of federal troops. On November 29, 1864, he led a force of Colorado militia against a group of Indians camped along Sand Creek led by Black Kettle, who believed they had peacefully surrendered to the federal commander at nearby Fort Lyon. Three separate hearings were conducted that examined Chivington's role at what became known as the Sand Creek Massacre (1864), but no official action was taken. Chivington escaped court-martial by resigning from the service.