September 29 – October 5, 1879 · Southwest Theater
September 29 – October 5, 1879
When Major Thornburgh's column marched onto Ute lands in Colorado without permission — responding to an agent's call for troops to suppress a Ute leader — White River Ute warriors under Colorow and Jack ambushed the column at Milk Creek. Thornburgh was killed in the initial fighting. His command of 190 men was pinned down and besieged for six days until relief arrived. Simultaneously, Ute men killed Indian agent Nathan Meeker and nine employees at the agency, and took Meeker's wife and daughter hostage.
Commanders