Territory act Colorado

the territories of new mexico, utah, kansas, , nebraska before creation of territory of colorado

thirty days later on february 28, 1861, outgoing u.s. president james buchanan signed act of congress organizing free territory of colorado. original boundaries of colorado remain unchanged today. name colorado chosen because commonly believed colorado river originated in territory. in 1776, spanish priest silvestre vélez de escalante recorded native americans in area knew river el rio colorado red-brown silt river carried mountains. in 1859, u.s. army topographic expedition led captain john macomb located confluence of green river grand river in canyonlands national park in utah. macomb party designated confluence source of colorado river.

on april 12, 1861, south carolina artillery opened fire on fort sumter start american civil war. while many gold seekers held sympathies confederacy, vast majority remained fiercely loyal union cause.

in 1862, force of texas cavalry invaded territory of new mexico , captured santa fe on march 10. object of western campaign seize or disrupt gold fields of colorado , california , seize ports on pacific ocean confederacy. hastily organized force of colorado volunteers force-marched denver city, colorado territory, glorieta pass, new mexico territory, in attempt block texans. on march 28, coloradans , local new mexico volunteers stopped texans @ battle of glorieta pass, destroyed cannon , supply wagons, , dispersed 500 of horses , mules. texans forced retreat santa fe. having lost supplies campaign , finding little support in new mexico, texans abandoned santa fe , returned san antonio in defeat. confederacy made no further attempts seize southwestern united states.

in 1864, territorial governor john evans appointed reverend john chivington colonel of colorado volunteers orders protect white settlers cheyenne , arapaho warriors accused of stealing cattle. colonel chivington ordered men attack band of cheyenne , arapaho encamped along sand creek. chivington reported troops killed more 500 warriors. militia returned denver city in triumph, several officers reported so-called battle blatant massacre of indians @ peace, of dead women , children, , bodies of dead had been hideously mutilated , desecrated. 3 u.s. army inquiries condemned action, , incoming president andrew johnson asked governor evans resignation, none of perpetrators ever punished. event known sand creek massacre.

mount of holy cross photographed william henry jackson in 1874

in midst , aftermath of civil war, many discouraged prospectors returned homes, few stayed , developed mines, mills, farms, ranches, roads, , towns in colorado territory. on september 14, 1864, james huff discovered silver near argentine pass, first of many silver strikes. in 1867, union pacific railroad laid tracks west weir, julesburg, in northeast corner of territory. union pacific linked central pacific railroad @ promontory summit, utah, on may 10, 1869, form first transcontinental railroad. denver pacific railway reached denver in june following year, , kansas pacific arrived 2 months later forge second line across continent. in 1872, rich veins of silver discovered in san juan mountains on ute indian reservation in southwestern colorado. ute people removed san juans following year.