The question of who John Chivington is one that is riddled in layers due to the controversy that surrounded the man. John Chivington was born in Ohio in 1821. He grew up while working on his family's farm, married at the age of twenty three and began his career as a minister shortly after. He moved his family around quite and became quite famous for his controversial beliefs against slavery while in Missouri. Because of his strong beliefs and willingness to uphold his beliefs with force if necessary, the church then sent him to Nebraska, from there Chivington and his family found their way to Denver where he soon joined the Colorado Volunteer Regiment and became a military hero.

John Chivington had a clear dislike for the Indians and chose to take advantage of the rising trouble between the settlers and the Indians as a means for his own agenda. Chivington believed that extermination of the Indians was the only way to be rid of them and used his political influence to voice his opinion and sway many to his way of thinking. Shortly after treaties had been signed and agreements made, Chivington and his troops took it upon themselves to wipe out as many Indians as they could, especially when they heard that chief Black Kettle was encamped at the Sand Creek reservation.

On the morning of November 29, 1864 Chivington and his troops slaughtered the Cheyenne inhabitants, even women and children. If that wasn't enough he and troops then mutilated the bodies and used them as trophies. It wasn't until sometime later that the details of the Sand Creek Massacre spread to government officials and the men who were responsible were questioned. Chivington was not formally charged due to loop holes in the system, but carried the weight of the accusations with him for the rest of his life until his death from cancer.