Milk Creek, 1879

[markland]

I ran across this website a few days ago and had meant to see if anyone was familiar with the current status of this issue.

Here is the web site URL:

www.edwardsexplorations.com/milkcreek.html

In essence, Brad Edwards (note, he states that he is a LBH enthusiast so the chances are good that he may visit here) was doing some exploration at the site of the battle of Milk Creek, Col. and discovered the unmarked grave of what he believes are two of the thirteen U. S. soldiers and civilians who were killed or died of wounds received in the battle. At last update, the landowners after being notified by him of the discovery have barred access to their land to all interested parties.

As I said, any updates as regards the current situation would be welcome.

Thanks,

Billy

[Diane Merkel]

Paging Jeff Broome . . . paging Jeff Broome . . . .

(I think he's been to all of those Colorado sites. I'll see if I can get him to check in here.)

[jeffbroome]

Billy:
Glad you have begun some queries on the Milk Creek battle. I will notify Brad Edwards of this forum, and hopefully he will add information that will be informative. Let me just say this right now. I was with Brad when the two bodies of the soldiers were uncovered. Indeed, on the wall in my study is a large photograph of this discovery, which you can see on his web site that you mentioned. The landowners continue to not cooperate with the recovery of the remains and a proper burial. The 13 men, most soldiers of the 5th Cavalry, remain in a sheep pasture with no recognition, being crapped on daily by sheep.
The good news is, Brad Edwards has just finished writing a book about all of this. This battle is basically ignored by Indian war enthusiasts, and it shouldn't be. It is as thrilling a story as the Beecher Island battle which we all know about and have read about. But who has read similar about Milk Creek? Medals of Honor were awarded in this engagement. The site remains unmarked and unvisitable, except for a generic plaque nearly a mile away.
My wife Kelley is in the process of typing up Brad's manuscript even as I write this. My guess is it will be available for purchase maybe as early as Christmas. Brad can fill in those details. Again, I will alert him of this important inquiry that you have started.
Jeff

[digger1]

Good morning everyone! Actually there are 12 MC kia,s in the mass grave.Major T.T.Thornburgh was taken out with the wounded and rests in Arlington with his son on his chest.Spoke yesterday to the Major's great-great nephew, James Thornburgh of Jonesboro,Tn. The family has given me new info about Thomas and several really cool photo's of his recovered pistol for my MC book.The status of the kia's is the same.Landowners lack patriotic instincts and US army has forsaken their dead. Will answer any replies. Brad

[harpskiddie]

Last night, or maybe the night before, I watched a TV program about the search for, and recovery of, MIA bodies in Vietnam, where the government allows US forensic anthropologists to conduct digs for the remains of missing US troops and fliers. There are limits imposed, but mainly as to the time that can be spent on one visit by one crew. As I recall, the crew featured on the program had conducted 4 or 5 60 day digs on a tea plantation.

It is unbelievable that the Federal Government has not ordered the landowners to permit the retrieval of known remains. Were I a US citizen, I would be writing the local congressman, and every federal agency I could think of to get this deplorable situation corrected. I wonder how my son, who just became a US citizen, and has been serving in the US Army overseas for more than eight months would feel about it. Has anyone tried to get the local veterans' association involved?

As a matter of fact, if anyone cares to post the name of the congressman in question, I will write him myself.

Gordie

[markland]

Brad, many thanks for the update. I have a draft copy of a letter to my Kansas congressional team which I hope can be proofread by the wife today to correct my worse grammatical excesses. Once she does that and a couple of friends eyeball it, it will be on the way.

For those interested, the URL for the U. S. Congress is:

www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

Select "Congress" on the left menu, then on the next page, select the state's representatives you wish for either the House, Senate or both.

Best of wishes,

Billy

[harpskiddie]

Thank you , Billy. I will be writing later today.

Diane:

Is there any way LBHA can get involved, and possibly engage some other organizations, such as Order Of The Indian Wars, CBHMA etc. in this matter??

Gordie

[Diane Merkel]

Gordie,

There is power in numbers, so that's a good thought.

I'm not sure how each organization is set up regarding endorsing issues. My husband and I will be driving to a couple of events today, so I'll have him captive in the car and will ask him how the various groups work.

Diane