Summit Springs Battleground
The Battle of Summit Springs, on July 11, 1869, was an armed conflict
between elements of the 5th Cavalry, United States Army under the command
of Colonel Eugene A. Carr and a group of Cheyenne Dog Soldiers led by Tall Bull,
who was killed during the engagement. The US forces were assigned to retaliate
for a series of raids in north-central Kansas committed earlier by Chief Tall Bull's
Dog Soldiers band with several captives seized during the raids.
Mrs. Susanna Alderdice, one of the captives, was killed before the attack and is buried near the site. She was the
wife of Thomas Alderdice, who was one of Col. Forsythe's scouts in the battle at Beecher Island the previous September.
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was then serving as a scout for the US 5th Cav and was present at the battle site.
The battlefield site is located in Washington County, Sec 2, T2N, R52W about 4.4 miles
east of Colo Hwy 63 (40°25'58.23"N, 103°8'21.21"W). To get to the site one must turn on Logan County Rd 2, proceed
east until the road turns south into Washington County. However, while the battlefield
has been commemorated and there is a monument, it is located on private property which
has been made inaccessible by the owner.
These excellent photos of the battlefield and monument are courtesy of William Saul, whose family settled in Twp 5N, Range 51W.
They were all taken at the site of Battle Ground Springs now called Summit Springs although the actual spring and a dam site
are unseen in the background and now fenced off, no trespassing. These photos were taken in June 2010 at an unusually
well-watered time hence the green!
Older vandalized marker
Newer monument placed August 1970
Plaque August 1970
Eroded banks of the creek
Exceptionally green in June 2010
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