The Colorado Indian wars were indeed tragic. No more so than for the women. Their stories are frightening, tragic, heroic and courageous. From the ashes of the Sand Creek camp site, Mo-chi raises her father's Hawkin rifle and declares, "Today I will become a Cheyenne warrior." Susanna Alderdice is tragically killed at the Battle of Summit Springs. Victims of "collateral damage," the four German sisters struggle to survive their captivity. After being taken hostage, Josephine Meeker advocates for the Ute Indians until her dying day. These are the stories of the women of the Indian wars. This carefully researched history of the conflicts with native peoples in the Colorado territories sheds fresh light on the struggles and courage of the many men and women, settlers and native, for whom the harsh reality of war was all too real. A Colorado native, Linda Wommack, is a Colorado historian and historical consultant. An award-winning author, she has written sixteen books on Colorado history, including Murder in the Mile High City, Colorado's Landmark Hotels, From the Grave; Colorado's Pioneer Cemeteries, Our Ladies of the Tenderloin; Colorado's Legends in Lace, Colorado History for Kids, Colorado's Historic Mansions and Castles, Ann Bassett, Colorado's Cattle Queen, Haunted History of Cripple Creek and Teller County, and Cripple Creek, Bob Womack & the Greatest Gold Camp on Earth, Ranching Women of Colorado and Growing Up With the Wild Bunch, the Story of Josie Bassett. She has also contributed to two anthologies concerning Western Americana. Linda has been a contributing editor for True West Magazine since 1995. She has also been a staff writer, contributing a monthly article for Wild West Magazine, since 2004. She has also written for The Tombstone Epitaph, the nation's oldest continuously published newspaper, since 1993. Linda also writes for several publications throughout her state. Linda's research has been used in several documentary accounts for the national Wild West History Association, historical treatises of the Sand Creek Massacre, as well as critical historic aspects for the Lawman & Outlaw Museum as well as the Heritage Center, both in Cripple Creek, Colorado. Linda feeds her passion for history with activities in many local, state, and national preservation projects, participating in historical venues, including speaking engagements, hosting tours, and is involved in historical reenactments across the state