The marker reads:
Civil War Conflict In Colorado
When the Civil War divided public opinion in Colorado, fights, near riots, duels, and even a few deaths occurred. A Confederate regiment secretly gathered in Mace’s Hole west of here at present Beulah. Zan Hicklin, prominent local pioneer who called himself “old secesh,” aided the regiment with supplies and information. By late 1861 inactivity and pressure from United States troops caused the regiment to disband, but from 1861 to 1864 occasional Confederate guerilla[sp] activity in Colorado sometimes degenerated into mere looting. The Confederacy hoped to conquer Colorado and New Mexico to obtain a route to the Pacific and to divert the mineral wealth of Colorado, Nevada, and California to bolster its treasury. While no Civil War battles were fought in Colorado, troops raised by Unionist Territorial Governor William Gilpin stopped the advance of Confederate Brigadier General Henry H. Sibley at Glorieta Pass, New Mexico, in 1862. Erected by the State Historical Society of Colorado and the Colorado Department of Highways through the Robert S. Ellison Memorial Fund, 1971.
Metal plaque [missing] in lower Left hand corner reads:
“This Historic Marker Was Refurbished and relocated to this site on June 21, 1996, with material and labor assistance by the following:
Amy Arnold President
James W. Beman Project Artist
Daniel Alps
Scott Beman
Richard Campbell
Marshall Downey
H.W. Billfrye
Dick Miller
Frank Novak, Jr.
Kevin D. Novak
V. Aldenorr
Ward Stryker
On July 17. 1996 this Historic Marker was dedicated by the Beulah Historical Society”
This location is wheelchair accessible. There is a small picnic bench with a roof as well as several other historic markers nearby.
"Confederate Sympathizers
During the late 1850s, many Southerners migrated to the Colorado Territory in search of new opportunities, including working in the newly discovered gold fields. When the War broke out, many returned to the South to defend their homes. However, some remained and formed militia groups in Fairplay, Leadville, Denver and Mace's Hole (present day Beulah). These Confederate Partisan Ranger units operated in the Colorado Territory from 1861 to 1865, raiding supply wagon trains, disrupting communications lines, recruiting volunteers, and skirmishing with Union Troops. There were also pockets of strong support for the Confederacy in the mining areas and in the Arkansas River Valley, from Cañon City eastward to Lamar, and Cañon City southward to Trinidad.
The first actual demonstration of opposition to the Union occurred in Denver on April 24, 1861 just a few days after the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Denver awakened to find the "Stars and Bars" had been raised over the Wallingford & Murphy store on Larimer Street. A turbulent pro-Union crowd soon gathered in front of the store, and demanded that the flag be taken down. The southern adherents were equally determined that the flag should stay. A young man in the crowd, Samuel M. Logan, later a Captain in the First Colorado Volunteers, climbed to the roof of the store to remove the flag. There are conflicting reports as to what happened next; some say a compromise was reached and the flag was permitted to remain for one day, while others state the flag was removed.
In 1861, when Confederate General Sibley organized his army to invade New Mexico, he commissioned Captain George Madison to go into Colorado with a two-fold mission: disrupt federal mail and communication lines, and to help organize Confederate recruitment there. At this time, Confederate recruits in Colorado were first sent to a camp in the Pikes Peak area, and then sent to the main Confederate encampment at Mace's Hole. In early 1862, Captain Madison and his men captured mail en route to Ft. Garland. Madison was also actively planning a raid on Ft. Garland. Federal soldiers learned of the encampment at Mace's Hole and broke up the regiment while many of the Confederates were away. The Federals captured forty-four Confederates and took them to Denver.
The "Reynolds Gang", a group of Southern Sympathizers, operated in South Park in 1864. Their objective was to rob the gold mines in the area to help finance the Confederate Government. However, their goal was never accomplished and the members were eventually captured. While the captured southern sympathizers were being taken to Fort Lyon, the first stop on their way to Denver for a military trial, they attempted their escape. A gunfight ensued and three of the prisoners were killed. However, two managed to steal horses in the confusion and escaped to the New Mexico Territory ." (from (
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