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In December of 1890, a catastrophic event shook the Native American community, and well might have been the final act that resulted in the eventual depletion of the Native population and culture. On a lonely little hill in Wounded Knee, South Dakota, lies a memorial and burial ground for some of the casualties of the incident simply known as Wounded Knee.
In a simpler time, a Piaute holy man from Nevada devised, or was enlightened by, a new religious tradition called the Ghost Dance. Though government soldiers thought the Ghost Dance was a dangerous attempt by Native tribes to re-take lost tribal lands and revolt against their new government, the Ghost Dance was far less than that. A peaceful religion, it was believed that certain dances, songs and prayers would bring back to life their dead ancestors, return vanished buffalo herds, and restore the customs and traditions of the old ways, before the coming of the "white man."
In its effort to stifle the "revolt," soldiers were dispatched to halt all Ghost Dance activities, forcing many tribes and people to flee their homelands in search of a place where their cherished practices could still be employed. In so doing, around December of 1890, a group of Miniconjous Sioux, lead by Chief Big Foot, fled their Cheyenne River reservation, to travel some 150 miles across plains and the Badlands to a hopeful haven on the Pine Ridge reservation, where Chief Red Cloud had promised to welcome them.
Since the government had banned the Ghost Dance and all its related activities, any Natives continuing to practice the religion were arrested for "attempts to incite their people to war." Fearing the fleeing Miniconjous Sioux were going to rendezvous with Red Cloud in preparation of war, soldiers set out to capture the fleeing band. On December 28th, at Pine Ridge and close to Red Cloud's Oglalas Sioux, Big Foot's band ran into a military group of the rebuilt 7th cavalry, remnants of Custer's old regiment.
Fearing for the safety of his 120 men, and 230 women and children, Big Foot and some of his men moved toward the military group, carrying a white flag of truce. Assured by the cavalry Major Samuel M. Whiteside that there would be no fighting if Big Foot's band surrendered their weapons and came under military control, Big Foot agreed to the terms and accompanied the soldiers to their camp no Wounded Knee Creek.
The next morning, December 29, 1890, the Miniconjous Sioux were surrounded by the 7th Cavalry and ordered to relinquish their weapons. The Sioux had understood that, as soon as all guns were collected, they would be allowed to continue on to Pine Ridge Agency and Red Cloud's people just a few miles away. But, what is believed to be a "random shot," possibly caused by a deaf Sioux soldier who hadn't understood the order to give up his weapons, began a wholesale slaughter of innocent men, women and children.
It is believed that the accidental shot, fired while the deaf Native tried to maintain his hold on his weapon, caused others in the crowd (Native or white, there are counter claims as to which) to open fire. Suddenly, a peaceful surrender turned into a massacre, which resulted in the deaths of most of the 350 of Big Foot's band. Though some soldiers were also wounded and killed, many of them are thought to have died from their own cross-fires.
Many Sioux already disarmed, there was little chance for the Natives to defend themselves. Accounts differ as to exact numbers of the dead Sioux, but some may have escaped, while the remaining Natives were killed in their attempt to flee. Twenty-five of the army's soldiers died, while 37 soldiers and 2 civilians were reported wounded.
But the unnecessary killings didn't stop there. Shots continued to ring out, in spite of the overwhelming odds of soldiers against Sioux, as the soldiers tracked down and killed every living Native they found, even women and small children, regardless of their condition or willingness to surrender. It is even believed that children were brutally killed, after being promised they would be safe if they would surrender.
When the firing finally ceased, wounded soldiers and warriors were taken to the troops' quarters for medical attention. However, at least 49 wounded Sioux women and children were left unattended, lying in open wagons out in the freezing cold. Eventually, these women and children were carried into the agency church building, but how many lost their lives due to neglect is not immediately known.
Dead Sioux were left lying on the frozen ground of Wounded Knee, untouched for three days, allegedly because of a fierce winter storm that prevented soldiers from retrieving the bodies. Finally, the dead Natives were buried in one mass grave, a large trench dug out on the battlefield where they lost their lives.
Today, there stands a memorial and burial ground, small and nondescript, a monument to the lives that were lost in a needless tragedy. A siege of Wounded Knee took place in the 1970's, an act of rebellion of the AIM (American Indian Movement), aimed at gaining attention to the problems suffered by all Native peoples, an act that continues to breed heated discussions and legal investigations.
Whatever the stories, no matter who's account is more accurate, men, women and children lost their lives on a battlefield the Native Americans never wanted. Instead of a peaceful religious experience, bringing back dead ancestors, many Sioux people lost their lives, and their hold on any hope of a return to the culture and heritage of their old ways.
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