Wounded Knee Massacre

Quick Facts: Who was Wounded Knee Massacre?

Subject:

Wounded Knee Massacre

Known for:

The 1890 massacre of hundreds of Lakota people by the U.S. Army in South Dakota.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Wounded Knee Massacre, also known as the Battle of Wounded Knee, was an 1890 armed conflict between Native Americans and the United States Army. It was part of the U.S. Army’s Pine Ridge Campaign. Between 250 and 300 Lakota people were killed, and 51 were wounded (four men and 47 women and children, some of whom died later). Twenty-five U.S. soldiers were killed and 39 were wounded (six of the wounded later died). Nineteen soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor specifically for Wounded Knee, and 31 overall for the campaign.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The event occurred on December 29, 1890, near Wounded Knee Creek (Lakota: Čhaŋkpé Ópi Wakpála) on the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, following a failed attempt to disarm the Lakota people at the camp. The previous day, a detachment of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment commanded by Major Samuel M. Whitside approached Spotted Elk's band of Miniconjou Lakota and 38 Hunkpapa Lakota near Porcupine Butte and escorted them five miles (eight kilometers) westward to Wounded Knee Creek, where they made camp. The remainder of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, led by Colonel James W. Forsyth, arrived and surrounded the encampment. The regiment was supported by a battery of four Hotchkiss mountain guns. The Army was catering to the anxiety of settlers who called the conflict the Messiah War and were worried the ceremonial Ghost Dance signified a potentially dangerous Sioux resurgence.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Historian Jeffrey Ostler wrote in 2004: "Wounded Knee was not made up of a series of discrete unconnected events. Instead, from the disarming to the burial of the dead, it consisted of a series of acts held together by an underlying logic of racist domination." On the morning of December 29, U.S. Cavalry troops went into the camp to disarm the Lakota. One version of events maintains that during the process of disarming the Lakota, a deaf tribesman named Black Coyote was reluctant to give up his rifle, claiming he had paid a lot for it. Black Coyote's rifle went off at that point, and at the same moment, another Lakota man threw some dust into the air, and approximately five young Lakota men with concealed weapons threw aside their blankets and fired their rifles at the American military. After this initial exchange, the firing became indiscriminate, and the soldiers began firing on the Lakota.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1890: 1890 Milestone — The Wounded Knee Massacre, also known as the Battle of Wounded Knee, was an 1890 armed conflict between Native Americans and the United States Army.
2. 2004: 2004 Milestone — Historian Jeffrey Ostler wrote in 2004: "Wounded Knee was not made up of a series of discrete unconnected events.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Wounded Knee Massacre

True or False: “The primary cause of the Wounded Knee Massacre was the Lakota people's refusal to adopt Christianity entirely.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While religious elements were present, the conflict stemmed from U.S. efforts to disarm the Lakota and control their movements following land seizure.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul Ghaffar Khan — Historical peer (Born in 1890) (1890): Pioneering nonviolent activist and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement.
• Agatha Christie — Historical peer (Born in 1890) (1890): The 'Queen of Crime,' a master of the mystery genre, best-selling author of all time.
• A. A. K. Niazi — Historical peer (Died in 2004) (2004): Pakistani general who commanded Eastern Command during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Ahn Ji-ho (actor) — Historical peer (Born in 2004) (2004): South Korean actor known for starting his career in web series.

Frequently Asked Questions about Wounded Knee Massacre