Wounded Knee Massacre — End of the Indian Wars
The Wounded Knee Massacre was the culmination of the Ghost Dance crisis of 1890. The Ghost Dance — a new religious movement developed by Paiute prophet Wovoka — spread rapidly across the Plains after 1889, teaching that non-violent spiritual practice would cause the earth to swallow the settlers, return the buffalo, and resurrect the dead ancestors. On the Lakota reservations, where conditions were desperate (Congress had halved the Great Sioux Reservation in 1889 and reduced rations), the Ghost Dance attracted mass participation. The Office of Indian Affairs and Army commanders interpreted the Ghost Dance as a precursor to armed uprising. Sitting Bull — the most prominent Lakota leader — was targeted for arrest at Standing Rock reservation. On 15 December 1890, Indian police attempted to arrest him; a gun battle followed and Sitting Bull was killed. Chief Big Foot (Spotted Elk) — leader of the Miniconjou Lakota — led his band south toward the Pine Ridge reservation, seeking the protection of Red Cloud. They were intercepted by the 7th Cavalry (Custer's old regiment) and escorted to Wounded Knee Creek. On the morning of 29 December 1890, soldiers surrounded the camp and ordered the Lakota to surrender their weapons. The trigger is disputed. A shot was fired — possibly by a deaf man who did not understand the order to put down his gun. The cavalry opened fire with rifles and Hotchkiss mountain guns (rapid-fire artillery) from positions surrounding the camp. The concentrated fire killed men, women, and children indiscriminately; many who fled were pursued and shot at distance. Approximately 250–300 Lakota were killed; perhaps 50 wounded survived. 25 soldiers were killed, many likely by friendly fire in the crossfire. The government response: Colonel Forsyth was initially relieved of command, but the investigation cleared him and 20 soldiers received the Medal of Honor — a decision that Native American advocacy groups have sought to have rescinded as late as 2022. The federal government subsequently closed the frontier and declared the Indian Wars over.
- Year: 1890 CE
- Category: Military
