The Wounded Knee Massacre occurred on December 29, 1890,[4]near Wounded Knee Creek (Lakota: Čhaŋkpé Ópi Wakpála) on theLakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, USA. Itwas the last battle of the American Indian Wars. On the day before,a detachment of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment commanded byMajor Samuel M. Whitside intercepted Spotted Elk's band ofMiniconjou Lakota and 38 Hunkpapa Lakota near Porcupine Butteand escorted them five miles westward (8 km) to Wounded KneeCreek, where they made camp.
The remainder of the 7th Cavalry Regiment arrived, led by ColonelJames W. Forsyth and surrounded the encampment supported byfour Hotchkiss guns.[5]
On the morning of December 29, the troops went into the camp todisarm the Lakota. One version of events claims that during theprocess of disarming the Lakota, a deaf tribesman named Black Coyote was reluctant to give up his rifle, claiming he had paid a lotfor it.[6] A scuffle over Black Coyote's rifle escalated and a shot wasfired which resulted in the 7th Cavalry's opening fire indiscriminatelyfrom all sides, killing men, women, and children, as well as some oftheir own fellow soldiers. Those few Lakota warriors who still hadweapons began shooting back at the attacking soldiers, who quicklysuppressed the Lakota fire. The surviving Lakota fled, but U.S.cavalrymen pursued and killed many who were unarmed.
By the time it was over, at least 150 men, women, and children ofthe Lakota had been killed and 51 wounded (4 men, 47 women andchildren, some of whom died later); some estimates placed thenumber of dead at 300. Twenty-five soldiers also died, and 39 werewounded (6 of the wounded would later die).[7] It is believed thatmany were the victims of friendly fire,[citation needed] as the shootingtook place at close range in chaotic conditions. At least twentysoldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor.[8]
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