A Wounded Knee Remembrance

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Today is a very solemn day of remembrance.  120 years ago today, the U.S. 7th Calvary Regiment, commanded by Colonel James W. Forsyth, massacred perhaps 300 Lakota Sioux men, women and children, near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.  It was clearly one of the darkest days in U.S. history.

There are conflicting stories as to how the massacre unfolded.  The 7th Calvary had surrounded the encampment of the Lakota Sioux, for the purpose of disarming them.  Some say, during the process of “disarming” the Lakota, a deaf tribesman resisted having his prized possession – his rifle – taken from him.  There was a scuffle, and somehow a shot rang out.  From here the 7th Calvary opened fire on the entire surrounded encampment, killing just about anyone, and anything, in the line of fire, including a number of soldiers.  A few warriors, who hadn’t yet been disarmed, fought back in defense of their people.  But, they were quickly killed, and likely heightened the chaos and mayhem on the part of the troopers.  There were some who initially survived the “battle”, but as they attempted to flee the troopers pursued and killed many of them.  The vast majority of the Lakota who were killed that day were unarmed.

Regardless of how the events that day unfolded, it demonstrated a total lack of respect and compassion – on the part of representatives of the U.S. government – for the lives of Native American people.  This will live on as truly one of the darkest days . . . of infamy, in all of American history.

YUR

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