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| The Battle of Wounded Knee started when the army found out that Sitting Bull was determined to go to Pine Ridge. There was orders sent to the army to take position. On December 14,1890 James McLaughlin heard about Sitting Bull and had him arrested immediately. While being arrested one of Sitting Bulls men fired a gun. As the police officer fell to the ground he shot Sitting Bull. Six policemen and eight of the Sioux died. |
| After hearing about Sitting Bulls death Big Foot feared the safety of his band. Big Foot himself was placed on the list of "fomenters of disturbance." He was to be arrested. |
| They wanted to go to Pine Ridge with his 350 followers (only 120 men and 230 women and children) and and hope to be protected from Red Cloud. On there way Big Foot became very ill. He had pneumonia. He was forced to ride in the back off a wagon. When they approached Porcupine Creek on December 28, they saw for four Calvary troops coming ahead. The Sioux put a white flag over Big Foot's wagon. |
| When the Seventh Calvary approached Big Foot talked to Major Samuel Whitside. Whitside told him Big Foot he had to take him and his followers back to Wounded Knee Creek . Major Whitside wanted to disarm them but John Sangrean told him no. He said they needed to avoid war at that very moment. Major agreed to wait till they got back to camp. They were led back by two troops. |
| So that they would not escape that night they had two troops surround the tents with Hotchkiss guns. The Sioux had not yet been disarmed because they decided to wait until morning. During that night the Seventh Calvary set up behind the troops. Also more gun were set up. |
| That morning the Sioux were told to put all of there guns in a pile. After they did the soldiers weren't happy so they searched through all of there stuff and found only two guns. One of the guns belonged to Black Coyote. The soldiers start to fight him. The Indians heard a shot go off. so the grabbed what the could from the pile and the war began. It was the first shots of wounded knee. |
| The soldiers shot men, women, and children. Estimated 350 Sioux Indians died. Only 29 solders died and 39 were wounded. The Battle at Wounded Knee is said to be the last major fight between Indians and Federal Troops. |
