Posted on 12/29/2021 10:38:31 AM PST by ammodotcom
The Battle at Wounded Knee is a significant battle in American history, as it put an end to the Indian Wars and is marked as the last official defeat of the Native Americans. But what’s not taught in history lessons is that Wounded Knee was one of the first federally backed gun confiscations in the history of the United States, and it ended in the massacre of nearly 300 unarmed people.
During the late 19th century, American Indians were allowed to purchase and carry firearms, just as white men were. The colonial gun laws did not bar Native Americans from possessing firearms, yet that natural right was violated by government forces at Wounded Knee. And once the guns were confiscated, the battle ensued.
When we look at the issues surrounding gun confiscation, Wounded Knee gives us an example of the devastation that an unarmed people can experience at the hands of their own government. This battle serves as a reminder to fight against gun confiscation and the gun control legislation that can lead to it.
And that is why my ancestors did not register under the Indian Rolls. My family kept their land. The white government will fail soon.
Blame it on Wovoka the Piute. He is the one who got the Ghost Dance craze started.
It was not the last battle with American Indians.
1911 January 19 Last Massacre Nevada A group of Shoshone killed four ranchers in Washoe County, Nevada. On February 26, 1911, an American posse killed eight of the Shoshone suspects and captured four children from the band.
And
The Battle of Bear Valley in 1918 Arizona.
https://medium.com/exploring-history/bear-valley-the-last-battle-of-the-american-indian-wars-3d2662288d1a
If we add Mexico into the group, writer Erle Stanley Gardner says the last battle was between Apaches and Vaqueros in 1939.
By the way, does anyone remember the Spicer Family murders in 1897?
My wife and I visited the site a few years ago. It’s pretty much an open plain with a hilltop cemetery and chapel. There are quite a few graves marked as veterans - WWII, Korea, VietNam, Afghanistan.
There were some shelters with tables and young Indians there who were very nice to chat with. When a young man asked us where we were headed, I paused and then said “to the Black Hills.” It didn’t seem to be a good idea to say “Custer.”
My great grandfather worked at Pine Ridge at a trading post. My grandfather was born there a few years before Wounded Knee, first white man born on that reservation. I have a pistol frame he picked up from the pile of burned confiscated Sioux weapons.
Reality- not all the Souix turned in their weapons. One group tried to make a break for it. They had never seen a machine gun before.
Bookmark
how will you be able to tell?
“how will you be able to tell?”
LOL, the crazy White man in the White House who cannot remember yesterday is a good start.
It will indeed fail soon. I’m going Native.
IIRC, the Army unit at Wounded Knee had about 23 Medals of Honor awarded. Mind boggling.
“LOL, the crazy White man in the White House who cannot remember yesterday is a good start.”
You have me laughing, too! ;-)
On that basis alone I would refuse to accept a Medal of Honor no matter how heroic and well-deserved it may have been.
Bttt.
5.56mm
There is a lot of “forgotten” history that was “In my grade school books.”
We talked about wounded knee in high school quite a bit. But we also had Indian students.
Thanks for sharing that!
“IIRC, the Army unit at Wounded Knee had about 23 Medals of Honor awarded. Mind boggling”.
Soldiers who massacred Indian women and children at Wounded Knee received the Medal of Honor?
I find that hard to believe. They did not qualify for the Medal of Honor.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.