Explore the origins of the Ghost Dance religion and the impact of Sitting Bull's death. Learn about the suppression of the Ghost Dance movement and the horrific events of the Wounded Knee Massacre. Discover the aftermath of the massacre and the motivations behind the tragic events. Uncover the irony surrounding the situation and the misunderstanding of the Ghost Dance.
The soldiers' mistreatment of Lakota women and the invasive search for weapons increased tension and further violated the Lakota people.
Despite the Lakota's compliance, they were subjected to unjust disarmament and mistreatment by the soldiers.
False narratives spread by journalists and the military's desire for funding contributed to the climate of fear and tension leading up to the massacre at Wounded Knee.
Incompetence and theft by agents and politicians heightened desperation and played a role in escalating tensions.
The Memorial Ride serves as a symbol of resilience and a commitment to preserving Lakota culture in the face of the Wounded Knee massacre.
Deep dives
Tensions and Misunderstandings
The Lakota people, including leader Big Foot, were caught in a tense situation after the killing of Sitting Bull. Despite their intentions of peace, the Army surrounded their camp, and soldiers made threatening remarks. Drunken soldiers abused Lakota women, causing further tension. Some Lakota were hesitant to give up their weapons, fearing for their safety. Colonel Forsyth demanded the disarmament of all Lakota. Big Foot offered to give up the guns at the agency, but Forsyth refused. The search for weapons was invasive and rough, further upsetting the Lakota.
Hope and Desperation
Big Foot and his followers, known as ghost dancers, were seeking safety and peace. They were desperate after the killing of Sitting Bull and the mistreatment by the Army. Many were widows mourning their losses and hoping for a better world. The ghost dance offered them comfort and the vision of reunion with their deceased loved ones. However, with the soldiers' actions and the deteriorating conditions, their hopes were fading, and they were running out of food.
Fear and Intimidation
As the Lakota people surrendered their weapons, tensions continued to rise. The soldiers, fueled by revenge from the past, made disrespectful and threatening remarks. The search for weapons was rough, causing fear and anger among the Lakota. Men were separated from women, and soldiers conducted invasive searches, disrespecting their belongings and women. The Lakota, already on edge, felt violated and oppressed by the Army.
Unjust Disarmament
Despite the Lakota's compliance and cooperation, Colonel Forsyth was still dissatisfied with the number of guns surrendered. He ordered a thorough pat-down search of every man, intensifying the humiliation and violation experienced by the Lakota. The Lakota had shown no signs of hostility throughout the ordeal, yet they were subjected to unjust disarmament and mistreatment by the soldiers.
The Massacre at Wounded Knee
The podcast episode explores the events leading up to and the massacre at Wounded Knee. It discusses the tension and misunderstandings between the Lakota people and the U.S. soldiers. The soldiers were ordered to disarm the Lakota, resulting in a confrontation that quickly escalated into a massacre. The summary highlights the intentional targeting of unarmed women and children, the failure of the court martial proceedings, and the aftermath of the tragic event.
Misunderstandings and False Rumors
The podcast examines the role of journalists who spread baseless rumors and profited from fear mongering. These false narratives contributed to a climate of fear and tensions. Additionally, the military's desire for more funding and the actions of U.S. soldiers directly involved at Wounded Knee are also discussed.
Role of Agents and Politicians
The summary highlights the culpability of agents and politicians who stole from Native people and appointed incompetent individuals to positions of power. These actions exacerbated desperation and heightened the likelihood of events like the Ghost Dance. Agent McLaughlin, who schemed and murdered his rival, played a significant role in escalating tensions.
Shared Responsibility
The podcast reflects on the shared responsibility and blame of various individuals and groups involved in the massacre. This includes the Black Coyote, who resisted giving up his gun, and the Indian police, who served as instruments for the plans of Agent McLaughlin. The summary emphasizes that many involved rationalized their actions, ultimately contributing to the tragic events at Wounded Knee.
The Memorial Ride and the Endurance of Lakota Culture
The Lakota people have found ways to endure and thrive in spite of the Wounded Knee massacre. The Memorial Ride, a ceremonial horseback journey, has been performed since 1990 to honor the victims and release their spirits. It serves as a reminder of the importance of physical action and embodies the resilience and determination of the Lakota people. The ride also symbolizes the reclamation of Lakota culture and pride, showcasing their commitment to preserving their heritage and collective memory.
Political Motivations and Historical Consciousness
The Wounded Knee massacre was driven by political motivations and the desire to manipulate history for the benefit of the Republican Party. The Dakota territory was divided into North and South Dakota to gain political control and secure future victories for the Republicans. The massacre was used as a means to boost the local economy and sway public opinion in their favor. However, the Lakota people have refused to forget their history and have actively sought to come to terms with the tragedy through cultural revitalization and remembrance.
“There a papoose cries by its mother’s breast which, cold and insensible, can nourish it no more; there lies a young girl with her long hair sticky of blood, hiding her mutilated face… And here—here rests the beautiful young squaw whom yesterday I offered a cigarette—dying, with both her legs shot off. She lies there without wailing and greets me with a faint smile on her pale lips.” First Sergeant Ragnar Ling-Vannerus
“The Pioneer has before declared that our only safety depends upon the total extermination of the Indians. Having wronged them for centuries, we had better, in order to protect our civilization, follow it up by one more wrong and wipe these untamed and untamable creatures from the face of the earth.” Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
“Who would have thought that dancing could make such trouble? We had no thought of fighting.” Short Bull
“When he went to the bottom of the ravine, he saw many little children lying dead… He was now pretty weak from his wounds. Now when he saw all those little infants lying there dead in their blood, his feeling was that even if he ate one of the soldiers, it would not appease his anger… The Indians all knew that Dewey was wounded, but those in the ravine wanted him to help them. So, he fought with his life to defend his own people.” From The Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge
“What we saw was terrible. Dead and wounded women and children and little babies were scattered all along there where they had been trying to run away. The soldiers had followed along the gulch, as they ran, and murdered them in there. Sometimes they were in heaps because they had huddled together, and some were scattered all along. Sometimes bunches of them had been killed and torn to pieces where the wagon guns hit them. I saw a little baby trying to suck its mother, but she was bloody and dead. There were two little boys at one place in this gulch. They had guns and they had been killing soldiers all by themselves. We could see the soldiers they had killed. The boys were all alone there, and they were not hurt. These were very brave little boys.” From Black Elk Speaks
By 1890, the Ghost Dance religion was spreading like wildfire in many reservations across United States. At a time when most Natives were facing utter hopelessness, it gave them something to hope in. But the murder of Sitting Bull orchestrated by a reservation agent, and the political machinations of the Harrison administration initiated a military crackdown against an otherwise peaceful movement. The sequence of events thus started would end in bloodshed at Wounded Knee on December 29, 1890, as the 7th Cavalry massacred nearly 300 Lakota—mostly women and kids. In this final episode of the Sitting Bull series, we explore the dynamics that led to Wounded Knee, the insane story of Iron Hail (aka Dewey Beard), how the Yanktons dealt with a traitor, the genocidal fantasies of the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and how Lakota culture endured—in spite of it all.
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