The Skeleton Cave Massacre

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Recommended: Manifest destiny and its consequences

The injustice to the Native American Indians would carry over to the 19th Century through the spread of the US colonies to western territories. With support from the Manifest Destiny, Americans were able to legally obtain land west of the Mississippi all while disregarding the wellbeing of the Native Indians. Following the California gold rush, several Indian massacres took place that resembled the same violence and abuse they had endured ever since the arrival of European whites to America. During the expansion of the United States into western territories Americans found themselves deviating from treaties that were set in place to guarantee Native Americans land. This form of departure led to such massacres such as Indian Island Massacre, …show more content…

Leading up to the Skeleton Cave Massacre, newspapers and the public media expressed a growing anti-Indian emotion. This sentiment was increasing due to the back and forth battles between Indians and settlers. The U.S. army had begun to recruit Apache Indians to serve as scouts for helping finding Indian camps. After receiving what would later turn out to be false information, General George Crook led a group of U.S. soldiers and Apache to a cave where an Apache chief was supposedly hiding out amongst a group of warriors. The location of the cave was confirmed by a child who was a scout and interpreter for the U.S. named Hoo-Moo-Thy-Ah. Once the cave was found with the advantage of Apache skills, the U.S. massacred the supposed Apache Indians. It would turn out that neither the Apache chief or warriors were in the cave but instead the relatively peaceful Yavapi Indians. Just like the Indian Island and Sandy Creek Massacres, more women and children were killed than warrior aged men. Not only were a lot of women and children killed they were brutally murdered and to add insult to injury the local media celebrated the U.S. victory (The Skeleton Cave …show more content…

All of the major Indian massacres of the 19th Century happened in the winter months and Wounded Knee was no exception, it took place in December of 1890 in South Dakota. The U.S. had grown irate over the Indians increased religious enthusiasm and even after banning it they still continued to partake. The same white officials that created the ban ordered the U.S. military to put an end to the Indians disobedience at any cost. A fight broke out that involved the police and Indians which left six police officers and Sitting Bull as well as seven warriors dead. This altercation led to the warrant of arrest of several so called Indian renegades. Led by Colonel James Forsyth, the U.S. army surrounded the campsite of the Lakota Indians with Hotchkiss canons and outnumbered the Indians 250. After receiving resistance from the Indians the army opened fire on the Indians who were trying to run for cover killing men, women and even children

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