South Dakota, Pennington County, Interior
![]()
Journey to Wounded Knee-December 24, 1890 a bitter Christmas Eve wind rattled the wagon in which Minneconjou Chief Big Foot lay waiting while his people cleared a pass down the Badlands Wall. Several hours of hard work with axes and spades made the disused trail passable. The band of 350 men, women, and children continued their flight from units of the United States Army.
Journey to Wounded Knee-December 24, 1890 a bitter Christmas Eve wind rattled the wagon in which Minneconjou Chief Big Foot lay waiting while his people cleared a pass down the Badlands Wall. Several hours of hard work with axes and spades made the disused trail passable. The band of 350 men, women, and children continued their flight from units of the United States Army.
Big Foot was ill, close to death, and disillusioned by the broken promises of Whites and by the lack of unity among Indians. His agony would last only five days. On December 29th, he, nearly 200 of his people, and 30 soldiers would die in the massacre at Wounded Knee, 65 miles to the south.
(Native Americans • Wars, US Indian) Includes location, directions, 7 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
