The coming of the English-men started started with Christopher …show more content…
Hawthorne was apart of one division which helped in the Battle of the Wounded Knee. Hawthorne stated “ He was on a low bearing hill overlooking the camp occupied by the Indians…” (Unburying the Truth at Wounded Knee) Hawthorne says the natives assumed the offensive which gave the 7th Cavalry no choice but to retaliate. On the day before the battle broke out, the soldiers had thought they had prevented war, but the next day the translator heard some terrifying words coming from the Medicine Man. The Indians had weapons underneath their blankets and began to let fire. The Indians were in such a blind rage that they proceeded to kill their own. Hawthorn stated after the first attack the 7th Cavalry retaliated. "I was interpreting for General Forsyth (Forsyth was actually a colonel) just before the battle of Wounded Knee, December 29, 1890. The captured Indians had been ordered to give up their arms, but Big Foot replied that his people had no arms. Forsyth said to me, 'Tell Big Foot he says the Indians have no arms, yet yesterday they were well armed when they surrendered. He is deceiving me. Tell him he need have no fear in giving up his arms, as I wish to treat him kindly.' Big Foot replied, 'They have no guns, except such as you have found.' Forsyth declared, 'You are lying to me in return for my kindness.” ( Massacre at the Wounded Knee, 1890) Forsyth and I went to the circle of warriors where he told me to tell the medicine man to sit down and keep quiet, but he paid no attention to the order. Forsyth repeated the order. Big Foot's brother-in-law answered, 'He will sit down when he gets around the circle.' When the medicine man came to the end of the circle, he squatted down. A cavalry sergeant exclaimed, 'There goes an Indian with a gun under his blanket!' Forsyth ordered him to take the gun from the Indian, which he did. Whitside then said to me, 'Tell the Indians it is necessary that they be searched one at a time.' The young warriors paid