4. The Arrival of the Seventh Cavalry
In December 1890, the Seventh Cavalry encamped at Wounded Knee, claiming to restore order. Military records describe a mission of control and disarmament. Yet, Lakota oral histories paint a different picture—one of fear and intimidation, as families watched soldiers surround their camp. For the elders, this was not protection, but a prelude to violence. These conflicting accounts reveal the deep divide in understanding what was truly unfolding on that cold prairie.
