Among the many examples of massacres committed by the USA is a little known one called, “The Battle of the Big Hole.” The Nez Perce tribe had reached an agreement for reservation land with the USA; one of those, “as long as the grass grows and water flows” pieces of BS that constantly flowed from the US Government. It was fine until a few years later gold was found on the reservation. At which point the grass no longer grew and the water ceased to flow and the US government redrew the reservation to a size 90% less than the original.
Not surprisingly a number of the Nez Perce didn’t think this a fair deal. So, for 3 months the US Army chased the Nez Perce around. At the Big Hole River they caught up with them. The soldiers attacked in the early morning. They were ordered to fire low into the teepees as most of the Nez Perce were still asleep. After the initial volleys, the soldiers charged into camp and set fire to the teepees.
The Nez Perce counter attacked, driving the soldiers back into a defensive position on the hill above the camp and capturing a howitzer. About 30 combatants from each side were killed. Another 60 some women and children were killed.
Big Hole National Battlefield:
