[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23845-23846]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       BLUE WATER CREEK MASSACRE

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I wish to speak in regards 
to the Blue Water Creek Massacre of 1855. On September 3, 1855, while 
camped near the Blue Water Creek in present day Nebraska, a group of 
Lakota were attacked by COL William S. Harney and his troops. According 
to Army records, 86 Lakota were killed and 70 captured. The Battle of 
Blue Water Creek is also known as the Battle of Ash Hollow or the 
Harney Massacre according to the Nebraska State Historical Society, 
which maintains a historical marker, along U.S. 26, 1\1/2\ miles west 
of Lewellen, NE.
  There are several historical accounts of what transpired that day in 
1855 and the Little Thunder Tiospaye contacted me because they seek to 
commemorate and to preserve for future generations the history 
surrounding Mni To Wakpala--Blue Water Creek. They are the direct 
lineal descendants of Wakinyan Cikala--Little Thunder--a man who was 
amongst the leaders of that Lakota camp destroyed 153 years ago. 
Additional leaders who survived that morning include Iron Shell, 
Spotted Tail, and Red Leaf, each of whom

[[Page 23846]]

also bore lineal descendants living upon Sicangu territories today.
  According to the family, oral history passed down through generations 
tells the story of the younger Little Thunder, a boy who survived the 
Massacre and subsequently journeyed to join his relatives once again. 
Without his survival, the Little Thunder Tiospaye would not exist 
today. I would like to recognize their work as they seek to honor their 
ancestors by collecting historical accounts, and locating important 
artifacts from this time in history. Accordingly, the Lakota language 
includes an expression that fits their mission: Hecel lena Oyate kin 
nipi kte, so that our people may live.

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