Bear River Massacre : This day in 1863

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Another horrible event in the history of this country. US Army attacks Shoshone where the Bear River and Beaver Creek join in Idaho. The Shoshone were essentially wiped out. Initially the Shoshone were friendly but the settlers and travelers through the area wiped out the game and the Shoshone did not have anything to eat or wear and started fighting back by raids to get food.

The battle itself left 14 dead soldiers and 49 wounded while Shoshone casualties were in dispute. The Army claimed 224 braves, while an immigrant who walked through the field counted 493 dead Shoshone.
Here is an excerpt from one of the participants:

As the Shoshone used tomahawks and bows and arrows for defense, the soldiers appeared to lose control. After killing most of the men, they raped and assaulted the women, and killed many of the children. In some cases, soldiers held the feet of infants by the heel and "beat their brains out on any hard substance they could find."[51] Women who resisted the soldiers were shot and killed. One local resident, Alexander Stalker, noted that many soldiers pulled out their pistols and shot several Shoshone at point blank range. The soldiers burned the Shoshone dwellings and supplies; they killed anyone they found in the shelters.

Sagwitch: Shoshone Chieftain, Mormon Elder (1822-1887)Bear River massacre - encyclopedia article about Bear River massacre.

War is hell and barbaric. What happened back then was overshadowed by the Civil war but even then the Native Amercians were not viewed as human but as savages. Today we know better, or should. Just because someone lives differently or has different beliefs they are still human beings and deserve to have the chance to live life in peace and prosperity. Our history is littered with barbaric acts but it is also filled with acts of courage and generosity. Today we are more civilized and acts like these would not be tolerated. As a people we are sensitive to these things and this is a good thing.