Author Archives: Sam Russell

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About Sam Russell

I am a fifth-generation retired Army officer with three decades of commissioned service. I have been researching the frontier Army for over eighteen years and am interested in documenting the lives of the soldiers that participated in the battle of Wounded Knee using primarily official reports, diaries, letters, newspaper articles and other primary source documents. My interest in Wounded Knee stems from my kinship to one of the principal participants. I am the great-great-grandson of Samuel M. Whitside, who was a major and battalion commander at the battle. I welcome and encourage comments on posts and pages and am always interested in any new primary sources. If you have copies of letters, diaries, etc, from participants and are willing to share, please contact me. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog are strictly my own, and should in no way be construed as official Army or U.S. Government positons.

Assistant Surgeon Captain Charles B. Ewing’s Report to Major General Miles


In June 1891, Captain Charles B. Ewing, Assistant Surgeon, Department of the Platte, at the request of Major General Nelson A. Miles, Commanding General, Division of Missouri, submitted the following report to the Adjutant General of the Division of Missouri, Chicago, … Continue reading

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Col. Forsyth’s Official Reports of Actions at Wounded Knee


…the bucks made a break, which at once resulted in terrific fire and a hot fight lasting about twenty minutes, followed by skirmish firing of about one hour. Colonel James William Forsyth, the fifty-six-year-old commander of the 7th Cavalry Regiment … Continue reading

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Major Whitside’s Official Report of the Capture of Big Foot’s Band


Following the battles of Wounded Knee Creek on 29 December and White Clay Creek on 30 December, and the military funeral of thirty 7th Cavalry troopers on 31 December, Major Samuel M. Whitside finally had an opportunity to write his official … Continue reading

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