Lot 25844: [ Americana ] Photography: Birds Eye View of Battlefield at Wounded Knee, S.D. reads the caption imprinted into the negative of this stark view of the aftermath of the last major battle in the Indian Wars. It is copyrighted January 1, 1891, just days

[ Americana ] Photography: Birds Eye View of Battlefield at Wounded Knee, S.D. reads the caption imprinted into the negative of this stark view of the aftermath of the last major battle in the Indian Wars. It is copyrighted January 1, 1891, just days after the Massacre. An albumen image, 7.25in x 4.25in, by George Trager of the Northwestern Photographic Co. of Chadron, Nebraska, mounted to an 8.5in x 5in card. It pictures a dead body in the foreground with the burial detail and their wagon in the background. More than 200 Lakota Sioux men, women, and children were killed in this fierce battle. Reaction to the battle was generally favorable among the American public. The U.S. Army investigation at the time exonerated the officer in charge of any wrongdoing and 20 Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded to participants. History hasn't been so kind though, and today, many feel that this incident was one of the most grievous atrocities in United States history. Condition of this historic image is very fine, with only a bit of light soiling around the borders. The verso shows mounting traces.