Before you stands a monument dedicated to the courage and bravery of the defenders in the Wagon Box Fight of August 2, 1867. This monument was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The legend was written by local historians and although it was accurate with the information available at the time, it is now known to contain several discrepancies. Also, it makes no mention of the Lakota warriors who died on this field in defense of their culture.It is not known if Red Cloud was the actual leader during this battle and the number of Lakota warriors who were involved in the Wagon Box Fight is now estimated to be 1,000 to 1,500. Native American casualty estimates, based on oral histories, vary from six to sixty.Two Lakota individuals mentioned in both white and Indian accounts of the battle should be noted: one is Red Cloud's nephew whose name is unknown; the other is a Miniconjou Sioux named Jipala. Both were killed during the battle, but they displayed unusual courage and leadership in their numerous attempts to defeat the corral defenders.
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