Indian Wars List and Timeline

"This war did not spring up on our land; this war was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father who came to take our land without a price, and who, in our land, do a great many evil things… This war has come from robbery – from the stealing of our land."

– Spotted Tail

The history of the United States’ westward expansion is inextricably linked with the story of conflict. From the arrival of the first European visitors to the relentless march of pioneers across the continent, encounters between white settlers and American Indians were commonplace. While some interactions were marked by trade and diplomacy, far too many descended into violence. These clashes, ranging from minor skirmishes to full-blown wars, arose from fundamental differences in culture, values, and most critically, land ownership. The Indian Wars represent a tragic chapter in American history, a period defined by the struggle for control of the land and the devastating consequences for Native American populations.

While confrontations occurred sporadically throughout the colonial era, the term "Indian Wars" often refers to a specific period roughly spanning from 1866 to 1890. This era witnessed a dramatic escalation of conflict as the United States government aggressively pursued its policy of westward expansion. The lure of gold, fertile land, and resources brought waves of settlers into territories traditionally inhabited by various Native American tribes. The U.S. Army played a central role in these conflicts, tasked with protecting settlers and enforcing government policies, often through the use of force. These many conflicts are often overshadowed by other periods of U.S. history.

This timeline provides a comprehensive overview of the major conflicts that defined the Indian Wars, from the earliest encounters between Europeans and Native Americans to the final, tragic events that marked the end of the era. It is important to remember that each entry in this list represents a complex and multifaceted historical event with profound consequences for the individuals and communities involved.

Pre-1700 Conflicts: Seeds of Discord

These early conflicts, often localized and driven by immediate disputes over land and resources, set the stage for the larger-scale conflicts that would follow.

• 1540-1541: Tiguex War – In the winter of 1540-41, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado’s expedition clashed with the twelve Tiwa pueblos along the Rio Grande in present-day New Mexico. This brutal conflict, marked by sieges and massacres, represents the first major war between Europeans and Native Americans in the American West. The Tiguex War demonstrated the cultural clashes and violent interactions that would characterize future encounters between Europeans and Native Americans.

• March 22, 1622: Jamestown Massacre – The Powhatan Confederacy, after a period of uneasy peace with the English settlers in Virginia, launched a coordinated attack that killed 347 colonists throughout the Virginia colony. This event, known as the Jamestown Massacre, led to a prolonged period of warfare between the Powhatan and the English, devastating both populations.

• 1622-1644: Powhatan Wars – The Jamestown Massacre ignited a series of conflicts between the Powhatan Confederacy and the Virginia colonists. The Powhatan Wars were driven by territorial disputes, cultural misunderstandings, and the increasing encroachment of English settlements on Native American lands.

• 1636-1637: Pequot War – Tensions between the Pequot tribe and English colonists in Connecticut and Rhode Island escalated following the death of a colonist. The Pequot War culminated in the Mystic Massacre, where English colonists and their allies destroyed a major Pequot village, killing hundreds of men, women, and children. Survivors were sold into slavery in Bermuda.

• May 26, 1637: Mystic Massacre – During the Pequot War, English colonists, allied with the Mohegan and Narragansett tribes, launched a surprise attack on a large Pequot village located on the Mystic River in Connecticut. The Mystic Massacre resulted in the deaths of approximately 500 Pequot villagers.

• 1675-1676: King Philip’s War – This devastating conflict, named after Metacomet (King Philip), chief of the Wampanoag, erupted in New England due to escalating tensions over colonists’ expansionist activities. The war ravaged the Connecticut River valley, leaving hundreds of English colonials and thousands of Native Americans dead. King Philip was eventually killed, effectively ending the war in southern New England, though raiding continued in New Hampshire and Maine for another year and a half.

• 1680-1692: Pueblo Revolt – In a remarkable act of resistance, the Pueblo Indians of Arizona and New Mexico, led by Popé, rose up against Spanish colonial rule. The Pueblo Revolt successfully drove the Spanish out of the region for twelve years, demonstrating the enduring spirit of resistance among Native American populations. The Spanish re-conquered them in 1692.

• 1689-1697: King William’s War – The first of the French and Indian Wars, King William’s War saw conflict between England, France, and their respective American Indian allies in the colonies of Canada (New France), Acadia, and New England. It was also known as the Second Indian War (the first having been King Philip’s War).

• February 8, 1690: Schenectady Massacre – French and Algonquin Indians attacked and destroyed Schenectady, New York, killing 60 settlers, including women and children.

1700-1800 Conflicts: Shifting Alliances and Expanding Frontiers

The 18th century witnessed a complex interplay of colonial powers and Native American tribes, as alliances shifted and the frontier continued to expand westward.

• February 29, 1704: Deerfield Massacre – A mixed force of Abenaki, Kanienkehaka, Wyandot, and Pocumtuck Indians, led by French-Canadian militia, attacked the town of Deerfield, Massachusetts, killing 56 civilians and taking dozens more captive.

• 1711: Tuscarora War – In North Carolina, the Tuscarora tribe, led by Chief Hancock, fought against British, Dutch, and German settlers. The tribe attacked several settlements, killing settlers and destroying farms in an attempt to drive the colonists out of their territory. James Moore and Yamasee warriors defeated the Indians in 1713.

• 1715-1718: Yamasee War – A confederation of Native American tribes, led by the Yamasee, launched a devastating attack on settlements in southern Carolina, nearly exterminating the white population in the region.

• 1754-1763: French and Indian War – This major conflict pitted France and Great Britain against each other for control of North America. Most Algonquian tribes allied with the French, while the Iroquois Confederacy sided with the British, highlighting the complex political landscape of the era.

• August 1757: Fort William Henry Massacre – Following the fall of Fort William Henry to French forces, allied Native American warriors killed between 70 and 180 British and colonial prisoners.

• 1760-1762: Cherokee Uprising – Deteriorating relations between the British and the Cherokee tribe led to a widespread uprising in present-day Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas.

• 1763: Pontiac’s Rebellion – War Chief Pontiac united a large alliance of tribes to drive out the British from the Ohio River Valley. They captured every post except Detroit, which they besieged for five months before withdrawing to find food for the winter.

• September 14, 1763: Devil’s Hole Massacre – Seneca warriors ambushed a British supply train and soldiers in a double ambush.

• December 1763: Conestoga Massacre – Pennsylvania settlers, enraged by Pontiac’s Rebellion, killed 20 peaceful Susquehannock Indians.

• July 26, 1764: Enoch Brown School Massacre – Delaware Indians killed a schoolmaster, ten pupils, and a pregnant woman. Two pupils who were scalped survived.

• 1774: Lord Dunmore’s War – Shawnee and Mingo Indians raided traders and settlers in the southern Ohio River Valley. Virginia Governor Dunmore sent in 3,000 soldiers and defeated 1,000 natives.

• 1776-1794: Chickamauga Wars – Dragging Canoe, a Cherokee leader, led a series of conflicts against white settlers in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

• July 3, 1778: Wyoming Valley Massacre – Iroquois allies of the Loyalist forces killed rebel defenders of Forty Fort who fled and tortured to death those who surrendered.

• August 31, 1778: Stockbridge Massacre – A battle of the American Revolution that rebel propaganda portrayed as a massacre.

• November 11, 1778: Cherry Valley Massacre – British and Seneca Indian forces attacked a fort and village in eastern New York during the American Revolution. The town was destroyed, and 16 defenders were killed.

• March 8, 1782: Gnadenhutten Massacre – Pennsylvania militiamen killed nearly 100 non-combatant Christian Delaware (Lenape) Indians, primarily women and children, with hammer blows to the head.

• 1785-1795: Old Northwest War – This conflict took place in Ohio and Indiana. The Americans won a decisive victory under "Mad Anthony" Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers after two humiliating defeats by native warriors.

• 1791: St. Clair’s Defeat – The U.S. Army suffered a devastating defeat against the Western Confederacy of Native Americans in the Northwest Territory.

• 1794: Nickajack Expedition – Cherokee Chief Dragging Canoe and his followers, opposing peace, relocated to East Tennessee, where they were joined by Shawnee and Creek. In 1794, the military attacked Nickajack Cave, their stronghold, killing some 70 Indians.

1800-1850 Conflicts: The Era of Removal and Resistance

This period was characterized by the increasing pressure on Native American tribes to cede their lands and relocate west of the Mississippi River. Resistance was met with military force, culminating in the tragic forced removal of entire tribes.

• November 6, 1811: Battle of Tippecanoe – The Prophet, brother of Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, attacked Governor William Henry Harrison’s force near the Wabash and Tippecanoe Rivers in Indiana Territory. The natives fled after hand-to-hand combat.

• August 15, 1812: Fort Dearborn Massacre – American settlers and soldiers were killed in an ambush near Fort Dearborn, at the present-day site of Chicago, Illinois.

• January 22, 1813: Battle of Frenchtown – Also known as the River Raisin Massacre, it was a severe defeat for the Americans during the War of 1812 when they attempted to retake Detroit.

• August 18, 1813: Dilbone Massacre – Three settlers were killed in Miami County, Ohio.

• August 30, 1813: Fort Mims Massacre – Red Sticks sacked Fort Mims, Alabama, killing 400 civilians and taking 250 scalps, precipitating the Creek War.

• September 19 – October 21, 1813: Peoria War – The U.S. Army and the Potawatomi and Kickapoo engaged in armed conflict in the Peoria County, Illinois area.

• 1814: Creek War – Militiamen, under Andrew Jackson, broke the power of Creek raiders in Georgia and Alabama after the Creek had attacked Fort Mims and massacred settlers. They relinquished a vast land tract.

• 1816-1818: First Seminole War – The Seminole, defending runaway slaves and their land in Florida, fought Andrew Jackson’s force. Jackson failed to subdue them but forced Spain to relinquish the territory.

• Spring 1817: Battle of Claremore Mound – Cherokee Indians wiped out Osage Indians led by Chief Clermont at Claremore Mound, Indian Territory.

• April 22, 1818: Chehaw Affair – U.S. troops attacked a non-hostile village during the First Seminole War, killing an estimated 10 to 50 men, women, and children.

• June 2, 1823: Arikara War – Arikara warriors attacked a trapping expedition near the Missouri River in present-day South Dakota, and the U.S. Army retaliated.

• 1827: Winnebago War – This armed conflict occurred in Wisconsin between the Winnebago and military forces.

• 1832: Black Hawk War – Led by Chief Black Hawk, the Sac and Fox tribes made an unsuccessful attempt to move back to their homeland in northern Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin.

• May 20, 1832: Indian Creek Massacre – Potawatomi Indians kidnapped two girls and killed 15 men, women, and children north of Ottawa, Illinois.

• August 1, 1832: Battle of Bad Axe – White soldiers killed around 300 Indian men, women, and children in Wisconsin.

• Spring 1833: Cutthroat Gap Massacre – Osage Indians wiped out a Kiowa Indian village in Indian Territory.

• 1835-1842: Second Seminole War – Under Chief Osceola, the Seminole resumed fighting for their land in the Florida Everglades.

• 1836-1875: Comanche Wars – Many conflicts occurred with the Comanche on the southern plains, primarily in the Texas Republic.

• 1836: Creek War of 1836 – Those Creeks who remained rebelled when the state moved to abolish tribal governments and extend state laws over the Creeks.

• May 19, 1836: Fort Parker Massacre – Six men were killed by a mixed Indian group in Limestone County, Texas.

• 1837: Osage Indian War – Several skirmishes with the Osage Indians occurred in Missouri.

• November 10, 1837: Battle of Stone Houses – A Texas Ranger Company pursued a band of raiding Kichai Indians up the Brazos River, where they battled near Windthorst, Texas.

• October 5, 1838: Killough Massacre – Indians massacred 18 members and relatives of the Killough family in Texas.

• 1839: Cherokee War – This war culminated in friction between the Cherokee, Kickapoo, and Shawnee Indians and the white settlers in Northeast Texas.

• July 1839: Battle of the Neches – The principal engagement of the Cherokee War culminated after the Cherokee refused to leave Texas.

• March 19, 1840: Council House Fight – A conflict between the Republic of Texas officials and a Comanche peace delegation in San Antonio, Texas.

• 1840: Great Raid of 1840 – Comanche War Chief Buffalo Hump raised a huge war party and raided deep into white-settled areas of Southeast Texas.

• August 11, 1840: Battle of Plum Creek – The Penateka Comanche retaliated in the summer of 1840 by conducting multiple raids in the Guadalupe Valley, which culminated in a battle between the Indians and the Texas volunteer army, along with the Texas Rangers.

• November 29, 1847: Whitman Massacre – Cayuse and Umatilla Indians murdered missionaries Dr. Marcus Whitman, Mrs. Narcissa Whitman, and 12 others at Walla Walla, Washington, triggering the Cayuse War.

• June 17, 1848: Battle of Coon Creek – Comanche and Apache Indians attacked a company of soldiers near Kinsley, Kansas.

• 1848-1855: Cayuse War – The conflict between the Cayuse and white settlers in Oregon Territory and Washington Territory was partly caused by the influx of disease.

• 1849-1863: Navajo Conflicts – Persistent fighting between the Navajo and the U.S. Army in Arizona and New Mexico led to their expulsion.

1850-1900 Conflicts: The Final Battles and the End of an Era

The latter half of the 19th century saw the most intense and widespread conflicts of the Indian Wars. The expansion of railroads, the discovery of gold, and the relentless pressure for land led to a series of bloody confrontations, culminating in the tragic events at Wounded Knee.

• 1850-1851: Mariposa War – Paiute and Yokut tribes fought back against the influx of miners after the California Gold Rush.

• Spring 1850: Bloody Island Massacre – Nathaniel Lyon and his U.S. Army detachment murdered up to 200 Pomo people on an island near Upper Lake, California.

• 1851-1853: Utah Indian Wars – Numerous skirmishes throughout Utah led to the Walker War.

• October 21, 1853: Gunnison Massacre – Ute Indians massacred Captain John W. Gunnison’s Pacific Railroad Survey party of seven men in Millard County, Utah.

• 1853: Walker War – Ute Indians initially friendly with the Mormons, who began to settle on their hunting grounds of Utah, fought back.

• 1854-1890: Sioux Wars – The Sioux, under Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, resisted to keep their hunting grounds as white settlers moved across the Mississippi River into Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

• August 17, 1854: Kaibai Creek Massacre – White settlers killed forty-two Winnemem Wintu men, women, and children at Kaibai Creek, California.

• August 19, 1854: Grattan Fight – Brulé Lakota Sioux Indians killed twenty-nine U.S. soldiers in Nebraska Territory.

• August 20, 1854: Ward Massacre – Shoshone Indians killed eighteen of the 20 members of the Alexander Ward party while traveling on the Oregon Trail in western Idaho.

• 1855: Snake River War – Fighting occurred at the junction of the Tucannon River and the Snake River in Washington Territory.

• 1855: Klickitat War – Klickitat and Cascade Indians fought against white settlers along the Columbia River in central Washington.

• 1855-1858: Third Seminole War – Under Chief Billy Bowlegs, the Seminole mounted their final stand against the U.S. in the Florida Everglades.

• 1855-1856: Rogue River Wars – Conflict between the area Indians and white settlers increased in the Rogue River Valley area of southern Oregon, eventually breaking into open warfare.

• 1855-1858: Yakima War – A conflict of land rights in Washington state involving the Nisqually, Muckleshoot, Puyallup, and Klickitat tribes.

• January-March, 1855: Klamath and Salmon Indian Wars – Hostilities erupted between Native Americans of the Yurok and Karok tribes and local miners in Klamath County, California.

• January 26, 1856: Battle of Seattle – Native Americans attacked Seattle, Washington, as part of the Yakima War.

• February 1856: Tintic War – A short series of skirmishes occurred in Tintic and Cedar Valleys of Utah after the conclusion of the Walker War.

• January-May, 1858: Antelope Hills Expedition – Texas Rangers and members of allied tribes launched a campaign against the Comanche and Kiowa in Texas and Oklahoma.

• 1858: Coeur d’Alene War – Also known as the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene-Paloos War, this second phase of the Yakima War was a series of encounters between the Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, Palouse, and Northern Paiute tribes and U.S. forces in the Washington and Idaho areas.

• September 1, 1858: Battle of Four Lakes – Part of the Coeur d’Alene War, a force of 600 military men subdued the tribes, defeating the Indians.

• 1859: Mendocino War – Several hundred Indians were killed in this conflict between settlers and Native Americans in California.

• 1860: Paiute War – The war was fought between Northern Paiute, along with some Shoshone and Bannock, and white settlers in present-day Nevada.

• February 26, 1860: Gunther Island Massacre – Local white settlers attacked four Indian villages in Humboldt County, California, slaying 188 Wiyot Indians.

• September 9-10, 1860: Utter-Van Ornum Massacre – One of the worst massacres along the Oregon Trail took place in Idaho.

• December 18, 1860: Battle of Pease River – Texas Rangers slaughtered Comanche Indians under Peta Nocona, including women.

• 1860-1865: California Indian Wars – Numerous battles and skirmishes occurred against various California tribes.

• 1861-1864: Navajo Wars – Occurring in Arizona and New Mexico Territories, it ended with the Long Walk of the Navajo.

• 1861-1900: Apache Attacks – Apache bands rejected reservation life and staged hundreds of attacks on outposts in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas.

• August-September, 1862: Sioux War of 1862 – Skirmishes in Minnesota resulted in the deaths of several hundred white settlers.

• March 1862: Battle of Apache Pass – A battle fought in Arizona between Apache warriors and the California Column.

• October 24, 1862: Tonkawa Massacre – A detachment of irregular Union Indians attempted to destroy the Tonkawa tribe in Indian Territory.

• January 29, 1863: Bear River Massacre – Colonel Patrick Connor led a regiment, killing at least 200 Indian men, women, and children near Preston, Idaho.

• April 19, 1863: Keyesville Massacre – White settlers killed 35 Tehachapi men in Kern County, California.

• January 1864: Battle of Canyon de Chelly – Colonel Christopher C. “Kit” Carson conquered the Navajo Indians in this battle.

• August-November, 1864: Cheyenne War of 1864 – The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes retaliated by attacking stagecoaches and settlements along the Oregon Trail.

• November 29, 1864: Sand Creek Massacre – Militiamen killed at least 160 Cheyenne Indians at Sand Creek, Colorado.

• 1864-1865: Colorado War – Clashes centered on the Colorado Eastern Plains between the U.S. Army and an alliance consisting largely of the Cheyenne and Arapaho.

• 1864-1868: Snake War – Fought between the U.S. military and the Northern Paiute and Shoshoni in Oregon, Idaho, and California.

• 1864-1886: Apache Wars – The war began when the Mescalero Apache were placed on a reservation with Navajo at Fort Sumner, New Mexico, and continued until Geronimo surrendered in 1886.

• July 28, 1864: Battle of Killdeer Mountain – Brigadier General Alfred Sully confronted more than 1,600 Sioux in the North Dakota badlands.

• November 25-26, 1864: First Battle of Adobe Walls – Kit Carson led an attack against a Kiowa village in the Texas Panhandle.

• February 4-6, 1865: Battle of Mud Springs – The Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho skirmished with the U.S. Army in Nebraska.

• February 8-9, 1865: Battle of Rush Creek – Following the Battle of Mud Springs, the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho engaged in an inclusive battle on the Platte River in Nebraska.

• August-September, 1865: Powder River Expedition – Major General Grenville M. Dodge ordered the expedition as a punitive campaign against the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho for raiding along the Bozeman Trail.

• 1865-1868: Hualapai or Walapais War – The Hualapai were disturbed by increased settler traffic upon their lands in Arizona Territory.

• 1865-1872: Utah’s Black Hawk War – Including an estimated 150 battles between Mormon settlers in central Utah and members of the Ute, Paiute, and Navajo tribes.

• 1865-1879: Ute Wars – The Ute nation rose episodically against white settlers in Utah.

• July 26, 1865: Battle of Platte Bridge Station – Sioux and Cheyenne overwhelmed Lieutenant Caspar Collins and a small detachment of soldiers.

• July 26, 1865: Battle of Red Buttes – Sioux and Cheyenne Indians attacked a wagon train, killing Custer and 21 soldiers.

• August 29, 1865: Battle of Tongue River – The U.S. Cavalry attacked Chief Black Bear’s Arapaho outside Ranchester, Wyoming.

• August 31, 1865: Sawyers Fight – Arapaho Indians attacked a surveying expedition on the Bozeman Trail in Wyoming.

• 1866-1868: Red Cloud’s War – Lakota Chief Red Cloud conducted the most successful attacks against the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars.

• December 21, 1866: Fetterman Massacre – Sioux and Cheyenne ambushed Captain William J. Fetterman and 80 men near Fort Phil Kearny, Wyoming, killing every one of them.

• 1867-1875: Comanche Campaign – Major General Philip Sheridan instituted winter campaigning to root out the elusive Indian tribes.

• July 2, 1867: Kidder Massacre – Cheyenne and Sioux Indians ambushed and killed a 2nd U.S. Cavalry detachment of eleven men and an Indian guide near Beaver Creek in Sherman County, Kansas.

• August 1, 1867: Hayfield Fight – Soldiers and civilians fought against more than 700 Sioux and Cheyenne warriors near Fort C.F. Smith, Montana.

• August 2, 1867: Wagon Box Fight – Captain James Powell, with a force of 31 men, survived repeated attacks by more than 1,500 Lakota Sioux warriors near Fort Phil Kearny, Wyoming.

• August 22, 1867: Battle of Beaver Creek – Indians attacked the Eighteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry in Phillips County, Kansas.

• September 1867: Battle of Infernal Caverns – The site of an 1867 battle between U.S. armed forces and Paiute, Pit River, and Modoc Indians.

• September 17-19, 1868: Battle of Beecher Island – Northern Cheyenne under war leader Roman Nose fought scouts of the U.S. 9th Cavalry Regiment in a nine-day battle.

• November 27, 1868: Washita Massacre – Lieutenant Colonel George Custer’s 7th cavalry attacked the sleeping Cheyenne village of Black Kettle near Cheyenne, Oklahoma.

• July 11, 1869: Battle of Summit Springs – Cheyenne Dog Soldiers led by Tall Bull were defeated by elements of the U.S. Army.

• January 23, 1870: Marias Massacre – White Americans killed 173 Piegans, mainly women, children, and the elderly, in Montana.

• April 30, 1871: Camp Grant Massacre – Angry citizens and Papago Indian mercenaries clubbed, shot, raped, and mutilated 144 Aravaipa Apache people near Camp Grant.

• 1872-1873: Modoc War – Captain Jack and his followers fled from their reservation to the lava beds of Tule Lake, where they held out against soldiers for six months.

• December 28, 1872: Salt River Canyon Battle – The U.S. Army won its most striking victory in the long history of Apache warfare at this site in Arizona.

• March 27, 1873: Battle of Turret Peak – Fought in south-central Arizona, it was one of the pivotal fights that broke the backs of the Apache and Yavapai in their efforts to resist white encroachment into their lands.

• 1874-1875: Red River War – William T. Sherman led a campaign of more than 14 battles against the Arapaho, Comanche, Cheyenne, and Kiowa tribes in northwestern Texas.

• June 27, 1874: Second Battle of Adobe Walls – A combined force of some 700 Comanche, Cheyenne, Kiowa, and Arapaho warriors, led by Comanche Chief Quanah Parker and Isa-tai, attacked the buffalo camp at Adobe Walls in the Texas Panhandle.

• July 4, 1874: Bates Battle – An Arapaho encampment was attacked by U.S. Army forces under Captain Alfred E. Bates in Hot Springs County, Wyoming.

• September 28, 1874: Battle of Palo Duro Canyon – Cheyenne, Comanche, and Kiowa warriors engaged elements of the U.S. 4th Cavalry Regiment in Palo Duro Canyon, Texas.

• 1876-1877: Black Hills War – Also called the Sioux War of 1876, the Lakota, under Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, fought the U.S. after repeated violations of the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie.

• March 1876: Battle of Powder River – The opening battle of the Black Hills War between the U.S. Army and the Sioux and Cheyenne on the Powder River in Montana.

• June 17, 1876: Battle of Rosebud – The Lakota clashed with the U.S. Army column moving to reinforce Custer’s 7th Cavalry.

• June 25-26, 1876: Battle of the Little Bighorn – Sioux and Cheyenne, under the leadership of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, defeated the 7th Cavalry under George Armstrong Custer.

• July 17, 1876: Battle at Warbonnet Creek – The Fifth U.S. Cavalry skirmished with Cheyenne Indians from the Red Cloud Agency in northwest Nebraska.

• September 8, 1876: Battle of Slim Buttes – Captain Anson Mills’ Third Cavalry troopers attacked the Sioux village of American Horse in South Dakota.

• November 25, 1876: Dull Knife Fight – Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie’s 4th Cavalry surprised Dull Knife’s winter camp in Wyoming, killing 25 Indians.

• 1877: Nez Perce War – The Nez Perce fought to keep their home in Wallowa Valley.

• August 29, 1877: Battle of Big Hole – One of a series of engagements between U.S. troops and the fleeing Nez Perce under Chief Joseph in southwestern Montana.

• 1878: Bannock War – Elements of the 21st U.S. Infantry, 4th U.S. Artillery, and 1st U.S. Cavalry engaged the natives of southern Idaho, including the Bannock and Paiute.

• 1878-1879: Cheyenne War – A conflict between the United States armed forces and a small group of Cheyenne families.

• September 27, 1878: Battle of Punished Woman Fork – Chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf of the Northern Cheyenne led their people in a rebellion and flight from confinement and starvation to their homelands in the north.

• September 30, 1878: Last Cheyenne Raid – Cheyenne ambushed Decatur County, Kansas.

• 1879: White River War – The war was fought between Ute Indians and U.S. Army Buffalo Soldiers near the White River that passes through Colorado and Utah.

• January 8, 1879: Ft Robinson Massacre – Northern Cheyenne under Dull Knife attempt to escape from confinement in Fort Robinson, Nebraska.

• May-August, 1879: Sheepeater War – Three detachments of soldiers pursued the Idaho Western Shoshone throughout central Idaho during the last campaign in the Pacific Northwest.

• September 29, 1879: Meeker Massacre – Ute Indians attacked the White River Indian Agency in Rio Blanca County, Colorado.

• September 29 – October 5, 1879: Battle of Milk Creek – Following the Meeker Massacre, Ute Indians ambushed a column of 150 troops on the northern edge of the White River Reservation in Moffat County, Colorado.

• April 28, 1880: Alma Massacre – Apache led by Victorio killed settlers at Alma, New Mexico.

• September 1879 – November 1880: Ute War – The Utes were finally pacified in November 1880.

• August 30, 1881: Battle of Cibeque – Fighting erupted along Cibecue Creek, Arizona.

• July 17, 1882: Battle of Big Dry Wash – The last major fight with hostile Apache in Arizona Territory.

• September 4, 1886: Skeleton Canyon – Geronimo and less than 40 Apache surrendered to Brigadier General Nelson Miles at Skeleton Canyon, Arizona, marking the end of the Apache Wars.

• 1890-1891: Ghost Dance War – An armed conflict between the U.S. government and Native Americans resulted from a religious movement called the Ghost Dance.

• November 1890 – January 1891: Pine Ridge Campaign – Numerous unresolved grievances led to the last major conflict with the Sioux.

• December 29, 1890: Wounded Knee Massacre – Sitting Bull’s half-brother, Big Foot, and some 200 Sioux were killed by the U.S. 7th Cavalry.

• October 5, 1898: Battle of Leech Lake – An uprising of Chippewa occurred when one of their tribe was arrested on Lake Leech in northern Minnesota.