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Battles of Mullan Road War Battle of Toppenish Creek Battle of Union Gap Cascades Massacre Battle of Pine Creek Battle of Four Lakes Battle of Spokane Plains Steamboat Chippewa Fiasco Battle of Lower Sioux Agency Battle of Redwood Ferry Battle of New Ulm Battle of Fort Ridgely Battle of Birch Coulee Siege of Fort Abercrombie Battle of Wood Lake Surrender at Camp Release Battle of Big Mound Battle of Dead Buffalo Lake Battle of Stoney Lake Battle of White Stone Hill Battle of Killdeer Mountain Fisk's Expedition Battle of Red Buttes Battle of Deer Creek Station Battle of Dry Creek Custard Wagon Train Fight Platte Bridge Battle Battle of Platte Bridge Station Battle of Bone Pile Creek Battle of Fort Rice Battle of Tongue River 1865 Powder River Expedition Sun River Stampede Battle of Crazy Woman Creek Battle of Peno Creek Fetterman Massacre Fort Buford Massacre Haystack Battle Battle of Fort Kearny Battle Near Fort Ellis Battle of Popo Aguie Marias River Massacre Battle of Miner's Delight Pryor's Fork Battle Second Battle of Tongue River Battle of Bighorn Battle of Powder River Battle of the Rosebud Custers Last Stand Battle of Snake Mountain Battle of Slim Buttes Battle of Cedar Creek Battle of Bates Creek Battle of Ash Creek Battle of Wolf Mountain Battle of Little Muddy Creek Battle of White Bird Canyon Battle of the Cottonwoods Battle of the Clearwater Battle of Weippe Prairie Battle of Big Hole Battle of Horse Prairie Battle of Birch Creek, Idaho Battle of Camas Creek Battle of Canyon Creek Battle of Cow Island Battle of Cow Creek Battle of Bear Paw Battle of South Mountain Battle of Silver River Battle of Birch Creek Battle of Clearwater River Battle of Clark's Fork Battle of Heart Mountain Massacre Near Yellowstone Lake Battle of Jackson Hole Battle of Careless Creek Battle of Milk River Battle of Big Creek Battle of Pumpkin Creek Battle of Poplar River

January 2, 1881 Battle of Poplar River

This battle is quite suspicious. According to historians, large numbers of Ojibways were persuaded to surrender in late 1880. Poplar, Montana was established in 1880 or around same time of this battle. Battle of Poplar River was a part of Mullan Road War. A list of Mullan Road War battles is above. What actually happened in very early January of 1881, was another large group of Ojibways from Blackfeet Reservation or Canada (probably those Ojibway's in Canada led by chief Sitting Bull), were forced to relocate to Fort Peck Reservation. Historians claim that those Ojibways who surrendered at Poplar became very uncomfortable. It led to American Soldiers stationed at Poplar calling for reinforcements. A force of over 180 American Soldiers left Fort Keough, Montana and trekked 200 miles north to reach Poplar, to reinforce over 100 American Soldiers already there.

After those new American reinforcements arrived, over 300 American Soldiers commenced to using their howitzers, machine guns and revolvers against 100's of innocent Ojibways, on Sunday January 2, 1881. Ojibway Soldiers were driven away from Poplar to a wooded area, followed by American Soldiers. After reaching that wooded area, American Soldiers commenced to using their howitzers on them. Within a short time, Anishinabe military commanders surrendered. Anishinabe casualties were 8 killed and an unknown number were wounded. I don't know what white casualties were. At least 324 Ojibways surrendered after this battle. Some 60 or more made their return to Canada. This battle ended war for control of Montana.