Battle of Sugar Point

Battle of Sugar Point
Part of the American Indian Wars
Ojibways in a canoe on Leech Lake, 1896.
Date October 5, 1898 Location Leech Lake, Minnesota Result Chippewa victory
Belligerents
Chippewa	United States
Commanders and leaders
Bugonaygeshig	John M. Bacon Melville Wilkinson †
Strength
19 warriors	500
Casualties and losses
	7 killed (including 1 Indian policeman shot by mistake) 19 wounded

The Battle of Sugar Point, or the Battle of Leech Lake, was fought on October 5, 1898 between the 3rd U.S. Infantry and members of the Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians in a failed attempt to apprehend Pillager Ojibwe Bugonaygeshig ("Old Bug" or "Hole-In-The-Day"), as the result of a dispute with Indian Service officials on the Leech Lake Reservation in Cass County, Minnesota.

Often referred to as "the last Indian Uprising in the United States", the engagement was also the first battle to be fought in the area of the United States known as the Old Northwest since the Black Hawk War in 1832.

The last Medal of Honor issued during the Indian Wars was awarded to Private Oscar Burkard of the 3rd US Infantry Regiment.^[1]