Photo : Ruins of the Ludlow Colony in the direct aftermath of the massacre – US Library of Congress
Ludlow coal miners were on strike against the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co.
Nine thousand had walked off in September, 1913
The miners and their families, evicted from the company-owned houses, had set up a tent colony on public property.
On the 19th of April, 1914, machine guns were placed in position above the tent colony of Ludlow. Major Pat Hamrock and Lieutenant K. E. Linderfelt were in charge of the militia, an army of coal company guards sworn in as soldiers, thugs hired as private detectives and strike breakers.
Hamrock had been at Wounded Knee and Linderfelt had previous training in suppressing a Phillipine uprising.
They shot and burned to death 20 people, including a dozen women and small children
