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(delw 4094) (tudalen 61)
(x61) (35)
The Causes of the Sioux War
At the treaties of Mendota and Traverse de Sioux in 1853 the Sioux Indians, as
we have before stated, ceded to the government all the lands of the
(For the text of the
Mendota and Traverse Treaties, along with a contemporary sketch of the meeting
for the Traverse Treaty - see “Treaties with Minnesota Indians” main page http://cs.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/maps/mn/treaties.html)
(For a map of the reservation in 1862, see Dakota Conflicts Trials: Maps and
Explanations http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/dakota/DakMAP1862.html “Key: 1: Dakota Reservation in 1862 (shaded
area); 2: Dakota land ceded in 1858(outlined area north of Minnesota River); 3:
Upper Sioux Agency; 4: Lower Sioux Agency; 5: Acton, site of first violence; 6:
New Ulm; 7: Fort Ridgely; 8: Camp Release; 9: Camp Lincoln and Mankato)
·····
On each of these reservations was located a government post, where resided
the Indian commissioner with his retinue and a number of traders, forming two
small villages. One of these, situated in the northwest corner of the town of
(Dakota Conflict Trials Website: http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/dakota/riggs.html Rev. Stephen.R. Riggs)
Thirteen miles below the Lower Agency, upon the north bank of the
(Contemporary photo of a
Dakota Indian farm on the Website of KTCA-TV (“Dakota Exile” (1996) page) http://www.ktca.org/dakota/stills.htm)
The great majority, however, retained their ancient customs, wandering about
hunting and fishing through the great forests and plains. Little attention
(delw 4095) (tudalen 62)
(x62) paid they to the lines of their
reservations, but roamed at will over their ancient hunting grounds as freely
as though the same had never been ceded, and mingled with fullest freedom among
the few scattered settlers, who from daily associations had come to look upon
them without the least fear or suspicion.
·····
Once a year the tribes would gather at the Agencies to receive their
annuities, which, according to the treaty, were to amount to $30,000.00 in
money and $10,000.00 in provisions annually. There were also paid $12,000.00
per year as a civilization fund, and $6,000.00 for an educational fund. Delays,
however, frequently occurred in the payment of these annuities, which worked
serious hardship and inconvenience to the Indians. Greater still was the
hardship due to dishonesty of agents and traders, who often took advantage of
the simple minded savage to swindle him out of all his money even before he
received it.
·····
The government’s custom of allowing agents and traders to present claims
against the Indians for pretended credits that had been advance to them, and
deducting these amounts first from the annuities, caused particularly sore
grievances.
·····
It afforded the widest chance for frauds, as the Indians had no
opportunity to dispute any of the claims. About $400,000.00 of the money due to
the Indians under the treaties of 1851 and 1852 were thus paid for the first
year to traders and agents on old debts, which roused great indignation among
the Indians, who claimed they did not owe these parties a cent. One Hugh Miller
was paid $55,000.00 for pretended services in helping to negotiate the treaties.
·····
With the change of administration in 1861 came a change of agents and a
change of policy. Instead of paying the annuities in money they were paid in
goods, which afforded greater opportunity for fraud, if anything, than before,
and caused greater dissatisfaction to the Indians. There were also vexatious
delays in the payment of these annuities. In 1862 they were due the first of
July, but did not arrive unbtil August 19th, a day after the
beginning of the massacre. The Indians, who had gathered at the Lower Agency,
the place of payment, on time - many coming from a great distance with their
families, were kept waiting, doomed to daily disappointment, until their small
supply of food was exhausted and they were rendered desperate by want.
Settlers, also, were pouring into the country more and more every year and the
land was fast being taken by them. The
(delw 4096) (tudalen 63)
(x63) game, which had been the hunters (sic) sustenance, was
fast disappearing, so the redman was beginning to realize what he had done in ceding
his land to the pale-face, and how soon he would be driven out of the home of
his fathers.
(Dakota Conflict Trials
Website - A group of
·····
Then there was what may be termed the patriotic feeling - the strong innate
love of their old customs, habits and institutions, which were fast being
expelled by the aggressive power of the white man’s civilization. Barbarism and
civilization are naturally antagonistic, and when suddenly brought together
there is usually a hostile clash.
·····
To see a strange people, with strange manners and institutions, expel
them from the land of their fathers and destroy their ancient savage customs
and rights necessarily begot a hostile feeling in the hearts of the
·····
These things were discussed and agitated by the Sioux in their
Tee-yo-tee-pi (Soldiers Lodge) a secret society, formed by them for the purpose
shortly before the outbreak, until the savage mind was made ripe for mischief.
Foremost among the agitators was a chief of the Medawakonton band,
(Shakopee Mdewakanton
Dakota Reservation (
named “Tahohyahtaydootah,” (His Scarlet People) or as he was called by the
whites after his father, “Little Crow.”
(delw 4097) (tudalen 63a) (enlargement of the picture on page 63)
(Photo of Little Crow on
the Website of KTCA-TV (“Dakota Exile” (1996) page) http://www.ktca.org/dakota/stills.htm)
(Dakota Conflict Trials
Website - http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/dakota/LittleCrow.html - Little Crow )
The chief was a man of considerable ability and eloquence. He had
adopted the white man’s costume, except that he still retained his long plaited
hair and time-honored blanket, and he dwelt in a comfortable residence upon a
well-furnished farm near the Lower Agency, all generously supplied him by the
government. Besides being civilized, he was also a Christian convert who went
to church regularly and prided himself on his piety.
(An account of Little
Crow ‘Taoyateduta, His Red People’ by Ohiyesa (“winner”) (Dr. Charles Alexander
Eastman) (1858-1939) who was a Wahpetonwan (a Santee Dakota) at http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/northamerican/IndianHeroesGreatChieftains/chap3.html)
·····
(And a website about Ohiyesa is at: http://indy4.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/stories/authors/eastman.html)
At the house of this amiable chief, on Sunday afternoon on
(delw 4098) (tudalen
64)
(x64)
This horrible plot meant nothing less than the wholesale murder of all the
whites west of the
·····
(36) The Commencement of the Sioux War
It was decided to begin this horrible massacre on the morrow at the Upper
Agency
(http://cs.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/maps/mn/uppersio.htm Upper Sioux Dakota Reservation Website)
and at
(1862 Dakota Conflicts Map by Kevin
Callahan - shows
·····
There were about sixty soldiers at
The complicated attack upon the Upper Agency was, also, happily frustrated. On
the same morning of the 4th of August about 400 Indians, mounted and
on foot, made a raid upon the government warehouse at this place, breaking in
the door and shooting down the flag before the eyes of the agent and 100 armed
soldiers, but a prompt and vigorous action of the part of the soldiery awed the
cowardly savages and defeated their murmurous (Added
from page v, Errata: read “murderous” instead of murmurous.)purpose.
Their bloody plans having been thus thwarted at the start, another council of
the entire Sioux nation with as
(delw 4099) (tudalen
65)
(x65) many Winnebagoes and other Indians as
wished to come, was called to meet on Sunday the 17th of August, at
Rice Creek, sixteen miles above the Lower Agency
(http://cs.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/maps/mn/lowersio.htm Lower Sioux Mdewakanton Reservation Website)
During the two or three days preceding this council the Sioux bands dwelling in
the Welsh settlement, after holding a few wild dances, suddenly took their
departure westward taking with them their squaws, papooses and all their
belongings. Likewise did the other Sioux bands dwelling over the rest of the
state, and daily the roads leading toward the Sioux Reservation were full of
Indians all going toward the Lower Agency, until by the evening of the
sixteenth all were gone. This strange movement, however, created not the
slightest suspicion among the whites as the Indians had been in the habit of
going to the reservation in great numbers to receive their annuities, which
were then past due.
·····
Sunday morning, August 17th, Little Crow, Inkdapoota and Little
Priest, chief of the Winnebagoes, attended religious service at the Episcopal
church in the Lower Agency and listened attentively to the sermon preached by
Rev. J. D. Hinman. In the afternoon of the same day the three attended a large
Indian council held again on Rice Creek, at which they were the principal
spokesmen. The theme was how to destroy the white race and redress their
wrongs.
·····
Then was thought to be the opportune time, as the whites were engaged in a
great war among themselves. All the regular soldiers, who heretofore had been
stationed in the frontier forts, had gone to the south and their places were
supplied by a mere handful of raw recruits.
·····
(delw 4100) (tudalen
66)
(x66) Company E., of the 9th
Regiment, was recruited in Blue Earth county and contained a large proportion
of Welshmen. They had left Mankato only the previous Friday for Fort Snelling
to be mustered in.
(“Historic Fort Snelling” http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/hfs/ “Discover an 1820s military outpost once at the edge of a small
settlement but now at the center of Minnesota’s Twin Cities metropolitan
area.”)
(Dakota Conflict Trials Website: Photograph of Fort
Snelling http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/dakota/PRISON~2.jpg)
On the same day the Indian agent, Maj. Thos. J. Galbraith, having enlisted
thirty men at the Upper Agency and twenty men at the Lower Agency, went with
them to Fort Ridgely, and this very Sunday morning, being furnished
transportation, they had left the fort accompanied by Lieutenant N. K. Culver,
Sergeant McGraw and four men of Company B for Fort Snelling, by way of New Ulm
and St. Peter, to be sworn in and sent south with the thousands of able bodied
men there gathered from all parts of the state in answer to their country’s
call. At 7 o’ clock on the morning of this same Sunday Lieutenant Sheehan, with
fifty men of company C, Fifth Regiment, who had been sent from Fort Ripley to
said Maj. Galbraith two months before in quelling certain disturbances which
had broken out among the Indians of the Upper Agency, left Fort Ridgely to
return to Fort Ripley, thinking the danger was all over. The watchful eye of
the Indian had observed all this. Now, if ever, was the opportune time to
avenge all their wrongs and recover all their lands from the hated pale-face
invader.
·····
The Great Spirit had delivered the white people into their hands with
all their rich spoil. It would be but a small pastime for the Indian warriors
to kill the women and children and the few men - mostly old and decrepit - left
in the country. These were the sentiments expressed with all the force of
Indian oratory at this Sunday afternoon council.
·····
There were present, by special invitation, delegates from the
Winnebagoes, Chippewas and the tribes who dwelt on the great plains of Dakota,
and all gave assurances of sympathy and aid in ridding the country of the
common foe. It was thought prudent, however, to defer the attack until all the
soldiers then mustering at
·····
A merciful providence, however, hastened the massacre
(delw 4101) (tudalen
67)
(x67) prematurely, and thus weakened the foe;
and the gathering at
·····
On the 10th of August (Sunday)
twenty Indians had left the Lower Agency for the North End of the Big Woods in
Meeker county to hunt deer. On the morning of this eventful Sunday (August 17)
four of these twenty, having become separated from the others came to house of
one Robinson Jones in the town of
A violent quarrel soon arose between Jones and the Indians regarding
a gun, which Jones charged they had taken some tiime before to shoot deer with
and had failed to return. Jones finally drove them out of his house and refused
to give them more whiskey. They then went a quarter of a mile distant to the
house of Howard Baker, a son of Mrs. Jones’ by a former husband. There they
conducted themselves peaceably, until an hour later when Mr. and Mrs. Jones
came over on a visit and resumed with them the old quarrel with much
bitterness. It seems these Indians belonged to Chief Shakopee’s band near the
Lower Agency, which band was the worst disposed towards the whites and had been
the most violent and aggressive in their denunciation in the “Soldiers Lodge.”
Evil inclined at heart towards the whites and greatly incensed by the
scurrilous abuse of Jones and his wife, and their brains probably somewhat
inflamed by whiskey, their savage thirst for vengeance could contain itself no longer,
so they induced the whites to shoot with them at a mark and taking advantage of
them when their guns were empty, they immediately shot and killed Jones, Baker
and his wife, and an immigrant named Webster, who was stopping at Baker’s
house, and then returned to Jones’ house, and killed a Miss Wilson, who was
stopping there. This occurred about
( Dakota Conflict Trials Website: http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/dakota/DAK_BIOG.htm [Big Eagle’s Account, Through
Dakota Eyes. “ You know how the war started -- by the killing of some white
people near
·····
The four murderers were closely related to the strongest and most influential
families in the tribe. To save the young men
(delw 4102) (tudalen 68)
(x68) from being immediately arrested and hung
by the whites there seemed to be but one remedy: to commence the massacre at
once and annihilate the plae face from the land before the tidings of this outrage
should reach them and put them on their guard, and soldiers should be sent to
their defense.
·····
The young bloods not having the foresight of the older chiefs, having before
been impatient of the delay in beginning the massacre, now swept all before
them in their mad enthusiasm. Little Crow, however, was keen enough to foresee
the difficulty of so hasty a beginning and expressed his regret that the
outbreak was forced thus prematurely, but finally yielded to the argument of
necessity as their hands were already red. Seeing nothing could stem the mad
tide he threw himself on it’s (sic) top wave, ambitious of the hero’s place, as leader of his
people. Ere yet it was dawn the roads leading down to the Lower Agency were
full of armed savages, hideous with paint and feathers, and eager to begin the
carnage.
·····
Reaching the village about sunrise they began killing the people, and
plundering, and burning the government warehouse and the private stores and
houses and stealing the horses from the barns. So sudden and wholly unexpected
was the attack that no resistance could be made, and in a few minutes about
twenty persons were murdered. The rest of the inhabitants taking advantage of
the short respite the Indians spent in pillaging, fled hurriedly toward
·····
The wife was sick and after going three or four miles she became so exhausted
that they had to turn into a house to rest. The doctor sent the oldest boy to a
spring at the foot of the bluff close by after some water to drink. As the boy
was returning he heard the report of the gun that killed his father, and hiding
he saw the fiends chop off his father’s head with an ax and set fire to the
house and burn his sick mother and little brother and sister in it.
·····
The first news of the outbreak reached
(delw 4103) (tudalen 69)
(x69) the day before, requesting them to return
to
·····
(37) The Sioux War -
In spite of every warning Capt. Marsh and his
little band of soldiers pressed resolutely on, by the body of Dr. Humphrey (sic) and the burning pile where his wife and his
two children perished. Near this place the oldest boy coming from his hiding
place joined them, and they hurried on across the wide valley of the
(Dakota Conflict Trials
Website - White Dog - “White Dog, a young Indian of splendid physique, about 24
years of age... White Dog, by the way, was an Indian Don Juan, of whom they
said at that time, that he did not merely “turn the heads” of young Indian
maidens, but that he had succeeded with a number of white women as well” http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/dakota/whitedog.html)
·····
Interpreter Quinn fell dead pierced by twelve bullets. Most of the shots,
however, passed fortunately over the soldiers’ heads.
(delw 4104) (tudalen
70)
(x70) The captain ordered a retreat to the
ferry house near by, but instantly, before the order was hardly given, hundreds
od paintd savages with demonic yells rushed from the ferry house and barns and
leaped out of the brush and grass all around, and poured a murderous fire at
close range into the devoted little band. There was a terrible struggle for a
few minutes and twenty-four soldiers and a few Indians lay dead on that fatal
field. Captain Marsh and fifteen of his men managed to gain a thicket, which
lay down the river a few rods, and from its shelter kept the Indians at bay all
that afternoon until 4 o’ clock when the lower end of the strip of wood was
reached. Here the Indians had concentrated their force to receive the soldiers
as they emerged from the timber. Discovering their intention Capt. Marsh
concluded to cross the river with the hope thus to elude the foe. Going ahead
of his command the brve officer waded into the stream and getting beyond his
depth began to swim when, probably seized by cramps, he threw up his arms and
cried for help and immediately sank beneath the waves and, in spite of heroic
efforts to save him, was drowned.
·····
The soldiers now gave up the attempt to cross the river and passed down
the north bank. The Indians, in the meantime, supposing the soldiers had
crossed the river, had hurried away to a ford and thus the little band eluded
them and escaped. Sergeant Bishop, on whom the command devolved after Marsh was
drowned, was wounded and one of the men was so badly shot he had to be carried.
Two men were then detailed to bear tidings to the fort where Lieutenant Gere
had been left with only twenty-two men fit for duty.
·····
All day long the terrified people had been pouring into the fort from the
country round, until by night there were gathered within it fully 200 helpless,
horror-stricken people, mostly women and children: Many were crazed with grief
over the loss of dear ones, butchered before their eyes, others were wildly
anxious for missing friends and relatives, while all trembled as to what their
own fate might be, expecting every moment to hear the savage war whoop and the
crack of Indian guns. The few extra fire arms in the fort were placed in the
hands of those who could best use them. About
(delw 4105) (tudalen 71)
(x71) Marsh and his men. Two hours later Bishop
and the twelve men with him arrived. Before morning eight more men of Marsh’s
command, who had managed to hide in the brush near the ferry until dark, came
straggling in, and with them, having escaped all the peril, was Dr. Humphrey’s
little son. Five of the twenty-three men of Marsh’s command who escaped were
wounded, leaving only eighteen available for military service.
·····
At once on learning of the fate of Capt. Marsh and his company, Lieutenant Gere
sent a mounted messenger with dispatches to the commanding officer at Ft.
Snelling and to Gov. Ramsey acquainting them with the condition of things and
asking immediate aid. After plundering and burning the Lower Agency a portion
of the Indians under the command of Little Crow went to meet Capt. Marsh and
his men and were engaged in that battle all the afternoon as we have stated,
others scattered in small bands all over the country, a distance of forty or
fifty miles along the Minnesota river on both sides, butchering the surprised
and defenseless people, without regard to age or sex, pillaging and burning
their homes.
·····
Awful was the carnage - shocking were the horrors of that day’s outrages. At
night, the Indians, for the most part, returned to their villages - the squaws
laden with plunder, the braves with the gory scalps of their victims dangling
at their belts - the gray hair of age and silken locks of childhood mingled
together. The night was spent in celebrating their wild success.
Early in the morning the Indians had sent couriers on swift horses to inform
the Sioux of the Upper Agency of the outbreak and to urge their co-operation in
the war against the whites. Couriers were also dispatched in haste to all the
various bands scattered through the length and breadth of the reservation, and
within six hours after the first gun had been fired at the Lower Agency there
was not an Indian between the Little Rock river and Lake Traverse but knew that
the massacre of the whites had begun and had been invited to participate in the
glory and booty it would bring. The news reached Yellow Medicine about
·····
They had captured the Lower Agency and utterly
destroyed it without the loss of a single Indian. They had met, defeated and
would soon annihilate the soldiers from
(delw 4106) (tudalen 72)
(x72) Ft. Ridgely. A council was summoned at
once and met that afternoon to determine what action they, the Upper Sioux,
would take. The council was divided in opinion. The heathen party were
enthusiastic to join in the massacre, while the Christian Indians and some of
the others were opposed to it. As fresh reports came continually of the success
of the Lower Indians it became evident to the friendly Christian Indians that
they could not stem the rising tide of war. So toward evening, on the 18th
(Monday), John Otherday, a full-blooded
Indian, an influential member of Dr. Williamson’s church, and one of the
bravest, truest and noblest men that ever lived, with a member of his Christian
companions at once notified the whites of the Upper Agency and gathered them
into a warehouse, and with their guns stood guard outside all night determined
to die in defense of their white friends.
(Dakota Conflict Trials
Website -http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/dakota/otherday.htm
·····
Early on the morrow the hostiles broke into the stores and houses and
shot two or three persons, who had failed to heed the warning, and began the
work of plundering. While their attention was thus absorbed, Otherday seized
the opportunity to load the white people into wagons, and well-knowing the
terrible chances he ran, placed himself at the head of the caravan, which
comprised twenty men and forty-two women and children, and piloted them out of
the very jaws of death, and across the trackless prairie to Hutchinson and
thence by St. Cloud to Shakopee, where they all arrived safely the following
Friday. Other Christian Indians went the same Monday evening (August 18) and
warned Dr. Williamson and Dr. Riggs at their respective mission stations. With
them were a number of young ladies teaching in the mission schools. Through the
protection and aid of the faithful Christian converts, all were saved. Dr.
Riggs and his company were taken at
(delw 4107) (tudalen 73)
(x73) been fully consumated. First, by refusing
to join in the massacre themselves they greatly diminshed the number of
hostiles; Second, by their voice and influence in the councils and everywhere
they restrained and thwarted the ardour and plans of the hostile party; and
third by their warning and aid hundreds of people were enabled to escape.
It was Little Crow’s plan to attack
·····
The warriors were scattered all over the country too much engrossed in personal
plunder and rapine to join in a united, intelligent campaign necessary to the
capture of strong holds. The open and secret opposition of the Christian
Indians destroyed united action at the Lower Agency and deterred the expected
aid from the Upper Sioux.
·····
By 9 o’ clock Tuesday morning Little Crow managed to gather between one and two
hundred warriors. They assembled on the open prairie two miles west of the fort
and were there addressed by Little Crow and other chiefs.
·····
There were only about thirty soldiers and twenty citizens available for service
at the fort, and it would have then been an easy matter to capture it and
massacre its garrison and the nearly three hundred non-combatant refugees. At
this perilous crisis Lieutenant Sheehan, with his fifty men of Company C, entered
the fort to the unbounded joy of the terror stricken people. The message sent
by Capt. Marsh had found them the evening before, and by an all night forced
march they had retraced the entire distance it had taken them two days to make.
They were the first re-enforcements to enter the fort.
·····
Against the advice of Little Crow, the Indians, however, most fortunately, if
not providentially, decided not to attack the fort then, but to pass by it and
capture New Ulm first, as that place had no soldiers or cannon to defend it,
and by its capture they thought communications between the fort and the east
(delw 4108) (tudalen 74)
(x74) would be cut off. Accordingly the Indians
crossed the river and passed down along its north bank to New Ulm.
·····
On the morning of the 18th, a recruiting party of twenty-five, in
five teams, had left
New Ulm for the west; when six or seven miles
out, and when near the “Travelers (sic) Home” they came upon a man who had been shot lying in the
road. A little way ahead were four or five Indians in the road. Three of the
teams were immediately turned around to head for town. A number of the men
jumped into the other two wagons and, though wholly unarmed, gave chase after
the Indians, who soon turned and fired upon them. Three of their number were
killed and two wounded, one mortally. The rest abandoned their two teams and
ran back to the other wagons and so escaped to New Ulm, where some French
traders, who had also been attacked when going to the Agency, had preceded them
a short time before with news of the outbreak.
·····
Refugees soon began to pour in from the west with direful tales of the awful
massacre then being enacted by the Indians all over the country. The little
German town was thrown into the wildest confusion and terror, and the fresh
tales of horror which each fleeing fugitive brought, increased the panic more
and more.
·····
Wm. Banke was dispatched at once to Nicollet and St. Peter after aid and
scattered the report among the farmers along the road as he went. He reached
St. Peter about 6 o’ clock and there overtook Maj. Galbraith and Lieutenant
Culver with the Renville Rangers, who had left New Ulm that morning for Ft.
Snelling. About 2 o’ clock two men in a buggy from New Ulm, warning the
settlers along the Little Cottonwood, reached the residence of Robert Jones (
·····
(delw 4109) (tudalen
75)
(x75) The settlers hurried home to their
families and the old oxen were soon hitched to the wagon, the wife and children
with a bundle of clothing and bedding and some provisions were quickly stowed away
in it. The door of the log cabin was locked and leaving the stock to care for
itself the majority of the people congregated together, four or five families
in one cabin, to pass an anxious night. A few fled at once to
·····
The Welsh people of Eureka, in Nicollet county, heard of the outbreak the same
afternoon through Wm. Paddock, of Mankato, who had just come from New Ulm with
Joe Robert to Nicollet, and walked thence to Evan Bowen’s house. Bowen took Mr.
Paddock in his wagon and hurried through Judson to
(For the significance of
the drum to the Dakota people, go to http://www.ktca.org/powwow/realvideo/index.html Wacipi PowWow (1995) on the Website
of KTCA-TV; video clip ‘The Drum’; length 5.40 minutes)
It was also noticed that they carried themselves
much more defiantly than usual and never saluted any of the whites with the
customary “Ho-Ho.”
·····
The people, however, thought they were simply mimicing (sic)
white soldiers. Where these Indians came from and whither they went is a
mystery to this day, for no one saw them after they left the village. Whether
they had been on a visit to the Winnebagoes or elsewhere, and were returning
home ignorant of the outbreak, or whether they were messengers which Little
Crow had sent to the Winnebagoes to inform them of the outbreak and request
their co-operation is not known.
·····
So unexpected was the attack that the people everywhere at first discredited
the reports, until fully confirmed.
·····
The messenger which Sergeant Bishop had sent Monday night reached St.
Peter before daylight Tuesday morning and reported at once the condition
of things to Lieut. Culver and Maj. Galbraith. Having found some Harper’s Ferry
rifles at St. Peter they armed the Renville Rangers, and with only three rounds
of ammunition apiece they started back for the fort at 6 a.m., which they
reached after twelve hours hard march, completing its list of defenders.
·····
St. Peter, Mankato, South Bend, Nicollet and all the villages were in a turmoil
of excitement all Monday night, and for many days and nights thereafter for
that matter.
(delw 4110) (tudalen
76)
(x76) Public meetings were held, volunteers were called for, military
organizations were formed, arms and ammunition procured. A company of eighteen,
of which A. M. Bean was chosen captain, was formed at Nicollet Tuesday morning
and proceeded at once to New Ulm, where they arrived about 1 o’ clock p.m. The
town seem paralyzed with fear. Hundreds of refugees had come in from the
country round and confusion and terror reigned supreme.
·····
Captain Bean’s company was the first help to arrive. There were two Welshmen
from the
·····
Five houses on the outskirts of the town were soon captured and burnt by them,
and their bullets began to whistle thick even in the centre of town. One ball
glanced from the side of a brick building and hit a young woman, named Pauli,
in the forehead, killing her instantly. Another stray bullet killed a butcher
in his shop. John Nix had succeeded in organizing a few New Ulm people into a
company and they with Capt. Bean’s company formed the only defense. The great
bulk of the people were in a frenzy of fear, hiding in cellars and closets.
·····
The little handful of defenders, though most of them were but poorly armed,
returned the enemy’s fire with vigor and held them in check for about an hour,
when L. M. Boardman with sixteen men, mounted and well armed, arrived, and with
this re-enforcement the Indians were, after a sharp engagement, driven back and
at dusk retired from the field.
Had the savages known the true state of affairs in New Ulm they might have
taken the town easily that afternoon and massacred all the 1,200 to 1,500
people, including refugees that it then contained.
·····
Little Crow’s army seemed to have diminished greatly since it left
(delw 4111) (tudalen
77)
(x77) of the warriors and they had scattered
over the country for that purpose. The Indians supposed the houses at the
center of town were full of men ready to fire upon them if they entered and
concluded that their number was too small to attempt it. So that evening Little
Crow and his warriors returned toward the Lower Agency to hold another council,
gather together again their scattered forces and to see if the large
re-enforcements expected from the Upper Agency had yet arrived.
·····
On the morning of this same Tuesday (August
19) a number of the men who had fled to New Ulm the night before from
the settlements on the Big Cottonwood and a few miles to the west, organized
themselves into a company and went back to their homes in quest of missing
relatives and friends. They spent the day in burying the dead and picking up
the wounded and those in hiding, whom they had sent by team to New Ulm, and
late in the afternoon as they themselves were returning in two divisions they
were ambushed by a part of Little Crow’s army at a place where the road passed
through a slough within a mile or town and eleven of their number killed.
·····
At St. Peter the people had been busy all day organizing a company for the
relief of New Ulm.
·····
At 4 o’ clock in the morning word was sent to Chas. E. Flandreau, then judge of
the supreme court, who lived at Traverse, about a mile from St. Peter,
requesting him to come and help form a company.
·····
He immediately complied, and by
·····
Tuesday morning the people of the Upper Welsh settlement (then known as
(delw 4112) (tudalen
78)
(x78) Some favored fleeing to
·····
Returning at once on the full run they warned the settlers. The very smoky
condition of the atmosphere that morning seemed to corroborate the story. Never
were horses or oxen hitched to wagons more wuickly than then, and in a few
seconds the road was lined with teams all on ther full gallop, the ox-teams
vieing (sic) with
the horse-teams in the wild race for South Bend, while the excited drivers
plied their whips to urge their speed up hill and down hill, fearing at every
turn to see the Indians or to hear the crack of their guns and their savage
war-whoop. In a short time the whole country was evacuated. Most of the people
went to
·····
Wednesday (20 August) morning the
Mankato company and about thirty members of the South Bend company went up to
New Ulm to hear the news and aid, if necessary, in its defense.
·····
Hugh Edwards and Rev. John W. Roberts took their teams to transport the Baggage
of the South Bend company and David T. Davis and his team were also pressed
into the same service and went as far as the Little Cottonwwod. This company
had been recruitng men all the way through the Welsh towns, and had received
many accessions, especially at Hugh Edwards’ place and at Judson village, until
it numbered over ninety men when it entered New Ulm, about the middle of the
afternoon.
(Added from the page of
Errata: the number of the
·····
The
(delw 4113) (tudalen
79) narrow s
(x79) be a nice pastime began to look serious
and wish themselves back home. Judge Flandreau had been selected commander in
chief, and he had appointed Capt. Todd, of St. Peter, provost marshal.
·····
Other companies of citizens from Le Sueur and elsewhere also arrived until the
defenders numbered 400 to 500 men. Their military organization was perfected as
well as could be and the town put into a fair state of defense. The defenders,
however, were only a crowd of farmers and town people who knew nothing of
military life. There was not a soldier among them. They had no idea of drill or
discipline. They had not enlisted in any regular way, bt had simply come
together voluntarily for mutual protection for as long as each saw fit. Hence
there was not that restraint and subordination among them seen among regular
soldiers. They were also poorly armed. Only a few carried good rifles. The
great majority had only ordinary shot guns, while many had no weapons whatever
except a pitchfork or a scythe. During Wednesday (20
August), Thursday (21 August) and
Friday (22 August) no Indians appeared in
the immediate vicinity of New Ulm. Their attention during these days was taken
up with the attempt to capture
·····
(38) · The Sioux War - Battle of Ft. Ridgely, Friday
August 22nd, 1862· (x79)
Foiled in their plan to capture New Ulm Tuesday afternoon,
the Indians concluded to carry out their original plan and capture Ft. Ridgely
first. The principal white settlements west of New Ulm lay along the
·····
The hundreds of savages who had been engaged in the fiendish slaughter had
returned to their villages near the Lower Agency by Wednesday morning (20 August), so that Little Crow was able then to
muster a large force to attack the fort.
·····
The fort stands on the high bluff overlooking the valley of the
(delw 4114) (tudalen
80)
(x80) only on the northwest. Thus located, this fort was quite accessible to an
Indian attack.
·····
There were now at the fort between ninety and one hundred soldiers, well armed
and fairly well disciplined: forty to forty-five Renville Rangers, poorly armed
with old Harper’s Ferry muskets and without any military training, twenty-five
to thirty citizens armed wit such guns as could be found in the fort, and
Sergeant Jones with six small cannons, only three of which could be manned and
used. About 1 o’ clock p.m. Wednesday (20 August),
Little Crow and a few of his warriors showed themselves on the prairie to the
west of the fort and seemed to desire a conference. The purpose of this
demonstration, however, was simply to draw the attention of the garrison in
that direction as soon became apparent. The main body of the Indians had passed
down the Minnesota valley unobserved and got into Lone Tree creek ravine, from
which they charged with great fury upon the northeast corner of the fort, where
there was an open space between the fort buildings. By a quick movement, on the
part of the soldiers, this charge was met and after a short, sharp struggle the
Indians were repulsed and driven back into the ravine. From this cover they
poured deadly volleys into the fort at short range until the cannon could be
used upon them.
·····
Among the Renville Rangers were a few half breeds from the Lower Agency who
were in secret league with the Indians. By some means two of these managed,
unobserved, to remove the charges from the cannons and to stuff them with rags,
and then that morning under the pretext of going after some kinnikinic (sic) (kinnikinnik - a mixture of
bark, dried leaves and sometimes tobacco, formerly smoked by the Indians and
pioneers in the Ohio Valley. (Algonquian (Ojibwa): literally “that which is mixed”.
Webster’s Dictionary) deserted to the hostiles. The condition of the
cannons was not discovered until it was attempted to use them at this attack.
As soon as possible they were got into condition and the Indians shelled from
their advantageous position. The battle continued all that afternoon, but
towards night the Indians retired having failed in all their attempts to storm
the fort. Thursday (21 August) was spent by
the Indians in gathering further re-emforcements from the Upper Agency and
elsewhere, and in making preparation for a second attack. Friday
afternoon (August 22) about 1 o’ clock, Little Crow with from 500 to 600
warriors commenced the second attack on the fort, which continued all that
afternoon until dark. The Indians fought with desperate determination and kept
a constant shower of bullets and arrows pouring against the fort from all
sides. The principal attack, however, was made on the southwest corner, where
they captured the government stables. A well directed shell
(delw 4115) (tudalen
80a)
(delw 4116) (tudalen
80b)
Grove of Humphrey J. Roberts, Esq.,
Where the “Big Meetings” of the C.M. Churches have been held for years.
(delw 4117) (tudalen
81)
(x81) from Sergeant Jones’ cannon set these on fire and they burned to the
ground. The Indians tried to fire the fort by shooting burning arrows into the
roofs but the shingles being wet from recent rain refused to burn. A number of
Indians were massed in the ravine on the north-east corner and a fierce charge
was made from that quarter, but it was repulsed. Keeping up a hot fire from
this side the Indians tried to hold the attention of the whites here, while
they secretly massed a large force in the ravine on the south-west to make
another charge from that quarter. The movement was fortunately discovered and
one of the unused cannons was put in position on the west side with Sergeant
McGraw in charge and the shells from this piece added to those from Jones’
piece soon dispersed the savages.
·····
No sooner had the chiefs massed a number of their warriors at some special
point than a shell from one of the cannons would scatter them like autumn
leaves. The whites were running short of ammunition and a number of men and
women were kept busy making bullets. Nail rods were also cut into slugs and
used as bullets, making a most unearthly noise as they passed through the air,
greatly terrifying the Indians.
·····
The Indian bullets, which fell thick within the fort, were also gathered and
remoulded to be sent back on a second mission of death. Toward night the
Indians retired and the second attack on Ft. Ridgely was over. That night
Little Crow received words from his scouts which directed his attention
elsewhere, and the fort was saved. The whites fought from under cover and hence
their loss was very small - only three killed and thirteen wounded. The Indians
claim their loss in killed was only two, but the whites estimated from fresh
graves found around the fort their dead must have been over a hundred. It is
alleged that when the last attempt to mass there forces for a charge was made,
that Sergeant Jones slew seventeen of them with one shell. The truth probably
lies somewhere between the two reports, as the Indians usually greatly under
estimated their loss while the whites generally over estimated it.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
NEXT PAGE:
Click here 0873e to go on to
the concluding part of “The Sioux Massacre”.
To skip the next page and to go on to “An Additional Account of the Sioux War.
Release of the White Captives. Arrest, Trial and Execution of the Indians,
Etc”. By Thomas Hughes. 0864
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OTHER LINKS TO PAGES IN THE
“WALES-CATALONIA” WEBSITE:
0893 Geirfa Lakota
(Dakota)-Cymraeg-Saesneg / Lakota (Dakota)-Welsh-English vocabulary
·····
·
·
LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES:
LAKOTA-DAKOTA-NAKOTA
(1) http://www.lakotaoyate.com/welcome.html
Lakota Oyate
“To defend and preserve Lakota culture from
exploitation.”
·····
(2) http://www.enter.net/~drutzler/intro.htm
Welcome to Spirit’s Place
“So yeah, I am Native American. Lakota actually. I do “Indian stuff”, but I am
a human being first and foremost. I created this set of pages for many reasons.
First, to help keep Native information easily available for all... The Lakota
Language Page will be updated monthly with a new subject. This month’s
lesson: “Animals”. Check it out for basic grammar and phonetics. There is no
charge for these lessons, no club to join or anything else to “buy”. This is
for you, the curious, the seeking and the informed”
·····
(3) http://207.254.63.58/language1.htm
Introduction to Lakota
·····
(4) Hau! Tima hiyu wo! ‘Greetings! Come inside!’
Hokahe, hel iyotaka. ‘Welcome’ to the Lodge of šung’manitu-Išna, ‘ Lone Wolf
‘. The intent of these pages is to honor a proud and noble people, the
Oglala Lakota, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota. http://207.254.63.58/i-welcome.htm#sitemap
·····
(5) Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe’s Homepage http://swcc.cc.sd.us/homepage.htm
·····
(6) Sota Iya Ye Yapi - http://www.earthskyweb.com/news.htm
- bringing news of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe / Dakota Nation and Lake
Traverse Reservation to the World Wide Web. Weekly, with updates when appropriate
during the week.
·····
(7) KILI Radio, the Voice of the Lakota Nation.
http://www.lakotamall.com/kili/schedule.htm
KILI Radio (pronounced “KEE-lee”) is the largest
Indian-owned and operated public radio station in
·····
(8) Lakota newspaper. EYAPAHA - allies
of the Lakota. http://www.lakotamall.com/allies/Eyapaha/99F/
·····
(9) Links to Lakota-Dakota-Nakota (Sioux)
Indians Sites http://members.tripod.com/~PHILKON/links12lakota.html
·····
(10) http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/dakota/Dakota_excerpts.html
In Their Own Words: Excerpts from Speeches & Letters Concerning the Dakota
Conflict
SPEECH OF HDAINYANKA IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING WAR
LETTER FROM GENERAL POPE DECLARING HIS GOAL OF EXTERMINATING SIOUX
LETTER FROM BISHOP WHIPPLE CONCERNING DEGREES OF GUILT
ADDRESS TO CONDEMNED PRISONERS BEFORE THEIR EXECUTIONS
STATEMENT OF TAZOO AT THE TIME OF HIS EXECUTION
LETTER OF HDAINYANKA WRITTEN SHORTLY BEFORE HIS EXECUTION
LETTER FROM REV. THOMAS WILLIAMSON TO REV. STEPHEN RIGGS
LETTER FROM COL. HENRY SIBLEY
LETTER FROM REV. STEPHEN RIGGS
LETTER FROM COL. HENRY SIBLEY TO HIS WIFE
GEORGE CROOK’S (WAKANAJAJA’S) ACCOUNT OF JOURNEY TO PRISON CAMP
CALL OF JACOB NIX, COMMANDANT OF NEW ULM, FOR DAKOTA BLOOD
·····
The above is a section form
(11) The Dakota Indian Conflict http://www.ic.mankato.mn.us/reg9/nul/tour/dakota.html
·····
(12) http://www.nara.gov/exhall/originals/sioux.html
“The Black Hills of Dakota are sacred to the Sioux Indians. In the 1868
treaty, signed at
·····
·····
HO-CHUK
(9) The Ho-Chunk (‘Winnebago’) Nation http://www.ho-chunk.com/index.htm
·····
(10) (Ho-Chunk History - http://www.ho-chunk.com/culture_history_page.htm
For example, 1856 Winnebago mission founded at Blue Earth and is
attended by diocesan priest residing at Saints Peter & Paul Church in
Mankato).
·····
(11) Ho-Chunk newspaper http://www.ho-chunk.com/dept_newspaper_page.htm
·····
·····
·····
INDIAN COUNTRY
(1) http://indiancountry.com
Indian Country -
·····
(2) http://airos.org/grid.html Programme
Schedule for AIROS (American Indian Radio On Satellite)
“The AIROS network is a national distribution system for Native programming to
Tribal communities and to general audiences through Native American and other
public radio stations as well as the Internet. Alter*Native Voices / California
Indian Radio Project / Different Drums / Earthsongs / National Native News /
Native America Calling / Native Sounds-Native Voices National / New Letters on
Air / Voices from the Circle / Wellness Edition
·····
(3) Minnesota Indian Affairs Council http://www.indians.state.mn.us/stats.htm
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
0895e
ychwanegiadau diweddaraf o ‘Hanes y Cymrÿ ym Minnesota...’
latest additions from the ‘History of the Welsh in Minnesota
·····
0856e
ein rhestr o’r enwau yn ‘Hanes y Cymrÿ ym Minnesota...’
our list of the names which appear in the ‘History of the Welsh in
Minnesota...’
·····
0893k
Geirfa Lakota (Dakota)-Cymraeg-Saesneg
Lakota (Dakota)-Welsh-English vocabulary
Links to Other Websites:
http://www.state.mn.us/aam/maps/ All About Minnesota -
maps (1.
0859 Gwefan Cymru-
Adolygiad diweddaraf /
Latest update: 25 09 2001, 2005-11-11
Ble’r wÿf
i? Yr ÿch chi’n ymwéld ag un o dudalennau’r Gwefan “CYMRU-CATALONIA”
On sóc? Esteu visitant una pàgina of the Web “CYMRU-CATALONIA” (=
Galles-Catalunya)
Where am I? You are visiting a page from the “CYMRU-CATALONIA” (=
Wales-Catalonia) Website
Weø(r) àm ai? Yùu àa(r) víziting ø peij fròm dhø “CYMRU-CATALONIA” (=
Weilz-Katølóuniø) Wébsait