A history of the great massacre by the Sioux Indians, in Minnesota, including the personal narratives of many who escaped

Front matter

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Preface

The massacre in Minnesota, by the Annuity Sioux Indians, in August, 1862, marks an epoch in the history of savage races. In their -westward march across the American continent, in the van of a higher civilization, the native red men have, at ditFerent times, given sad and fearful evidences of their enmity to the dominant white race; but, from the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers on the rock-bound coast of New England, in the winter of 1620, until their descendants had passed the center of the continent, and reached the lovely plains of Minnesota, no exhibition of Indian character had so afflicted and appalled the soul of humanity, as the fearful and deliberate massacre perpetrated by them in Au¬ gust, 1862. And, in the following work, it has been the sole object of the authors to present, for the benefit of the present and future generations, the astounding truths connected with this bloody drama in our history. In doing this, they have endeavored to state such facts as seemed connected with the massacre, in a connected form, and in the plainest possible manner. Much of the matter relating to the massacre will be, found in the language of those who had themselves escaped from the horrors they so graphically describe.

One allusion of a personal character may be necessary to vindi¬ cate the authors from the charge of presumption, in attempting to interest the public, by any effort of theirs, at a time in the world’s history so full of gigantic events as the present. It wa^the for¬ tune of one of the authors of this work to reside at a town in Min¬ nesota, where, by a law of Congress, a board of commissioners were

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IV

PREFACE.

required to hold their first session for the adjustment of claims for damages to the property of the settlers by the Sioux Indians, in the late massacre. It was his professional duty to prosecute, be¬ fore that commission, over one hundred claims for damages. In this way he came in daily connection with the suffwers, and was compelled to listen to tales of horror of a character entirely too dreadful to be concealed. Some of these revelations were wholly disconnected with any duties required by the Board of Commissioners, in reducing to writing the necessary testimony relating to the loss of property. It therefore seemed important that some one properly situated and related to these claimants, should save fi’om oblivion many interesting incidents touching the sad and melancholy exit of the innocent sufferers of this cruel and barbarous conspiracy against human life. That duty seemed to fall upon him; and, fully conscious of his inability to exe¬ cute, to the satisfaction of the public, a task so responsible, he undertook the labor indicated by the circumstances in the midst of which he was thrown, relying confidently upon the generous reader for a justification of the motives by which he was act¬ uated. Unable by his individual eflfbrts to complete the work in the time prescribed for its appearance before the public, he associated with him Mr. A. B. Murch.

In presenting the massacre in its proper light, it was thought necessary to give a short account of the Sioux Indians, the treat¬ ies of our Government with them, their reservations, the condi¬ tion of the tribes, and their complaints. The introduction to the massacre being set out in a few preliminary chapters, the ac¬ count of the massacre itself follows, as the result of a conspiracy long cherished by the great chief. Little Crow. The personal nar¬ ratives of those who escaped naturally follow the massacre. The consequences, exhibited in the devastation of the country, the loss of life and property, flow directly from the massacre, as a legiti¬ mate cause.

Punishment due to crimes so revolting should follow imme¬ diately upon their commission, and, in this view, the movements of the f^bops are given, closing with the execution of such of the condemned as failed to secure Executive clemency, the imprison¬ ment of others, and the removal of the remainder from the State.

PREFACE.

The expeditions under Generals Sibley and Sully, in 1863, the result of which has been to transfer the Sioux war from the bor¬ ders of Minnesota to the banks of the Missouri, is briefly giveu in a concluding chapter.

The authors have thought proper to close the present volume with a short account of Little Crow and his tragic end. It is, perhaps, due to the public, in the light of an example, that a scheme so infernal as the deliberate murder, in cold blood, of unarmed men, women, and children, without a moment s warning, in a manner so horrible as that carried out by the brutal, cun¬ ning, and savage ferocity of Little Crow, should conclude with the death of the inhuman monster!

In the preparation of the present work the authors acknowl¬ edge the valuable aid rendered them by the Hons. A. S. White, Cvrus Aldrich, and Eli B. Chase, members of the Sioux Com¬ mission for the adjustment of claims for damages committed by the Minnesota Indians. These gentlemen, uniformly kind, court¬ eous, and obliging, furnished the authors every facility in their possession by which the history of the massacre here presented should lack nothing of the completeness necessary for a work of this kind. Secretaries E. II. Burritt and O. M. Laraway, and Assistant Clerks Freeman, Russell, and Porter, as well as A. G. Groff, acting marshal, each to the extent of his ability, limited only by his fidelity to the Commission, rendered the authors essen¬ tial aid in gathering the materials for this volume. We are also under obligations to 0. T. Gillman, Esq., of the Document Rooms at Washington, for valuable aid in the way of public documents, urgently needed. Many others, whose names need not be repeated, by kindly furnishing the sad narratives of their sufferings, have greatly aided the authors in the prosecution of the work.

The particular portions of the work due to the labors of Mr. Murch, composed chiefly from materials furnished by the editor, are Chapters I, HI, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX, as well as the preparation of several of the personal narratives and other portions of the volume. Without the kind assistance of the per¬ sons referred to, this work would not, at this time, have been presented to the public.

The authors here acknowledge the receipt of several interestvi PREFACE.

ing communications intended for insertion, but unavoidably omit¬ ted; among them a thrilling poem on the massacre, by Miss Lora E. Bacon, of Le Sueur, Minnesota, and a similar production from the gifted pen of Captain R. H. Chittenden, Esq., of St. Paul.

Believing that a publication of this kind is demanded, the au¬ thors, fully conscious of its many defects, now commend their labors to the judgment of the reader, regretting most sincerely the sad and mournful occurrences which have rendered necessary a work so replete with unprecedented horrors.

Charles S. Beyakt.

Abel B. Mcrch.

Cincinnati, 0., Nov. 25, 1863.

Contents

PAOB

Chapter 1 . 13

Louis Hennepin’s Visit to the Upper Mississippi, in 1680— The Country occu¬ pied by VVild Tribes of Indians — Visited by Carver in 1766 — The Naudowessies, or Dakota Indians — War with the Chipnewas — Peace made bv Carver — His services rewarded — Origin of the name Sioux — Division of Tribes— Man¬ ners — Dress and Mode of Living — Origin of certain Iniiian Names — Treaties with the Sioux Indians from 1812 to 1858— Called Isanties by the trans-Mis¬ souri Sioux— Their Reservations— Annuity System Inaugurated— Civilization Efforts — Their Difficulties — Settlements of the Whites contiguous to the Res¬ ervations— Conclusion — General Summary.

Chapter II . 33

Complaints of the Indians — Treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota — Objec¬ tions to the Mode of Payment — Inkpadutar— Massacre at Spirit Lake — Proofs of a Conspiracy— Indian Councils.

Chapter III . 63

Change of Indian Officials — The New Superintendent and Agent — Semi-annual Gathering of Indians at the Agencies — Payment of 1861 — Troops at Payment — Yanktonais — Crops of 1861— Report of Agent Galbraith — Destitute Condition of Indians in Winter of 1861 and 1862 — Relief afforded them — Efforts for their Benefit — Agricultural Labors — Upper and Lower Bands — Estimates — Sup-

£ lies— Lac qui Parle— Big Stone Lake— A. W. Huggins — Julia Laframbois— little Crow — Crops — ^A Siirplus — Hopes of Civilization of Indians — Com¬ plaints— Upper Bands at the Agency- Attack on the Warehouse — Renville Rangers — Return to Port Ridgley— Painfbl Scenes on the Way— Flight of the People — Safe .\rrival — Annuity Money at the Port — False Statement of White Men to the Indians— Indian Statements not to be relied upon.