Chapter 9: Dakota Conflict video: PBS - Dakota Conflict
Chapter 9 YouTube Videos:
US - Dakota War - Dakota Homeland
US - Dakota War - 150 years later
As the Civil War was splitting the nation in two another struggle was threatening the lives and future of many Minnesotans. Struggles was between the Dakotas and the white settlers
annuity - annual payment of food and money that the government promised the Indians in return for their land.
agency - a US government field office
Setting the Stage at the Lower Sioux Agency
-Land along MN River divided into 2 reservations:
1) Upper Sioux Agency - near MN River and Yellow Medicine River
2) Lower Sioux Agency - near MN River and Redwood River
-Government Personnel
1) to carry out US government policy which was designed to make Dakota reject their culture and accept white culture
2) distributed annuities of food and money
3) oversaw government workers
4) Thomas Galbraith was an agent
-Traders
1) ran trade stores where Dakota could get additional food and supplies
2) some traders cheated the Dakota
3) Andrew Myrick was a trader
- Missionaries
1) main goal was to convince the Dakota to give up their spiritual traditions and accept Christianity
2) Stephen Riggs was a missionary
traditional Dakota - Dakota who wanted to maintain their culture and resist efforts to make them live like whites
farm Dakota - Dakota who adopted some white ways, including farming like white farmers
-Traditional Dakota
1) lived in tipis and bark lodge villages along south side of MN River
2) kept their sacred rituals and beliefs
3) moved off the reservations to hunt game and gather food
4) missionaries and government attempted to discourage their ways
-Farm Dakota
1) lived on farms in wood or brick houses along main road that went through reservation
2) grew crops and raised livestock
3) adapted to white people's way of life
4) men even cut their hair short
Tensions Rise
-crops failed
-Dakota were not to hunt outside of reservation
-government payments (annuities) were late
-traders refused to extend credit or reopen their stores
-government agent refused to give Dakota food until annuities arrived
-missionaries were unable or unwilling to help
-traditional Dakota looked down on farm Dakota because they abandoned (gave up) their heritage
-farm Dakota did not like to be criticized
Conflicts
-August 17, 1862, tensions turned to bloodshed
-4 young Dakota killed 5 white settlers near town of Acton. They were arguing over eggs.
-traditional Dakota met to discuss situation
1) thought white people would use killings as excuse to punish all Dakota
2) Dakota should fight now
3) time was right because US military would not fight back because they were focused on Civil War
-August 18, 1862
1) Dakota soldiers attacked Lower Sioux Agency
2) They struck house and agency headquarters
3) Farm Dakota
-beginning to fear for their lives
-were few in number
-helped arrange the release of white prisoners
4) White Settlers
-fleeing their homes
-warning others of danger
5) Colonel Henry Sibley
-led 1600 soldiers in prairie to battle Dakota
-soon the Dakota realized they could not win the war
-by September war was over; 500 white and at least 21 Dakota were killed
Aftermath
-Colonel Sibley set up "court"
1) to judge hundreds of Dakota that were taken prisoners
2) Dakotas had no lawyers to defend them
3) most white Minnesotans supported Sibley's court
-outraged by war
-saw friends and families killed
-they wanted revenge (pay back)
4) took 39 days to sentence 303 Dakota men to death
5) President Lincoln
-had to approve the killings
-he reviewed the cases and was troubled by them
-approved 39 Dakota to be executed (killed)
-ordered rest to be sent to a prison camp in Iowa
6) 39 Indians (minus one) were hung in Mankato
7) Government ordered rest of Dakota to outdoor prison camp at Fort Snelling
-about 1600 men, women, children spent a miserable winter there
-several died because of extreme crowding, cold weather, and disease
-spring of 1863 they were sent out by boat down the Mississippi River and up the Missouri River to Crow Creek
-food was scarce here and many died
-1866 - finally allowed Dakota to move to a new reservation in Nebraska
8) Summer of 1863
-southwest MN was empty of people
-white settlers had left the region during war
-as years went by many Dakota returned and started new communities
-new settlers moved to MN and were fencing in their land as quickly as possible
People
1) Thomas Galbraith - Indian Agent at Lower Sioux Agency; said Dakota beliefs and habits should be given up; done away with
2) Andrew Myrick - trader who kept 2 stores; some say he made Dakota angry; said "if they are hungry, let them eat grass"
3) Stephen Riggs - missionary; stated that "change of dress does not change their heart;" said Indians should have fair trial
4) Wanmbditanka - leader of traditional Dakota village; was reluctant to fight in war
5) Taoyateduta - leader of traditional Dakota; spoke for peace; felt that white men would turn against them
6) Taopi - farm Dakota; as soon as hearing about war began to prepare; said they were few and could do nothing to resist the hostile Indians
7) Mary Schwandt - settler; 14 years old; parents, sister, and brothers were killed; she felt like she might be next, so she fled
8) Henry Whipple - bishop; called "Straight Tongue" by Dakota because of his honesty