The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-09-20
Imlcresiirng Facts.


giving reliable account Of the Dakotah
Indians, who have recently consigned so
many whites to death in Minnesota 1t
now appears that these murders may have
been unpremeditated, but too much caution
cannot be exercised by our authorities TO
prevent a recurrence of disasters The saw
age fire thus kindled is not easily quenohcd,
and is liable to burst forth again with even
more destruction: lat1 @ a8E1
! The Dakotahs are scattered over an i'm
mense territory extending from the chan
mel of the Red river of the North and the
sources Of the Minnesota Mver--the average
longitude Of 90 west of Greenwich--on the
east, to the Black Hills on the west, and
from the forks Of the Platte on the south to
Devils Lake on the north I estimate the
area from which they exclude all other In
dian tribes, to be 100000 square miles
equal to five states of the size of Ohio.
/ The Dakotah nation is the most powerful
and warlke body Of savages on this conti-
nent. Their hostility to the whites, partio-
ulariy on and beyond the Missouri river, has
been frequently represented to the Govern
ment, and by no one'more impressively than
in the reports of Lieutenant s. X. Warren,
of the Typographical Engineers, published
lin 1855 or 1885, Even In our immediate
vicinity we have had proofs, in the Inkpa-
duta massacre and subsequent riots at the
annual payments, that an Indian war might
be prccipitated by the most fortuitous cir
oumstances. The rumor Of the American
civil war-the unfortunate delay Of the an
nuity payments-and the slaughter at Acton
have concurred to break the hollow truce Of
the western frontier, when either of those
events would have been insufficient. We
can easily speculate how It might not have
been--of course the whole dreadful affair il
fortuitous-but the m;schiefis done, and I
anticipate no other consequence than that
the whole Dakotah nation, wherever scat
tered, will be involved '@j - yass
am more hopeful in regard TO the Chip
pewas. With judicious management, they
may become useful az scouts and allies in
the determination Of the savages of the
plains. .Faat Tt.a. : Ta u
With such an immense extent ofterritory
over which they range unchecked, we in
cline to exaggeration Of the numbers and
strength of the Dakotahs. Lieutenant War
ren's statements is confirmed by all other
accessible information, and he estimates
their total population nt about $4,000, or
0 900 warriors-ot whom fun half inhabit
the vicinity of the Black Hills, west of the
Missouri river. si 'uF sgra p s#i
The Dakotahs say their name means
"leagued or allied" and they sometimes
speak of themselves as the " Ocheti Shaow-
nj" or "Seven Council Fires" Four of
these bands constitute the Minnesota Dako-
tabs, who are called by those on the Missou-
ri Isanitcs," and are designated as fol-
lows: 1850 p
1. The Mde. .waan. .tonwans, meaning CIVIL
lage of the Spirit Lake." (now Mdle Lac)
9. Wan-pe-kutes, meaning "leafshoot-
lers." ~ ~ t
8. Wah-pe-tonwans, meaning "viIlage In
the Ieaves.' @,2 i.'# .lf
"Sisi-tonwans, meaning "village Of the
, marsh"
These bands will be recognized as for
merly in the occupation Of Southern and
Central Minnesota Antiquarians assure us
(how we miss the legendary Neill at this
Ijuncture!) that they formerly lived around
the head waters Of the Mississippi and Red
river of tie North, in districts from which
they have been driven by the Chirpewas.-
They were removed to their present terri
tory, upon and beyond the Upper Mime
sofa, in pursuance Of the treaties of July
23d, and August 9th, 1881 Lieut. War
ren estimes the number Of the Minnesota
Dakotahs at 5000 or ,24O warriors. Ofthis
force. probably 800 are engaged or will en-.
gage in the present war.
TheYanktons and Yanktonnais comprise
the fifth and sixth subdivisions Of the Da.
kotah nation, and occupy the most Of the
territory between the western boundary Of
Minnesota and the Missouri river
The Yanktons are found at the mouth of
the Big Sioux and between 1t and the Mis-
souri,, as high up as Fort Lookout, and on
the opposite bank Of the Missouri. Their
number is estimated at 1850, or SIC war
riors. They have ceded most Of their land
to the United States, which is now occupied
by the settlements Of the new Territory Of
Dakotah. ttss' s
The Yanktonnais are much more formid-
able. They range betwecn James river
and the Missouri, as high north as Devils
Lake, number 6,4OO, or 1880 warriors, and
have long heen scourge to the settlements
at Pembina and Selkirk. apprehend as
soon as the story Of massacre reaches the
Yanktonnais, that at leasta thousand war
/ riors will threaten the Red River settlements
even into British America. Fortunately,
the admirable Indian management Of the
Hudson Bay Company has made Arm
friends of the great Knisteneaux or Greek
nation, of the Saskatchewan district, and il
the Chippewas can only be Withhold from the
war, the powerful band of Yanktonnais viii!
be promptly scourged back into their fast,
nesses around Devils Lake and TOrtle
Mountain. as