The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-07-18
The Indians at Davenport.

In the Excursion to Rock Island, July
I'd, many failed to see the Indian prisond rs
in Camp Mcclellan at East Davenport
and many who saw them are not we'll in
formed respecting them.
In general, it is understood that they
are part of the savages who participated
in the mas~acres of August. 1862 The
familiar. :
So, far as we are informed these indians
belong to the Dacotah or Sioux family,
numbering IN all some $4,000 souls After
their attack and defeat at Wood Lake by
Gen. Sibley, various parties, near 1000 in
all voluntarily surrendered themselveA to
our government. Of these little more
than 500 we're found guilty of having tn.
ken part in the war and the massacres.-
Of the latter, all so far as IS known, 80
we're hung. These others are reprieved by
the PRESIDENT FOR the present and their
fate undecided.
For about 25 years. there have been
Christian Missionaries among the Daco>
tabs. These missionaries sell US that the
! war uas induced, only in part through
sufirrings and wrongs-in part by the
! withdraw Uf garrisous from the frontier
/ and u conviction of the weakness, and
perhaps decay Of our government. The
chief Indictment was the hostility to reli-
! g,oh and religious ehcroachments.a aroused
and enkindied 10y their coniurers CT priests.
, To them it was q war OF religions, and of
gods. They not Only determine TO ex-
ter,n,nats their white neishbors but all of
their own number who had been Christian
: lied Defeat in battle has caused them
to lose confidence in their gods, and they
have broken, cast away or buried their
eola by the hundred Those in prison
have been glad 10 receive instruction, and
during the winter and spring there has
been manifest work Of religious CONVEX
sion anon: them, rs result OF which
more than three hundred have been hap
tied. Scores Of tn I'm have learned to
read ard write In their prison they hav.
daily solemn worship, often spending an
hour in singing and prayer
r o. the 50 hung many of them had been
taters AID prosecutor. Of the Christian
Indians. Not one among them except
three half breeds could read. others Had
never so far as is known. attended the
missionary schools. Very few OF tn en-
had ever attended their worship ill c pm
demned aud imprisoned. Those who
were executed desired spiritual instruction
before death and were n tina, respec,
greatly changed from their hostility to
Christianity.
Of these c9G =. Davenport, there IS
probably not one guilty OF mas.acreius
the whites, though come were actively or
Dassiye!y in the war The inGssacres were
chiefly all confined TO ore day, and wei e
probably the work OF not more than 300
Indians most 0. whom are still 1T large.
II = supposed by the best Informed that
The whole numtcr billed vas within 700
ono Indian only, lost .is .lfs in the at
tempt
For the crimes Of these 800. Congress
has forfeited the lands and annai;ies o!
69U souls, Of whom only .,bou; 700 sur
rendered To- Gen Sibisy. Of these more
than one tenth (2OU) have died. The large
majority Of those remaining have openly
renouuced hea,herism and embraced
..r,i--r> iiar:.y.
Government; is il process Of removing
par. Of Item up the Missouri. VIVA;
will be done with the 2gG at Davenport is
no, We, decided.
Doubtless the most humane az! ieue
dcia! use they could be put TO, would b-
To dismiss them a. missionaries 10 tn"
$4,000 yet al large. a. u endeayor 10 chez
their depredatious through negotiation.
These men are eli foruic1 and athletic.
many O. them tai! and disnstri in Their
carriage. Be- Eagle, their CHIEF, i, q fine
specimen OF a well fel human