Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-20

torney Generals otfico that deals especially
with
The INDIAN DEGRADATION CLAIMS
The arduoas work OF dsfeudin. these claim 5
Pests on the broad shoulders OF Assistant At
torney Genera! L. ". Colby. and for legal
ABILITY and a thorough knowledge OF the sub
Jet the work could not DE in better hands
ne usual run OF law briefs are interesting to
.iie average citizen only as eurlositie5 10 snow
row little can be said IN great many WORDS
ElS docs not apply. however. 10 the most OF
the brlc prepared by Gen. Coibr. as many Of
these documents contain stories OF Indian war
fare that would do credit to o wild west novel,
MINNESOTA MASSACRE
Take. for instance the claim OF a certain man
ninied Darling. just submitted against lot Of
-oax tribes struggling along under the follow
ing biood-curdling names: Sisseton. Wahpeton.
Nedawakanton and Wshpakoota Gen. Colby's
brief ON this case goes quite extensively into
the terrible struggle which soaked Minnesota
with blood in 1862 Darling was one OF the set
tiers who were obliged TO fy from property
and land to escape the savage ferocity of the
maraulins bands Of Sioux. This Indian out
break. occurring during the civil war. has never
attracted the attention which it deserves. So
much blood was being poured out in the death
graphic between north and south that the mas
sacre OF nearly 1000 settlers in Minnesota did
not send the wild thrill of horror over the
world that il otherwise would.
THE CAUSE OF THE OUTBREAK
in 1862 was the general feeling OF discomfort
among the Indians with the manner in which
the provisions, or what they thought were the
provisions, of the treaties were being carried
out. Added to this the feeling that the
north would be defeated in the struggle with
the south, and that the Indian annuities would
therefore, cease. The best records show that
over 100 persons fell ar the hands Of their saw
m I'm clayu,
Gen Colby gives this account Of the war in
effect, using. in the main. official documents
for his facts:
TEE BE6INNrSo.
On Sunday, August II, 1862, the FIRST blood
WAS shed during an alteration between q white
man and some Indians, said to have been under
the influence of liquor. This gave zest to the
Pent-up feeling of the Indians. Little SKIS
band indorsedthe work and went Immediately
to Little Grow, who also fell IN with the plan
OF making general outbreak. The beginning
Of their work showed against whom their
enmity lay. Ii was the government stores at
the lower agency that they first attacked, and
the employees of the governments upon whom
they made the first assault.
In the beginning it was the intention of Crow
TO make regular war after the manner of white
men. but his braves after having tasted of
blood and plumber became wild and unman-
ageable and again yielded to the popular cur
rent. and Crows war degenerated into a savage
barbarous and inhuman massacre not ex-
ceeded in atrocity by any similar outbreak OF
modern times.
BLOOD AND PLUNDgR
united the Lower Sioux, and the reports of
their success reaching the wahpetons and
Lower Sissetons on Monday afternoon. they.
too. although divided in council to the number
OF about $50. decided to 60 into the fight.
About O'Clock a. n. on Tuesday, the 10Th of
August, they attacked the store Of Stuart b.
Garvie. known as 'MyrIck's." MORALLY wounded
Mr.. CARVE, the proprietor. and severely
wounded young man named Paswell all the
rest Of the traders fed and escaped The sud
denness OF the outbreak seems to have taken
these Upper Sioux by surprise they seemed
TO have no concert OF action and acted % If
intent on plumber rather than to take life.
Monday and Tuesday. August Is and 49,
1852. were days OF torture. carnage, desoIation
and blood, sad days and gloomy for the Mime
sofa frontier. The savages. now stimulated
with their successes, were fierce and jubiant;
small parties of six or seven. ten or twenty,
spread or deployed out among the frontier set
Elements IN ali directions The men were
killed. the women taken captive, and the
children. when not killed. left to their fate
The houses and barns were burned, aud the
cattle driven OF BY these small parties. sent
out for this special purpose. These were the
foraging parties of Crows army. Large war
parties, numbering from 100 to 400, went TO
Fort Rldsley, New Ulm and the ''Big Woods ("
and IN their mode made their attacks on those
places For: Ahercrombie was also invested
and attacked
On the 2lst Governor Ramsey issued proc
lsmation to the people Of Minnesota. calling
upon the militia Of the valley of the Minnesota
and the counties adjoining the frontier to take
horses and arm and equip themselves, taking
with them subsistence for few DAYS. and at
once report separately or in squads. to the
orficer commanding the expedition moving up
the Minnesota river TO the scene OF hostiities.
and earnestly urging upon the settlers on the
frontier that, while taking all proper precau-
tiors for the safety of their families and
homes, they should not give way to any unnec-
essary alarm
Then began the organization Of the military
forces. both Of the state and the United States,
for the suppression OF the outbreak Gov
Ramsey telegrsphed Secretary Stanton:
The Sioux Indians on our western border
have risen and are numbering men, women and
children"
Secretary Of State Baker wrote: "A mos.
frightful instruction of Indians has broken
ont along our whole frontier. Men, women
and children are Unfortunately murdered
evidently the result OF . deep-laid plan. the
attack being simultaneous along our whole
border. The governor has ordered ont in
fantry. 1t is useless. Can not you authorize
me to raise 1000 mounted men for the special
service?"
Gov. Ramsey further detailed the efforts
made to raise troops to put down the uprising.
HUNDREDS OF WHITES HAssAcaEp.
Mr.. John G. Nicolay wrote at this time to
Secretary Stanton: 1.-The Indian war grows
more extensive. The Sioux. numbering DER
haps 2.OO0 warriors, are striking along a line
of scattered frontier settlements of 200 miles.
having already massacred several hundred
whites, and the settlers Of the whole border
are in panic and flight leaving their harvest.
10 waste in the field. as I have myself seen.
even in neIghborhoods where there is no dam
ger The Chippewas, thousand warriors
strong. are turbulent and threatening. and the
wipnebagoes are suspected of hostile intent
The governor is sending all available forces to
the protection Of the frontier. and organizing
the militia. regular and irregular, to fight and
restore confidence. As against the Sioux it
must be war of determination. The COVER
nor needs six field pieces complete. with horse
equipments and fixed ammunition; six r.
FOUNDER mounted howitzers: arms accouter-
ments and horse equipments for loo cavalry;
5000 or 5000 guns. W tn 500. 600 cartridges to
suis; medical stores for three regiments and
blankets for 5000 men. He earnestly asks
that you send these SO much thereof az pos
able I am satisfied that / state facts cor
rect.y. Col Aldrich Is just in from the Sioux
country and confirms the worst news"
Following this letter Maj. Gen. John Pope
was ordered to the command Of the troeps
against the Indians, and in the order
making the detail the Secretary says:
..In conclusion l will add that you cannot too
highly estimate the importance Of the duty