Source: Scott W. Berg. 38 Nooses: Lincoln, Little Crow,
and the Beginning of the Frontier's End (2012)
and the Beginning of the Frontier's End (2012)
On 28 September 1862, Colonel Henry Sibley of the Minnesota state militia wrote General John Pope to announce the formation of a military commission to try the captured Dakotas. Sibley asked permission from Pope to quickly hang those that were found guilty, since he was unsure how far his authority reached on the matter of execution. Most likely, Sibley was trying to get Pope to take charge of the aftermath of the war, as well as trying to appease Governor Alexander Ramsey (and other state politicians), and to avoid vigilante justice at the hands of white mobs.
Sibley created a five man military commission, and all were officers under his command who had seen action against the Dakota in the last month. Never before had a military commission been created after a conflict between Natives and whites; many convictions would depend on the testimony of mixed-bloods and peace-party Dakotas.
Sibley created a five man military commission, and all were officers under his command who had seen action against the Dakota in the last month. Never before had a military commission been created after a conflict between Natives and whites; many convictions would depend on the testimony of mixed-bloods and peace-party Dakotas.
For the 400 or so Dakota prisoners, there were was little food or provisions, winter was coming, and there was the constant threat of vengeance at the hands of white Minnesotans, both military and civilian.
Pope wrote Sibley that his goal was to exterminate the Sioux in Minnesota, meaning those under arrest and the Dakota still at large, and that all should be treated as wild beasts.
General-in-Chief Henry Halleck informed Pope that Sibley had been promoted to Brigadier General (of the Volunteers) in the Union Army, and that Sibley should remain in command of his troops in the field. Halleck wanted to deny Pope his goal of building his own system of military patronage under his command in Minnesota. In effect, Halleck's promotion of Sibley (mildly) told Pope to know his place in the chain of command; Pope took more than a week to inform Sibley of the promotion. Sibley was no longer a Minnesotan acting on behalf of Governor Ramsey and the state . . . Sibley now answered to Lincoln.
Pope wrote Sibley that his goal was to exterminate the Sioux in Minnesota, meaning those under arrest and the Dakota still at large, and that all should be treated as wild beasts.
General-in-Chief Henry Halleck informed Pope that Sibley had been promoted to Brigadier General (of the Volunteers) in the Union Army, and that Sibley should remain in command of his troops in the field. Halleck wanted to deny Pope his goal of building his own system of military patronage under his command in Minnesota. In effect, Halleck's promotion of Sibley (mildly) told Pope to know his place in the chain of command; Pope took more than a week to inform Sibley of the promotion. Sibley was no longer a Minnesotan acting on behalf of Governor Ramsey and the state . . . Sibley now answered to Lincoln.
Little Crow was part of a group of over 1000 Dakotas heading west made up of all four bands of the Eastern Dakota, over half of the number Mdewakantons. But over 700 abandoned Little Crow before he left Minnesota, some going west at a faster pace, while others went back to throw themselves at the mercy of Brigadier General Sibley. By the time Little Crow was poised to leave Minnesota for the Dakota Territory, he had only about 300 in his group, which included only 100 or so warriors. To make matters even worse, only a few dozen Mdewakantons were truly loyal to Little Crow.
Little Crow reached Big Stone Lake, which was the area of Chief Standing Buffalo, the most powerful and influential of the Dakotas in the Upper Agency. Standing Buffalo told Little Crow about Sibley's letter offering peace if he captured/detained Little Crow. Standing Buffalo told Little Crow that while he wouldn't detain him or his people, he would not allow Little Crow passage through his territory as they moved west. Standing Buffalo added that he would not join, supply, or support Little Crow in any way. In closing, Standing Buffalo basically scolded Little Crow in front of the gathered Dakotas, and told him to go and leave his land. So, with no other option, Little Crow detoured around Standing Bear's lands, and left the prairies of Minnesota for the Great Plains of the Dakota Territory in order to escape Sibley's pursuit.
Little Crow reached Big Stone Lake, which was the area of Chief Standing Buffalo, the most powerful and influential of the Dakotas in the Upper Agency. Standing Buffalo told Little Crow about Sibley's letter offering peace if he captured/detained Little Crow. Standing Buffalo told Little Crow that while he wouldn't detain him or his people, he would not allow Little Crow passage through his territory as they moved west. Standing Buffalo added that he would not join, supply, or support Little Crow in any way. In closing, Standing Buffalo basically scolded Little Crow in front of the gathered Dakotas, and told him to go and leave his land. So, with no other option, Little Crow detoured around Standing Bear's lands, and left the prairies of Minnesota for the Great Plains of the Dakota Territory in order to escape Sibley's pursuit.
The Dakota War didn't end with a complete route of the Natives; Little Crow and the Dakota warriors had killed 93 white soldiers and between 400 - 600 white civilians while only suffering a few dozen warriors killed in action (most of the KIA were at the Battle of Wood Lake). But it was during the aftermath of the conflict that the numbers would shift back to the reality of the demographics in Minnesota, tilted heavily against all Dakotas, regardless of the level of involvement in the war. To the whites in Minnesota, Little Crow's escape to the Great Plains meant that the "Incarnate Demon" was still a major threat.
At Camp Release, the number of Dakota and mixed-blood prisoners reached over 1200, with about 300 of fighting age. Pope, all the while in St. Paul, sent message-after-message to Sibley, dispatches that were not grounded in any reality. Pope wanted Sibley to scorch the earth so Little Crow wouldn't have any supplies on his return; Pope had convinced himself that Little Crow would return with thousands of warriors to invade Minnesota. It simply didn't register to Pope that most Dakotas were not even remotely a threat, or that Little Crow was currently focused on escape, not invasion. In the field, Sibley had zero plans to send men into the Great Plains in pursuit of Little Crow, regardless of any orders to do so from Pope.
At Camp Release, the number of Dakota and mixed-blood prisoners reached over 1200, with about 300 of fighting age. Pope, all the while in St. Paul, sent message-after-message to Sibley, dispatches that were not grounded in any reality. Pope wanted Sibley to scorch the earth so Little Crow wouldn't have any supplies on his return; Pope had convinced himself that Little Crow would return with thousands of warriors to invade Minnesota. It simply didn't register to Pope that most Dakotas were not even remotely a threat, or that Little Crow was currently focused on escape, not invasion. In the field, Sibley had zero plans to send men into the Great Plains in pursuit of Little Crow, regardless of any orders to do so from Pope.
Pope was a posturing egomaniac with no grasp of the reality in the field, while Sibley was detailed, knowledgeable, and circumspect. Pope was still acting out of a furious sense of injustice at being stationed in Minnesota during the Civil War, very angry at being out of favor with his superiors in the federal government. Sibley, even 8 weeks after the Dakota War started, could only mount 100 men, with few supplies in tow for both men and animals. At this point, Sibley wanted out of his command, since he was feeling his age with a seemingly impossible task in front of him, and Sibley knew it wouldn't be difficult to replace him if the powers-that-be wanted to do so, but he kept on nonetheless.
On 6 October 1862, Sibley received a letter from Pope that directed him to offer a $500 reward for Little Crow, and to round up all Dakotas and make them prisoners in the Lower Agency. And, after a trial, those found guilty would be executed in front of the others. Under pressure to produce results based on those orders, Sibley arrested 250 Dakota in the Upper Agency, many of which were part of the peace-party aligned against Little Crow.
On 6 October 1862, Sibley received a letter from Pope that directed him to offer a $500 reward for Little Crow, and to round up all Dakotas and make them prisoners in the Lower Agency. And, after a trial, those found guilty would be executed in front of the others. Under pressure to produce results based on those orders, Sibley arrested 250 Dakota in the Upper Agency, many of which were part of the peace-party aligned against Little Crow.
. . . Lincoln's Decision in Terms of How Many Dakotas Should be Executed . . .