Blue Earth County, Minnesota - Chapter 14: Jiankato Home Guaeds" - Sureen, 1901

The Hanging At Mankato

August 31st, 1862, Wm. Bierbauer raised a militia company -which was styled "Frontier Eangers." They were furnished by the state with Springfield rifles, ammunition, blankets, shoes, etc., and for forty days did service at Mankato, South Bend, and Madelia. The roster was as follows :

On September 14th, 1862, "The Mankato Home Guards" were organized with John P. 3'Ieagher as captain. The service done by this company was confined to Mankato and vicinity, and in fun they applied to themselves the sobriquet of "Bread Eaters." Its roster was as follows :

Companies for home protection were also organized at Garden C'ity, Vernon, and Shelbyville, but no rosters of them were kept. On Sept. 11, A. N. Dukes, was promoted from the position of quartermaster to the command of the post of ilankato and South Bend with the rank of Captain. On September 21, John Armstrong, who lived just over the county line in

Linden township, was killed by a prowling band of Indians while picking plums near his house. His murder caused another scare among the settlers at Madelia and vicinity and Capt. Bierbauer's company was dispatched to their protection.

On September 23, Col. Sibley with 1500 men met Little Crow with 800 braves at Wood Lake, , three miles east of the ford of Yellow Medicine river. It was the first real test of strength between the white men and the red men and was decisive of the war. The Indians fled leaving thirty of their dead on the field. The whites lost only four killed. The victory broke the courage of the Indians and made Sibley a Brigadier General. Soon after this battle the christian and friendly Indians who had opposed the war, managed to get nearly all the captive women and children away from the hostile bands and delivered them to the whites at Camp Release. There were ninetyone whites, and nearly one hundred and fifty half breeds rescued at this camp. The friendly Indians also surrendered themselves and among them many, who had taken more or less part in the massacre. Others were captured. In all about two thousand Indians and half breeds fell into the hands of the whites. Little Crow and most of the hostile bands fled into Dakota and thence eventually into the British possessions, where they remained, and whence for a number of years they kept up a predatory war against the whites.

Among those who had surrendered or been captured, four hundred and twenty-five were suspected of having been implicated in the massacre. These Gen. Sibley caused to be arrested and put in chains and a military court was created to try them at once. This court was composed of Col. Wm. Crooks, of the Sixth Regiment, Col. Wm. E. Marshall of the Seventh Regiment, Captain Grant and Baily of the Sixth Regiment and Lieut. Olin of the Third Eegiment. The court began its labors at Camp Eelease on September 30, and after convicting twenty-one adjourned until October 16th to allow time for more Indians to be brought in. After disposing of one hundred and twenty cases, the Camp and Commission on Oct. 33rd moved to the Lower Agency. Of the 425 arrested and tried, 321 were' convicted and of these, 303 were sentenced to be hung and the remaining eighteen to various terms of imprisonment. The horrible mutilations of the dead, the fiendish torture and outrages inflicted upon the innocent women and children and the brutal treatment of the poor captives had so exasperated the whites that they thirsted for vengeance. With the awful scenes they had witnessed fresh in their minds, it was impossible for white men then to judge an Indian impartially. The summary haste of the trials (from twenty to forty-two cases being disposed of in a day), and the fact that no Indian was given an opportunity to make any defense or even to know what he was accused of, made the proceedings of this tribunal much of a farce. Our modern courts spend twice to five times as long trying one murderer than that court spent trying 425. Many of the convictions were secured on the sole testimony of a colored man named, Godfrey, who had joined the Indians'and married a squaw and by his own confession was one of the worst murderers . and villians among them all,, and whose own neck was to be saved in consideration of his testimony against the Indians. The otl^er convictions were obtained by some woman or child picking out this or that Indian and saying "he killed my husband," "he killed my parents." They doubtless thought so, but as a matter of fact he may have looked like him, for to a stranger all Indians look much alike. Doubtless among the Indians convicted there were many who were guilty, but there is no question, but that there were many, also, who were innocent. Most of the guilty ones did not dare surrender themselves to the whites, but fled with Little Crow into the far Korthwest.

On November 7, 1862, the military Commission having finished its duties, those acquitted, with the squaws and papooses, were sent to Ft. Snelling, where they were kept all winter, except forty or fifty squaws, who went with those adjudged guilty as cooks. The convicted ones were chained together and loaded into wagons and brought to camp Lincoln, which was located on the flat land in West Mankato lying between Front Street and the mound in Sibley Park. At New Ulm a mob rushed upon the Indians with clubs and stones and. in spite of the guards, a number of the Indians were injured. The German women, whose relatives had been murdered, were especially furious. Many of the settlers of Butternut Valley, Jndson. South Bend and other parts of the county were employed with their teams in transporting these convicts. The army and Indians made a train nearly two miles long.

It was General Sibley's intention to have the 303 sentenced to be hung executed at once, but the religious sentiment of the east was so shocked by the idea of hanging so many human beings at once, especially in view of the provocation they had for the outbreak, that President Lincoln was induced to interfere and ordered that none be executed until he had approved their sentence. General John Pope, who had been put in command of the Sioux Campaign, telegraphed back the names of the condemned Indians, a message which cost the government $400.00. President Lincoln replied by requesting that all the evidence upon which the Indians had been condemned be forwarded to him by mail. On receipt of the evidence the President turned it over to Geo. C. Whiting and Francis H. Buggies, two of his clerks, with . instructions to examine it and select forty of the worst ones. This they did, and on Dec. 6th, 1862, the President pigned an order approving the sentence imposed on these forty and fixing Friday Dec. 19th, 1862, as the day for the execution., The list thus selected by President Lincoln and the crimes for which they were convicted were as follows:

(1). 0-ta-kla (alias Godfrey), A negro engaged extensively in the massacre, but on account of turning states' evidence his sentence is commuted to ten years in prison.

(3). Te-he-hdo-ne-cha (One who Forbids His House) Taking wlilte woman prisoner and ravishing her; and being otherwise engaged in the massacre.

(r). Wa-pa-doo-tah (Red Leaf). Shot a white man. (He was an old man, admitted he shot at the man through a window, but did not think he killed him. He also admitted he was wounded at Battle of New LHm).

(8). Wa-he-hua (]\Ieaning of name unknown). Murder. (He claimed the witness lied, that he did not kill anybody, that if he had killed any white man he would have fled with Little Crow.)

(9). Qua-ma-ne (Tinkling Walker), Murder of two persons. (Convicted on testimony of two German boys. He claimed the bo3's were jiiistaken as he was not at the place at all.)

(10). Ta-tah-me-ma (Round Wind), Miwdcr and capture of women and children. (He was an old man, a brother-in-law of the well known Joseph Renville. He had been the public crier for Little Crow before and during the massacre, but after the battle of Wood Lake joined the Indians opposed to the massacre, and was their public crier at Camp Release, when the captives were delivered up. He was the only one of the forty, who had been at all in the habit of attending Protestant worship and on the Sabbath before he knew that he was one of those to be hung, he had professed repentence and faith in Christ and been baptized by Dr. Williamson. He had been convicted on the testimony of two Gorman boys, who said they saw him kill their mother. He strenuously denied the accusation. Dr. Williamson took up his case and on investigation showed conclusively that the bo^'s were mistaken, for on the very day their mother was killed Round Wind was many miles away helping some whites to escape. Dr. Williamson sent this evidence at once to President Lincoln and a few hours before the execution he telegraphed a reprieve. The old man always attributed hi's rescue from the gallows as a direct intervention of Providence).

(12). Do-wan-sa (The Singer). Murder of a woman in the Swan Lake neighhorhood and an attempt to ravish her daughter, who was Icilled by another Indian before he could accomplish his purpose. (He admitted being present and that two men and two women were killed by his companions in his presence, but denied he took any part).

(13). Ha-pan (Second Child, if a Son). Participated in murder of Patwell and took Miss Williams prisoner. (Admitted he was present when Patwell was killed, but claimed another Indian did the killing. Admitted he took Miss Williams as a prisoner.)

(14). Shoon-ka-ska (White Dog) Leader in the ambush at Lower Agency ferry, when Capt. Marsh and half his command were murdered. (He claims his action on this occasion was misunderstood by the whites. That he was for peace and did not give the signal for the Indians to fire on Capt. Marsh and his men.)

(15). Toon-kan-e-chah-tay-ma-ne. (One who Walks by his Grandfather). Murder of a man in a wagon and participating otherwise in the massacre. (Claimed the killing in question was done by another Indian and that the only wrong he did was to take a blanket from one of the stores at the Lower Agency.)

(16). E-tay-doo-tah (Bed Pace), Murder of Mr. Divoll and seven other white persons on North side of the Minnesota, and also the murder of another man and woman. (Denied the charge but admitted being present when murders were committed.)

(17). Am-da-cha (Broken to Pieces) Taking David Faribault prisoner and killing two persons at his house. (Admitted he went with hostile Indians and shot his gun off twice, but did not think he killed anyone. Took some goods from Forbes store.)

(18). Hay-pe-dan (Third Child, if a Son) Cut Mrs. Thieler with tomahawk and engaged in Massacre. (Admitted being in three of the battles and firing his gun six times, that he captured a woman and two children, and that he stole two horses.)

Cloud) Usually called "Cut Nose" from a disfigurement of his nasal organ by an accident. Murder of Antoine Young and a white man and woman. He denied the charge but admitted to have fired his gun a few times. It was aftervrards proven that this old villain had killed nineteen women and children in a wagon by braining them with his tomahawk.)

(20). Henry Milord, a half breed, participating in the murder of a man and woman. (He was a bright young man, who had been brought up at the home of General Sibley. He claimed he was forced to go with the hostiles to save his own life. Admitted he fired his gun at a Avoman, but did not think he killed her.)

(21). Chas-kay-dan (The first born, if a son). Shooting and cutting a woman with child. (Admitted being at Lower Agency when massacre was in progress. That he went to Eed- Vv'ood with a friend and on the way they met Mr. Gleason and J\Irs. Wakefield and her children, that his friend shot Gleason and that he saved Mrs. Wakefield and children.)

(22). Baptiste Campbell, a half breed, murder of man and woman. (He was a son of Scott Campbell, who for many years was Sioux interpreter at Fort Snelling and a brother of John Campbell, who was later hanged at Mankato for the Jewett murder. He claimed to have been forced into the massacre by the soldier's lodge, but did not know that he had killed anybody, though he had fired hi^ gun a few times in two or three of the battles.)

(23). Ta-ta-ka-gay (Windmaker) Murder of Amos W. Huggins. (He was only seventeen or eighteen years old, grandson of Sacred Walker, who took care of Mrs. Josephine Huggins and her children during their captivity. Claimed another Indian induced him to go with him to Huggins house. This other Indian shot Mr. Huggins and had escaped with Little Crow, but he admitted firing off his gun in the air. The probability, however, is that the other Indian was the most guilty, and that Windmaker died for his indiscretion in being in bad company.)

(24). Hay-pink-pa (The Tip of the Horn) Murder of Stewart B. Garvie. (He had boasted before the hostile Indians in the presence of Godfrey that he had killed ilr. Garvie with a bow and arrow. He claimed he had lied about it in order to throw off suspicion that he was friendly to the whites. The fact that Garvie had not been shot by an arrow at all confirmed his statement, and he probably was innocent of the charge, and was hung simply because he lied. Having a conscience free from guilt he trusted the Great Spirit to save him in the other world).

(25). Hypolite Auge, a half breed, murder cf white man and woman. (He claimed to have been a clerk in one of the stores for a year previous to the outbreak, that when the outbreak occurred the full bloods were very suspicious of all the half breeds, that they were favorable to the whites and that to save their own scalps they had to pretend to be hostile, which was doubtless true. That he had fired at the body of a dead man in order to tell the 'Indians he had shot a white man.)

(26). Na-pa-shue (One Who Does Not Flee) boasted he had killed nineteen persons. (Claimed he was forced into the war, but did not kill any-one.)

(27). "\Ya-kan-tan-ka (Great Spirit) murder of white man. (Claimed he was present when some white men were killed, but he did not kill any, that the witness lied about him.)

(38). Toon-kan-ko-yag-e-na-jin (One who Stands Clothed with his Grandfather.) Murder of white man at Big Woods. (Admitted being in battle of Birch Cooley and battle of Hutchinson, but did not know that he killed anyone.)

(29). Ma-ka-te-na-jin (One who stands on the Earth) Jlurder near Xew Ulm. (Was an old man. Admitted he was at Battle of Xew Ulm, but claimed he had not used a gun for years, and had not killed anyone. His two sons had been killed in the war.)

(30). Pa-za-koo-tay-ma-ne (One who walks prepared to Shoot) Participated in the murder of eight white men. (Said he was out with a war party against the Chippeway when outbreak occurred, and that it was over when he got back. That the commiss'oners misunderstood him; he Ciifl not kill any white man. When commissioners asked him if he was in a war party and had fired a gun and he answered "Yes" he meant against the Chippeway and not the whites.)

(31). Ta-ta-hde-dan (Wind Comes Home) ;\lurder at Beaver Creek and capturing white woman. (Said the men of Eice Creek were authors of the outbreak and he opposed it; denied the charge against him.)

(32). Wa-she-choon (Frenchman or White roan) ilurder of LeButt's son. (He was a full blooded white boy only sixteen years old, but his white origin was not known at the time of the hanging. He had been bom at a lumber camp upon the llississippi, and his parents had both died soon thereafter. Left thus an orphan l)abe in a lumber camp he was given to a squaw, who had brought him up as her own boy, among the Indians. He said he had nothing to do with the killing of white people, that he was to die for no crime, and was very much affected. The Indians afterwards admitted that he was innocent and his case was a sad one.)

(34.) Ha-ta-pin-koo (Voice that Appears Coming) Murder of man at Green Lake. (Said he had no gun, but that he had hit a man with a hatchet after another Indian had shot him.)

(35). Chay-tan-hoon-ka. (The Parent Hawk) Murder at Beaver Creek (Said he was down at Ft. Eidgely and at Beaver Creek and took some horses, but did not kill anybody.)

(36).- Chan-ka-hda (Near the Woods) Present when Patwell was killed, and saved Mary Anderson from death, after she had been wounded, and took her prisoner. (Admitted he took Mary Anderson, but it was to save her from being killed by another Indian, who had shot her; thought it hard that he should be hanged for a good deed.)

(37). Hda-hin-day (To Make a Eattling Noise Suddenly) Murder of two children. (Claimed he was north at time of outbreak, and did not return until it was over. Admitted he was at battle 'of Wood Lake, but said tlie charge against him was entirely false.)

(38). 0-ya-tay-a-koo (The coming People) Murder of Patwell. Admitted he was with the parties who killed Patwell, but denied the charge of striking him with his hatchet.)

Murder at Travelers Home. (Admitted being out in one of the raids towards the Big Woods, and that he struck a woman with his tomahawk, who had been killed by another Indian, but declared he had killed none; was himself v/ounded.)

(40). Wa-kin-yan-wa (Little Thunder) Participating in murder near Travelers Home of old man, two girls and two boys. (Denied the charge, said he was accused of killing Coursall's child, but the child was now living, he had done nothing worthy of death.)

On receipt of the order for execution preparations were made at once to carry it into effect. It was discovered soon that there was not enough rope in Mankato of suitable size and quality and that it could not be gotten by the 19th, so a request -fras telegraphed to the President for a postponement of the execution for one week, which was granted.

Let us now return in our history three or four weeks. About Oct. 10th, 1863, the 35th Wis., was sent to Mankato and its colonel, M. Montgomery, succeeded Judge Plandrau in command of the military district of Southern Minnesota, with headquarters at Mankato. In about three weeks he and his regiment were ordered South, and Col. Stephen Miller, of the 7th Minn., was appointed in his place.

The people of Blue Earth and adjoining counties expected that Gen. Sibley would hang the 303 sentenced to death immediately and the delay made them very impatient. About the , last of November, while the Indians were still confined at Camp Lincoln a number of Mankato citizens with a few from New Ulm and other adjoining towns formed themselves into a vigilance committee, and one night started out with intent to have the vengeance of the law inflicted-, forthwith. The authorities had discovered their design and when they reached the west side of the Van Brunt slough, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by a cordon of bayonets. Their ardor for hanging Indians took a very great and sudden chill and as soon as the opportunity offered all made haste to reach their respective homes. On Dec. 3rd, a public meeting convened to urge thfe speedy execution of the Indians and resolutions were adopted to that ef-

Early in December the Indians were removed from Camp Lincoln to log buildings that had been constructed for them, between the Leech stone building and the frame building, which then occupied the location of Fred Kron's present store.

The original ordei" for the execution was signed by Col. Miller at St. Paul on Dee. 17th and brought to Mankato by a special courier, . who arrived about midnight. Copies were immediately printed at the Record Office by Mr. J. C. Wise, which were distributed the next morning to the various military posts in southwestern Minnesota. It read as follows:

Special Order No. 11 Headquarters Indian Post, Mankato, Dec

The President of the United States, having directed the execution of thirty-nine of the Sioux Indians and halfbreed prisoners in my charge, on Friday, the 26th instant, he having postponed the time from the igth instant, said execution will be carried into effect in front of the Indian prison at this place on that day at 10 o'clock A. M. The executive also enjoins that no others of the prisoners he allowed to escape, and that they be protected for the future disposition of the Government; and these orders will be executed by the military force at my disposal with utmost fidelity.

The aid of all good citizens is invoked to maintain the Jaw and constitutional authority of the land on that occasion. The State of Minnesota must not, in addition to the terrible wrongs and outrages inflicted upon her by the murderous savages, suffer, if possible, still more fatally, in her prosperity and reputation, at the hands of a few of our misguided, though deeply Injured fellow citizens.

Stephen Miller

On December 33nd, the Post Adjutant, J. K. Arnold issued an order forbidding the sale or giving away of any intoxicating liquors to any soldier within a radius of ten miles of Mankato, and another order of the same date requesting Col. B. P. Smith of Mankato, Major W. H. Dike of Faribault, Hon. Henry A. Swift and H. W. Lamberton of St. Peter, Edwin Bradley and E. H. Dike of Mankato and Reuben Butters of Kasota, with such other good citizens as they might select, to act as mounted citizen marshalls . on Friday the 36th inst.. Col. B. F. Smith as - chief and the others as assistants.

On this same date, Monday, Dec. 33nd, with the aid of Rev. S. R. Riggs, Maj. Joseph E. Brown and others, the 39 condemned men inm STORY OF BLUE EAETH COUNTY.

from the other Indians, and removed to the rear room of the lower floor of the Leech huilding, where thereafter they were kept apart from the other Indians under special guard. Here at 2 :30 P. M. of this same Monday they were visited by Col. Miller and his stafE, and their sentence and order for execution read to them, Eev. Eiggs, acting as interpreter. Col. Miller then spoke to them in substance as follows :

"The commanding officer at this place has called to speak to you upon a very serious subject this afternoon. Your Great Father at "Washington, after carefully reading what the witnesses have testified in you.r several trials, has come to the conclusion, that you each have been guilty of wantonly and wickedly murdering his white children; and for this reason has directed that you each be hanged by the neck until you are dead, on next Friday, and that order will be carried into effect on that day, at ten o'clock in the forenoon. Good ministers, both Catholic and Protestant, are here, from amongst whom each of you can select your spiritual advisor, who will be permitted to commune with you constantly during the four days that you are yet to live." The Colonel also instructed Eev. Eiggs, to tell them that they had sinned so against their fellowmen that there is no hope for clemency, except in the mercy of God, through the merits of- the Blessed Eedeemer, and that he earnestly exhort them to apply to that as their only remaining source of consolation.

The occasion, says John C. "Wise, who was a personal witness and to Avhom we are indebted for many of the facts, was one of much solemnity. With the stoicism characteristic of their race, the Indians betrayed not the least emotion, but sat composedly, half of them smoking their pipes, during the entire interview. They listened attentively and grunted their approval at the end of each sentence. Some of the half breeds could not wholly conceal their nervousness. Thirty-two selected Father Eavaux as their spiritual advisor and eight chose Dr. "Williamson. Dr. Eiggs, because of his position as government interpreter could not be selected. Tuesday, Dec. 23rd, they extemporized a wild song and dance, vrhich performance was ^ery wierd and solemn. 'A'ednesday afternoon each was permitted to see two or three of his friends and relatives from the main prison in order to bid them a final adieu. The interviews are described as very sad and affecting. Each had messages to send to their absent relatives. Those who liad wives and children were affected to tears when sending messages to them. In most cases the children nx're counseled to become Christians and to a life of good feeling towards the whites. In shaking hands with Eed Iron and Akipee, Tazoo said : "Last summer 3'ou were both opposed to the massacre, you lived in constant apprehension of an attack from those who were determined on an extermination of the whites. Many taunts, insults and threats were heaped upon you and your families, but you continued firm in your friendship to the paleface and counseled peace. "We now see the wisdom of your words." Some were wholly overcome by their feeling at the final parting, while others put on an air of indifference. A great many wrote letters to their relatives and friends which they sent by Father Eavaux, Dr. Williamson or Eev. Eiggs. The following letter was by Eev. Eiggs at the dictation of one of the Indians and in his exact words and might do credit to any white man :

XA'abaslia, you have deceived me. You told me that if we followed the advice of Gen. Sibley, and give ourselves up to the whites, all would be well, no innocent man would be injured. I have not killed, wounded or injured a white man, or any white person. I have not participated in the plunder of their property; and yet today I am set apart for execution and must die in a few days, while men who are guilty remain in prison, lly wife is your daughter, my children are your grandchildren. I leave them all in your care and under your protection. Do not let them suffer, and when my children are grown up >let them know that their father died because he .followed the advice of his chief, and without having the blood of a. white man to answer for to the Great Spirit.

My wife and children are dear to me. Let them not grieve for me. Let them remember that the brave should be prepared to meet death, and I will do so as becomes a Dakota.

Rda-In-Yan-Ka

In response to a petition signed by many citizens requesting that all saloons he closed for three days, including the day of the execuBon the day before and the day after, Col. ]\Tiller on Wednesday issued an order declaring martial law over all the territory within a radius of ten miles of his headquarters, and prohibiting the sale, gift or use of any intoxicating liquors, iacluding wines, beer and malt liquors, within that territory between the hours of three o'clock A. M. of Thursday, the 25th of Dec, and, 11 o'clock P. M., of Saturday, Dec. 27th, 1862, which was rigorously and effectively enforced.

On Dec. 23rd and 21th a detachment of men under Col. Marshall were employed constructing the gallows. B. D. Pay as deputy sheriff assisted in this work. It was built on the levee directly across the street from the front door of the Leech building, about in the northeast corner of what is now known as Lot 18 of Willard and Barney's Exchange, its northern side projecting probably a little onto the southeast corner of Lot 19 and its eastern side may have projected into the street two or three- feet. It was made of heavy, square, white oak timbers, and was twenty-four feet square. There were eight upright posts, each a foot square and 14 feet high, one at each corner and one in the center of each side, set into sills below,- and into plates a foot square above. A series of ten notches were cut in the upper edges of each of the four plates, making notched places for forty ropes in all, the notches being made to avoid any sharp strain on the ropes. This frame work was strongly mortised and pinned together and looked like the frame of an old-fashioned barn, without rafters. In the center of the enclosure thus formed a large heavy timber was set firmly into the ground, like a post, twenty feet high, the upper half of which was rounded and smoothed and a little smaller than the lower half. A ring fitted loosely about this rounded portion of the post, which could be moved readily up and down it. This was first made of iron, but that not being strong enough, a piece of stout cable was substituted. A strongly framed platform in the shape of a side walk about three to four feet wide and lying half within and half without the upright timbers, ran around the whole structure, a plank of the covering being left out at the place where each of the eight posts projected tlirough it. This platform was so constructed that it could be moved up and down on these-^ outside posts. To this platform eight ropes were fastened which centered and were attached at their other end to the ring about the center post. The whole was so adjusted that when the I'ing was at the top of the center post the platform was suspended about five to six feet above the ground. To hold the ring in place, a strong rope was attached to it and passed over the top of the center post, and then brought down and securely fastened at its foot. The cutting of this rope would loosen the ring, and the whole platform would drop of its own weight at once. Forty to fifty soldiers were marched a few times on the platform to test it. On Christmas day Col. Miller issued the following order as to the execution :

General Order No. 23

First: The officer of the day and officer of the guard will be relieved respectively by Capt. Burt and Lieut. Carter at 8:30 o'clock A. M. tomorrow. The present guard to continue on duty until relieved in the afternoon, Capt. Burt to direct that his detail be furnished with breakfast.

Second: Capt. G. D. Redfield, provost marshal, will promptly exclude all persons from the room of the sentenced convicts at 7 o'clock, and having them unmanacled, with pinioned arms, and ready for execution, will pass them through the guard room, and deliver them at the gallows to the officer of the day (Capt. Burt) for execution. He will see that the staples and manacles are preserved for future use. And that the prisoner "Godfrey" is duly returned to the old prison. Lieut. Carter, as officer of the guard, will at 9 o'clock close the door of the guard house, open the communicating door with the prison, allow no person except his guard to enter, and with the two reliefs, (who for the moment will stack their arms) will, under the direction of Capt. Redfield, conduct the convicts to the scaffold, between the two files of soldiers, which will be stationed on the route.

Third: The officer of the day, Capt. Burt, will receive the convicts at the scaffold and supervise and conduct the execution. For this purpose he will detail eight men, one to each section of the platform, to act as executioners, and two men with axes to be ready for any emergency. When all is ready, he will give the order to Maj. J, R. Brown, signal oft'icer, who will beat three distinct taps upon the drum. At the third stroke, Wm. J. Duly, (mounted scout) will cut the rope. After the execution the officer of the day will, with his detail, collect all ropes and small fixtures of the occasion and deposit them carefully at these headquarters. He will of course, have all the ropes and necessary fixtures adjusted previous to the execution.

Fifth: Four teams containing shovels will be furnished by quartermaster Cutter, in which the bodies win be deposited by Capt. Burt's company (R. Minn. 7th), previous to which they will stack arms, and will, without their arms, act as a burial party.

Sixth: The wagons containing, the remains and the above burial party will proceed under an armed escort, which will be provided, and enter the bodies of

J. K. Arnold

On the afternoon of this same Christmas, the squaws, who were acting as cooks, were permitted to bid goodbye to the condemned men, among whom a number had relatives. Though the parting was sad, there was not so much demonstration of grief as the day before, for an Indian thinks it very unmanly to show emotion before a woman. Father Ravaux and Dr. Williamson remained with the condemned men all this last night. Father Ravaux was assisted by Father Sommereisen. Thirty-three of the convicts, including the three half breeds, were baptised into the Catholic faith, and three, besides Round Wind who was pardoned, into the Protestant faith. The other two refused baptism. The good priests and Dr. Willamson worked hard and faithfully. The three half breeds were under 20 years old and dressed like white men, the rest wore the Indian garb and were mostly young men, though a few were old and grey haired. The White boy was counted among the full bloods as he was a Sioux in speech, dress and habits, having been so brought up from babyhood, and though his features were Caucassian no one then suspected his real origin.

On the morning of the 26th, they sang their death song in Dakota, Tazoo leading, which was very exciting. At 7:30 A. M., all persons were excluded, except those needed to prepare them for execution. Maj Brown and Capt. Redfield superintended the affair. Their irons were Imocked ofE and thedr arms pinioned, elbows behind and wrists in front about six inches apart. I'his took until 9 o'clock. They went around sliaking hands with the soldiers and bidding them good bye. They were then put in a row around the room standing and chanting in the mean time one of their wild, mournful melodies. They were then permitted to sit with their backs to the wall a few minutes while Father Ravaux came in and read them a prayer in Dakotah. He then spoke to them, Baptiste Campbell acting as interpreter. The earnest words of the priest affected them to tears. Dr. Williamson, also, had a short heart to heart talk with them. Caps made from some unbleached muslin, found in their possession when captured, were now put on their heads, but drawn down only to the forehead. While Father Ravaux was still talking to them Capt. Redfield entered the prison chamber and whispered to him that all was ready. He communicated the fact to Henry Millord, one of the halfbreeds, and he repeated it to the others. Instantly all were on their feet and forming in single file, they marched quickly through the intervening room to the front door, headed Isy Capt. Redfield. Thence they passed between two rows of soldiers directly across the street to the gallows, followed by the gTiards, who had stacked arms, and the reporters.

As soon as they caught sight of the gallows, they began singing their death dirge, keeping step to the music. Still following the lead of Capt. Redfield, they ascended the steps to the platform of the gallows and were ranged in their places by eight soldiers, two for each section of the gallows. After adjusting the nooses and pulling down the muslin caps, or sacks, over their faces, the soldiers walked down from the platform. In the meantime the Indians kept up continuously their singing and dancing and some managed to clasp each other's hands. Their chant mainly consisted of the simple repetition in Dakotah of "This is me." It was a wild, gruesome, .impressive scene. Thirty human beings, all but three dressed in Indian costumes, ranged round the four squares of the gallows on an elevated platform, with ropes round their necks, dancing and chanting a wierd, fantastic dirge.

At the foot of the center post stood Capt. Duly with a sharp ax, ready to cut the rope, which held the ring from which the platform hung. The Captain's wife and children had been butchered by the savages at Lake Shetec, and he had asked the privilege of this important duty on the execution program. David J. Davis of Cambria, whose son had been killed, offered Capt. Duly $5»00 if he would resign the position in his favor, but he refused.

Facing the four sides of the gallows in battle fcrray were the military. Two companies of the 9th Reg., 161 men, occupied the side toward the river, and three companies of the 6th Heg., 300 men, the side toward Front street, both in com- mand of Col. Wilkin. On the North were 425 men of the 10th Reg. tinder Col. J. H. Baker, while on the south side were 425 men of the 7th Eeg. in command of Lieut. Col. Marshall. Back of the infantry to the north and south were drawn up three companies of the 1st Eeg., mounted Eangers, (273 men) in command of Maj. Buell, while Capt. White's mounted men (35 in number) performed patrol duty. In all 1419 soldiers were on the ground. For a portion of the time one company of the 7th and one company of the lOth were detailed under Lieut. Col. Jennison to guard the prison yard. Beyond the military wefs the populace, a great and motly throng of men, women and children, who had gathered into Mankato from a radius of fifty miles in their lumber wagons drawn by oxen. Many had been on the road all night. The weather was remarkably fine. There was scarcely any snow and the day was so warm that people went about in their shirt sleeves. In' those days the bed of the Minnesota river was situated about where the western two-thirds of the Saulpaugh Hotel now stands, and the scafEold stood so near its bank that there was hardly room for one line of soldiers. As the river was low there was a long sand bank in front of the levee. This was covered with spectators, and so was the opposite bank of the river, which then was no further than the east end of the present bridge.

An artist from St. Paul attempted to make a photograph of the scene from an outside stairway, which led to the second story of John J. Shaubut's store, on the northwest corner of Block .14, but the cameras of that day were not well adapted for outside exposures, and the picture was very indistinct and blurred and none of them can now be found. More successful was the picture made by a special artist of Prank Leslie's magazine, prepared from pencil sketches drawn on the spot. As he could only draw a few of the main features of the "scene, and had to fill in all the details from imagination, the picture is far from being accurate as to such details. The late John C. Wise had this picture lithographed in colors and it is now the only pictorial presentation of the event. Harper's weekly had a special artist on the ground, too, but his sketches were not as accurate as that of the Leslie artist. At 10 :16 A. M., everything being ready, Capt. Burt waved his sword as a signal to Maj. Brown, who gave three distinct taps on his drurh. At the last tap the props, which had been put under the platform as a precaution against accident, were knocked down and Captain Duly, then took his revenge. Through nervousness he failed on the first stroke, but a second blow of his ax severed the rope, and the platform fell with a crash. The doleful sound of the death dirge suddenly ceased and in its stead a great shout of exultation, rose from the spectators. This shout was started by a young soldier lad, whose father, mother, brothers and sisters had been butchered by one of these very Indians. Pointing his finger straight at the convulsing body of this Indian he gave vent to a shout of triumph, which was caught up by the crowd. Cut Nose, being a heavy person, .snapped his rope and fell partly down the river bank, but his neck was broken and he was dead when picked up, still the soldiers ran him up with a new rope. In twenty minutes the doctors pronounced all dead, and the four teams detailed for the purpose, drove to the scafEold, and the bodies were cut down and conveyed to their burial. A long wide trench had been dug in the gravel bed at the upper end of the levee between Front street and the river. Here they were interred by Capt. Burke's company, who acted as a burial party. The interment, however, proved of little value as the bodies were all exhumed that night and carried oil for dissection by various doctors of Southern Minnesota. The execution passed off without the least disturbance. Though the feeling against the other condemned Indians was most intense, the vast throng behaved vnth perfect order and decorum. On December 20th, 1862, six days before the '.'.locution of the Indians, Chas. B. Hensley, the talented young editor of the "Mankato Independent," died. His constitution had never been robust. Soon after the Sioux outbreak he Joined a company of volunteers, who went with General Sibley against the hostile bands. The hardships and exposures of the expedition gave him a hard cold, and he returned home sick, and quickly grew worse until the end. The winter of 1863-3 was open and very mild, which proved a great boon to the settlers and their stock ior the Indian trouble had given very little opportunity to prepare for winter.

Among the condemned Indians were many who had heard the teachings of the christian religion for some years. Two of their number were professed Christians and members of Dr. Williamson's church. Their names were Robert Hopkins Chaskay and Peter Big Tire. Neither were guilty of the charge of murdering the whites. In fact Eobert Hopkins had been one of the most active wSh John Other Day in rescuing Dr. Williamson and his family and the other white settlers at the Upper Agency. When it was found that he was among the 303 condemned to be hanged, the whites, whom he had rescued at the risk of his own life, made a most vigorous protest, which was sent to President Lincoln, and Miss Sarah J. Williamson wrote the president a personal letter in his behalf. As a result he was promptly pardoned. But he and Peter Big Fire had started a work among theiifellow prisoners, which they counted more important than their liberty. Under their lead a wonderful spiritual revival was started among the convicts. In their defeat by the whites the Indians seemed to regard their Gods as also defeated, and all their old superstition ov^j thrown. Their pride was broken and their confidence in themselves gone. The white man's civilization appealed to them as something worth having. It made him so superior to the Indian in power and in wealth. The God who gave him such mysterious advantages over the red man must be the great God, and they would worship him, too, and become like' the white man. They became anxious to hear about the Christ religion. On the Sunday after the execution Eev. Riggs preached to the prisoners in the prison yard. Three hundred dusky warriors, heavily laden with chains, standing in that open court, in the freshly fallen snow, listening intently to the preachers' words, is a picture worthy of a great artist. Dr. Williamson walked from his home in St. Peter once or twice a week all winter to preach to them. The Pond brothers, Samuel W. and Gideon H., came up from Shakopee to speak to them a few times. Eev. Hicks, the Presbyterian minister at Mankato, addressed them two or tlii-ee times. Through the work of these good missionaries and especially through the effoi-ts of Eobert Hopkins and Peter Big Fire, the revival continued to grow, until in February it culminated in a regular Pentecostal time, and Dr. Williamson, Rev. G. H. Pond and Eev. Hicks baptised and received into church membiTship nearly three hundred of them in one day.

This Feb. 3, 1863, was a day long to be remembered in the annals of the Dakotas, as the day when they renounced savagery and enlisted under the banner of the cross. A most solemn and impressive service it was when each dusky warrior arose in response to his name, and advancing, confessed his sin, swore allegiance to the King of Heaven and with uplifted hand and bowed head received the ordinance of Baptism. As the ministering missionary was familiar with the past life of each candidate, he could give each a charge suited to his needs. Instead of idle story telling, gambling and heathen dances, these wild men of the plains spent the whole winter in listening to the word of God, in confessing sin, in prayer and exhortation and in singing hymns. Mankato is noted in Sioux history not so much as the place of hanging as the place of the new life, where a nation was born anew in a day.

That their conversion was genuine, their after lives fully attest. Among them was Eev. Arteiiias Ehnameni, for many years the able and devoted pastor of the Santee Church. Among them also was the father of Dr. Charles H. Eastman, the noted author and preacher, who after his release went in quest of his son to the wilds of western Canada and sent him to college. The many Christian homes they founded, the churches they established and the consecrated lives they led all testify to the magnitude and thoroughness of the Spirit's work at the Mankato prison. Their log Jail was transformed into a school room, and books were in great demand. Before spring most of these condemned men had learned to read and write. The revival spread to the camp at Ft. Snelling and many were there converted. This wonderful spiritual awakening in the Mankato prison is unique in Indian his- tory. It originated largely among themselves. It affected nearly every one of the three hundred prisoners, and the sudden and marvelous translormation it worked in the thought and lives of these savages v^as in their picturesque language "a great mystery/' indeed.

The people generally, even at Mankato, were not aware of the tremendous change, which had taken place in the hearts of the captives, and so great was the prejudice against any Indian, that all their manifestations of conversion were looked upon as hypocrisy.

To show how we of the Caucasiaii race, with all our boasted civilization, are not far removed from barbarism, with its thirst for blood, and revenge, when some great provocation comes to test us, one has but to notice the uncharitable conduct of many of our best people toward the Indian in those days. Too often the spirit of revenge drove out the spirit of Christ. The liouse of Eepresentatives of the State of Minnesota, in January, 1863, passed, with only one dissenting vote, a resolution requesting President Ijincoln to hang all the balance of the condemned Indians at once, but the resolution happily failed of final passage. Then so sane a man as Col. Pratt of St. Peter, because the good people of Boston and Philadelphia had dared to protest against the hanging of all the Indiajis, had a petition signed by 3,000 persons asking congress to locate the Sioux upon Boston Common and the Winnebagoes in the parks of Philadelphia, and sent the same to Congress. Mr. Wisa of the "Eecord," much to his credit, denounced the foolish act roundly and other editors of the State did the same. Men who knew the Indian character best, and whose Christian sympathies were broad, like Dr. Williamson, Eev. Eiggs, Father Eavaux and Bishop Whipple, were ready to see the good there was in the Indian and give him credit for it.

The Indians were kept in chains, until their limbs were badly chafed. Eev. Eiggs was able to get the chains removed for a short time to let their sores heal, but such were the fears of the people, that the military were obliged soon to restore them. To men always used to the freedom of the open air, the , constant close confinement of so many of them in such a small pen began to tell on their health. During the last part of the winter thirteen of them died. On x\pril 22nd, 1863, they left Mankato on the steamboat Favorite and were taken to Davenport, Iowa. There were in the party 270 condemned Indians, forty-eight uneondenmed and fifteen, to twenty squaws. As they were passing Ft. Snelling, where their wives and children and comrades were confined, they sang in their native tongue one of their favorite hymns to the tune of "Old Hundred":

Their departure from Mankato was the last seen of the great Sioux nation in any numbers in Blue Earth county. A few of the hostiles made two or three raids thereto, but the land that heretofore had known them as a nation, time immemorial, henceforth knew them no more, nor did hardly one of them see its face again forever.

At Davenport they were confined in a military prison until the spring of 1866, when their sentences were all revoked. But in the meantime about one third of them had died because of their confinement. The remnant were talten to the new Sioux Agency in a barren district of Nebraska. Most of them however, renounced Agency life and government annuities and took claims in South Dakota, and adopted the ways of white men, and there many of their descendants still live on farms leading worthy Christian lives.