how many dakota were hanged

How many Dakota warriors were publicly hanged?

On December 26, 1862, 38 Dakota warriors were publicly hanged after being convicted of war crimes. Since the war commission was a military proceeding, President Abraham Lincoln had the ultimate say on the punishment, and asked to review all 303 execution convictions.

Why did Lincoln hang 38 Dakota men?

On the day after Christmas in 1862, 38 Dakota men were hanged under order of President Abraham Lincoln. The hangings and convictions of the Dakota 38 resulted from the aftermath of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 in southwest Minnesota.

How many Dakota men were hanged at Mankato?

On December 26, 1862, 38 Dakota men were hanged at Mankato. At 10:00 am on December 26, 38 Dakota prisoners were led to a scaffold specially constructed for their execution. One had been given a reprieve at the last minute.

Where were the thirty-eight Dakota hanged?

Monument indicating where the thirty-eight Dakota were hanged following the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, Mankato, Minnesota. Placed in 1912, it was removed in 1971.

How many Dakota died in the Dakota war?

By the end of the war, 358 settlers had been killed, in addition to 77 soldiers and 29 volunteer militia. The total number of Dakota casualties is unknown....Dakota War of 1862.DateAugust 18, 1862 – September 26, 1862ResultUnited States victory1 more row

What happened to the Dakota 38?

On December 26, 1862, 38 Dakota warriors were publicly hanged after being convicted of war crimes. Since the war commission was a military proceeding, President Abraham Lincoln had the ultimate say on the punishment, and asked to review all 303 execution convictions.

What happened to the Dakota in 1862?

On September 23, federal forces defeated the Dakota at the Battle of Wood Lake in Yellow Medicine County. Three days later, the Dakota surrendered, releasing nearly 300 captives. The Dakota who surrendered were held until military trials could take place that November.

What happened to the Dakota in 1863?

Removal of the Dakota and Ho-Chunk On February 16, 1863, Congress passed an act that "abrogated and annulled" all treaties with the Dakota people. The act also stated that all lands held by the Dakota, and all annuities due to them, were forfeited to the US government.

What is the largest mass execution in US history?

On December 26, 1862, following the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, the federal government hanged 38 members of the Dakota tribe in Minnesota. It was the largest mass execution in United States history.

How many Native Americans were killed?

In the ensuing email exchange, Thornton indicated that his own rough estimate is that about 12 million Indigenous people died in what is today the coterminous United States between 1492 and 1900.

How many people died in the Dakota Sioux uprising?

Led by Taoyateduta (also known as Little Crow), the Dakota attacked local agencies and the settlement of New Ulm. Over 500 white settlers lost their lives along with about 150 Dakota warriors.

What is the Dakota tribe known for?

Located in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, the Dakota have lived for countless generations along the wooded shores of the region's lakes and rivers. They harvested wild rice, maple sugar, and cultivated gardens. They were semi-nomadic people, spending most of the year in villages populated with Bark Long Houses.

How many Indians were hung at Fort Snelling?

The Dec. 26, 1862, mass hanging marked the end of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, which took place along the Minnesota River valley that fall. After the war, 1,600 Dakotas were held at a camp at Fort Snelling until they were sent out of state. Originally, 303 men were sentenced to be hanged.

Where do the Dakota people live today?

The Dakotas traveled freely, however, and there was also significant Dakota presence in the modern states of Iowa, Nebraska, Montana, and northern Illinois, and in south-central Canada. Today, most Dakota people live in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Saskatchewan.

What happened to the missionaries after the Dakota War?

Hazelwood mission was destroyed and when the Dakota were exiled from Minnesota after the war, the missionaries traveled with them where they continued to set up mission stations. Riggs died in Wisconsin in 1883.

How long was the Dakota War?

six weeksWhen the U.S. government broke its promises, some of the Dakota Indians went to war against the white settlers. Many Dakota did not join in, choosing to aid and protect settlers instead. The fighting lasted six weeks and many people on both sides were killed or fled Minnesota.

What is the significance of the Dakota 38 2?

The Dakota 38+2 Reconciliation Ride began in 2005 and has continued every year to promote reconciliation between American Indians and non-Native People. Horseback riders, runners and supporters alike make the 330-mile journey from Lower Brule, South Dakota to Mankato, Minnesota during the dead of winter.

Who was the Dakota 38?

The Dakota 38 Memorial is a commemorative and restorative event that honors the memory of 38 Dakota men who were publicly executed in Mankato, MN in 1862. Each year, horse riders and distance runners gather for the Dakota 38 Memorial.

Why is it called Dakota 38 2?

For more than a decade, members of the Dakota nation have participated in a 320-mile horseback ride across South Dakota and western Minnesota. The ride is called Dakota 38+2, so named in memory of 38 Dakota warriors hung in December of 1862.

Where can I watch Dakota 38?

Dakota 38, a documentary movie is available to stream now. Watch it on Red Road TV - Native American on your Roku device.

How many Dakota men were hanged in 1862?

On December 26, 1862, 38 Dakota men were hanged at Mankato. At 10:00 am on December 26, 38 Dakota prisoners were led to a scaffold specially constructed for their execution. One had been given a reprieve at the last minute.

How many people were in Mankato when the shooting happened?

An estimated 4,000 spectators crammed the streets of Mankato and surrounding land. Col. Stephen Miller, charged with keeping the peace in the days leading up to the hangings, had declared martial law and had banned the sale and consumption of alcohol within a ten-mile radius of the town.

How many men were found guilty of rape in Lincoln's decision?

When only two men were found guilty of rape, Lincoln expanded the criteria to include those who had participated in “massacres” of civilians rather than just “battles.”. He then made his final decision, and forwarded a list of 39 names to Sibley.

How many men were on trial for Lincoln?

President Lincoln and government lawyers then reviewed the trial transcripts of all 303 men. As Lincoln would later explain to the U.S. Senate:

How many prisoners were tried in the Lincoln trial?

On November 5, the commission completed its work. 392 prisoners were tried, 303 were sentenced to death, and 16 were given prison terms. President Lincoln and government lawyers then reviewed the trial transcripts of all 303 men. As Lincoln would later explain to the U.S. Senate:

Where are the bodies of the Mankato men buried?

After dangling from the scaffold for a half hour, the men’s bodies were cut down and hauled to a shallow mass grave on a sandbar between Mankato’s main street and the Minnesota River. Before morning, most of the bodies had been dug up and taken by physicians for use as medical cadavers.

Where were the trials held in the Lower Agency?

Several weeks later the trials were moved to the Lower Agency, where they were held in one of the only buildings left standing, trader François LaBathe’s summer kitchen. As weeks passed, cases were handled with increasing speed.

Where was the Dakota execution?

After trials by a military court, 38 Dakota men were hanged on December 26, 1862, in Mankato, Minnesota. This was the largest one-day mass execution in American history. In April 1863, the rest of the Dakota were exiled from Minnesota to Nebraska and South Dakota.

How many men were sentenced to death in the Dakota War?

The surrendered Dakota warriors and their families were held while military trials took place from September to November 1862. Of the 498 trials, 303 men were convicted and sentenced to death. : 72 President Lincoln commuted the sentences of all but 38. A few weeks prior to the execution, the convicted men were sent to Mankato, while 1,658 Indians and "mixed bloods", including their families and the "friendly" Dakota, were sent to a compound south of Fort Snelling.

What happened in 1862?

On August 16, 1862, the treaty payments to the Dakota arrived in St. Paul, Minnesota, and were brought to Fort Ridgely the next day. They arrived too late to prevent violence. On August 17, 1862, four young Dakota men were on a hunting trip in Acton Township, Minnesota, during which one stole eggs and killed five white settlers after a confrontation and insult. Soon after, a Dakota war council was convened. Their leader, Little Crow, agreed to continue attacks on the American settlements to try to drive out the whites.

How long were the Dakota trials?

Army, but by Minnesota Volunteer Infantry sworn into Federal service for the Civil War. All federal troops had been transferred out of Minnesota to battle the Confederacy. The 400-odd of trials commenced on 28 September 1862 and were completed on 3 November; some lasted less than 5 minutes. No one explained the proceedings to the defendants, nor were the Sioux represented by defense attorneys.

What were the consequences of the late 1850s?

Throughout the late 1850s in the lead-up to the war, late annuity payments by Indian agents caused increasing hunger and hardship among the Dakota. Traders with the Dakota previously had demanded that the government give the annuity payments directly to them, as payment for purchases the Dakota had made on credit.

Why did the Dakota War attracted young braves?

He concludes the warfare in 1862 attracted young braves for various reasons: "revenge for some, plunder for others, the chance to gain honors in warfare. For many Dakota young men, it offered the chance to obtain a wife.".

How wide was the Dakota reservation?

From that time on, the Dakota were to live on a 20-mile (32 km) wide Indian reservation centered on a 150 mile (240 km) stretch of the upper Minnesota River. But, the U.S. Senate removed Article 3 of each treaty, which set out reservations, during the ratification process.

How many Dakota Indians were killed in the Dakota War?

On Dec. 26, 1862, 38 Dakota Indians were executed by the U.S. government during the U.S. Dakota War of 1862 (also known as the Sioux Uprising, Dakota Uprising).

What happened in 1862?

Growing up in Mankato, Minnesota, John Biewen says, nobody ever talked about the most important historical event ever to happen there: in 1862, it was the site of the largest mass execution in U.S. history. Thirty-eight Dakota Indians were hanged after a war with white settlers.

What was the reason for the Dakota hangings?

The Dakota hangings were the result of conflict between the Dakota and settlers.

How were the Dakota trials unfair?

The evidence was sparse, the tribunal was biased, the defendants were unrepresented in unfamiliar proceedings conducted in a foreign language, and authority for convening the tribunal was lacking. More fundamentally, neither the Military Commission nor the reviewing authorities recognized that they were dealing with the aftermath of a war fought with a sovereign nation and that the men who surrendered were entitled to treatment in accordance with that status.” ( Carol Chomsky)

What was the largest mass execution in the history of the United States?

And on December 26, 1862, by order of President Lincoln, and with nearly 4,000 white American settlers looking on, the largest mass execution in the history of the United States took place. The hanging of the Dakota 38. Precisely at the time announced — 10 A.M. — a company, without arms, entered the prisoners’ quarters to escort them to their doom. ...

Why did Lincoln order the executions?

President Abraham Lincoln. Because these were military trials, the executions had to be ordered by the President Abraham Lincoln. Three hundred and three deaths seemed too genocidal for President Lincoln. But he didn’t order retrials, even though it has been argued that the trials which took place were a legal sham.

How many taps did the drummer give to cut the rope?

The signal to cut the rope was three taps of the drum. All things being ready, the first tap was given, when the poor wretches made such frantic efforts to grasp each other’s hands, that it was agony to behold them. Each one shouted out his name, that his comrades might know he was there. The second tap resounded on the air. The vast multitude were breathless with the awful surroundings of this solemn occasion. Again the doleful tap breaks on the stillness of the scene.

How many people were killed in the Dakota execution?

Over a span of 17 days, riders had trekked 330 miles from Lower Brule Indian Reservation in South Dakota across the northern plains to honor 38 Dakota men hanged here on the orders of Abraham Lincoln in 1862 — the largest mass execution in U.S. history.

What is the largest mass execution in U.S. history?

Riders on horseback commemorate the 1862 hanging of 38 Dakota men, the largest mass execution in U.S. history. (Photo by Denice Woller)

How many people died in the Dakota attack?

At sunset the Dakota retreat, leaving 32 townspeople dead and more than 60 wounded.

Why did the Southern senators hope the Dakota would refuse?

Southern senators hope the Dakota will refuse because of a key change in wording: in reference to reservation lands , the Senate replaces “in perpetuity” with “at the discretion of the President.”. Before final ratification, the Dakota must agree to changes in the treaty.

What was the battle at Wood Lake?

U.S.-Dakota War Battle at Wood Lake: September 23, 1862. In early Sept., Sibley tries to negotiate a settlement with Taoyateduta (Little Crow), but Taoyateduta is not ready to quit. He explains the reasons for the war and states that he is willing to release prisoners. Sibley demands surrender.

What was the name of the battle that Sibley sent out to bury civilians?

U.S.-Dakota War Battle of Birch Coulee: September 2, 1862. While at Fort Ridgely, Sibley sends out a burial party to locate and bury the remains of civilians. The burial party is attacked by Dakota soldiers at Birch Coulee, one of the hardest fought battles of the war.

What land did the United States negotiate with the Ojibwe and Dakota for?

The United States negotiates treaties with the Ojibwe and the Dakota for the wedge of land between the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers —land that will later become part of Minnesota. Ratification of the treaties opens the land for new settlement by immigrants and European-Americans.

How many acres did Pike buy?

Pike makes a deal with two Dakota leaders for roughly 100,000 acres of land; enough for the U.S. government to build a trading post and fort. Though the boundaries are poorly defined, the agreement becomes the basis for U.S. claims on the land at the confluence.

How much did it cost to buy 160 acres of land in 1862?

Those able to spend the money can buy the 160 acres at $1.25 an acre after living on it for six months. U.S.-Dakota War Begins: August 18, 1862. By the summer of 1862, living conditions on the Upper and Lower Sioux reservations have deteriorated further.

How many Dakota men were executed in the Dakota War?

Rating. Lincoln approved the execution of 39 Dakota men convicted by a military commission of perpetrating massacres during the Dakota War of 1862. The military commission had sentenced 303 Dakota fighters to death, but Lincoln commuted 264 of those sentences despite threats of mob violence and intense pressure to reverse his decision.

What was the Dakota War?

The Dakota War of 1862 involved a violent uprising by Dakota Sioux tribal members in Minnesota in response to hunger and privation as well as treaty violations on the part of the United States federal government, which had a long history of displacing and exploiting Native American peoples since the birth of the American colonies.

How many death sentences did Lincoln commute?

However, in the very act of approving 39 executions, Lincoln was at the same time ordering the commutation of 264 death sentences. Despite intense political and popular pressure, Lincoln ...

Why did Lincoln send the Dakota fighters to Lincoln?

On 9 November 1862, the list of the 303 condemned Dakota fighters was sent to Lincoln for his approval of their executions. Two days later, he requested a review of their cases and trials.

How many taps of the drum did the wretches use to cut the rope?

The signal to cut the rope was three taps of the drum. All things being ready, the first tap was given, when the poor wretches made such frantic efforts to grasp each other’s hands, that it was agony to behold them. Each one shouted out his name, that his comrades might know he was there.

Did Lincoln commute the death penalty?

It is also true that Lincoln, as President of the United States, did have the legal authority to commute all 303 death sentences presented to him for his approval.

When did the Dakota surrender?

On 26 September 1862, the Dakota surrendered at what became known as Camp Release in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Historical Society, the U.S. forces then commenced military trials for hundreds of captured Dakota fighters: On September 28, 1862, two days after the surrender at Camp Release, a commission of military officers established by ...

How many people were hanged for witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials?

Sketch by F.T. Merril, 1886. During the Salem witch trials of the early 1690s, most of the men and women convicted of witchcraft were sentenced to public hanging. It is estimated that seventeen women and two men were hanged as a result of the trials. However, modern scholars maintain that thousands of individuals were hanged for witchcraft ...

When did hanging start?

Hanging in the United States. Hanging has been practiced legally in the United States of America from before the nation's birth, up to 1972 when the United States Supreme Court found capital punishment to be in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Four years later, the Supreme Court overturned its previous ruling, ...

Why were hangings commonplace in the Wild West?

Because of the abundant lawlessness and crime in the Wild West, judges were strict, and hangings were commonplace. If a judge was particularly ruthless, he became known as a hanging judge. Isaac Parker, perhaps the best-known hanging judge, sentenced 160 men to death by hanging. However, of those 160, only 79 were actually executed;

What was the most popular method of execution in the Wild West?

The Wild West. As the United States began to expand west, most new states favored the death penalty, and hanging continued to be the most popular means of execution. In addition, disregarding the trend set by many northern states, these states would hang criminals for offenses like robbery and rape.

When was the capital punishment legalized?

Four years later, the Supreme Court overturned its previous ruling, and in 1976, capital punishment was again legalized in the United States. As of 2021. [update] , three states have laws that specify hanging as an available secondary method of execution.

How many people were lynched in the South during the Civil War?

After the American Civil War, the frontier opened up, and law lagged behind, with an undetermined number of local criminals suffering Lynching, or extrajudicial hanging. In the South, tensions arising from Reconstruction led to several lynchings. Scholars estimate that 4,742 total people, mostly male, were lynched from 1882 to 1968. About 3,445 of those individuals were African American and 1,297 were white.

Did the abolitionists oppose the hanging?

However, most opponents of hanging opposed these laws. These abolitionists believed that public execution would eventually lead the general population to cry out against the capital punishment, eventually putting an end to hanging in the United States.

Overview

Monuments and memorials

Background

War

Aftermath

In popular media

See also

Further reading