USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > History of Hennepin county and the city of Minneapolis, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota > Part 28
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We are indebted to the politeness of Colonel Jolm Gibbon, the officer in command, and to Adjutant Harding for the following history of the fort, prepared by S. R. Douglas, 2nd Lient. 7th Infantry. This will give the facts of the fort as it was, and as it is, except the improve- ments of the past year. The improvements con- sist of a bakery, a commissary store house and a stable, added at a cost of about $9000. It will be necessary for us, however, to notice some im- provements lately made in the reservation, in consequence of the establishment of the head- (161)
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FORT SNELLING.
quarters of the " Department of Dakota " at this point.
The " Department of Dakota" was created Aug. 11th. 1566, out of the departments of the Missouri and Platte. and Brevet Major General Alfred II. Terry assigned to comunand. May isth. 1569. General Terry was sheceeded by Major General Winfield S. Hancock. December 30. 1572. the litter was succeeded by Brevet Major General. now Brigadier General. All'red 11. Terry.
The Department of Dakota now includes the Territories of Montana and Dakota. and the State of Minnesota. The object of the department is to facilitate the movement of troops, the distribution of supplies. etc. etc. The troops in this depart- ment are the second and seventh cavalry. Third. Fifth, Seventh. Eleventh. Seventeenth. Eigh- teenth and Twenty-fifth infantry. The head- quarters have been located at St. Paul since the creation of the department. with the exception of a short time when they were located at Fort Snelling. During the year past. extensive build- ings have been erected on the Fort Snelling res- ervation with a view to the establishment of the headquarters of this department there. near the military post. These improvements are still in progress. and. when complete. will add greatly to the beauty and usefulness of the reservation. Fourteen buildings built of cream colored brick. are nearly complete, and present a fine appear- ance. They differ in architecture and are large and elaborate. The headquarters building is a handsome structure.
so much has been said and is still to be said in this history in reference to Fort Shelling, that it has been thought best to insert the following re- port of the fort :
FORT SNELLING, MINN .. . December Ith. 1879. 1
SIR :- Pursuant to instructions from the com- manding officer. Fort Spelling. Min .. I have the honor to submit the following report. Siz: In 1505. Lieutenant Zebulon Montgomery Pike. I. S. Army. was sent out to explore the upper Missis- sippi river. to expel British traders who might be found violating U'united States laws, and to make treaties with the Indians.
On the 21st of September. 1505, he encamped
on what is now known as Pike Island. at the junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota. (then St. Petersi rivers. Two days after. he obtained by treaty with the Sioux Nation. a tract of land for a military reservation, which was described as follows: "From below the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Peter, up the Mississippi to include the Falls of St. Anthony, extending nine miles on each side of the river." By this treaty, as ratified by the Senate, the United States stip- ulated to pay two thousand dollars (82.000) for the lands thus ceded.
The reserve. thus purchased. by Lieutenant like, was not used for military purposes until February 10th. Ist9. at which time. to cause the power of the I'nited States government to be fully acknowledged by the Indians and settlers of the Northwest, to prevent Lord Selkirk, the Hudson Bay Company and others. from establish- ing trading posts on United States territory, to better the condition of the Indians, and to de- velop the resources of the country. it was thought expedient to establish a military post near the junetion of the Mississippi and the St. Peters. Accordingly part of the 5th [. S. Infantry. com- manded by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Leaven- worth, was despatched to select a site and erect a post. They arrived at the St. Peters in Sep- tember ( 1819)and went into cantonment on the south side of it. near where the town of Mendota now stands.
The first monthly report was rendered for Sep- tomber. 1-19. During the ensuing winter ( 1&19-20) scurvy raged amongst the troops, referring to which. General 11. 11. Sibley, in his address before the Minnesota Historical Society, says: "So sud- den was the attack. that soldiers apparently in good health when they retired at night, were found dead in the morning. One man who was relieved from his tour of sentinel duty, and stretched himself upon a bench, when he was called for hours after, to resume his duties, was found lifeless." In May. 1820, the command left their cantonment. crossed the St. Peters, and went into summer camp at a spring, near the old Baker trading house, and about two miles above the present site of Fort Snelling. This was called " Camp Cold Water." During the summer the men were busily engaged in proeur- ing logs and other necessary materials for the
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REDUCTION AND SALE.
work. All preparations were being made to com- mence building the new post, which was called "Fort St. Anthony;" the site selected being that of the present military cemetery. But in August, 1820, Colonel Josiah Snelling, 5th U. S. Infantry, having arrived and assumed command, selected the site where Fort Snelling now stands.
Work steadily progressed, the troops perform- ing the labor, and on September 10th. 1820, the corner stone of Fort St. Anthony was laid with due ceremony.
During the following winter (1820-'21). the buildings of the new post not being habitable. the troops were quartered in the cantonment of . the preceding winter.
The first measured distance between Fort St. Anthony and Fort Crawford (Prairie du Chien). was taken in February, 1822, and was given as two hundred and four miles.
Work on the post was pushed forward with all possible speed. The buildings were made of logs, and first occupied in October, 1822.
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The first steamboat, the Virginia, arrived at the post in 1823.
A saw-mill was built, the first in Minnesota, by troops from the post, in 1822, and the first lumber ever sawed on Rum River, was for use in the construction of the fort. Minneapolis now includes the mill-site.
The post continued to be called Fort St. An- thony until 1824, when, upon the recommendation of General Scott, U. S. A., who inspected the fort, it was named Fort Snelling, in honor of its founder.
In 1830 stone buildings were erected for a four company infantry post, also a stone hospital and a stone wall nine feet high surrounding the post. These buildings were not actually completed. however, until after the Mexican War.
Notwithstanding the treaty made by Lieuten- ant Pike, the Indian title to the Fort Snelling Reservation, did not cease until the treaty of 1837, which was ratified by the Senate in 1838, and by which the Indian claim to all lands east of the Mississippi, including said reservation, ceased.
In 1836, before the Indian title ceased, many settlers located on the reservation, on the left bank of the Mississippi.
On October 21st, 1839, the President of the United States issued an order, by virtue of the
act of March 3d. 1807, " An act to prevent settle- ments being made on lands ceded to the United States, until anthorized by law." directing the United States Marshal to remove squatters from the Fort Snelling reserve, and if necessary, to call on the commanding officer at Fort Snelling for troops to assist him in executing his order. Ar- cordingly, on the 6th of May, 1840, a few of these settlers, having received the necessary notice, were forcibly removed by the Marshal. assisted by l'. S. troops from the fort,
In 1837, Mr. Faribault presented a claim for Pike Island, part of the reservation purchased by Lieutenant Pike. in 1805. This claim was based on a treaty made by him with the Dakotas in 1820.
A military reservation of seven thousand acres, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, was set aside by the President. on May 25th, 1853. In November fol- lowing, the President amended his act of May 25th, and reduced the reservation to about six thousand acres.
The first map of the Fort Snelling reserve was made by 1st Lieutenant James W. Abert, Corps Engineer, in October, 1853.
Pursnant to the act of March 3d, 1857, which extended the provisions of the act of March 19th, 1819, anthorizing the sale of certain military sites, the Secretary of War soll the Fort Snelling reserve, excepting two small tracts, to Mr. Frank- lin Steele.
The articles of agreement between the board appointed for the purpose on the part of the United States, and Mr. Steele, were dated June 6th, 1857, and were approved on the second day of July following. The reservation and buik- ings thereon were sold for ninety thousand dol- lars, one-third to be paid on July 10th, 1857, and the balance in two equal yearly installments. The first payment ($30,000) was actually made. July 25th, 1857, on which date Mr. Steele, in pin- snance of military authority, took possession of said property. The troops were withdrawn from the post previous to Mr. Steele's occupancy there- of. Mr. Steele having made default in the two remaining payments, the United States entered into possession and occupancy of the reservation and post, on April 23d, 1861.
By act of Angust 26th, 1862, the Fort Snelling reservation was reduced and defined as follows :
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FORT SNELLING.
" Beginning at the middle of the channel of the Mississippi River below Pike's Island : thenec ascending along the channel of said river in such direction as to include all the islands of the river to the month of Brown's Creek : thenee up said creek to Rice Lake: thence through the middle of Rice Lake to the outlet of Lake Ale- lia ; thence through said outlet and the middle of Lake Amelia to the outlet of Mother Lake; thenee through said outlet and the middle of Mother Lake to the outlet of Duck Lake : thence through said outlet and the middle of Duck Lake to the southern extremity of Duck Lake: thence in a line due south to the middle of channel of the St. Peter's River : thence down said river so as to include all the islands to the middle of the channel of the Mississippi River: reserving fur- ther, for military purposes, a quarter section on the right bank of the St. Peter's River. at the present ferry, and also a quarter section on the Jeft bank of the Mississippi River. at the present ferry across that stream."
Mr. Steele presented, on February 6th, 1868, a claim against the United States government for the possession and occupancy by U. S. troops. of said post and reservation : which claim exceeded in amount the original purchase with interest.
By act of May 7th, Is70, the Secretary of War was authorized " To select and set apart for a permanent military post, so much of the military reservation of Fort Snelling, not less than one thousand acres. as the public interest may require for that purpose, and to quiet the title to said reservation, and to settle all claims in relation thereto, and for the use and occupation thereof, upon principles of equity." In pursuance of which act. the Secretary of War set apart for a permanent military reservation fifteen hundred and thirty-one and twenty hundredths acres, de- lined as follows:
" Beginning at a point where the south line of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section thirty-two, township twenty -eight north. of range twenty -three west of the fourth principal meridian, intersects the middle of the main chan- nel of the Minnesota River; thence west to the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of see- tion thirty-two, town and range aforesaid ; thence north to the northwest corner of section twenty. town and range aforesaid ; thence east to middle
of the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence along the main channel of the Mississippi River and the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers at the head of Pike Island and the middle of the Minnesota River, to the place of beginning, including the officers' quarters, bar- racks. &e."
A reserve of ten acres granted by the United States to the Catholic Church at Mendota for a cemetery. was also reserved. Mr. Steele executed full release of all claim whatsoever to this prop- erty, and for the use or occupation of all property sold to him per agreement dated June 6th. 1557: in consideration of which. the United States re- leased Mr. Steele from all indebtedness on the purchase made by him. and granted and con- veyed to him the remainder of the so-called Fort Snelling reservation excepting one small tract). which is defined as follows :
" All of sections nineteen, thirty and thirty- one, and all that part of section eighteen lying south of Minnehaha Creek. and all that part of section seventeen lying south of Minnehaha Creek and west of the Mississippi River: all that , portion of section twenty. lying east of the main channel of the Mississippi River, including the islands east of said main channel, and the south- west quarter of the northwest quarter. and all that portion of the southwest quarter and of the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of see- tion twenty-one which lies east or northeast of the main channel of the Mississippi River, and all those portions of sections twenty-one, twenty- two and twenty-eight lying on Pike's Island (So- called being the entire island, and all that other portion of section twenty-eight which Jies east and south of the Minnesota River, except twenty acres, being the south half of the southeast quar- ter of the northeast quarter of said section, the same being reserved for a Catholic Church and burial ground, where the church and burial ground now are: all that portion of the south half and of the south half of the north half of section thirty-two which lies west or north- west of the Minnesota River: all the above described lands being in township twenty-eight north. of range twenty-three west of the fourth principal meridian. Also all that portion of sec- tion thirteen lying south of Minnehaha and Rice Lake and cast of the ercek running between said
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NEW BUILDINGS AND DESCRIPTION.
Rice Lake and Lake Amelia and east of said Lake Amelia, and all land in section twelve that may be included in said boundaries. All of ser- tion twenty-four lying cast of the western bound- ary of said reservation (* reserve selected ") and any portion of section twenty-three that ties east of the creek joining Mother Lake and Lake Ame- lia, and the east half of section twenty-five and the east half of section thirty-six. all in town- ship twenty-eight north, of range twenty-four west of the fourth meridian. Also all that por- tion of section five which lies west or northwest of the Minnesota River; all of section six ; all that portion of section seven which lies north of the Minnesota River, and all those portions of section eight and eighteen which lie west and north of the Minnesota River: all in township twenty-seven north. of range twenty-three west.
Also the east half of section one, and the past half of section twelve, and all that portion of the east half of section thirteen which lies north and east of the Minnesota River; all in" township twenty-seven north, of range twenty-four west.
The action of the Secretary of War in selecting said reservation and buildings and conveying the above specified lands to Mr. Steele, was approved by the President on January 4th, 1871.
A stone prison was erected during the war of the rebellion, which is now used as a commissary storehouse.
The old stone hospital is now used for offices and laundress' quarters. The new hospital is just completed.
Fort Snelling is situated on a high bluff on the right bank of the Mississippi. in latitude 44 deg. 52 min. 46 sec. north. and longitude 93 deg. 4 min. 54 sec. west. It is an irregular shaped bastioued redoubt.
A wagon road runs entirely around the post. and is eight feet below the parade at the gorge. but gradually arrives on the same level at the shoulder angle.
The old post is almost enclosed by five build- ings, and in form is nearly a rhombus, with a tower at each angle.
A new two-story barracks for six companies of infantry and sixteen sets of officers quarters. was built during 1878. The east tower, stone wall, and old guard house, have been torn down.
The commanding officer's quarters have been re- modeled during the current year.
The water is obtained from a spring about three-quarters of a mile from the post, by means of water wagons. Water is also obtained from the Minnesota River, being forced through pipes by an engine, into a large tank on the west side of the parade ground, but the water thus obtained is unfit for drinking purposes. During extreme cold weather the water pipes freeze up. rendering it impossible to refill the tank except during the open weather.
There is a post-office, a telegraph office and a railroad station at the post.
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The nearest supply depots are at St. Paul. four miles distant from the post, by wagon road. and six miles by railroad. A bridge is building across the Mississippi River at the post.
Forage and fuel are obtained by contract. The post and company garden supply vegetables for the garrison.
The armament consists of two three-inch rifled cannon, with carriages. model of 1861. The present strength of the garrison is sixteen com- missioned officers and three hundred and fourteen enlisted men.
It is impossible to obtain from the records of the post. the various expenditures for barracks and quarters, and repairs of same, for any definite period. All that I have been able to obtain is that thirty-five thousand dollars ($35.000) was appropriated for barracks and quarters in 1878. It is presumed, however. that the required in- formation ean be obtained at the Quartermaster General's office. The work, practically, (with few exceptions), has been performed by the labor of the troops, and the cost to the Government cannot be correctly estimated.
A site has been selected on the Fort Snelling reservation upon which to ereet buildings for the lleadquarters of the Department.
The records of the post are very incomplete. It seems, from all attainable evidence, that the records were removed in 1857, when the troops were withdrawn, and have not been returned. It further appears that these records had not been received by the Adjutant General of the army prior to July 18th, 1866. The last Board of Officers appointed to investigate claims on the
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FORT SNELLING.
Fort Snelling reservation met pursuant to S. O. No. 278 A. G. O. dated October 17th, 1870. I have been unable to find any general order re- ferring to the reservation of 1853 or 1862. or re- ferring to lands sold in 1857 and 1870.
The reservation of 1870 was announced in General Order No. 66. Adjutant General's office of that year. and was first surveyed by Captain 1). P. Ileap, Corps of Engineers, on April 13th.
1871. A new line for the southern boundary was run by First Lieutenant Edward Magnire, Corps of Engineers, on May 7th. 1877. * * * ** * *
I respectfully submit the foregoing. believing it will cover a few of the points required.
I am, Sir. Very Respectfully Your obedient Servant. S. R. DOUGLAS.
Second Lieut. 7th Infantry.
HISTORY
OF
HENNEPIN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXXL.
INTRODUCTION - MOUNDS INDLINS EARLY MISSIONARIES-VOYAGEURS -EARLY EXPLO- RERS-MISSIONARIES-ONE OF THE INDIAN BATTLES NEW MISSIONARIES.
When Livy wrote the history of Rome. he was compelled to admit that facts and fiction had become so intermingled that it was impossible to distinguish the one from the other. The legends of the past were sneh a mixture of facts. mytho- logical superstitions and wild fancies that it was a relief to reach the restful word "constat" fit is admitted), and find that there was some ground upon which all agreed and conkl stand with firm feet.
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Though the settlement of Hennepin comity was not determined by the flight of birds, and though there was no barbarous umele or remark- able infants, Romulus and Remus, still there are always. in the growth and settlement of any country. fanejes and superstitions that take the form of traditions and hewiller the wisest heads. The machinery of the shrewdest Yankee can never so completely separate a mixture of wheat, cockle and pigeon grass that it can be said -here we have now collected all the wheat. here all the cockle and here all the pigeon grass. The histor- jan who delays his separating process until after harvest. must have a like experience and will find many a kernel of cockle among his wheat. By beginning thus early. before the first settlers have passed away. we must have a decided advantage over historians who grope among the rubbish of the past, sifting and screening to get the grains of fact as pure as possible. We can talk to-day
with eye witnesses of the scenes we describe and hope this to collect and preserve in almost unal- Joyed purity the treasures of history.
It must not be supposed. however, that the compilation necessary to furnish a history. snel as is here proposed. is an easy task. Though the files of "the Press" afford a valuable thesaurus of information, still many choice items have never found their way to the columns of the newspaper and are accidentally unearthed by the historical explorer as he pokes about. as little noticed by the busy citizen as the rag picker. who with sack and hook is exploring the ash barrel in the year of the merchants' store. Out of a vast amount of material gathered by the persistent efforts of these collectors. we purpose to furnish to the public such part as ought to be kept in mind by the present and future inhabitants of this county. and besides furnish entertainment to those who would simply white away an hour among the interesting things of the past. com- paring the old with the new.
MOUNDS.
Although we are enabled to furnish facts that cannot be questioned in reference to the settle- ment of Hemepin county by white men. still there are, even in this new country, many old things and many mysteries that can never be ex- plained-mounds built by a people whom we can never know. whose history can never be com- mitted to paper. There are many mounds in this county and we here give them a passing notice.
Archaeologists have divided mounds into the following classes: " Altar or Sacrificial Mounds." ". Mounds of Sepultura" for burial). " Temple Mounds. " and " Mounds of Observation." Be- (167)
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HISTORY OF HENNEPIN COUNTY.
sides these they have found mounds that do not admit of classification under any of these heads- mounds of eurious shapes, having such forms as defy conjecture as to their use.
These wise heads have spent much time in con- jecture. and much in measurement, with mathe- matieal instruments. to determine data that will suit their fanciful theories.
It is not our purpose in this paper to discuss the antiquity of these mounds, or to speculate on their character. Little attention has been paid to the very numerous mounds found in the county. It may be safe. however, to class them all. at a venture, under the head of Mounds of Sepulture. The investigations made have re- vealed little except bones. and the evidence of great antiquity is not very clear.
This method of burial was certainly in use in recent times among our Indian tribes. Jonathan Carver. in a letter found in this volume, speaks of visiting a mound near St. Paul, in 1767. and witnessing the Indian burial. The custom of this imaginative people was to place the bodies of their dead upon high stagings, overlooking lakes. rivers or beautiful scenery. which they would enjoy if living. and leave them there, until at certain intervals, they collected the remains for burial in the mounds. Monnds in this county are found overlooking the water of all the princi- pal lakes and rivers scattered through its various townships. As we can never write the history of the builders, we will leave the subject to future explorers and more fertile imaginations.
INDIANS.
After the Mound Builders come the Indians in the occupation of the county. If, as has been claimed, the Mound Builders were the Indians. they must have been earlier settlers of tribes now extinct or driven further south. The present tribes of Indians, at least, come after the Mound Builders. The fanciful names, wild natures and eurious legends of this people, will always be associated with much that is poetje, grand and brave.
The carly settlers of Minnesota. however. will hold the . Indian in experation, and so, too, their children's children for many generations. in con- sequence of the massacre of Is62. We must. however, refer the reader to the chapters, " Habits
of the Tribes " and " Massaere of 1862." found earlier in the volume.
EARLY MISSIONARIES.
It must be left to the imagination of the reader to pieture many of the hazardous experiences and narrow escapes of the early missionaries. which can never be written. Their motto, " Ad majorem dei gloriam ". often exposed them to the tomahawk and scalping knife of the Indian, or to hardships and exposures under which they could but die. The indefatigable explorer is still tind- ing new facts to add to the already rich store.
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