The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I, Part 6

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Renville County Pioneer Association
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 890

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In consideration of the great extent of country to be possibly acquired, and the importance of the treaty generally, President Fillmore appointed to condnet it, on the part of the government, two prominent officials of the Indian Department. These were Governor Alexander Ramsey, ex-officio Indian Commissioner for Minnesota, and Luke Lea. the National Commissioner of Indian affairs. The instructions given them were in the main those of Commissioner Brown, two years before, to Ramsey and Chambers when it was designed that the treaty should then be made.

Treaty of Traverse des Sioux. Commissioner Lea arrived at St. Paul, on the steamboat Excelsior, Jme 27. On the twenty- ninth he and Governor Ramsey left Fort Snelling on the boat for Traverse des Sioux, the site of the council ground selected for the treaty with the two upper bands of Sioux, the Wahpatons and Sissetons, who occupied the country of the Upper Minnesota valley. On board of the Excelsior were some beef cattle and other supplies, to be furnished the Indians during the negotiations. There were also on board about twenty-five white persons who went up as excursionists and as sightseers and witnesses of the proceedings.

The Excelsior landed at Traverse des Sioux early on the morn- ing of Monday, June 30. This was a well known locality. Here the Sioux, in early days, were wont to cross the Minnesota, on their way between the Cannon river country and Swan lake, and the ford bore the French equivalent for the "crossing of the Sioux." From the earliest days there had been a trading post here and in 1843 Reverend Riggs and his associates had estab- lished a mission at the site. In the summer of 1849 this station was in charge of Reverend Messrs. Robert Hopkins and Alexander G. Iluggins. The missionaries had comfortable residences, and there was a frame mission house neatly painted and well for- nished.

There was also at "The Traverse," as it was often called, the trading houses of Alexander Graham and Oliver Faribault, with residence cabins and other log outbuildings; there was also the

HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY

old log warehouse in which the Doty treaty of 1841 had been made and signed, while seattered along the ridge to the rear were thirty or more buffalo skin tepees, occupied by Indian families belonging to Chief Red Iron's band of Sissetons. Ten miles to the northwest was the village of Chief Sleepy Eye's Little Rock band of Sissetons mimbering two hundred and fifty. The site of the Traverse, where the town was afterwards laid out, is two miles east of St. Peter, or seventy miles southwest of St. Paul.

Word had been sent to all of the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands -the Upper bands, as they were often called-that a treaty was to be held at the Traverse early in July. They were notified to be present ; not only the chiefs, but the head men-the war leaders and principal orators of the band-were to participate in the deliberations. A large brush arbor was erected, under the super- vision of Alexis Bailly, and beneath this comfortable shade the treaty negotiations were to be held. A munber of beeves were slaughtered and boxes of hard-tack opened to feed the expected visitors, while baskets of champagne and other refreshments were offered for the entertainment of the white visitors. But the arrival of the reluctant Indians was long delayed, and it was not until July 18 that the representatives of the last bands came in, very tired, very hungry and not favorable to the purpose for which the council was called. They were heartily welcomed by the designing whites and bountifully fed on fresh beef, pork and hard-tack, but were refused whisky or other spirits, the whites desiring all that for themselves.

There were present on the part of the Indians the two head chiefs and the principal sub-chiefs of the bands, as well as their head soldiers, chiel speakers and prominent men of all classes. On the part of the whites were Commissioners bea and Ramsey ; Dr. Thomas Foster, the secretary ; and Alexander Faribault and Reverend S. R. Riggs, interpreters. Other prominent white spee- tators, some of whom acted as witnesses to the treaty were: James M. Goodhe, editor of the Minnesota Pioneer, who made and published a daily report of the proceedings ; Frank B. Mayer, a noted artist from Baltimore: Major Nathaniel MeLean, Sioux Indian agent at Fort Snelling : Doctor Thomas S. Williamson, the missionary at Kaposia : Judge dames H. Lockwood, of Prairie du Chien, who had ascended the Minnesota far above Patterson's Rapids in 1816: Richard Chute and wife, then a newly married couple from Indiana ; IT. Il. Sibley, Colonel C. Henderson, Joseph R. Brown, W. HI. Forbes, Hugh Tyler, Reverend Alexander G. IInggins, Martin MeLeod, Henry Jackson, A. S. H. White, Wal- lace B. White, Alexis Bailly, Kenneth Mckenzie, Hercules L. Donsman, Franklin Steele, F. Brown, William Hartshorn, William G. Le Due, Joseph La Frambois, Sr., James McC. Boal, and sundry French voyageurs, traders' employes and retainers, all of whom

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were entertained sumptuously with delicious viands, and many with fiery spirits and rare wines at the government's expense.

While waiting for the Indians the whites diverted themselves in various ways, but chiefly in observing the Indian danees and their other customs. It was intended to formally observe the Fourth of July. Reverend Robert Hopkins, one of the local mis- sionaries, was drowned while bathing in the Minnesota, and the intention was abandoned.

July 11 occurred the marriage of two mixed blood people, David Faribault and Nancy Winona MeClure. They were a fine looking couple, attracted general admiration, and the whites gave them a pretentious wedding reception. The groom was a son of lohn B. Faribault, the pioneer trader, and the bride was the natural daughter of Lieutenant James MeClure of the regular army, who was at one time stationed at Fort Snelling and died in Florida during the Seminole War of 1837; she had been reared by her Indian grandmother and educated and Christianized by Rev- erend Messrs. Riggs and Williamson.

The ceremony was performed by Alexis Bailly, the trader, who had been commissioned a justice of the peace. The wedding reception was followed by an elaborate banquet prepared by the whites, and at which there were a number of toasts presented and responses made. Referring to her marriage reception years after- wards Mrs. Faribault wrote: "I have often wondered how so much champagne got so far out on the frontier." After the wed- ding festivities the Sioux girls, to the number of twenty or more, had a "virgin feast," in which none but vestals of nudoubted purity were allowed to participate.

The Indians, as noted, came in from time to time in no haste and evidently much opposed to parting with their lands. Nearly all of the women and children were brought along. Chief Sha- kopee, of the Lower bands of the Sioux, was in attendance a great part of the time. On the tenth a band of twenty Chippewas attacked a party of six Sisseton Sioux forty miles above Lac Qui Parle and killed and scalped five of them ; the sixth, a boy, escaped by running. The Sioux went out and found their tribesmen blackening in the sun : the bodies had been beheaded and loath- somely mangled. The father of two of the murdered children came into the Traverse July 15, bringing the tragie news. He took part in the treaty, but sat with his face blackened because of his bereavement.

July 18 the council opened under the brush arbor. Governor Ramsey opened the proceedings with a short speech and was fol- lowed by Commissioner Lea, who in explanation of the desires of the white anthorities made a lengthy address, with much in it about the ineffable goodness and gigantie greatness of the "Great Father" of the Indians (the President) and his unselfish desire

HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY

that they sell to him all of their lands as far west at least as Lake Traverse and the Big Sioux river down to the western border of Iowa, retaining only enough land for their actual resi- denee. The Sissetons and Wahpatons claimed the country from Traverse des Sionx westward to the line indicated and the com- missioners wanted all of it. After the speeches of the commis- sioners. in order that their words might "sink deep into the hearts" of the Indians. the council adjourned.

The following day. Saturday, the nineteenth, the council was opened with a speech from Star Face (or "The Orphan, " as the whites called him) after a long silence and apparently much reInetanee to speak, and when he spoke he said simply that all his young men had not arrived, and he was very sorry that the commeil had opened without their presence, or that, as he expressed himself, the commissioners were "not willing to shake hands with those that are behind." He said he understood that some one had been sent to meet them on the road and turn them baek, and this made him feel very bad.

Then Sleepy Eye, the old Sisseton chief, who had been one of the signers of the Prairie du Chien treaty of 1825, had visited Washington, and had his portrait painted. in 1824, rose and said : "Fathers: Your coming and asking me for my country makes me sad; your saying that I am not able to do anything with my country makes me still more sad. The young men who are coming (of whom Star Face had spoken) are my near relatives, and I expect certainly to see them here. That is all I have to say. I am going to leave and that is the reason I spoke."

Then, turning to the other Sissetons he said: "Come; let us go away from here." Instantly there was great confusion. The Indians left the arbor and were greeted with shouts by their brethren. There were indications that the council was at an end, and there was much excitement.

Governor Ramsey, however, knew the circunstances and neces- sities of the Indians who had assembled. Calmly he said to the interpreter: "Tell them that as our stock of provisions is short, and they seem indisposed to talk, there will be no further issue of provisions to them." Commissioner Lea added: "Tell them they must let us know by this evening if they really wish to treat. If we do not hear from them by that time we will go below early tomorrow morning." The conneil then adjourned and orders were given to get boats ready and to prepare to move in the morning.

The word that they were to be given nothing more to eat pro- dneed great consternation among the Indians. Coming, as they had, far from their homes, and solely for the benefit of the whites, they had supposed that at least they were to be furnished pro- visions while attending the conference, especially in view of the

HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY

riotons good times that the whites were enjoying out of the expense fund. Hunger faced the Indians and their families on their long journey baek to their villages. The white men were clearly saying: "Give us your land at our own terms or we will get it anyhow without a pretense of terms. We are in a hurry, do not delay us, do not wait until all your men get here; enter into this treaty as we have arranged for you to do, or take your wives and children and go hungry until you can get back home and get something to eat. It matters not to us that at our request you have come here and given up gathering food for weeks, do as we want you to or starve." Foreseeing the inevitable the Indians agreed to again go into council on the following Mon- day, and the officials knowing that the cause of the white man was already won ordered that Food should be distributed.

On Monday, the twenty-first, the council opened at noon. The first speaker was Sleepy Eye, who sought to explain his viewpoint of the events which had transpired. He said: "On the day before yesterday, when we convened together, you were offended, I hear, at what was said. No offense or disrespect was intended. We only wanted more time to consider. The young men who made a noise were waiting to have a ball play, and not under- standing English thought the council was over, and as they did so made the disturbance, for which we are very sorry."

Chief Extends-His-Head-Dress-or Big Curly Head, as the whites called him-a Sisseton sub-chief, said : "I am not speaking for myself, but for all that are here. We wish to understand what we are about before we act-to know exactly the proposition made to us by the commissioners. The other chiefs and all our people desire that you will make out for ns in writing the par- ticulars of your offer for our lands, and when we have this paper fully made ont we will sit down on the hill baek there (indicating) consult among ourselves, come to a conclusion, and let you know what it is."

Commissioner Lea then quickly prepared on paper the terms desired by the United States, which had been declared verbally at a previous meeting, and which were as follows :

"The Indians will cede to the United States all their lands in the State of Iowa, as well as their lands east of a line from the Red river to Lake Traverse, and thence to the northwestern cor- ner of Iowa. The United States will (1) set apart a suitable country for the Indians on the upper waters of the Minnesota river for their future support; will (2) pay, say, $125,000 or $130,000 to them to enable them to arrange their affairs preparatory to removal, to pay the expense of removal, and to subsist themselves for a year after removal-part of the above sum to be paid in money and the other part to be paid in goods and provisions; will (3) pay the Indians an annuity of $25,000 or $30,000 for

HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY

many years -- say thirty or forty years-part in money, part in goods and provisions, and part to be applied to such other bene- fieial objects as may be agreed upon."

The Indians deliberated over the words of these provisions and let them "sink into their hearts" for two days and nights. There was great divergence of opinion among them, the inter- proters said. The majority seemed to realize that their lands were of great value to the United States. But they had no proper conception of the actual value in dollars and cents of the great domain which they were about to sell. Their idea of mm- bers was limited. and they seemed to think that one hundred and forty-five thousand dollars and seventy-five cents was far more money than a million dollars, because the latter was the shorter phrase and did not sound so imposing and formidable. When. therefore, the commissioners made an offer, the poor unlettered Indians did not know whether it was a fair one or not. Of course they appealed to their traders and missionaries, who understood the Dakota language, but the explanations offered hardly explained. Missionaries, traders and officials alike were deter- mined that the land should be opened to white settlement. The work of these traders and missionaries in finally effecting the treaty was constant and very valuable to the whites. The sery- ices rendered by Reverend Riggs, one of the official interpreters, were most important. While the Indians were considering the white men's proposition, Riggs. Sibley, MeLeod, Brown and Fari- bault were sent for at all hours of the day and night to explain to the various bands the provisions of the treaty and their application. The Indians, justly suspicious, would not be satisfied with the meaning of any provision until at least three white men, acting singly, had read it and interpreted it fully.

July 22, the Indians, after much deliberation, proposed cer- tain amendments, which they said they would insist upon as a part of their treaty. These amendments were practically unim- portant and the commissioners readily accepted. The treaty was then prepared and on the following day was signed by the contracting parties by Commissioners Lea and Ramsey and the chiefs and the head men of the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands of the Sioux. The ceremony of signing was somewhat impressive. After the white commissioners had affixed their names the Indians selected the one of their number who should sign first. This was Chief Eeen-yang Man-nie, or Running Walker (some- times called "Big Gun"), chief of the Lake Traverse band of Sissetons. Boldly he stepped upon the platform and touched the goose quill pen in the hands of Dr. Foster. Next came Chief Star Face, or "The Orphan." The commissioners tried to hasten matters and to conclude the signing as soon as possible, but at one time there was a hiteh in the proceedings.

HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY

Old Sleepy Eye, who had said at the outset that he was sad at heart because he had to sell his country, now arose, to the great apprehension of the whites, and begged to say a Few words. He said that many of the Indians, young men and soldiers, had without consulting their chiefs, concluded that the country which they were asked to seH was worth $3,500,000, but that the com- missioners were trying to get it for a less sum. The young men had a right to be made satisfied. He also demanded other con- ditions :

"You will take this treaty paper home and show it to the Great Father," said Sleepy Eye, "but we want to keep a copy here so that we may look at it and see whether you tell us the truth or not-see whether you have changed it. As to paying our debts to our traders I want to pay them what is right. but I would like to know how much I owe them. If they have charged me ten dollars for a gun I want them to tell me, and if they have charged me ten dollars for a shirt I want them to tell me that. I am a poor man and have difficulty in maintaining myself, but these traders have good coats on. The prairie country in which I live has not much wood ; I live along with the traders, and they are also poor, but I do not want to have to provide for them. 1 think it will be very hard upon us when the year becomes white, and I would like to have some provisions given me for the winter. I would like to have what is mine laid on one side: then when we have finished this business I will know how many of my rela- tives I can have mercy upon."

Colonel Lea assured Sleepy Eye that the money which the United States would pay for the Indian land would amount to more than the young men desired-to more than $3,500.000. Hle sharply reproved Sleepy Eye and said: "We think it fortunate for our red brothers that they have not entrusted the entire treaty to Sleepy Eye, because they would not have made so good a bargain for themselves as they have." As a matter of fact the amount named in the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was less than half of the amount Sleepy Eye requested. Out of the sum named in the treaty the traders and cost of removal were to be paid. Of what remained the Indians were not to receive one cent-merely the interest for a certain number of years. Even some of this interest was to be used to pay white teachers and white farmers. And as a climax the payment of that part of the interest which remained was, just before the massacre, with- held and delayed under various pretenses. Even were the amount named in the Treaty of Mendota added to the amount named in the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux the total still falls far short of $3,500,000.

Then Thunder Face, or "Limping Devil," a sub-chief of the Sissetons, whose village was on the present site of the late Gil-

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fillan farm, in Redwood county, came forward and signed. Ile was followed by Sleepy Eve, who came gravely forward and touched the pen. "Big Curly" was next, but after reaching the platform he said: "Before I sign I want to say that you think the sum you will give for our land is a great deal of money, but you must well understand that the money will all go back to the whites again, and the country will remain theirs." The Blunt- Headed-Arrow, or "The Walut." the Handsome Man, the Gray Thunder, the Good Boy and other noted warriors and head men signed in order. Face-in-the-Middle was introduced by his father, "Big Curly." who said: "This is my son; I would like you to invest him with the medal which you have given to me by my right as chief. He is to succeed me and will keep the medal for you." Red Day next signed and was followed by Young Sleepy Eye, nephew of and successor to the old chief npon the latter's death in 1859. They were followed by old Rattling Moccasin, chief of a small band which generally lived in the neighborhood of the great bend of the Mumesota. Old Red Iron was the first Wahpaton chief to sign.

The treaty was signed by the following Sisseton and Wal- paton chiefs, head men and chief soldiers :

Chiefs-Running Walker, or "The Gun;" Star Face, or "The Orphan ;" Thunder Face, or the "Lame Devil;" Sleepy Eye, Extends the Train of His Head Dress, Walking Spirit, Red Iron and Rattling (or Sounding) Moccasin.

Head Men-Blunt-Headed-Arrow, or "The Walnut :" Sound- ing Tron, the Flute, Flies Twice. Mildly Good, Gray Thunder, Iron Frenchman. Good Boy, Face in the Middle, Iron Horn, Red Day, Young Sleepy Eye, Goes Galloping On, Cloud Man, the Upper End, the Standard or Flag, Red Face (2) (there were two Red Faces), Makes Elks, Big Fire, Moving Cloud, the Pursuer, the Shaking Walker. Iron Lightning, Reappearing Clond, the Walking Harp that Sounds, the Iron that Shoots Walking and Standing Soldier.

Of the Indian signers Red Iron and Sleepy Eye were the most prominent of the chiefs. The head-man, "Goes Galloping On" (or Anah-wang Manne in Sionx), was a Christian Indian and a member of Reverend Riggs' Hazelwood Republic. He had been baptized under the name of Simon Anahwangmanne, and was commonly called Simon by the whites. He distinguished himself by his fidelity to and services for the whites during the outbreak in 1862. The Iron-That-Shoots-Walking was a Christian comrade of Simon and called by his white brethren Paul Mazah-koo-te- manne, but commonly Panl or Little Paul. He well nigh immer- talized himself during the outbreak by his efforts in behalf of the white prisoners.

As soon as the signing was completed a considerable quantity

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of provisions and other presents, including silver medals, were presented to the Indians. These presents, which had been fur- nished by the government, had been piled up and displayed some- what ostentatiously, under guard, while the treaty was under discussion. The commissioners announced that the presents would be distributed "just as soon as the treaty is signed," and the announcement was sufficient to hasten the signing, and even to remove many objections to the terms of the treaty. The members of the rank and file of the great Indian host present kept con- stantly calling out: "Sign! sign! and let the presents be given out."

.July 23, the next morning after the treaty had been signed, Chief Star Face, or "The Orphan, " and his band in their fullest and riehest dress and decoration, with all the animation they could create, gave the buffalo dance and other dances and diver- sions for the entertainment of the white visitors. A delegation accompanied the commissioners to the river when they embarked for Fort Snelling that evening and gave them a hearty goodbye.

A similar treaty was signed at Mendota. August 5, by the lower bands of the Sionx, the Medawakantons and the Wah- pakootas.

When the ceremony of signing the treaty was completed, both at Traverse des Sioux and Mendota, each Indian signer stepped to another table, where lay another paper, which he signed. This was called the traders' paper and was an agree- ment to pay the "just debts" of the Indians, including those present and absent. alive and dead, owing to the traders and the trading company. Some of the accounts were nearly thirty years standing and the Indians who contracted them were dead. It was afterward claimed that the Indians in signing the "traders' paper" thought they were merely signing a third duplicate of the treaty. The matter of payment had been discussed, but Sleepy Eye had justly demanded an itemized account, and the Indians had supposed that this request was to be complied with before they agreed to pay.

The entire territory ceded by the Sioux Indians was declared to be: "All their lands in the State of lowa and also all their lands in the Territory of Minnesota lying east of the following line to-wit : Beginning at the junction of the Buffalo river with the Red river of the North (about twelve miles north of Moor- head, at Georgetown station, in Clay county) ; thence along the western bank of said Red river of the North, to the mouth of the Sioux Wood river: thence along the western bank of said Sioux Wood river to Lake Traverse; thence along the western shore of said lake to the southern extremity thereof; thence, in a direet line, to the juneture of Kampeska lake with the Tehan- Ka-sna-duta, or Sioux river; thenee along the western bank of

HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY

said river to its point of intersection with the northern line of the State of lowa. including all islands in said rivers and lakes."

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The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I, Part 6

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Renville County Pioneer Association Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago : H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co. Number of Pages: 890

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Renville County Pioneer Association
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 890