1863 — Early Spring-July, 2nd Dakota attack against settlers and military run-ins, MN–~30

— ~30 Heard. History of The Sioux War and Massacres of 1862 and 1863. 1864, p. 300.

Narrative Information

Heard: After the 1862 Dakota Natives “uprising” [see Aug 17, 1862 entry and file] surviving Dakota who had participated disbursed and new military fortifications were built.

“A network of fortifications now existed along the whole frontier, garrisoned by two thousand soldiers, and early in June General Sibley, with a force of between two and three thousand men, started for Devil’s Lake, by way of the Minnesota River and Fort Abercrombie. About the same time, General Sully, with a large body of cavalry, passed up the Missouri to cooperate with Sibley, and cut off the retreat of the savages.

“Early in the spring small squads of Indians made their way back to the state, and, penetrating far into the interior through our defensive lines, renewed the massacres of the previous years. They continued their depredations throughout most of the season, killing some thirty whites, with a loss of about a dozen of their own number. So bold did they become, that they lighted their camp-fires within twelve miles of St. Paul.

“The horrible details of the attack upon the Dustin [end of p300] family, in M’Leod County, show that the outrages were accompanied by all the barbarities of the previous season. The family were traveling in an open lumber box-wagon, and were attacked on Monday, the 29th of June. It was not until the Wednesday following that they were found, and the sight of their decomposed and mangled bodies were truly awful.

“Amos Dustin, the father, was sitting in the front part of the wagon, dead, with an arrow sticking in his body, and a deep wound in his breast, probably made by a tomahawk or war-club. His left hand had been cut off, and carried away by the Indians.

“Beneath his seat crouched a little child of six years, who had concealed herself there when the attack was made. The life-blood of her father had streamed down, covering her face and clothes, and her shoes were literally filled with the blood that had trickled from the mangled body. She says that the Indians saw her, and looked quite sharply at her, but did not offer violence. It is probable that she is mistaken about this, as she is the only member of the family uninjured, and from the displays we have had of savage ferocity, we should not infer that they would knowingly spare a victim in their power.

“In another part of the wagon lay the corpse of Mrs. Dustin, the grandmother of the children. An arrow was in her body also, and her head was hanging over the side of the wagon, her long hair disheveled and streaming in the air, filled with the clotted blood that had flowed from her wounds.

“The mother, and a child twelve years of age, were in the wagon, still alive, but so badly wounded that no hopes are entertained of their recovery. For two [end p. 303] days they had lain and suffered beside the dead bodies of their friends, unable to procure sustenance or assistance.

“Captain Cody, of the 8th regiment, was shot dead while gallantly leading a small squad of his men to rout a party of the marauders from some bushes where they lay concealed.

“It was in view of such facts that Adjutant General Malmros offered a reward for every Indian killed, and, with characteristic energy and zeal, organized a band of state scouts for service on the frontier….” [p. 304]

Chapter XXI, starting at page 321, deals with the Battle of the Big Mound, in which approximately 1,000 warriors were involved, the Battle of Dead Buffalo Lake [starting on p. 328], the Battle of Stony Lake [starting on page 329], and the skirmish on the Missouri [starting on p. 331].

Sources

Heard, Isaac V. D. History of The Sioux War and Massacres of 1862 and 1863. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1864. Google digital copy accessed 12-26-2022 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/History_of_the_Sioux_War_and_Massacres_o/nCsFw3vCLiMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=isaac+heard+history+of+the+sioux+war+and+massacres+of+1862+and+1863&printsec=frontcover

Historical Marker Database. “The Dustin Massacre.” 10-31-2013. Accessed 1-3-2023 at: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=69855