When we were locked
in the death grip of internecine war in 1862, they rose in one
savage wave of rebellion of their own and massacred with the most
horrible ferocity not less than six hundred and forty-four whites
in Minnesota and South Dakota. When General Sibley went out among
them on his later punitive campaign he had his hands full for
many a long and weary day.
Events following the close of the Civil War did not mend matters
in the Indian situation. The railroads had large land grants
given to them along their lines, and they began to offer these
lands for sale to settlers. Soldier scrip entitling the holder to
locate on public lands now began to float about. Some of the
engineers, even some of the laborers, upon the railroads, seeing
how really feasible was the settlement of these Plains, began to
edge out and to set up their homes, usually not far from the
railway lines. All this increase in the numbers of the white
population not only infuriated the Indians the more, but gave
them the better chance to inflict damage upon our people. Our
Army therefore became very little more than a vast body of
police, and it was always afoot with the purpose of punishing
these offending tribesmen, who knew nothing of the higher laws of
war and who committed atrocities that have never been equalled in
history; unless it be by one of the belligerents of the Great War
in Europe, with whom we are at this writing engaged--once more in
the interest of a sane and human civilization.
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