Wood Lake Battlefield
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
On September 19th, 1862, Col. Henry Hastings Sibley brought a militia of 1,500 volunteers from Fort Ridgely to put some the Santee insurrection. As they marched towards the Wood Lake region, they were ambushed by 700 Sioux warriors led by Chief Little Crow. Col. Sibley's troops inflicted heavy damage on the ambushing Sioux warriors, which marked one of the first decisive victories against the Sioux nation since their uprising.
Images
Placard at the monument
Stone marker on the battlefield
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
In early 1851, settlers were beginning to push into Minnesota. Taoyateduta, a leader of the Mdewakanton band of Dakota, who had been living on the land, began to negotiate peace treaties with the US government that gave the US about 24 million acres of land in exchange for a reservation along the Minnesota river and yearly annuities of $21 million dollars.
By the 1860s, the US was caught up in the developing Civil War and was unable to pay the Dakotas their yearly annuity on time. Settlers had taken most of the good hunting land, so with fewer animals to hunt and no money to buy food, the Mdewakanton band began calling for a war with the settlers to push them out of their old land. Taoyateduta, their leader, was originally not willing to lead the warriors into battle, but with growing pressure from his people he was resigned to lead them regardless.
The Dakota's were able to achieve some victories in the region, specifically at Lower Agency and Birch Coulee, but settlers were able to push them back with relative ease due to superior firepower and numbers. With news of the Dakota's uprisings reaching Col. Henry Sibley, he made the decision to bring his troops closer to the Dakota's camp. The militia left Fort Ridgely on September 19th and reached the shores of Lone Tree (also known as Battle Lake) on September 22nd. That night, a band of about 700 Dakota warriors approached their camp by the Chippewa River and hid in the tall grass, preparing to attack when the militia broke camp. The incident happened by accident, when a group of Sibley's troops looking for food stumbled upon the Dakota warriors. Shots were fired, alerting the rest of the militia. The Dakota were outnumbered and outgunned. Taoyateduta realized the battle was lost and fled into the countryside with what was left of his army.
By the 1860s, the US was caught up in the developing Civil War and was unable to pay the Dakotas their yearly annuity on time. Settlers had taken most of the good hunting land, so with fewer animals to hunt and no money to buy food, the Mdewakanton band began calling for a war with the settlers to push them out of their old land. Taoyateduta, their leader, was originally not willing to lead the warriors into battle, but with growing pressure from his people he was resigned to lead them regardless.
The Dakota's were able to achieve some victories in the region, specifically at Lower Agency and Birch Coulee, but settlers were able to push them back with relative ease due to superior firepower and numbers. With news of the Dakota's uprisings reaching Col. Henry Sibley, he made the decision to bring his troops closer to the Dakota's camp. The militia left Fort Ridgely on September 19th and reached the shores of Lone Tree (also known as Battle Lake) on September 22nd. That night, a band of about 700 Dakota warriors approached their camp by the Chippewa River and hid in the tall grass, preparing to attack when the militia broke camp. The incident happened by accident, when a group of Sibley's troops looking for food stumbled upon the Dakota warriors. Shots were fired, alerting the rest of the militia. The Dakota were outnumbered and outgunned. Taoyateduta realized the battle was lost and fled into the countryside with what was left of his army.
Sources
http://www.mnopedia.org/event/battle-wood-lake-september-23-1862