UNITED STATES. ARMY. MILITARY COMMISSION (SIOUX WAR TRIALS : 1862):

Includes photostatic copies of handwritten U.S. Army military commission trial proceedings for cases 1-392 brought against the Dakota and mixed descent Indians, and photostatic copies of President Abraham Lincoln's handwritten December 11, 1862 message to Congress " ... in relation to the Indian barbarities in Minnesota", with supporting documents. The trial proceedings accompanied the President's message when it was presented to Congress.

Also includes official copies (handwritten and typed transcripts) of the trial proceedings of the U.S. Army military commission for the 1863-1864 trials of Dakota prisoners: Medicine Bottle, Little Six, Wowinape, Toon-wan-wa-ki-ya, and David Faribault, Jr. These trial proceedings are not on the microfilm.

In addition to the printed and handwritten copies of Presidential Message and supporting documents, and handwritten trial proceedings 1-392, the microfilm includes a copy of a handwritten document (January 12, 1863) from the Records of the War Department, Adjutant General's Office, listing the names and penalties or acquittals of 326 Indians imprisoned in Mankato, Minnesota.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. United States. Army. Military Commission (Sioux War Trials : 1862). Trial Transcripts. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Microfilm Production:

The microfilm is available for sale or interlibrary loan from the Minnesota Historical Society.

Location of Originals:

Originals of Presidential Message, supporting documents, and accompanying trial proceedings: National Archives (Record Group 46, Records of the U.S. Senate, 37th Congress, Presidential Messages, SEN37A-F2).

Original of list of 326 Indians imprisoned at Mankato: National Archives (Record Group 94, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, Entry 173).

Accession Information:

Accession number: 1768B4; 2751; 11,820

Processing Information:

Processed by: Leif Kopietz, February 2020.

Catalog ID number: 990029079040104294

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United States. Army. Office of the Judge Advocate General. Records relating to the trial of Medicine Bottle and Little Six, circa 1862-1865, are in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript collections.

The court proceedings in the trial of Dakota Indians following the massacre in Minnesota in August 1862 (Minneapolis : Satterlee Printing Co., 1927), are in the Minnesota Historical Society reference library.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Dakota Indians -- Wars, 1862-1865 -- Registers.

Dakota Indians -- Wars, 1862-1865.

Dakota War, Minnesota, 1862.

Indians of North America -- Mixed descent.

Military courts -- United States.

Persons:

Lampson, Nathan, author.

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865, author.

Shakopee, Chief, 1811-1865.

Toon-wan-wa-ki-ya.

Wa-Kan'-O-Zan-Zan, -1865.

Wowinape.

Organizations:

United States. Congress. Senate -- Records and correspondence.

Places:

Mankato (Minn.)

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