houses. Three years later Bishop Whipple established a mission. here, with a clergyman and two teachers.

During the writer's term of service, the agents were Major R. G. Murphy, Charles E. Flandrau, and Joseph R. Brown. The superintendents were Gov. Willis A. Gorman and Major William J. Cullen.

When at Fort Ridgely the writer amputated the arm of a halfbreed under the influence of chloroform, in the presence of several Indians in the room and many at the windows. It was the first time it had been given in that part of the state, and it was entirely unknown to the Indians. The effect was most profound. They invested the physician and medicine with supernatural powers, greatly magnifying the effect, and within a short time it became the talk and wonder of every tribe westward. There was still among them a general belief in conjuration in the treatment of disease, but they were disposed to combine with it the use of medicine. They expected their physician to protect them from smallpox by vaccination, to bleed, to scarify, to cup, to supply cough mixtures, anodynes, liniments, and cathartics, and to visit them when called.

From what has already been stated and what follows, it will be seen that the writer entered upon his duties at the Agency under favorable circumstances. From the first and during my long service among them, their treatment of me and my family was of the most generous and kindly character; and when I recall to mind. the loving devotion of a few of the Indian women to my wife during her illness, I am moved with feelings of deepest gratitude.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF LITTLE CROW.

As my recollection serves, at the time of our first meeting, in 1854, Little Crow was a man of about forty years of age, five feet and ten inches in height, and weighed about one hundred and sixty pounds, with marked features of the Indian type. He was of a nervous temperament, restless and active, intelligent, of strong personality, of great physical vigor, and vainly confident of his own superiority and that of his people. He was affable and always self-possessed. Both wrists were badly deformed from fracture of the bones by gunshot wounds, but he had good use of

both hands. His head was decorated with three eagle feathers. notched and dyed, indicating his early exploits on the war-path.

THE FATHER OF LITTLE CROW.

My earliest knowledge of the father of Little Crow dates back to May, 1834, and comes from Mr. Samuel W. Pond, a lifelong missionary among the Dakotas. In a letter of his from Fort Snelling, dated May 25, 1834, he wrote: "I stayed last night with the famous chief, Little Crow, at Kaposia, where I went to help break up planting ground. I slept in his house and ate with him. He has two wives and a house full of children. He and his chief soldier, Big Thunder, held the plow alternately, while I drove the oxen, and these two men were doubtless the first Dakotas who ever plowed a furrow. He is a man of fair intelligence, a warm friend of the whites, loved by his people, and not hostile to the approach of civilization."

By invitation of this elder chief, Dr. Thomas S. Williamson in 1835 commenced his work as missionary at his village, where he remained for some years. Two of our Presidents, in recognition of his friendly services, had bestowed silver medals upon him. These he had preserved with the greatest care, and they were only worn on occasions of meeting government officials in council. They descended with the chieftainship to the later Little Crow.

CONFLICT FOR THE CHIEFTAINSHIP.

The accession of Little Crow as chief of his band was of a most tragical character, the particulars of which were given me by Dr. Williamson, who was a missionary at Kaposia at the time.

The father of Little Crow had four sons, two of whom were killed while leading a war party against the Ojibways. Little Crow was the elder of the surviving sons, and the heir apparent to the chieftainship. This honor he felt assured of, but he was ambitious to be chief of a western band as well. Therefore he went among the Wahpekutas, living a year or two among them, and married during the time a daughter of the chief of the band, hoping through his personal efforts and the influence of his fatherin-law to accomplish this object. While he was away among the Wahpekutas, his father was accidentally killed, and before his death

had placed his medals upon his younger son and proclaimed him his legitimate successor.*

News of this occurrence soon reached Little Crow, when he immediately set about securing a party of followers. This done, he left for Kaposia, determined to assert his right to the chieftainship. The brother learned of this hostile movement, and organized a considerable party of warriors for his support. When Little Crow reached Kaposia he was met by his brother, and an engagement followed in which this brother was killed, and Little Crow had the bones of both wrists shattered by a musket ball passing through them. The right to the chieftainship was duly acknowledged, but his wounds were of such a serious nature as to render him totally helpless.

It was decided to take him to Fort Snelling, for the advice and aid of the army surgeon. When they reached the fort with their wounded chief and the examination was made, the surgeon pronounced that to save his life both arms should be amputated. A council of the head men followed, who determined that a chief without hands would be helpless, and that they would return with him and treat him as best they could; that if the Great Spirit looked with favor upon him and desired he should be chief, he would recover, and if not, another could be selected. After months of careful nursing, he recovered, with two useful hands, though a marked deformity remained during life.

THE CROW TOTEM.

His totem, or sacred animal, was a crow, the skin of which was carefully prepared to represent the bird in repose, and was worn back of and below the right shoulder. It was in some mysterious sense regarded as the ancestral spirit or soul of the family. He led his soldiers in the attack upon New Ulm, in August, 1862, and during that long, all-day fight ten of the defenders were killed, and among them was Jerry Quane, who fell far out toward the enemy's line. On gathering up the dead the following morning, the totem of Little Crow was found attached to his breast,-a silent but significant message.

*Compare the account of the death of the elder Little Crow, with his appointment of his successor, as narrated by Hon. H. H. Sibley in Volume III, pages 251-254, of this Society's Historical Collections. The successor then appointed may probably have been the brother who was killed by the second Litt'e Crow's followers in the ensuing strife.

ELOQUENCE, DOMESTIC LIFE, AND LEADERSHIP.

Little Crow was a gifted, ready and eloquent speaker, and in council was always ready to answer any demand made by the government. Of his gift in this direction he seemed very proud, and made the most of opportunities that afforded such a display. His appeals in these addresses to the government and to the Great Spirit that justice be done to his people, with his rugged eloquence, the lighting up of his countenance, the graceful pose of his person, and the expressive gestures, presented a scene wonderfully dramatic. He was possessed of a remarkably retentive memory. enabling him to state accurately promises made years before to these Indians by government officials and to give the exact amount of money owing them, to the dollar and cent.

Before removing to the reservation, he was promised a frame house as his residence at that place, and this was found ready and to his satisfaction. During the writer's service he saw much of his domestic life, having attended one of his wives during an attack of typhoid fever, and frequently visited his family professionally. He had at that time three wives, the daughters of a Sisseton chief; they seemed obedient, modest and faithful, and the children were well cared for and all seemed happy. Alluding to his wives, he boasted of his wisdom in marrying three sisters, as their close relationship prevented domestic quarrels.

He was devoted to his children. His oldest son, fourteen years of age and the heir apparent, was his great pride. When government officials were to be present at an important council, this son, dressed in the most elaborate manner, with embroidered garments, ribbon decorations, and two silver medals on his neck, was led into the assemblage and presented as his son and successor.

The writer's oldest daughter was born at the Agency, the first white child. Soon after the event Little Crow called to pay his respects, bringing game and wild rice, and from that time to the termination of the writer's service he manifested a continued and affectionate interest in her. This was manifested by his frequent visits, giving her a favorite name, and bearing her in his arms,the writer mentions this as indicating his natural love for children.

Little Crow was a man of good habits; the writer never knew of his using intoxicating liquors. He was truthful and strictly honorable in his dealings with the government and traders. Occasionally he would be called to St. Paul to consult the Superintendent, and would be without funds to make the trip, and would apply to me for a loan. These obligations were always faithfully paid. There was no drunkenness and little crime among these Indians during this time.

A delegation of Indians who participated in the treaties of 1851 visited Washington that year or the year following. Among them was Little Crow, who observed everything and instructed himself as fully as possible in matters that most interested him. His retentive memory and great descriptive powers enabled him to entertain his people with the wonders he had seen. Describing to them the speed of a railroad train, he declared that it was much faster than the horse. To many of them this statement was beyond belief, and it was agreed that it should be left to their physician to decide. A selected three waited upon the writer and asked my decision. Of course the veracity of their chief was vindicated.

The writer had a panoramic view taken from Bunker Hill monument, showing Charlestown, part of Boston, and a large scope of the surrounding country. This interested him greatly, and when a council among them took place he would borrow it for exhibition, as evidence of the strength and great numbers of our people. These councils of chiefs and head men of the different bands were frequent, and Little Crow was always the leading spirit among them.

He was the most active and influential of the different chiefs of the Lower Sioux, assuming a general supervision of all the bands, overseeing their annual payments, the monthly distribution of supplies, and the labor of the farmers, and was in frequent consultation with the agent and superintendent, giving and receiving advice in matters concerning the management of his people. Wabasha was a chief highly esteemed, but he lacked the energy and gift of speech that gave Little Crow such controlling influence. THE INKPADUTA MASSACRE IN 1857.

Minnesota suffered her first Indian outbreak at Springfield and Spirit Lake, in March, 1857, when a band of lawless Sisseton Indians, under the leadership of Inkpaduta, massacred forty-two set