Kenneth Carley Boeken

The book offers an in-depth exploration of Minnesota's involvement in the Civil War, highlighting the experiences of its soldiers through a wealth of primary sources. It features soldiers' diaries, letters, and an array of visual materials, including rare photographs and maps, to illustrate their daily lives and contributions. By integrating historical narratives with the Minnesota Historical Society's extensive collections, it provides a detailed and immersive account of the state's military heritage during this pivotal period.

While the Civil War raged in the East and South, Dakota Indians in Minnesota erupted violently into action against white settlers, igniting the tragic Dakota War of 1862. Hemmed in on a narrow reservation along the upper Minnesota River, the Dakota (Sioux) were frustrated by broken treaties, angered by dishonest agents and traders, and near starvation because of crop failures and late annuity payments.Led by Little Crow, Dakota warriors attacked the Redwood and Yellow Medicine Indian agencies and all whites living on their former lands in southwestern Minnesota. They killed more than 450 whites and took some 250 white and mixed-blood prisoners during the 38-day conflict. White civilians and military units commanded by Henry H. Sibley defended towns and forts, pursued warriors, and eventually forced the Indians to surrender or flee westward. The penalties imposed by vengeful whites were swift and devastating. The federal government hanged 38 Dakota men in the largest mass execution in U.S. history, 300 were imprisoned, and the Dakota people were banished from the state.