President Lincoln and the Sioux Indian uprising in Minnesota in 1862

[Rob Wick]

"I suppose Howard Zinn might be the most famous."

Howard Zinn was an ideologue and is recognized as such. I also don't know too many (if any) school districts where his books are used as textbooks.

By the way, I'm not saying they aren't. I'm saying I don't know of that many.

Best
Rob

[brtmchl]

I believe as Americans we tend to look back to history wanting to change it. We are by nature a compassionate people. We also insist on fixing blame to every topic. We forget the times that people lived in, and look back with a modern looking glass.
Our American Experience has been riddled with mistakes, but we have also created something that the world has never seen. I am proud of this country and I assure you that white washing history to suit agendas, or to cover up wrongs, or just to escape guilt or place guilt is wrong. Our mistakes are learning points. Our mistakes are what builds better people. History is not about the past. It is about the future. It is necessary to continually look to the past, so History never repeats itself.

No country or people are free of guilt.

[L Verge]

I have not studied the man in depth, but from what I have read about and heard from Dr. Ben Carson, I am a great admirer. Here is someone who could be casting a lot of guilt on the American system, but chose to do something constructive by pulling himself out of poverty in the inner city and educating himself to be a brilliant surgeon. I just clicked the button to buy his book, America the Beautiful.

[Anita]

This is a great topic, especially in terms of how to educate students re: President Lincoln and the Sioux Indian uprising in Minnesota in 1862. I found this on the Lincoln Cottage site: Mr. Anderegg is an Historical Interpreter at President Lincoln’s Cottage.

"Lincoln’s commitment to creating a legal standard out of a very troubling situation demonstrates that, although Lincoln was both president and a politician, he was also still at his core a lawyer who had to deal with the political and cultural constraints that existed in 1860s America. Ultimately Lincoln’s handling of the Dakota Conflict trial is another example, like the Emancipation Proclamation, of Lincoln’s ability to understand what he can and cannot do in a trying situation where there is no perfect solution."

As suggested in this forum, understanding historical context, that there's often no perfect solution, and then to stress how far we've come would serve all students well. Lincoln said "that this country shall know a new burst of freedom." I am privileged to have seen many such bursts in my lifetime.

[RJNorton]

Thank you to Laurie for sending this note and article.

"I’m sharing an article written by a longtime Surratt Society member, Robert Norris, for the May issue of Washington Lawyer magazine. It gives excellent insight into the Dakota Indian situation that we have mentioned here before."

CLICK HERE.

[David Lockmiller]

Thank you to Laurie for sending this note and article.

"I’m sharing an article written by a longtime Surratt Society member, Robert Norris, for the May issue of Washington Lawyer magazine. It gives excellent insight into the Dakota Indian situation that we have mentioned here before."

CLICK HERE.

This was an excellent, comprehensive, accurate, and well-written article. Thank you, Roger. I felt sorry for Chief Little Crow - a Greek tragedy in real life. And, thank God for President Abraham Lincoln and Bishop Whipple, who convinced President Lincoln of the injustices done to the Indians and the true cause of the inevitable uprising. Judge Holt and the two lawyers that did the case by case investigations on Lincoln's orders should also be commended.

[Susan Higginbotham]

There's a book coming out in June about this subject (apologies if it's been mentioned on this thread and I missed it). It's by Gustav Niebuhr and is called "Lincoln's Bishop: A President, a Priest, and the Fate of 300 Dakota Sioux Warriors." I received a review copy of it but haven't had a chance to read it yet.

[LincolnToddFan]

Goodness... I simply cannot keep up with all the Lincoln books that are constantly being released and that I would like to read! Talk about a cottage industry!

Thank you, Susan.

[RJNorton]

Thanks, Susan. About 8-10 years ago I read a book titled Lincoln and the Sioux Uprising of 1862. As I recall I was somewhat disappointed in the book, but my fading and aging memory cannot recall why I felt that way.

[My Name Is Kate]

The article by Robert Norris shows that Lincoln was basically a kind-hearted and fair-minded individual, but that in the end he would do what was politically expedient. He knew that none of the accused Sioux had received a fair trial despite his efforts to find out the truth in each case, since they had no counsel and insufficient time to mount a defense (which apparently would not have been permitted anyway), most could not speak or understand English, hearsay from alleged witnesses was allowed at the trial, etc., etc. Yet he sentenced 38 to die, pared down from 300+. Most politicians probably would not have done that, but it still was an injustice to the accused. Since they were not considered citizens of this country, their rights were not considered.

[L Verge]

Similar to the Military Commission of 1865???

[LincolnToddFan]

Rights-particularly as we understand them today-were mostly limited to people who were male and Anglo-Saxon in 19th century America. Everyone else was at best on very shaky ground.

After all we are discussing a period of history when an entire group of people for over 300 years did not have autonomy over their own bodies and in most cases their minds due to the amount of melanin their skin contained.

The story of the incident of the Sioux uprising and their punishment is a tragic one, but I don't see it as reflecting negatively on AL. He was under considerable pressure from the press and many politicians to carry out summary executions on all 300+ Sioux, and to do so IMMEDIATELY after the uprising. The fact that he took weeks and months to personally and painstakingly review the case of each and one of the accused is itself extraordinary and unprecedented. This was during a time when he was also closely monitoring and managing a civil war with appalling war casualties and recalcitrant generals, an abusive( bordering on treasonous) press, etc.

I can't think of one politician of that time who would have handled the matter better than AL did.

Of course the treatment of the Sioux and that of the assassination conspirators doesn't meet standards of 21st century justice. The racism that was endemic to 19th century society condemned the Sioux. Northern desire for revenge as well as grief-combined with their own culpability- sealed the fate of the conspirators.But unlike AL and the military tribunal of 1865 we have the luxury of over 100 years of hindsight, understanding and what some people call "progress" in which to pronounce judgement upon these people.

[L Verge]

Just to clarify my statement: I do not and was not condemning the Military Commission of 1865. I happen to believe that the powers-at-be had no other recourse but to have a military court try the conspirators. I made the terse statement to point out that the Sioux were little different from the conspirators in the process of the law.

[My Name Is Kate]

And just to clarify my comments: I was mainly reiterating what the Norris article said, not passing judgment on Lincoln. He did the best he could under the circumstances, other than doing something like ordering that each of the accused be given an attorney, which would have meant the end of his political career (and who knows what would have been the outcome of the Civil War). Nevertheless, in spite of Lincoln's efforts to be as fair as was politically expedient, an injustice was done to the accused.

[LincolnToddFan]

For what it's worth I agree with you Kate and Laurie. The Sioux did not receive true justice, and neither did the Lincoln conspirators.