- 1851
| Jul 23 | (Dakota Conflict) In the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, two bands of Dakota cede to the U.S. lands in southwestern portions of the Minnesota Territory (as well as portions of Iowa and South Dakota) for $1.665 million in cash and annuities. | Ref: 87 |
| Aug 01 | (Dakota Conflict) (date given as "Summer") 7,000 Dakota are moved to two reservations bordering the Minnesota River in southwestern Minnesota. | Ref: 87 |
| Aug 05 | (Dakota Conflict) In the Treaty of Mendota, Two other band of Dakota cede to the U.S. lands in southeastern portions of the Minnesota Territory for $1.41 million in cash and annuitities. | Ref: 87 |
- 1856
| Jul 16 | (Dakota Conflict) The Rowland Gardners, nine members in all, came by covered wagon to Spirit Lake (near modern Arnolds Park, Iowa). Ref | |
- 1857
| Feb 08 | (Dakota Conflict) The Spirit Lake Massacre. About 40 whites were killed or taken hostage by renegade Sioux in Iowa. FTP | |
| Mar 09 | (Dakota Conflict) Seven of the nine members of the Rowland Gardners are among the 40 American settlers killed by renegade Indians in what has become known as "the Spirit Lake Massacre" in northwestern Iowa. 13-year old Abbie is taken hostage. Ref | |
| Mar 10 | (Dakota Conflict) Inkpadutah and his Sioux warriors ambush William Marble and his wife at their home on the west side of Spirit Lake. Marble is shot and his wife is taken hostage in this episode of "the Spirit Lake Massacre". Ref | |
| May 06 | (Dakota Conflict) Two Yellow Medicine Reservation Indians trade blankets, ammunition and guns for Mrs. William Marble, who was taken hostage in "the Spirit Lake Massacre". The Indians were later paid a thousand dollars. Ref | |
| May 30 | (Dakota Conflict) Abbie Gardner, who was taken hostage in "the Spirit Lake Massacre", is ransomed by the Indians from the Yellow Medicine Agency for blankets, horses, ammunition, tobacco, calico, ribbons and money. Ref | |
- 1862
| Aug 15 | (Dakota Conflict) (day unspecified) Annuity payments are late and rumors circulate that payments, if they will be made at all, will not be in the customary gold because of the ongoing Civil War. Dakota plan to demand that future annuity payments be made directly to them, rather than through traders. Traders, learning of plan, refuse to sell provisions on credit, despite widespread hunger and starvation on the reservation. | Ref: 87 |
| Aug 17 | (Dakota Conflict) Four Dakota kill five settlers near Litchfield. Councils are held among the Dakota on whether to wage war. Despite deep divisions on the issue, war is the chosen course. | Ref: 87 |
| Aug 18 | (Dakota Conflict) Groups of Dakota kill 44 Americans in attacks on the Redwood Agency and on federal troops advancing to the Agency in the hope of suppressing the uprising. Ten Americans are captured. | Ref: 87 |
| Aug 19 | (Dakota Conflict) Minnesota Governor Ramsey appoints Colonel Henry Sibley to command American volunteer forces. Sixteen settlers are killed in Dakota attacks in and around New Ulm. Settlers crowd into a small barricaded area of New Ulm's main street. | Ref: 87 |
| Aug 20 | (Dakota Conflict) (and 21st) The Dakota attack Fort Ridgely, but the Fort is successfully defended. | Ref: 87 |
| Aug 23 | (Dakota Conflict) About 650 Dakota attack New Ulm a second time. Most buildings in the town are burned. Although 34 die and 60 are wounded, the town is successfully defended. | Ref: 87 |
| Aug 25 | (Dakota Conflict) About 2,000 New Ulm refugees (mostly women, children, and wounded men) load into 153 wagons or set off on foot for Mankato, thirty miles away. | Ref: 87 |
| Sep 02 | (Dakota Conflict) In the Battle of Birch Coulee (near Morton), American troops suffer their greatest casualties of the war. | Ref: 87 |
| Sep 06 | (Dakota Conflict) Major General John Pope, having recently lost the Battle of Bull Run, is appointed commander of U.S. troops in the Northwest, charged with suppressing the Dakota uprising. | Ref: 87 |
| Sep 23 | (Dakota Conflict) The battle of Wood Lake is a decisive victory for American troops. While the Wood Lake fighting is in progress, Dakota opposed to continuation of the war take control of 269 American captives held near the Chippewa River. | Ref: 87 |
| Sep 26 | (Dakota Conflict) "Friendlies" release American captives. Col. Sibley enters Dakota camp and takes 1200 Dakota men, women, and children into custody. Over the next weeks, and additional 800 Dakota will surrender to American forces. In 37 days of fighting, the Dakota Conflict has claimed the lives of over 500 Americans and about 60 Dakota. | Ref: 87 |
| Sep 28 | (Dakota Conflict) Colonel Henry Sibley appoints a five-member military commission to "try summarily" Dakota for "murder and other outrages" committed against Americans. Sixteen trials take place the same day. Ten Dakota are convicted and sentenced to be hanged, six are acquitted. Over the next six weeks, 393 Dakota are tried. | Ref: 87 |
| Oct 14 | (Dakota Conflict) At President Lincoln's cabinet meeting, the ongoing Dakota trials are discussed. Lincoln and several cabinet members are disturbed by General Pope's report on the trials and planned executions, and move to prevent precipitous action. | Ref: 87 |
| Oct 17 | (Dakota Conflict) General Pope tells Colonel Sibley that "the President directs that no executions be made without his sanction." | Ref: 87 |
| Nov 03 | (Dakota Conflict) The last of 393 trials is conducted, with 42 trials taking place on the last day. In all, 323 Dakota are convicted and 303 are sentenced to be hanged. All but 8 of those acquitted remained imprisoned at Camp Release. | Ref: 87 |
| Nov 09 | (Dakota Conflict) The 303 condemned Dakota are moved from the Lower Agency to Camp Lincoln, near Mankato. While passing through New Ulm, the captives are attacked by an angry mob. A few Dakota are killed and many injured. (Meanwhile, the 1700 uncondemned are moved to Fort Snelling, near St. Paul.) | Ref: 87 |
| Nov 10 | (Dakota Conflict) General Pope forwards to the President names of those condemned. Lincoln asks for "a full and complete record of their convictions" and "a careful statement" indicating "the more guilty and influential of the culprits." | Ref: 87 |
| Nov 15 | (Dakota Conflict) General Pope forwards records of the trials to President Lincoln, together with a letter urging Lincoln to authorize execution of all of the condemned and warning of mob violence if the executions did not go forward. | Ref: 87 |
| Nov 25 | (Dakota Conflict) (day specified as "late November") Rev. Riggs and Bishop Whipple urge clemency for Dakota involved in battles and executions only for those proven to have committed rape or killed women or children. | Ref: 87 |
| Dec 04 | (Dakota Conflict) Several hundred civilians, armed with hatchets, clubs, and knives, attack the camp where the condemned Dakota are being held, but are surrounded and disarmed by soldiers. | Ref: 87 |
| Dec 06 | (Dakota Conflict) President Abraham Lincoln orders the hanging of 39 of the 303 convicted Indians who participated in the Sioux Uprising in Minnesota. They are to be hanged on December 26. The execution of one additional condemned man is suspended later after new evidence casts doubt upon his guilt. | Ref: 2 |
| Dec 24 | (Dakota Conflict) The 38 condemned Dakota are allowed to meet with their families for the last time. | Ref: 87 |
| Dec 26 | (Dakota Conflict) At 10 a.m., the 38 condemned Santee Sioux, singing and chanting Dakota songs, are led to the scaffolds in Mankato. Three drumbeats signal the moment of execution, the crowd cheers. Bodies are buried in a single grave on the edge of town. | Ref: 2 |
- 1863
| Apr 01 | (Dakota Conflict) (day unspecified) Congress enacts a law providing for the removal of Dakota bands from Minnesota. Most of the Dakota community will be moved to South Dakota. The convicted prisoners who were not executed are moved to Camp McClellan near Davenport, Iowa. | Ref: 87 |
- 1866
| Mar 22 | (Dakota Conflict) President Andrew Johnson orders release of the 177 surviving prisoners. | Ref: 87 |
- 1890
| Dec 29 | (Dakota Conflict) More than 200 Sioux men, women, and children are massacred at Wounded Knee, South Dakota after Colonel James W. Forsyth of the 7th Cavalry tries to disarm Chief Big Foot and his followers, while attempting to surrender. The slaughter ended three centuries of 'Indian Wars" in America. | Ref: 4 |
| Dec 29 | Big Foot Sioux Indian chief, dies at Wounded Knee. | Ref: 5 |
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The Dakota Conflict (Sioux Uprising) Chronology