When they reached Wabasha's village, where this city now stands, they refused to go further. Wabasha united with them in. their remonstrances, and promised to give them a home on this prairie between the river and the bluffs. They made threatening speeches and prepared for battle. Rice sent the steamboat on with the news to Fort Snelling. Captain Seth Eastman, with a company of infantry and two six-pounders, came back on her. These troops, with the dragoons from Fort Atkinson and sixty armed teamsters, overawed the Indians, and most of the Winnebagoes went on north; but some, deserting, returned to Wisconsin. or to the Neutral Ground. Rice, with a lieutenant and two soldiers, then went to Wabasha's lodge, arrested him, and took him prisoner to Fort Snelling. He was soon after released with admonition, and he returned with a better appreciation of the white man's power.

He was always averse to missionaries of the gospel, and repeatedly refused to allow them to abide in his territory. When told the story of the resurrection, he said he did not believe it and did not want it preached to his people.

On June 30, 1851, negotiations were opened at Traverse des Sioux (near the present city of St. Peter) with the western Dakotas, which resulted in the treaty with them of July 23 of that year. The United States Senate objected to one of the articles of this treaty, and on July 26, 1852, proposed an amendment, which was accepted by the Indians at St. Paul on September 6,

1852.

After the commissioners had concluded their labors at Traverse des Sioux, they came down the Minnesota on a flatboat, and on July 29, 1851, met Wabasha and all the eastern Dakotas at Mendota, with whom they made a similar treaty on August 5, 1851. This treaty was signed by Luke Lea and Alexander Ramsey on behalf of the United States, and by Wabasha, Little Crow, Shakopee, and over sixty headmen on behalf of the Medawakantonwan and Wahpekuta bands. Like the preceding treaty with the western bands, this was also amended by the Senate, and the amendment was ratified by the eastern chiefs at St. Paul on September 4, 1852.

By these treaties all the lands of the Dakotas east of lakes Traverse and Kampeska, and east of the Calumet or Big Sioux river, were ceded to the United States, save a Reservation ten miles wide

on either side of the Minnesota river above New Ulm. Wabasha and his people agreed to remove to the Reservation within two years thereafter, or sooner if required by the President.

Wabasha opposed these treaties, well foreseeing that they ended his rule and dominion over his people. But the traders and all the inhabitants of St. Paul and vicinity were eager for them, and the Indian warriors and young men were persuaded in their favor and really compelled Wabasha to yield a reluctant assent. In 1853, Wabasha and his bands went to the Reservation, on which they lived until the outbreak of 1862.

He also opposed this outbreak and did all he could to prevent it, and when overruled he refused to take part in it. These events are well known history, and need not be here reviewed. He hated the whites for inducing his young men to overthrow his counsel at Mendota and compel him to sell his province. But he had too much sense to believe for a moment that he could regain his land by massacre and war. He died April 23, 1876, at Santee Agency, Nebraska, when his second son, Napoleon, succeeded him as Wabasha the Fourth.

This last representative of the hereditary line of chiefs was born at Shakopee in 1844. He is still living at the Santee Agency, and is recognized as chief by the remnant of Medawakantonwan Dakotas still in existence.

Only a few of the incidents in the lives of these chiefs have been narrated, but enough to show something of the character of each. Sufficient is known to make a volume. Will not some young man here today undertake the task of writing a history of this dynasty? It ought to appeal to the local pride of us all.

One of the counties of this state, in the northern part of the district formerly under the Wabashas' dominion, the city which is its county seat, and one of the principal streets of St. Paul, bear this name.

When another fifty years shall have passed over Winona, the stranger coming here will no doubt see in your Public Park a bronze statue of heroic size, representing the elder Wabasha with bowed head offering himself a sacrifice for his people in the place of the murderer, Ixkatapay. I venture to predict that when I and most of us here shall be utterly forgotten, the deeds of the Wabashas will fill a memorable page in history, and their names will be celebrated in song.

REMINISCENCES OF LITTLE CROW.*

BY DR. ASA W. DANIELS.

SERVICE AMONG THE SIOUX AS A PHYSICIAN.

Little has been written concerning Little Crow, the renowned chief of the Dakotas or Sioux, other than as a leader in the barbarous massacre of 1862. A more intimate knowledge of the man before that event may serve to give us a more intelligent understanding of his true character, and perhaps may modify somewhat existing impressions.

The following paper does not assume to give more than an imperfect sketch of some of the most conspicuous events of his life, and the impressions of the writer, who sustained a long and intimate relation with this interesting character, which terminated only a year prior to the outbreak.

The writer was appointed physician to the Medawakantonwan and Wahpekuta bands of Dakota Indians in July, 1854. At this time they were located on their reservation, on the south bank of the Minnesota river, twelve miles west of Fort Ridgely, and one hundred and thirty miles southwest of St. Paul. They were divided into bands, each with its chief, and were located in villages within a radius of fifteen miles of their agency, which was known as the Lower Sioux Agency. The government had plowed for each village a hundred or more acres which was cultivated in common. They numbered at this time nearly 3,300. Thirty miles west was the agency of the Sisseton and Wahpeton bands, known as the Upper Sioux Agency.

Annual payments took place, each head of a family receiving about fifty dollars, with clothing and provisions. They had also monthly or quarterly distributions of provisions. At the agency resided their agent, physician, teachers, carpenter, blacksmith, and other employees. One-half mile west were the three trading

*An address at the Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Historical Society, January 21, 1907. In the absence of the author, Dr. Daniels, of St. Peter, Minn., at his winter home in Pomona, California, this paper was read for him by Gov. John A. Johnson.