“Minnesota’s military response to the U.S. Dakota War of 1862 was organized at Fort Snelling. On August 20, Sibley and four companies of the 6th Minnesota Infantry left the fort to fight. Later, soldiers, including members of the 3rd Minnesota Infantry were sent to reinforce Sibley. Food, ammunition and other supplies for the U.S. military were also sent from Fort Snelling. At the end of the war, approximately 1,600 Dakota non-combatants were brought from Camp Release to Fort Snelling to await removal from the state. They were held in a wooden stockade below the fort after their arrival in November 1862 until March 1863, when floodwaters forced the camp’s evacuation to the top of the bluff. Between 102-300 people died of disease. In May 1863 the majority of the Dakota were removed to the Crow Creek reservation in what is now South Dakota. A few Dakota, including the families of people serving as scouts with Sibley’s army and those who assisted European-Americans during the war, were permitted to remain in Minnesota. In 1863 other Dakota who were captured by or surrendered to U.S. military forces were held at Fort Snelling before being removed to Davenport, Iowa in 1864. In January 1864, two Dakota leaders, Sakpedan (Little Six or Shakopee) and Wakanzhanzhan (Medicine Bottle), were captured by British agents in Canada and handed over to the U.S. military. They were imprisoned at Fort Snelling and tried by a military commission for their participation in the war. Both were convicted and their execution took place outside the Fort on November 11, 1865.” 

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