Gerald Hickman's Blog - Posts Tagged "sioux"
Sioux Uprising in Minnesota in 1862
My wife's relations moved west from Minnesota and thus we have gone back to visit on several trips. One topic that comes up every time was the impact of the Sioux Uprising in 1862 on the pioneer ancestors of our family. On my wife's family side one whole family, the Mays', were attacked and all but two children were killed out right. The youngest daughter was struck in the head with a hand ax and left for dead. But she was a tough toddler and lived with a permanent scar on her forehead for the rest of her life. We have one of her trucks as a keepsake. Her brother was not killed but hide in some brush, neighbors found the kids and raised them with their family.
On me side, one of my ancestors was working on the Indian Reservation to build a hay barn and do other jobs for the Indian agent at the time of the outbreak. His name was Anton Manderfeld and they had a camp near the lake where they were working. A friendly neighbor Indian warned them the day before the initial attack of angry tribal members who were out looking for trouble. But next day they were not prepared with the arrival of hostile tribesmen who proceeded to shoot as they approached the camp. Anton's cousin was killed as he left the tent and the cook and hired man died just as quickly. Anton dove into the cattails and hid out until the attackers moved on after looting the supplies. The Sioux were on the prowl because for one thing the U S Government had not kept the promise to feed and cloth the tribe after they accepted and agreed to live on the reservation and become like white men.
Anton hid in the swamps and traveling at night he made it over several anxious days to Fort Ridgeley, MN. He then joined the Minnesota Mounted Volunteers and spent the rest of the Civil War as a volunteer keeping the peace on the Minnesota Frontier. He lived a long life and farmed a homestead near New Ulm. I got the opportunity to visit the homestead last trip to MN, it is still in the Manderfeld family.
On me side, one of my ancestors was working on the Indian Reservation to build a hay barn and do other jobs for the Indian agent at the time of the outbreak. His name was Anton Manderfeld and they had a camp near the lake where they were working. A friendly neighbor Indian warned them the day before the initial attack of angry tribal members who were out looking for trouble. But next day they were not prepared with the arrival of hostile tribesmen who proceeded to shoot as they approached the camp. Anton's cousin was killed as he left the tent and the cook and hired man died just as quickly. Anton dove into the cattails and hid out until the attackers moved on after looting the supplies. The Sioux were on the prowl because for one thing the U S Government had not kept the promise to feed and cloth the tribe after they accepted and agreed to live on the reservation and become like white men.
Anton hid in the swamps and traveling at night he made it over several anxious days to Fort Ridgeley, MN. He then joined the Minnesota Mounted Volunteers and spent the rest of the Civil War as a volunteer keeping the peace on the Minnesota Frontier. He lived a long life and farmed a homestead near New Ulm. I got the opportunity to visit the homestead last trip to MN, it is still in the Manderfeld family.
