By Thomas Teakle
Published at Iowa City, Iowa in 1918
By The State Historical Society of Iowa
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EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION |
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The
massacre of the white settlers in the region of Lake Okoboji and
Spirit Lake in 1857 by a band of Indians under the leadership of
Inkpadnta has come to be known as "The Spirit Lake Massacre",
although the tragedy was for the most part enacted on the
borders of Lake Okoboji. There seems, however, to be no
substantial reason for renaming the episode in the interest of
geographical accuracy; and so in this volume the familiar
designation of "The Spirit Lake Massacre" has been retained.
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Benj. F. Shambaugh
Office of the Superintendent and Editor
The State Historical Society of Iowa
Iowa City,Iowa |
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AUTHOR'S PREFACE |
It is probable that no event in the
history of northwestern Iowa has aroused more popular interest
than that of the Spirit Lake Massacre of March, 1857. Not alone
in northwestern Iowa but also in the adjacent sections of
Minnesota and South Dakota is the story of its events and
associated incidents well known.
The Spirit Lake Massacre came as the culminating episode in a
long series of incidents intimately connected with the
settlement of northern and western Iowa. For years previous to
1857 the Indians of the Sioux tribes had obstinately resisted
white settlement and had succeeded in a marked degree in
retarding the movement. It may be said with a reasonable degree
of certainty that if the events of March, 1857, had not
occurred, the settlement of this region would have been
postponed for some years.
The Massacre not only aroused the authorities of the State of
Iowa to the necessity of exerting the force of military pressure
upon the Indians to discourage or end their forays, but it also
enlisted the efforts of the Federal authorities in the same
direction. This joint interest and protection could have
only one result, the retirement of the Sioux to the region of
the Missouri and the rapid influx of white settlers.
The Massacre definitely settled the Indian question for Iowa:
henceforth the red man ceased to play an important part in the
history of this Commonwealth. While the following pages are, as
far as practicable, based upon primary materials, the writer
acknowledges his obligation to many other sources in the notes
and references which follow the text. Since no adequate
history of the Spirit Lake Massacre can be written wholly from
primary materials, considerable reliance upon secondary sources
has been found necessary in this work. Furthermore, the writer
is well aware that he has taken a number of new positions
concerning causes and incidents of the Massacre, but in this he
feels well sustained by the preponderance of authority.
Without the unflagging interest and the tireless enthusiasm and
encouragement of Dr. Benj. F. Shambaugh the more than four years
of research involved in this work would never have been
undertaken or carried through to its close.
To many others the author also feels himself obligated for
invaluable assistance. Among these may be noted Curator E. R.
Harlan, Librarian Alice Marple, Assistant Editor Ida M.
Huntington, and Superintendent of Archives C. C. Stiles, all of
the Historical Department of Iowa. Dr. Dan E. Clark, Associate
Editor in The State Historical Society of Iowa, assisted in
editing and verifying the manuscript; and to him the author is
indebted for the index.
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Thomas Teakle
The North High School
Des Moines, Iowa |
back to Spirit Lake
Massacre index
back to County index
back to History Project index |
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(contributed to Iowa
History Project by Kris Meyer, Dickinson CC)
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