158 years ago today, the largest mass execution in U.S. history took place, ordered by A. Lincoln

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1342855867125927936.html

The execution happened at the culmination of the Dakota War, which started because the U.S. government unilaterally breached 2 treaties it made with the Dakota. The Dakota gave up land in exchange for $ and food. They (were) given neither & were starving.

U.S. Congress purposely breached treaty by omitting an article in it that set aside lands for Dakota, without telling them. Then the agent charged with providing Dakota with rations said, “Let them eat grass or their own dung,” while Dakota children were dying of starvation.

The Dakota were still abiding by Treaty Law & couldn’t go hunting as they would have before. The war began when some Dakota stole eggs to eat and fighting broke out. Andrew Myrick, the dung-loving agent, was among the first to die. He was found with grass in his mouth. #Dakota38

The warriors didn’t receive due process. ‘Trials’ were held in English, a foreign language— they had no legal representation and argument about broken Treaties wasn’t allowed. 38 men, many innocent, were hanged anyway, on a custom made scaffold, in front of a bloodthirsty mob.

Here are the names of the #Dakota38 who were wrongfully hanged in the largest mass execution in U.S. history, on December 26, 1862.



Dakota women and children were forced to watch the hanging. A Dakota infant was snatched from the arms of their mother by the settler mob and murdered on the spot during the execution. If Dakota women and children defended themselves they could’ve also be killed. #Dakota38

Around 1700 Dakota, mostly women and children, were imprisoned at Fort Snelling. Disease & death were rampant. They buried children every day. This is Chief Little Crow’s wife and children at Fort Snelling. He was later killed by settlers, his body grossly mutilated. #Dakota38

Before the hanging, the warriors prayed with the canupa (pipe) and sang songs. Among them were underaged minors and the mentally disabled. One of them was also a white man who had been adopted and raised by the Dakota. During the execution, some were holding hands. #Dakota38

After the hanging, Dakota were exiled from their Minnesota homelands. The state put out a bounty on the scalps of every Dakota man, woman and child.

[Pantagruel]

1. You won't see that history lesson

on main stream media.

[malaise]

10. THIS

There has been so much evil and even more whitewashing of it,

[pecosbob]

64. Until recent times you would probably need to have read an actual book

like Howard Zinn's A Peoples' History of the United States, so that rules out like ninety-five percent of the population.

[niyad]

70. Have you read "An Indigenous People's History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz?

A very difficult, horrifying read.

[pecosbob]

71. I would agree with your description.

In addition I believe short but revealing glimpses into our past such as this are a good reminder to us all to always consider accepted contemporary accounts of historical events with a huge grain of salt.

[thucythucy]

83. Thank you for this recommendation. nt

[niyad]

84. You are most welcome. Please let me know what you think of it when finished.

[uponit7771]

98. 👍

[dalton99a]

2. Kick

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Thank you for showing us that even A. Lincoln could approve of evil tactics, like this one.

It's horrifying and disgusting.

I knew we had done incredibly bad things to our Native peoples, but I hadn't realized just how bad. Now I see and it makes me sick to realize that I am part of the white population that condoned and carried out these horrific crimes.

It makes me ashamed to be an American.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. Set aside the shame and work to dismantle the white supremacy America is built upon.

[llashram]

33. Been working on it

yet, finally at 70 years plus know that trump, his cronies and base prove this American mentality will ALWAYS be curse against its soul and I fear...well we'll see won't we?

[Bucky]

68. That's the smartest take on this

[niyad]

41. It is far worse than you can imagine, Peggy. Read "An Indigenous people's History of the United

States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. But be prepared. It is heartbreaking, sickening, horrifying. I could not read more than a few pages at a time.

America as we think of it was founded in genocide and slavery. Nothing to be proud of.

[alwaysinasnit]

54. Thanks for the book tip niyad.

[niyad]

67. You are most welcome. Let me know what you think of it.

[Blue_true]

74. You can't undo the past. You can only help build the future, that is what we need to focus on.

Our true history as a nation should be taught and so much of it is dismaying, but we should use the dismay to harden us for building a future that is fair to everyone.

[FakeNoose]

4. It's just bad karma, and more bad karma

This almost makes me want to give up.

[Hotler]

5. Manifest destiny, sometimes I'm ashamed to be white. nt

[IsItJustMe]

11. Got into a discussion with some good ol' white boys here while aback

They were telling me how afraid they were of criminal Mexican elements. I told them that I wasn't afraid of the Mexicans. I told them "Hell, I tell you who I am really afraid of, it's crazy ass white males that sit from tall building and shoot people in parking lots." Like what happened in Las Vegas. You could have heard a pin drop.

I feel what you are saying.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. Set aside the shame and work to dismantle white supremacy.

[appalachiablue]

6. K/R From the article: Chief Little Crow's wife & children, Ft. Snelling.

[BSdetect]

7. It happens all over Australia executed 51 PNG people for helping the Japanese.

As if they had a choice to refuse helping the Japanese.

Meanwhile Japanese war criminals were let off lightly - Doctors from the horrific Harbin, China scene, for example.

If you have never read about the Harbin atrocities prepare for a shock.

Should you want to know more its easy to Google.

[IsItJustMe]

8. In respectful memory

[niyad]

43. That one, and "Homeland Security since 1492".

[58Sunliner]

9. Horrific.

The job of history is to inform us, hopefully shape us to do better, be better, and demand justice. History should shame those whose participated, the institutions that allowed this. It should also shame those that ignore it, or want to deny it's truth.

[kag]

56. Thank you.

As an amateur historian I struggle with stories like this. I live in Colorado where the Sand Creek Massacre happened, and I think about it often. I try not to feel guilt or shame, but it is hard sometimes. We all need to face what our ancestors did, and strive to be better.

[Solly Mack]

12. K&R

[MustLoveBeagles]

15. Horrific

[Yeehah]

16. Addendum

That claim is largely accurate, but it’s also misleading; it omits to mention that although Abraham Lincoln did approve 39 death sentences (one of the condemned men was ultimately spared), he also prevented the hangings of 264 other Native Americans by commuting their death sentences, in the same order. It also fails to make it clear that the death sentences did not originate with Lincoln. Rather, the executions were ordered by a military commission and sent to the president, who had the legal authority to approve or decline to approve any or all of the sentences.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/lincoln-dakota/

The saddest chapters of U.S. history are the ones describing the treatment of Native Americans.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

18. I'm sure the men and boys who were hanged were very moved by Lincoln's magnaminity.

[Yeehah]

20. I doubt that very much

Do you have a point?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

24. Yes: Lincoln could have commuted all the sentences. He didn't.

[Yeehah]

28. He could have approved all 264 death sentences. He didn't.

Less than three years later, the leaders of the Confederacy were spared. Surely, the wrong people were executed.

[IsItJustMe]

25. I think the point is in the article. What other point do you need?

[Polybius]

27. That Lincoln is no hero

Ask any Native American.

[TomVilmer]

44. Though he "saved" some...

Lincoln: Anxious to not act with so much clemency as to encourage another outbreak on one hand, nor with so much severity as to be real cruelty on the other, I ordered a careful examination of the records of the trials to be made, in view of first ordering the execution of such as had been proved guilty of violating females.

But that would only kill two - so Lincoln invented a wider definition, and killed 38. These killings are described in too much details here, together with a description of the spiritual comfort offered:

Rev. Mr. RIGGS (well known to the Indians in his missionary capacity) interpreted Col. MILLER's remarks, and told the miserable men that their Great Father at Washington had ratified the action of the Military Court, and sentenced them to be hung on the following Friday, Dec. 26. They were informed that spiritual advisers, both Protestant and Catholic, were present, and would do all in their power to minister to their comfort during the few days of life still remaining for them.

Those priests were really helpful then...

[former9thward]

88. Happy you speak for all Native Americans.

Which president was a hero?

[Polybius]

95. Obama is my hero

Definitely not any murdering Republicans.

[former9thward]

99. Since we are going back to the 1800s to bash people

Andrew Jackson (The Trail of Tears) is considered founder of the Democratic Party. Do we give him a pass?

[jalan48]

17. Evil really. Native Americans have become invisible in our society.

Native Americans still have the highest poverty rate of any racial group.

According to 2018 US Census Data, the highest poverty rate by race is found among Native Americans (25.4%), with Blacks (20.8%) having the second highest poverty rate, and Hispanics (of any race) having the third highest poverty rate (17.6%). Whites had a poverty rate of 10.1%, while Asians had a poverty rate at 10.1%.



https://www.povertyusa.org/facts

[WhiskeyGrinder]

19. They are not invisible. They are actively oppressed in a white hegemony, however.

[jalan48]

23. Yes, we hear very little about them in the media. Oppressed and forgotten.

[TheRickles]

49. This is part of why Deb Haaland's appointment is important, and so moving.

[jalan48]

53. I agree. It is a great thing IMHO.

[Bayard]

21. OMG!

I've read a lot of Native history, but had not seen this one. Thanks for posting.

I'm sure this is one of the stories that trump is trying to ban from being taught in schools, claiming it makes, "Americans" look bad, and its unpatriotic. These Nations deserve reparations, and instead, they are still far too many living in shacks with no running water. I read where Canada/Trudeau has been doing just that.

[Duppers]

62. On Trudeau, I just read this...

Has Trudeau (Politely) Betrayed Native People Again? - The New York Times

When Justin Trudeau became prime minister of Canada in 2015, he promised a new relationship with Indigenous people, “built on respect, rights and a commitment to end the status quo.” He promised funding for Indigenous cultural activities and education. He called for recognition of aboriginal land rights. But he has also continued to support the expansion of Canada’s fossil fuel industry onto new lands, an expansion that has always depended largely upon ignoring, if not flagrantly violating, the desires and rights of Native people.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/opinion/canada-natives-pipeline.html

Greed!

[Bayard]

80. Well, damn

I thought he was going to be one of the good guys.

[Ms. Toad]

22. So much for the argument that "Redskin" is a term of honor.

The State reward for dead Indians has been increased to $200 for every red-skin sent to Purgatory.

[Wellstone ruled]

26. Our Son has a

Copy of the Army Scribe's notes from being assigned to document the St.Peter Massacre. The printing was done in 1870's because the Scribes Family who lived in St Paul wanted the real story printed. And the real story is about how the White Settlers wanted the Military to eliminate any vestige of a Souix Native.

BTW,we found the book in a Antique Store several years ago. A fifty cent book that contains Billions of dollars of History.

[iluvtennis]

29. So disgusting. Never learned this in school hustory classes. nt

[Polybius]

30. Lincoln is no hero, he's a mass murderer in my eyes

I've been talking about this for years. Thank you for bringing it out. This needs to one day go into the history books.

[Blue_true]

75. Yes, he let 39 Indian Americans die.

But he prevented far, far more Black people from dying in slavery, killed by their masters or overseers for the simple acts of wanting to enjoy freedom.

Was he a mass murderer to you because he vigorously waged war with people that were subjugating and brutalizing another group of people? Were Grant, Sheridan, George Henry Thomas and Sherman mass murderers in your eyes also? The last mentioned men were far more responsible for defeating the confederacy and killing a lot of it’s men, George Henry Thomas’ men wiped out 20,000+ confederates in one single battle (Nashville) - literally drove them into a trap and felled them, and imprisoned those that survived the fight, that battle is one of the battles that singularly was responsible for ending the Civil War.

Lincoln was no saint, but if one examines any of our Presidents, none of them were. President Obama comes the closest to having the all around decency that we have wrongly assigned to many of our past Presidents. Trump is a pure disgrace of a human being.

[Polybius]

93. What exactly did he prevent?

650,000 Americans died in that war. He could have prevented or avoided it. He gets no pass from me, and I’m black.

[marie999]

101. Lincoln thought slavery was morally wrong but legal.

He would not have freed the slaves. I do not know if he made that clear to the South.

[bucolic_frolic]

31. Yay, Lincoln!

No one ever wants to examine the other side of Lincoln. Any posts I've made are usually removed pronto. So I won't say anymore.

[llashram]

32. wow

how disturbing. Even "honest Abe" hated the red man. The vicious evil intent of this genocide is appalling but not unknown in white America's drive to eradicate the First-Americans. Sad sad, sad. This country's history is a real primer on genocide and forced bondage that the whole world has studied and many leaders have tried to emulate. Hitler and De Boer are 2 that immediately come to mind. And I believe IF trump had got his 4 more years he would have tried to outdo those 2 mentioned. Hell, he's executing African-Americans in large numbers. Either by proxy with the police forces in this nation and in prisons. And when the crimes committed were much less than Blackwater mercenary crimes in the Middle East and I will go so far as to say, I bet some of those prisoners being executed by trump edict are innocent.

Yeah, God Bless America and if needed

[strongermessage]

34. I couldn't help but notice that on the page announcing the $200 bounty, that the Republican...

candidate for Governor was named Stephen Miller. I wonder if the current Republican Racist named Stephen Miller is a descendent.

[grantcart]

42. The Stephen Miller's family you refer to arrived in the US in the early 1900s

They were Jewish refugees fleeing Russian pogroms.

The is no word in English that describes this level of irony that elevated this anti refugee pro Russian hack to a position that would have made it impossible for his grandfather to enter the US.

[IronLionZion]

55. Words like asshole or hypocrite or POS might work. nt

[dlk]

35. This was an American genocide swept under the rug

This same poison of the soul gave us Trump. Until America adequately confronts and addresses our ugly racist history, it will continue to rear it’s poisonous head in our politics and in our leaders. Make no mistake, we all pay a price.

[Joinfortmill]

36. I suggest you research this.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

38. What would you like to add?

[BamaRefugee]

37. So the GOP really IS the "Party of Lincoln"

[JI7]

65. No. they are even worse .

[BarbD]

39. Native Americans got in the way and were summarily eliminated.

Genocide in the form of neglect still exists. First step is to acknowledge the very uncomfortable reality and truth of history.

[Blue_true]

76. They, like Black slaves were dehumanized.

American Indians had land and minerals that Whites wanted, but otherwise had no value to those Whites. Black slaves were worth more economically, so they were killed only if they repeatedly tried to escape bondage and didn’t submit to servitude.

[LittleGirl]

40. I am 61 years old today

and this is the first time I’ve read anything about this. Thank you for sharing.
When my fellow citizens get all smug and talk shit about how they are the best and brightest, I’ll remind them of this sanctioned massacre.

I’m going to pour another cocktail and thank my lucky stars I live abroad.

[niyad]

47. Raising a glass in honour of your birthday. May it be joyous.

[world wide wally]

45. Sickenening and depressing.

[Marcuse]

46. At least Natives now have a voice in a Democratic cabinet.

[Duppers]

50. Yes! Thank you!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

52. She's got some work she needs to do on the Chickasaw/Choctaw Freedmen, though.

Here's hoping she'll listen.

[Marcuse]

61. True dat.

:https://www.change.org/p/debra-haaland-deb-haaland-stand-against-modern-day-jim-crow-in-indian-country|

[niyad]

48. Thank you for this needed reminder of a truly horrific chapter in the "history" (all history is

written by the victors) of the greatest, bestest, most wonderfulest country EVAH.

[Blue_true]

77. If you study any country in history, there are many sad stories about

how some of it’s people were treated. Our problem, much like Great Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands, is that the dark chapters of our history were washed in history books, we were never wrong, always great. The only country that has made a real effort to deal with it’s past is Germany.

[Duppers]

51. K&R

[kellytore]

57. Why could anyone be shocked about this?

Our country was founded on genocide and all political parties were guilty. The reason they killed the Indian tribes was because they would not work for free, so they went across the Atlantic and kidnapped Africans.

[Blue_true]

78. Black slavery in the USA was passed down from the British, French and Spaniards.

I read that an attempt was made to enslave American Indians, but was abandoned.

[CaptainTruth]

58. When Trumpers say they're the "party of Lincoln" this seems more appropriate.

[yuiyoshida]

59. outrageous and sad.

America has always been a racist country from the beginning.

[Blue_true]

79. The hangings were a element of the times.

We look back on it now with horror, but when it happened, likely 100% of free men and women were for the hangings and were likely upset that Lincoln refused to hang far more people in that instance. There were some places in America where lynching of a Black man or teen was a civic affair, crowds of people would gather to watch, and the people that did the murders faced punishment that was no more severe than if they had jaywalked on a quiet street.

Our national history is brutal at times, people like Trump and his supporters want to force history teachings to portray the version of America that never existed. We each have a choice, be depressed by every instance of brutality in our national history, or use those acts to harden us in our fight for equality and justice.

[JI7]

81. I think Trump supporters actually want to bring back a lot of the brutality against non whites

But I agree about teaching our history and what happened. Not as a way to just show how horrible these people were but to show what happened and why things are the way they are and why we should support certain programs to help to deal with those things to help people who are still affected today.

[BarbD]

89. You are absolutely correct in your assessment.

We must continue our fight for equality and justice.

[mountain grammy]

60. K&R

[Beringia]

63. Thanks for posting

[coti]

66. Genocide.

We've yet to come to terms with how this country really came into being.

[denbot]

69. This is why that sandman shit was lucky I wasn't the one he puffed up on.

I don’t have that amount of control.

[My Pet Orangutan]

72. 303 were convicted and sentence to death. Lincoln commuted the sentences of 265.

Lincoln was warned by the Governor (Ramsey) that the white population opposed leniency. He is reported to have said, "I could not afford to hang men for votes."

[Martin Eden]

82. Lincoln was criticized for his leniency in this matter

His decision NOT to execute so many who were sentenced to death was not the act of an unfeeling racist.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

87. If his decision "NOT to execute so many who were sentenced to death was not the act of an unfeeling

racist," what does the decision to execute the others make him?

[Martin Eden]

90. It makes him LENIENT, under the circumstances.

303 were sentenced to death. Lincoln ordered a thorough review of all the transcripts and commuted the sentence for 265 (more than 87%), ultimately hanging 38 deemed most responsible for the massacre of civilians. The president certainly had other things on his mind during a Civil War that was not going well in late 1862. The easiest thing for him to do would have been to let the sentence stand for all 303, which is what others likely would have done in his position.

I do not in the least dispute the injustice of the trial piled on top of unrelenting injustices done against the Dakota and Native Americans throughout the "settling" of this continent. However, characterizing Abraham Lincoln as some kind of monster in this affair is way off base.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

91. He originally was going to approve only two executions, where rape had been proven.

But he then that wasn't enough, because this country has always sacrificed BIPOC to ensure white people don't get mad. So he expanded the execution order for those found to have participated in the "massacres," when as a lawyer he would have known that the entire commission was a hasty, biased sham that relied on thin evidence and lacked authority. He could have ordered retrials. He didn't.

The man prized the preservation of the union over emancipation (the proclamation for which, incidentally, he signed the same week he ordered the largest mass execution in U.S. history). He said himself if he could keep the union without ending slavery, or even ending it for some but not others, he would do so. That's not leniency, that's a flawed moral calculus.

[Polybius]

94. Oh yeah, he only murdered 38 innocent people

Real nice guy.

[BobTheSubgenius]

73. There is no bottom to the ocean of depravity in the dealings of "Europeans" and First Nations.

There are enough horrible incidents and events to fill volumes.

[gulliver]

85. Lincoln pared the number down from 303 to those who (supposedly) participated in massacre and rape.

I'll stick to the Wikipedia version of this event. It's bad enough. Lincoln was a great man and President. I'm going to credit him for reducing the cruelty, not blame him for it. Trashing Lincoln is unjust and unjustified.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_War_of_1862

[WhiskeyGrinder]

86. Reducing cruelty still leaves cruelty.

[Raine]

92. I agree with you. nt

[ansible]

96. Native Americans had some extremely cruel practices as well against their enemies

Just saying. It was a terrible war, both sides did horrible things.

[tonedevil]

97. Both sides? /nt

[marie999]

100. Both sides are nice. Sarcasm