Henry Hastings Sibley (1811 - 1891)

Born 20 Feb 1811 in Detroit, Michigan

Ancestors

Died 18 Feb 1891 at age 79 in Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Preceded by 3rd Territorial Governor Samuel Medary

Henry Hastings Sibley 1st Governor of Minnesota 1858—1860

Succeeded by 2nd Governor Alexander Ramsey

Biography

Henry Sibley is Notable.

Sibley County, Minnesota is named in his honor.

Henry Hastings Sibley was born, (the fourth child) in 1811 in Detroit, Michigan. His parents are Solomon Sibley and Sarah Sproat. His father was a Chief Justice, and his mother was the daughter of Colonel (of the Continental Army) Ebenezer Sproat. Sarahs' grandfather was also of distinguishment, being a Commodore of the Continental Navy named- Abraham Whipple.^[1]

Time Line of his Life

30 - September - 1835 - Henry Sibley received Trading License -by "Indian Agent" Lawrence Taliaferro. Trading rights were granted for 1 year, for the area entry of River St. Peters close to Fort Snelling.^[2]

1858 - Inaugural Address - Hon. Henry H. Sibley, governor of Minnesota.

Governor (1858-1860 : Sibley)., ‎Henry Hastings Sibley - 1858^[3]

7 - December - 1859 - Governor Henry H. Sibley - Governors' Message[

to the Senate and House of Representatives- RE: The Pacific Railroad, "First Morgage Bonds", Act of the Legislature Aug. 12, 1858, and other topics of interest.^[4]

"The Sioux War Campaign"

19 August 1862 -

During the time period of the rising frustrations of the Tribal Nations within Minnesota over lack of promised supplies to survive, broken treaties, starvation of their women, children, elderly, and themselves. All of which combined came to the culmination point of war.

Henry Hastings Sibley was called upon by the current Governor- Alexander Ramsey who showed up at Henry Hastings Sibleys' Home. It was at this time that Henry Hastings Sibley was called upon to become Colonel and Commander for the Indian Expedition. The purpose of which was to locate and free men, women, and children who had been captured by the Sioux. ^[5]

Henry Hastings Sibleys' Military commission had started the 7th of September 1862, during this time his troops captured 392 "Indian" prisoners (and one "negro". Of these prisoners, within Henry Hastings Sibleys own words and letters to his wife, he spoke of taking prisoners " some of whom were actually "Friendlies". This term was used to differentiate between those Tribal persons of aggressive Tribes towards the "white settlers" and the more "helpful" and accepting of them. For Henry Sibley during this period of war, he spoke of his anger of the deaths of women and children, and his firm conviction that he would swipe down with sword and troops all of the "Indians" who were involved. Within his letters, he seemed to no longer see a difference within any of the Tribal Nations of the Dakota Tribes, although he had known many of them, and photos of him with some of them were taken over years of his times spent in the midwest. Because of this conviction of "all" of their guilt and the speedy trials that ensued, the end of the trials took place, on November 5 of 1862. 392 prisoners were tried. Of these prisoners 307 were originally sentenced to death (this number for some reason did drop to 303), 16 others were sentenced to prison, all of these sentences were approved by Henry Hastings Sibley. But on the 7th day of November General Pope sent by telegraph the names of all the condemned to President Lincoln. Lincoln called for the records for the all of the convictions.^[6]

4 November 1862 - Return of Burial Detachment

Henry Sibley dispatched troops on expedition to capture fugitives, with orders to scour the countryside. He also sent out "burial detachments". Letters to his wife tell of a counting of the dead settlers from the 1st attack, stating that 193 have been buried. This number may not or must not have been the end of the burials, for in other correspondence of his to his wife and to those in charge, he had spoken of between 6 and 800 killed. This number is more than others of military standing had stated within their own correspondent reports, where numbers were said to have been greatly exaggerated by them, yet their numbers stated some 4 to 500. The death toll for sure, may not have been fully determined.

It was the Tribe of Chief Little Crow of the Dakota whose Tribe was at the forefront of these attacks, with some others of other Dakota Tribes involved as well. Chief Wabashas' Dakota Tribe was considered of the "Friendlies" and were involved in getting prisoners away from the war parties and into the hands of the Troops, although of the "friendlies" some of these Dakota warriors were among those who were convicted to death.

6 December 1862 President Lincoln Decision

President Lincoln chose to distinguish between "rapists", "murderers" and the warriors involved in what would be considered "battles". Because of this decision, the decision came back for the execution of 39 of the Dakota, to take place in December of 1862. One of the sentenced to death received a reprieve of the death sentence. Bringing the total executed at Mankato to 38. Sibley wrote to his wife about this decision, and his discouraged feelings that all 303 would not be executed. He condemned the Dakota in words to his wife, speaking of these people as the horrible savages he believed them to be, and he spoke of how he felt that their children would know the importance of accomplishment their father had obtained and his part in the most tragic event in Indian history.

26 December 1862 - Executions at Mankato

On the 26th of December 1862, 38 Dakota Warriors and Chiefs were hung at Mankato in the largest Mass Execution in US history. This is the tragic event Henry Sibley spoke highly of himself, to his wife in his letters. His military career did not end here.

1863 Spring and Summer Dakota Expedition

Brevet Major General Henry Hastings Sibley

29 November 1865 - Appointment

Major General "by brevet" "for efficient and meritorious services"

• Appointed by President Andrew Johnson

Appointment Senate Confirmed April 1866

• Henry Hastings Sibley "Honorably-Mustered out of Service in the later part of 1866.

Relationship:,.¹ Minnesota's 1st Governor, Henry Hastings Sibley is a 5th great grandson of John "Mayflower" Howland.

Sources

1. ↑ Bio/Birth/parents_The Ancestry, Life and Times of Henry Hastings Sibley, written by-Nathaniel West, D.D., Pioneer Press Pub.Co., St.Paul, Minn.-1889, Copyright 1889 by Henry Hastings Sibley, [1]
2. ↑ The Minnesota Historical Society Collections (Online), Henry Sibley Trading License-30 Sept 1835, image [2]
3. ↑ Book, Inaugural Address, Henry H.Sibley, 1858-1860, Google Downloadable book, free of copyright, [3]
4. ↑ Google Books Downloadable, Copyright expired, in public domain use, Governor Henry H. Sibley - Governors' Message, Image:Sibley-972-1.pdf Governors Message -Senate & House of Reps. to the Senate and House of Representatives [4]
5. ↑ "The Sioux Campaign of 1862, Sibley's Letters to His Wife" published by the Minnesota Historical Society., [5]
6. ↑ See#29 ref of pg.112 -"The Sioux Campaign of 1862, Sibley's Letters to His Wife" published by the Minnesota Historical Society., [6] pg.112

• Find A Grave: Memorial #5968

• Henry Hastings Sibley on Wikipedia