Fool Soldiers Rescue Lake Shetek Captives in 1862
N 45° 32.309 W 100° 26.037
14T E 388046 N 5043771
Fool Soldiers, a band of Native Americans dedicated to peace, thus the name, rescue white capitives of the Eastern Dakota Sioux near Mobridge, SD
Waymark Code: WMFYJ
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 06/29/2006
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Lake Shetek and the Dakota Conflict
On August 18, 1862 the first organized attacks by the Eastern Dakota Sioux, at the Upper and Lower Sioux
Agencies on the Minnesota River, erupted into what would come to be known as the Dakota Sioux Conflict.
Two days later, on August 20, the conflict spread to Murray County on the banks of Lake Shetek. When it was over, fourteen members of the small Shetek settlement were dead and twelve taken captive. Few Indians were killed in the conflict. The conflict began at the Lower Sioux Agency and Fort Ridgley. It was sparked by an incident at Acton, Minnesota, and spread over much of Southern Minnesota.
On August 20, 1862, the Dakota Sioux Conflict reached Lake Shetek in Minnesota. Chief Lean Grizzly Bear and Chief White Lodge brought their Southern Sisseton Dakota forces against nine families living near Lake Shetek.
The Dakota Sioux had many grievances against the white government, agents, and traders that spilled over into a general war against the whites. They had been forced onto reservations and pressured to become farmers. The traders had cheated them and refused credit to them. While awaiting the 1862 government payment, which was already two months late, many were starving. They had been inhumanely treated by some whites. Unfortunately, the Dakota wrath was taken out on many white men, women, and children who just happened to be living in their path.
One woman and a child taken captive escaped and later made their way to Camp Release. Two other women and six children were captives for nearly three months. These captives were rescued near Mobridge, South Dakota, by a group of young
Teton Lakota men known as
Fool Soldiers for their dedication to peace. At risk to their lives and using goods as ransom, the Fool Soldiers bartered the release of the captives who were later returned to their families.
Excerpt from
The Sioux Uprising of 1862 By Kenneth Carley
Photo below on the left is the actual Monument, and on the right is a Map of the local region around Mobridge, SD found near the monument.
