Letter From Governor Ramsey to President Lincoln

10/22/2012 3:25:45 PM
State of Minnesota, Executive Department,
St. Paul, October 22, 1862

To His Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
President of the United States,
Dear Sir:
As I have before informed you on the 17th of August last the Sioux commenced a war, which for human barbarity is almost unexampled. I at once took most rigorous measures to protect our defenseless people and punish the savages. Fortunately about 2500 volunteers had assembled at Fort Snelling in response to your call; these with portions of state militia were sent to the frontier as fast as they could be armed and equipped; and shortly after a part of the Third Minnesota came to our aid, making in all about 4000 men. We had but few guns and no ammunition, no transportation or commissary stores.
I bought all the guns and ammunition to be had here and borrowed from neighboring states what they could spare.
Transportation and subsistence I ordered to be impressed, being my only means of procuring it, and two weeks thereafter the forces were in the exposed frontier, many of them much sooner. Meanwhile the Indians struck at distant points. They burned New Ulm, Hutchinson, and many other thriving settlements and invested Fort Ridgley and Abercrombie. They were driven back by our forces, taking with them, however, much plunder and some 300 or 400 captives, women and children. The arrival of General Pope on the 15th of September relieved me from the responsibility of providing for the troops and their further disposition, and I am now happy to inform you that General Sibley, to whom I gave command of the main expedition, has been able to rescue nearly all the captives, and now holds some 1500 men, women, and children of the Indians prisoners, and unless there is a greater combination of hostile savages further west than I think probable, the war is virtually closed. The question now arises, how shall the expense thus incurred be paid? The United States military officers now here very justly say they cannot pay them without special instructions, as they were incurred by state authority. Our young state id feeble and poor. We are without ready means, and have very many refugees and destitute (made so by this war) to provide for. Our people, whose supplies equipped the troops and teams I was forced to impress, took them from their harvest fields (many of which are yet detained in the service), need their pay to prepare for a Northern winter.
In this dilemma I have thought it best to send to you the bearer, Col. Richard Chute, who is the acting quartermaster of this state, to lay this whole matter before you, in order that you may fully understand all that has been done and the position we are placed in as to these accounts. I trust you may give his statements a candid hearing and make such orders in the premises as the exigency demands. In all things I have endeavored to be economical. I suppose $150,000 will pay all expenses prior to General Pope's arrival, and I think it will be judicious and wise if the United States will at once assume the payment of all indebtedness incurred by the state authorities in this emergency, and either direct the several departments to pay the same or furnish us the means and we will settle the accounts and file the vouchers at Washington City.
The state furnished the transportation now used by General Sibley. For the teams so used by the state may possibly be called upon to pay. This is manifestly unjust. Some of them can be returned to their owners and some will have to be paid for.
All stores and supplies that I purchased are either consumed or in the hands of the military officers of the general government. The chief item of expenditure will be for guns, ammunition, transportation, camp equipage, subsistence, pay of our regular volunteers for from thirty to sixty days, and a little clothing. A commission is now in session here, selected by our state legislature, to determine the amount and justice of these claims, and I would suggest that as it is composed of three good men, acting under oath, that their awards be made the basis of payment. I do not know any fairer way to determine the value of the articles taken, or what is justly due.
Very respectfully,
ALEXANDER RAMSEY

Letter taken verbatim from Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars 1861-1865 Volume II Official Reports and Correspondence, St. Paul, Minn. Electrotyped and Printed for the State by the Pioneer Press Company, 1893. This letter was written by Governor Ramsey to President Lincoln on October 22, 1862, exactly 150 years ago this date as the sesquicentennial of the Dakota Conflict continues.
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