What Was The Minnesota Massacre?

On Sunday, August 17, 1862 four Sioux braves were walking back to their reservation after a hunting trip when they spotted some hen's eggs in a nest near the cottage of settler Robinson James. When one of the braves picked up the eggs, another told him to put them down because they belonged to a white man. Angered, the first man smashed them down, accusing the other of cowardice. To prove he wasn't afraid of whites, this brave vowed to kill one. Within the hour, Jones, his wife, daughter and two neighbours had been shot dead and the braves were high tailing for the reservation on stolen horses.

After they told what they had down, an all night council was held. It was decided that there was no going back now and an attack was ordered fopr the following morning on the government agency near Redwood falls. With surprise on their side, the Indians met little resistance. More than 450 settlers were killed before the warriors were defeated by a hastily assembled force of raw recruits led by Colonel Henry B. Sibley.