Around July, 1856, settlers began moving into the Spirit Lake area. This area had been controlled by the Sioux and was old, sacred hunting ground. The local Native Americans and the white settlers in this area tended to get along fairly well, this was until the spring of 1857. In the early spring of 1857, a Sioux leader named Inkpaduta and his band of Native Americans came to the Spirit Lake area, their old land. Due to the harsh winter, the Native Americans were hungry and very cold. Inkpaduta and his band also furiously hated the white settlers. This was due to a white settler killing Sidominadota, Inkpaduta's Chief and blood brother. On March 7, 1857, Inpaduta and his band of Native Americans attacked the white settlers in the Spirit Lake area. They clubbed, shot, and scalped many of the settlers. The ones that they didn't kill, they took prisoner. There were four prisoners total: Mrs. Thatcher (killed by being thrown into a lake, beaten, shot, and drowned), Mrs. Marble (Sold to another tribe), Mrs. Noble (killed for not obeying orders), and Abbie Gardner (age 14, sold to another tribe, but lived to tell her experiences). After the massacre, the Inkpaduta's band ransacked and looted the settler's cabins, as well as butchering the livestock for food. In total, around 32 to 42 men, women, and children died during this fatal attack. (The death toll is debated heavily). (iagenweb.org) The Native Americans who were involved in this massacre then fled the Spirit Lake area. Other Iowan settlers heard of this attack and sent a small band of armed men to attack these Native Americans, but it was too late. Inkpaduta's band was already gone. The group of armed settlers, battling the cold and snow, decided to go to the cabins in the Spirit Lake area and bury the dead. These men then headed back home only losing two men who froze to death on the way back. (historynet.com) For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions.
