During the U.S - Dakota War, Governor Alexander Ramsey and President Abraham Lincoln had different opinions regarding the situation with the Dakota. Ramsey, governor of the State of Minnesota, insisted that the war in Minnesota was a national conflict. Towards the end of the war, Ramsey tried pushing President Lincoln into authorizing the mass execution of three-hundred Dakota men, believing that it would be the only way to finish the war. However, Lincoln was skeptical. Bishop Henry H. Whipple, an advocate for the Indians, met with Lincoln to explain the extent of the abuse that the Dakotas were suffering in Minnesota. Keeping both sides in mind, Lincoln decided to review the cases of the three-hundred Dakotas who Ramsey sentenced to death. After reviewing them all, Lincoln reduced the number of executions to 38 Dakota men. The following quotes reflect the different stances regarding the final execution from both Ramsey and Lincoln.
Alexander Ramsey |
President Lincoln |
Primary Sources:
[1] Alexander Ramsey's Diary
Alexander Ramsey write in his diary on November 23, 1864, recounting a conversation he had with President Lincoln regarding how the Dakota warrior execution may had affected Lincoln's votes in Minnesota.
[2] Telegram from Alexander Ramsey to President Lincoln concerning the Dakota War.
Governor Ramsey telegrams Lincoln asking for five-hundred horses. Ramsey remarks the Dakota War is a national war and mentions the amount of white settlers that have been killed.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mal:@field(DOCID+@lit(d1825700))
[3] Telegram from Alexander Ramsey to President Lincoln concerning the execution of the Dakota warriors
Governor Ramsey telegrams President Lincoln and says the only way to finish the war is with the execution.
https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mal:@field(DOCID+@lit(d1980500))
[4] Alexander Ramsey's Diary
Alexander Ramsey write in his diary on November 23, 1864, recounting a conversation he had with President Lincoln regarding how the Dakota warrior execution may had affected Lincoln's votes in Minnesota.
[5] Second Annual Message to the Congress - President Lincoln
President Linconl adresses the Congress in his Second Annual Message. In his message he recounts the events that ocurred in Minnesota during the months of August.
[6] Recollentions of Henry S. Whipple
In his book of recollection, Lights and Shadows of A Long Episcopate, Bishop Henry H. Whipple, recollects a conversation President Lincoln had with a friend about him. During the conversation, Lincoln mentions he met Whipple and they talked about the Indian situation in Minnesota.
https://archive.org/stream/lightsshadowsofl00whip#page/136/mode/2up
Alexander Ramsey write in his diary on November 23, 1864, recounting a conversation he had with President Lincoln regarding how the Dakota warrior execution may had affected Lincoln's votes in Minnesota.
[2] Telegram from Alexander Ramsey to President Lincoln concerning the Dakota War.
Governor Ramsey telegrams Lincoln asking for five-hundred horses. Ramsey remarks the Dakota War is a national war and mentions the amount of white settlers that have been killed.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mal:@field(DOCID+@lit(d1825700))
[3] Telegram from Alexander Ramsey to President Lincoln concerning the execution of the Dakota warriors
Governor Ramsey telegrams President Lincoln and says the only way to finish the war is with the execution.
https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mal:@field(DOCID+@lit(d1980500))
[4] Alexander Ramsey's Diary
Alexander Ramsey write in his diary on November 23, 1864, recounting a conversation he had with President Lincoln regarding how the Dakota warrior execution may had affected Lincoln's votes in Minnesota.
[5] Second Annual Message to the Congress - President Lincoln
President Linconl adresses the Congress in his Second Annual Message. In his message he recounts the events that ocurred in Minnesota during the months of August.
[6] Recollentions of Henry S. Whipple
In his book of recollection, Lights and Shadows of A Long Episcopate, Bishop Henry H. Whipple, recollects a conversation President Lincoln had with a friend about him. During the conversation, Lincoln mentions he met Whipple and they talked about the Indian situation in Minnesota.
https://archive.org/stream/lightsshadowsofl00whip#page/136/mode/2up
Sources:
[1] David A. Nichols, Lincoln and the Indians: Civil War Policy and Politcs (Misuri: University of Missouri, 1978), 118.
[2] "Abraham Lincoln and Minnesota," Abraham Lincoln's Classroom,
http://www.abrahamlincolnsclassroom.org/abraham-lincoln-state-by-state/abraham-lincoln-and-minnesota/
[3] "Abraham Lincoln and Minnesota."
[4] Nichols, Lincoln and the Indians: Civil War Policy and Politcs, 118.
[5] "Abraham Lincoln and Minnesota."
[6] David A. Nichols, Lincoln and the Indians: Civil War Policy and Politcs (Misuri: University of Missouri, 1978), 141.
Images:
Ramsey's Image:
[7] "Civil War Photograph Album, ca. 1861-65," American Memory Library of Congress
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/mcccartes:@field(DOCID+@lit(mcccartes/017045f)
Lincoln's Image:
[8] "List of Photographs of Abraham Lincoln," Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Last modified October 14, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_photographs_of_Abraham_Lincoln
[2] "Abraham Lincoln and Minnesota," Abraham Lincoln's Classroom,
http://www.abrahamlincolnsclassroom.org/abraham-lincoln-state-by-state/abraham-lincoln-and-minnesota/
[3] "Abraham Lincoln and Minnesota."
[4] Nichols, Lincoln and the Indians: Civil War Policy and Politcs, 118.
[5] "Abraham Lincoln and Minnesota."
[6] David A. Nichols, Lincoln and the Indians: Civil War Policy and Politcs (Misuri: University of Missouri, 1978), 141.
Images:
Ramsey's Image:
[7] "Civil War Photograph Album, ca. 1861-65," American Memory Library of Congress
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/mcccartes:@field(DOCID+@lit(mcccartes/017045f)
Lincoln's Image:
[8] "List of Photographs of Abraham Lincoln," Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, Last modified October 14, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_photographs_of_Abraham_Lincoln