Slaughter Slough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Shetek Massacre
Part of Dakota War of 1862
The memorial cairn at Slaughter Slough
Location	Lake Shetek Settlement & Slaughter Slough, Minnesota, United States
Coordinates	44°5′33.28″N 95°37′21.97″W / 44.0925778°N 95.6227694°W / 44.0925778; -95.6227694
Date	August 20, 1862
Attack type	Indian massacre
Deaths	15
Assailants	Sisseton Dakota
Number of participants	40

Slaughter Slough is a wetland area in southwestern Minnesota, United States. It got its name because it was the site of the Lake Shetek Massacre. This event happened during the Dakota War of 1862. The slough is located in Murray County, east of Lake Shetek.

On August 20, 1862, about 40 Dakota men attacked the European-American families living nearby. They killed 15 people and took 12 women and children as captives. However, 21 settlers managed to escape or survive the attack. They made difficult journeys across the prairie to find safety. Later, a group of peaceful Dakota people helped by paying for the freedom of eight surviving captives. These captives were then reunited with their families.

Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the site. It is called the Slaughter Slough Waterfowl Production Area. This area is part of the Windom Wetland Management District. You can find signs that explain the history, a short walking trail, and a memorial there.

Life at the Lake Shetek Settlement

In August 1862, about 50 European-American settlers lived along the east shore of Lake Shetek. These families were quite far from other towns. They were about 40 miles (64 km) from the nearest settlement. It was even farther to bigger towns like New Ulm (over 60 miles or 97 km) or Sioux Falls (70 miles or 113 km).

The first settlers arrived in 1855. By 1862, at least nine families had built cabins. These homes were spread out along 5 miles (8 km) of the lakeshore. Some of the families included the Meyers, Hurds, Kochs, Irelands, Eastlicks, Duleys, Smiths, Wrights, and Everetts. A few single men also lived there.

The settlers often met and traded with the local Dakota people. Some settlers even learned to speak the Dakota language fairly well.

The Dakota People's Struggles

The number of European-American settlers was growing. This made it harder for the eastern Dakota people to live their traditional way of life. The U.S. government moved them to reservations. They also broke treaties and were late with payments. Sometimes, the payments from Indian agents were unfair. All these problems caused more hunger and hardship for the Dakota.

Feeling pushed to their limit, a group of Dakota leaders decided to go to war. This decision was made on August 17, 1862.

The news of war reached White Lodge and Lean Grizzly Bear. They were chiefs of two Dakota groups living northwest of Lake Shetek. Their villages were Sisseton Dakota. This sub-tribe lived beyond the frontier and had not signed any treaties with the United States. About 40 warriors, along with some women, set out. They wanted to fight against the white settlers moving onto their land. A third Sisseton group, led by Old Pawn, was camped near the Wrights' cabin. This cabin was at the south end of the Lake Shetek settlement.

The Attack Begins

On the morning of Wednesday, August 20, 1862, the Dakota entered the settlement from the north. At the first cabin, they walked through the cornfield and damaged a fence. The Meyers family was confused but not hurt.

At the next cabin, the Hurds' home, things became more serious. Phineas Hurd and another settler were late returning from scouting land. Mrs. Alomina Hurd saw that one of the Dakota men was riding her husband's horse. Some men followed her into the cabin. This woke one of the Hurds' two children. John Voigt, who Mr. Hurd had hired, carried the crying toddler outside. Suddenly, one of the Dakota shot Voigt dead. The child was not harmed. Many more Dakota men then appeared and took things from the cabin.

Mrs. Hurd was told that she and her children would be safe if she did not warn other settlers. Some Dakota men walked the Hurds 3 miles (5 km) from their home. They pointed them toward New Ulm, but did not give them more food or clothing.

Next, the Dakota arrived at the cabin of Andreas and Mariah Koch. They were immigrants from Germany and had no children. Andreas was asked to get water from the well. Then, he was shot from behind. Mariah came out of the cabin and was told to run. She ran toward a neighbor's home without being stopped.

John Voigt and Andreas Koch were the only people killed inside the settlement. Voigt had recently made some Dakota angry. Koch had trouble with them because of his poor English. On the other hand, Andrew Meyers and Alomina Hurd had been friendly with the Dakota. They also spoke their language. Mrs. Hurd believed this helped save her and her children. At the start of the attack, the victims may have been chosen because of specific disagreements.

Settlers Seek Safety

Two visitors to the Hurd cabin helped spread the warning. Charlie Hatch was living with his sister Almira Everett and her family. They were at the south end of the settlement. Charlie went to borrow the Hurds' oxen. Instead, he found John Voigt's body and the empty cabin. Running back to tell others, he saw the group of Dakota near the Koch home.

Meanwhile, the Meyers cabin at the north end had not been attacked yet. Mrs. Meyers was very sick with pneumonia. So, 10-year-old Arthur had been sent to the Hurds for bread. When he returned with news of the violence, Mr. Meyers went to warn the Kochs. Instead, he found Andreas dead and heard the Dakota men nearby. He rushed back and quickly got his family of six into their wagon to escape.

Hatch rode through the settlement, warning everyone else. Mr. Rhodes, who was staying with the Eastlicks, lent him a horse. The settlers decided to meet at the Wright house. It was a two-story building on higher ground, making it easier to defend.

As the settlers gathered at the Wright home, they met Old Pawn and his group. They were camped nearby and known to the white settlers. Old Pawn offered to fight on their side. The 34 settlers and 8 Dakota crowded into the Wright home. They prepared their few defenses. The white settlers argued about what to do. They also debated whether they should trust Old Pawn's Dakota men.

When the hostile Dakota came into view, the men fired their guns. Old Pawn offered to talk with them. He returned with a deal: if the white settlers left the settlement and their belongings, they would be spared. The settlers discussed it and then voted. They accepted the offer. The group started walking and riding in a wagon toward New Ulm.

Finding Cover in the Slough

After the settlers had traveled a mile or two, the Dakota men appeared behind them. They were chasing them quickly. Old Pawn was among them. Henry Smith and Mr. Rhodes became scared and ran away. William Duley shouted at them to stay or at least leave their guns. Rhodes was a single man staying with the Eastlicks. Smith left his own wife behind.

Duley suggested that the group hide in a nearby slough. This area was filled with reeds and mostly dry in late summer. On the way, the two groups exchanged gunfire. Several settlers were wounded.

After this, the Dakota men began killing the settlers. Fifteen settlers were killed, including three of Duley's children. Duley's wife and seven others were taken captive.

After the Attack

The captive settlers were freed four months later. Other white settlers found a group of Dakota with the captives. They traded supplies to get them released. Abraham Lincoln approved the punishment for the Dakota involved in the attack and kidnappings. William Duley was the one who carried out the hanging of thirty-eight Dakota on December 26.

Images for kids

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  The memorial cairn at Slaughter Slough