Near Delhi in Renville County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Taoyateduta Leads His People in War
Photographed By Connor Olson, April 5, 2019
1. Taoyateduta Leads His People in War Marker
Inscription.
Taoyateduta Leads His People in War. . On August 17, 1862, Dakota leaders held a series of councils to discuss going to war. Earlier that day an incident in Acton Township had brought conditions to a crisis when young Dakota hunters killed five immigrants. The council began at the Rice Creek village of Hoc' okatduta (Red Middle Voice), then moved to the village of S'akpedan (Little Six), where the Dakota leaders sent word to others , Wabas'a (Red Staff), Wakute (I Shoot), Waŋmdi taŋka (Big Eagle), Maka to (Blue Earth) and Wasuhiyahidaŋ (Traveling Hail) , to meet at the house of Taoyateduta (Little Crow). Throughout the night, they debated what to do.
Some at the council thought they should turn in the young hunters. Others argued that the time was right to force the immigrant settlers out of the Dakota homeland; they had endured too many hardships, and the Dakota were not willing to sacrifice any more. But most agreed that their people faced grave risks in going to war; they would need a strong hand to lead them. Finally at daybreak, after long hours of debate, the council reached a decision. They would go to war, and they chose Taoyateduta to lead them.
One of the Dakota leaders who had expressed grave doubts about going to war was Wasuhiyahida? (Traveling Hail), chief speaker for the tribe:
We should not talk about war with the whites. Dakota are brave and proud, but [we] are not fools.... We have no cannons and little ammunition. There are few Dakotas and many Americans. The Americans are as many as the leaves on the trees in the Big Woods. Count your fingers all day long and white men with guns will come faster than you can count.
Taoyateduta (Little Crow) also said it was a war they could not win:
We are only little herds of buffalo left scattered; the great herds that once covered the prairies are no more. See-the white men are like locusts when they fly so thick that the whole sky is a snowstorm. You kill one, two, ten- Yes, as many as the leaves in the forest, and their brothers will not miss them. Kill one, two, ten, and ten times as many will come to kill you.
But Taoyateduta had a duty to help his people. Despite his reservations, they had chosen him to lead. He accepted the role, telling them:
Taoyateduta is not a coward. He will die with you.
As daylight broke on August 18, a group of Dakota crept toward the Redwood Agency, its inhabitants unaware of imminent attack. The war was about to begin.
Little Crow's words were written down by H. L. Gordon in 1891. Gordon claimed to have heard them directly from Little Crow's son, Wowinapa.
Struggles for a Home , The Minnesota River Valley has stories to tell...about the indigenous people struggling to keep their land and their way of life, and about immigrant families who began new lives here. Their stories came together, with tragic consequences for all, in what has become known as the U.S.–Dakota War of 1862 , a war that had repercussions for the whole country.
Captions: , Wabasa (Red Staff) , Wanmdi tan ka Wakute (I Shoot, or The Shooter) , Wanmadi Tan ka (Big Eagle) , Maka to (Blue Earth) , Wasuhiyahidan (Traveling Hail) , Tacyateduta (Little Crow)
On August 17, 1862, Dakota leaders held a series of councils to discuss going to war. Earlier that day an incident in Acton Township had brought conditions to a crisis when young Dakota hunters killed five immigrants. The council began at the Rice Creek village of Hoc' okatduta (Red Middle Voice), then moved to the village of S'akpedan (Little Six), where the Dakota leaders sent word to others — Wabas'a (Red Staff), Wakute (I Shoot), Waŋmdi taŋka (Big Eagle), Maka to (Blue Earth) and Wasuhiyahidaŋ (Traveling Hail) — to meet at the house of Taoyateduta (Little
Crow). Throughout the night, they debated what to do.
Some at the council thought they should turn in the young hunters. Others argued that the time was right to force the immigrant settlers out of the Dakota homeland; they had endured too many hardships, and the Dakota were not willing to sacrifice any more. But most agreed that their people faced grave risks in going to war; they would need a strong hand to lead them. Finally at daybreak, after long hours of debate, the council reached a decision. They would go to war, and they chose Taoyateduta to lead them.
One of the Dakota leaders who had expressed grave doubts about going to war was Wasuhiyahida? (Traveling Hail), chief speaker for the tribe:
We should not
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talk about war with the whites. Dakota are brave and proud, but [we] are not fools.... We have no cannons and little ammunition. There are few Dakotas and many Americans. The Americans are as many as the leaves on the trees in the Big Woods. Count your fingers all day long and white men with guns will come faster than you can count.
Taoyateduta (Little Crow) also said it was a war they could not win:
We are only little herds of buffalo left scattered; the great herds that once covered the prairies are no more. See-the white men are like locusts when they fly so thick that the whole sky is a snowstorm. You kill one, two, ten- Yes, as many as the leaves in the forest, and their brothers will not miss them. Kill one, two, ten, and ten times as many will come to kill you.
But Taoyateduta had a duty to help his people. Despite his reservations, they had chosen him to lead. He accepted the role, telling them:
Taoyateduta is not a coward. He will die with you.
As daylight broke on August 18, a group of Dakota crept toward the Redwood Agency, its inhabitants unaware of imminent attack. The war was about to begin.
Little Crow's words were written down by H. L. Gordon in 1891. Gordon
claimed to have heard them directly from Little Crow's son, Wowinapa.
Photographed By Connor Olson, April 5, 2021
2. Taoyateduta Leads His People in War Marker
Struggles for a Home
The Minnesota River Valley has stories to tell...about the indigenous people struggling to keep their land and their way of life, and about immigrant families who began new lives here. Their stories came together, with tragic consequences for all, in what has become known as the U.S.–Dakota War of 1862 — a war that had repercussions for the whole country.
Captions:
Wabasa
(Red Staff)
Wanmdi tan ka
Wakute (I Shoot, or The Shooter)
Wanmadi Tan ka (Big Eagle)
Maka to (Blue Earth)
Wasuhiyahidan
(Traveling Hail)
Tacyateduta (Little Crow)
Erected by Arts and Heritage Cultural Fund, Minnesota Historical Society.
Location. 44° 39.392′ N, 95° 13.709′ W. Marker is near Delhi, Minnesota, in Renville County. Memorial can be reached from County Road 6, 0.3 miles south of County Road 15. Located in Vickburg County Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 73715 CR-6, Redwood Falls MN 56283, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The U.S.–Dakota War of 1862 (here, next to this marker); Vicksburg Village
Credits. This page was last revised on April 7, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 5, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 298 times since then and 49 times this year. Last updated on April 7, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. Photos:1, 2. submitted on April 5, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
