For an overview of this series publishing the trial records of the 38 Dakota men executed at Mankato Minnesota on December 26, 1862, see the first post.

Haypeedan’s (Wamne omne hota’s) is the seventeenth of forty-one trials in this series. 

Transcript: Trial 70 Hay-pee-don

Page Images: #70 Hay-pee-don

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Whiting-Ruggles Summary December 5, 1862

No. 70. HAY-PEE-DON, or WAMNE-OMNE-HO-TA.—Cut Mrs. Thieler with a hatchet after she had been shot by another Indian, and fired many shots at the fort.[1]

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Trial Record October 1862

[Trial #70 – Ha-pe-don or Wamne-omne-hota]

Proceedings of a Military Commission convened at Camp Release opposite the Mouth of Chippewa River by virtue of the following order

Order No. 55                           viz:

Head Quarters CampRelease

September 28^th 1862

A Military Commission composed of Colonel Wm Crooks of the 6^th Reg., Lieut. Col. Marshall of the 7^th Regiment, Captains Grant & Bailey of the 6^th Reg. And Lieut. Olin of the 3^rd Reg. Will convene at some convenient point in camp at 10 o’clock this morning to try summarily the Mulatto, and Indians, or mixed bloods, now prisoners, or who may be brought before them, by direction of the Col. Commanding and pass judgment upon them, if found guilty of murder or other outrages upon the Whites, during the present State of hostilities of the Indians, the proceedings of the Commission to be returned to these Head Quarters immediately after their conclusion, for the consideration of the Col. Commanding.

The Commission will be governed in their proceedings, by Military Law and usage.

                                                                        (By order of Gen.l H.H. Sibley

S.W. Fowler Lieut Col. A.A.A. Gl

Head Qtrs. Camp Release Min. Oct. 15 1862

Order No. 65

I. The Military Commission of which Col. Wm Crooks 6^th Regt Minn Vols is President will reconvene tomorrow at 10 Oclock AM or as soon thereafter as practicable and proceed with the business before it.

II.Lieut. Col. Wm R Marshall 7^th Minn Vols being absent on duty Maj. Gen Bradley of the seventh is hereby detailed to fill the vacancy thus occasioned.

By order of Gen.l H.H. Sibley

S.W. Fowler Lieut Col. A.A.A. Gl

Camp Release opposite the mouth of the Chippewa River

October 18 1862

The Military Commission met pursuant to the above order-

Present

Col. Crooks – 6^th Reg. M. V.

Maj. Bradley, 7^th Regt. M.V.     Members

Capt. Grant, 6^th Regt. M.V.

Capt. Bailey, 6^th Regt. M. V.

Lt. Olin – 3^rd Regt. M. V., Judge Advocate

Adjutant Heard – McPhail’s Mounted Rangers – Recorder

The Military Commission was then duly sworn and Hay-pee-dan a Sioux Indian was arraigned in the following charge and specifications, viz

Charge and specification against Hay-pee-don or Wamne-omne-hota a Sioux Indian

Charge –Participation in the murders, outrages & robberies committed by the Sioux Indians on the Minnesota frontier

Specification –In that Hay-pee-don or Wamne-omne-hota a Sioux Indian did join with and participate in the murders robberies and outrages committed by the Sioux Tribe of Indians on the Minnesota frontier between the 18^th day of August 1862 and the 28^th day of September 1862 and particularly in the Battles at the Fort and New Ulm.

By order of Gen.l H.H. Sibley

S.W. Fowler Lieut Col.

A.A.A. Gl

Witnesses

Thos Robertson

David Faribault

The prisoner states –

I was at the Fort.  I fired a good many shots between the buildings.

Lewis Thieler, sworn, says – A man with a cut nose shot my wife, and this man cut her twice with a hatchet.

And there upon the case being closed the Commission was cleared and proceeded with their finding and sentence

The Military Commission after due deliberation on the foregoing, the evidence being closed and Commission was cleared and proceeded with the finding and sentence.

The Military Commission find the prisoner, the said Wa-ta-to-kay-cha Hay-pee-don or Wamne-omne-hota, a Sioux Indian, as follows –

Guilty of the specification

Guilty of the charge,

And sentence him to be hung by the neck until he is dead.

IVD Heard recorder

                                    [signatures of Mil. Com.][2]

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Riggs Synopsis December 1862

17. Hay-pe-dan (third child if a son) says he was not at the stores until it was all over there. He was with Wabasha, and with him, opposed the outbreak. He was afterwards driven into it by being called a coward. He went across the Minnesota river and took two horses, and afterward captured a woman and two children. He tried to keep a white man from being killed but could not. He was at the ferry when Marsh’s men were killed, but had only a bow and arrows there. He was in three battles and shot six times, but does not know that he killed anyone.[3]

Williamson Translation of Wamniomni hota’s last words to his sister

“Gray Whirlwind to his sister, the wife of Big Eagle” [ Haypeedan or Wamne omne hota] December 25, 1862

My younger sister you are very dear to me, but you will see me no more. My younger sister do not grieve because I must die, I think I shall be happy, because I trust in the son of the Great God, therefore do not grieve on my account.

Wamniomni hota [4]

Transcriptions by Walt Bachman and Carrie Reber Zeman. Page images provided by John Isch.