The text below is the Whiting-Ruggles summary of the 1862 trials of Dakota men accused of participating in the U.S. Dakota War of 1862. President Lincoln asked two aides, both lawyers to sift the trial record for men convicted of rape or murder. This list, dated December 5, 1862, was the result. Lincoln subsequently authorized the executions of the men listed. Thirty-six of the men listed here, and two more who were misidentified, were executed at Mankato, Minnesota on December 26, 1862.
Follow the links to the transcript and trial record images for each case to evaluate the information Whiting and Ruggles prepared for Lincoln.
*****
“Message of the President of the United States in answer to a resolution of the Senate of the 5th instant in relation to the Indian barbarities in Minnesota,” 37th Congress, 3rd Session, Executive Doc. 7, Exhibit E, 1862.
SIR: Having, by your directions, examined the records of the convictions of Sioux Indians by the military commission ordered by Brigadier General Sibley, we submit the following list of those who were convicted of rape and murder, viz:
No. 1. O-TA-KLA, alias GODFREY, a negro.—Engaged extensively in the massacres, and, though sentenced to be hung, recommended to have his punishment commuted to imprisonment for ten years, because of valuable testimony and information he furnished the commission.
No. 2. TE-HE-HDO-NE-CHA.—Engaged in the massacres; took a white woman prisoner and ravished her.
Transcript: Trial 2 Te-he-hdo-ne-cha
Page Images: #2 Te-he-hdo-ne-che
No. 4. TAZOO, alias PLAN-DOO-TA.—Convicted of participating in the murder of Mr. Patville, and of ravishing a young girl.
Transcript: Trial 4 Tazoo
Page Images: #4 Tazoo
No. 5. WY-A-TAH-TO-WAH.—Confesses to have participated in the murder of Mr. Francis Patville, and to have been engaged in three battles.
Transcript: Trial 5 Wy-a-tah-to-wah
Page Images: #5 Wy-a-teh-to-wah
No. 6. HIN-HAN-SHOON-KO-YAG-MA-NE.—Convicted of the murder of Alexander Hunter, and of having taken and had Mrs. Hunter a prisoner until she was rescued from him by another Indian.
Transcript: Trial 6 Hin-han-shoon-ko-yag-ma-ne
Page Images: #6 Hin-han-shoon-ko-yag
No. 10. MUZ-ZA-BOM-A-DU.—Convicted of the murder of an old man and two children.
Transcript: Trial 10 Muz-za-bom-a-du
Page Images: #10 Muz-za-bom-a-du
No. 11. WAH-PA-DU-TA.—Confesses that he was engaged in the massacres, and that he shot a white man.
Transcript: Trial 11 Wa-pa-du-ta
Page Images: #11 Wa-pa-du-ta
No. 12. WAH-HE-HUD.—Convicted of participating in the battles, and of murder.
Transcript: Trial 12 Wah-he-hud
Page Images: #12 Wah-ho-hud
No. 14. SUA-MA-NI.—Convicted of the murder of two persons.
Transcript: Trial 14 Sua-ma-ni
Page Images: #14 Sna-ma-ni
No. 15. TA-TE-MI-MA.—Convicted of murder, and of the capture of women and children.
Tatemina received a last-minute reprieve and was not executed on December 26, 1862.
Transcript: Trial 15 Ta-te-mi-na
Page Images: #15 Ta-te-mi-na
No. 19. RDA-IN-YAN-KUA.—Took a prominent part in all the battles, including the attack on New Ulm, leading and urging the Indians forward, and opposing the giving up of the captives when it was proposed by others.
Transcript: Trial 19 Rda-in-yan-kua
Page Images: #19 Rda-in-ya-kna
No. 22. DO-WAN-SA.—Convicted of the murder of a white woman, and of the design to ravish her daughter, who was wounded by him and killed by another Indian before he had carried his design into execution.
Transcript: Trial 22 Do-wan-sa
Page Images: #22 Do-wan-sa
No. 24. HA-PAN.—Confessed that he was in all the battles and at the murder of Mr. Patville, and that he aided in taking a white woman (Miss Williams) prisoner.
Transcript: Trial 24 Ha-pan
Page Images: #24 Ha-pan
No. 35. SHOON-KA-SKA, (White Dog.)—Was the leader of the party that attacked Captain Marsh’s company, and was the man who detained Captain Marsh in conversation until the Indians crossed the river and surrounded the command, and then gave them the signal to fire.
Transcript: Trial 35 Shoon-ka-ska
Page Images: #35 Shoon-ka-ska
No. 67. TOON-KAN-CHAH-TAY-MANE.—Said in the presence of witness that he shot a man in an ox-wagon, and was in several battles.
Transcript: Trial 67 Toon-kan-chan-tay-mani
Page Images: #67 Toon-kan-e-cha-tay-mane
No. 68. E-TAY-HOO-TAY.—Told witness that he killed Divoll and seven white persons across the river; that the second day after crossing the river he killed a man and a woman.
Transcript: Trial 68 E-tay-hoo-tay
Page Imagest: #68 E-tay-hoo-tay
No. 69. OM-DA-CHA.—Took witness, David Faribault, prisoner, who says he shot two persons at his house.
Transcript: Trial 69 Om-da-cha
Page Images: #69 Am-da-cha
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.
Transcript: Trial 70 Hay-pee-don
Page Images: #70 Hay-pee-don
No. 96. MAHPE-O-KE-NA-JI.—Convicted of the murder of Antoine Young, and of participating in the murder of another man, four women, and eleven children.
Transcript: Trial 96 Mahpe-o-ke-na-ji
Page Images: #96 Mah-pe-o-ke-na-ji
No. 115. HENRY MILORD, a half breed.—Convicted of participating in the murder of a white man and woman.—(See cases 138 & 175.)
Transcript: Trial 115 Henry Milord
Page Images: #115 Henry Milord
No. 121. CHASKAY-DON, or CHASKAY-ETAY.—Convicted of shooting and cutting open a woman who was with child.
Transcript: Trial 121 Chaskay-don
Page Images: #121 Chaskay-don
No. 138. BAPTISTE CAMPBELL, a half breed.—Confessed that he was one of the party who murdered a man and woman, and that he shot first.—(See cases 115 and 175.)
Transcript: Trial 138 Baptiste Campbell
Page Images: #138 Baptiste Campbell
No. 155. TAY-TA-KA-GAY.—Convicted of murdering or of participating in the murder of Amos W. Huggins.
Transcript: Trial 155 Tay-ta-ka-gay
Page Images: #155 Tah-tay-ka-gay
No. 170. HA-PINK-PA.—Convicted of the murder of Garvie.
Transcript: Trial 170 Ha-pink-pa
Page Images: #170 Ha-pink-pa
No. 175. HYPOLITE ANGE, a half-breed.—Confesses that he was one of the party that murdered a white man, and that he fired at him.—(See cases 115 and 138.)
Transcript: Trial 175 Hypolite Ange
Page Images: #175 Hypolite Auge
No. 178. NA-PA-SHUE.—Convicted of participating in a massacre, and boasted he had killed nineteen persons.
Transcript: Trial 178 Na-pa-shue
Page Images: # 178 Na-pa-shue
No. 210. WA-KAN-TA-KA.—Convicted of the murder of a white man not named.
Transcript: Trial 210 Wa-kan-tan-ka 1
Page Images: #210 Wa-kan-tan-ka
No. 225. TOON-KAN-KA-YAG-E-NA-JIN.—Convicted of participating in the murder of a white man at the Big Woods.
Transcript: Trial 225 Toon-kan-ka-yag-e-na-jin
Page Images: #225 Toon-kan-kay-yag-e-na-jin
No. 254. MA-KAT-E-NA-JIN.—Convicted of participating in the massacres near New Ulm, and of encouraging the young men to do so.
Transcript: Trial 254 Ma-kat-e-na-jin
Page Images: #254 Ma-kat-e-na-jin
No. 264. PA-ZE-KOO-TAY-MA-NE.—Convicted of participating in the murder of a party of eight white men.
Transcript: Trial 264 Pa-za-koo-te-ma-ni
Page Images: #264 Pa-za-koo-tay-ma-ne
No. 279. TA-TAY-HDE-DON.—Convicted of participating in the massacre at Beaver creek, and of taking captive a white woman.
Transcript: Trial 279 Ta-tay-hde-don
Page Images: #279 Ta-tay-hde-don
No. 318. WA-SHE-CHOON, or TOON-KAN-SHKAN-SHKAN-MENE-HAY.—Convicted of participating in the murder of LaButt’s son.
Transcript: Trail 318 Wa-she-choon
Page Images: #318 Wa-she-choon
No. 327. A-E-CHA-GA.—Convicted of participating in the murder of an old man and two girls.
Transcript: Trial 327 A-e-cha-ga
Page Images: #327 A-e-cha-ga
No. 333. HA-TAN-IN-KOO.—Convicted of participating in the murder of a man at Green lake; admits he struck him with an axe after he had been shot by others of the party.
Transcript: Trial 333 Han-tan-in-koo
Page Images: #333 Han-tan-in-koo
No. 342. CHAY-TON-HOON-KA.—Proved to have been one of a party that committed massacres at Beaver creek.
Transcript: Trial 342 Chay-ton-hoon-ka
Page Images: #342 Chay-ton-hoon-ka
No. 359. CHAN-KA-HADA.—Is proven to have been of the party, and present when Patville was killed, and to have saved Mary Anderson (who had been wounded) from being killed, and to have taken her prisoner.
Transcript: Trial 359 Chan-ka-hada
Page Images: #359 Chan-ka-hda
No. 373. HDA-HIN-HDAY.—Convicted of the murder of Mrs. Adams’s child, and others. Was one of the party that brought Mrs. Adams in.
Transcript: Trial 373 Hda-hin-day
Page Images: #373 Hda-hin-hday
No. 377. O-YA-TAY-A-KOO.—Convicted of participating in the murder of Patville.
Transcript: Trial 377 O-ya-tay-a-koo
Page Images: #377 O-ya-tay-a-koo
No. 382. MA-HOO-WAY-WA.—Convicted of participating in the massacre at “Travellers’ Home,” and of murdering a man on the road near there.
Transcript: Trial 382 Ma-hoo-way-wa
Page Images: #382 May-hoo-way-wa
No. 383. WA-KIN-YAN-NA.—Convicted of participating in the murder, near the “Travellers’ Home,” of an old man, two young girls, and two boys.
Transcript: Trial 383 Wak-in-ya-na
Page Images: #383 Wak-in-ya-na
To facilitate your reference to these particular cases we have withdrawn the papers from the records of the commission and submit them herewith.
With great respect, your obedient servants,
GEORGE C. WHITING.
FRANCIS H. RUGGLES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, December 5, 1862.
A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity: Dispatches from the Dakota War of 1862 
Pingback: 10 Observations on the 1862 Dakota War Trials | A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity: Dispatches from the Dakota War of 1862
Pingback: 10 Observations on the 1862 Trials, Part 2 | A Thrilling Narrative of Indian Captivity: Dispatches from the Dakota War of 1862