Captivity Narratives

During the U.S. Dakota War of 1862, at least 344 named people reported being held captive by the warring faction for periods of time ranging from hours to years. The best known are the 269 captives turned over to white authorities at Camp Release on September 26, 1862.

Captivity Narratives on the Web

Boelter, Justina “Narrative of Justina Boelter” in Buck, Daniel Indian Outbreaks p. 209-217 (1904) contained in a free e-book

Carrigan, Minnie Buce Captured by the Indians (1912) digitized by the Library of Congress

DeCamp, Jeanette E. “Sioux Outbreak of 1862” in Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society IX p. 354-380 (1894) contained in a free e-book

Huggins, Sophia “Mrs. Huggins’s Story” in Heard, Isaac V. D. History of the Sioux War and Massacres of 1862 and 1863 p. 209-228 (1864) contained in a free e-book

Huggins, Sophia Josephine. Story containing a PDF transcription of Sophia Huggins’s story as it appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press February 13, 1863.

Inefeldt [Ihnenfeld], Wilhelmina “The Story of Mrs. Inefeldt” in Carrigan, Minnie Buce Captured by the Indians images 62-65 (1912) digitized by the Library of Congress

McClure, Nancy “Captivity Among the Sioux” in Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society IX p. 438-460 (1894) contained in a free e-book

Schwandt, Mary “Captivity Among the Sioux” in Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society IX p. 461-474 (1894) contained in a free e-book

White, Urania “Captivity Among the Sioux August 18 to September 26, 1862” in Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society IV p. 395-426 (1901) contained in a free e-book