ended
the siege of Fort Abercrombie.

CAMP RELEASE.

Colonel Sibley's command made Camp Release on the 26th of September.
This camp was in the near vicinity of a large Indian camp of about 150
lodges. These Indians were composed of Upper and Lower Sioux, and had
generally been engaged in all the massacres that had taken place since
the outbreak. They had with them some 250 prisoners, composed of women
and children, whites and half-breeds. Only one white man was found in
the camp, George Spencer, who had been desperately wounded at the Lower
Agency, and saved from death by an Indian friend of his.

The desire of the troops to attack and punish these savages was intense,
but Colonel Sibley kept steadily in mind that the rescue of the
prisoners was his first duty, and he well knew that any demonstration of
violence would immediately result in the destruction of the captives. He
therefore wisely overruled all hostile inclinations. The result was a
general surrender of the whole camp, together with all the prisoners.
As soon as the safety of the captives was assured, inquiry was
instituted as to the participation of these Indians in the massacres and
outrages which had been so recently perpetrated. Many cases were soon
developed of particular Indians, who had been guilty of the grossest
atrocities, and the commander decided to form a military tribunal to try
the offenders.

TRIAL OF THE INDIANS.

The state has reason to congratulate itself on two things in this
connection. First, that it had so wise and just a man as Colonel Sibley
to select this important tribunal, and, second, that he had at his
command such admirable material from which to make his selection. It
must be remembered that this court entered upon its duties with the
lives of hundreds of men at its absolute disposal. Whether they were
Indians or any other kind of people, the fact must not be overlooked
that they were human beings, and the responsibility of the tribunal was
correspondingly great. Colonel Sibley at this date sent me a dispatch,
declaring his intention in the matter of the result of the trials. It is
as follows:

"CAMP RELEASE, NINE MILES BELOW LAC QUI PARLE,
Sept. 25, 1862.

"Colonel: [After speaking of a variety of matters concerning the
disposition of troops who were in my command, the battle of Wood
Lake (which he characterized as "A smart conflict we had with
the Indians"), the rescue of the