Frohne's Historic Military
Authentic history you can trust!Click on image for a better view:
As they are always tough to find and expensive to buy, I was pleased to be able to pick up this excellent view of Sibley recently.
Minnesota's first governor, Sibley suppressed the famous Sioux uprising of 1862-63.
Whitney's Gallery, Saint Paul, Minnesota b/m. In fine condition with wear as shown.
$750.00 plus shipping
Sibley, Henry H., brigadier-general, was born in Detroit,
Mich. Feb. 20, 1811. He was graduated at Detroit Academy,
took a special course in Greek and Latin and read law, but in
1829 became clerk to the sutler at Sault Ste. Marie. Soon
afterward he took a local agency of John Jacob Astor's fur
company, and, after being in 1832-34 a purchasing agent, he
was given an interest in the company and took charge of its
business in the territory north of Lake Pepin, extending to
the British line and west to the head waters of the
tributaries of the Missouri river. In 1834 he reached the
mouth of the Minnesota river, on a trip for the company, and,
establishing his headquarters at St. Peters (now Mendota),
built the first stone house within the present limits of
Minnesota. Two years afterward he was appointed by Gov.
Chambers of Iowa, a justice of the peace. In 1848 he was
elected a delegate from Wisconsin territory to Congress, and
there secured the passage of a bill for the creation of
Minnesota territory. He was re-elected to Congress for two
terms; in 1857 took part in the constitutional convention and
was elected to the territorial legislature; and on the
admission of Minnesota as a state, in 1858, he was elected its
first governor, as a Democrat. In 1862, at the time of the
Sioux Indian outbreak, he organized and commanded the troops
raised for the protection of the frontier settlers and was
commissioned a brigadier-general. During this campaign he
took about 2,000 Indian prisoners, tried more than 400 of them
by court-martial, and on Dec. 26 executed thirty-eight at one
time, only President Lincoln's direct orders preventing the
execution of many more. Gen. Sibley was brevetted major-
general, Nov. 29, 1865, was relieved of his command in
Minnesota in Aug., 1866, and was detailed as a member of a
commission to negotiate treaties with the Sioux and other
hostiles along the upper Missouri river. In 1871 he served
another term in the legislature, and afterward lived quietly
in St. Paul. He was a regent of the state university,
president of the state normal school board, and a member of
the United States board of Indian commissioners. He died in
St. Paul on Feb. 18, 1891.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 8
