August 17, 1862

August 17, 1862: Massacre in Minnesota. In southwest Minnesota, the Dakota (Sioux) nation lives in peace on the south bank of the Minnesota River with white settlers, who live on the north bank. For several weeks now, the Dakota (whose treaty stipulates that they will be given provisions from the Indian Bureau) have been going hungry and consequently asking for adequate rations. In July, the people had raided a government warehouse and taken flour from it. The 5^th Minnesota had been called in, but the Regiment’s commander insisted on giving the Dakota the food, over the protests of Galbraith, the Indian Agent. On this date, in Action, Minnesota, four young braves, frustrated at the lack of food, engage in a shooting match with Robinson Jones, owner of a public house and well-known to all of the Dakota. Jones is a fine marksman, and bests the four braves. After re-loading, for unknown reasons, the four braves shoot Jones and his wife to death, and shoot and kill a Mr. Webster and a Mr. Baker as well.


—Gen. William "Bull" Nelson is ordered by Gen. Buell to go to Kentucky to train and organize the new troops being sent there into a defense force in anticipation of Bragg’s invasion. Nelson is being given a few veteran troops to fill out the defensive force.


—Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart prepares his brigades for a big raid behind Union lines to cut their supply route over the Rappahannock.

—Surgeon Alfred L. Castleman writes in his journal about the differences between North and South in attitudes toward commerce:
To-night we lie at the mouth of the Chickahominy, under protection of our gun boats. What a commercial world this State of Virginia should be. Its navigable waters are nearly equal to that of all the Free States combined; yet there are single cities in the North which have a larger commerce than the whole of the Slave States. Why is this? Has the peculiar institution any thing to do with it? If so, God, nature— everything speaks aloud against it as a curse. The ground which we now occupy is one of the most beautiful, as well as one of the most desirable sites for a city in America, high and dry, with an easy ascent from the water, presenting three fronts to the navigable rivers, with fine water views in all directions, as extensive as the range of vision, with business amounting to one house and a few cords of dry pine wood, which seems to be the article of export from this part of the State.

—As Gen. James Blunt and his army approach Lone Jack, Missouri, there is more fighting there as the Rebels attack the Federal skirmishers vigorously while the main Rebel force retreats southward.


—Capt. William L. Bolton, of the 51^st Pennsylvania Infantry, records in his journal his own view of the wrangling and maneuvering between Pope and Lee in central Virginia:
Company A resting all day, other companies on picekt duty and repairing the roads. Another foraging party sent out to-day to the same place for corn and coming in sight of the corn-crib discovered the enemy loading from the same crib. The came back at a double-quick. We can plainly see Stonewall Jackson do-day pitching his tents on a high hill on Slaughter Mountain. Can see them signal with flags from Cedar Mountain in day light, and with lights at night.