Attack at the Lower Sioux Agency 1862

About the battle

The Attack at the Lower Sioux Agency was the first organized attack led by Dakota leader Little Crow in Minnesota on August 18, 1862, and is considered the initial engagement of the Dakota War of 1862. It resulted in 13 settler deaths, and seven more killed while fleeing the agency for Fort Ridgely.

Tensions had run high in the weeks leading up to the attack. Many eastern Dakota were angered by the refusal of traders to extend credit during a summer of starvation and hardship, and the failure of the United States Indian agents to deliver annuity payments as required by treaty. The initial attack on the Lower Sioux Agency by a faction of the eastern Dakota focused on the four trading stores, which they proceeded to raid for flour, pork, clothing, whiskey, guns, and ammunition.

The attack at the Lower Agency was followed by the Battle of Redwood Ferry. Violence soon spread to isolated farms and settlements in Brown and Renville Counties, with an estimated 200 settlers killed and another 200 captured. Some settlers' lives were saved after they were warned by the Dakota to flee.

Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Attack at the Lower Sioux Agency (revision 1370429367), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section; formatting and citations removed. No text added.

Nearby battles

• Battle of Redwood Ferry 1862 · 0 km
• Battle of Birch Coulee 1862 · 6 km
• Battle of Fort Ridgely 1862 · 20 km
• Battle of Wood Lake 1862 · 42 km
• Battles of New Ulm 1862 · 46 km
• Attack on Hutchinson · 61 km

Other battles of the Dakota War of 1862

• Battle of Acton 1862
• Battle of Birch Coulee 1862
• Battle of Fort Ridgely 1862
• Battle of Redwood Ferry 1862
• Battle of Wood Lake 1862
• Battles of New Ulm 1862

All 7 battles of the Dakota War of 1862 →

Browse more: battles in United States · North America · 19th century battles

Further reading

• Wikipedia: Attack at the Lower Sioux Agency
• Wikidata Q3438920