On August 17, 1862, four young warriors hungry and resentful over broken treaties, unkempt promises, and mistreatment had murdered five white settlers near Acton in central Minnesota. This isolated and random event swept like wildfire ravaging the prairie. From the agency reservations to Fort Ridgely to towns and settlers cabins, the rampage spread from the Minnesota River Valley and spilled onto the prairies north and south of the river. Hundreds of whites were killed. Much of western and southern Minnesota was depopulated. The question became, how many had been killed, how many leftnever to return, and what would be done in retribution?

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