I'll Send The First Union Troops

Alexander Ramsey became the second Governor of Minnesota January 2^nd 1860.

Alexander Ramsey was born September 8^th 1815 near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  His family was of Scottish and German heritage.  He attended Lafayette College; becoming a lawyer he had a practice in Harrisburg.  He served the state of Pennsylvania in the United States House of Representatives from 1843 to 1847.  Ramsey then became the first Territorial Governor of Minnesota from 1849 to 1853.  He became the mayor of St Paul, Minnesota in 1855.

On January 2^nd 1860 Ramsey became the second Governor of the State of Minnesota.  He was in Washington, DC when the fighting of the Civil War broke out, and he became the first governor to commit troops the Union cause.  It was also during his term that he called for the removal of all American Indians from Minnesota, stating on September 9^th 1862 that “The Sioux Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of the state."

He was elected to the United States Senate in 1863 and would serve in that office until 1875.  Ramsey would also serve as the United State Secretary of War under President Rutherford B Hayes from 1870 to 1881.  From 1882 through 1886 he was the chairman of the Edmunds Commission which was working on the question of Mormon polygamy and the state hood of Utah.  Ramsey died April 22^nd 1903 in St Paul, Minnesota and is buried in the Oakland Cemetery there.

Freed The Gunboats

The 5^th Minnesota Infantry came to Union Admiral David Dixon Porter’s rescue on the Red River at Campti, Louisiana on April 3^rd 1864.

Minnesota Governor Alexander Ramsey received authorization from the United State Assistant Secretary of War, Thomas A Scott on October 23^rd 1861; to raise a fifth regiment.  The 5^th Minnesota mustered into Union service April 30^th 1862 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.

Union General A J Smith with two brigades, including the 5^th were called to Campti, Louisiana on April 3^rd 1864.  Union Admiral David Dixon Porter’s gunboats had become trapped on the Red River at Campti.  After freeing the gunboats, which moved safely upriver, the 5^th Minnesota along with the rest of Smith’s men burnt the town of Campti.

The 5^th Minnesota lost 8 officers and 261 enlisted, were killed, or died of wounds and diseases during the war.

Let Them Eat Grass

A trader, Andrew J Myrick who is often considered to be the tender that started a Sioux uprising, was killed on August 18th 1862.

With the Civil War in full swing, payments that were supposed to be made by US Government to the Sioux Indians living in Minnesota, had not been made it to them in the spring of 1862. Andrew J Myrick was a trader who operated a store near the Minnesota River, and he worked at the Lower Sioux Agency. When the Santee Sioux came to the store on the agency on August 15th 1862, the Indian Agent Thomas Galbraith wouldn’t give them food since they didn’t have money. The Sioux made an appeal to Myrick, to give them food on credit, to which he said, "If they're hungry, let them eat grass, or their own dung.”

On August 17th 1862 the revolt began, leading to death of hundreds across southern Minnesota. Myrick was killed on the second day of the uprising during the Battle of Lower Sioux Agency. When Myrick’s body was found several days latter, it had grass stuffed in the mouth. The fighting that occurred through the summer got a great deal of National attention, even as some of the heaviest Union and Confederacy fighting was going on in the east. In response to the fighting in Minnesota President Abraham Lincoln appointed General John Pope to raise troops in Minnesota and stop the fighting. Minnesota Governor Alexander Ramsey appointed Colonel Henry Sibley with fourteen hundreds soldiers to do the same. The fighting continued until September 26th 1862.