Old Fort Snelling, 1819-1858

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

22719

Title

Old Fort Snelling, 1819-1858

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This historical account chronicles the life at Old Fort Snelling from 1819 to 1858, exploring the daily routines of soldiers, the challenges of frontier supply lines, and the complex interactions between the military, settlers, and Native American tribes.

Summary up to 500 words

Marcus Lee Hansen's *Old Fort Snelling, 1819-1858* offers a vivid reconstruction of life at the military post situated at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. Established in 1819 within the Missouri Territory, the fort eventually became part of Minnesota in 1849. Hansen details the regimented existence of the garrison, governed by strict General Regulations that dictated a monotonous daily routine from reveille to tattoo. Soldiers faced a harsh diet of beef, bread, and occasionally rum or whiskey until 1832, when coffee and sugar were introduced. Supply lines were frequently disrupted by dry summers and impassable sandbars, often leaving troops on their last rations. Crop failures, such as the moldy wheat of 1823, sometimes sparked mutinies against the resulting black, bitter bread. Beyond military discipline, the book explores the social fabric of the frontier. The garrison was a microcosm of diverse tradesmen, including shoemakers and brewers, who struggled with temptations of intemperance. Punishments for infractions like drunkenness or desertion ranged from confinement in the dreaded "Black Hole" to flogging with a "cat" or the "Old Ring" punishment. The sutler's store served as a vital hub where even the chaplain purchased luxuries like candy and scrub brushes, while soldiers bought necessities with their modest six-dollar monthly pay. Hansen also examines the fort's pivotal role in the broader context of the Upper Mississippi Valley. He describes the treaties that opened vast lands to settlement and the annual distribution of annuities to Sioux and Chippewa nations. The narrative highlights the friction between settlers, traders, and indigenous peoples, mediated by the fort's agents who dealt with conflicts over stolen livestock and the smuggling of whiskey. The book captures the arrival of Swiss immigrants and discharged soldiers who settled the area, creating a mixed community of fur traders, half-breeds, and military families. Ultimately, Hansen illustrates how the fort functioned as a nucleus for settlement and a wedge opening the Indian country, documenting the transition from a military reservation to a developing frontier town before its temporary abandonment in 1858.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• History
• Travel