Wabasha III

This article is about one of several Mdewakanton Dakota chiefs named Wabasha. For the others, see Wapasha.
Chief Wabasha III

Wabasha III (Wapahaśa) (c. 1816–1876) was a prominent Dakota Sioux chief, also known as Joseph Wabasha. He succeeded his father as head chief of the Mdewakanton Dakota in 1836. Following the Dakota War of 1862 and the forced removal of the Dakota to Crow Creek Reservation, Wabasha became known as head chief of the Santee Sioux.[1] In the final years of his life, Chief Wabasha helped his people rebuild their lives at the Santee Reservation in Nebraska.[2]

In 1862, Wabasha had opposed the Dakota uprising from the start but had struggled to gain support. In the final weeks of the war, Wabasha — together with Wakute II and Taopi — sent messages to Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley voicing their opposition to Little Crow and offering their assistance to the U.S.[3] Wabasha's son-in-law, Hdainyanka, was one of the 38 Dakota men executed in Mankato, Minnesota on December 26, 1862.[4]

In 1986, a bust of Chief Wabasha III was installed at the Minnesota State Capitol.[5]

  1. ^ Meyer, Roy Willard (1967). History of the Santee Sioux: United States Indian policy on trial. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803281097.
  2. ^ "Wapahasha III". HMdb.org — The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  3. ^ Anderson, Gary Clayton (1986). Little Crow: Spokesman for the Sioux. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN 0-87351-196-4.
  4. ^ "Trials & Hanging". The US–Dakota War of 1862. 23 August 2012. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  5. ^ Parsons, Jim (April 11, 1986). "State to honor Chief Wabasha belatedly". Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota).