On this day, 26 December 1862, the largest mass execution in US history took place when 38 Native American Dakota people were hanged during the US-Dakota War of 1862.
Hundreds of Native Americans had been arrested and given brief military trials, accused of crimes like murder, robbery and rape. Most of the defendants did not speak English, and had no lawyers.
Some of the trials lasted less than five minutes, and many defendants did not even know that they were on trial for various crimes.
One man who was aware of his situation, Hdainyanka (Rattling Runner), wrote a letter complaining to a relative: “I have not killed, wounded or injured a white man or any white persons… and yet today I am set apart for execution.”
Following the show trials, 303 Dakota people were sentenced to death.
President Abraham Lincoln personally reviewed all of the cases, and despite the…
