Title
Dakota Prisoner of War Letters: Many Lightning Face
Creator
Many Lightning Face
Source
Clifford Canku and Michael Simon, trans., The Dakota Prisoner of War Letters: Dakota Kaŝkapi Okicize Wowapi (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2013), 19-23.
Date
1863-06-26
Text
Davenport Iowa
June 26th 1863
Many of our relatives have written this letter--it is so. Then we want you to listen, as we tell you, how we are living here in prison-it is so. The elders and non-elders met together and wrote this letter--it is so. We did one thing, and it was wrong what we did, and now we are paying for this. The men and the women that are living here together met and talked, they said they will not take their communion--it is so. They told how they all depend upon the Great Spirit. Therefore, the elders that watch over them did the same. We ask them to talk every Sunday--it is so. So all the men have again recommitted. So we are telling you we are very glad we trust the Great Spirit. You took the Great Spirit's Word to the Dakota people for over thirty years, but many Dakota persons did not want His Word. But those of us in prison now want the Great Spirit's Word, therefore we now have His Word entirely. So if these men here in prison go to where the common people are on the outside, and they take the Great Spirit's Word, they can do it, because they will be very capable of doing that--it is so.
Then we heard good news last spring, but we don't know what became of it--it just disappeared. Therefore we would like to hear about it now-it is so. You usually do what you want, as it is, you can wear General Sibley around your head. We depend upon you, so if there's anything you hear concerning us, we want to hear the same thing, that's why we write you this letter--it is so.
We want to know what the President has in mind, and if he said anything concerning us, that's what we want to hear about--it is so. Now that is all we will say. We ask that you have a heart for those of us here in prison. Those of us here in prison all shake your hand with good feelings--it is so.
Many Lightning Face
Comes Out Good
Walks Among
Good Day
Iron Flyer Flying By
Iron Whiteman
Old Iron Man
Sacred Lightning Hail
Knocks Down
Red Star
Comes Back Around the Earth
Iron Whiteman
His Good Water
Calls as He Walks
Against The Wind
Those [of us above] shake your hand-it is so.
June 26th 1863
Many of our relatives have written this letter--it is so. Then we want you to listen, as we tell you, how we are living here in prison-it is so. The elders and non-elders met together and wrote this letter--it is so. We did one thing, and it was wrong what we did, and now we are paying for this. The men and the women that are living here together met and talked, they said they will not take their communion--it is so. They told how they all depend upon the Great Spirit. Therefore, the elders that watch over them did the same. We ask them to talk every Sunday--it is so. So all the men have again recommitted. So we are telling you we are very glad we trust the Great Spirit. You took the Great Spirit's Word to the Dakota people for over thirty years, but many Dakota persons did not want His Word. But those of us in prison now want the Great Spirit's Word, therefore we now have His Word entirely. So if these men here in prison go to where the common people are on the outside, and they take the Great Spirit's Word, they can do it, because they will be very capable of doing that--it is so.
Then we heard good news last spring, but we don't know what became of it--it just disappeared. Therefore we would like to hear about it now-it is so. You usually do what you want, as it is, you can wear General Sibley around your head. We depend upon you, so if there's anything you hear concerning us, we want to hear the same thing, that's why we write you this letter--it is so.
We want to know what the President has in mind, and if he said anything concerning us, that's what we want to hear about--it is so. Now that is all we will say. We ask that you have a heart for those of us here in prison. Those of us here in prison all shake your hand with good feelings--it is so.
Many Lightning Face
Comes Out Good
Walks Among
Good Day
Iron Flyer Flying By
Iron Whiteman
Old Iron Man
Sacred Lightning Hail
Knocks Down
Red Star
Comes Back Around the Earth
Iron Whiteman
His Good Water
Calls as He Walks
Against The Wind
Those [of us above] shake your hand-it is so.