Haunted Castles and Fortifications, Fort Snelling



Fort Snelling
At the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi River, across from the modern city of St. Paul, stands an old stone fortification dating back to 1819. Originally known as Fort Anthony, the fort was one of several built immediately following the War of 1812 in the interest of protecting the Northwest Territory. The primary mission of the fortification was ‘not’ to protect the white settlers coming into the territory as you might assume, but rather to deny them access to the Indian lands beyond. The Fort also denied any “non-authorized” commercial use of the rivers, and prevented any encroachment of the British or Canadians into the territory. As “honest” historians will tell it, the fur trade was the “big business” in this period of history and the trading companies had exclusive arrangements with the Ojibwe and Dakota people for the furs in the territory. The Northwestern tribes did the hunting and trapping and the trading companies purchased and processed the hides. The furs were then shipped and marketed back east and to points around the globe. The fort was renamed Fort Snelling in 1827 in honor of the regiment commander, Colonel Josiah Snelling (a sometimes sober but just man) who also oversaw the building of the fort. Life was a bit harsh back in those days and the living conditions at the fort could be difficult. Lack of clean drinking water, dysentery, scurvy, cholera and smallpox presented frequent and deadly health complications at the fort. Many a soul stationed at this desolate outpost, or those living in the surrounding area, experienced an unpleasant death.
The Seige of New Ulm Minnesota 1862 by Henry August Schwabe		Following the failure of the government at that time, to fully honor the terms of two treaties with the native peoples, the area along the Minnesota River was besieged by the Dakota War of 1862. In which nearly eight hundred settlers and an unknown number of Native Americans died. Following the 6^th and 7^th Minnesota militias putting down the up-rising, 303 Sioux prisoners were tried six months later and convicted of the murder and rape of civilians.
They were all sentenced to death by hanging, however President Abraham Lincoln reviewed the transcripts of the trials and distinguished between those who had engaged in warfare against the United States, and those who had committed the crimes of rape and murder against civilians. The president then approved the execution of 39 and commuted the death sentence of the other 264 men. Of the 39, 38 were hanged in a single day. Thus adding to its ‘dark’ notoriety, Fort Snelling then the site of the largest mass execution by hanging in U.S. history on December 26, 1862. While much of the original fort was left to go to ruin over the years, it should not be surprising to experience an uneasy feeling or one of foreboding when exploring the grounds around the old fortification. Even though many of the structures have been restored in modern times, they are restored upon the original foundations and much of their dark history lingers. Accordingly, it is not uncommon to hear the odd tale of strange occurrences from the re-enactors, the park employees, or the visitors.
The old supply room, could it . . . still be under guard?		In one tale, friends were waiting in one of the stone buildings for a co-worker finishing his shift as the fort was closing for the day. As they talked, a low, melancholy moaning sound emanated from one of the solid stone walls, stopping their discussion cold. It continued but faded away, as their friend entered from the other side of the room. Together they searched the building and found that no one else was around.
In other instances, people have reported fleeting glimpses of what appears to be of a diaphanous human form near the old tower and around the lower levels of the bluff just below the walls of the fort. The photographs to the right were taken in the above mentioned tower. by: Dr. Von Zuko 2007©