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Hall of Shame

Andrew Myrick (1832 - 1862)

Andrew Myrick was a trader and the prime instigator of the Sioux Uprising of 1862. He and his Indian wife owned a store in Minnesota. He also worked at the Lower Sioux Agency. Already there were tensions due to the potato blight, infestations of bugs and crops failing. The ware house was stocked with food but the government refused to hand it out. Then there was a problem about Indians going to the stores and taking food without paying but the Indians themselves in their turn had not been paid due to delays caused by the American Civil War even though food and yearly payments were promised to the Santee Dakota tribe in an earlier treaty. Then they were stopped by soldiers with canons. Meanwhile the Indians were only given little bits but basically starving. An Indian said to Myrick "This is our reservation, and yet you go out and you cut our grass for your animals. Your cut down our trees for your

"As far as I'm concerned, if they are hungry let them eat grass or their own dung"

building and your fire. You shoot our game, which we have very little of anyway. It's ours, you leave it alone". to which  Myrick replied "Well then, if you want it then eat your grass. And we won't trade with you". When someone informed him that the tribesmen asked him if they could be allowed to take food on credit Myrick said "So far as I'm concerned, if they are hungry let them eat grass or their own dung". This dehumanizing remark was more than the Dakota were able to endure as it implied that Indians were like horses or cattle so on August 17 a Dakota hunting party killed several settlers about 40 miles north of the reservation.

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