As the Sioux ranged unchecked across Southern Minnesota many settlers and settlements were caught off guard. Hundreds of families were trapped in their farms, forced to defend their lives and the lives of their kin against odds too great to overcome. One such fight took place near the shores of Lake Shetek.

On Lake Shetek several families had created a small settlement of about a dozen farms and a mill. For years they lived in peace with the Indians that camped near by and fished the lake. They often traded corn and other crops for meat and furs. In fact, on the eve of the uprising, several Sioux were camped next to one of the families homes, the Wright's home.

The warrior chief, called "Old Pawn", and some warriors were camping in four tepees on the Wright farm. The Indians had been there for about four days prior to the hostile Indians arriving in the area. When the hostile agency warriors came and attacked the cabins along the lake, the Shetek settlers fled toward the Wright home. William Duley, the nominal leader of the fleeing settlers, advised the people with him to go to the Wright farm as it was a two story structure and built on higher ground

As the settlers gathered and began boarding up the windows and chopping loop holes in the walls, turning the cabin into a small fortress Old Pawn came to talk to them. He said he would go out and parley with the hostile Sioux and tell them that they were friends. While Old Pawn was gone the hostiles began to close in and start the siege. The fight went on for several hours with no headway being made. Finally, Old Pawn came back and said that the Indians only wanted the goods and supplies and that he offered to lead the settlers to safety.

The settlers, with only nine men and twenty or twenty-five women and children, decided to take Old Pawns offer. They were allowed to get a wagon and started off down the road to jeers from the warriors. Not a mile had gone by before the trap was suspected and the chief, Lean Bear, together with Old Pawn and the other warriors began to fire on the wagon.

The Shetek settlers fled for the woods and brush nearby. Eventually the Indians had penned up the settlers in a swamp since called "slaughter slew". Hours had gone by and few settlers survived, most of the children were clubbed to death, the women were raped and taken captive, and the men that did not escape were shot.

The Game

Use all of the rules from the "other periods" section of BAB. Use all of the optional rules in BAB. Arm all Sioux with Muskets/Bows. All Army should have Rifles or Carbines. Civilians and Volunteers should be armed with Muskets or Shotguns.

This is a simple and straight forward scenario. All that is needed is a two story cabin and some settlers and Indian The terrain should be very open around the cabin with some brush and trees a few bails of hay and farm stuff placed around for Indian cover. Also, a shed or small barn should be located someplace near the cabin.

Use 9 or 10 settlers armed with muskets and shotguns. Mr Wright was gone, and Mrs. Wright did take up arms this day. Otherwise, you can add the women and children if you'd like but they will take no part in the fight. There were about 200 Indians at the actual fight, (according to one source.) I recommend using a lot of Indian figures armed with muskets/bows.

Victory is easy, the Indians win if they kill all of the settlers, but the settlers win if they survive. At the players' option a time limit is recommended. Also a percentage chance that the Indians let the settlers go and then that the settlers accept the Indians terms.

If you choose to continue and refight the "slaughter slew" portion you will need a very heavy brushy swamp in the middle of the table and the settlers in the brush. The Indians are placed around three sides of the slew. This is where some of the settlers (all men) made their escape in the actual fight so that is a good victory condition here as well.

During the Uprising these kinds of fights were fought again and again a1l over southern Minnesota. They can be refought again and again on the table top with an endless number of variations.

Troop Types
Type	Morale	Fire
Sioux	Green/Regular	Green/Regular
Civilians	Green	Green
Volunteers	Green/Regular	Green/Regular
Army	Regular/Elite	Regular

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