war. In his memoir, Gabriel Renville wrote, "Then word came that the Indians would be sifted as you would sift wheat, the good grain to be put into the bin, but the chaff and the bad seeds to be burned. This was done, and all those who by good evidence were proven to have done anything against the whites were put into irons." Renville and Akipa and their families were acknowledged as friendlies and were initially allowed to move freely outside the Indian camp. Renville went home to discover that everything he owned had been taken or destroyed by hostiles. He moved his camp to Redwood Agency with other friendlies camped on the north side of Sibley's command. Those who were suspected of having acted against the whites were camped on the south side of the troops. In the weeks before the mass execution, the convicted men were taken to Mankato, whereas their families together with the friendlies were taken to Fort Snelling. The Renvilles, Browns and other friendly families joined approximately 1,600 Indians sent to a compound below Fort Snelling. On their way there, the residents of Henderson threw stones in anger at the Indians passing through; among the general white population of Minnesota at the time, all Dakota Indians were blamed for the deaths and destruction that occurred in August 1862. Once they arrived, many of their horses and oxen were stolen from their camps. Renville recalled, "Then a fence was built on the south side of the fort and close to it. We all moved into this inclosure, but were so crowded and confined that an epidemic broke out among us and children were dying day and night, among them being Two Stars' oldest child, a little girl." John Williamson, son of Thomas Smith Williamson, received permission to enter the compound housing the Indians and found many members of the former mission community there, including Gabriel Renville, who lay sick in his tent with a serious case of malaria. Between 130 and 300 people died of various illnesses inside the camp. Designation as Chief Thanks to his service during the war, Renvile obtained in 1863 the post of Chief of Scouts in the service of Minnesota state militia Colonel Henry Hastings Sibley—later to become the first governor of the state of Minnesota. His service to the U.S. Army ended in 1865. For his military service, he was