▁to ▁ 3 0 0 ▁en list ed ▁men , ▁the ▁fort ▁was ▁deep ▁in ▁American ▁Indian ▁territory ▁on ▁the ▁upper ▁Mississippi ▁River . ▁ ▁While ▁station ed ▁there ▁for ▁three ▁years , ▁East man ▁learned ▁the ▁Si oux ▁language ▁and ▁captured ▁many ▁scenes ▁of ▁American ▁Indian ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁territory . ▁He ▁painted ▁and ▁sketch ed ▁pro l ific ally . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 8 3 3 ▁to ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁East man ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁West ▁Point , ▁where ▁he ▁taught ▁drawing ▁( used ▁for ▁map making ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 1 ▁East man ▁was ▁appointed ▁commander ▁of ▁Fort ▁Sn elling ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁Minnesota . ▁ ▁While ▁station ed ▁there ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁with ▁his ▁second ▁wife ▁and ▁growing ▁family , ▁he ▁continued ▁to ▁study ▁and ▁paint ▁Native ▁American ▁life . ▁ ▁Their ▁son ▁Frank ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁daughter ▁ ▁Virginia ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁and ▁son ▁John ▁McC . ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁He ▁learned ▁much ▁about ▁the ▁Dak ota ▁culture ▁particularly . ▁He ▁painted ▁and ▁drew ▁pictures ▁of ▁the ▁Si oux ▁villages ▁of ▁Kap os ia ▁and ▁Little ▁Crow , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁settlement s ▁in ▁present - day ▁Scott , ▁W ab asha , ▁and ▁Win ona ▁count ies . ▁ ▁H ear ing ▁that ▁Congress ▁had ▁author ized ▁a ▁study ▁of ▁Indians ▁by ▁the ▁expl orer ▁and ▁former ▁US ▁Indian ▁agent ▁Henry ▁R owe ▁School craft ,