Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Bonga, George, fl. 1800-1874 to Henry B. Whipple

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05121 Author/Creator: Bonga, George, fl. 1800-1874 Place Written: Leech Lake, Minnesota Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 22 October 1863 Pagination: 7 p. : Height: 25.2 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy

Long letter about the 2 October 1863 Red Lake Treaty with the Red Lake and Pembina bands of Chippewa Indians. Discusses government and missionary efforts to assimilate the Indians and the Indian resistance to adapting the "habits of the white man." Comments on changes in the Chippewa community, distrust between Indians and whites, the validity of treaties made, the proper location for a reservation and how and when to remove the Indians to it, and the need for education for assimilation.

Bonga, George, fl. 1800-1874
Whipple, Henry Benjamin, 1822-1901

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources