Tour & Cruise Schedule  •   Terms & Conditions

Sept. 17–24, 2007

• Overview
• Historian Guide: Ed Bearss
• Itinerary 8 days / 7 nights
• Click to see PDF map
• Cost

To book this tour, call (800) 628-8542

  Overview

For Indians and settlers alike, the Civil War years, 1862 to 1864, were often years of terror in the Minnesota and Dakota Territories. It was a familiar scenario — whites moving in on Indian land and claiming it for their own, and Indians, the angry Santee Sioux, going on the warpath. These Sioux Wars will be waged once more in a vivid retelling by legendary Historian Guide Ed Bearss. The combination of his vision and the varied scenery, ranging from pristine lakes to the North Dakota Badlands, will make this a memorable look at the past from our place in the present.

Edwin C. Bearss

Born in Billings, Montana, Ed grew up in the shadow of the Little Bighorn Battlefield. Now Chief Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service, he is the most legendary battlefield guide in America, the recipient of multiple awards in the fields of history and preservation, and the author of many important works on the Civil War.

  Day by Day

Monday, Sept. 17 – Gather at the Hilton Hotel, Minneapolis Airport for a welcome briefing and dinner hosted by Ed Bearss and HistoryAmerica.

Tuesday, Sept. 18 – Unrest Leads to the Great Hanging: Start the day at Fort Snelling, then move on to Mankato, the site of the great hanging in 1862. We’ll visit Fort Ridgely and the Lower Sioux Agency, then overnight in Redwood Falls, MN.

Wednesday, Sept. 19 – Opening Salvos of the Uprising: Traverse the Birch Coulee Battlefield where the Sioux badly mauled a U.S. column. Visit the site of the Acton massacre and see where Little Crow died. At Wood Lake, relive the scene of the decisive battle of the Minnesota Uprising, then overnight in Morris, MN.

Thursday, Sept. 20 – The Punitive Expedition of 1864 Begins: Moving into North Dakota, we stop at historic Fort Abercrombie. At the battle site of Whitestone Hill we remember the crushing defeat of the Sioux. We cap the day with two seldom seen battlefields and overnight in Bismarck.

Friday, Sept. 21 – A Break from Fighting: Today we visit Fort Mandan where Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1805-06. At Fort Lincoln we will see where George and Elizabeth Custer lived. Tonight enjoy a pitchfork fondue dinner.

Saturday, Sept. 22 – The Last Fight of the Santee Sioux: Start the day with a visit to Knife River Indian Villages before moving on to the climactic fight at Killdeer Mountain where, on private land, we will comb the battlefield. We spend tonight in Dickinson.

Sunday, Sept. 23 – Sitting Bull and Teddy Roosevelt: Begin at seldom seen Fort Dilts where Sitting Bull attacked a wagon train. In Medora we will focus on the Roosevelt years in the West before returning to Bismarck for our farewell dinner.

Monday, Sept. 24 – Departure: Depart at leisure from Bismarck. You may ride the bus on a deadhead back to Minneapolis. We advise not to book departure flights from Minneapolis before 6 pm.

  Cost ~ 8 days / 7 nights

Historian Guide Ed Bearss
Services of a professional tour director
Deluxe transportation
All admissions to included features
Seven nights hotel accommodations
Seven breakfasts, six lunches, five dinners
Taxes, baggage handling, and gratuities on included features
Suggested reading list

Per person, double occupancy: $2,095
Per person, single occupancy: $2,395