ABSTRACT
Throughout the fur trade era, Dakotas dealt mainly with operatives from Mendota Post in a network between Fort Snelling and the James River Basin. A census in 1839 reported 1,658 Mdewakantons; 325 Wahpekutes; 980 north and 276 south Sissetons; and 425 west plus 325 east Wahpetons-a total of 3,989 Dakota Indians in this area.
