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169-527: At the beginning of the 19th century, Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk attempted to resettle his fellow Scotsmen in North America. By 1808, Selkirk had founded two colonies, one on Prince Edward Island , another at Baldoon in Western Ontario, and was looking to establish a third. The eastern coastline of Canada was already settled and no longer had any tracts of land large enough to support

338-574: A sedan chair to bask in the sun and admire the snow-capped Pyrenees. On his death, his heir and successor Dunbar was only 10 years old and thus Selkirk's estates were put into a trust and managed by four executors named in his will. The Board of Trustees consisted of Andrew Colville (Colvile) of Achiltrie and Crommie, John Hallbrith (Halkett) of Waring, Adam Maitland of Dundrennan, and Sir James Montgomery, 2nd Baronet . William McGillivray Lt.-Colonel The Hon. William McGillivray (1764 – 16 October 1825), of Chateau St. Antoine, Montreal ,

507-597: A December 27th, 1825 letter that from 1810 onwards, the richest and most talented partners of the NWC (notably those connected to the XY Company ) had withdrawn and been replaced by men with less capital and less work ethic, and given to extravagant spending. Nepotism was also a problem: 14 members of the McTavish and McGillivray families (not including relatives by marriage) had been given partnerships since 1800, undermining

676-651: A French translation of the Ojibwe word meaning "half-burnt woodsmen;" a name the Métis earned because their skin was generally lighter than that of the full-blooded Natives. The natives of the Red River district were primarily of the Saulteaux nation, known today as the northern or plains Ojibwa. They traded with both the NWC and HBC and, despite frequent attempts by the NWC to pit them against its rival, remained neutral in

845-452: A HBC-backed colony in the Red River as a direct threat to their existence. The NWC first protested directly to the HBC, hired lawyers to dispute the HBC's charter, and even published anonymous articles in newspapers to dissuade prospective settlers by pointing out the hardships of the journey, the harshness of the land and stating that the settlers would all be massacred by Indians. However, despite

1014-496: A NWC boat loaded with pemmican was being sent down the Assiniboine from Qu'Appelle , sent John Warren with a party of fifty men with two field pieces to seize it. The men had instructions to fire their muskets at any boat that passed and drive them ashore, and any that might refuse should be sunk by cannon fire. The colonists openly refused to obey the latter order, however. The NWC's John Wills at Rivière la Souris , hearing of

1183-545: A battery on the shore of the Red River to prevent NWC boats from passing. In his spare time, Colin Robertson tested the readiness of the HBC blockade by floating an old, empty boat down river, unbeknown to the blockaders. Upon seeing it, the men rushed out and began firing at it without orders. May 8 found the HBC's Pierre Pambrun with 25 men transporting 22 bales of furs, 600 bags of pemmican and 23 stands of arms from Brandon House to Fort Douglas. They were driven ashore near

1352-539: A blacksmith, by the name of Gardepie...making lances, and daggers; also repairing guns and pistols for the different half-breeds then going upon the expedition for the destruction of the colony...During their stay at Qu'Appelle, their whole amusement was in shooting at the mark, singing war songs, practicing with their lances and telling each other how they would kill the English – meaning the settlers – and they also often told me they were going to kill them like rabbits." At

1521-719: A boatload of sailors. As the Americans approached the Selkirk mansion, a governess saw them coming and removed young Thomas to safety. The Americans knocked on the front door and were greeted by the butler. Lady Selkirk came from the breakfast room to see what the fuss was about. She invited the American officers into the drawing room, told the butler to make tea and to find some whisky for the sailors who were waiting outside. When they explained that they had come to kidnap her husband, Lady Selkirk replied that unfortunately Lord Selkirk

1690-479: A brief exchange of fire took place with no casualties. That same day a canoe arrived at Fort Gibraltar from Fort William announcing the end of the War of 1812 and proclaimed "peace with all the world except Red River." Macdonnell's men next made off with the colony's cattle. Colonists Duncan McNaughton, Alexander Mclean and John McLeod, riding near Frog Plain, observed the stolen cattle. They attempted to drive them back to

1859-521: A coalition between them. He surrendered 25% of the NWC's shares to the XY, but left his close friend, Alexander Mackenzie , out of the new co-partnership because of his reputation as a trouble-maker in the fur trade. He reorganized the managing firm of McTavish, Frobisher and Co., which after John Gregory's retirement in December of 1806, he both announced a new management structure for the company and renamed

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2028-674: A colony, as well as arms to protect it from the Indigenous inhabitants and Americans (Great Britain and the United States then being on the brink of war), consisting of 200 muskets, 4 brass 3-pound field pieces, 1 howitzer and 3 swivel guns courtesy of the British Colonial Department . In September the settlers arrived at York Factory and entered winter quarters there. Because of a lack of boats to transport Selkirk's settlers and their vast supplies, they spent

2197-531: A colony, so Selkirk looked for a location with good soil and a temperate climate far in the interior. He quickly discovered the region best fitting his needs fell within the territory of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). Selkirk began in 1808 buying shares of the HBC in order to acquire the land he needed. Because of the crippling competition with the North West Company (NWC), the HBC's stock at this time

2366-583: A company of volunteer militia from the Red River settlers, armed them with muskets and appointed himself as commander. By doing so, Macdonell was invoking the rights of the Hudson's Bay Company Royal Charter, which they felt the NWC was violating. In 1815, Selkirk was in Montreal raising men to defend his colony. He first petitioned the British government for regular infantry. In March, Lord Bathurst instructed

2535-479: A confrontation. This order was given as there was a swamp about three-quarters of a mile opposite Fort Douglas that left only a narrow plain which allowed passage. Before reaching Fort Douglas, around 24 Métis broke off and rode ahead to set up camp at the Frog Plains. The remaining 26 men continued with the carts. The Métis that were included in this party were covered with paint and wore feathers in their hair as

2704-526: A contingent of regular soldiers also petitioned the government for his own soldiers that his company may not be discriminated against. He only managed to negotiate for two officers of De Meuron's regiment to take a leave of absence for six months. Lieutenants Bromby and Missani departed Montreal for Fort William in spring of 1816. Being on leave of absence, these men were now common citizens with no military authority, but they continued to wear their military uniforms. McGillivray also recruited Charles De Reinhard,

2873-687: A course for the North West Company's inland headquarters, Fort William , with the intention of rescuing the HBC prisoners and arresting those responsible for the acts of violence against his colony and the Hudson's Bay Company. Also in July, the British government, in an effort to put an end to the Pemmican War, instructed the Canadian Governor-General Sir John Sherbrooke to send a party into

3042-504: A discharged sergeant of De Meuron's Regiment. In addition, those company partners formerly in the Corps of Voyageurs continued to act in the capacity of military officers. Duncan Cameron often signed his letters during this time as "Captain, Voyageur Corps." The Voyageur Corps was a regiment raised by partners of the NWC and made up mostly of NWC voyageurs which fought in the War of 1812 . In fact,

3211-488: A hasty voyage - not at Snake Lake) apparently played a role in the 1787 merger of the NWC and Gregory, MacLeod and Company, whose acquisition would be "to the benefit of Simon McTavish " (William's uncle and the chief principal of the NWC). It is important to note that information on this particular Roderick McKenzie Sr. is rather difficult to find as his namesake was only "one of several fur traders bearing this name", so

3380-405: A large NWC and Métis force was gathering there to attack the colony. This was Semple's second warning. Meanwhile, Cuthbert Grant and a party of Canadians departed Portage des Prairie by canoe followed by a number of Métis on horseback, numbering around 50 men total, to deliver 20 bags of much needed pemmican to Bas de la Rivière. Because of the HBC blockades, the party was forced to land 10 miles from

3549-560: A large party was at Portage la Prairies and would attack the colony within 2 days. Semple did not believe the NWC had the strength to accomplish it, but began to keep a 24-hour watch at Fort Douglas. Chief Peguis offered his services to protect the Red River against the Nor'Westers, but Semple declined. Peguis then encamped with his men along the river opposite the colony. On June 18, the HBC's Patrick Corcoran, who escaped imprisonment at Fort Qu'Appelle arrived at Fort Douglas and informed Semple that

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3718-525: A new life in England. He died during a trip to London in 1825 and was buried at St James's Church, Piccadilly , where there is a memorial to him and his wife in the church. Their graves were destroyed by enemy bombs during the Second World War . McGillivray's home, Chateau St. Antoine, stood within 200 acres of parkland on Cote St. Antoine, roughly at the end of Dorchester Street. Built in 1803,

3887-529: A number of soldiers, and by his guard, with whom he encamped about 800 or 900 yards above the Fort, on the opposite shore. Within two or three hours, eleven boats full of men, in the uniform of De Meuron's Regiment, came into the River, and were followed by one boat and two canoes loaded with arms and stores, &c. The troops immediately joined Lord Selkirk at his encampment, Cannon were landed, and drawn up, pointed at

4056-632: A party of NWC voyageurs to whom they gave the stolen guns. The unmounted guns were conveyed by canoes to Fort Gibraltar where field carriages were made for them. When Governor Macdonell returned, NWC officer Severight attempted to arrest him, but Macdonell resisted stating a legally appointed governor cannot be arrested and taken from his post. Macdonnel detained Severight for several hours and then released him. Alexander Macdonnell's force swelled in May with NWC employees passing between their wintering posts and Fort William and with local Métis, freemen and Cree from

4225-419: A party of around 27 of his followers captured colonist John Warren and three others while travelling between Fort Daer and Turtle River. Fed-up, Governor Macdonell met with the Nor'Westers at Fort Pembina and successfully arranged a prisoner exchange. In 1815 NWC partner Duncan Cameron now began to implement the company's plan to dislodge the Red River settlers. This was done primarily by threatening to unleash

4394-415: A peace agreement. To try to prevent bloodshed and to help alleviate the general starvation of the NWC caused by Macdonell's confiscation of all the Nor'Wester's provisions, the men agreed that Governor Macdonell should keep 200 bags of pemmican and return the rest that had been seized. In exchange, the Nor'Westers would release Mr. House and supply the colony with provisions during the coming winter. It appears

4563-498: A peace settlement with Cuthbert Grant and on the next day, Grant went to Fort Douglas and presented Sheriff Macdonnell, the colony's second-in-command, with Pritchard's capitulation terms and negotiated a surrender. Back at Portage des Prairie, Alexander MacDonnell was informed of the Battle of Seven Oaks and departed for Fort Douglas. On June 21, Alexander Mackenzie's brigade from Fort William encamped at Netley Creek, 40 miles north of

4732-542: A rallying point for their shared identity. A flag and a national anthem were born during this period in time. A Manitoba Historical Plaque was erected in Winnipeg , Manitoba by the province to commemorate Lord Selkirk's role in Manitoba's heritage. At the age of seven, Thomas was almost kidnapped by John Paul Jones , commander of an American ship. Peter C. Newman tells the story as follows in his history The Empire of

4901-551: A shortage of food in 1814, Macdonell issued the Pemmican Proclamation , prohibiting the export of food from the entire area. The Métis, who made a living selling pemmican to the N.W.C. traders, responded by arresting Macdonell and burning the settlement. Robert Semple was appointed as governor of the Red River Colony. By 1816, the violence intensified between the Métis and the newcomers, which resulted in

5070-400: Is extremely fine, too rich and fair, I foolishly thought, to be out of my native England. Close beneath you are scattered elegant country retreats embowered in plantations, succeeded by a crowd of orchards of delicious apples, spreading far to the right and left, and hedging in the glittering churches, hotels, and house-roofs of Montreal , Quebec... Mr McGillivray was accustomed to entertain

5239-467: The Battle of Seven Oaks , causing the deaths of 21 of Lord Selkirk's men, including the newly appointed governor, and one Métis. N.W.C. partners were accused of having aided the Métis attackers. All were exonerated at trial, and again when re-tried under Selkirk's instigation, which back-fired when they successfully counter-sued Selkirk. Selkirk and his men responded to the Battle of Seven Oaks by seizing

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5408-432: The Battle of Seven Oaks , in which Semple and some 20 settlers were killed by the NWC men, led by Cuthbert Grant . Lord Selkirk arrested McGillivray and a number of NWC proprietors on the 13th of August in 1816 while on his way to Red River with a small force of regulars and some 90 mercenaries, holding the NWC responsible for the "massacre". He seized Fort William and confiscated their furs for his own benefit. McGillivray

5577-559: The British government for a land grant in the Red River Valley , a part of Rupert's Land . The government refused, as the Hudson's Bay Company (H.B.C.) had been granted a fur trading monopoly on that land. However, Selkirk was very determined, and together with Sir Alexander Mackenzie bought enough shares in H.B.C. to let them gain control of the land. This position of power, along with his marriage connections (his wife Jean

5746-608: The East India Company 's monopoly enabling them to trade with China. When Simon McTavish died in July of 1804, McGillivray was well experienced and became the head of the NWC, and the executor of his uncle's will. He took over at a period of intense competition in the North American fur trade . His first action was to strike a deal ending the NWC's half-decade of rivalry with the XY Company, later serving as

5915-471: The East India Company 's monopoly, and they shared some of the same trade routes to China. This cooperation was only essential for a small amount of time, only lasted for small amount of time, or both. Nonetheless, Astor was involved with further trade that also followed the same commercial trade circuits as the NWC. There was also some brief cooperation with John Ogilvy's Michilimackinac Company. Over time, American pressure at their shared Pacific trading post on

6084-557: The Great Lakes route but to avoid Fort William by taking the Fond-du-lac / Rainy Lake route to the Red River. On March 20, Colin Robertson's men captured Fort Pembina, arrested several NWC employees and Métis and confiscated the fort's arms and ammunition. Around this time, Governor Semple built the armed schooner named "Cuthullin" to deny NWC access to Lake Winnipeg and put it under the command of Lieutenant Holte. He also erected

6253-540: The Lovat estate, and he was unable to provide secondary schooling for William and his brothers Duncan and Simon . When William's uncle, Simon McTavish , visited from Montreal in 1776, he paid for the education of the McGillivray boys and in 1784 brought William out to Canada to work for him in the North West Company , with an annual salary of £100. As a clerk, after a year between Montreal and Rainy River , he

6422-407: The North West Company (N.W.C.) from competing with H.B.C. for furs in the region. By placing the Red River Colony astride the trade routes used by the N.W.C. coureurs des bois , Selkirk could cut off the easy flow of furs. However, the local Métis people who already inhabited the area had long-standing ties with the N.W.C. and refused to accept Selkirk's control over the area, which was contrary to

6591-414: The North West Company of fur-traders (including David Thompson ). Our dinner and wines were perfect. The conversation was fluent and sensible... It is hardly necessary to say that I passed a very agreeable evening. Our host was a large, handsome man, with the pleasant, successful look of the men of his habits and mode of life. William McGillivray had four brothers and four sisters: In the tradition of

6760-551: The Pacific Ocean by Alexander Mackenzie in 1793. All these postings were crucial to the experience he needed to one day step into his uncle's shoes, who was becoming increasingly dominant within the NWC . During this winter at Snake Lake, a man named John Ross (a member of Gregory, MacLeod and Company, and former partner in the NWC) would be murdered - William and Roderick McKenzie Sr. at this time (but near Grand Portage after

6929-583: The Rivière la Souris post. Governor Macdonell next built a battery on the Assiniboine River to more effectively command the river and another on the Red River near Fort Douglas. The Red River blockade soon captured two NWC light canoes with 2 clerks, 20 men and 2 chests of arms. The voyageurs were paroled, but the clerks and the chests of arms were sent to Fort Douglas. On June 18, 1814, the NWC's John Macdonald met with Governor Macdonell to work out

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7098-477: The Royal Proclamation of 1763 . The first colonization attempt started in 1812, consisting of 128 men led by the new governor, Miles Macdonell . Arriving late in the season they had just arrived and built homes when the winter cut off any hope of planting, and the colony became reliant on the support of the Métis. Even with a full growing season the next year, the colony never thrived. Because of

7267-922: The War of 1812 he was given the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Corps of Canadian Voyageurs (the ultimate rank in the Corps) as he was the highest up in the NWC's business hierarchy; the ranks of the Corps reflected one's position within the NWC as the Company had created the Corps under their own volition, and using employees as soldiers. He owned substantial estates in Scotland (Bhein Ghael Estate), Lower (12000 acres in Inverness Township) and Upper Canada (Plantagenet Township). His home in Montreal

7436-623: The War of 1812 , the Americans destroyed the NWC's trading post at Sault Ste. Marie , giving them a net loss of over £8,000 (at least 8330 Pound) for that year. Also in 1812, Lord Selkirk (a shareholder in the HBC) established the Red River Colony which directly served the interests of the HBC and affected the NWC's free transport of goods between Fort William and the fur-bearing Lake Athabasca region. Attempting to gain control over

7605-675: The fur traders , McGillivray had first taken a 'country wife' while in Manitoba , a Cree lady named Susan. They were the parents of three sons and a daughter, though one son did not survive to adulthood. In 1800, at St. Mary's, Marylebone in London, McGillivray married Magdalen (d.1811), daughter of Captain John McDonald of Garth, Perthshire , by his wife Magdalen, daughter of James Small . Sir Alexander Mackenzie described Mrs. Magdalen McGillivray as, "an agreeable, lively brunette of

7774-448: The 24th and were forced ashore by Alexander Mackenzie's men. John Pritchard and several others were sent to Fort William as prisoners escorted by Lieutenants Brumby and Misani. The remaining settlers were allowed to continue to Jack River House. Shortly after, the rear guard from Swan River arrived. Around the 25th of June, the combined Fort William and Swan River Brigades arrived at Fort Douglas and Alexander Mackenzie took over operations in

7943-480: The Athabasca district. Robertson was convinced to stay and help re-establish the Red River Colony and dispatched a party of 100 men under John Clark to Athabasca to carry out his mission there. Robertson with the displaced settlers and around 20 HBC employees arrived at the ruins of Fort Douglas on August 19 and began rebuilding the fort. On October 15, 1815, Duncan Cameron, the Nor'Wester in charge of Fort Gibraltar

8112-526: The Bay . In 1778, John Paul Jones, in the sloop Ranger , was cruising between Scotland and Ireland looking for prizes. Benjamin Franklin had suggested that he might capture a British nobleman to exchange for American prisoners. Having been born near the Selkirk estates, Jones selected the elder Lord Selkirk. At the last moment, Jones decided not to go himself, but to assign the duty to two lieutenants and

8281-541: The Baymen and settlers testified that the opening shots came from the Canadians and Métis, as the first and second shots felled Lieutenant Holte and Governor Semple. In Commissioner Coltman's report on the incident, he agreed with the Nor'Wester's version. After the battle, John Pritchard was sent to the Métis camp at Frog Plain and was there under the protection of Cuthbert Grant. The night of the battle, Pritchard negotiated

8450-430: The Baymen searched for it and found the three Canadians encamped with an empty boat. Warren questioned them about their provisions and threatened to arrest them, but he received no response. After a search of one or two days, the cache of 96 bags of pemmican was discovered and taken to Ft. Douglas.(p. 31) The HBC next blockaded the high-road the Nor'Westers used to circumvent the river blockade, which, besides disrupting

8619-476: The English establishment of the regular army and veterans of the Napoleonic Wars . These men, though no longer enlisted soldiers, still retained their military uniforms which consisted of light blue faced red coats, trousers and black felt shakos . Selkirk provided them with muskets, bayonets and cartridge pouches and paid them out of his own pocket. William McGillivray, hearing that Selkirk had obtained

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8788-607: The English," but he refused. The Nor'Westers only managed to recruit a handful of Natives, but they refused to attack the settlers once they arrived on the scene the following year. Within days of Duncan Cameron's arrival at the Red River District in September he arrested sheriff John Spencer and sent him to the NWC's Fort Gibraltar located south of the Red River colony. As the canoe that was conveying Spencer to Lac la Pluie passed Fort Douglas, several colonists broke into

8957-569: The Fort, and balls were ready piled beside them, as prepared for a siege and bombardment." Wilcocke went on to describe the opposing force at Fort William: "Their numbers together must have exceeded 500 men, and the place, though not properly a Fort, but merely a square of houses and stores, surrounded by a strong and lofty picket fence, contained an ample supply of arms and ammunition, and was capable of considerable resistance." Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk FRS FRSE (20 June 1771 – 8 April 1820)

9126-534: The HBC sent one Colin Robertson to Montreal to raise a party to oppose the NWC in the Athabasca District. Posing as one of Lord Selkirk's agents selling land in the Red River District, Robertson secretly raised a band of 160 voyageurs. They departed for Athabasca on May 17 in 16 canoes. In February the Métis set up a camp on the Turtle River plains and began harassing Red River settlers by stampeding

9295-482: The HBC, but only a few months after his death both McTavish, McGillivrays & Co., of London and McGillivrays, Thain & Co., of Montreal were declared bankrupt; William, full of exorbitant pride, proclaimed to the Family Compact 's John Strachan that "It would have been worse than folly, to have continued the contest further. We have made no submission – we met & negotiated on equal terms." However,

9464-489: The Indians did; not a typical Métis practice. The paint was supposedly given to them by the Canadians in order for them to appear more intimidating to the Red River settlers. At 5 pm, a guard on duty in a watchtower at Fort Douglas saw the party of mounted Métis and gave the alarm. Semple soon arrived, observed them with his spy glass and quickly assembled a party of 20 colonists and Baymen, stating they should go and meet with

9633-421: The Indians on the colony and offering the colonists free passage to Upper Canada. Not every Nor'Wester in the Red River District was interested in the destruction of Selkirk's colony. Around this time, the NWC clerk Aulay McAulay refused to sell firearms and ammunition to the Métis to use against the colony. Consequently, at the next rendezvous at Fort William, Aulay was not allowed to dine at the general mess-table,

9802-443: The Métis and ascertain their intentions. Semple's men were armed, but Semple gave orders that no one was to shoot unless attacked. However, other witnesses testified that the Baymen bragged they would "have the Métis' provisions or their lives." Several Métis entered Lot #3 of the colony to obtain information from the people there. Several colonists then fled towards Fort Douglas for protection. Semple departed Fort Douglas, heading along

9971-487: The Métis and thus preventing them from hunting buffalo . Part of the confiscated provisions were taken across the river to Brandon House , while the rest was taken to Fort Douglas under an armed escort. Next, Macdonell's men confiscated 200 bags of pemmican from a HBC trader named Stett who was transporting 300 bags to York Factory. Shortly afterward, the NWC's Duncan Cameron took an armed party of voyageurs to locate and arrest an HBC trader named House who had helped break into

10140-424: The NWC may have continued issuing military commissions to their partners even after the regiment was disbanded on March 1, 1815. At Red River, Duncan Cameron acted in the capacity of a Captain with Alexander Macdonnell as his lieutenant and Seraphim Lamarre as his ensign. Likewise, Cuthbert Grant was perceived as a captain of the Métis, with William Shaw as his lieutenant and Peter Pangman as his ensign. At this time,

10309-410: The NWC traded for it at several outposts in the Red River District and transported it to their Bas de la Rivière depot on Lake Winnipeg where it was distributed to brigades of north canoes passing between Fort William and Athabasca or transported to Fort William where it was issued to brigades going to the company's eastern and southern districts. The majority of the NWC's pemmican was purchased from

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10478-436: The NWC's best efforts, Selkirk's colony was to proceed. In July 1811, Scottish and Irish settlers consisting of 25 families embarked aboard HBC and private ships led by the colony's appointed governor Miles Macdonell (whom the local First Nations would later dub "chief of the gardeners"). Those colonists who could not afford their passage indentured themselves to the HBC. They brought with them everything they needed to build

10647-469: The NWC, nearly starved.(p. 33) Additional settlers arrived at the colony in the spring of 1813 and the settlers finally began building proper houses and planting crops. The NWC's John Wills ordered John Pritchard to buy as much Red River pemmican as possible. Pritchard succeeded in buying a third more than usual. Provisions were scarce in the colony at the beginning of 1814. Governor Macdonell, in an attempt to prevent much needed provisions from leaving

10816-728: The NWC. Around this time the Fort William brigade departed consisting of a number of company employees and partners, Lieutenants Bumby and Missani of the De Meuron's and former De Meuron soldiers Frederick Heurter and Charles Reinhard all under the joint command of Alexander Mackenzie and Archibald Norman Macleod. For arms they brought two crates of trade guns. En route they stopped at Fort Lac la Pluie where they were augmented by 20 First Nations and another canoe of voyageurs. While there they dispatched an express canoe to Fond du Lac to raise another party of First Nations people to meet them at

10985-592: The Navy and return it to the Selkirks. Lord Selkirk wrote back that he could not possibly countenance the return of his silver without the consent of the Continental Congress . The objects, which became the subject of protracted legal negotiations, were returned seven years later. Lord Selkirk married Jean Wedderburn-Colville, sister to James Wedderburn and Andrew Colville , in 1807, and fathered: In

11154-578: The Nor'Wester's use of the road, also would prevent the local natives and Métis from passing. One native family was taken prisoner. Upon learning this, the local Métis offered aid to the Nor'Westers for an attack on the HBC blockade, but the offer was declined. On May 29, 1814, Governor Macdonell sent John Spencer, the colony's sheriff, to seize provisions at the NWC's Rivière la Souris post. He confiscated 500 bags of pemmican, 96 kegs of grease and 9 bales of dried meat.(p. 28) He also confiscated two chests of NWC-owned guns to prevent them from being sold to

11323-468: The North West Company belonging to William and his uncle Simon . When Joseph Frobisher retired in 1798, McGillivray took his place, and William thenceforth became "involved in all important matters" upon historical evaluation, and steadily grew further and further into the upper echelons of the NWC's management firm, the MFC: William was involved with the establishment of a New York agency, all of

11492-483: The North West Company had one killed and one wounded, plus an unknown number of native casualties. This event would come to be known as the Battle of Seven Oaks after the name of the location at which it took place. There was at first much disagreement as to who fired the first shots of the battle. The Nor'Westers and Métis testified that Semple's men fired first and that the first shot was directed at Boucher who appeared to be resisting Semple's attempt to arrest him, while

11661-533: The North West Company in the 1770s changed this. The North West Company and others generally traded beyond the actual reach of the HBC, but generally still within their territory, easing the burden for natives of those regions to travel the long distance to Hudson Bay to trade. To compete with the North West Company, the HBC began expanding inland. In 1774 they built Cumberland House on the Saskatchewan River delta and soon had outposts situated throughout

11830-536: The North West and Hudson's Bay companies. For 100 years the London-based Hudson's Bay Company dominated the North American fur trade operating almost exclusively from their depots along the shores of Hudson Bay (though their charter, granted by Charles II in 1670 gave them exclusive rights to trade along the banks of any connected waterway), but competition from various Montréal merchants and later

11999-553: The Pyrenees stretching along the horizon, resembled, by their rugged summits, the back bone of the globe...The sight of all this grandeur determined the party upon making Pau their winter quarters." The Selkirks were the first notable British family to have resided at Pau having taken half of the Hotel de Bayard. Winter was severe and Selkirk's health declined until he could go only as far as the place Royale in front of their lodgings in

12168-596: The Red River Colony. On June 18 the brigade arrived at Bas de la Rivière where they took on more men as well as muskets and 2 brass three-pound cannon. The firearms were issued out and Reinhard and Heurter were ordered to instruct the voyageurs in the military manual-of-arms and platoon exercise. Some voyageurs refused. One observer stated: "A Canadian named Forcier positively refused to take a gun, and most of them took them with great reluctance, observing to me, that they were not engaged to take up arms and to make war like soldiers, and wished to do their duty as such – to navigate

12337-479: The Red River colony and because it was located outside of Selkirk's land grant. Once together, they would siege the fort and settlement and starve them into submission. The plan was to be set in motion in May. In March, Governor Semple temporarily put Colin Robertson in command of the Red River Colony while he toured the HBC posts in the district. In 1816 Robertson, hearing rumours that a party of Métis, Indians and NWC voyageurs were gathering at Fort Gibraltar to attack

12506-483: The Red River colony and began planning their attack, still unaware of events. The following day Chief Peguis' Saulteaux retrieved the body of Semple and 9 others and brought them by cart to Fort Douglas and buried them in a mass grave in a grove of trees south-west of the fort. The remaining dead were left on the battlefield. That evening, the Red River settlers numbering 180, retreated by boat towards Jack River House. The retreating Red River settlers passed Netley Creek on

12675-408: The Red River colony. Macdonnell, with a party of around 60 voyageurs and Métis established a camp at Frog Plain, 3 or 4 miles from Fort Douglas and erected a battery of 4 guns to prevent boats coming or going from the colony. It was provided with shot forged by the NWC blacksmith at Fort Gibraltar. On June 10 several colonists fired at a party of Métis conveying provisions to their camp at Frog Plain and

12844-399: The Red River. Selkirk was eventually granted a sergeant's detachment of the 37th Regiment consisting of around 14 men commanded by Sergeant Pugh, not as an official military representative but to act as Selkirk's personal guard. Selkirk next turned to the HBC. The HBC was allowed to raise armed forces for their protection under a clause in their charter. It stated: "We do give and grant unto

13013-657: The activities within the MFC across the pond in London , the founding of a firm in 1788 which was created by his uncle Simon and his cousin John Fraser, involvement in trading with China (see below), the massive relocation from Grand Portage to Kaministiquia (close to Thunder Bay, Ontario , referred to as Fort William at the time) in 1803, the relations and relationship with the Hudson Bay Company , and finally

13182-472: The arms locker to give them the weapons needed to mount a rescue. They drove the canoe ashore, but Spencer convinced the settlers not to kill the Nor'Westers and to let them carry out their duty. As Duncan Cameron appeared nearby again that evening, one colonist fired at him to no effect. In October, 1814 Governor Macdonell sent notes to the NWC outposts in the region in the name of Lord Selkirk ordering them to abandon their posts within six months. He then raised

13351-509: The avowed rival of the North-West Company in the trade which they themselves have carried on for upwards of thirty years with credit to themselves. In a fair commercial competition, we have no objection to enter the lists with his Lordship, but we cannot remain passive spectators to the violence used to plunder or destroy our property". The struggle was continued by Macdonell's successors, Robertson and then Semple , culminating in

13520-401: The blockade and not seeing the boat he expected, dispatched a party of six men to investigate, avoiding the blockade by taking the high-road around the river. Wills' men found the boat crew encamped on the river shore and ordered them to cache the provisions in a hidden place. Seeing this party of armed Nor'Westers, the HBC battery obtained reinforcements. When the boat did not appear as expected,

13689-406: The buffalo herds they were hunting. The Métis also detained Red River settler John Macleod for six days while he was conveying a message to them from Governor Macdonell. At the same time, Governor Macdonell arrested HBC defector Peter Pangman who was now working for the NWC, and later arrested Nor'Wester Hugh Heney for his role in detaining John Macleod. In retaliation, Métis leader Cuthbert Grant with

13858-413: The butler to provide the American gentlemen with what they needed. He filled a sack half full of coal, filled the top half with silverware and presented it to the officers. After drinking a toast to Lady Selkirk, they returned to their ship and presented their captain with his sack full of coal and silverware. Jones wrote Lady Selkirk a flowery letter of apology, proposing himself to buy back the booty from

14027-414: The canoes and carry goods over carrying places." The brigade consisting of around 150 men departed the next day. About the same time the rear-guard left Swan River with forty men under the command of John Macdonald. While leading his brigade to the Red River Colony, Alexander Macdonell dispatched Cuthbert Grant and 25 Métis to plunder the Hudson's Bay Company's Brandon House. On June 1, Grant's men broke open

14196-461: The coasts of Ontario, Quebec, and Nunavut. These trips were "very costly actions" and by 1806 had racked up the cost of some 45000 Pound Sterling , with the expeditions "not bringing the desired results". William saw two other options: either obtain an Imperial Charter from the Crown or to attempt to purchase majority shares in the HBC - a method used previously which had never yet succeeded. During

14365-477: The colonists met with Governor Macdonell and suggested that he surrender himself to end the violence. On June 15, the Nor'Westers attacked the Red River colony in force, taking a number of prisoners and throwing up a rampart with cannon around the grain store. They also let the colonists' horses loose to trample their crops. The next day, the NWC's Alexander Mackenzie and Simon Frazer arrived from Fort William and wrote to Governor Macdonell that if he surrendered himself

14534-411: The colonists returned fire. Four colonists and Baymen were wounded by enemy fire, and John Warren was nearly killed when his wall gun bursts. Eventually, the Métis entered the Red River colony and occupied several houses including that of John Pritchard which they set up as their headquarters. Several colonists were evicted and their houses burned. After the last attack on June 11 which lasted half an hour,

14703-456: The colonists should abandon the colony and resettle in the woods a few miles below the forks and that both parties should live in peace. The Métis rejected this proposal. They finally agreed to the following terms: The settlers agreed to these terms and fled by boat towards Jack River House (later renamed Norway House ) under the guard of local Cree who offered to convey them as far as Lake Winnipeg. HBC trader John Mcleod and three men remained at

14872-467: The colony and promising to restore the stolen artillery. Fort Gibraltar was a mere half-mile from the Red River Colony and had been the staging point for the attack on the settlement. Robertson next attempted to take the NWC's Fort Qu'Appelle, but found it heavily guarded and retreated back to Fort Douglas. In November 1815 the newly appointed governor of Red River Colony Robert Semple arrived with around 160 new settlers and Baymen and assisted in re-building

15041-539: The colony and were themselves driven off by several shots from Macdonnel's men. One John Early's gun misfired and he apologized stating he surely would have killed McNaughton, as his gun was loaded with two balls. The Métis now took matters into their own hands. Parties of Métis paraded in front of the Red River settlement day and night singing war songs to intimidate the settlers. Some settlers were abducted and their houses were dismantled or burned. Settlers continually deserted, often taking away arms and ammunition belonging to

15210-472: The colony as representatives of the HBC and to maintain the colonists' crops. On June 24, the Métis burned Fort Douglas and the colony's mill, stables and most of the empty houses. This was done by cutting open the windward side to allow the breeze to spread the flames. The goods and horses belonging to the colony were given to the Métis as gifts. The fleeing settlers stopped at Jack River House. While there they were met by Colin Robertson and his brigade bent for

15379-415: The colony at a place called the "Passage" where they loaded the pemmican onto two carts to take them overland past Fort Douglas and re-embark them at Frog Plain. Part of the force remained to rendezvous with the NWC forces from Fort William and Swan River; around 50 continued towards Frog Plain, but not before being ordered to keep as far away from Fort Douglas and the colony as the terrain would allow to avoid

15548-438: The colony would be left in peace. Governor Miles Macdonell subsequently surrendered himself and made a verbal agreement with the NWC for the following terms: On June 22, Governor Macdonell departed a prisoner for Fort William. Later that day, the Métis resumed firing at the colonists. The HBC's James Sutherland and one Mr. White met with the Métis at Frog Plain to negotiate a new peace settlement. Sutherland and White proposed that

15717-432: The colony's cannons to prevent their leaving. As a result, on April 3 a party of disgruntled settlers led by George Campbell detained the officers in the mess room of Fort Douglas, broke into the colony's warehouses and stole a number of artillery pieces, weapons and tools, carrying them off on horse-drawn sleighs while the imprisoned officers watched through the mess-room windows. The colonists then met with Duncan Cameron and

15886-402: The colony, captured Fort Gibraltar for the second time on March 17. On searching Duncan Cameron's room, a copy of a letter was found in which Cameron requested James Grant of Fond du Lac to raise a party of Indians to send to Red River in order to pillage the colony. Upon his return, Governor Semple ordered the fort to be dismantled to prevent it from being used again as a base to strike against

16055-402: The colony. In Athabasca, John Clark's brigade arrived late in the season and low on provisions. He sent detachments to the NWC's English River post (Île-à-la-Crosse), Fort Chipewyan, Slave Lake post and Peace River post. Twenty of Clark's men perished from the severe climate and hunger. The remaining surrendered to the NWC who maintained them through the winter and gave them transportation out in

16224-480: The colony. Fort Gibraltar consisted of one house measuring 64 feet long for the partners, one house of 28 feet and one of thirty feet for the men, a kitchen of 15 feet, three warehouses, a blacksmith shop, a stable and an ice house. Its dismantling took 30 men around a week to accomplish, which they did by using axes and hammers to remove the wooden pegs which held the timbers together. The best timbers were floated on rafts to Fort Douglas where they were used to re-enforce

16393-418: The colony. The Nor'Westers erected another battery with one piece opposite Fort Douglas. A breastwork was thrown up around it partially made from wood taken from dismantled houses. Duncan Cameron dispatched parties of armed men along various roads to capture any wandering settlers. In June, NWC forces attacked the colony no less than 4 times, often firing at the dwelling houses from hidden positions. In every case

16562-466: The company more dependent on the Red River pemmican than ever. The NWC disregarded the proclamation and Gov. Macdonell was obliged to enforce it. On March 14, 1814, John Warren (who was a clerk in the colony) and 15 or 16 armed colonists travelled to the Métis hunting camp at Turtle River to acquire provisions. That night several NWC sleighs arrived to do the same, and Warren's men forced them back empty handed. Shortly afterward, Gov. Macdonell, hearing that

16731-607: The country, the ordinary resources derived from the buffalo and other wild animals hunted within the territory, are not deemed more than adequate for the requisite supply, wherefore it is hereby ordered, that no person trading in furs or provisions within the territory for the Honourable Hudson's Bay Company, the North West Company, or any individual, or unconnected trader or persons whatever, shall take out any provisions, either flesh, dried meat, grain, or vegetable." Both North West and Hudson's Bay companies formally protested

16900-411: The degree to which one has to sift through detail (and potential detail) is immense, hence the "apparently" moniker. McGillivray returned to Montreal in 1793 and then took a trip to Scotland and England. He was now a partner in McTavish, Frobisher & Co., who controlled the NWC . With John Gregory, he was sent to manage the company's huge depot at Grand Portage , stirring jealousy among some of

17069-438: The dispute between the fur companies. The Red River District was also home to a small community of retired NWC voyageurs, called "freemen" because they were free of their contracts with the company. The Red River pemmican was absolutely vital to the NWC. Without it, the company could not adequately feed its employees. William McGillivray later swore in a court of law that the NWC could not function without it. The Nor'westers saw

17238-401: The district issued the " Pemmican Proclamation " on January 8. It read, in part: "Whereas the welfare of the families at present forming settlement on the Red River, within the said territory, with those on their way to it...as also those who are expected to arrive next autumn, renders it a necessary and indispensable part of my duty to provide for their support. In the yet uncultivated state of

17407-627: The district. It is unclear whether the colony was destroyed at this time or whether there was little to destroy in the first place. However, Fort Douglas was left intact. The colony's schooner, then anchored in the river near the fort, was beached and its sails, cordage and ironwork were removed, the mast being erected as a flag pole in Fort Douglas. The ship's hull was then burned. Late in June or early July, most NWC partners and voyageurs departed Red River for their wintering posts leaving Fort Douglas in

17576-415: The drive and morale of those hoping for promotion. Eventually, William McGillivray accepted the inevitability of a merger between the NWC and the HBC, and his brother Simon McGillivray set about bringing it to pass. An agreement was signed in 1821 and the once great Montreal company disappeared under the trading banner of the HBC. McGillivray was content that he had settled on equal terms (more below) with

17745-604: The emigration of poor Scots.) In 1804, he was in Halifax and became a member of the North British Society . He travelled extensively in North America, and his approach and work gained him some fame; in 1807 he was named Lord-Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright , Scotland, and in 1808 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. In order to continue his work re-settling Scottish farmers, Selkirk asked

17914-508: The end of May or early June the Qu'Appelle brigade departed consisting of around 80 armed voyageurs with two swivel guns commanded by Alexander MacDonell and an unknown number of Métis following overland on horseback. On the 11th of June, Colin Robertson left the Red River District after a series of disputes with Governor Semple. It is said that Robertson, instead of flying the HBC's Red Ensign behind his canoe, flew an empty pemmican sack as an insult to

18083-814: The fate of the two companies would argue the opposite. McGillivray enjoyed a leading role in Quebec society, particularly at Montreal. He had been elected a member of the Beaver Club in 1795 and in 1804 he was made a Justice of the Peace in the Indian Territories, and for the District of Quebec in 1815, plus Montreal and Three Rivers in 1821. In 1808, he replaced John Richardson in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada and in 1814 he

18252-499: The field. They then called out to Bourke to come fetch the body of Semple, apparently in a mocking tone. Fearing a trick, Bourke again retreated to Fort Douglas. As the party retreated, the Métis fired on it, wounding Bourke and killing Duncan McNaughton. The account given by Boucher in his own 1819 pamphlet differed strongly from Pritchard's. The battle lasted only 25 minutes. In the end, 21 Red River settlers and Hudson's Bay Company employees were killed, including Governor Semple, while

18421-461: The firm McTavish, McGillivrays and Co. The partners were himself, his brother Duncan , their brother-in-law Angus Shaw , and the two Hallowell brothers, James and William. The London firm of McTavish, Fraser & Co., remained unchanged except for McGillivray bringing in another brother, Simon . Due to rising costs within the NWC (the rivalry with the XY Company had essentially fueled the "rise in salaries and number of salaried employees" - however it

18590-458: The first to fall. The Métis dismounted and began firing from behind their horses. The remaining Baymen and settlers rushed towards Semple to give him aid, and being thus concentrated together, were cut down in short order. John Pritchard surrendered and was protected from the Métis by Boucher, who recognized him. Boucher received some blows and threats from the Métis but kept Pritchard safe. Michael Heden, Michael Kilkenny and Surgeon Mccoy fled towards

18759-467: The following day : "Everything that I had hitherto beheld appeared insignificant compared with the scenery which now presented itself...under our feet extended a long plain of meadowland, through which the Gave serpentined in a quick and bubbling stream. The foreground was bounded by a long ridge of hills covered with the vines festooning from their summits to their feet; backed by forest and bounded by

18928-488: The gates and stole literally everything inside, even the fort's grind stone. The stolen goods were divided among the raiders except the furs and ammunition which were claimed by the NWC. On June 16 the Qu'Appelle brigade arrived at Portage la Prairie and encamped. Expecting an attack, their stock of provisions and stolen furs were landed and formed into a defensive square on which two swivel guns were mounted. The next day 2 Métis went to Fort Douglas and warned Governor Semple that

19097-412: The governor of Canada to "give such protection to the settlers on Red River as could be afforded without detriment to his Majesty's services in other quarters." However, British commanders were reluctant to send troops to Red River because of the difficulty in transporting them such long distances. Selkirk pointed out that the Nor'Westers annually sent large quantities of bulky goods hundreds of miles beyond

19266-511: The hands of the around 40 Métis under Cuthbert Grant. Most of the cannons were brought to Athabasca to protect that quarter. During this time, Lord Selkirk was en route to the Red River Colony with reinforcements. On the 24th of July, while encamped at the Falls of St. Mary (also known as Sault Sainte Marie ) he was informed by a messenger that the colony had been destroyed. Instead of striking out to re-take his colony, Selkirk immediately plotted

19435-431: The house enjoyed "a magnificent view of the city and river". The McGillivrays were well known for their hospitality and kept open house at St. Antoine, as they had done before in their townhouse on St. Gabriel Street. Even his old rival John Jacob Astor came to dine there once a year on his annual trips to Montreal. The ballroom was said to be "an enchanting sight". In 1820, the English geologist, John Jeremiah Bigsby ,

19604-536: The international boundary between Manitoba and North Dakota, where it connects with Interstate 29 in the United States, to the city of Winnipeg. Mount Selkirk and the Selkirk Mountains were also named in his honor. The Métis peoples cite Lord Selkirk's intrusion as the period of time their identity as a people came into existence. The Métis existed prior to the confrontations with Lord Selkirk's men but their armed resistance to foreign encroachment became

19773-638: The investigation, deliver the Prince Regent's proclamation and to arrest Lord Selkirk. To give them some clout with the Indians, Coltman was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel and Fletcher a major in the British Indian Department . On August 12, between 10 and 11 am, Selkirk arrived at Fort William. Samuel Wilcocke recorded what happened next: "His Lordship came into the River Kaministiquiâ with four canoes, attended by

19942-698: The last surviving son (two brothers died in infancy, two died of tuberculosis and two died of yellow fever), became the 5th Earl of Selkirk. In 1798 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh , his proposers being Dugald Stewart , Andrew Coventry , and John Playfair . When Thomas unexpectedly inherited the Selkirk title and estates in 1799, he used his money and political connections to purchase land and settle poor Scottish farmers in Belfast, Prince Edward Island , in 1803 and Baldoon , Upper Canada in 1804. (See Highland Clearances for more on

20111-465: The late stages of tuberculosis Lord Selkirk wanted to travel to the warm climate of southern Spain with his family from London and agreed to bring young doctor George William Lefevre as his travelling physician. With good weather, Selkirk's spirits and cough improved between Paris and Bordeaux . Before crossing the Pyrenees , they stopped at Pau in mid-October 1819. Lefevre wrote about their ride

20280-400: The local Métis and to a lesser degree from the local First Nations people and freemen. The Métis were the descendants of French Canadian fur traders and their native wives. By the early 1800s, the Métis had formed large communities and were in the process of creating their own unique identity. The particular Métis band around Red River was referred to as Bois-Brûlés or "burnt wood," which was

20449-494: The masters of the NWC - the bourgeois - whom were majority Canadien ) of the company and their knack for personal fur-trading on the side of fur-trading for the company proper (like John Jacob Astor being the NWC agent to China , selling those NWC pelts, and then selling his own American pelts to the Russian-American Company , the various Russian Creole settlements in and around Alaska , and possibly

20618-542: The most expressive countenance". Mrs. McGillivray's brothers were John MacDonald of Garth and The Hon. Archibald Macdonald , and their sister, Helen, was married to General Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet , Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in the First Anglo-Burmese War . Mrs. McGillivray's mother was a niece of Major-General John Small and Alexander Small , two of the first cousins of General John Robertson Reid . The McGillivrays were

20787-659: The mouth of the Columbia River was applied to the NWC in a subtle but systematic fashion, and to retain his freedom, McGillivray contemplated negotiating with the East India Company, and establishing a trading post on the Canadian Pacific Coast. David Thompson had attempted to "gain a direct line of communication with the Orient " through his western explorations of 1810-1811, however, by

20956-433: The movement of Pemmican in the region, Miles Macdonell , governor of the new Red River Colony, declared war with the established NWC men. This led to the " Pemmican War " and would conclude in violence with the Battle of Seven Oaks (aka the Battle of Winnipeg). McGillivray had no illusions about Lord Selkirk's actions nor about the conduct of Miles Macdonell , remarking that Selkirk, "has thought proper lately to become

21125-785: The names of the City of Selkirk and the Village of East Selkirk , as well as the Winnipeg neighborhood of Point Douglas , the city's Fort Douglas Park on Waterfront Drive (where Fort Douglas once stood) and Winnipeg's Selkirk Avenue. The City of Selkirk is served by the Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School , which is administered by the Lord Selkirk School Division . The Lord Selkirk Highway runs from

21294-601: The north. The local Saulteaux arrived at the colony to help protect the settlers and stated that their presence would dissuade the Cree from attacking. However, the Saulteaux departed after 2 weeks upset at not being compensated for their assistance. Afterwards, 10 or 12 cows belonging to the colony were found riddled with arrows. It is unknown whether this was done by the Métis or the disgruntled Saulteaux. With his small army, Alexander Macdonnell finally began to take action against

21463-504: The northwest, in some cases directly across from their adversaries, sparking a period of intense competition. The Red River region also contained the North West Company's pivotal provisioning depots. Unlike the Hudson's Bay Company, which imported most of its provisions from England, the NWC relied heavily upon locally procured pemmican. Pemmican was made of dried buffalo meat pounded into a powder and mixed with melted buffalo fat in leather bags. To procure pemmican in sufficient quantities,

21632-638: The other Russian Colonial possessions at the time present until October of 1867). The rising costs and fall in profits were largely attributed to the intensified competition with John Jacob Astor and the HBC and the disruptions in the European market caused by the French Revolution . At first the NWC had collaborated with Astor in that McTavish had established a branch in New York in 1796 to avoid

21801-431: The other clerks were ordered not to associate with him, and he was sent back to Montreal aboard a loaded Montreal canoe as a sign of disgrace. The Nor'Wester's offers of free passage soon had the desired effect. Coupled with the harsh living conditions in the region, disgruntled settlers began leaving the colony. Archibald Macdonald, then in command of the colony while Gov. Macdonell was temporarily away, threatened to use

21970-552: The other partners, with others speaking of straight up nepotism . As a particularly telling example of this potential nepotism: the extremely effective explorer Alexander Mackenzie joined MFC in 1795 - the man had essentially discovered the Northwest Passage - and was made an underling to William in that Alexander was made nothing more than "an assistant (to William) at Grand Portage , despite all of his meretricious success in exploration and expansion particularly for

22139-437: The proclamation, but Lord Selkirk, being the majority shareholder of the HBC was able to deal with his company's complaints through official channels. Special Commissioner Coltman, the government official later charged with investigating the Battle of Seven Oaks , suggested that Gov. Macdonell waited for an opportune moment to release his proclamation, the idea of which he had brought up some time earlier, and suggested that moment

22308-412: The rapids at Portage la Prairie by Cuthbert Grant and around 50 armed Canadians and Métis. Pambrun and his goods were captured and sent to Qu'Appelle. The NWC later testified that they found the furs in some abandoned boats. While a prisoner at Qu'Appelle, Pierre Pambrun observed the Nor'Wester's preparations for their attack on the Red River Colony. He wrote: "I remained a prisoner at Qu'Appelle...I saw

22477-486: The request of the NWC to simply bring in goods via "their" bay . As they obviously rejected, Simon McTavish had sent out two expeditions, one by land and one by sea: the land expedition "gained a foothold on Hayes Island (in Ontario, close to Nâmowan and Moose Factory ) in 1800" and the sea expedition "landed on Charlton Island (Nunavut) in 1803" in the mouth of James Bay , the drainage outlet for Hudson Bay bordering

22646-400: The river. McCoy was shot and wounded. Heden and Kilkenny crossed the river in an old boat and returned to Fort Douglas later that night. According to John Pritchard's published account, Bourke, fearing his cannon would be captured, escorted it back to Fort Douglas and soon returned with a stronger party. As Bourke approached the battle site, he observed the Canadians and Métis still in command of

22815-429: The road towards the colony and immediately observed the Métis party increase in number. These re-enforcements were either members of the advance party returning from Frog Plain or the party returning from scouting the colony. Seeing the Métis force swell, while at the same time seeing the fleeing colonists, Semple sent John Bourke back to Fort Douglas to bring up a piece of artillery and to dispatch reinforcements to protect

22984-592: The said company shall have any plantations, forts or factories." Selkirk wrote to the King's Attorney and Solicitor General informing them of his intentions to raise an army per the HBC charter and requested their approval, but no response was made. Thus, Selkirk raised a force consisting of 180 Hudson's Bay Company employees and around 150 soldiers recently discharged from the De Meuron and De Watteville regiments. De Meuron's and De Watteville's were two Swiss regiments on

23153-440: The said governor and company free liberty and license in case they conceive it necessary to send either ships of war, men or ammunition unto any of their plantations, forts or places of trade aforesaid for the security and defence of the same and to choose commanders and officer over them and to give them power and authority to continue or make peace or war with any prince or people whatsoever, that are not Christian in any place where

23322-445: The scarcity of beaver began to be a problem and only served to heighten tensions between the two companies. The NWC was stronger on the ground, but it was not as financially strong as the HBC. The HBC had begun to break the traditional practice of waiting for "the Indians" to come to the bay, and were seeking to establish posts anywhere the NWC was located. The HBC did not help to relieve these tensions though, going so far as to reject

23491-402: The settlers and HBC employees, and contained company store houses as well as the governor's house, often referred to as the "Government House." Settlers began constructing huts to see them through the winter, but the late season forced many of them to winter at nearby HBC posts. However, these posts had insufficient provisions to support the extra people and the settlers, though given provisions by

23660-434: The settlers free passage to Upper Canada. It was decided that partners Duncan Cameron and Alexander Macdonell (the cousin and brother-in-law of Gov. Miles Macdonell) should oversee the operation in the Red River District. Unofficially however, the partners plotted to attack the colony. This was to be done by first disarming it and then paying the Indigenous people of Lac Rouge and Fond du Lac to destroy it. Of course, this plan

23829-504: The settlers. Semple waited for Bourke and his cannon, but Bourke was delayed and Semple continued towards the Métis. Half a mile from Fort Douglas, Lieutenant Holte's gun discharged accidentally. Semple was "very much displeased" and scolded him, telling him to be more careful and reiterated that no one should shoot unless fired on. The Canadians and Métis, now numbering around 60, rode towards Semple's party. Seeing this, Semple and his men took several steps backward and began to spread out. When

23998-474: The share left open by Peter Pond in the North West Company , for £800 in 1790. Promoted to the rank of proprietor, he was given responsibility at Churchill River , where about 80 men and 40 Métis lived. At about this time he took his 'country wife', a Metis woman named Susan. In 1791, he was given charge of the westernmost department on the Athabasca River , which had been extended even further to

24167-452: The spring and part of the summer of 1812 building four wooden boats, finally departing in mid-summer. The settlers arrived in the fall at the colony site, at a bend in the Red River about a half mile north of the forks of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. The settlers built a fort along a small stream southwest of the colony, named Fort Douglas in honour of Lord Selkirk. The fort was to be shared by

24336-503: The spring. In 1816, the wintering partners at Fort William made plans to destroy the Red River Colony for the second time. The plan was to raise three separate forces which would converge on the colony simultaneously, one would come from Qu'Appelle, the second from Fort William and the third from the Swan River Post as a rear guard. The NWC's Swan River Post was unmolested by the HBC during this period, because of its distance from

24505-558: The struggle with a tenacious offshoot splinter company which would eventually snag some 25% of the NWC shares called the New North West Company - better known as the " XY Company ". led by one John Richardson . In 1814, William and his brother Simon McGillivray met in Fort William (Thunder Bay), on Lake Superior , and planned to sell pelts in China. Subsequently, William set up an agency at New York City to get around

24674-609: The substantial lands at Plantagenet . In 1817, at a cost of £20,000, he purchased 'Bhein Ghael', a comparatively small but beautifully located Scottish estate on the Isle of Mull , overlooking Ghael Bay. In 1808, David Thompson had given what is now called the Kootenay River the name McGillivray's River, in honour of William and his brother Duncan . After losing the NWC to the HBC, McGillivray had made ready to leave Montreal for

24843-501: The successive governors in their progresses, and was well entitled to such honour, not only from his princely fortune, but from his popularity, honesty of purpose, and intimate acquaintance with the true interests of the colony... My host was then a widower with two well-educated daughters. The company was various and consisted of a judge or two, some members of the Legislative Council and three or four retired partners of

25012-524: The terms were more or less followed. Commissioner Coltman later testified that the agreement was kept with "some little deviations." That summer, during the general meeting at the North West Company's annual rendezvous at Fort William, the partners discussed how to deal with the Red River problem. It was officially agreed that the Red River District needed to be re-enforced, that arrest warrants should be issued for John Spencer, John Warren and Miles Macdonell and that Selkirk's colony should be reduced by offering

25181-535: The territory to deliver a proclamation from the Prince Regent calling for an end to the hostilities between the fur companies, the discharging of all soldiers under their employment, the removal of all blockades and the return of all confiscated goods and property. They were also to investigate the incidents and make any necessary arrests. In the fall of 1816, Governor-General Sherbrooke appointed William Coltman and John Fletcher as special commissioners to conduct

25350-553: The time he arrived in July of 1811, Astor's men coming by sea were already present on the mouth of the Columbia River . For some years many American and Canadian vessels made profitable runs on this trading circuit, but (as mentioned above) the American's applied systemic pressure. The rivalry between the NWC of Montreal and the English-controlled HBC gradually degenerated into a bitter and violent struggle, first under McTavish and then McGillivray. From 1810,

25519-512: The trading post at Fort William that belonged to the North West Company. In the aftermath, Selkirk was ordered to appear in court in Montreal and was charged with four separate offences, all of which related to the alleged unlawful occupation of Fort William. Selkirk reportedly spent most of his acquired fortune defending himself (unsuccessfully) in court, shortly before his death in 1820 at Pau, France . The two companies were merged in 1821. Selkirk's colonizing ambitions have been memorialized in

25688-601: The two parties were within gunshot-range of each other, the Métis spread into a half-circle in front of Semple's men. A French-Canadian clerk named François-Firmin Boucher approached Semple. At the same time, Bourke departed Fort Douglas with a cannon and 8 or 9 men. Boucher and Semple exchanged some words and Semple reached for the reins of Boucher's horse, or, according to some accounts, he reached for Boucher's gun, apparently in an attempt to arrest him. Several shots were immediately fired and Lieutenant Holte and Governor Semple were

25857-404: The walls and build an additional house. What remained of Gibraltar was then burned to the ground.(p. 40) Meanwhile, Selkirk set out from Montreal with around 140 discharged soldiers from the De Meuron and De Watteville regiments, his sergeant's detachment of the 37th Regiment and around 150 HBC servants with a number of artillery and even an oven for heating cannonballs. His plan was to travel

26026-495: Was a Scottish peer. He was noteworthy as a Scottish philanthropist who sponsored immigrant settlements in Canada at the Red River Colony . He was born at St Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbrightshire , Scotland , the seventh son of Dunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of Selkirk , and his wife Helen Hamilton (1738–1802), granddaughter of Thomas Hamilton, 6th Earl of Haddington . His brother was Basil William Douglas , Lord Daer. His early education

26195-421: Was a Scottish-born fur trader who succeeded his uncle Simon McTavish as the last chief partner of the North West Company until a merger between the NWC and her chief rival - the Hudson Bay Company . He was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada and afterwards was appointed to the Legislative Council of Lower Canada . In 1795, he was inducted as a member into the Beaver Club . During

26364-477: Was accompanied by proprietor Patrick Small to Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan . He spent the winter of 1786–87 at Snake Lake, setting up a trading post to compete with Gregory, McLeod & Co. He and Roderick McKenzie served their respective companies on good terms with each other. McGillivray played an important part in the two companies merging in 1787. The following year he returned to Île-à-la-Crosse and started trading at Rat River . This enabled him to purchase

26533-422: Was actually "chiefly linked to the intensified competition with the Americans and the HBC") he reduced manpower and curtailed the various costly habits of the living and travelling arrangements of the proprietors, such as the mode in which they travelled, if and how many servants were kept, and the maintenance of their wives and children. Additionally, "stricter control" was imposed upon the engagés (the servants of

26702-601: Was at the Palgrave Academy , Suffolk. As he had not expected to inherit the family estate, he went to the University of Edinburgh to study to become a lawyer. While there, he noticed poor Scottish crofters who were being displaced by their landlords . Seeing their plight, he investigated ways he could help them find new land in the then British colonies. In 1794, on the death of his brother Basil, Thomas became Lord Daer. After his father's death in 1799, Douglas,

26871-490: Was captured while riding on the plains. While being interviewed by Colin Robertson, Cameron informed him that most of the arms stolen from the Red River Colony were being stored at his fort, though the stolen artillery was spread throughout the district. Therefore, Robertson sent 12 men under the command of Alexander McLean to capture Fort Gibraltar and retrieve the colony's arms. Robertson returned Fort Gibraltar to Cameron after he signed an agreement ceasing all hostilities against

27040-588: Was down from 250% to 50%, and he was able to buy a majority share equalling £100,000 (in comparison the whole of the HBC stock was worth about £150,000). In May 1811 the HBC granted Selkirk 116, square miles of company territory which encompassed most of the Red River watershed. Today this region is shared by Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, North and South Dakota and Minnesota. The region was already occupied at that time by numerous tribes of Native Americans and Métis , as well as containing outposts belonging to both

27209-425: Was elected to the Legislative Council of Lower Canada . He also became a significant landowner, purchasing 12,000 acres at Inverness, Quebec in 1802, which he later sold to Joseph Frobisher . During the War of 1812 , McGillivray obtained the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Corps of Canadian Voyageurs, who succeeded in capturing Detroit. In gratitude for this service, the government of Upper Canada granted him

27378-405: Was invited to a dinner at St. Antoine, which he described at great length in his entertaining book, The Shoe and Canoe : I had the pleasure of dining with the then great Amphictyon of Montreal at his seat , on a high terrace under the mountain, looking southwards and laid out in pleasure-grounds in the English style. The view from the drawing room windows of this large and beautiful mansion

27547-429: Was not at home. When Lieutenant Wallingford suggested that instead, they might take the young gentleman they saw on the way to the house, Lady Selkirk replied that they would have to kill her first. After more discussion, Lady Selkirk suggested that, so that their mission would not be a complete failure, they might steal the family silver. The officers allowed as how that might be the best solution, so Lady Selkirk ordered

27716-498: Was not recorded in the meeting notes, but there is an abundance of evidence to support it; for instance, Daniel Mackenzie, the officer in charge of the Fond du Lac District received a letter from Duncan Cameron in the spring of 1815 stating that he had orders to destroy the colony, and the chief of the Fond du Lac Indians later testified that Daniel Mackenzie offered him all the goods at Leech Lake, Sandy Lake and Lac la Pluie to "make war on

27885-890: Was one of the early estates of the Golden Square Mile (like many other members of the Beaver Club). McGillivray Ridge in British Columbia is named for him, as well as a handful of elementary schools in Ontario, Quebec, or British Columbia. In 1764, McGillivray was born at Dunlichity, near Daviot in the Scottish Highlands . He was the eldest son of Donald Roy McGillivray (1741–1803), tacksman of Achnalodan in Dunmaglass and later of Dalscoilt in Strathnairn . His mother, Anne (1740–1807),

28054-471: Was released and cleared at Montreal . The strength held by the NWC had been in a steady decline since 1810 and Selkirk's actions helped tip the balance in the power struggle towards the HBC, even with its massive 100,000 Pound debt to the Bank of England . Nevertheless, "the decline of the NWC had...begun well before Selkirk's intervention and was linked to many other factors". William's brother Simon conceded in

28223-479: Was the American victory at the Battle of Lake Erie which occurred September 10, 1813 which gave the Americans command of Lake Erie and threatened the NWC's ability to transport goods, furs and provisions over the Great Lakes. Issuing the proclamation at this time therefore would have starved the Nor'westers out of the region. In fact, the Nor'Westers would later testify that the British loss of Lake Erie rendered

28392-543: Was the daughter of Lieutenant John McTavish (1701–1774), of Garthbeg. The McGillivrays had traditionally held the Dunmaglass estate since the fourteenth century, and William's grandfather was a first cousin of the Chief of Clan McGillivray , Captain William McGillivray of Dunmaglass. However, on his side of the family the land had dissipated so that William's father was a small tenant on what had become part of

28561-463: Was the sister of Andrew Wedderburn , a member of the H.B.C. governing committee) allowed him to acquire a land grant called Assiniboia to serve as an agricultural settlement for the company. As part of the agreement for the land grant, Selkirk agreed to supply the Hudson's Bay Company with 200 men each year. He also agreed that the settlers would not be allowed to participate in the fur trade. As part owner of H.B.C., Selkirk also wanted to stop

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