Battle of Fort Pitt
Cree Negotiation for Increase in Food Ration Turns Deadly
In 1885 when news of the Duck Lake battle reached eastern Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald arranged for troops to be sent. It was difficult to move troops at that time of the year when the lakes were frozen. “The C.P.R. along the north short of Lake Superior had not yet been completed, and long stretches between the sections already constructed had to be passed by the troops along the icebound shores of the lake.”
The people who lived in the prairie region were alarmed by the aboriginal and Métis armed rebellion led by Louis Riel, who had left his exile in Montana. The missionaries, Indian Agents, settlers and others crowded into the nearest NWMP or Hudson’s Bay forts.
Inspector Francis Dickens
Inspector Francis Dickens, stationed at Fort Pitt, acquired the first news of the rebellion in a report from Mr. Rae, the Indian Agent at Battleford, ninety miles east. Dickens advised the Indian sub-agent, Thomas Quinn, at Frog Lake, to come to Fort Pitt if he considered there to be serious danger. Quinn responded that the Indians at Frog Lake were quiet and he was confident that by keeping them well fed and treating them kindly, they would stay there. To avoid over exciting the aboriginals, Quinn sent Corporal Sleigh and his party to Fort Pitt accompanied by a letter to Dickens explaining why the NWMP left and asserting the Indians were quiet.
On April 4, 1885, Henry Quinn, a relative of Thomas Quinn, arrived at Fort Pitt to report that at Frog Lake the white people had been made prisoners by the Indians. Quinn had made his escape when he heard that all the white men would be killed.
Fort Pitt had been designed as a trading post, with six buildings and a fence on one side to contain livestock. The fort did not have a palisade around it.
Dickens made preparations to barricade the windows and doors, with loop-holes made in the walls. He also wrote to Battleford requesting reinforcements of 50 men as he had civilians in the fort. No reply was received, as the bearer had been intercepted.
On April 13, 1885, a large group of aboriginals appeared on high ground to the north of the fort, accompanied by three Hudson’s Bay Company prisoners. Dickens received a demand to surrender of all the weapons and ammunition, followed by another to leave at once. One of the settlers, Mr. W. J. Mclean, believed the Indians to be a peace party and went out to meet with the chief, only to be taken prisoner.
Later that day, Constables Cowan, Loasby and Special Constable Quinn, who had been out to Frog Lake, came upon the aboriginals between them and the fort. Cowan, known to be hot-headed, decided to ride through the aboriginals, while Quinn disagreed and looked for another route. Cowan and his horse were shot, Loasby's horse was shot under him, but he managed to get to his feet and run with the aboriginals chasing him. Loasby was wounded in the back, and feigned death while his “belt, bandolier and ammunition” were taken. When the aboriginals retreated under gunfire, Loasby staggered into the fort.
Civilians Surrender to Big Bear
After a message was received from Mr. McLean directing his family to join him, the remainder of the civilians prepared to depart and surrender to Chief Big Bear. Once Dickens learned the settlers’ minds were confirmed, he saw to the safety of his men.
When the prisoners had voluntarily gone to Big Bear’s camp, Dickens found himself in an awkward position. Originally he and his detachment of men had been sent to Fort Pitt for the sole purpose of providing protection to the settlers. There was no need for him to remain in an indefensible position where he would likely become the object of an attack by the aboriginals, whose numbers were far greater than his own. Dickens’ force was too small to be of any use, but by joining with those at Battleford he would be in a better position to help secure that fort.
Inspector Dickens Retreats
Weapons that could not be carried away were destroyed. The ice in the river was breaking up, and Dickens’ band of men managed to navigate the river in an unreliable scow that leaked, with “hard baling” to Fort Battleford.
Sources:
Forty Years in Canada by Col. S. B. Steele (1915)
Royal North West Mounted Police by Captain Ernest J. Chambers (1906)
The Battle of Fort Pitt
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