La bataille de Cut Knife Hill (1885)
During the 1870s and 1880s, relations between the Canadian government and Indigenous Peoples deteriorated and became increasingly strained. First Nations faced unkept treaty promises and were weakened by a dwindling bison population upon which they depended for food. The Métis, feeling neglected and ignored by the federal government, sought recognition for land titles. Many communities began to resist within this context and in response thousands of Canadian soldiers and militia men were swiftly dispatched to the prairies in 1885 by the Canadian government.
Sous l'autorité du Lieutenant-colonel (Lcol) William Otter, a portion of the men trekked through the prairies up to Fort Battleford, Saskatchewan, with the intention of protecting the fort and local white settlers from Cree or Assiniboine attacks. Otter’s men included members of the North-West Mounted Police, the Queen’s Own Rifles, and the Battleford Rifle Company (later the 16th Mounted Rifles).
Les tensions escaladent lorsque la bande crie de Poundmaker et des Assiniboines – au bord de la famine – viennent au fort chercher des rations alimentaires. Craignant des conflits, d'autant plus que certains Assiniboines avaient récemment assassiné deux colons blancs, les habitants se réfugient dans le fort. Pourtant, le chef Poundmaker estime qu'il serait plus productif de collaborer et de négocier avec la Couronne plutôt que de s'y opposer avec force. Il espére qu'en parlant pacifiquement à l'agent des Indiens il serait en mesure de convaincre le gouvernement d'honorer les obligations établies par traité. Le chef ne pas réussi à parler à l'agent et certains membres de son groupe pillent quelques maisons abandonnées en désespoir de cause alors qu'ils quittent les lieux et partent en direction de l'ouest.
Le Lcol Otter arrive au fort peu de temps après et sans tenir compte des ordres du général Middleton de laisser les Premières Nations tranquilles lui et ses troupes parcourent 60 kilomètres à la recherche de la bande de Poundmaker.
The next morning, on May 2, 1885, LCol Otter and his men attacked the Poundmaker Band camp. The First Nations and Métis peoples, headed by Chief Fine Day, defended themselves and confrontation ensued in the grasslands and ravines of Cut Knife Hill. As it turned out, LCol Otter was ill-equipped to face his opponents who were well-versed warriors and familiar with the terrain. Otter’s two cannons were purposeless once their rotted carts disintegrated, and his Gatling gun was unable to fire far enough to reach the opposition. As a result, the LCol’s forces were driven to leave the battlefield, marking the final defeat of Canadian forces during the 1885 North-West Resistance (also known as the North-West Rebellion). Although some Indigenous warriors were inclined to pursue Otter’s retreating force, Poundmaker discouraged further violence. The 6-hour clash left 17 men wounded and cost the lives of another 14, eight from the militia and four Cree.
The North-West Resistance was quelled within a couple of months and its participants were prosecuted for their involvement. Poundmaker was deemed liable for generating the Battle of Cut Knife Hill and declared a traitor. He was briefly imprisoned before his death the following year at Blackfoot Crossing, Alberta. In 2019, he was fully exonerated by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Chief Poundmaker was peacemaker who never stopped fighting for peace. […] [He was] someone who work[ed] tirelessly to ensure the survival of his people and hold the Crown accountable to its obligations as laid out in Treaty 6,” he declared.
Le champ de bataille est proclamé lieu historique national en 1923.
For a more complete summary of the 1885 North-West Resistance, see the Encyclopédie canadienne.
Peter Decoteau de la nation crie de Red Pheasant a participé à la bataille. Lisez cet article pour en savoir plus sur les accomplissements de son fils Alex.
Photo principale: Une interprétation artistique de la bataille de Cut Knife. (Source : Bibliothèque et Archives Canada)
Sources:
Chaput, Jean. "Coupez Knife Hill, bataille de." Dans Encyclopédie autochtone de la Saskatchewan, édité par University of Saskatchewan Press. Cut Knife Hill, Battle of – Encyclopédie autochtone de la Saskatchewan – Université de la Saskatchewan (usask.ca)
Gouvernement du Canada. “Lieu historique national du Fort Battleford.” Dernière modification le 8 mars 2018. Histoire – Lieu historique national du Fort-Battleford (pc.gc.ca)
Granatstein, JL, Canada’s Army, Waging War and Keeping the Peace, 2e ed. Toronto : University of Toronto Press, 2011.
Taylor, Stephanie. « Justin Trudeau exonerates Saskatchewan chief of historic treason conviction. » Global News, 8 juillet 2019.