CHAPTER XI.
THE SIOUX IN THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES.
MUCH interest has been awakened with regard to this warlike race, owing to recent
events ; namely, the war between them and the United States, the destruction by them
of
Captain Custer's command, and their subsequent flight into
British territory, and now prolonged sojourn therein.
Prior, however, to this irruption, a portion of the Sioux tribe
of American Indians, took refuge in the Red River settlement,
after the massacre of the whites by the Indians in Minnesota,
in the year 1862. Their arrival caused great consternation in
the settlement. The main body took up a position at Sturgeon
Creek, about six miles from Fort Garry, now the City of Winnipeg, and others, at Poplar
Point, and the Turtle Mountain.
The Governor and Council of Assiniboia then governed the
Province of Assiniboia, under the Hudson's Bay Company, and
was composed of representative men. Their deliberations
were grave and anxious. In December, 1863, the Governor-
in-Chief, Mr. Dallas, reported to the Council, that he had
visited the principal camp of the Sioux at Sturgeon Creek, and
found there about five hundred men, women and children, and
more had since arrived ; that he had found them in great destitution and suffering,
from want of food and clothing, and
that after consultation with Governor Mactavish, of the Province of Assiniboia, he
had offered sufficient provisions to
enable them to remove to such a distance from the settlement
as would place it beyond all danger and apprehension, and also
offered to have the provisions conveyed for them, and ammunition supplied them to
procure game, but they had positively
The Sioux in the North-West Territories. 277
refused to go away—giving as a reason the inability of the old
men, women and children, to travel in the winter. The Governor was in consequence
authorized by the Council, to offer
them the means of transport, for those who were unable to walk.
The Indians then removed to White Horse Plains, a distance
of twenty miles only from Fort Garry, and camped there. A
supply of food was given them, but no ammunition. The
United States military authorities in December, 1863, sent an
envoy to see the Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land, and the
North-West Territories, with a view to ordering the Sioux to
return to United States territory. The Governor was assured,
that, though the American authorities would punish such of
the Sioux as had actually been engaged in the massacre, they
would furnish the innocent with all needful supplies of food
and clothing for the winter, in the event of giving themselves
up peaceably. The Council, on hearing this statement, authorized the granting permission
to the American authorities to
enter into negotiations with the Sioux in the territories, on
condition that they adopted no aggressive measures against
them, and that in the event of the Americans accepting the
proposed permission, they should protect themselves by a sufficient guard to preclude
the danger of attack from the Indians, and to ensure the preservation of peace.
In January, 1864, the Council considered a despatch from
Major Hatch, in command of the American forces, representing that on the approach
of spring, he apprehended a renewal
of the barbarous scenes of 1862 and 1863, and asked authority to cross the national
boundaries and pursue and capture the
murderers, wherever they might be found. The Council accorded the permission asked,
but it was never acted on. It is
not likely that a permission to cross our borders in pursuit of
a flying enemy would ever again be granted. It was conceded
in exceptional circumstances by an irresponsible Government,
but the growth of the Dominion of Canada has been such, and
its relations to the empire have become so intimate, that it
278 The Treaties of Canada with the Indians.
would not in my judgment be granted, if at all, except in concert with the Imperal
Government. The Governor also reported to the Council, that the main body of the Sioux
on the
Missouri in the United States, had sent him a message asking
his advice as to making peace with the Americans, and expressing a desire to visit
Red River in spring, and that he had
advised the Sioux to make peace with the Americans, as otherwise, the war would be
renewed with increased vigor next
summer. He had also counselled them not to visit the Red
River country. The Council warned the Sioux not to visit
the settlement, but in the summer of 1866, the advice
was disregarded. A band of Sioux came to Fort Garry
and were leaving quietly, with a number of Saulteaux, but
when about a mile from the Fort, they were attacked by a
band of Red Lake Saulteaux Indians, who had just come into
the settlement from the United States, and five of them were
shot. The remainder fled for their lives.
The Council apprehended that the Sioux might congregate
in force, and a collision take place between the Sioux and the
Saulteaux, and therefore authorized the formation of a body of
from fifty to one hundred mounted armed men from among the
settlers, to prevent the Sioux from coming into the settlement.
Fortunately they did not return and a collision was avoided.
In 1866, the American authorities again opened up communications with the Governor
and Council of Assiniboia, through
Colonel Adams, who intimated that he had been authorized by
Brevet Major-General Corse, commanding the District of Minnesota, "to use every possible
means to induce the hostile
Sioux to surrender themselves at Fort Abercrombie, and to
grant them protection and entire absolution for all past offences
in the event of giving themselves up," and asking the aid of
the Council, to endeavor to influence the Sioux to accede to
the proposals he made. The Council accordingly authorized
Judge Black and Mr. McClure to communicate to the Chiefs of
the Sioux, the letter of Colonel Adams, and endeavor to induce
The Sioux in the North-West Territories. 279
them to accept of it, and to supply them with what provisions might be necessary to
carry the Sioux to Fort Abercrombie.
All efforts having that end in view failed, and the Sioux
remained, some in the Province of Assiniboia, and others in
the territories beyond, As time went on, in 1870, the country
passed under the rule of Canada, and when the Government of
Canada was established in the Province of Manitoba, which
included the district of Assiniboia, the Sioux were found living quietly in tents,
in the parishes of Poplar Point, High
Bluff, and Portage la Prairie, in what became the new Province
of Manitoba. Immigrants from Ontario, had begun to settle
in that section of the Province, and the settlement rapidly
increased.
The Sioux were found very useful, and were employed as
labourers, cutting grain, making fence-rails, and ploughing for
the settlers. They also endeavored to gain a subsistence, by killing game and fur-bearing
animals, and by fishing. They frequently applied to Lieut.-Gov. Archibald, to be allowed
to settle
on a reserve, where they might support themselves by farming,
a step which that officer favored. In 1873, they renewed the
application to his successor, Lieut.-Gov. Morris, who having
obtained authority to do so, promised to give them a reserve;
upwards of one hundred of these Sioux, resident within Manitoba, having waited upon
him, and represented "that they had
no homes or means of living," and asked for land and agricultural implements.
They were informed, that the case was exceptional, and that
what would be done, would be as a matter of grace and not
of right, which they admitted. They were also told that the
reserve would be for themselves alone, and that the Sioux now
in the States must remain there. A reserve was proposed to
them on Lake Manitoba, but they were unwilling to go there,
being afraid of the Saulteaux, and especially the Red Lake
Saulteaux.
280 The Treaties of Canada with the Indians.
It is satisfactory to state, that after the treaty at the North-
West Angle, the Saulteaux having become bound to live at
peace with all people under Canadian authority, sent the aged
Chief Kou-croche to see the Lieutenant-Governor at Fort Garry,
to acquaint him of their desire to make peace with the Sioux
The Chief said the words he had heard at the Angle were good,
he had promised to live at peace with all men, and he now
wished to make friends with the Sioux. The distrust between
the two tribes had been great, owing to past events. At the
Angle, but for the presence of the troops, the Chippewas would
have fled, it having been circulated among them, that the Sioux
were coming to attack them. Permission was given to the
Chief to pay his visit to the Sioux, and messengers were sent
to them, in advance, to explain the object of his visit.
The result of the interview was satisfactory, and the ancient
feud was buried. In 1874, two reserves were allotted the
Sioux, one on the Assiniboine River, at Oak River, and another
still further west, at Bird Tail Creek. These reserves were
surveyed, the former containing eight thousand and the latter
seven thousand acres.
Settlements, were commenced, on both reserves, and cattle,
seed and agricultural implements were supplied to them. In
1875, the Lieutentant-Governor finding that a large number
still continued their nomadic life, in the vicinity of Poplar
Point and Portage la Prairie, visited them, and obtained their
promise to remove to the reserves—which the majority eventually did. Kenneth Mackenzie,
Esq., M.P.P., a very successful
farmer from Ontario, who had largely employed Sioux laborers, kindly agreed to visit
the Assiniboine reserve and direct
them from time to time as to the agricultural operations. The
Church of England undertook the establishment of a mission
and erected buildings there, while the Presbyterians opened
a mission at Bird Tail Creek, and obtained the services of
a native ordained Sioux miinster, from the Presbytery of
Dakotah. The number of these Sioux is estimated at about
The Sioux in the North-West Territories. 281
fifteen hundred. Both settlements give promise of becoming
self-sustaining, and in view of the rapid settlement of the
country, some disposition of them had become necessary.
During their sojourn of thirteen years on British territory,
these Indians have on the whole, been orderly, and there was
only one grave crime committed among them, under peculiar
circumstances—the putting to death of one of their number,
which was done under their tribal laws. An indictment was
laid before the Grand Jury of Manitoba. and a true bill found
against those concerned in this affair, but the chief actors in the
tragedy fled. Had they been tried, their defence would probably have been that the
act was committed in self-defence.
The slain man having, as the Chief represented, killed one
of the tribe, cruelly assaulted another, and threatened the
lives of others. When the war broke out between the
Sioux and the American Government, the American Sioux,
endeavored to induce those in Canadian territory to join
them, but they refused. Precautionary measures were however taken and messengers sent
to them, by the Lieutenant-Governor, to warn them against taking any part. They
disclaimed all intention to do so, and said they meant to
live peacefully, being grateful for the kindness with which
they had been treated. Besides these Manitoban Sioux, there
were two other bands in the North-West Territories—one at
Turtle Mountains, and another large party in the bounds of
the Qu'Appelle Treaty. In 1876 the latter sent their Chiefs to
see Lieut.-Gov. Morris and the Hon. Mr. Laird, at Qu'Appelle,
and asked to be assigned a home. They were told that their
case would be represented to the Canadian authorities. In
1877, the Sioux at the Turtle Mountains, sent two deputations
to the Lieutenant-Governor, to ask for a reserve in that region.
They said they had lived for fifteen years in British territory
they wanted land to be given them and implements to cultivate
the soil, and seed to sow, and scythes and sickles to reap their
grain, and some cattle.
282 The Treaties of Canada with the Indians.
They were told that they had no claim on the Queen, as
they were not British Indians, unless she chose to help them
out of her benevolence. This they cheerfully admitted, but
hoped that they would be helped. They were further informed that if a reserve was
granted them, it could not be
near the boundary line as they wished, and that they must
avoid all interference with the American trouble with their
nation. This they willingly promised, and said "they had
already taken care to have nothing to do with the matter."
These Sioux were very intelligent and superior Indians, and
were well dressed. A reserve was subsequently allotted to
them in the year 1876, in the vicinity of Oak Lake, about
fifty miles due north of Turtle Mountains, allowing them the'
same quantity of land, which had been given the Manitoba
Sioux, viz., 80 acres to each band of five persons, and they will
doubtless follow the example of their brethren on the other
two reserves. With regard to the Sioux to whom reserves
have been assigned, the then Minister of the Interior, the Hon.
David Mills, thus reported in 1877 : "The report of the Deputy
Superintendent-General in 1877 gives some details respecting
the operations of the Manitoba Sioux on their reserves, during
the past year. He says: 'Upon the whole, they appear to
have made fair progress in cultivating the land, and their prospects for the future,
had they the advice and assistance of some
good farmers, for a few years, would be encouraging. Indeed,
the Sioux generally, who are resident in Canada, appear to
be more intelligent, industrious, and self-reliant, than the other
Indian bands in the North-West.' "
While the authorities were thus successfully dealing with the
problem of how to provide a future for these wandering Sioux,
a grave difficulty presented itself by the incursion into the
North-West Territories of a large body of American Sioux
(supposed to be under the lead of what is now an historic name,
the Sitting Bull), who had fled from the American troops. The
The Sioux in the North-West Territories. 283
Minister of the Interior, the
Hon. David Mills, in 1877, thus
alluded to this difficult subject :
" The presence of Sitting Bull and his warriors in Canada is
a source of anxiety both to the Government of Canada and the
United States. These Indians harbor feelings of fierce hostility
towards, and thorough distrust of, the United States people and
Government. These feelings may be traced to two principal
causes, the dishonesty of Indian agents and the failure of the
Federal authorities to protect the Indian reservations from being
taken possession of by an adventurous and somewhat lawless
white population. The officers of the North-West Mounted
Police have been instructed to impress upon Sitting Bull and
his warriors the necessity of keeping the peace towards the
people of the United States, and there is no reason for supposing they will not heed
the warnings which have been given
them. It is not, however, desirable to encourage them to
remain on Canadian territory, and Col. McLeod has been
accordingly instructed to impress them with their probable
future hardships after the failure of the buffalo, should they
elect to remain in Canada ; that the President of the United
States and his Cabinet are upright men, willing and anxious to
do justice to the Indians ; and should they return peacefully
they will be properly cared for, and any treaty made with them
will be honestly fulfilled. It is desirable that as wards of the
United States they should return to that country, upon the
Government of which morally devolves the burden and the
responsibility of their civilization."
The Sioux have since continued within the borders of Canada,
and the Minister of the Interior, Sir John Macdonald, reported
in 1878, " That it is only just to them to say, that they have
behaved remarkably well ever since they crossed into Canada."
Their presence in the North-West Territories has, however,
been attended and will be followed, in any event, by serious
consequences. The natural food supply of our Canadian
284 The Treaties of Canada with the Indians.
Indians, the Crees, Chippewas, Assiniboines and Blackfeet,
of the Plain Country, viz., the buffalo, was rapidly diminishing, and the advent of
so large a body of foreign Indians
has precipitated its diminution, so that the final extinction of
the buffalo is fast drawing near. Already the Government of
Canada, in the discharge of a national obligation, which has ever
been recognized by all civilized authorities, has been obliged
to come to the aid of the Blackfeet and other Indians to avert
the danger and suffering from famine. The Sioux are already
feeling the hardships of their position, and it will tax the skill
and energies of the Government of Canada to provide a remedy.
Already, at the instance of the Hon. David Mills, then Minister
of the Interior (who visited Washington for the purpose), an
effort was made by the American Government to induce the
Sioux to return to their homes. Envoys were sent to them
from the United States, but they declined to accept the overtures made to them. On
the previous occasion of the flight
into our territories of the Sioux, the American Government, as
has been before recited, after an interval of nearly four years,
offered them protection on their return journey from British
territory to their homes in the United States and " entire absolution for all past
offences." This forms a precedent which
should be invoked and would doubtless be accepted by the
Sioux if they can be induced to believe in the good faith
of the American Government towards them. Every effort
should be made to bring about so desirable a result, and
the subject will doubtless engage in the future, as it has done
in the past, the anxious consideration and wise action of the
Canadian Government, who have a right to appeal to the
President of the United States and his advisers, to relieve them
from the incubus of the presence in our territories of so
many of the wards of that Government, and who are without
the means or opportunities of obtaining a livelihood for themselves.
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