Timeline...
1800 - 1849
The
World
1805-06: Lewis and Clark lead an expedition across North-western
United States to the Pacific Ocean.
Canada
The War of 1812 – 14.
In what is essentially a war between The United States and Britain,
Canada successfully repels and American invasion with the help of
native tribes. Many years later Sioux warriors, descends of those who
fought, retained medals given for service the British Crown.
|
|
Manitoba
1812
The beginning of agricultural settlement in Manitoba with the
arrival of Selkirk Settlers. This would lead to the establishment of
Winnipeg as the commercial centre of the region.
1822
Peter Fidler noted the abundance of sturgeon at the intersection
of the Souris and Assiniboine Rivers. In the same year the forts
at
this intersection were attacked by the Sioux.
|
Melita
& Area
1800
The Assiniboine are 28,000 strong across Manitoba with more than 10,000
in the Turtle Mountains alone. The Sioux periodically attack many
villages along the Souris River.
A Northwest Company trader, Alexander Henry Jr., makes his first trip
down the Souris River from the Northwest Company Fort La Souris at the
junction of the Souris and Assiniboine Rivers. He travels down the
river to about the present day town of Souris. From here he
traveled
across country to Fort La Bosse on the Assiniboine River where he
engaged in the buffalo hunt.
1806
After about 1806 it appears that the Northwest Company lost interest in
the Souris but their place on that river was soon taken by American
traders and Independents.
Alexander Henry Jr. travels across the Souris plains.
He carried the usual trade goods, tobacco, beads, knives, muskets; and
in his case, a good supply of liquor. On July 15th he stopped for the
night at the Fort Ash site. During the trip upriver he mentions
passing several Assiniboine camps of about 70 tents and after visiting
the Turtle Mountains he estimated the Assiniboine population at about
10,000. While passing along the Souris, Henry was careful to put night
guards on the horses as the Assiniboines had the reputation of being
the greatest horse thieves on the prairies. Guards were also
necessary
as Henry was carrying guns and ammunition to the Missouri River Indians.
1807
Francois Jeanette, is born on the Souris River near the present day
city of Bottineau, North Dakota. His father, a French Canadian,
first
name Justas, was a trapper on the Souris River and had lost his first
wife and son to the Gros Ventre Indians. He lived and worked in
the
Souris Valley until 1905.
1810
The American Fort, north of Lauder, is built about 1810. The site
of
its chimney mounds indicate that it was in operation for a considerable
length of time so we can speculate that it operated until 1828 when
Cuthbert Grant was appointed “Warden of the Plains” and
instructed by
the Hudson’s Bay Company to clear out all opposition trading
posts.
These American posts were also used as a springboard to the rich
Assiniboine and Qu’Appelle River regions and it is known that the
Americans traded extensively on the Qu’ Appelle.
1812
An American engineer, searching for a passage north from the Missouri
River, finds a large Gros Ventre Indian village at the intersection of
the Souris-Antler Rivers.
The following year Indians from this village scalped Francois
Jeannottes’ sister and he and his mother moved to Fort
Garry. However,
a few years later, Jeannotte returned to the Souris River and later
worked in two trading posts above the 49th parallel.
It was about this time that the buffalo hunts began along the Souris
River. They were small for the first few years, just a few tents,
but
by 1820 they would be large organized affairs.
1815
The Sioux wipe out the Gros Ventre Nations who were living at this time
at the junction of the Souris and South Antler Rivers.
1820
A Sioux-Assiniboine battle takes place just east of Whitewater Lake.
Maria Grant, daughter of Cuthbert Grant, is born. She raised a
family
called Breland who would play an important part in the trading posts on
the Souris and later be the first settlers in the Grande Clairiere sand
hills.
The first Metis buffalo brigade from Fort Garry cross the Souris River
near present day Melita.
1824
Cuthbert Grant builds Fort Grant on the Souris River in 1824
1828
Cuthbert Grant was appointed “Warden of the Plains” and
instructed by
the Hudson’s Bay Company to clear out all opposition trading
posts.
1831
The Sioux return an Assiniboine attack moving east down the Souris
River into Manitoba. They turn north where they meet a Metis
Buffalo
Brigade returning from the Moose Mountains.
The buffalo hunters, as usual, formed a circle with their cars and held
off the attackers. This attack took place to the west of Oak
Lake. In
the same year, Sioux war parties forced the forts at the mouth of the
Souris to close.
1834
Warfare occurred once more as the Sioux descended the Souris and
Assiniboine Rivers to Fort Garry.
Here they warred briefly with the Saulteaux Indians. This battle
was
stopped by Cuthbert Grant’s Metis who escorted the Sioux south
toward
the Turtle Mountains.
1836
Fort Desjarlais is built in 1836 by Joseph Desjarlais, located on the
north bank of the Souris on Sec. 31, Tp. 5, Rge. 24, to the north west
of Lauder. Downstream about one mile is the location of the older
American Fort.
1838
The Sioux again move up the Souris and Assiniboine Rivers to attack the
settlement at Fort Garry. The settlement is defended by the Metis
from
St. Francois Xavier who dig rifle pits to hold off the invaders.
In the same year smallpox once again struck the Assiniboines who were
now reduced in numbers to less than 4,000 from the original 10,000.
1842
The Assiniboine population is greatly reduced by war and smallpox to
about 3,000. A local resident of Hartney, Mrs. De Pevre, whose
grandfather worked in the Souris River forts in the 1840’s,
states that
her grandfather observed two Assiniboine villages in 1842 where
everyone was dead of smallpox.
1844
The Metis attack the Sioux during a buffalo hunt in the Souris River
area. Several Sioux are killed and they demand compensation.
A meeting between the two groups was held on the plains and as a result
peace was declared. It lasted until about 1849.
1849
A Sioux-Assiniboine battle takes place along the river in 1849.
The site of this battle is SE Sec. 36, Tp. 5, Rge. 24.
In the same year a trading post operated very close to the site of
present day Melita. Madame La Fontaine mentioned this post to G.
A.
McMorran and it was also mentioned by the Turtle Mountain Indians when
they were interviewed by a North Dakota historian.
|
|
|
