Restricted to Descendants of Original Selkirk Settlers. Contestants must be 18 years of age or less.

Topic:

Fort Douglas and Its History

Maximum word count:

1000

Format:

Typed on letter-size white paper, with title and page no. of total pages (1 of 2) at top of each page. Name of entrant must not appear anywhere on the essay, but on a separate page together with title and contact information and line of descent from an Original Selkirk Settler.

Entry Fee:

$10, which includes one year’s membership in TLSARL.

Entry Deadline:

15 August, 2010.

Prize:

$50, winning essay read at the Annual Reunion & AGM and published in the TLSARL Newsletter

Entries must be postmarked no later than 15 August, 2010, and sent to: Mr. Roy McLeod, 349 Kingsford Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R2G 0J5.

Fort Douglas, painted by Peter Rindisbacher 1822. National Archives of Canada C-001938

As I have read through the literature researching this topic, it has become apparent that, in the early days of the RRS – and well into its history – man’s best friend functioned mainly as the sled dog. A good breeding stock must have been in the area before the settlers arrived. Although there is mention of dogs being used at York Factory, I didn’t see any reference to them being brought down in the boats.

Most of the mention of dogs at work in the Red River Journals indicated that they were busiest at hauling meat from the winter kill sites back to Fort Daer or Fort Douglas.

Archibald McDonald mentions that two dog teams helped relay his goods and some supplies from Churchill Creek to York Factory when 51 members of the 1813 Group made their famous snowshoe trek, but most of the sledges used were pulled by the men in the expedition. In April of 1815, two small groups of settlers intending to desert to Canada in NWCo. canoes left for Point Futre on the Winnipeg River with their belongings packed in dog sleds.

The winter expresses, carrying mail packets from fort to fort or post to post, were taken by dog team. Hargrave gives an excellent description of the specially designed sleds:

The starting of the Northern Packet from Red River is one of the great annual events in the colony. It occurs generally about the 10th December, when the ice having been thoroughly formed and the snow fallen, winter travelling is easy and uninterrupted. The packet arrangements are such that every post in the Northern Department is communicated with through its agency. The means of transit are sledges and snowshoes. The sledges are drawn by magnificent dogs, of which there are three or four to each vehicle, whose neatly fitting harness, though gaudy in appearance, is simple in design and perfectly adapted to its purposes, while the little bells attached thereto, bright looking and clearly ringing, cheer the flagging spirits of men and animals through the long run of the winter’s day.

In the course of the long distances traversed by the winter runners, every pound weight laid on the sledges tells. So jealously was all excess in the amount of mail matter transmitted through the packets guarded against in the old times, before the institution of Red River mails, that the carriage of newspapers was disallowed, with the exception of an annual file of the ” Montreal Gazette,” forwarded to head quarters for general perusal. Newspapers were then rare and highly prized, but now the bulk of the contents of the Company’s inward bound packets consists of newspapers addressed to private individuals.

A pair of stoutly constructed wooden boxes, measuring about three feet in length by eighteen inches deep and fourteen wide, when well packed, contain an astonishing amount of printed and written matter. These receptacles are secured to the dog sledges, and the party sets forth on its journey, the dogs running at a gentle jog trot from about daylight till dusk, and the drivers accompanying them on foot.

Detail of a painting depicting a dog sled at Lower Fort Garry in 1869 - Private Collection

Although he is writing about a period some time later (1850s/1860s) than the days of the early settlement, it is unlikely that the teams and sleds had changed much.

(references: pages  16967, 18180, 18184, 18185, 18186, 18305, 18308, 18320 of the Selkirk Papers, M186, Manitoba Archives; James John Hargrave. Red River. Montreal: 1871 pages 100-1, 155-6)

Sent a boat with five men to Gibralter to bring down Cameron, Seraphin and Hess, with all the Arms and ammunition at that place- they arrived about 9 O’clock a.m. when Cameron began ardently to solicit for his liberty- really the Hero’s of last spring cut a pitiful appearance.- I was as much ashamed of their meanness in adversity; as shocked at their former arrogance in prosperity- having called in a number of the Colonists and Indians,- I thus addressed the prisoners.-

“Gentlemen the cruelty with which you exercised the power that intrigue and force placed in your hands last spring deserves greater punishment than I am willing ro inflict, I gave you to understand on my arrival in this country that I was prepared either for Peace or War- you seem from your conduct at Qu’Appell to have preferred the latter, which has placed you in your present situation,- but to see what effect a generous action will have on you- you shall be released and put in possession of your Fort on the following mild conditions.- 1st That an Express be sent of to Qu’Appell to put a stop to the violent measures of your Mr. McDonnell- 2ly That you will not either directly orindirectly attempt to seduce any Emigrants that the Earl of Selkirk has, or will in future send to this country.- these points being agreed to, I took Cameron back and placed him in his post- when I took my leave of them I observed “Gentlemen you know me of old! should you fail in any of the points you have agreed to, rest assured that I will always have it in my power to remedy the Evil.-

-  Colin Robertson’s Journal

(reference: pages 17424-5 of the Selkirk Papers, M186, Manitoba Archives)

Note – The events of the spring to which Robertson refers include the harrassment of settlers and HBC servants and officials and the burning of the Colony by NWCo. servants, and Duncan Cameron’s (and other officials of the NWCo.) coercement of the settlers into deserting the colony. 140 settlers were carried of in the NWCo. canoes to Upper Canada in June.

Colin Robertson was a member of the North West Company earlier in his career, but left it in 1809.

This morning when I was sitting at breakfast planning in my mind how I should take posession of Gibralter- my servant informed me that Messrs. McLean and Bourke were bringing Cameron and Seraphin prisoners to the Fort- I was rather surprised when I found this to be the case- which placed me in a very critical situation – as I was afraid the alarm was given at Gibralter- Cameron immediately began with his usual phrases of British liberty and free born Englishmen he then asked me, what I intended to do with him- I answered that he must in the first place deliver up all the arms he had belonging to the Colony- before I could hear any proposition regarding his liberty- to this he agreed- when I ordered twelve men under the command of Mr. McLean to take Mr. Seraphin to Gibralter, and there receive all the Arms belonging to the Colony, – but I gave Mr. McLean secret instructions- that the moment the gates were opened to take posession of Gibralter and hold the same until I gave him further orders- this he accomplished in a masterly manner- as soon as the Indians learned what was going on- they took up arms and came to our assistance.- another proof of the attachment of these Indians to the Colony, is that a number were present at the seizure of Cameron- and altho’ that person was nearly an hour a prisoner at Fort Douglas- Hess who was in charge of Gibralter was a perfect stranger to what had happened, until Mr. McLean informed him after the seizing of the Fort, I then sent over Cameron with an escort to Gibralter where he is to be prisoner all night.- I have ordered Messrs. McLean and Bourke to pay every attention to the prisoners- and respect to be paid to private property.- I mean to give Cameron his liberty tomorrow as I have not the means to send him off another thing I am not inclined to carry things too far untill I hear from York,- I shall lower his consequence a little- this is necessary for the safety of the Colony- he shall send an Express immediately of to Qu’Appell to put a stop to hostilities there, – I will remove all the Arms in his Fort to this place, until tranquility is established in that quarter.- these are points I will insist upon.

-  Colin Robertson’s Journal

(reference: pages 1722-4 of the Selkirk Papers, M186, Manitoba Archives)

An Express arrived this evening from Qu’Appelle with accounts that Mr. McDonnell had attacked our provision post there with the intent of driving McKay from that quarter- called a Council of my Officers consisting of Mess’rs McLean Stett and Bourke, and told them that I intended to strike a blow at Gibralter, and to prepare themselves for the event, I then shewed them McKays letter- these Gentlemen informed me that I had only to command them- Nothing can be done to-night, the Indians are all intoxicated- I have only twenty men here- but if I allow McDonnell a footing- my men will get dispirited- and our new friends will abandon us- my situation is very ackward.-

-  Colin Robertson’s Journal

(reference: page 17422 of the Selkirk Papers, M186, Manitoba Archives)

Peguis arrived this morning with his Band consisting of 65 men,- when they doubled point Douglas and were in sight of the Fort, they fired a volley- which we returned by a three pounder- we then hoisted our flag- Peguis immediately returned the compliment by mounting his colours at the end of his Canoe,- and when the whole Squadron came in sight consisting of nearly 150 Canoes, including those of the Women and Children– it had a wild but a grand appearance,- their Bodies painted in various Colours,- their heads decorated some with branches and others with feathers,- and every time we fired the Canon- the woods reechoed with that wild whoop of joy, which they gave to denote the satisfaction they received,- when they came in front of the fort- the Women and Children paddled past the mens Canoes to a spot where they mounted their lodges.-the men accompanied by their Chief, as soon as the families had passed debarked under a volley from my men; they then entered the hall with three hearty Cheers from our people- the room was rather small but they managed to seat themselves in tolerable good order- I then ordered the large peace Callimate to be lighted and after taking two or three Whiffs our of it, I presented it to Peguis who after smoking about a minute passed it to the next in respectability to himself, and in this manner it went round the band- during the ceremony not a single word or even a whisper was heard- [speeches of Robertson and Peguis follow].

-  Colin Robertson’s Journal

(reference: page 17422 of the Selkirk Papers, M186, Manitoba Archives)