I am not afraid to die. Aquisanee!“. Entre 1876 et 1883, Battleford était la capitale des Territoires du Nord-Ouest. EDITOR’s NOTE: The following details supplement Whitehead’s account and were contained in the Saskatchewan Indian magazine – July 1972 and entitled “Battleford Hangings”. It was now 9 a.m. and we fell in for the real business of the day. The platform, 20 feet by 8 feet, 10 feet above the ground with railing enclosing the trap was reached by a stairway. Traditional means of self-support, such as buffalo disappeared with the sale of lands. They were dropped into rough boxes and buried in a grave on the hillside facing the Saskatchewan river not far from the N.W.M.P. In his seminal 1970s-era histographical account of Indian policy in Canada, Prisons of Grass, Howard Adams points to the significance of the hangings at Battleford: "Every member of the Indian nation heard the death-rattle of the eight heroes who died at the end of the colonizers rope and they went quietly back to their compounds, obediently submitting themselves to the oppressors. In the moments of panic following Quinn's shooting, eight other settler prisoners were shot dead. A number of sources indicate that children from Battleford Industrial School were brought from the school to witness the hangings as a "warning". Enter your email address to receive notice of updates to the website. Battleford. They look cold, they will be colder soon. barracks. Most of the constables had become acquainted with the condemned men during the weeks preceding this day, as we took turns on guard, so their execution was a matter of personal interest to each of us. [1] Quinn treated the Cree with harshness and arrogance. A weird chanting is heard in the direction of the guard-room, and those of us who could see in that direction find that the prisoners are coming. The executions followed the Frog Lake Massacre, the North-West Resistance, and the Looting of Battleford. Cutbert; and. At both Frog Lake and Battleford, some people took up arms against the wishes of their leaders. We had been standing in formation since shortly after 9, when we fell in, and we were cold. There is also an interpretive panel explaining the history of the burial site. They are similar to the largest mass execution in the United States, following the Dakota War of 1862. 1906 – RNWMP members stated at Fort Battleford – Saskatchewan (Source of photo – RCMP Veterans’ Association – Vancouver Division photo – collection). Fort Battleford National Historic Site. When evening arrived they ate as usual and in the morning they had a … Prior to the North-West Resistance the Canadian Government's actions in what would become Saskatchewan resulted in starvation, disease, and death among the Indigenous peoples of the area. While Hodson strapped ankles, the doomed were granted 10 minutes in which to speak if they wished, all doing so but Wandering Spirit. It remained hidden for many years. La ville fut fondée en 1875 comme poste de traite des fourrures et de la Police montée du Nord-Ouest. The hangings at Battleford refers to the execution on November 27, 1885 of eight Indigenous men for their role in the North-West Rebellion. Some of the prairie’s greatest braves had passed to the land of their fathers. Sounds small to those used to the large numbers spoken of in the late war, but as I said before this was as different time and place. The death chant from the doomed Indians ceased abruptly as a squad of N.W.M.P. Now the scene is set and nothing to do till 10 o’clock. The chanting of the “death song” still goes on. Français; Conditions régissant l'utilisation; Fort Battleford National Historic Site Veteran Windy Gale sent us the following article which was written by Charles Whitehead (Reg.#1577) Whitehead and appeared in the 5th edition (1923) of the Vancouver Division – RCMP Veterans’ Association’s Scarlet & Gold Magazine. August 1885 – NWMP members at Fort. At the foot of the stairs the escort stepped aside and the prisoners ascended to the platform through a gate in the railing. Hundreds of Indians from the many reserves surrounding Battleford were gathered to witness the execution, and I am sure very few of the surrounding settlers failed to be present. The hangings took place November 27, 1885. Facebook Twitter Instagram. All this took time, and when we had finished, the short day was over. So on this particular morning when the cheerful call rang out I was not unduly annoyed. Le recensement de 2006 y dénombre 3 685 habitants[1]. M. P. and “A” battery, in all about 350 men. These had been loaded on a wagon for transport to the scene of execution. rifles at support, marched up to form a cordon about the foot of the scaffold. The executions followed the Frog Lake Massacre, the North-West Resistance, and the Looting of Battleford. The eight men who were hung were as follows: In September and October the accused were tried by C. B. Rouleau, Resident Stipendiary Magistrate of Battleford. But let me tell you that I never thought to lift my hand against a white man. Discover the stories of the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP), First Nations, Métis and settlers in these difficult times. Repeated posting of identical or very similar information is counter-productive and is also prohibited. You have been good to me; better than I deserved. Hodson, the executioner preceded the prisoners. Well, these Indians did not seem to take it over seriously; in fact, some of them joked openly with us, and I know for a fact, that a few days before the execution, one of the Indians gave the guard a nice sharp butchers knife that he had managed to have smuggled in, as a proof that it had been in his power to cheat the gallows had he been so inclined. © 2020 RCMP Veterans’ Association – Vancouver Division. RCMP Veterans' Association – Vancouver Division –, RCMP Veterans’ Association – Vancouver Division, Ric Hall’s Photo Corner – Musical Ride Kicks Off Season At Queen’s 90th. But after you, the redcoats, came and the Treaty was made with the white man, war was no more. Cameron was an HBC employee whose life was spared by Wandering Spirit. After the hangings, the bodies were placed in a mass grave near the fort. Comes 10 o’clock. – received a reprimand by Insp. Following the resistance at Frog Lake, the participants were taken to Battleford. We reserve the right to ban individuals from submitting comments, who fail or refuse to comply with this Comment Policy. This website has been developed primarily for the use and benefit of all RCMP Veterans, families, friends of the RCMP and individuals interested in its rich history. Photograph of the grave marker of the 8 men hung at Fort Battleford. La dernière modification de cette page a été faite le 24 juillet 2020 à 00:42. Each man mounted a horse with only a horse blanket, kept in place by the surcingle for a saddle, and you were supposed to lead a loose horse by the halter shank. He refused to go to another location with the Cree warriors and was shot dead onsite.