Red River

Red River Settlement

• 1811- British aristocrat Thomas Selkirk wished to create a new colony 

• He purchased land from HBC

• The area was in modern-day Manitoba

• The area was settled in 1812

• However there were already Metis living there

Who are the Metis?

• People of mixed Native and European origin

• At this place & time most worked for NWC

• Very common along the St, Lawrence River and further west.

Thomas Douglas- 5th Earl of Selkirk

• Was a 7th son in his family (Didn’t expect to inherit)

• All his brothers died• He created settlements for poor Scottish

farmers in PEI (1803) and Upper Canada (1804)

• Established the Red River settlement for HBC in 1811

Competition

• At the time there was a lot of competition between the HBC and the NWC

• Red River was located strategically where the Assiniboine and Red River met

• Metis working for NWC actively disrupted the settlement

1816

• In the Spring of 1816, HBC soldiers destroyed NWC’s Fort Gibraltar

• This stopped much needed pemmican shipments

• The Metis needed to respond

Pemmican

• 50% dried pounded meat mixed with 50% Fat

• Sometimes had dried berries pounded into the meat power

• High in energy and necessary for surviving harsh winters at the time

Pemmican

Cuthbert Grant

Cuthbert Grant

• Metis (Scottish father/ Metis mother)

• Educated in Scotland

• Entered service with the NWC in 1812 and quickly became a Metis leader

• In 1816, when Fort Gibraltar was destroyed, Grant led a Metis assault to seize the pemmican

• This led to the Battle of Seven Oaks

Seven Oaks

• After reclaiming their pemmican, Metis led by Cuthbert Grant were travelling to trade it

• Along the way they ran into the Governor of the Red River colony- Robert Semple

• After some arguments a battle ensued

• The Red River colonists didn’t stand a chance

Seven Oaks Cont…

• Red River Colonists were outnumbered 3:1

• 21 Red River Colonists were killed including Semple

• Only one Metis died

• The Metis were known to be skilled shooters

Treaty of 1818

• Between Britain and the United States

• Created the border between our countries in the west at the 49th parallel

• All lands south (including part of the Red River settlement) were ceded to the USA

After Seven Oaks

• 1820- Selkirk Dies

• 1821- HBC and NWC merge- fighting halts

• Metis settle in Red River

• By 1860 Metis in Red River outnumber the Scots

• This leads to further rebellion, but that’s another story