No. 343.
Sir Edward
Thornton to Mr. Evarts.
Washington, November 23,
1880. (Received November 24.)
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith copy
of a letter from the lieutenant governor of the Northwest Territory of
Canada and of its inclosures, addressed to the Canadian minister of the
interior, relating to an attack made by a number of Gros Ventres and
Mandin Indians from the United States upon a party of Stony Indians of
Canada, during which about eight of the latter were killed and several
more wounded.
The attack appears to have been on about the 6th of September last, about
five miles north of the boundary line, and it is probable that the party
who committed this outrage are now within United States territory.
The above mentioned documents have been forwarded to this legation by the
governor general of Canada, and I have thought it my duty to submit
their contents to you, in the hope that steps may be take to ascertain
who were the persons who committed these deeds of violence, with a view
to their punishment if they can be identified.
I have, &c.,
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[Inclosure.]
The Ron. David
Laird to the honorable the
minister of the interior.
Fort Ellice, Northwest
Territory,
October 18,
1880.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith
the report of an interview which I had this day with a Canadian
Stony Indian chief, by the name of “Ocean Man,” who with a part of
his band were attacked and some eight of his people killed by a
number of Gros Ventres and Mandin Indians from the United States. No
doubt you have, ere this reaches you, received more full reports of
the massacre from some officer of the Indian department, hut I deem
it my duty, according to my promise to the Indians, to lay the
statement of the chief before you. I need not urge upon you how
important it is that this matter should be thoroughly investigated.
Unless some decided action is taken the dangerous impression will be
apt to gain ground among our Indians that Her Majesty the Queen is
powerless to protect her people from such wholesale slaughter.
You will observe by my reply to the chief that I have been guarded in
making any definite promise in regard to the case; but I am fully
convinced that every effort possible should be made to detect and if
possible to procure the punishment of the guilty parties.
I have, &c.,
DAVID LAIRD,
Lieutenant-Governor
Northwest Territory.
Statement of an interview between
Lieutenant-Governor Laird and “Ocean Man,” a Stony chief (whose
reserve is at Moose Mountain, Northwest Territory), held at Fort
Ellice, October 18, 1880, respecting massacre of part of said chiefs
band at the Coteau de Missouri, by Gros Ventres and Mandins, United
States Indians, about the middle of September, 1880.
Ocean Man. When I see you, Father, I would
like to tell you the news. At the time I took treaty payments this
summer, the government agents told me to cut hay, and I did it. The
agent did not give my people food to support them while doing this
work. Father, listen to me. When my young men were working, I went
out to the plains to try and get some food. We went out, but we had
not much powder; and two parties of Indians came upon our camp. They
killed my first soldier, who was my brother and altogether eight of
our party. I did what you told me when the treaty was made. I kept
my gun in my arm. They killed two of our horses. We had to leave all
our carts and tents and came off almost naked. Twelve of our party
were wounded, and we had to carry them on our backs. We had to leave
everything, even some of our guns. I do not throw away my reserve;
but I do not wish to go on it until the spring. The place of attack
was at the ridge, or Coteau de Missouri, about 40 miles southwest of
Moose Mountain, and about 12 miles from the United States boundary.
The Indians who made the attack were Gros Ventres and Mandins. I
cannot do anything for myself now, and want some help from the
government. I wish I could only get through the winter. I desire you
to write a letter to the Indian commissioner at Shoal Lake to give
some assistance this winter, as I have lost everything. I also heed
a farm instructor in the spring like the other chiefs. Father, I put
all bad things behind my back when the treaty was made, and I wish
you to look after this affair. I will think over it until spring,
but if I hear that government has done nothing in the case, I may
then take a few steps across the line.
Lieutenant-Governor Laird. Do you know the
names or could you point out any of the attacking party, if you saw
him?
Ocean Man. I do not know the men. I only
know the tribe. I could not point out any of the men. My brother
went out towards them, and when they asked who we were, we said the
Paddling Stony Indians, and they began to thrash at us with willows,
and when my brother went farther they shot him down. I think there
were about sixty men in their party.
Lieutenant-Governor Laird. Had any of your
people a quarrel with any of those Indians about anything last
winter or spring?
Ocean Man. We are aware of nothing. We have
been at peace for a long time with those Indians. During the
previous summer we gave a horse as a present to their chief. I
cannot think what caused the attack. We have for a long time been
eating and drinking as one nation. I will try and find out the
reason that my friends did thus to me.
Lieutenant-Governor Laird. I am glad to
hear you say that you are going to try and find out the reason of
the attack. I also hope you will endeavor to find out who the leader
and chief men of the attacking party were, and if you succeed report
it to me or some other offier of the government. If our government
only knew who the
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men
were, they might report it to the United States Government and get
them punished. But the government would not wish to harm innocent
Indians, and can scarcely do anything unless they know the guilty
parties. These Indians have committed two great offenses; they have
killed Indians of a neighboring tribe and have invaded the territory
of another country from that under which they live to do their deed
of blood. I would advise you not to pursue them across the boundary
line. They are strong and you might get your people and the
government of this country into trouble. It is most painful to the
Queen to hear of her people, whether her red children or her white
children, being killed without provocation, and she will see to
protect them. I will report what you have stated to the Queen’s
councillors at Ottowa. I will also write to Mr. Dewdney, the Indian
commissioner, and say that I consider your people who have lost
their ponies, carts, and clothing, deserve special assistance this
winter. My heart is sore for you. I feel for you, in hearing of your
brother and people being shot down, as if they were my own children,
and I will at once report the case to the Queen’s Government.
Mr. McDonald to
Mr. Dewdney.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, October 26, 1880.
Sir: I regret to be obliged to report an
affair which has caused a good deal of affliction in the Ocean Man’s
band by a party of American Indians, “Mandin and Gros Ventres,”
whose reservation is due south from the Moose Mountains. They killed
seven men, two women, and one child, also wounded twelve women and
children of our Indians, all Assineboines with the exception of
“Neshoot” a Sateau [sic in original] of Way-way-see-cappas’ band. As
soon as I was able to leave Qu Appelle I proceeded to Fort Ellice
with the intention of going to the Moose Mountains to inquire into
the matter, but meeting the only two Indians who got out of the
fight untouched, I got the following information from them.
“Douche-a-ne-cess” states:
“The fight took place on the east side of the Grand Coteau, about
five miles north of the boundary line. We were hunting small game; I
was riding some distance from the camp, when I saw about sixty
Indians, all men, on horseback; I returned to the camp followed by
them. The few who dismounted commenced to switch us. Previous to
this they asked who we were. One of our party answered Paddling
Indians.
“While being switched ‘See-ma-too-tay,’ a brother of the chiefs, was
about to talk when he was shot through the heart at a distance of
five yards. On this we began to fire.
“The fight commenced at 2 p.m. and lasted until dark, when we left
the place un-perceived by the enemy.
“Shortly before we started, one of the American Indians called out
‘Who are you, friends? Go home as you are.’
“They took all our horses and, I suppose, all that was left.”
In answer to questions put to him, he says:
“No doubt the party who killed our relatives were American Indians,
Mandins and Gros Ventres. They were on the war-path, but, contrary
to Indian warfare, did not decline their names.”
They do not know the cause of this fight.
From what I could make out, the fight must have taken place on
September 6.
This affair will, I fear, disorganize the band for at least twelve
months. They will not go on their reserve or in its vicinity.
The chief was not in the fight, nor did I meet him at Ellice, but I
am happy to say, the message I sent to him has been received in a
good spirit, as you will see by the inclosed speech, made at Fort
Ellice in the presence of Mr. A. T. Russell, two days after his
departure for Shore Lake.
Owing to the low spirits these poor Indians were in, with the wounded
about them and their total want, I gave them relief, viz, flour,
gunpowder, caps, and shot, also a small supply of fresh beef, which,
I trust, you will approve of.
I have, &c.,
A. McDONALD,
Indian
Agent.
