Battle of Fish Creek
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| Battle of Fish Creek | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the North-West Rebellion | |||||||
 Contemporary lithograph of the Battle of Fish Creek. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Provisional Government of Saskatchewan (Métis) | Dominion of Canada | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Gabriel Dumont | Frederick Middleton | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 200 | 900 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 4 dead | 10 dead 45 wounded |
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The Battle of Fish Creek (also known as the Battle of Tourond's Coulee[1]), fought April 24, 1885 at Fish Creek, Saskatchewan, was a major Métis victory over the Dominion forces attempting to quell Louis Riel's North-West Rebellion. The reversal, though not decisive enough to ultimately alter the outcome of the war, halted Major General Frederick Middleton's advance on Batoche, where the Métis would later make their final stand.
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[edit] Battle
Middleton, having led his considerable Field Force out from Fort Qu'Appelle on April 10, was advancing upstream from Clarke's Crossing along the South Saskatchewan River when he fell into a hastily-organized ambush by Gabriel Dumont's Métis. The Métis pounded Middleton's men with one devastating fusillade before withdrawing into cover and restricting themselves to sniper fire in order to conserve ammunition.
With half of his force on the opposite bank of the river, Middleton was unable to bring his full numerical superiority to bear. His two artillery batteries opened fire on the Métis to little effect, although well-fired cannonades did succeed in driving away Dumont's Cree allies before their weight could be added to the battle.
Despite the heavy casualties inflicted upon the enemy, Métis morale deteriorated as the battle wore on. Famished, dehydrated, and low on ammunition (conditions that had plagued them throughout the rebellion), Dumont's rebels, though relatively impervious to enemy fire from within their gullies and ravines, knew that their positions would not hold an enemy assault.
Luckily, Middleton, distressed by the casualties he was taking, erred on the side of caution and opted for retreat. Weeks later, after news reached him of the Cree victory over Colonel Otter – to whom had been issued the dreaded gatling gun – at Cut Knife, Middleton embarked once more on decisive action against Batoche.
[edit] Legacy
| "North West Rebellion - Fish Creek - While General Middleton was moving to capture Batoche his forces were attacked on the 24th April, 1885, by the Half-breeds under Gabriel Dumont from concealed rifle pits near the mouth of Fish Creek. The rebels were defeated and driven from the field. Erected 1933." |
| National Historic Sites and Monuments Board[2] |
In the spring of 2008, Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Christine Tell proclaimed in Duck lake, that "the 125th commemoration, in 2010, of the 1885 Northwest Resistance is an excellent opportunity to tell the story of the prairie Métis and First Nations peoples' struggle with Government forces and how it has shaped Canada today."[3]
The Battle of Fish Creek National Historic Site, the name has been changed to Tourond's Coulee/Fish Creek National Historic Site to preserve the battle field of April 24, 1885 at la coulée des Tourond , Madame Tourond’s home, early Red River cart Fish Creek Trail and the site of Middleton’s camp and graveyard.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?crtr.sj1D=&mthd=advSrch&crtr.mnthndVl=&nid=362189&crtr.dpt1D=&crtr.tp1D=&crtr.lc1D=&crtr.yrStrtVl=2008&crtr.kw=&crtr.dyStrtVl=26&crtr.aud1D=&crtr.mnthStrtVl=2&crtr.yrndVl=&crtr.dyndVl=
- ^ "Fish Creek The Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture". Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research. http://www.metismuseum.ca/browse/index.php/635. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
- ^ "Tourism agencies to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Northwest Resistance/Rebellion". Home/About Government/News Releases/June 2008. Government of Saskatchewan. June 7, 2008. http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=3ceddf25-86ef-4433-86ea-cfe3cc69472d. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
- ^ "Battle of Fish Creek" (ashx). National Parks and National Historic Sites of Canada. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Chief Executive Officer of Parks Canada. 2007. http://www.pc.gc.ca/~/media/lhn%20nhs/sk/batoche/btc-fc_e.ashx. Retrieved 2009-09-20. html
