Battle of Frenchman's Butte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Frenchman's Butte |
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| Part of the North-West Rebellion | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Cree |  Canada |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Wandering Spirit | Thomas Bland Strange | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 200 |
400 |
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| Official name: Frenchman Butte National Historic Site of Canada | |||||||
| Designated: | 1929 | ||||||
The Battle of Frenchman's Butte happened on May 28, 1885. It was a fight where Cree warriors, hidden on a hillside, were attacked by Canadian soldiers. The soldiers were part of the Alberta Field Force. This battle took place in what was then called the North-West Territories, in an area now known as Saskatchewan. The Cree successfully defended their position.
Contents
Why Did the Battle Happen?
The North-West Rebellion and the Cree
In 1885, a group of Cree people joined the North-West Rebellion. This happened after government forces lost a battle at Battle of Duck Lake. The Cree were led by a war chief named Wandering Spirit. They lived in what is now central Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The Cree were very hungry and needed supplies. They took food from several white settlements. They also captured Fort Pitt, taking some people as prisoners.
General Strange's Mission
Major-General Thomas Bland Strange was a retired British officer. He lived near Calgary. He gathered a group of cowboys and other settlers. He also added two units of the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP). His goal was to head north and deal with the Cree.
Later, three more groups of soldiers joined him from the east. This brought his total force to about 1,000 men. General Strange left some soldiers behind to protect settlements. He then led several hundred troops east towards Fort Pitt.
The Cree burned Fort Pitt before Strange arrived. They then moved back into the nearby hills. For the next few days, Strange's scouts had small fights with Cree groups. His soldiers also marched over Frenchman's Butte. On the night of May 27, the Cree dug trenches at the top of a hill. They waited there for the soldiers.
The Battle of Frenchman's Butte
Cree Preparation
Early on May 28, the Cree warriors split into two groups. Wandering Spirit led about 200 warriors. They took positions in the trenches and rifle pits. Another leader, Little Poplar, stayed with a second group. This group protected the Cree camp, which was about 2 miles away.
The Fight Begins
General Strange and his soldiers arrived at the Cree position around six in the morning. They started firing with an artillery cannon. The Cree fired back at Strange's units. Some Canadian troops tried to cross the valley. But they found the ground was very swampy, called muskeg.
In front of the Cree, there was a steep, open hillside. This made it very dangerous to attack directly. Strange pulled his forces back. He spread them out along the bottom of the valley.
Soldier Positions
The two NWMP units were on the left side. To their right was the 65th Battalion, Mount Royal Rifles. The Winnipeg Light Infantry Battalion was in the middle. The Alberta Mounted Rifles formed the right side of the attack.
The two sides exchanged fire for three hours. Cree rifle fire wounded some Canadian soldiers in the valley. The Canadian artillery made holes in the hillside. This damaged the Cree trenches.
Steele's Attempt to Outflank
Eventually, General Strange ordered Major Sam Steele to lead the NWMP north. The plan was to go around the Cree's side. The Cree saw this movement. Wandering Spirit led a group of warriors along the hilltops. They moved parallel to Steele's group. They occasionally fired shots.
This made the NWMP think the Cree lines were much longer. So, Steele turned back. Around the same time, some Cree warriors managed to get around the Alberta Mounted Rifles. They almost captured the supply train. General Strange worried about being attacked from behind. He ordered his force to retreat. The Canadian soldiers went back to Fort Pitt after three hours of fighting. The Cree left later that day.
After the battle, on May 29, Inspector S.B. Steele met a Cree scouting party. Steele's scouts called out to them. The Cree fired first. Steele's troops fired back. This resulted in the first Cree casualty of the war.
What Happened After the Battle?
The Battle of Frenchman's Butte was a victory for the Cree. It gave them time to escape from General Strange. However, the rebellion was already losing hope. The Métis had been defeated at the Battle of Batoche three weeks earlier. Poundmaker's combined Cree and Assiniboine force had been forced to surrender.
The Big Bear band of Cree started to break apart during their retreat north. The Battle of Loon Lake on June 3 further discouraged them. By early July, the rebellion was over. Big Bear was captured and sent to prison. Wandering Spirit and seven others were put to death. General Strange went back to his ranch. The Alberta Field Force was disbanded.
Remembering the Battle
In 2008, a minister from Saskatchewan spoke in Duck Lake. She said that the 125th anniversary of the 1885 Northwest Resistance in 2010 was a great chance. It was a chance to tell the story of the Métis and First Nations peoples. It showed their struggle with government forces. It also showed how this shaped Canada today.
Frenchman Butte is now a national historic site of Canada. This site marks where the 1885 battle between Cree and Canadian troops took place.
See also
- List of battles won by Indigenous peoples of the Americas
