Fish Creek (Saskatchewan) facts for kids
Fish Creek is a small river, also called a tributary, that flows into the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located northeast of the city of Saskatoon. The creek starts near Aberdeen and flows northeast. Then, it turns north before joining the South Saskatchewan River.
This creek is famous because of an important battle that happened here in 1885. The area around Fish Creek is also known as the aspen parkland biome. This means it has a mix of forests with aspen trees and open grasslands.
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History of Fish Creek
Fish Creek was an important place for the Métis people. The Métis are a group of people in Canada with mixed Indigenous and European (often French) heritage. They had a community called the Southbranch Settlement in the Saskatchewan Valley during the mid to late 1800s. Fish Creek marked the southern edge of their settlement. The Métis often called this creek "Tourond's Coulee."
The Battle of Fish Creek
The Battle of Fish Creek took place on April 24, 1885. It was a key event during the North-West Rebellion. This rebellion was a fight between the Métis and their allies against the Canadian government. The Métis were trying to protect their land and rights.
The battle involved Canadian soldiers led by General Frederick Dobson Middleton. They were marching north towards Batoche, Saskatchewan, which was the capital of the Métis' temporary government. The Métis forces were led by Gabriel Dumont, a skilled military leader for the Métis.
Dumont chose Fish Creek as the battle site because it was a good place to defend. His small group of less than sixty Métis fighters faced a much larger Canadian army. Despite being greatly outnumbered, the Métis managed to hold off the Canadian troops for a whole day.
Why the Battle Was Important
The Battle of Fish Creek was a success for the Métis, even though they eventually had to retreat. They stopped General Middleton's advance and caused many casualties among the Canadian soldiers. This battle delayed the Canadian army's march to Batoche for two more weeks. This gave the Métis more time to prepare for the next big fight.
Fish Creek Today
Today, Fish Creek also gives its name to a nearby area called Fish Creek No. 402. This is a rural municipality, which is a type of local government area in Saskatchewan. It covers the land around the historic creek.
