Miles Macdonell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Miles Macdonell
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Miles Macdonell
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| 1st Governor of the Red River Colony | |
| In office August 1812 – June 1815 |
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| Succeeded by | Robert Semple |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1767 Inverness, Scotland |
| Died | 28 June 1828 (aged 60–61) Pointe-Fortune, Upper Canada |
| Nationality | Scottish, Canadian |
| Parent | John MacDonell of Scothouse |
| Occupation | Fur Trader, Governor of the Red River Colony |
Miles MacDonell (born around 1767 – died 28 June 1828) was a very important person in the early history of Canada. He was the first governor of the Red River Colony, which was a Scottish settlement in the 1800s. This area is now part of Manitoba in Canada and North Dakota in the United States.
A school in Winnipeg, Miles Macdonell Collegiate, which opened in 1952, is named after him.
Contents
Miles Macdonell's Early Life
Miles Macdonell was born in Inverness, Scotland, around the year 1767. In 1773, when he was a young child, his father, Colonel John MacDonell of Scothouse, moved their family to North America. They traveled with many other families and friends on a ship called the Pearl.
They settled in a place called Caughnawaga, near the Mohawk River, in what was then the Province of New York.
Joining the Military
Miles Macdonell showed an interest in military life from a young age. He began his military career in 1792. He became an ensign in the King's Royal Regiment of New York.
Later, he was promoted to lieutenant in 1794 and then captain in 1796 in the Royal Canadian volunteers. These roles helped him gain experience in leadership and organization.
Leading the Red River Colony
In 1803, a nobleman named Lord Selkirk asked Miles Macdonell to come to London. Lord Selkirk had a big plan: he wanted to create a new colony on the Red River in the Northwest territory. He chose Macdonell to be its governor.
Why the Colony Was Started
Lord Selkirk was a shareholder in the Hudson's Bay Company, a major fur trading company. He bought a huge piece of land, about 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square miles), in the Red River Valley. His goal was to provide a new home for Scottish people who had lost their lands. He also wanted to prevent the North West Company, a rival fur trading company, from using that land.
First Settlers Arrive
In 1811, Macdonell gathered the first group of colonists. Many of them were Scottish Highlanders who had been forced to leave their homes. They sailed from Stornoway and spent the winter at York Factory.
They finally reached the Red River in August 1812. This marked the official start of the Red River Colony.
Challenges and Conflicts
As soon as Macdonell and the colonists arrived, they faced problems. The North West Company, whose main base was in Montreal, saw the new colony as a threat to their fur trade. They strongly opposed the settlement.
On June 11, 1815, representatives of the North West Company attacked the colonists. They demanded that Governor Macdonell surrender. To prevent more fighting and harm to his people, Macdonell gave himself up. He was taken as a prisoner to Montreal. Although charges were made against him, his case was never fully tried in court.
The Pemmican Proclamation
One of Macdonell's most famous actions was issuing the Pemmican Proclamation. Pemmican was a crucial food for fur traders, made from dried meat, fat, and berries. It was vital for survival in the harsh wilderness.
Macdonell's proclamation tried to control the trade of pemmican. However, historians believe this decision made the colony's situation worse. It gave the North West Company a reason to turn people against both the Hudson's Bay Company and Lord Selkirk.
Leadership Style
Historians have discussed the difficulties Macdonell faced in setting up the colony. They note that his leadership style sometimes caused problems. He struggled to build trust and loyalty among the settlers. Some of his decisions, like the Pemmican Proclamation, were seen as challenging for the young colony.
He returned to his farm in Osnabruck, Upper Canada, after about ten to twelve years connected with the Red River Colony.
Later Years
In his later years, Miles Macdonell lived with his brother John. Their home was in Pointe-Fortune, located on the Ottawa River. Miles Macdonell passed away there in 1828.
