essay

A Witness to murder: the Cypress Hills Massacre and the conflict of attitudes towards native people of the Canadian and American West during the 1870's

as long as the sun shines and water flows : a reader in canadian native studies (1) • Published In 1983 • Pages: 229-246

By: Allen, Robert S..

Abstract
This is an account of the Cypress Hills Massacre that occurred in southern Saskatchewan, near the Montana border 1 June 1873. A group of American and Canadian wolfers surprised and attacked a camp of Assiniboine, whom they thought had stolen one of their horses. They killed 22 men, women, and children and lost only one from their own group. Allen discusses the series of massacres in Montana prior to Cypress Hills. He also profiles each of the perpetrators, all but three who fled to the United States. The Canadian government failed in their attempt to extradite those who did flee, however, the North West Mounted Police found and arrested the three left in Canada. They stood trial in Winnipeg, Manitoba in June 1876. The government desperately wanted to avoid the violence and bloodshed occurring in the American West and establish a just rule of law, which was deemed crucial to peaceful treaty negotiations. Although the men were acquitted, the government's effort did impress the Indians enough to permit the peaceful negotiation and signing of Treaties Nos. 6 and 7.
Subjects
External trade
Ethnic stratification
External relations
Warfare
culture
Assiniboine
HRAF PubDate
2002
Region
North America
Sub Region
Plains and Plateau
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Government Official
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ; 2001
Field Date
not specified
Coverage Date
1873-1876
Coverage Place
Saskatchewan, Canada
Notes
Robert S. Allen
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
83220887
LCSH
Assiniboine Indians