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.

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