My Town Monday - Samuel B Steele - NWMP Routed the Whisky Traders

[1-George Arthur French]

When Colonel George Arthur French’s party had parted from the one Samuel Steele was in at La Roche Percee on July 29th, they had gone “via Wood End depot, across Long River and Dirt Hill to Old Wives’ Lakes to Old Wives’ Creek…Cypress Hills,” where they halted the last week of August waiting for supplies from Lt.-Col. James Macleod. Macleod had been forced to keep strict observation of his native guides as they appeared unreliable. It turned out the Cree guides Macleod had been using were reluctant to investigate the country populated by the Sioux and Blackfoot as their top-knots were in popular demand.

[2-Jerry Potts] Colonel French engaged the services of Jerry Potts, a half-Scotch, half-Peigan scout and interpreter, and made arrangements for horses and supplies for the members of the force established in the south-western area.

Jerry Potts, a short, bow-legged man, with piercing black eyes and long straight nose, accompanied the party with Lt.-Col. Macleod as they set out westward for the post on Old Man’s River. He was quiet and laconic, and known to be a fighter with a reputation. He gained the confidence of everyone the first day out as he rode out ahead, and when the party reached the Milk River they found him near a buffalo cow that he had killed and dressed. The second day he showed the force water springs with good water.

During the night there had been mysterious rumblings, explained in the morning by the sight of a dark mass of thousands of bison moving eastward, crowding down into the coulee to the springs. On Jerry Potts’ advice, orders were made not to fire any shots in case the sound caused the herd to stampede.

Plains bison

For those unable to watch embedded see here.



Part of Annual buffalo roundup in Custer State Park in South Dakota 2007.

For those unable to view embedded videos go here.



When they resumed their march, the wagon train and guns were kept to one yard distance, the men walking alongside the train while making their way through the immense herd of 60,000 to 70,000 animals.


[3- Rockies on horizon - click to enlarge]

The Rocky Mountains had been in full view for several days.

[4- Chief Mountain -click to enlarge] Chief Mountain (rock face is 2,000 feet in height located on the eastern border of Glacier National Park in Montana and the Blackfoot Indian Reservation) could be seen with its huge square block rising through the clouds. Potts explained to them about the natives and conditions of this part of the country. The natives who came to the trading posts to trade were often paid with ‘whisky’ or ‘fire-water’ and soon maddened by the drink, settling their old scores and family feuds by shooting or butchering one another in their camps or other places where they obtained their intoxicants.

During their first month established on the Old Man’s River, Chief Three Bulls with the Blackfoot informed Macleod that a coloured man named Bond, had a trading post at Pine Coulee, fifty miles north, and had given him a couple of gallons of whisky for two of his horses.

[5- LNF Crozier] Potts arranged to meet with Three Bulls the next evening about dark on the trail to Pine Coulee. Inspector Crozier and a small party of well-mounted men, guided by Potts, had instructions to seize all robes and furs which they suspected had been traded for whisky, and any other goods and chattels to satisfy fines.

Crozier returned two days later with Bond and four others in custody, whom had been captured about 45 miles away. Their wagons had been loaded with alcohol, 116 buffalo robes, and each carried a Winchester Henry magazine rifle and a Colt revolver. Macleod confiscated the robes, destroyed the alcohol and fined the two principals and Bond, who was their guide and interpreter, $200 each, plus the two hired men, $50 each. The following day, a well off trader from Fort Benton came to Macleod to pay all the fines except for that of Bond.

As the force was in need of bedding, the confiscated buffalo robes and furs were issued for this purpose. The hides of younger animals were made into coats and caps, one being issued to each member of the police.

TO BE CONTINUED

For previous posts on this series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Sources:
Forty Years In Canada by Col. Samuel B. Steele (1915) [1-pp. 76,78]
Illustrated History of Canada, Edited by Craig Brown (2007)
Glenbow Museum Archives

Photo Credits: [1][2][5]-wikipedia, [3]-elliottzone CC=nc-sa-flickr, [4]-jotor CC=nc-nd-flickr.

My Town Mondays were started by Travis Erwin in Amarillo, Texas who has handed the reins over to Clair Dickson. For other participants please visit the new location here.