Lac La Biche - History - Aboriginal Descendants

Fosseneuve | Terror at the Mission | Trading Post | Pioneers

PIONEERS

Big Bear / Mistahimusqua (2)

Young regained his composure and made plans to go the Mission with Erasmus to enquire about his family. On their way they stopped at Umla's store where they encountered six of the raiders who had pillaged Lac La Biche Post. Umla was attempting to talk them into submission. Erasmus secretly met with Umla before confronting the raiders and conceived of a plan to frighten them. It was agreed that Umla would ask Erasmus questions about "soldiers and the Police and what [was] going on about the Rebellion" in front of the raiders, and Erasmus would reply with news which was not favorable to their cause. In replying to Umla's questions Erasmus stated that "There are soldiers on the way from Edmonton, and General Middleton is sending two armies into the trouble at Frog Lake. These armies are after Big Bear's skin and probably have his hide on a stretcher right now." "How many men are on their way from Edmonton?" asked Umla. "Oh, he must have a thousand soldiers, besides dozens of teamsters and scouts. Yes, and there is a troop of Police with the outfit and I think there must be a hundred or more of mounted men. Big Bear's man was killed at Whitefish and I expect that they will investigate that killing and be up here to look into the raiding of the Hudson's Bay store at Lac La Biche. The soldiers claim they are going to massacre every last Indian they find off his own reserve" (Erasmus 1976:288289). Following this verbal threat of reprisal there was a brief armed encounter which ended with the raiders surrendering their weapons to Umla.

Anxieties were very high around Lac La Biche for Big Bear's ambassador had recently visited the Mission in an attempt to get the Metis to join the revolution and they had refused to become involved. In replying to Big Bear's call for support for Louis Riel the Metis at the Mission made it known that they did not have strong political convictions and were only interested in peace and tranquility. They also warned Big Bear's people that they would most certainly defend themselves if attacked for failing to join the insurgents (Faraud 1976). The ambassador responded that "Big Bear would be most unhappy with their reply, [and] that he would certainly avenge himself by sending 150 to 200 of his best men to seize them and the things they had refused to give him, and that in nine or ten days at the most, just enough time to go to Frog Lake and back, he would return to Lac La Biche" (Faraud 1976:334).

The fear was rampant. As Bishop Faraud commented, "our people ... exhausted all their valour and courage with their reply. Fire driven by the wind through tinder couldn't spread havoc faster than fear among our Indians. It was a general panic. Indians were seen everywhere. By nine o'clock in the morning of the following day... all of our soldiers had taken flight. Alarmed families brought their children to school. Crazed with fear they left without an idea of where they were going. They left without supplies or provisions of any kind. They abandoned their houses to robbers and didn't give their crops a thought" (Faraud 1976:334). Under the circumstances Umla released the raiders with the warning that "if you are smart you will go back to Beaver Lake Reserve and stay there. If you mind your own business and make no more trouble, I may be able to get you off with a small jail term" (Erasmus 1976:289 - 290). Umla then instructed Young to leave the store and put considerable distance between himself and the raiders as they could "easily obtain other guns and be back here tonight" (Erasmus 1976:290).

Before leaving Lac La Biche Young stopped at the Mission to apprise Bishop Faraud of the situation. Faraud's diary entry notes Young's arrival at 10 o'clock on the night of May 1. On the basis of Erasmus' account it would appear that Young left that same night in search of his family. Faraud, however, in his diary has Young at the Mission until May 5. Upon his arrival at the Mission Young informed the bishop that the army was advancing and that the revolt would not last much longer. As a measure of protection "Mr. Young, Erasmus, and Patrick [Pruden] agree[d] that a resistance should be organized" (Faraud 1879-1890:217) in anticipation of Big Bear's attack. According to Faraud, Young was able to enlist twenty-seven men to protect the Mission by promising "them pay and rations in the name of the government" (Faraud 1976:335). The men named Alexandre Hamelin as captain. As an added safety measure Young also dispatched a messenger to General Strange in Edmonton with a request for a detachment of soldiers to protect the Mission.

Having received assurances that the raiders had acted out of fear and were prepared to make restitution Young left in search of his family who was proceeding toward La Biche River with Piche Pruden. His intention was to find and accompany them to Edmonton by way of Athabasca Landing. Erasmus reports picking up Piche's trail after travelling about twenty miles. He was very cautious though since he was sure Pruden would "have a man working on his back track to be certain no-one was following" (Erasmus 1976:291) and did not want to be a target for some trigger happy fellow who would shoot first and ask questions later. Young concurred that Pruden would certainly "have a man to challenge any stranger following their tracks" (Erasmus 1976:291).

Trusting he would be recognized, Young agreed to go ahead. The precaution paid off for Pruden had a man positioned about two milesbehind the main party. Young and Erasmus had only travelled about a mile when they were intercepted by Pruden's man, armed and ready to protect his people. The guard "recognized Young, who rather shakily called him by name" and sent them ahead to the main party. Erasmus was very glad that he had sent Young first because the guard eyed him "with curiosity and certainly evinced no friendliness" (Erasmus 1976:291). Upon rejoining his family Erasmus reports that Young was adamant that he didn't "intend to come back to these parts again if I can help it" (Erasmus 1976:292) - strange words for a man who Bishop Faraud says was going to Edmonton and "then going to return with supplies for the settlement" (Faraud 1976:335). Indeed, Faraud's (1879-1890) diary entry indicates Young was back at Lac La Biche on the 10th of June.

Big Bear's men never returned to attack the Mission. On May 28 Julien Cardinal brought news that Louis Riel had been taken prisoner and Big Bear was fleeing towards Carlton (Faraud 1976:336). With the news of the victory there was a profound sense of relief. The relief was short lived, however! On June 15 Bishop Faraud received word that General Strange had let Big Bear escape and was concerned that he might attack the Mission and take hostages. Confused as to Big Bear's whereabouts Strange was taking no chances. As a precautionary measure he sent the St. Albert Mounted Rifles (Borgstede, 1985), a volunteer army of about 40 men under the command of Captain Des Georges to protect the Mission. The army arrived later that day. Faraud let the soldiers stay in the barge hanger and the officers in the Mission hanger. On July 27 the Captain received orders to leave. Big Bear was still free but word had arrived that he was surrounded by troops.

Captain Des Georges did not depart immediately and on July 29 he again received news of Big Bear from two Chipewyans who had just come from his camp. They reported that when they had left Big Bear's camp "he was surrounded on all sides by soldiers, his supplies were depleted and, in all probability, it would be impossible to escape again" (Faraud 1879-1890:224). The following day the captain received orders to leave. Alexandre Hamelin brought news that while Big Bear was not yet captured he was "almost alone with only 12 or 15 men who are afraid to surrender. The other savages have surrendered and have been disarmed. Reasonably, there is very little to fear" (Faraud 1879-1890:224). The volunteer army was no longer needed and the Captain left in the evening. The Rebellion ended soon afterward. Big Bear, the last remaining revolutionary in the field, surrendered at Fort Carleton on July 2.

A writer from The Bulletin states that Harrison Young and his family re-established themselves at Lac La Biche "in October, when the building had been repaired. In the meantime the now frightened Indians had returned the stolen furs and goods" (Bulletin 1907, quoted in MacRae 1912:426). Shortly after the raid Young "saw a number of the Beaver Lake Indians and got them to return ... what ... goods and furs they still had. [He] got back from them about half of the furs that were pillaged and a considerable quantity of goods, but nearly all of the goods they returned were so soiled and torn and damaged that they were of no value whatever. The goods returned consisted of blankets, clothing, twine, tinware, cotton, prints, and cloth" (HBCA, PAM, E.9/28,fos. 494-495 ).

The return of the goods did not prevent a trial of the offenders being held later. "Inspector Brooks of the Mounted Police came out to the post with some men, and word was sent by Mr. Young to the Indians of the district to assemble at the Fort. They did so, hurriedly, silently, camping about the fort on their arrival. The ringleaders were picked out by Mr. Young and the Police, and five minutes afterward the entire band was raising camp and making ready to depart. This they did speedily for fear the Police would change their minds and want others. The ringleaders were given a preliminary hearing in the trading-room at the post, and committed for trial at Fort Saskatchewan. They pined away for days in the guard-room there, until a judge came that way and their punishment, being considered adequate, all were released. They made their way posthaste back to the camp of their tribe, and at once resumed the friendliest relations with the factor and his family" (Bulletin 1907, quoted in MacRae 1912:426). However, during the winter of 1885-1886 "The Beaver Lake Band of Indians did nothing in the way of hunting .. . having amply supplied themselves with warm clothing when they raided the Fort" (HBCA, PAM, B.60/e/12/fo.5). Trade had pretty much returned to normal and the opposition was as numerous and active as ever. Young attempted to secure all the trade he could without raising prices to an unprofitable point but felt that he could secure more furs and "ruin some of the Traders who at present buy from us and whose fur is as a rule secured by the Company" (HBCA, PAM, B.60/e/12/fo.5) if he pushed more and raised prices.