Canadian Historic Sites: Occasional Papers in Archaeology and History No. 4

The Sixth Regiment of Foot at Lower Fort Garry

by William R. Morrison

The Sixth Regiment at Fort Garry: Background

The year 1846 was the year in which the long-smouldering Oregon boundary dispute was settled. Although this settlement was peaceful and even fairly amicable, the threat of war between Britain and the United States had alarmed those who were responsible for the defence of British North America. In the east the defences of such strongholds as Fort Henry in Kingston were hastily strengthened, but in the west, the situation was considerably different. There was no protection of British interests in the far western settlement of Red River except that provided by the Hudson's Bay Company. Sir George Simpson, writing to Sir J. H. Pelly, Governor of the Company in London, was pessimistic about the situation in the west. Simpson noted that there seemed to be considerable warlike preparation on both sides of the American boundary.³ If war were to break out, Simpson suggested, the Red River Settlement would certainly be attacked from the south, and the Métis population, he felt, was of doubtful loyalty.

2 Five soldiers in winter dress, Upper Fort Garry, as sketched by George Finlay. The guard wears a buffalo skin coat (Glenbow Foundation.).

In the early part of 1846, the British government responded to the appeal of Sir J. H. Pelly for assistance. It is not certain exactly when the government took the decision to send troops to the colony, but on 23 February 1846, Governor-General Cathcart wrote to Simpson, putting questions to him about the proposed expedition.⁴ Some of these questions and answers are worth noting. Referring to the proposed native corps which Simpson was thinking of raising among the Métis, Cathcart asked, "What proportion should consist of Cavalry and what of Infantry?" Simpson's answer was, "The Inhabitants of Red River . . . would be effective either as Cavalry or Infantry. They are excellent horsemen, and quite remarkable for their activity on foot; and from the constant use of the snow shoe in winter, could during that season, when the employment of horses would be impracticable, on account of the depth of snow, perform journeys on foot which Whites would be unequal to." This passage would seem to cast doubts on Simpson's professed uneasiness over the loyalty of the Métis; if he proposed to raise a Métis militia to augment the British troops, he must have had at least some confidence in their loyalty to the Crown.

Cathcart was careful to get a commitment from Simpson as to the Company's willingness to prepare the Red River forts for the arrival of any troops. He asked Simpson "Whether the Forts would be made or strengthened by the Company without assistance from Government, otherwise than that afforded by the troops?" To which Simpson replied: "The 'Lower Fort', a square of 800 feet, with stone walls 14 feet high, and 4 corner bastions, is not yet entirely finished, but could be completed by the Company without further aid than that afforded by the troops."⁵ This reassurance was undoubtedly comforting to Cathcart and the British government, though in fact it stretched the truth a bit; the walls, for instance, were never that high.

3 Winter dress at Fort Garry, sketched by George Finlay. Country mittens and moccasins complement the uniform (Glenbow Foundation.)

A letter from Cathcart to W. E. Gladstone, then Secretary of War, sheds some light on the government's motives in complying with the Company's request for troops.⁶ The grounds for the movement of troops which was to be given out was that they were going with the intention of "securing the allegiance of British subjects along the United States Frontier and of maintaining British Interests." But the real purpose of the expedition was "in respect to the important bearing of such a measure prospectively in influencing the success of a War with the United States." The idea of a militia was also in the forefront of Cathcart's thoughts, for he apparently expected great things from it:

By thus creating a nucleus for a formation of a Native Corps of considerable amount composed of a warlike and hardy race in a situation which would necessarily occasion the greatest possible annoyance and embarassment to the enemy from its having been unforseen and unprovided for. The appearance of such a Force on that Frontier of the United States would likewise in all probability determine the greater part if not the whole of the Indian tribes residing in their territory to revolt, it being well known that they cherish a deadly hatred towards the Americans.

This latter idea of inciting the Indians to revolt was nothing new in British-United States relations in North America, and the Americans would undoubtedly have been dangerously enraged had they been aware that the Governor-General of Canada was even contemplating such a course of action.

Cathcart was so keen on the idea of a native militia, which idea seems to have been mostly his, that he went so far as to say that if they were trained by British officers and non-commissioned officers, they might well be "more to be depended upon than British soldiers, who would be strangers to the Country and might fall into habits of Drunkenness and Irregularity." That Simpson was not so sanguine about the prospects of a competent home guard was acknowledged by Cathcart when he continued, "This would not however accord with Sir George Simpson's views, who attached great importance to the presence of a British garrison."⁷

The Duke of Wellington, writing from the Horse Guards in April of 1846, was alarmed at the ramifications of the whole proposal. He warned Gladstone that if the British troops were to occupy Fort Garry, the American army was almost sure to attack it in an attempt "to acquire a little military reputation for the United States Army" at the expense of the British. He suggested therefore that if the Red River Settlement must be garrisoned, the troops should be provided with a strong fortification, a "redoubt . . . well-built . . . with a good ditch, revetted scarp . . . a bomb proof defensible Barracks, and casemates."⁸

Gladstone sounded out the Treasury on the prospect of building a fortress on the Red River and got a firm no. Wellington then attempted to have the whole project cancelled, giving as his reason: "It appears to me that if we are to lose the Country, it would be preferable to lose it undefended; and without disgrace to Her Majesty's Troops."⁹

Despite the duke's gloomy prognostications, however, the project was pushed forward, and on 1 May, it was announced that a detachment of the Sixth Foot would be sent to the Red River colony. The detachment was to consist of one field officer, 3 captains, 3 lieutenants, 3 ensigns, one assistant surgeon, 15 noncommissioned officers, 6 drummers, and 270 rank and file, "with the usual proportion of Women, &c."¹⁰ A commissariat officer and two other medical officers were also to be sent.