Battle of Cut Knife

The Battle of Cut Knife, fought on May 2, 1885, occurred when a small force of Cree and Assiniboine warriors were attacked by a flying column of mounted police, militia, and Canadian army regulars near Battleford, Saskatchewan. The warriors defeated the Canadian forces, with losses on both sides.

Background

In the spring of 1885, the Métis living in the District of Saskatchewan formed a provisional government under Louis Riel, taking control of the area around Batoche. Soon, Riel began to contact the local natives; the Cree and the Assiniboine. The Canadian government decided to crush the separatist movement, afraid that it would spread to the tribes across the North-West Territories. Bands of Cree, assembled under the leadership of Poundmaker, went to Battleford to talk to the Indian agent, Rae. The purpose of the visit was to lobby Rae for better supplies (many members of the band were starving) and to discuss the political situation. The people of Battleford and some of the settlers in the surrounding area, hearing reports of large numbers of Cree and Assiniboine leaving reserves and making their way to Battleford, feared for their safety. On the night of March 30, 1885, townspeople began to abandon the town and seek shelter in the North-West Mounted Police Fort Battleford. When Poundmaker and his party reached the town, the Indian agent refused to come out of the fort to meet with them. He kept them waiting for two days.

Cut Knife

Cut Knife may refer to:

Cut Knife (electoral district)

Cut Knife is a former provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. This constituency was created before the 4th Saskatchewan general election in 1917. Redrawn to include the former district of Lloydminster in 1934, the constituency was renamed "Cut Knife-Lloydminster" in 1964.

This district was dissolved before the 23rd Saskatchewan general election in 1995. It is now part of the Lloydminster and Cut Knife-Turtleford constituencies.

Members of the Legislative Assembly

Cut Knife (1917 – 1964)

Cut Knife-Lloydminster (1964 – 1995)

Election results

Cut Knife-Lloydminster (1964 – 1995)

See also

References

Coordinates: 53°00′N 109°25′W / 53.000°N 109.417°W / 53.000; -109.417