The Chilcotin War - Bute Inlet Massacre 1864



Tsilhqot'in Chilcotin and road construction workers. 

Timeline

1862 – Proposal for a wagon road from Bute Inlet to Fort Alexandria to connect with road to gold boomtown, Barkerville.

1862 – road construction approved by BC Govenor Douglas

1862 – smallpox epidemic hits the Tsilhqot'in hard causing many deaths. These people believed the disease was spread intentionally by the colonists to take over traditional lands.

1862 – construction commenced using the local labour from the first nation but without compensation and not providing adequate sustenance.

1864 – colonial construction crews enter Tsilhqot'in territory without permission.

1864, April 29 – Ferry operator Timothy Smith is killed by natives after he refused their demands for food. He was shot and his body dumped into the river.

1864, April 30 – natives attacked the construction camp, killing all but 3 workers who escaped into the forest. The bodies of those killed were dumped into the river. Four other workers who were blazing the trail approximately 4 miles from the camp were attacked and killed. The natives then attacked and killed an area settler. A further attack on a supply pack train arriving in the area resulted in the deaths of three drivers. The total number of workers killed was 19.

1864, May 14 – the Governor of the BC colony dispatched a ship with 28 men to scout out the area and 50 men lead by William Cox, gold commissioner, headed overland to the same area.

1864, July 7 – The governor and 38 men arrived at Bentinck Arm by ship where they met a scouting party led by Donald McLean who was killed by a sniper.

1864 – Cox gave assurances to Chief Alexis of the Tsilhqot’in that they would met with friendship and the chiefs went to Quesnel to negotiate but were arrested on arrival. Five of the chiefs, Telloot, Klatassine, Tah-pitt, Piele, and Chessus were charged with murder.

1864, September – they were tried by judge and jury and found guilty. Their defense was that they were it was a war between two sovereign nations and they were not criminals. They were all executed by hanging in Quesnel. One additional chief was executed a year later in New Westminster.

1993 – the Attorney General of BC apologized for the execution of the chiefs.

2018 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized to the Tsilhoqot’in people on behalf of Canada.

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