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So, what was Duck Lake Battle?

As mentioned, Duck Lake was the start of the 2nd Riel Rebellion (the Northwest Rebellion).

"Gentleman Joe" was... A bit of a character.

He started off in the family business as a Trapper/Trader for Hudson's Bay. His career there was cut a bit short after some whisky and a disagreement with his boss over the value of some furs he was bringing in, which led to him shooting his boss.

His boss lived, and the sketchiness of the whole thing (the boss had a bit of a nasty reputation of his own) led to him losing his job, but no charges laid.

Naturally, being an experienced bushman, and the fact he knew a number of native languages, led to him getting hired on by the NWMP as a scout/interpreter.

He was with the detachment that was looking for the Metis when the NWMP came across them at Duck Lake.

Joe rode forward with a few officers to meet up with some of the Metis elders in the middle of a field, with NWMP on one side, and a vastly superior number of Metis on the other.

Words were exchanged, things got heated... Joe shot one of the elders (who survived), and things went downhill from there. Our family history differs from the official history of exactly what led Joe to pull the trigger, so I'll refrain from going into details.

Anyway, Joe went on to have a reasonably long career with the Mounties, 20 years, and ended up being granted a decent parcel of land in Southern Saskatchewan when he retired (not far from Duck Lake, actually).

It was as a farmer that he earned the moniker "Gentleman Joe." He'd always aspired to being a gentleman farmer. So when he finally got his land, he faithfully worked his fields every day in black dress slacks and shoes, starched white shirt, black vest, tie, and top hat.

The locals started calling him "Gentleman Joe" as a result - they were probably twirling their index finger around their temples whenever they said it.
 
Here, read up on Jerry Potts and the idyllic life enjoyed by our aboriginals before the white man spoiled it all. :rolleyes:

300 Cree killed near Lethbridge in 1870, by the Blackfeet and Peigans, for example.

Makes the Riel Rebellions look pretty tame eh?

JerryPotts.jpg


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Potts#/media/File:JerryPotts.jpg
 
"Chinlac Massacre Site: Nestled at the confluence of the Nechako and Stuart Rivers is the site of the 1745 Chinlac village. In 1745, the southern Denes attacked and nearly annihilated the entire Chinlac population because of their dislike of the Chinlac Chief Khadintel."

It's a SUPER creepy place, mainly because of how beautiful and tranquil it is...

Human beings are just human beings, in the end... nobody is exempt from the blood lust...

ht tp://britishcolumbia.com/plan-your-trip/regions-and-towns/northern-bc-and-haida-gwaii/vanderhoof/
 
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The myth of "The Noble Savage" is just that - a myth.

People are people. Nothing more. Nothing less. The fundamentals that drive humanity and human interaction simply do not change. Anyone who believes otherwise is wilfully ignorant of history.
 
As mentioned, Duck Lake was the start of the 2nd Riel Rebellion (the Northwest Rebellion).

"Gentleman Joe" was... A bit of a character.

He started off in the family business as a Trapper/Trader for Hudson's Bay. His career there was cut a bit short after some whisky and a disagreement with his boss over the value of some furs he was bringing in, which led to him shooting his boss.

His boss lived, and the sketchiness of the whole thing (the boss had a bit of a nasty reputation of his own) led to him losing his job, but no charges laid.

Naturally, being an experienced bushman, and the fact he knew a number of native languages, led to him getting hired on by the NWMP as a scout/interpreter.

He was with the detachment that was looking for the Metis when the NWMP came across them at Duck Lake.

Joe rode forward with a few officers to meet up with some of the Metis elders in the middle of a field, with NWMP on one side, and a vastly superior number of Metis on the other.

Words were exchanged, things got heated... Joe shot one of the elders (who survived), and things went downhill from there. Our family history differs from the official history of exactly what led Joe to pull the trigger, so I'll refrain from going into details.

Anyway, Joe went on to have a reasonably long career with the Mounties, 20 years, and ended up being granted a decent parcel of land in Southern Saskatchewan when he retired (not far from Duck Lake, actually).

It was as a farmer that he earned the moniker "Gentleman Joe." He'd always aspired to being a gentleman farmer. So when he finally got his land, he faithfully worked his fields every day in black dress slacks and shoes, starched white shirt, black vest, tie, and top hat.

The locals started calling him "Gentleman Joe" as a result - they were probably twirling their index finger around their temples whenever they said it.

Thanks!
 
There was an interesting article in Smithsonian magazine a couple months back about how climate change is exposing areas of the Italian Alps previously frozen over. Lotta hundred-year-old battlefields surfacing with materials and remains well preserved.

382b407b6b9a67561844b3cdf1ea5a51.jpg


Hell of a place to fight a war.
 
Is that the Canadians climbing Mount Assoro ?

No.
"Austrian mountain troops scaling a rock face on the Italian front, presumably, during World War 1."
 
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