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Battle
of Seven Oaks: Trading
Post up in Flames
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Hudson's
Bay Company had a new governor, Joseph Berens, Jr.. Robert Semple
was appointed Governor in Chief of Rupert's Land or Governor of
the Company's Territories in Hudson's Bay. Under his command, Fort
Gibraltor, a North West Company fort, was captured. Semple decided
to send a message and so he ordered the fort to be burnt.
When the
Métis and the Nor'westers saw the fort up in flames, they
were furious. It was as if war had been declared. Cuthbert Grant
was the leader of a Métis group. They decided to go and confront
Semple.
Semple was at
Fort Douglas. He received news that Grant and his men were on the
way and that there was a chance of danger. Semple was not worried.
He decided to go and meet Grant. He believed that he could use his
authority as governor to tell them to stop. He decided to read them
a proclamation that prohibited the Métis from acting violently
against the Red River Settlement.
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