Macdonell Miles 1767-1828 Governor Of Assiniboia Born In
Scotland. Came to America with his father, Colonel John Macdonell, in
1773; and entered the army. In 1794 lieutenant in the Royal Canadian
Volunteers, and captain in 1796. Appointed by Lord Selkirk governor of
his projected colony on Red River, and arrived there with a party of
colonists in 1812. Opposition on the part of the North West Company
culminated in an attack, June 11, 1815, by the Company's agents, on the
col
nists, and Macdonell, to avoid bloodshed, surrendered. A threatened
trial at Montreal fell through, and returned to Red River Settlement,
where for nearly twelve years was one of its leading pioneers. =Index=:
(Mackenzie / Selkirk / Simpson era) Quoted on Selkirk's Red River scheme, 100; a United Empire
Loyalist, settled in Glengarry, Upper Canada, 150; sent for by Selkirk
to take charge of the Red River Colony, 150; sails for Scotland, 150; at
Stornoway in the Hebrides, 151; at York Factory, 153-155; at the Red
River, 157; winters at Pembina, 158; returns to the Forks, 158-159;
difficulties in feeding the colonists, 161; beginning of troubles with
the North West Company, 161-164; goes to meet new settlers, 163;
summoned to Montreal to answer charges, 164; his proclamation, 169; and
its effect, 170-171; sends John Spencer to seize North West Company's
provisions at Souris River, 171-172; is arrested and taken to Montreal,
174. =Bib.=: Bryce, Hudson's Bay Company and The Romantic Settlement
of Lord Selkirk's Colonists; Ross, Red River Settlement; Laut,
Conquest of the Great North-West.