Archives Search

Title

Arrangement structure

Date(s)

1887

Place of creation

Canada

Extent

Language of material

English

Scope and content

Fonds consists of four letters dealing with the North West-Mounted Police and Cree Indians, and a testimonial from citizens of Lethbridge.

Conditions of access

Finding aid

No finding aid

Creator / Provenance

Steele, Samuel B. (Samuel Benfield), 1848-1919.

Biography / Administrative history

Major General Sir Sam Steele was born and educated in Ontario. He served in the Ontario Rifles during the Red River Campaign of 1870, and joined the Permament Force, "A" Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery in 1871. Upon the formation of the North-West Mounted Police in 1873 Steele signed on as a sergeant major, and by 1885 had risen to the rank of superintendent. During the Northwest Rebellion he raised Steele's Scouts, and as major in command of the Alberta Field Force, Steele led the pursuit of Big Bear.

Steele policed the mountain passes of the Yukon in 1898, and received a promotion to lieutenant-colonel, and an appointment to the North-West Council. From 1901 to 1906 Steele commanded first Lord Strathcona's Corps., then the Transvaal Section of the South Africa Mounted Constabulary. Returning to Canada in 1907, he joined the Canadian forces and, by 1914, was inspector general. He raised the 2nd Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1915 and commanded at Shornecliffe, England, until his retirement in 1918. His autobiography, FORTY YEARS IN CANADA, was published in 1915.

Additional information

Subject heading

1. North West Mounted Police - Relations - Indians, 1887.
2. Indians - Relations - North West Mounted Police, 1887.
3. Lethbridge (Alta.) - Legal documents, 1887.
4. Indians of North America - Canada, 1887.

Source

Private

Other system control no.

MAINS19745

MIKAN no.

101404