Battle of Seven Oaks: Hudson's Bay Company defeated by North West Company

Background. The Pemmican War arose from competition between the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company. In January 1814, Miles MacDonell issued the Pemmican Proclamation to prohibit pemmican exports from the Red River Colony. Environmental shortages in 1815 and 1816 exacerbated tensions, leading to armed skirmishes. The North West Company, headquartered in Montreal, competed against the HBC in regions that later became Western Canada.

Confrontation. On 19 June 1816, Cuthbert Grant led approximately 60 mounted Métis and First Nations freighters towards Seven Oaks to escort a pemmican shipment. This action was part of the broader conflict involving the destruction of Fort Gibraltar in March 1816. The confrontation is also known as the Seven Oaks Massacre or Incident. The violence resulted in Lord Selkirk arresting North West Company proprietors.

Aftermath. Following the incident, the British government appointed Lieutenant Colonel William Bachelor Coltman as Royal Commissioner in May 1817 to investigate. Selkirk arrived with soldiers in August 1816 and captured North West Company headquarters. The continued operations of the North West Company were in doubt, leading to a merger with the Hudson's Bay Company in July 1821 under pressure from the British government.