Fraser Canyon War had greater implications for BC history
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Updated: October 28, 2009 1:13 PM
Editor:
Re: Chilcotin War isn't over yet (B.C. Views, Oct. 15):
Tom Fletcher states that the Chilcotin War of 1864 was “B.C.’s only shooting war between natives and gold seekers.” This is hardly true.
The Fraser Canyon War of 1858, along the river between Yale and Lytton, resulted in many more deaths than the Chilcotin uprising. Although the Chilcotin events resulted in 20 miners and others killed, and several Tsilhqot'in later hanged in retribution, the Fraser Canyon War according to various contemporary reports counted between 30 and a few hundred dead.
We will never know exactly how many miners and First Nations people were killed but it can be argued that the Fraser Canyon episode had greater implications for B.C. and was multi-national in scope.
Ken Favrholdt, Kamloops
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