“From not seeing the firing begin, I cannot say from whom it first came; but immediately upon hearing the first shot, I turned and saw Lieut.  Holte struggling.” (Several persons present at the affair, such as a blacksmith named Heden, and McKay, a settler, distinctly state that the first shot fired was from the Bois-brules and that by it Lieut.  Holte fell).

“As to our attacking our assailants, one of our people, Bruin, I believe, did propose that we should keep them off; and the Governor turned round and asked who could be such a rascal as to make such a proposition? and that he should hear no word of that kind again.  The Governor was very much displeased indeed at the suggestion made.  A fire was kept up for several minutes after the first shot, and I saw a number wounded; indeed, in a few minutes almost all our people were either killed or wounded.  I saw Sinclair and Bruin fall, either wounded or killed; and a Mr. McLean, a little in front defending himself, but by a second shot I saw him fall.

“At this time I saw Captain Rodgers getting up again, but not observing any of our people standing, I called out to him, ’Rodgers, for God’s sake give yourself up!  Give yourself up!’ Captain Rodgers ran toward them, calling out in English and in broken French, that he surrendered, and that he gave himself up, and praying them to save his life.  Thomas McKay, a Bois-brules, shot him through the head, and another Bois-brules dashed upon him with a knife, using the most horrid imprecations to him.  I did not see the Governor fall.  I saw his corpse the next day at the Fort.  When I saw Captain Rodgers fall, I expected to share his fate.  As there was a French-Canadian among those who surrounded me, who had just made an end of my friend, I said, ’Lavigne, you are a Frenchman, you are a man, you are a Christian.  For God’s sake save my life!  For God’s sake try and save it!  I give myself up; I am your prisoner.’  McKay, who was among this party, and who knew me, said, ’You little toad, what do you do here?’ He spoke in French, and called me ‘un petit crapaud,’ and asked what I did here!  I fully expected then to lose my life.  I again appealed to Lavigne, and he joined in entreating them to spare me.  I told them over and over again that I was their prisoner, and I had something to tell them.  They, however, seemed determined to take my life.  They struck at me with their guns, and Lavigne caught some of the blows, and joined me in entreating for my safety.  He told them of my kindness on different occasions.  I remonstrated that I had thrown down my arms and was at their mercy.  One Primeau wished to shoot me; he said I had formerly killed his brother.  I begged him to recollect my former kindness to him at Qu’Appelle.  At length they spared me, telling me I was a little dog, and had not long to live, and that he (Primeau) would find me when he came back.