Unsettled: Lord Selkirk’s Scottish Colonists and the Battle for Canada’s West, 1813–1816

by Robert Lower

The fascinating story of the Red River Settlement, now Winnipeg, in the years 1813 to 1816, told with archival journals, reports, and letters.

Unsettled tells the story of two hundred Highlanders who flee the Scottish Clearances in 1813 to establish a settlement on the Red River in what eventually became Winnipeg. They are sponsored by the Earl of Selkirk, a man who has never been west of Montreal. Families who have never left their Highland crofts take an epic journey over ocean, up wild rivers, and through boundless wilderness, surviving disease and brutal winter only to face the determined opposition of fur barons who want no sodbusters threatening their trade and are prepared to stop at nothing to destroy their dream.

The "empty" land they've been promised is also anything but, already occupied by First Nations bands and the beginnings of that proud nation soon to be called Métis, whom they must befriend or fight.

Unsettled takes you inside the experience, relying on journals, reports, and letters to bring these days of soaring hope, crushing despair, and heroic determination to life—to bring their present into ours.

Genres: History, Canada, Audiobook

400 pages, Paperback

Published June 6, 2023

Reviews

[Jeff Sisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing page-turner of a history book. The book read like a suspense novel, and the cinematic bent of the author made the story come alive. I just loved it, and the fresh understanding it offered of the hardships faced by those early settlers, the bitterness of the NWCo -HBC rivalry, the kindness of the Anishinaabe people, and the roots of Winnipeg and Manitoba.

[N. O'Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This story was a great look back into history. The images, maps, appendix, and letters gave an added spark to the story as well.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. My ancestors, Christie Bannerman and Robert McKay, were among the settlers of the second arrival. I have read several books about the massacre/victory of Seven Oaks/Frog Plain with thought to my ancestors who were there. I appreciated the day-by-day examination of the events as they careened towards their sadly inevitable (given the characters involved) conclusion. This is, it seems to me, a very fair account of the tragedy. My ancestors were among the faithful who returned and, in time, their descendants became part of the dynamic Métis community of Red River.

[Melanie D'Souza]

I started to listen to the audio version, and it started out really well. The author did a lot of research in the U of M archives, and acknowledged that the archives mostly recorded the colonizers views, but he took care to represent Indigenous perspectives when there was some recorded info. Interesting records of the early settlers from Scotland, the Pemmican War, conflict between the HBC and Northwest Company. Respectful portrayal of Chief Peguis.

BUT I could not finish this! I was listening to the audiobook, and the narrator drove me crazy. As the settlers paddled down from York Factory, of course they had to portage frequently. Each time, the narrator pronounced “portage” like those of us in Manitoba would pronounce “Portage” La Prairie. The first time I was like “what??” But then it kept happening over and over. For a while I thought “ok, just move along”, but after a hundred pages or so I thought, “nope, eventually I’ll just get the print version”, so the audiobook was a dnf for me. Haven’t picked up the print one yet, but will at some point.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in Winnipeg, I was aware of the broad strokes of the Red River Settlers’ story but this chronological and captivating telling filled in the fine detail for me. It made me feel for the families caught between two greedy, deceitful and arrogant business interests and placed in this peril by a well-meaning but clueless Earl and his administrators. It gives life to the places around the city and province where the events of their tragedy took place, and I’ll remember them when passing by streets and parks named in their honour.

[Kathryn Bagg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Optimism, endurance, frustration, hardship— this book brings the story of the Selkirk settlers to life. It illustrates the ignorance and stubbornness of those guiding them, and the naïveté of all involved.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really felt as though the author’s experience in film and cinematic sensibilities allowed this book to shine. I particularly appreciated the observations in the footnotes. The author makes a notable attempt to reconcile the account of white colonial history with our contemporary understanding of extensive damage done to indigenous peoples.

[Prcs Rambharose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks ECW PRESS for sending me this A
Which contains a fantastic detailed account , of Red River, and how they
endured many hardships. Each woman ,Man and children, had rations, pemican was also included a lot in the diet
Each family had a cabin, but also
food was shared among the community when they went hunting..

It also lists names and occupations which was interesting...ln the back of the book there was lots of black and white illustrations. Good size print,nice copy.