Of the Red River Community the French half-breed was of the
most unsubdued and restive type, for he followed the ways of the
Indians, while the Selkirk Colonists and their descendants always
professed to be farmers, and hunting was only their diversion. Moreover,
being of Scottish blood, they had been taught to fear God and honor the
King.
We have seen that Governor Simpson had a plan in his mind for gaining
control and preserving order in his own kingdom. His idea of building
fortified stone forts is chiefly seen in the cases of Upper and Lower
Forts Garry. Fort Garry was, as we have seen, well on the way to
completion by the time of the French outbreak in connection with
Larocque. And Governor Christie was authorized to go on and construct a
still more elaborate fort at the Forks to replace the wooden Fort Garry
built shortly after the union of the Companies. Thus, a large Fort with
numerous buildings, suitable for trade and residence, was begun in 1835,
and around it a substantial stone wall was built. The dimensions from
east to west were 280 feet, and from north to south 240 feet. The fort
faced the Assiniboine River, and each of its corners showed a large and
well-built bastion.
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