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William Bleasdell Cameron
William Bleasdell Cameron (July 26, 1862 - March 4, 1951) He is best known as being one of the survivors of the Frog Lake Massacre, and his book The War Trail of Big Bear that reco...view moreWilliam Bleasdell Cameron (July 26, 1862 - March 4, 1951) He is best known as being one of the survivors of the Frog Lake Massacre, and his book The War Trail of Big Bear that recounts his experiences of the massacre and his captivity.
Born in Trenton, Ontario in 1862, he was working as a clerk for the Hudson’s Bay Company store at Frog Lake in 1885, then in the District of Saskatchewan of the Northwest Territories. He survived the Frog Lake Massacre of the North-West Rebellion on April 2, 1885 and was held captive for two months by Big Bear’s band of Cree. After being freed he was attached to Major General Strange’s column and later was awarded the North West Canada Medal for his role as a scout and guide.
Cameron was in Regina in 1885 during the trial of Big Bear where he testified in Big Bear’s defence. He testified he had heard Big Bear try to stop the massacre at Frog Lake.
As well as his published books, he founded and edited the newspaper Vermilion Signal, served on the town council of Vermilion, Alberta, and was briefly editor of the magazine Field and Stream, New York.
He died of double pneumonia in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan in 1951, aged 88.view less