Peterson was a native of Denmark who had began work in the
Bute Inlet area in
1863 and began employment with
Mr. Waddington's road crew for the proposed
Bute Inlet trail to the
Cariboo gold fields on
23 March 1864.
1 He had been one of three survivors of the
Bute Inlet conflict, in which Tsilhqot’in men attacked the road crew. He endured a wound to
his left arm from a musket shot and many bruises.
2
At the time of the attack, Peterson had been camping with twelve other men during
their work for
Mr. Waddington.
3 At daybreak, Peterson heard two shots, and emerged from the tent. He encountered
a group of Tsilhqot’in who had begun attacking the camp group. One of the Tsilhqot’in
men met Peterson with a blow with the end of his musket. Peterson avoided this attack
but was met by another Tsilhqot’in man who aimed his axe towards Peterson, but he
dodged this blow. After hiding behind a tree, Peterson was met by another Tsilhqot’in
who had shot him in the left wrist with a musket.
4 Petersen had been badly injured and entered the nearby river to escape.
5 The Tsilhqot’in assumed Peterson had been killed and did not continue shooting.
6 Floating down the river, Petersen endured many bruises from rocks at the bottom of
the river.
7 Petersen met up with other members of the camp who similarly escaped by the river,
Edward Moseley and later
Phillip Buckley.
8 The three made their way to
Nanaimo where they received medical attention, and then boarded the
Emily Harris to
Victoria, arriving on
May 11 1864.
9
After arriving at
Victoria, Peterson made a statement regarding the attack, providing details about men employed,
and the Tsilhqot’in involved.
10 Waddington consulted his records indicating members employed at various camps throughout the
proposed
Bute Inlet trail project and corroborated Peterson’s statement who had.
11