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James Morrow Walsh (22 May 1840 – 25 July 1905) was aNorth-West Mounted Police (NWMP) officer and the firstcommissioner of Yukon.
James Morrow Walsh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Commissioner of theYukon Territory | |
| In office 1897–1898 | |
| Preceded by | Territory established |
| Succeeded by | William Ogilvie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 22, 1840 Prescott,Upper Canada |
| Died | July 25, 1905 Brockville, Ontario |
| Occupation | NWMP Superintendent, Militiaman, Politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Canada |
| Branch/service | Canadian militia |
| Years of service | 1866-1883 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Superintendent |
| Unit | 2nd Prescott Rifle Company 56th Grenville Battalion North-West Mounted Police |
| Commands | Fort Walsh |
| Battles/wars | Fenian Raids |
Born inPrescott, Ontario, James Walsh was one of the original officers of the NWMP. Walsh served with the2nd Prescott Rifle Company atFort Wellington during the 1866Fenian Raid and with the56th Grenville Battalion during the 1870 raid. He was awarded theCanada General Service Medal with two clasps.
Superintendent Walsh was assigned in 1875 to establish a post in theCypress Hills in what is nowSaskatchewan. He named itFort Walsh after himself. The location of the post was determined by theCypress Hills Massacre in 1873, an atrocity stemming from the illegal American whiskey trade. Walsh's original role was to shut down this trade, but in June 1876 his position grew in importance when several thousandSioux crossed the border intoCanada, taking refuge there after theBattle of Little Big Horn. They settled near theWood Mountain post in present-day Saskatchewan.
Walsh developed a strong friendship with the famous Sioux leaderSitting Bull and successfully kept peace in the region. By the summer of 1877, Walsh, although still in command of Fort Walsh, spent little time there. His headquarters became the Wood Mountain post, among Sitting Bull and 5,000 Sioux. During this time, Walsh became famous in the American press as "Sitting Bull's Boss." In reality, Walsh was unable to fulfill his orders to convince Sitting Bull to return to theU.S. The Canadian government decided that Walsh's friendship with Sitting Bull was an obstacle to the Sioux's return to the United States, and in 1880 he was transferred toFort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. Soon after, he took health leave and returned to Ontario. He reluctantly resigned his commission three years later.
In August 1897, during the height of theKlondike Gold Rush, Walsh was appointed Commissioner of the newly createdYukon Territory. He resigned soon after in 1898. His successor wasWilliam Ogilvie. He died inBrockville, Ontario in 1905.
Mount Walsh, a mountain peak in theSaint Elias Mountains in the Yukon is named after him.
| Preceded by office created | Commissioner of Yukon 1897–1898 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
