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Lieutenant Colonel W. D. Otter of Toronto commanded a force that tackled the wise old Chief Poundmaker at Cut Knife Hill. Lieut. Colonel Otter had marched with his troops from Swift Current to the relief of Battleford, which was besieged by the natives.  
 
On May 1st Lieut. Col. Otter decided to attack Chief Poundmaker who was camped out on his Reserve with his Tribesmen, their wives, and children. It is not known why Lieut. Col. Otter decided to attack the Indians because this group had not allied themselves with Louis Riel, and his uprising with the Indians, and Metis.  
 
Lieutenant Colonel Otter had 300 men from the North West Mounted Police who were commanded by Superintendent Herchmer, and Inspector Neale, volunteer Scouts, ‘C’ Company of the School of Infantry, the Governor Generals Foot Guards, #1 Company of the Queens Own Rifles, the Battleford Rifles, two seven-pound artillery pieces, and Lieutenant Howard, an American soldier of fortune, with his demonstration Gatling gun.  
 
Once the two opposing groups had spotted each other the Battle began with the Indians fighting from under cover of every bush, coulee, and rock in the vicinity. All that saved the soldiers of worst injuries were the Antique Arms used by the Cree Indians. Some of the Braves even peppered the soldiers with arrows.  
 
By noon Lieut. Col. Otter was defeated, one of his seven pounder guns, old and obsolete, collapsed, and was unable to fire. Lieutenant Howard fiercely turned the crank on his Gatlin Gun, which was ineffective because he could not see a target.  
 
The Mounties, and the Battleford Volunteers repulsed an Indian bid to encircle the column. Colonel Otters shattered force opened a gap and dragging their dead, and wounded made a slow retreat. Chief Poundmaker refused to give orders to his Braves to pursue the dishevelled Soldiers. The Otto force had eight men dead, and fourteen wounded, the Indians had lost six Braves.  
 
After the Trials that followed the Riel Rebellion Chief Poundmaker, and the other Chiefs were imprisoned. Poundmaker spent time in Stony Mountain Penitentiary, outside of Winnipeg, but was eventually released. His spirit, and health was crushed, and he died in Blackfoot country in Alberta.  
 
In the early spring of 1967 his people brought his remains back to Cut Knife Creek, and re-interned them.  
 
Lieutenant Colonel Otter eventually achieved the Rank of General, but little is recorded about him in Canadian military history after this.  
 
One of the Nine-pounder Guns used in these Battles is on exhibition at the Shilo Military Museum.  
 
Source:  
 
http://www.goldiproductions.com/thecanadasite/art/art12_blatchly.html