1802 — June, Tlingits attack Russians/Aleut workers, Fort Archangel St. Michael, AK-<150
— <150 AK HF. Alaska’s Heritage. “Chapter 3-2: Settlement and population patterns.” 2017.
— 20 Russians
— <130 Aleuts
Narrative Information
Alaska Humanities Forum: “In 1799 the Russians built Fort[1] Archangel Saint Michael near a large Tlingit village at Sitka. This became the scene of a Russian set-back in 1802. Tlingits attacked the Russian fort and massacred most of the Russians and Aleut workers there. The Tlingits killed 20 Russians and up to 130 Aleuts. They also took over 4,000 sea otter pelts and burned a ship being built. In 1804 Alexander Baranov led a large Russian and Aleut force, supported by several ships with cannons, to reestablish a Russian fort at Sitka. The Shelikhovs had sent Baranov to Alaska in 1792 to manage their Alaskan fur-trading operation. An experienced Siberian merchant, he had vigorously expanded the fur trade. The Sitka Tlingits, led by Chief Katlean, fought bravely but were finally driven away by Baranov. The new fort he established at Sitka eventually became the Russian headquarters in Alaska.” (Alaska Humanities Forum. Alaska History & Cultural Studies. Alaska’s Heritage. “Chapter 3-2: Settlement and population patterns.” 2017.)
Wikipedia: “1802 battle….In spring 1802, the population of Redoubt Saint Michael had grown to include 29 Russians, 3 British deserters, 200 Aleuts, and a few Kodiak women. In June 1802, a group of Tlingit warriors attacked the Russian fort at mid-day. Led by Skautlelt (Shḵ’awulyéil) and Kotleian, the raiding party massacred many, looted the sea otter pelts, and burned the settlement, including a ship under construction. A few Russians and Aleuts who had been away from the post hunting, or who had fled into the forest, subsequently reached safety and relayed news of the attack. British Captain Barber, Unicorn[2] seized the ringleaders, rescued 3 Russians, 20 other native allies, and many of the pelts. The Unicorn then set sail for Kodiak, where it delivered the survivors and the news of the attack to Baranov on June 24. Barber extracted a ransom of 10,000 rubles for the return of the colonists — a mere 20% of his initial demand.[3]”
Sources
Alaska Humanities Forum. Alaska History & Cultural Studies. Alaska’s Heritage. “Chapter 3-2: Settlement and population patterns.” 2017. Accessed 8-25-2017 at: http://www.akhistorycourse.org/russias-colony/alaskas-heritage/chapter-3-2-settlement-and-population-patterns
Faulkner, Sandra McDermott Faulkner, William S. Hanable, Robert L. S. Spude. Russian America Theme. National History Landmarks. Anchorage: National Park Service, Alaska Region, U. S. Department of the Interior, 1987, 367 pages. Accessed 8-25-2017 at: https://www.nps.gov/nhl/learn/themes/RussianAmerica.pdf
National Park Service. Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska. “The Russians.” 4-26-2016 update. Accessed 8-25-2017 at: https://www.nps.gov/sitk/learn/historyculture/the-russians.htm
Wikipedia. Battle of Sitka. 7-16-2017 edit. Accessed 8-25-2017 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sitka#cite_note-Khlebnikov-2
[1] National Park Service notes the “Fort” was in the form of a redoubt. Also notes the site today is Old Sitka. (NPS. Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska. “The Russians.” 4-26-2016 update. Accessed 8-25-2017.
[2] Cites: Black, Lydia T. Russians in Alaska 1732-1867. Fairbanks, AK: Univ. of Alaska Press, 2004, pp. 158-159.
[3] Cites: Khlebnikov, K.T. Baranov, Chief Manager of the Russian Colonies in America. Kingston: The Limestone Press, 1973, pp. 37-39.