Philip Buckley

Philip Buckley, an Irish immigrant, was one of the three survivors of the attack at Bute Inlet. During the attack on the road crew, his thigh and groin were severely injured but he was able to drag himself behind a rock where he fainted due to loss of blood. When he awoke, he attempted to reach Brewster’s advance camp but turned around when he saw more Tsilhqot’in warriors.

Upon reaching the ferry, Buckley met two other survivors, Petersen and Mosely. With the help of two French-Canadians and five aboriginals who had heard about the events, they travelled to the town site at Bute Inlet and canoed to Nanaimo. On May 11, 1864, they arrived in Victoria aboard the steamer Emily Harris. Like Petersen, Buckley was taken to the Royal Hospital to recover.

Secondary Sources

Hewlett, Edward S. “The Chilcotin Uprising: A Study of Indian-European Relations in Nineteenth Century British Columbia.” MA Thesis, UBC, 1972.