▁line ▁to ▁Ed mont on ▁placed ▁the ▁line ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁S ask atch ew an ▁River . ▁ ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Battle ford ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 8 ▁as ▁news ▁that ▁several ▁Indian ▁bands ▁including ▁P ound maker ' s ▁were ▁on ▁their ▁way ▁to ▁Battle ford ▁sett lers ▁began ▁moving ▁into ▁the ▁nearby ▁North - West ▁Mount ed ▁Police ▁post , ▁Fort ▁Battle ford ▁which ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Colonel ▁Morris ▁and ▁ 2 5 ▁police . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁several ▁days ▁ 5 0 0 ▁civ ili ans ▁would ▁take ▁refuge ▁within ▁the ▁pal is ades . ▁Many ▁crossed ▁over ▁an ▁un stable ▁ice ▁bridge ▁on ▁the ▁Battle ▁River ▁leaving ▁most ▁of ▁their ▁poss essions ▁behind ▁in ▁the ▁Old ▁Town . ▁During ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁March ▁ 2 9 ▁nearby ▁hom est ead s ▁were ▁ra ided ▁their ▁horses ▁and ▁cattle ▁rounded ▁up ▁by ▁the ▁bands . ▁ ▁Also ▁on ▁the ▁trail ▁to ▁join ▁P ound maker ▁in ▁Battle ford ▁were ▁the ▁Ass in ib o ine ▁from ▁the ▁E agle ▁Hills ▁approximately ▁ 3 0   km ▁south ▁of ▁Battle ford . ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 9 ▁they ▁killed ▁their ▁farm ▁instruct or ▁John ▁Pay ne ▁and ▁ra ided ▁hom est ead s ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁killing ▁a ▁far mer ▁by ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁F rem ont . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 3 0 , ▁P ound maker ▁asked ▁for ▁a ▁meeting ▁with ▁the ▁Indian ▁agent ▁J . ▁M . ▁R ae .