In many respects, the overall experience of the first overland expedition could be characterized as a tale of suffering and horror, where those who survived escaped death by the slimmest of margins. The following timeline enumerates the fortunate members who turned back and those that perished in the desperate flight to Fort Enterprise. It draws heavily on Houston’s To the Arctic by Canoe 1819-1821, where very helpful appendices about the men of the expedition have been compiled.
All
Samuel Wilks and Orkneymen discharged
Louis St. Jean drowns
On Richardson and Hood’s alternative route to Fort Chipewyan from Cumberland House, the foreman of one of the canoes drowns at Otter Rapids.
Jean Baptiste Belleau discharged
After journeying from Fort Enterprise to Moose Deer Island in search of provisions, Belleau is discharged by Back due to weakness and exhaustion.
Emanuel Cournoyee discharged
Discharged from Fort Enterprise due to prolonged illness over the winter.
Wentzel and Four Voyageurs take leave
Willard Wentzel and four voyageurs — Joseph Gagné, Pierre Dumas, Joseph Forcier, and Jean Baptiste Parent — turn back at the mouth of the Coppermine. Along with Yellowknives hunters, the return party endures 11 days without food.
Junius disappears
Junius, one of the party’s Inuit interpreters and hunters, is lost while hunting. Once the Obstruction Rapids are forded after a delay of 8 days, the party hopes Junius had found safety.
Mathew Pelonquin “Crédit” lost
After frequent collapses, falls behind for final time from exhaustion and diarrhea. A search fails to find him.
Registe Vaillant freezes to death
The carpenter and axeman of the party, Vaillant falls behind. Multiple attempts to rouse him fail, and he soon freezes.
Jean Baptiste Belanger lost
Along with Michel Terohaute, Belanger asks to turn back to Hood’s encampment. Leaves the main party two hours ahead of Michel, but is never seen again. Suspected to have been killed by Terohaute.
Ignace Perreault lost
Turns back to join Michel and Belanger after a quarter of a mile of further walking. Michel is carrying his gun when he reaches Hood’s encampment.
Antonio Fontano lost
The only Italian voyageur, Fontano had earlier exhibited extreme exhaustion. Two miles after Perrault turns back, Fontano begs to join him. He is not seen again.
Gabriel Beauparlant freezes to death
Beauparlant had accompanied Back to Fort Chipewyan the previous fall and was again with his advanced party in search of Akaitcho. Despondent and exhausted, he collapses and freezes to death.
Robert Hood shot
After a loud bang, Hepburn and Richardson return to camp to find Hood shot in the head. Holding a pistol, Michel claims Hood had killed himself by an accidental discharge of his long gun.
Michel Terohaute executed
Sole survivor of the four voyageurs who turned back to Hood’s camp. After Hood’s death, Richardson and Hepburn grow fearful that Terohaute would kill them next. After he leaves the camp for a short period, Richardson loads his pistol and shoots him in the head.
Joseph Peltier passes away
Peltier was with Franklin at Fort Enterprise, gathering firewood and pounding bones. Ten days earlier, he had predicted he would die on November 1.
François Samandre passes away
Samandre was the expedition cook and was with Franklin at Fort Enterprise. Passes away several hours after Peltier.