James Morrow Walsh (May 22, 1840 – July 25, 1905) was a North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) officer and the first commissioner of the Yukon Territory. Born in Prescott, Ontario, Walsh was among the original NWMP officers. He served with the 2nd Prescott Rifle Company during the 1866 Fenian Raid and with the 56th Grenville Battalion during the 1870 raid, earning the Canada General Service Medal with two clasps. In 1875, Walsh was assigned to establish a post in the Cypress Hills, now in Saskatchewan, which he named Fort Walsh. This assignment followed the Cypress Hills Massacre of 1873, related to the illegal American whiskey trade. Walsh's role expanded in June 1876 when Sioux refugees, fleeing the Battle of Little Bighorn, crossed into Canada and settled near Wood Mountain in present-day Saskatchewan. Walsh developed a close relationship with the Sioux leader Sitting Bull and maintained peace in the region. By summer 1877, Walsh's base of operations shifted to the Wood Mountain post, where he was known in the American press as "Sitting Bull's Boss." Despite his efforts, Walsh could not persuade Sitting Bull to return to the U.S. The Canadian government viewed Walsh’s relationship with Sitting Bull as a hindrance and transferred him to Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan, in 1880. He took health leave shortly thereafter and resigned in 1883. In August 1897, Walsh was appointed Commissioner of the newly established Yukon Territory during the Klondike Gold Rush but resigned in 1898. He was succeeded by William Ogilvie. Walsh passed away in Brockville, Ontario, in 1905. Mount Walsh, a peak in the Saint Elias Mountains in the Yukon, is named in his honor.

James Morrow Walsh - Wikipedia