Riel the North west Resistance/rebellion Saskatchewan 1885

The beginning…. More and more Aboriginal and Metis were being pushed off of their land by English/Ontario settlers further West in Canada. The Metis called on Riel (who had fled to the States after the Red River Rebellion/Resistance) Riel tries to negotiate peacefully with the Govt of Canada, but this is not successful….

Indian supports? Poundmaker and Big Bear (two Aboriginal Chiefs) were frustrated and unsure whether to join with the settlers and Metis (Jackson and Riel) as they felt it was a ‘lost battle’ and didn’t want any bloodshed…. Riel declares an ‘independent Metis state’ in Batoche, Saskatchewan (illegal)

Oops…. Duck Lake- 200 Metis and a handful of Indians battle 100 Mounted Police and civilian volunteers. During this battle Riel was on horseback, holding a cross, praying aloud… Not planned, ran into each other, 3 police and 9 civilian volunteers died = Metis victory. With this success Riel feels ‘my cause must be just’ but… Loses settler support / never wanted it to become an armed rebellion…Riel once again hopes for Indian support JAM- now calling on the militia and hoping the CPR rail will take them West! (proving its worth!)

Significance of the cpr **The building of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) allowed John A Macdonald (JAM) to send RCMP into the West to fight Riel and the Metis. Allowed them to get there in 9-10 days rather than weeks/months (even though 86 miles of the track were still missing….making parts of the trip difficult for the soldiers)

Difficult travels On March 30, 1885, troops left Toronto aboard the first train. Over the next few days, other troops left from other cities. At Dog Lake, the first gap in the tracks, the men were put into sleighs pulled by horses. The sleighs often overturned in the deep snow, tossing the men overboard. Frostbite was a constant danger. At Birch Lake, they boarded a train that had only open cars and no escape from the cold. At the gap at Port Munro, the men had to march across the ice of Lake Superior. One soldier wrote home: "I can tell you I'll never forget that march, ... We dared not stop an instant as we were in great danger of being frozen, although the sun was taking the skin off our faces. One man of our company went mad and one of the regulars went blind from snow glare."

The battles begin Frog Lake – 100 miles from Edmonton down the N. Saskatchewan River. Big Bear and his Band are nearby but BB still does not want to join with the Metis. However, some of his band members go against his wishes. His warriors loot the English settlement and kill 9 settlers and 2 priests. Newspapers cry out…. A MASSACRE! 11 PEOPLE MURDERED! AN INDIAN UPRISING!

More battles… Head of the Canadian Army =General Frederick Middleton..has a distain for the colonial troops as they are inexperienced compared to the Métis. sends troops to Calgary (Big Bear) and Ft. Battleford (Poundmaker). Main force to Batoche. Fish Creek- Gabriel Dumont (Riels Military leader) launches an ambush..hold their own..but not for much longer…ask for Indian support again as Poundmaker’s camp is just a few days ride away…but hey do not join….. Riel sinks deeper into his Religious mania…bizarre beliefs (rename days of the week, holds arm in a cross/needs help to do so, believes God wants him to remane the Pope….) The Métis followers are starting to wonder if he is fighting a Religious or a Metis Rights battle…

Batoche First week of May Métis hold out again…even with the use of the **GATTLING GUN! (first time used!) After 4 days they are overwhelmed Dumont fights to the bitter end 3 wounded, 12 dead and one child due to the GATTLING GUN Dumont and Riel escape Canadian Militia pillage the dead and take souvenirs. (spoil of war) Bell of Batoche

Surrender 3 days later Riel surrenders Poundmaker…voluntary disarms his men as Middleton requests 2 months later Big Bear comes out of hiding and insists he was not part of the rebellion. After millions of $$ were spent, people in ‘Canada’ welcome home the soldiers with pride..however JAM’s dream of unity will be short lived…

Trial Riel is held in RCMP headquarters = Regina Wants his trial in Quebec, wants to be judged according to his actions, peaceful, not aggressive but defensive. JAM wants Riel hanged July morning Riel brought to court. Has 6 jury men, only 1 speaks some French Lawyers want to plead insanity but Riel insists otherwise. Riel impresses the jury and they believe him to be respectful, entertaining and sane but plea for mercy. Aug. 3, 1885. Sentenced to death for Treason.

Hanged November 16, 1885. Regina. Final Prayers French sheriff refuses to deliver the execution so an English deputy does Word of hanging quickly spreads Quebec- public meetings, protests, burnings of JAM –their relationship will never be the same Ontario- happy, burnings of Riel

After math 11 days after Riel dies 8 Indians are executed for murders during the rebellion in Ft. Battleford Another 50 sentenced to prison terms including Big Bear and Poundmaker (even though they did not join the cause and recommended peace)- they were charged with treason and 3 years in prison Both die shortly after being released On a cold December evening Riels body is transferred via CPR to WPG….symbolic of the power in the new West Louis Riel History Minute