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2

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The

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Page

1

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ap

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o:

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po

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le

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nsfe

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from

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est

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age

35

Ch

ap

ter

Four:

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sA

ttem

pt

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rganiz

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Arm

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tance,

And

The

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nIn

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ent

InT

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hW

est

Dis

turb

an

ces.

Page

48

Chapte

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ive:

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eB

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leat

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reek

Page

74

Ch

ap

ter

Six

:T

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esp

ondence

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an,

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isto

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1966

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itoba

Meti

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ss,

1979

Mis

sions

of

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Mil

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rin

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nch_and

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gli

sh

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eak

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him

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me

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assis

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alf

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gri

evan

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reg

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ing

land

cla

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88

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dh

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gati

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toB

ato

che

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84

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sent

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are

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Marc

h1885

Batt

lefo

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ceiv

es

poli

ce

rein

forc

em

ent.

N.W

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ffic

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Hers

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rat

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Carl

ton.

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h17

1885

Law

rence

Cla

rk,

aH

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ayC

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pan

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meets

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up

of

Meti

sin

St.

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,o

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ou

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and

info

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them

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ato

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arrest

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and

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lgovern

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offic

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.

Mar

ch19

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Meti

sC

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esta

bli

sh

ed

,referred

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ym

any

as

the

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(govern

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.

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ng

1884

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on

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on

tan

au

rin

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toco

me

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eir

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wit

hth

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wit

hsu

pp

lies

and

am

munit

ion.

Th

ey

als

oarr

este

dsev

era

lgovern

ment

offic

ials

,am

ong

them

India

n

Agent

Lash

,an

dconfi

ned

them

on

the

upper

floor

of

one

of

the

raid

ed

esta

bli

shm

ents

.

Only

aw

eek

earli

er

Su

peri

nte

nd

en

tG

agnon

had

tele

gra

ph

ed

Mounte

dP

oli

ce

Com

mis

sio

ner

Irv

ine

inR

egin

a,

tom

obil

ize

a

Po

lice

att

achm

ent

insupport

of

Su

peri

nte

nd

en

tC

rozie

r’s

forc

e,

at

Canto

n.

Afe

wd

ay

sla

ter

the

Co

mm

issi

on

er

was

on

his

way

from

Regin

ato

the

fort

on

the

South

Sask

atc

hew

an

wit

hnin

ety

po

licem

en.

Cro

zie

r,on

heari

ng

of

the

arrests

by

Rie

l’s

men

,

dis

patc

hed

ascout

by

the

nam

eo

fJo

seph

McK

ayJr.

toC

ap

tain

Mof

fat

at

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

wit

hth

ere

quest

for

avolu

nte

er

forc

e

of

eig

hty

men

.In

the

meanti

me

the

Meti

sle

ad

ers

call

ed

tog

eth

er

acouncil

inth

echurc

hat

Bato

ch

e.

Fath

er

Mouli

n,

the

pari

sh

prie

st,

unw

illi

ng

toall

ow

the

bu

ild

ing

tobe

use

dfo

rth

is

pu

rpo

seand

den

ou

ncin

gth

eM

eti

sre

so

rtto

arm

ed

resis

tance,

was

thrust

asid

eat

Rie

l’s

com

man

d.

Du

mo

nt

then

sent

out

part

ies

tocut

the

tele

gra

ph

lin

es.

Fath

er

Fourm

ond,

at

St.

Laure

nt,

als

opro

ved

tobe

ho

sti

leto

the

Meti

scause,

threat

en

ing

tow

ithdra

wre

ligio

us

serv

ices

toth

ose

who

acti

vely

join

ed

wit

hR

iel.

The

latt

er

reali

zed

the

import

ance

of

reli

gio

nto

the

Meti

speople

and

feare

dth

at

his

ali

enati

on

from

the

prie

sts

would

underm

ine

the

support

he

sou

rgen

tly

requir

ed;

there

fore

he

trie

dto

fill

the

void

by

decla

ring

him

self

apro

phet

of

the

new

wo

rld

for

the

gre

at

Meti

snati

on.

Th

eo

ffic

ial

decis

ion

tota

ke

up

arm

sw

assig

ned

by

fif

teen

council

lors

.P

ierr

eP

are

nte

au

was

chose

np

resid

en

tand

Ph

illi

pp

e

Garn

ot

secre

tary

.S

ome

com

panie

so

fso

ldie

rsw

ere

form

ed

wit

h

Gabri

el

Dum

ont

incharg

eo

fall

.R

iel

did

not

bec

om

ea

mem

ber

of

the

co

un

cil

but

co

ntr

ibute

db

ygiv

ing

the

new

org

an

izati

on

a

nam

e.H

ecall

ed

it

the

“E

xo

ved

ate

,”and

refe

rred

toeach

mem

ber

as

an

exovede,

mean

ing

,“th

ose

pic

ked

from

the

flo

ck

.”

Th

efo

reg

oin

gaccount

sum

mari

zes

the

init

iati

on

of

vio

len

ce

wh

ich

led

to(w

hat

isso

mew

hat

err

on

eo

usly

term

ed

)th

eN

ort

h

Wes

t“re

bell

ion

.”T

he

fàll

ow

ing

qu

ota

tio

ns

and

ex

cerp

tsfr

om

pri

mary

docum

ents

and

seco

nd

ary

so

urc

es

wil

latt

em

pt

toex

am

ine

the

div

erg

ent

vie

wpoin

tso

nis

sues

associa

ted

wit

hth

einitia

tion

and

the

vari

ou

sacco

un

tso

fen

su

ing

hosti

liti

es

as

seen

an

dex

peri

enced,

cu

rtail

ed

or

pro

mote

db

ym

enand

wom

enof

the

opposi

ng

forc

es.

Meti

sP

eti

tion

pri

or

toIn

surr

ecti

on,

fall

of

1884

—Ig

no

red.

“..

.Fo

llo

win

gR

iel’

sre

turn

and

at

his

urg

ing,

peti

tion

afte

r

peti

tion

was

dis

patc

hed

toO

ttaw

ap

ressin

gth

eg

ov

ern

men

tfo

r

som

eacti

on

on

Meti

sd

em

ands.

Man

ym

eeti

ng

sw

ere

held

duri

ng

the

sum

mer

at

whic

hth

ep

eo

ple

resolv

ed

top

ers

ev

ere

inth

eir

effo

rts

tow

inth

eir

rig

hts

.N

oth

ing

happened.

Th

egovern

ment

did

not

resp

on

d.

Inth

eearl

yfall

of

1884,

they

dre

wu

pa

list

of

rights

as

had

been

done

at

the

Red

Riv

er.

This

was

sent

toO

ttaw

a

wit

ha

peti

tion

askin

gfo

rg

uara

nte

es.

Th

echart

er

co

nta

ined

seven

cla

uses.

1.

Su

bd

ivis

ion

of

Nort

h-W

est

Territ

orie

sin

toP

rovin

ces,

2.

Co

ncess

ion

of

land

and

oth

er

ad

van

taq

es

toth

eM

eti

s..

.

3.

Imm

edia

tedis

trib

uti

on

of

land

titl

es

tosett

lers

in

po

ssessio

n,

4.

Sale

of

ahalf

-mil

lion

acre

so

fC

row

nla

nds

for

the

foundati

on

of

sch

oo

ls,

hso

pit

als

and

oth

er

insti

tuti

ons.

5.

The

reserv

ati

on

of

100

dis

tric

tso

fm

ars

hy

lan

dto

be

dis

trib

ute

dam

ong

the

Meti

schil

dre

no

ver

the

cours

e

2.of

the

next

100

years

.

AM

NSI

S6

.A

llocati

on

of

1,0

00

Doll

ars

tom

ain

tain

are

ligio

us

Louis

Rie

l,in

sti

tuti

on

ineach

Meti

ssett

lem

en

t.Ju

stic

eM

ust

Be

7.

Arr

an

gem

en

tfo

rIn

dia

nw

ell

-bein

g.

Don

e.M

anit

oba

Met

isO

ttaw

aig

nore

dth

ispeti

tion

as

well...

2F

edera

tion

Pre

ss,

1979

By

the

end

of

Feb

ruar

y,

18

85

,R

iel

had

toth

ink

of

iro

redra

stic

nasure

s.

(The

peti

tion)

was

sen

tto

Ch

aple

au,

the

Secre

tary

of

Sta

te,

an

d

receip

tduly

acknow

led

ged

...J

an

uary

,1

88

5ca

me

and

went.

Earl

y

inF

eb

ruary

the

Cab

inet

agre

ed

toin

vesti

gate

the

cla

ims

of

the

half

-bre

eds.

But

the

govern

ment

had

pro

mis

ed

investi

gati

on

sin

ce

3.1879.

Th

ere

was

no

answ

er

toth

eM

eti

sle

aders

.B

yth

en

do

fF

ebru

ary

Rie

lhad

been

forc

ed

toth

ink

of

mo

red

rasti

cm

easu

res...

Can

ada,

(Bu

t)“I

assure

you,”

Rie

ldto

ldR

ev.

Wil

liam

sth

eday

of

his

1874

—18

96executi

on,

that

thre

ew

eeks

befo

reth

eD

uck

Lak

efi

ght

Ih

ad

no

McL

ella

nd&

Ste

war

t.,

idea

of

rebell

ion.”

319

71

Sir

John

Macdonald

denie

dever

hav

ing

receiv

ed

ap

eti

tio

nfr

om

the

Meti

s,

Th

dia

ns

or

sett

lers.

...it

isin

teresti

ng

ton

ote

that

Sir

John

AM

acd

on

ald

4.

bo

ldly

decla

red

inth

eD

om

inio

nP

arl

iam

en

tin

Mar

ch1

88

5th

at

no

Sta

nle

y.

Nort

hW

est

“B

ill

of

Rig

hts

”had

ever

been

“o

ffic

iall

y,

or

ind

eed

ofin

any

way

,pro

mulg

ate

dso

far

as

we

kn

ow

,and

tran

sm

itte

dto

Wes

tern

Govern

ment.

”T

he

Govern

men

tn

ot

only

receiv

ed

the

peti

tio

nand

Can

ada.

p.3

O7

forw

ard

ed

it

toth

eC

olo

nia

lO

ffic

e,

but

appare

ntl

yacknow

ledged

the

receip

tof

the

peti

tio

n.

/4

—4—

“Edm

onto

nB

ull

eti

n”

theori

zed

that

wit

hout

rebell

ion

the

people

inth

eN

ort

hW

est

need

expect

noth

ing

from

govern

ment.

“If

itw

asnot

by...r

ebell

ion

and

appeals

toth

eB

riti

sh

5.qovern

ment.

..th

at

the

people

of

Onta

rio

gain

ed

the

rights

“Edm

onto

nth

ey

enjo

yto

day

and

freed

them

selv

es

from

acondit

ion

pre

cis

ely

Bull

eti

nas

quote

dsim

ilar

toth

at

inw

hic

hth

eN

ort

hW

est

isbein

gra

pid

lyin

“Pri

nce

forc

ed..

.If

his

tory

isto

be

taken

as

aguid

e,

what

could

be

Alb

ert

Tim

es”,

pla

iner

than

that

wit

hout

rebell

ion

the

people

of

the

Nort

hF

eb.2

2,

Wes

tneed

expect

noth

ing

1

Inearl

yM

arch

of

1885,

Cro

zie

rorg

aniz

ed

mil

itary

forc

es,

incase

of

trouble

wit

hhalf

-bre

eds.

I,

.On

the

13th

(of

Marc

h,

1885)

Cro

zie

rre

port

ed

that

ahalf

-bre

ed

rebell

ion

was

“li

able

tobre

ak

out

at

any

mom

ent”

and

call

ed

for

rein

forc

em

ents

.H

ence

on

the

15th

,C

om

mis

sioner

Irvin

e,

of

Regin

a,

was

instr

ucte

dto

pro

ceed

nort

has

quie

tly

as

possib

lew

ith

all

avail

able

men

up

toone

hundre

d.

6. Sta

nle

y,

Cro

zie

rm

ade

every

pre

para

tion

for

the

trouble

whic

hhe

had

Geo

rge

F.

accura

tely

fore

told

.A

tB

att

lefo

rdhe

org

aniz

ed

abody

of

Bir

thof

Wes

tern

volu

nte

ers

,or

specia

lconsta

ble

s,

todefe

nd

the

tow

nand

took

Can

ada

wit

hhim

toC

alt

on

fif

tym

enof

the

regula

rfo

rce,

one

gun

and

Toro

nto

the

arm

sof

the

dis

pended

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

mil

itia

.O

nM

arch

15th

,P

reS

S,

he

pro

ceeded

toP

rince

Alb

ert

where

he

arr

anged

wit

hC

apta

inp.3

22

Moore

,a

form

er

mil

itia

offic

er,

toso

und

quie

tly

the

f.eeli

nq

of

that

sett

lem

ent

and

report

of

it,

ifin

the

event

of

an

em

erg

ency

volu

nte

er

forc

ecould

be

readil

yenroll

ed.

6’

Mil

itary

leaders

were

long

convin

ced

that

ala

rge

poli

ce

forc

ew

ould

inti

mid

ate

India

ns

and

Meti

s.

I,

(In

ale

tter

toIr

vin

e,

Cro

zie

rsuggeste

dth

at

-).

..N

oth

ing

7.but

seein

ga

larg

efo

rce

inth

ecountr

yw

ill

pre

vent

seri

ous

Lett

er,

trouble

befo

relo

ng.

If

matt

ers

are

all

ow

ed

todrif

tor

ifit

Cro

zie

rto

isfelt

that

no

gre

ate

r,or

only

asli

ght

incre

ase

of

forc

eat

Er’

pre

sent

here

ism

ade,

Iam

str

ongly

of

the

opin

ion

we

shall

have

1884

the

Manit

oba

dif

fic

ult

ies

of

1869

.reenacte

dw

ith

the

addit

ion

of

Noll

37d

the

India

npopula

tion

as

all

ies

toth

ehalf

—bre

eds.

Dew

dney

advis

ed

Macdonald

one

wee

kbefo

reoutb

reak

of

vio

lence

that

he

inte

nded

tom

eet

.iit

hL

aw

rence

Cla

rke,

and

that

troops

should

be

ready

torta

rt

nort

h.

——

Mar

ch12,

18

85

dear

Sir

John:

...L

aw

rence

Cla

rke

from

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

,w

hom

Ifir

st

consu

lted

about

these

men

wil

lbe

here

today,

as

fin

din

gh

e

8w

ason

his

way

toth

eN

ort

hfr

om

Win

nip

eg

Iw

ired

him

to

Mac

dona

ldco

me

and

see

me

as

Iw

ished

tota

lko

ver

the

half

-bre

ed

Pap

ers

report

sth

at

hav

ere

ached

me

sin

ce

he

left

Pri

nce

Alb

ert.

..

Reg

ina

Ate

legra

mfr

om

Cro

zie

r..

.Cro

zie

ris

nerv

ous,

but

Ihave

no

Mar

.12

,doubt

has

good

foundati

op

for

his

info

rmati

on

as

far

as

talk

isco

ncern

ed

.A

dete

rmin

ed

sta

nd

sho

uld

be

taken

at

once

or

the

ag

itati

on

wil

lin

cre

ase,

and

we

wil

lhave

no

peace

all

sum

mer

.

Hers

chm

er

wit

h50

(or

100

men

would

be

bett

er)

shou

ldb

e

ready

tosta

rt

nort

h.

The

part

of

Cro

zie

r’s

tele

gra

mabout

gett

ing

arm

sfr

om

the

Sta

tes

isth

ew

eak

part

of

it.

Ith

ink

the

sale

of

fix

ed

am

mu

nit

ion

,and

the

import

ati

on

of

it,

sho

uld

be

pro

hib

ited

inth

eN

ort

h.

Wit

hkin

dre

gard

s

Beli

ev

em

e

Yo

urs

sin

cere

ly

E.

Dew

dney”

8

Mit

ch

ell

,a

trader

at

Duck

Lake,

wro

teto

Cro

zie

ro

nM

arch

20

,

(18

85

)th

at

L.

Cla

rke

warn

ed

the

half

-bre

eds

of

tro

op

so

nth

e

way

tofi

ght

them

.

‘I

Hil

lyard

Mit

chell

,w

hoacte

das

inte

rmed

iary

betw

een

Cro

zie

r

an

dR

iel

wro

teto

Cro

zie

ro

nM

arch

20,

(1885)

that

he

had

learn

ed

“th

at

he,

(Cla

rke).

..sto

pp

ed

at

the

sett

lem

ent

on

the

So

uth

Bra

nch,

and

told

the

people

that

the

Govern

ment

was

sendin

g500

po

lice

from

Tro

yto

fight

the

half

-bre

ed

s.

Th

e

people

of

cours

e,

got

ex

cit

ed

and

said

they

were

goin

gto

fig

ht

the

said

500

men

.A

ndth

ey

are

now

wait

ing

at

Bato

che

expecti

ng

them

toarr

ive.”

Anoth

er

vers

ion

isput

forw

ard

inan

unfi

nis

hed

lett

er

date

d

Apri

l3rd

,1

88

5..

.

I,(C

on

fid

en

tial

Papers

)“D

uri

ng

the

day

inquesti

on

an

d

befo

reth

em

eeti

ng

(to

form

aco

un

cil

)to

ok

pla

ce,

severa

l

En

gli

sh

half

—bre

ed

,w

how

ere

into

wn

on

busin

css,

went

ho

me •.1

6

hav

ing

heard

the

vari

ous

rum

ors

rela

tiv

eto

the

inte

nti

on

of

the

Poli

ce.

Know

ing

that

Rie

lhad

done

noth

ing

wo

rthy

of

arrest

and

feeli

ng

that

as

they

were

responsib

lefo

rh

is

safe

ty,

they

sent

the

new

so

nto

the

low

er

end

of

the

Fre

nch

Sett

lem

en

t,an

das

these

thin

gs

alw

ay

sgro

wb

yre

han

dli

ng

it

reach

ed

the

Fre

nch

inth

efo

rmo

fa

sta

tem

ent

toth

eeff

ect

that

the

cit

izens

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

were

arm

ing

toassis

tth

e

Po

lice

toarrest

Rie

l.”

Whic

hever

vers

ion

may

be

true,

the

imp

ort

an

tfa

ct

isth

at

Rie

lto

ok

ad

van

tag

eo

fth

epanic

tofo

rm

the

Pro

vis

ional

Goverr

imefl

t.”

Cla

rke,

how

ever,

den

ied

havin

gm

eto

rta

lked

toanyone..

.

“In

ale

tter

toth

eH

ud

son

sB

ayC

om

pan

yC

om

mis

sioner

on

Ju

ly6th

,1

88

5(H

.B.C

.fo

lio

on

the

Rie

lR

ebell

ions)

Cla

rke

9g

av

ea

deta

iled

account

of

his

movem

ents

on

the

day

inquesti

on

Sta

nle

y,

an

dsaid

:“B

etw

een

meeti

ng

Lepin

etw

elv

em

iles

on

the

oth

er

Bir

thsid

eof

the

South

Bra

nch

and

Fort

Canto

n,

Id

idnot

meet

aof ste

rn

sin

gle

half

—bre

ed,

nor

wit

hth

ose

that

Id

idm

eet

on

the

way

Can

ada

had

Ione

word

of

co

nvers

ati

on

ab

ou

tanyth

ing

connecte

dw

ith

p.4

43

’R

iel

or

his

movem

ents

.”N

ev

ert

hele

ss

the

oth

er

vie

ww

asI,

pre

vale

nt

at

the

tim

e.

9

Bra

ve

men

were

now

aro

used

todefe

nd

their

hom

es:

I, .,

Wh

eth

er

Cla

rke

exaggera

ted,

thin

kin

gth

at

the

siz

eo

fth

e

forc

em

ight

induce

the

Meti

sto

retu

rnh

om

eq

uie

tly

,o

rw

heth

er

10.

the

Meti

sm

isu

nd

ers

tood

his

word

s,is

no

tknow

n.

It

ispre

tty

Ch

arl

ebois

cert

ain

that

Cla

rke

was

refe

rrin

gto

Irvin

e’s

forc

e.

Ho

wever,

Pete

rT

heev

en

ifC

lark

ehad

said

50

00

men

,th

eresult

would

have

been

the

Lif

eof

sam

e.

Bra

ve

men

were

aro

used

tod

efe

nd

their

ho

mes.

Louis

Rie

l.N

ewN

owR

iel

an

dth

eM

eti

shors

em

en

were

ex

cit

ed

.A

ta

small

Can

adia

nP

ubli

c.,

sho

popera

ted

by

Georg

eK

err

and

his

bro

ther,

the

Meti

sca

me

up

on

To

ron

to,

agro

up

of

govern

ment

offic

ials

.T

hey

took

the

offic

ials

as

their

p.

141

pri

soners

,and

hurr

ied

on

tow

ard

Bato

ch

e..

.(D

ate

:M

arch

17,8

5.)

...A

tW

alt

ers

an

dB

akers

,th

eM

eti

shelp

ed

them

selv

es

to

all

the

guns

and

am

mu

nit

ion

insto

ck.

Henry

Walt

ers

pro

teste

d,

an

dfo

rh

ispain

sw

asta

ken

pri

so

ner.

Upsta

irs,

inhis

own

sho

p,

he

was

lock

ed

up

wit

hth

eoth

er

pri

soners

.

Rie

lth

en

had

Dum

ont

send

ou

tp

arti

es

tocut

the

tele

gra

ph

I,lines.

10

..

.17

—7

Dew

dney

wro

teto

Macdonald

inM

arch

of

18

85

that

half

-bre

eds

mu

stbe

tak

en

un

aw

are

sand

their

lead

er

arr

este

d:

‘I

Dew

dney

to‘.I

fth

eh

alf

—b

reed

sm

ean

bu

sin

ess

the

sooner

they

are

put

Mac

dona

ld,

do

wn

,th

eb

ett

er.

They

are

like

India

ns.

Whe

nth

ey

gath

er

1885

.an

dg

et

excit

ed

it

isd

iffic

ult

toh

an

dle

them

,b

ut

ifth

ey

(Pri

vate

)are

taken

un

aw

are

sth

ere

islittle

dif

fic

ult

yin

arr

esti

ng

Mac

dona

ldP

aper

sth

e1eader.’

1V

ol.

IV

Bu

tR

iel

and

the

Meti

sw

ere

no

tgoin

gto

be

caught

unaw

are

:

I,

(Rie

l)h

Dp

edth

at

by

hold

ing

pri

so

ners

and

seiz

ing

pro

pe’r

ty

he

dould

bri

ng

John

AM

acdonald

tobarg

ain

,th

us

tog

ain

Charl

ebo

is.,

concessio

nfo

rth

eM

eti

s.

The

threat

of

war

mig

ht

be

as

Ibid

.,eff

eôti

ve

as

war

itself

.R

iel

and

the

Meti

sdis

cussed

their

p.

141

0

pro

ble

mat

length..

.12

Th

epari

sh

prie

sts

inth

eh

alf

-bre

ed

sett

lem

ents

,denouncin

g

the

un

co

nsti

tuti

on

al

mea

ns

of

resis

tance,

wit

hd

rew

their

serv

ice

II

,.‘

Th

ecle

rgy...(

were

)re

fusin

gto

perf

orm

reli

gio

us

functi

ons

for

tho

se

Meti

sw

hojo

ined

acti

vely

wit

hR

iel.

Rie

lre

ali

zed

that

he

mu

stfill

this

void

.H

ed

idn

ot

want

tolo

se

the

su

pp

ort

of

the

peo

ple

tow

hom

reli

gio

nw

asvery

import

an

t,to

the

Pri

ests

who

were

wo

rkin

ghand

inhand

wit

hth

egov

ern

men

t.

The

mis

sio

nari

es

cam

eto

fear

imm

edia

tely

the

Meti

s

Charl

ebois

.,adula

tion

of

Rie

l,ta

kin

git

as

aseri

ou

sth

reat

toth

eir

po

wer

inth

epari

shes.

Rie

lsp

ok

eo

fh

imself

as

a“pro

phet

of

the

new

worl

d.”

Th

eM

eti

sw

ere

tobec

om

e“a

gre

at

new

nati

on.”

...C

anada

mu

stb

eco

me

the

cente

of

Chris

tendom

...

13

Ch

arl

eb

ois

’appro

val

of

Rie

l’s

acti

on

-under

the

cir

cu

m

sta

nces

-,

sta

nd

sin

contr

ast

toF

ath

er

Andre

’scondem

nati

on

of

the

Meti

sle

ader’

ssty

leo

fm

ov

em

en

t.H

ew

rote

toh

issu

peri

or,

Monsi

gneur

Gra

nd

in,

O.M

.I.,

on

Mar

ch22,

1885

I,

Th

eP

eo

ple

co

nsid

ere

dR

iel

as

ah

ero

wit

hth

eq

uali

ties

of

a

sain

t.”

...B

ut

beneath

this

mas

k(i

s)

hid

den

fiendis

hco

nceit

an

d

excessiv

eam

bit

ion..

.Rie

ldete

sts

prie

sts

and

bis

ho

ps

an

duses

all

his

infl

uence

totu

rnth

ehalf

—bre

eds

ag

ain

st

the

cle

rg

y..

.

He

tell

sth

em

that

we

are

bought

off

by

go

vern

men

t,paid

to

./8

—8—

14.

Co

rres

-u

ph

old

its

auth

ori

tyand

that

as

aresu

ltit

was

necessary

pond

ence

toguard

ag

ain

st

the

cle

rgy’s

influ

en

ce..

.”A

ndre

to14

Gra

ndin

P.A

.C.

Rie

l’s

fir

st

mo

ve

was

toseiz

eth

ech

urc

hin

St.

Anto

ine

so

that

he

could

mak

eit

his

head

qu

art

ers

:

...F

ath

er

Mo

uli

n’s

pro

test

irrit

ate

dR

iel

(who

)th

reate

ned

toarrest

and

tie

him

up

like

apri

soner

ifhe

co

nti

nu

ed

to

op

po

sehis

pla

n.

The

churc

hw

asth

ere

fore

taken

by

forc

ean

d

bec

ame

the

headquart

ers

for

Rie

land

his

people

...R

iel

said

to

15.

his

recru

its:

“P

rovid

ence

has

fore

seen

this

mir

acu

lou

sm

ove-

And

reto

men

t...S

t.A

nto

ine

isgoin

gto

be

cele

bra

ted

as

the

bir

thp

lace

Gra

ndin

Ibid

.of

the

em

an

cip

ati

on

of

the

North

west.

..”

15

Th

ete

rm“P

rov

isio

nal

Go

vern

men

t”,

wid

ely

use

dto

descri

be

the

Meti

sre

sis

tance

mo

vem

ent

was

no

tu

sed

ex

clu

siv

ely

by

the

people

who

were

acti

vely

engaged

inth

em

ovem

ent.

Rie

lan

d

Louis

Schm

idt,

both

,refer

init

iall

yto

a“co

un

cil

”.

Lo

uis

Schm

idt

wri

tes:

Th

egre

ate

st

num

ber

po

ssib

leo

fth

eM

eti

sw

ere

inv

ited

toco

me

wit

hth

eir

arm

sto

St.

Lau

ren

t...

(th

en

)th

eM

eti

sw

ent

ina

body

toB

ato

che

an

dit

was

there

that

the

takin

gu

po

farm

sw

as

decid

ed.

...T

hey

imm

edia

tely

org

aniz

ed

aC

ouncil

of

Lead

ing

cit

izens,

whic

hm

any

nam

ed“th

elittle

Pro

vis

ional”

inm

emory

of

its

eld

er

bro

ther

of

Red

Riv

er.

Som

ecom

panie

so

fsold

iers

were

form

ed..

.wit

hG

ab

riel

Du

mo

nt

inco

mm

and

of

all

...P

ierre

Pare

nte

au

16.

was

ch

ose

npre

sid

ent,

Ph

illi

pp

eG

arn

ot

bec

ame

secre

tary

...E

ach

Mem

oirs

man

was

call

ed

an“ex

ovede,”

and

the

council

itself

the

of Louis

“E

xo

vedate

.”B

oth

word

sw

ere

synth

eti

cL

ati

nb

yconstr

ucti

on

an

dm

ean

t“th

ose

pic

ked

fro

mth

eflock.”

16

Duri

ng

his

tria

lR

iel

said

:“T

he

19th

Centu

ryis

tob

e

17.

treate

din

cert

ain

way

s,and

it

ispro

bably

for

this

reaso

nth

at

Que

envs

have

found

the

word

‘exovede’,

Ipre

fer

tobe

call

ed

on

eo

fR

iel,

197.

the

flock.

Iam

no

mo

reth

an

yo

uare

,I

amsi

mply

one

of

the

As

cit

ed

flock,

equal

toth

erest.

”in

17S

tanle

y,

p.

41

3

SUM

MA

RY

OF

HIS

TO

RIC

AL

EV

EN

TS

DIS

CU

SS

ED

INC

HA

PT

ER

TWO

OF

TH

EP

RO

JEC

T

Mar

ch21

Rie

lse

nd

sa

lett

er

toM

ajo

rC

rozie

rask

ing

for

the

su

rren

der

of

Fort

Can

ton

.C

rozie

rin

turn

ask

sfo

rth

esu

rrender

of

the

leaders

of

the

“re

bell

ion

”.

Rie

lse

nds

ale

tter

toth

eE

ngli

sh

Half

-Bre

ed

sett

lem

ents

,expla

inin

gth

at,

“Ju

sti

ce

Dem

ands

Us

To

Tak

eup

Arm

s”.

Mar

ch24

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

sett

lers

and

Engli

sh

Half

-Bre

eds

dra

wup

apeti

tion

togovern

ment

askin

gfo

rre

dre

ss

of

the

Meti

s’g

riev

an

ces.

Four

hu

nd

red

and

fif

typers

ons

sig

nth

epeti

tion.

Mar

ch25

The

Batt

leof

Du

ckL

ak

e.

Asm

all

part

yo

fpoli

cem

en

from

Fo

rtC

an

ton

are

sent

toD

uck

Lak

eto

pu

rchase

su

pp

lies.

On

the

way

they

are

jostl

ed

by

agro

up

of

Meti

sunder

Dum

ont.

The

po

licem

en

retu

rnto

Canto

nand

talk

Cro

zie

rin

tore

turn

ing

toD

uck

Lak

eto

“g

et

ev

en”

wit

hth

eM

eti

s.

Inth

eensuin

gbatt

le,

Ass

yw

in,

an

aged

India

n,

Isid

ore

Dum

ont,

Gab

riel’

sbro

ther,

and

thre

eoth

er

Meti

sare

kil

led

.C

rozie

r’s

forc

elo

st

nin

ep

oli

cem

en

and

volu

nte

ers

.

Mar

ch30

Th

eC

anadia

ngovern

ment

ap

po

ints

aco

mm

issi

on

tosett

leth

eM

eti

sg

riev

an

ces.

SUM

MA

RY

OF

HIS

TO

RIC

AL

EV

EN

TS

DIS

CU

SS

ED

INC

HA

PT

ER

TWO

OF

TH

EP

RO

JEC

T

Mar

ch21

Rie

lse

nd

sa

lett

er

toM

ajo

rC

rozie

raskin

gfo

rth

esu

rren

der

of

Fort

Canto

n.

Cro

zie

rin

turn

ask

sfo

rth

esu

rren

der

of

the

leaders

of

the

“re

bell

ion”.

Rie

lse

nds

ale

tter

toth

eE

ngli

sh

Hal

f—B

reed

sett

lem

ents

,ex

pla

inin

gth

at,

“Justi

ce

Dem

ands

Us

To

Take

Up

Arm

s”.

Mar

ch24

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

sett

lers

and

Engli

sh

Half

-Bre

eds

dra

wup

apeti

tion

tog

overn

ment

ask

ing

for

redre

ss

of

theM

eti

s’

gri

ev

an

ces.

-F

ou

rhundre

dand

fif

typers

ons

sig

nth

epeti

tion.

Mar

ch25

The

Batt

leof

Duck

Lak

e.

Asm

all

part

yo

fpoli

cem

en

from

Fo

rtC

arl

ton

are

sent

toD

uck

Lak

eto

pu

rch

ase

sup

pli

es.

On

the

way

they

are

jostl

ed

by

agro

up

of

Meti

sunder

Dum

ont.

The

poli

cem

en

retu

rnto

Canto

nan

dta

lkC

rozie

rin

tore

turn

ing

toD

uck

Lak

eto

“g

et

ev

en

”w

ith

the

Meti

s.

Inth

een

su

ing

batt

le,

Ass

yw

in,

an

ag

ed

India

n,

Isid

ore

Dum

ont,

Gab

riel’

sbro

ther,

and

thre

eoth

er

Meti

sare

kil

led.

Cro

zie

r’s

forc

elo

st

nin

ep

oli

cem

en

and

volu

nte

ers

.

Mar

ch30

Th

eC

anadia

ng

ov

ern

ment

ap

po

ints

aco

mm

issi

on

tosett

leth

eM

eti

sgri

ev

an

ces.

PE

RS

ON

AL

ITIE

SW

HIC

HPL

AY

AP

RO

MIN

EN

TR

OL

E

INC

HA

PT

ER

TWO

OF

TH

EP

RO

JEC

T

RIE

LM

eti

sle

ader

sta

tio

ned

at

Bato

che.

DU

MO

NT

Gen

era

lo

fM

eti

sarm

y,

sta

tioned

at

Bato

che,

(Gabri

el

MID

DL

ET

ON

Genera

lo

fC

an

ad

ian

Dom

inio

nM

ilit

ary

Forc

es.

MO

FFA

TM

ajo

ro

fth

eN

.W.M

.P.,

sta

tio

ned

at

Regin

a.

MC

KA

YP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

Half

-Bre

ed

em

plo

yed

as

scout

and

inte

rprete

rw

ith

N.W

.M.P

.at

Fort

Can

ton

.

DU

MO

NT

Bro

ther

of

Gabri

el

Du

nio

rit,

livin

gin

Bato

che

(Isad

ore

)are

a,

AS

SY

WIN

Half

bli

nd

Cre

eIn

dia

nw

ith

Du

mo

nt’

sfo

rce.

NO

LIN

Bro

ther-

in—

law

of

Lo

uis

Rie

lw

ho

did

no

tsu

pp

ort

Meti

sresort

toarm

s.R

iel’

spri

soner

for

sh

ort

peri

od

of

tim

e.

LE

PIN

EM

eti

s’

un

wil

lin

gto

arm

them

selv

es,

imp

riso

ned

(Chs.,

Max

ime)

by

Rie

l.

LA

SHIn

dia

nA

gen

tat

Du

ckL

ake.

Impri

soned

by

Rie

l.

RO

SS

N.W

.M.P

.scout

impri

soned

by

Rie

l’

AS

TL

EY

N.W

.M.P

.scout

imp

riso

ned

by

Rie

l,

NE

SS

Half

-bre

ed

from

Bato

che

are

aim

pri

soned

by

Rie

l,b

ut

rele

ased

lik

ely

upon

his

wif

e’s

request.

BR

AD

Y2

0th

centu

ryorg

aniz

er

of

the

Meti

sin

Alb

ert

aand

Saskatc

hew

an,

TO

MP

KIN

SA

nE

ngli

s1i.

Hale

—B

reed

imp

riso

ned

ina

ho

use

at

Duck

Lake,

by

Rie

l.

Dir

ec

Meti

sad

van

ce

;,C

)

f,(;

i 1’

•

L,.J

‘,

¶i-”

*jd

esert

ed

lo

gbin

MA

PO

FD

UCK

LAK

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.

I.

CH

APT

ER

TWO

Th

eR

ecru

itm

ent

of

Su

pp

ort

by

Opposi

ng

Fo

rces

and

Th

eE

nco

unte

r

at

Duck

Lake.

INT

RO

DU

CT

ION

TOC

HA

PTE

RT

WO

:

It

may

be

usefu

l,at

this

po

int,

todescri

be

the

locati

ons

inw

hic

hth

eev

en

tsdis

cu

ssed

inth

ischapte

rto

ok

pla

ce.

Th

eN

ort

hand

the

Sduth

bra

nches

of

the

Sask

atc

hew

an

Riv

er

meet

at

ap

lace

call

ed

“th

efo

rks”

ab

ou

tth

ree

mil

es

east

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

.B

efo

reth

ey

unit

eth

eri

vers

run

parall

el

to

each

oth

er

wit

htw

en

tyto

thir

tym

iles

dis

tance

betw

een

them

.

Alo

ng

this

str

etc

h,

clo

se

toa

ben

din

the

So

uth

Sask

atc

hew

an

call

ed

“th

eelb

ow

”,

lies

the

vil

lage

of

Bato

ch

e.

Alm

ost

dir

ectl

yopposit

e,

on

the

bank

of

the

No

rth

Sask

atc

hew

an,

is

the

form

er

Hudso

ns

Bay

Po

st

and

Mo

un

ted

Po

lice

garr

ison,

Fort

Can

ton

.B

etw

een

Bato

che

and

Carl

ton

isanoth

er

vil

lag

e,

clo

se

toB

eard

y’s

Reserv

e,

nam

edD

uck

Lak

e.

Oth

er,

main

lyM

eti

s,

sett

lem

ents

inth

isvic

init

yare

St.

Lo

uis

and

St.

Laure

nt.

Alo

ng

the

road

fro

mD

uck

Lak

eto

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

lies

the

farm

ing

com

munit

yof

Red

Deer

Hil

l,com

pose

do

fm

ost

lyE

ngli

sh-s

peakin

g

half

bre

ed

sw

how

ere

,in

the

day

so

fth

eN

ort

h-W

est

tro

ub

les,

sy

mp

ath

eti

cto

the

Meti

sm

ovem

ent.

Rie

l,afte

rth

ein

itia

lcall

toarm

s,w

asuncert

ain

of

the

exte

nt

of

su

pp

ort

among

the

Meti

s,

parti

cu

larly

invie

wo

fhis

ali

en

tati

on

fro

mth

ecle

rgy.

He

there

fore

appeale

dto

the

Engli

sh

half

-bre

ed

sand

whit

esett

lers

for

their

coopera

tio

n.

The

latt

er

were

undoubte

dly

shari

ng

Rie

l’s

anta

gonis

mto

ward

the

ind

iffe

rence

of

the

govern

men

t,b

ut

did

not

ap

pro

ve

of

the

resort

toarm

so

rR

iel’

satt

em

pt

toin

vo

lve

the

India

ns;

in

sh

ort

,th

ey

wis

hed

tore

main

neutr

al.

Severa

lm

eeti

ng

sw

ere

held

inth

ep

ari

sh

of

St.

Cath

ari

nes,

at

Red

Deer

Hil

l-

one

of

them

insti

gate

db

yC

rozie

r,’w

ho

wis

hed

tocounte

ract

Rie

l’s

infl

uen

ce

ov

er

the

pari

sh

ioners

.R

iel

als

otr

ied

tobri

ng

Cro

zie

r

toth

esurr

ender

of

Canto

nand

its

su

pp

lies,

pro

mis

ing

the

Majo

r

an

dhis

men

freedom

inex

ch

an

ge,

ifth

ey

consente

d,

and

“aw

ar

of

ex

term

inati

on

’in

case

of

refusal.

Cro

zie

r,in

turn

,is

su

ed

apro

cla

mati

on

“to

all

pers

ons

who

have

been

forc

ed

into

the

rebell

ion

”an

d“pro

tecti

on

on

pre

senti

ng

them

selv

es

toth

e

Off

icers

at

Canto

no

rP

rince

Alb

ert

.”

New

sof

the

outb

:eak

of

vio

lence

did

no

tre

ach

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

rig

ht

away

.T

he

tele

gra

ph

lin

es

had

been

cut

and

all

trav

el

—10

—

3tO

pped

afte

rth

earrest

of

Lash

and

oth

er

govern

ment

agents

.

4ajo

rM

offat,

incharg

eof

the

few

poli

ce

inP

rince

Alb

ert

,

resp

onded

toan

urg

ent

call

from

Cro

zie

r,on

Mar

ch20,

and

iispatc

hed

Capta

inM

oore

wit

hfo

rty—

seven

volu

nte

ers

toF

ort

arl

ton.

Crozie

rals

ore

port

ed

toM

offa

tth

at

Colo

nel

Irvin

e

ras

on

his

way

nort

hw

ith

one

hundre

dm

enand

six

tyhors

es.

By

Lar

ch23,

Genera

lM

iddle

ton

had

been

call

ed

toW

innip

eg,

where

t.

Govern

or

Dew

dney

had

acti

vate

dth

e90th

Batt

all

ion

and

the

‘innip

eg

Fie

ldB

att

ery

.T

hre

edays

late

rtw

ohundre

dm

enhad

-

eft

the

cit

yby

rail

road.

Cro

zie

rals

om

ade

efforts

tora

ise

volu

nte

er

corp

sat

Batt

lefo

rd.

On

the

sam

eday,

Mar

ch26,

hots

were

exchanged

betw

een

the

Meti

sand

the

Mounte

dP

oli

ce,

tD

uck

Lake.

The

skir

mis

hat

Duck

Lak

ew

aspla

nned

by

neit

her

Cro

zie

r

rD

um

ont.

Cro

zie

rhad

sent

asm

all

part

y,

under

Sgt.

Ste

wart

,

Dpurc

hase

suppli

es,

when

on

their

way

toth

evil

lage,

they

ta

gro

up

of

Meti

sw

ith

Duin

ont,

and

som

ejo

stl

ing

and

word

1li

ng

took

pla

ce.

Som

ewhat

dis

tressed,

Sgt.

Ste

wart

decid

ed

tto

pre

ss

on

to.

Duck

Lak

ebut

retu

rned

toth

efort

inste

ad,

iere

ascout

had

alr

eady

info

rmed

Cro

zie

rof

the

encounte

r

ith

the

Meti

s.

Accord

ing

tosevera

lhis

tori

ans

the

Majo

rw

as,

this

poin

t,pers

uaded

to“get

even”

wit

hth

ehalf

-bre

eds

and

tout

wit

hone

hundre

dm

enand

acannon

tom

eet

the

Meti

s

tad-o

n.

About

seven

mil

es

from

Canto

na

skir

mis

hto

ok

pla

ce

iw

hic

hnin

eP

rince

Alb

ert

volu

nte

ers

and

thre

epoli

ce

men

?re

kil

led,

and

about

twenty

—fi

ve

wounded.

The

Meti

slo

st

.ve

men

;it

nong

them

Dum

ont’

sbro

ther

Isid

ore

and

aC

ree

dia

nby

the

nam

eof

Ass

yw

in.

Cro

zie

rand

his

men

had

undere

sti

mate

dth

eM

eti

sabil

ity

to

tali

ate

.H

isto

rians

dif

fer

inth

eir

descri

pti

on

of

the

num

ber

Half

-bre

eds

engaged

inth

eskir

mis

hbut

agre

eth

at

they

had

fin

itely

the

advanta

ge

of

cover

from

an

abandoned

buil

din

g

—11

—

belo

ngin

gto

Beard

y’s

reserv

ean

dclu

mp

so

fbru

shan

dw

illo

win

its

vic

i.nit

y,

wh

ile

the

N.W

.M.P

.w

ere

on

rela

tively

open

gro

und.

Whe

nC

rozie

rre

ali

zed

that

neit

her

his

men

no

rh

is

can

no

nw

ere

capable

of

overc

om

ing

the

Meti

sfo

rce

he

retr

eate

dto

Fort

Canto

n,

defe

ate

d.

Th

efo

regoin

isa

sum

mar

yo

fevents

descri

bin

gth

ebuil

d-u

po

fgovern

ment

troops,

the

Meti

s’appeal

for

support

fro

mE

ngli

sh

Half

-bre

ed

s,

Ind

ian

san

dw

hit

esett

lers,

and

the

batt

leo

fD

uck

Lak

ew

hic

hto

ok

pla

ce

less

than

aw

eek

afte

rth

ein

itia

lcall

toar

ms

by

the

Meti

s’le

aders

.A

sin

the

pre

vio

us

ch

ap

ter,

the

pages

foll

ow

ing

the

fore

goin

gin

tro

du

cti

on

are

inte

nded

top

rovid

eth

ere

ader

wit

ha

vari

ety

of

pri

mary

do

cu

men

tsan

dse

co

nd

ary

sourc

es.

The

mate

rial

has

been

sele

cte

dto

facil

itate

anunders

tan

din

gof

the

cli

mate

of

uncert

ain

tyan

dte

nsio

nth

at

ex

iste

dam

ong

Meti

s’an

dg

ov

ern

ment

mem

ber

sali

ke.

Th

eacco

unts

of

the

batt

leat

Duck

Lak

eil

lustr

ate

the

dif

feri

ng

perc

epti

ons

of

the

seq

uen

ce

of

ev

en

tsan

ddem

onst

rate

that,

perh

aps,

perc

epti

ons

were

oft

en

co

lore

db

yth

epoli

tical

com

mit

men

to

fth

ose

who

record

ed

the

acti

on

.

—12

—

Rie

lfelt

that

his

success

would

depend

on

main

tain

ing

com

ple

te

unanim

ity

among

his

own

peo

ple

and

upon

his

receiv

ing

the

back

ing

of

the

Engli

sh

half

-bre

eds.

“R

iel

had

acte

dw

ith

init

iati

ve..

..H

eb

eli

ev

ed

inhis

sta

r

and

beli

eved,

too

,th

at

wit

hhis

Pro

vis

ion

al

go

vern

men

tan

dhis

pri

so

ners

could

forc

eth

eh

an

ds

of

Sir

John

A.

Macd

on

ald

as

he

had

done

in1870.

Bu

the

felt

that

his

futu

resuccess,

like

that

of

the

past,

wo

uld

depend

on

his

main

tain

ing

com

ple

teu

nanim

ity

F.

Sta

nle

yu

isR

iel,

among

his

own

peo

ple

,an

du

po

nhis

receiv

ing

the

back

ing

of

the

Cra

w—

Hill

‘ers

on

Engli

sh

half

—b

reed

s.A

bo

ve

all

he

co

uld

tole

rate

no

trait

ors

‘63

amo

ng

the

Meti

s...o

nM

arch

19he

did

not

hav

eth

eu

nan

imit

ytiat

373

he

felt

tobe

essen

tial.

”1

“R

iel

kn

ewth

at

what

he

was

now

doin

gd

idnot

en

joy

full

support

of

the

Meti

s.T

he

mis

sio

nari

es

were

ad

vis

ing

the

peo

ple

ag

ain

st

vio

lence.

Charl

es

Noun,

who

had

form

erl

yin

vit

ed

RiE

:l

back

toC

anada,

now

mad

ean

effort

todevelo

pan

op

po

sit

ion

gro

up

among

the

Meti

s.R

iel

acte

dsw

iftl

y.

Noun,

Wil

liam

Boyer,

and

Louis

Mari

on

were

arr

este

d.

Boyer

and

Mari

on

refu

sed

to

join

Rie

l’s

arm

edg

rou

p.

At

the

tria

l,N

oun

was

sen

ten

ced

todeath

.R

iel

did

no

t

irle

bois

dem

and

anexecuti

on...N

oli

nand

Mari

on

ag

reed

tosu

bm

itand

Can

ada

support

the

Pro

vis

ional

Govern

ment.

Bo

yer

was

all

ow

ed

tog

o.l

icati

ons

free.

8,p.

141

2

On

Mar

ch21,

(188

)R

iel

wro

teto

the

En

gli

sh

half

—b

reed

so

f

Deer

Hil

l,S

t.C

ath

ari

nes

and

St.

Paul:

JUS

TIC

ED

EMA

ND

STO

TA

KE

UP

AR

MS.

(In

clo

sin

ghe

refe

rsto

his

org

an

izati

on

as

“th

eco

un

cil

of

the

Fre

nch—

Canadia

nhalf

-bre

eds.)

“D

ear

Bro

thers

InJesu

sC

hri

st,

-T

he

Ott

aw

aG

ov

ern

men

th

as

been

mali

cio

usly

ignori

ng

the

rights

of

the

ori

gin

al

half

-bre

eds

duri

ng

fif

teen

years

...M

ore

over

the

Dom

inio

nhas

taken

the

Hig

h-h

an

ded

way

of

answ

eri

ng

peaceable

com

pla

ints

by

rein

forc

ing

an

ddis

patc

hin

gth

eM

ounte

dP

oli

ce...O

ttaw

adoes

no

tin

ten

dto

go

vern

the

No

rth

—W

stso

mu

chas

top

lun

der

it....L

et

us

be

firm

inth

esupport

of

rig

ht.

—13

—

Dea

rB

roth

ers

,in

the

Council

of

the

Fre

nch

—C

anad

ian

half

-

bre

eds

now

under

arm

sat

St.

Anth

ony

and

inth

eS

askatc

hew

an...

ssio

na1

The

fact

(that)

your

dele

gati

on

and

ours

have

cro

ssed

each

oth

er

pers

aff

ord

sconvin

cin

gpro

of

that

our

feeli

ngs

are

mutu

al.

Justi

ce

Lct

ori

aC

omm

ands

toT

ake

Up

Arm

s.”

3

.A.C

.

Lett

ers

were

als

osent

tonoti

fyth

eIn

dia

ns

and

the

Engli

shan

d

Fre

nch

half

—bre

eds

of

Fort

Qu’A

ppell

e.

“M

onsi

eur

F.

X.

Bato

che.

The

Fre

nch

half

-bre

eds

have

taken

up

arm

s“e

nm

ass

”.

Not

•one

of

our

people

isagain

st

us.

Tell

our

rela

tives,

the

India

ns

essi

onai

.to

com

ean

dhelp

us,

ifneeded.

Tak

eall

the

am

munit

ion

of

the

aper

s:b

id.

com

pany..

4

“To

our

bro

thers

the

Engli

shan

dF

rench

half

-bre

eds

at

Lak

e

Qu’A

ppell

ean

dvic

init

y:

Dear

Rela

tions

and

Fri

ends,

—If

you

have

not

alr

eady

heard

,

you

shall

hear

the

reaso

ns

whic

hle

dus

tota

ke

up

arm

s..

.The

Ott

aw

aG

over

nm

ent

•took

possessio

nof

our

countr

yfi

fteen

years

ago,

they

mak

ea

mockery

of

our

rights

and

off

end

again

st

the

law

of

God

by

infli

cti

ng

upon

us

endle

ss

inju

sti

ce.

The

offic

ials

com

mit

every

specie

sof

cri

me,

and

the

mounte

dpoli

ce

are

a

scandal

of

the

worl

dby

their

foul

language

and

evil

conduct.

The

Engli

shhalf

-bre

eds

of

the

Sask

atc

hew

an

are

undoubte

dly

wit

hus.

The

India

ns

are

cro

ssin

gto

us

and

join

ing

us

on

all

sid

es.

5.P

urc

hase

all

the

munit

ions

you

can...D

onot

liste

nto

the

Ses

sional

off

ers

the

Ott

aw

aG

over

nm

ent

wil

lm

ake

you;

their

off

ers

are

the

Pap

ers

Ibid

.off

ers

of

robbers

.S

ign

neit

her

paper

nor

peti

tion..

.

Do

not

mole

st,

ill—

treat

or

kil

lanyone

—w

ere

Rie

l’s

ord

ers

.

Ina

lett

er

from

Louis

Rie

lto

“Dea

rR

ela

tives,”

he

pro

mote

s

dis

arm

am

ent

but

issues

str

ict

ord

ers

not

tom

ole

st,

ill-

treat

or

kil

lany

body:

Dear

Rela

tives,

-...i

fyou

see

the

poli

ce

passin

gby...t

ake

6.aw

ayth

eir

arm

s...A

fterw

ard

snoti

fyth

eW

ood

India

ns..

.keep

ready

toall

events

,in

bein

gcalm

and

coura

geous...D

onot

kil

lanybody.

Ibid

.D

onot

mole

stnori11—

treat

anybody

but

take

away

their

arm

s.

Fear

not.

Louis

“la

vid

”R

iel,

Exovede.”

6

—14

—

The

Engli

shhalf

—bre

eds

and

whit

es

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

were

in

support

of

Rie

lbut

deplo

red

the

use

of

arm

s.

On

Mar

ch23,

at

ala

st—

min

ute

meeti

ng

at

St.

Andre

w’s

school

house

,in

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

,w

hit

es

and

Engli

shhalf

-bre

eds

pro

pose

d

tose

nd

apeti

tion

toth

egovern

ment

inw

hic

hth

ey

bla

med

the

latt

er

for

the

agit

ati

on

of

the

Meti

san

dbegged

them

todo

justi

ce

and

avoid

blo

od-s

hed.

At

the

sam

eti

me

anum

ber

of

resolu

tions

were

sent

toC

rozie

ran

dR

iel.

Peti

tion:

“T

hat

the

Fre

nch

inth

isdis

tric

thave

taken

uparm

s.T

hat

the

India

ns

toa

gre

at

exte

nt

are

insy

mpath

yw

ith

them

.T

hat

the

Engli

shhalf

-bre

eds

and

Canadia

nsett

lers

are

insy

mpat

hy

wit

hth

emto

get

redre

ss

of

their

gri

evances

ina

law

ful

man

ner

--

but

not

tota

ke

up

arm

s.

That

there

isgre

at

danger

of

India

nw

ar.

And

all

that

that

means.

That

the

Fre

nch

have

rights

and

are

dete

rmin

ed

men

.

That

there

isno

way

of

sett

ling

this

dis

turb

ance

but

bytr

eaty

or

war.

That

the

Neutr

al

part

yth

eE

ngli

shhalf

-bre

eds

and

Canadia

n

sett

lers

who

wis

hto

rem

ain

at

peace

——

and

their

wiv

es

and

fam

ilie

sdo

beg

of

the

Gover

nm

ent

totr

eat

wit

hth

eF

rench

--

giv

eth

emth

eir

just

rights

and

save

the

destr

ucti

on

of

our

fam

ilie

s....

The

Gover

nm

ent

has

refu

sed

totr

eat

wit

hth

esett

lers,

till

one

part

ycould

bear

itno

longer,

and

wil

lhave

their

rights

or

die

.

We

there

fore

beg

the

Gover

nm

ent

todo

justi

ce

toth

e

sett

lers

treat

wit

hth

eman

dsa

ve

the

eff

usio

nof

blo

od.

Sig

ned,

on

behalf

of

St.

Andre

w’s

,R

edD

eer

Hil

l,an

dth

e

surr

oundin

gcountr

y:

Charl

es

Adam

s,C

hair

man

J.

F.

Pri

tchard

,S

ecre

tary

Ale

xS

tansfi

eld

,S

ec.

7.A

ngli

can

Geo

Gla

iste

r

Mis

sionary

Roderi

ck

Cook

Papers

.T

hom

asM

c(o

riste

r

Poss

ess

ion

.A

ndre

wS

pence

...“

of

Ruth

Buck

.

—15

—

Reso

luti

ons:

‘That

whil

eh

eart

ily

sym

path

izin

gw

ith

the

Fre

nch

hal

f—

bre

eds

inth

eir

en

deav

ou

rsconsti

tuti

onall

yto

get

red

ress

of

their

man

yg

riev

an

ces

we

cannot

en

do

rse

their

pre

sent

att

itu

de

inta

kin

gu

par

ms

for

that

pu

rpo

se,

and

we

here

by

beg

of

them

no

tto

shed

blo

od.

That

the

opin

ion

of

this

meeti

ng

isth

at:

,had

the

Govern

-

men

tb

een

just

wit

hth

esett

lers

this

dis

turb

ance

would

never

7.a

hav

eb

een

.A

ngli

can

Mis

sio

nary

And

furt

her,

had

the

infl

uenti

al

cit

izens

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

Pap

ers

join

ed

the

movem

ent

inste

ad

of

ign

ori

ng

it,

had

they

advis

ed

the

Ibid

.G

ov

ern

men

tin

ste

ad

of

excit

ing

itag

ain

st

the

peo

ple

,it

isth

e

op

inio

nof

this

meeti

ng

that

the

Go

ver

nm

ent

wo

uld

have

sett

led

all

gri

ev

an

ces

long

ere

this

.

.That

aco

py

of

these

reso

luti

on

sb

esen

tto

Majo

rC

rozie

r,

and

one

toR

iel....”

7a

On

Mar

ch21,

(1885)

Rie

ldem

anded

the

su

rren

der

of

Fo

rtC

an

ton

and

its

suppli

es.

“S

t.A

nth

ony,

21st

Mar

ch1885

—T

oM

ajo

rC

rozie

r,C

om

man

dan

t

of

the

Poli

ce

Forc

eat

Can

ton

and

Batt

lefo

rd.

Majo

r:T

he

co

un

cil

lors

of

the

pro

vis

ional

go

vern

men

to

fth

eS

ask

atc

hew

an

hav

eth

ehon

or

tocom

munic

ate

toy

ou

the

foll

ow

ing

condit

ions

of

su

rren

der:

You

wil

lb

ere

quir

ed

tog

ive

up

com

ple

tely

the

sit

uati

on

wh

ich

the

Can

ad

ian

Go

ver

nm

ent

have

pla

ced

you

in,

at

Canto

nan

dB

att

lefo

rd,

tog

eth

er

wit

hall

govern

ment

pro

pert

ies.

Incase

of

accepta

nce,

yo

uan

dy

ou

rm

enw

ill

be

set

free,

on

yo

ur

paro

leo

fhonor

tok

eep

the

peace.

And

tho

sew

how

ill

ch

oo

seto

leave

the

coun

try

wil

lb

efu

rnis

hed

wit

hte

am

san

d

pro

vis

ion

sto

reach

Qu’A

ppell

e.

Incase

of

non—

accep

tan

ce,

we

inte

nd

toatt

ack

you,

when

tom

orr

ow

,th

eL

ord

’sD

ayis

over,

and

toco

mm

ence

wit

ho

ut

dela

ya

war

of

exte

rmin

ati

on

upo

nall

those

who

have

sho

wn

them

selv

es

hosti

leto

our

rights

.

Mess

rs.

Charl

es

nd

Max

izne

Lepin

eare

the

gen

tlem

en

wit

hw

hom

yo

uw

ill

hav

eto

treat.

—16

—

Majo

r,w

ere

spect

yo

u.

Let

the

cause

of

hu

man

ity

be

aconsola

tion

toy

ou

for

the

revers

es

whic

hth

egovern

menta

lm

isconduct

has

bro

ught

upon

yo

u.

Louis

‘Dav

id’

Rie

l,E

xo

ved

e

Ren

eP

are

nte

au,

Chair

man

Jean

Bapti

ste

Pare

nte

au

Chas.

Noun

Pie

rre

Henry

Gab

.D

um

ont

Alb

ert

Delo

rme

Mois

eQ

uell

ett

eD

um.

Carr

iere

Alb

ert

Mon

kman

Max

ime

Lepin

eB

te.

Boyer

Bte

.B

ou

ch

er

-D

onald

Ross

David

To

uro

nd

Ain

b.Jobin

Ph

.G

arn

ot,

secre

tary

St.

Anth

ony,

21st

Mar

ch1

88

5

To

Messrs

.C

harl

es

Noun

and

Max

ine

Lepin

e

Gentl

em

en:

If

Majo

rC

rozie

raccedes

toth

econdit

ions

of

surr

ender,

let

him

use

the

foll

ow

ing

form

ula

,and

no

oth

er:

‘Because

Ilo

ve

my

neig

hbor

as

myself

,fo

rth

esa

ke

of

Go

d,

and

topre

vent

blo

odshed,

and

pri

ncip

all

yth

ew

ar

of

exte

rmin

ati

on

wh

ich

thre

ate

ns

the

countr

y,

Iagre

eto

the

ab

ov

econdit

ions

of

surr

ender.

’

8.

If

the

Majo

ruses

this

form

ula

and

sig

ns

it,

info

rmh

imE

xhib

itof

that

we

wil

lre

ceiv

ehim

and

his

men

,M

onday

.Y

ou

rs,

Lo

uis

‘David

tria

lR

iel,

Ex

ov

ed

e.”

Que

en8

vs Rie

1PA

CC

rozie

r,on

Mar

ch2

1als

o,

dem

anded

the

surr

ender

of

the

leaders

of

the

rebell

ion

and

the

dis

pers

al

of

the

arm

ed

men

.H

eh

ad

apro

cla

mati

on

poste

dw

hic

hoff

ere

dpro

tecti

on

toth

ose

who

were

forc

ed

into

the

“re

bell

ion”

again

st

their

wil

l.

Cro

zie

r’s

Pro

cla

mati

on:

9.“A

llpers

ons

who

have

been

forc

ed

into

the

rebell

ion

again

st

As

cit

ed

our

Sovere

ign

Lady,

the

Qu

een

,or

who

are

held

by

the

rebels

Charl

ebois

,again

St

their

wil

l,w

ill

receiv

epro

tecti

on

on

pre

senti

ng

them

P.

r.14

6selv

es

toth

eO

ffic

ers

Com

man

din

gat

Canto

nor

Pri

nce

Alb

ert.

”9

Pic

ked

men

were

em

plo

yed

by

go

vern

men

tas

spie

s.

Som

ew

ere

att

ach

ed

toth

epoli

ce

as

scouts

,oth

ers

as

inte

rprete

rs.

Irvin

eC?

)w

ro:e

toM

acd

on

a1d

about

the

em

plo

ym

ent

of

spie

s:

“Yo

ur

Excell

ency

speaks

of

em

plo

yin

gso

me

pic

ked

men

among

the

—17

half

-bre

eds.

We

do

soalr

eady.

There

are

acert

ain

num

ber

of

men

att

ached

toth

epoli

ce

forc

eas

scouts

,and

oth

ers

as

inte

rprete

rs.

“10

igus

te—

Hen

ri

aum

adan

ipubli

shed

Lan

ley

Tra

um

adan

beli

eved

that

aP

rince

Alb

ert

trader,

by

the

nam

e

of

Hil

lyard

Mit

chell

,w

asan

info

rmer.

He

expla

ins,

“...a

man

nam

edH

illy

ard

Mit

chell

,oft

en

cam

efr

om

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

tosp

yon

what

was

happenin

gam

ong

the

Metis...”

11

Sta

nle

yquote

dM

itchel

as

tell

ing

the

Meti

s:

“I

have

com

eover

here

as

afr

iend.

..not

as

asp

y,

but

togiv

eyou

all

som

egood

advic

e.”

12

Anoth

er

info

rmer,

em

plo

yed

as

inte

rprete

rw

ith

the

poli

ce,

was

ahalf

-bre

ed

by

the

nam

eof

Joe

McK

ay,

nic

knam

ed,

“G

entl

em

an

Joe.”

McK

ay’s

role

was

pro

min

ent

inth

ebatt

leof

Duck

Lake,

on

the

26of

Marc

h.

The

skir

mis

hat

Duck

Lak

ew

asunpre

medit

ate

d.

[3.

)r.

P.

harI

ebois

,[b

i.d.

p.

146

“The

com

ing

skir

mis

h...w

as

pla

nned

neit

her

by

Cro

zie

r,nor

by

Dum

ont.

Cro

zie

rhad

sent

asm

all

part

y,

under

the

com

man

dof

Sgt.

Ste

wart

,to

purc

hase

suppli

es

from

the

Duck

Lak

esh

op

opera

ted

by

Sto

bart

and

Eden.”

13

On

their

way

toth

evil

lage

they

were

sto

pped

by

agro

up

of

Meti

sw

ith

Dum

ont

and

som

ejo

stl

ing

and

nam

e-c

all

ing

ensued.

Sqi

Ste

wart

,beli

evin

gth

at

his

com

pan

yw

ould

be

more

vuln

ura

ble

on

the

retu

rntr

ip,

The

two

forc

es

met

at

apoin

tabout

am

ile

and

ahalf

from

Duck

Lake.

Dum

ont

and

his

men

retu

rned

toD

uck

Lak

eafte

rth

eir

meeti

ng

wit

hth

eM

ounte

dP

oli

ce,

but

scarc

ely

had

they

arr

ived

when

scout.

bro

ught

the

mess

age

that

Cro

zie

rw

asle

adin

ga

forc

eof

poli

em

en

tow

ard

the

vil

lage.

The

Meti

s,

led

by

Dum

ont,

dash

ed

forw

ard

to

meet

the

poli

ce

about

am

ile

and

ahalf

from

Duck

Lake.

The

half

-bre

ed

posit

ion

was

decid

edly

favora

ble

,pro

vid

ing

am

ple

shelt

er

from

thic

kclu

mps

of

bru

sh

and

wil

low

.C

rozie

r’s

men

were

unaw

are

of

the

Meti

s’pre

sence

unti

lth

ey

desc

ended

the

fir

s

hil

l.W

hen

the

advance

scc5uts

gave

the

fir

st

warn

ing,

Cro

zie

r

ord

ere

dhis

forc

eto

ahalt

.

Poli

ce

report

er

tell

ssto

ryof

the

batt

leat

Duck

Lake.

The

Mounte

dP

oli

ce

pla

ced

abarr

icade

acro

ss

the

road

and

pre

pare

dfo

rhosti

liti

es.

An

account

of

the

parl

ay

betw

een

the

Meti

s’and

the

poli

ce

was

giv

en

by

are

port

er

for

the

“B

att

lefo

rd

Hera

ld,”

sta

tioned

at

Fort

Canto

n:

Lcd

onal

dip

er

S

‘C

—L

1—

14 Dr.

P.C

har

leb

ois

,[b

id.,

p.14

6

“....T

wo

men

wer

ese

en

tosepara

teth

em

selv

es

fro

mth

eb

od

yof

half

—b

reed

san

dadvance

tow

ard

sth

epoli

ce,

one

of

them

carr

y

ing

afl

ag

of

truce

wh

ich

co

nsis

ted

sim

ply

of

aw

hit

era

gti

ed

toa

small

sti

ck.

Seein

gth

emappro

ach

Cro

zie

rto

ok

wit

hh

imS

gt.

Bro

oks

and

Jose

ph

McK

ay,

the

poli

ce

inte

rpre

ter,

meeti

ng

the

oth

er

deputa

tion

ab

ou

tm

id—

way

betw

een

the

two

lin

es,

wher

eul

ash

ort

parl

ay

took

pla

ce.

Thro

ugh

the

inte

rpre

ter

Majo

rC

rozie

rask

ed

these

men

who

they

were

,to

whic

hth

esp

ok

esm

anre

pli

ed

that

they

were

Cre

es

and

half

-bre

ed

and

intu

rndem

andcc

of

Cro

zie

rto

know

what

he

sought.

“N

oth

ing

”th

eM

ajo

ransw

ere

d“W

eonly

cam

eto

see

what

was

wro

ng

,”to

whic

hth

eIn

dia

nsp

ok

esr

rep

lied

,“Y

ouhad

bett

er

go

back

.”A

tth

isju

nctu

reof

the

In

di

(who

was

wit

hth

ehalf

_bre

eds*)

snatc

hed

at

the

revolv

er

at

McK

a’,

hip

and

appare

ntl

yth

ishad

been

asig

nal

ag

reed

up

on

betw

een

them

,fo

rin

sta

ntl

ya

nu

mb

ero

fsh

ots

ran

gout

from

dif

fere

nt

po

ints

alo

ng

the

half

—bre

ed

lin

e.

How

earn

est

their

inte

nti

on

sw

ere

can

be

div

ined

fro

mth

efa

ct

that

when

Cro

zie

rtu

rned

on

hi

heel

wav

ing

his

swo

rdabove

his

head

and

giv

ing

the

com

man

d,

“Com

men

cefi

rin

g,”

blo

od

was

tric

kli

ng

dow

nfr

om

his

cheek

wher

eit

had

been

gra

zed

by

abull

et.

Ina

om

ent

firi

ng

bec

ame

gen

era

lan

dth

era

t-ta

t—ta

to

fth

eW

inch

est

ers

and

Snid

ers

and

muzzle

-loadin

gsh

otg

un

san

dth

evari

ety

of

sport

ing

rif

les

of

dif

fere

nt

descri

pti

on

sw

ith

whic

hso

me

of

the

rebels

were

arm

edbec

om

every

general.

”14

Th

eparl

ay

betw

een

opposi

ng

forc

es

as

port

rayed

by

Dr.

Pete

rC

harl

ebois

:

InC

harl

ebois

’acco

un

tth

eparl

ay

isp

ort

ray

ed

som

ewh

atd

iffe

rentl

y.

Dr.

Charl

ebois

expla

ins

that

McK

aym

ust

hav

ehad

his

rif

lepoin

ted

at

the

Cre

eA

ssy

win

,“w

hore

ached

out

and

turn

ed

the

rif

leto

po

int

inanoth

er

dir

ecti

on.

On

seein

gth

ear

med

man

gra

bth

ebarr

el

of

the

rif

le,

Cro

zie

rsaid

to‘G

en

tkn

an

Joe’,

“sh

oot

him

,”M

cKay

qu

ick

lyd

rew

his

rev

olv

er

from

his

belt

and

shot

Ass

yw

in.

Th

en,

turn

ing

sli

gh

tly

,‘G

en

tlem

an

Joe’

shot

Isid

ore

Dum

ont

thro

ug

hth

ehead.

Both

Cro

zie

ran

dM

cKay

were

hurr

yin

gb

ack

toth

eir

own

lines

as

the

bo

die

so

fth

etw

oem

issari

es

of

peace

sli

doff

their

ho

rses

onto

the

gro

und.

These

were

the

fir

st

shots

of

the

Meti

supri

sin

go

f1885.

Fre

dA

nd

ers

on

,a

lon

g—

tim

ere

sid

en

tof

Duc

kL

ake

who

knew

McK

ay,

had

this

tosa

y:

“T

here

has

alw

ays

been

ad

isp

ute

as

tow

hofi

red

fir

st.

Iknew

Joe

McK

ay,

who

was

there

.H

eto

ldm

eth

etw

osid

es

wer.

talk

ing

when

anIn

dia

ng

rab

bed

for

Jo

e’s

gun.

He

said

the

only

thin

gh

eco

uld

thin

ko

fas

they

str

ug

gle

dw

asto

—19

—

Kee

pth

ebarr

el

poin

ted

away

from

him

.W

hen

the

gu

nw

ent

off

,

the

India

nw

askil

led

and

the

fight

was

on...”

15

Supi.

Cro

zie

rto

Lie

ut.

Col.

Irvin

e”

Iw

asin

form

ed

that

there

were

about

one—

hundre

dm

ara

udin

gH

alf

-bre

eds

at

Du

ckL

ake.”

On

his

retu

rnto

Fort

Canto

nC

rozie

rw

rote

are

port

of

the

Duck

Lak

eencounte

rfo

rL

ieut.

Col.

Irvin

ew

how

ason

his

way

to

the

fort

whil

eth

epoli

ce

were

engaged

inbatt

lew

ith

the

Meti

s’.

Th

ere

port

was

forw

ard

ed

toS

irJo

hn

A.

Macdonald

who

consid

ere

d

it

incom

ple

teand

ask

ed

for

furt

her

deta

ils;

parti

cula

rly

he

rea

son

for

Cro

zie

r’s

impuls

ive

move

tom

eet

the

Meti

sunaid

ed.

“S

ir,—

Inre

ply

toyour

Mem

ora

ndum

of

this

date

Ihave

the

honor

toin

form

you

that

on

the

morn

ing

of

the

26th

of

Mar

chI

sent

apart

yto

Duck

Lak

eto

pro

cure

aquanti

tyof

pro

vis

ions

and

am

munit

ion

that

were

inth

esore

of

atr

ader,

nam

edM

itchell

.

They

left

Canto

nshort

lyaft

er;

about

ten

o’c

lock

itw

asrep

orL

oc]

tom

eth

eS

erj

eant

Ste

wart

had

been

pre

vente

db

yH

alf

—bre

eds

from

takin

gth

esto

res

afte

rw

hic

hh

ehad

bone

and

that

he

was

“in

trouble

.”

Iim

media

tely

got

ready

apart

yone

hundre

dstr

ong

top

ro

ceed

toth

ereli

ef

of

Ste

wart

as

Iw

asm

ovin

goff

Ste

wart

’s

part

yca

me

do

wn

the

hil

lat

the

Fort

.I

was

info

rmed

that

there

were

about

one

hundre

dm

ara

udin

gH

alf

Bre

eds

at

Du

ckL

ake.

The

rebel

Hea

dQ

uart

ers

and

forc

eaccord

ing

tom

yla

test

info

rmati

on

receiv

ed

thro

ugh

scouts

bein

gat

Bato

che’s

Cro

ssin

g,

South

sid

e

of

Riv

er.

Ith

ere

fore

conclu

ded

togo

toD

uck

Lak

ean

dget

the

pro

vis

ion

and

am

munit

ion.

Whe

nw

ithin

am

ile

and

ahalf

of

Mit

chell

’ssto

reI

was

att

acked

by

afo

rce

of

Half

Bre

eds

esti

mate

dat

the

tim

eat

over

two

hundre

din

num

ber

but

Ihave

sin

ce

been

info

rmed

thro

ugh

rebel

sourc

es

that

there

were

at

least

thre

ehundre

dan

dfif

ty

of

them

.”16

15.

LJr.

P.C

tiarl

ebois

,Ib

id.,p

.lL

f7

16.

N.W

.M.P

.P

apers

,P

.A.C

.

—20

—

Cro

zie

rto

Irv

ine:

“Th

em

ovem

ent

that

thre

ate

ned

tob

eth

e

mo

stseri

ou

sto

us

was

that

of

ala

rge

bo

dy

movin

gto

ward

sour

rig

ht

flank.”

Cro

zie

rdescri

bed

the

parl

ay

betw

een

him

self

and

the

opponents

as

foll

ow

s:

“I

thre

w.a

line

of

skir

mis

he

sto

the

right

of

the

road

un

der

co

ver

of

aw

ood

topre

vent

the

reb

els

surr

oundin

gus,

wh

ich

they

were

att

em

pti

ng

tod

o—

the

rem

ain

der

of

my

forc

e,

excep

tin

gth

em

enin

charg

eo

fth

eh

ors

es

form

edunder

cover

of

the

sle

igh

exte

nded

toth

ele

ft

at

right

an

gle

sto

the

road.

As

my

esco

rthalt

ed,

am

anadvanced

from

the

enem

y

beari

ng

afl

ag

of

truce.

Ira

nfo

rward

tom

eet

him

and

call

ed

back

for

the

Inte

rpre

ter

Jose

ph

McK

ay.

The

enem

ynotw

ithsta

ndin

gth

efl

ag

of

truce

co

nti

nued

toget

rapid

lyin

toposit

ion.

The

movem

ent

that

thre

ate

ned

to

be

most

seri

ou

sto

us

was

that

of

ala

rge

bodym

ovin

gto

ward

s

ou

rri

ght

flan

k.

Isaid

severa

lti

mes

toth

em

anw

ith

the

flag

“C

all

bac

k

•th

ose

peo

ple

,”re

ferr

ing

toth

ose

movin

gto

the

right,

tow

hat

ozi

erto

said

he

paid

no

t’th

esli

gh

test

att

enti

on.

It

was

evid

ence

vin

e.IM

Pth

at

the

sendin

gout

of

the

flag

of

truce

was

bu

ta

pie

ce

of

pers

.tr

eachery

and

togain

tim

ein

ord

er

too

utf

lan

kus

on

the

rig

ht

and

get

into

posit

ion.”

17

Cro

zie

rto

Irv

ine:

“Th

een

emy

were

ina

bush

behin

dsple

ndid

co

ver,

we

wer

eexpose

d.”

Cro

zie

rw

rote

of

the

dif

fic

ult

ies

his

men

faced

inco

mb

at:

“The

deep

cru

ste

dsn

ow

cause

dan

ym

ovem

ent

tob

em

ost

dif

fic

ult

,

ifo

ffth

eb

eate

ntr

ack

my

men

inexte

ndin

gfo

und

itsl

ow

and

hard

wo

rk.

Th

een

gag

em

ent

laste

dab

ou

tth

irty

min

ute

san

dth

ough

the

rebels

were

up

on

their

own

gro

und

intr

enched,

inam

bush

,

wit

hth

ead

van

tag

eo

fa

com

man

din

gp

osit

ion

,re

ad

yan

dw

ait

ing

for

us,

we

dro

ve

back

their

right

and

had

we

been

op

po

sed

by

them

on

our

right

on

anyth

ing

like

anequali

tyw

eco

uld

have

done

the

sam

eto

their

left

-but

there

we

had

toco

nte

nd

ag

ain

st

—21

—

the

enem

yin

house

san

din

am

bu

sh.

Th

erig

ht

of

my

line

did

pre

vent

the

rebels

gain

ing

our

rear

—th

ey

did

it

at

the

cost

of

their

lives

-m

enco

uld

do

no

more

.

Both

the

Po

lice

and

Volu

nte

ers

who

com

pose

dm

ylittle

escort

behaved

superb

ly,

their

bra

very

and

cooln

ess

un

der

a

murd

ero

us

fir

ew

assi

mp

lyasto

nis

hin

g.

Th

een

emy

were

inam

bush

beh

ind

sple

hdid

co

ver,

we

were

expose

d,

yet

no

ta

man

sh

irk

ed

or

even

falt

ere

du

nti

lth

eord

er

8.w

asgiv

en

toreti

re

and

then

they

moved

off

qu

ick

ly.

rozie

r0 rv

ine,

Ihave

the

honor

tobe

bid

.S

ir

yo

ur

obedie

nt

serv

ant

L.N

.F.

Cro

zie

r,S

upt.”

18

Lie

ut.

Col

Irvin

eto

Sir

Joh

nA

.M

acdonald

:“C

razie

r’s

bett

er

judgem

ent

was

overr

ule

db

yth

eim

petu

ou

sness

of

Poli

ce

and

Vo

lun

teers

.

Ina

lett

er

toS

irJo

hn

Irv

ine

crit

iciz

ed

Cro

zie

r’s

decis

ion

tom

arc

ho

ut

of

Fo

rtC

an

ton

wit

ho

ut

aw

ait

ing

ord

ers

.H

e

wro

te:

“S

ir,

—R

efe

rrin

gto

my

tele

gra

mo

fth

e26

ult

imo.

..It

ap

pears

tom

ea

matt

er

of

reg

ret

that.

..S

up

eri

nte

nd

en

tC

razie

r

9.sh

ou

ldhave

marc

hed

out

as

he

did

,in

the

face

of

what

ttan

sp

ired

rvin

eearli

er

inth

eday,

but

Iam

led

toth

ebeli

ef

that

this

offic

er’s

Iacdonald

bett

er

judgem

ent

was

overr

ule

dby

the

imp

etu

ou

sness

dis

pla

yed

•.W

.M.P

.both

by

the

Po

lice

and

Volu

nte

ers

tog

oand

take

the

sto

res

aper

san

dif

necessary

fig

ht

for

them

.”1

9

Poli

ce

can

no

nw

asusele

ss

inD

uck

Lak

eengagem

ent.

G.F

.S

tanle

ygave

this

acco

un

to

fth

ebatt

lein

acti

on

:

“On

the

right

the

rebels

had

tak

en

po

ssessio

no

fa

log

house

,

whic

h,

part

lyobscure

dfr

om

vie

wb

yth

ebanks

of

snow

and

bru

shw

ood,

was

anexcell

ent

poin

to

fvanta

ge.

Fro

mit

they

poure

da

ho

tfir

eupon

the

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

Vo

lun

teers

who

had

ex

ten

ded

their

form

ati

on

toth

eri

gh

tand

were

wit

ho

ut

cov

er

of

an

yd

escri

pti

on.

To

reli

eve

the

pre

ssure

up

on

that

flan

k,

Cro

zie

ro

rdere

dth

ecannon

be

dir

ecte

dupon

the

bru

sh,

but,

ow

ing

toth

ep

osit

ion

of

the

volu

nte

ers

,th

isw

asim

possib

le.

Th

egu

nw

asaccord

injl

ytr

ain

ed

up

on

an

oth

er

secti

on

of

the

fie

ld,

but

wit

hlittle

resu

lts,

the

shots

flyin

g“fa

ro

ver

the

enem

ies

head

s.”

* *N

arr

ati

ve

of

John

Bra

ss.

MSS

foli

oon

the

Rie

lR

ebell

ion.

—22

—

To

mak

em

att

ers

wo

rse,

afte

rsevera

ldis

charg

es

ashell

was

ram

med

hom

eb

efo

reth

epow

der

charg

ew

asin

sert

ed

,w

hic

h

rendere

dth

ecan

no

nusele

ss

for

the

rem

ain

der

of

the

en

gagem

ent.

20.

Fin

all

y,

afte

rth

irty

or

fort

ym

inu

tes,

Cro

zie

r,re

—

Sta

nle

y,

cogniz

ing

the

inev

itab

le,

gav

eth

eo

rder

toreti

re.

His

posit

ion

Bir

thof

t.ie

ster

nw

asun

ten

ab

le.

Th

ehalf

—bre

eds

had

all

the

advanta

ge

of

po

sit

ion

Can

ada

and,

Cro

zie

rb

eli

ev

ed

,o

fn

um

bers

.”**

[bid

.

**

Cro

zie

rbeli

eved

that

the

forc

eoppose

dto

him

num

bei

betw

een

300

to400

men

.C

rozie

r,how

etr

er,

gre

atl

yo

vere

sti

mate

dth

en

um

ber

of

his

opponents

.

The

Meti

sfo

ught

beh

ind

co

ver

and

Cro

zie

rw

asn

ot

ina

po

sit

ion

tom

ake

anaccura

teesti

mate

.

(Th

efo

.regoin

gexpla

nati

on

cit

ed

inS

tan

ley

,B

irth

of

West

ern

Can

ada,

p.p

.444,

445.)

Duck

Lak

eengagem

ent

descri

bed

by

Lo

uis

Schm

idt,

Rie

l’s

form

er

secre

tary

:T

he

Meti

sw

ere

on

lya

handfu

lat

the

beg

inn

ing

.

“Th

eE

ngli

sh

Coin

xnander.

..arr

ived

wit

ho

ut

mis

hap

about

2

mil

es

fro

mD

uck

Lake.

But

there

ab

od

yo

fM

eti

sbarr

ed

them

fro

mth

ero

ad.

Th

ere

foll

ow

ed

ashort

batt

le,

rud

eand

murd

ero

us

Aw

hil

ela

ter,

9volu

nte

ers

and

3P

oli

ce

were

dead

,w

hil

eth

e

Meti

sth

em

selv

es

had

lost

4o

fth

eir

own

arid

one

India

n.

The

can

no

nh

ad

had

no

effect.

Dra

wn

wit

hto

om

uch

haste

,

its

pro

jecti

on

passed

above

the

heads

of

the

men

and

wen

tw

ho

know

sw

here

.

Not

tob

eco

mple

tely

destr

oyed,

Cro

zie

ro

rdere

da

pro

mpt

retr

eat

not

even

takin

gth

eti

me

topic

ku

pth

ed

ead

except

those

of

the

pori

ce.

And

then

there

was

tim

e.

The

Meti

sw

ho

were

only

ah

an

dfu

lat

the

begin

nin

go

fth

eacti

on,

arr

ived

all

the

tim

e,

and

sp

read

on

each

sid

eo

fth

een

emy

inan

att

em

pt

to

encir

cle

them

.

Th

eyw

ante

dto

pu

rsu

eth

ose

who

too

kfli

ght,

but

Rie

l

oppose

dit

,say

ing

that

there

was

alr

ead

yenough

sp

ille

db

loo

d

an

dbeli

evin

g,

Iim

ag

ine,

that

ho

sti

liti

es

wo

uld

sto

pth

ere

.

Gabri

el

receiv

ed

asli

ght

bull

et

wound

inth

efo

reh

ead

,

an

dh

em

om

enta

rily

iith

dre

w.

Whe

nh

ew

an

ted

tore

turn

toth

e /23

—23

—

21.

H.

charg

e,

there

was

alr

eady

no

more

enem

y.

Inco

llecti

ng

the

Sch

mid

t,en

emy

dead

,th

eM

eti

sfo

und

aw

ounded

man

who

had

not

been

ab

leM

emoi

rsPA

Cto

foll

ow

the

oth

ers

.T

hey

bro

ught

him

wit

hth

em

and

took

care

of

him

.”21

Dum

ont,

gra

zed

by

abull

et,

cri

ed

:C

ou

rag

e!

As

long

as

Ih

aves

lost

my

head

I’m

no

tdead.

Jose

ph

Ho

war

dre

co

un

ted

Gab

riel

Dum

ont’

sre

ck

lessness

a:

consequent

woundin

gduri

ng

the

batt

leat

Duck

Lake.

“G

ab

riel

Dum

ont.

..ro

de

reckle

ssly

tow

ithin

six

tyyir

ds

of

the

troops.

Abu

llet

plo

wed

ad

eep

gash

thro

ug

hhis

scalp

and

he

fell

,alm

ost

sensele

ss;

his

ho

rse,

als

ow

ounded

jum

ped

22.

over

him

and

fled.

He

str

ug

gle

dto

his

feet

but

dro

pp

ed

agli

ri,

.Jos

eph

and

an

earb

yM

eti

s,

Jose

ph

Delo

rme,

cri

ed

out

that

their

generi

How

ard,

Str

ange

had

been

kil

led.

“C

oura

ge!”

Gab

riel

yell

ed

.“A

slo

ng

as

IL

mpir

e,haven’t

lost

my

head

I’m

not

dead.”

Anoth

er

bro

ther

(of

Gabri

Ed

war

dD

uin

ont,

ran

forw

ard

todra

gh

imout

of

the

line

of

fir

e

bu

tG

ab

riel

sent

him

back

tota

ke

com

man

d.”

22

Aboy

of

fourt

een

among

the

Meti

sre

call

ed

the

batt

lefif

tyyea

late

r;

“You

be

scare

dli

ke

Iw

asscare

dth

at

day

,”he

said

.

never

forg

et

eit

her.”

“Am

ong

the

reb

els

on

the

batt

lefie

ldw

asa

bQy

of

fourt

ad

ista

nt

rela

tive

of

Gabri

el

Du

ino

nt

who

mth

ela

tter,

wit

ho

ut

ch

ildre

nof

his

ow

n,

oft

en

treate

das

aso

n.

More

than

fif

ty

years

afte

rth

eD

uck

Lak

ebatt

lehis

mem

ory

of

it

was

still

viv

id.

“You

be

scare

dli

ke

Iw

asscare

dth

at

day,”

he

said

,

“yo

unever

forg

et

eit

her.”

The

boy,

who

sen

ame

was

Ale

x,

lay

sh

iveri

ng

for

hours

irth

esn

ow

on

top

of

the

hil

lw

hil

eth

eM

eti

saw

ait

ed

the

poli

ce

He

heard

Uncle

Gab

riel

curs

ing

because

his

forc

ew

asin

adequate

;R

iel

was

not

yet

there

wit

hre

info

rcem

ents

and

scouts

had

warn

ed

that

Cro

zie

rw

asb

rin

gin

gabout

ahundre

dm

en...

..H

ehad

ask

ed

Gab

riel,

who

had

sla

inB

lackfe

et,

wh

at

itw

asli

ke

tok

ill

am

an,

and

Gab

riel

had

said

it

was

not

mu

chd

ifferen

tfr

om

kil

ling

gam

e.A

lex

had

do

ne

that,

but

he

co

uld

see

agre

at

deal

of

dif

fere

nce

now

:th

egam

ew

assta

lkin

gth

eh

un

ter

ov

er

this

snow

—co

ver

edfie

ld.

He

rem

em

bere

d,

too,

that

when

ov

erc

on

fid

en

tM

eti

shad

rem

ark

ed

that

the

poli

ce

were

on

ly

./2

4

—24

—

fair

sh

ots

an

dth

ev

olu

nte

ers

no

good

at

all

.G

abri

el

had

answ

ere

dgri

mly

that

men

could

very

qu

ick

lyle

arn

tosh

oot

well

...

Ale

xd

idn

ot

see

Gabri

el

shot

from

his

ho

rse,

but

he

saw

him

sta

nchin

gth

efl

ow

of

blo

od

from

his

fore

head

wit

hh

an

dfu

ls

of

sno

w,

saw

him

cra

wl

tohis

cousin

,A

ug

ust

eL

afr

am

bois

e,

who

was

dyir

ig,a

nd

weakly

att

em

pt

tom

ake

the

sin

’of

the

cro

ss

ov

er

him

.

Whe

nth

eboy

looked

back

at

the

en

em

y,

they

were

mil

ling

aro

und

the

sle

igh

s,

tryin

gto

hit

ch

up

under

fir

e.

One

wounded

volu

nte

er,

un

ab

leto

ris

e,

was

pushin

gh

imself

wit

hone

ben

tle

c

tow

ard

the

sle

igh

s.

His

boote

dfo

ot

would

scra

bb

lein

the

snow

,

tryin

gto

dig

ah

old

,th

en

there

wo

uld

be

alittle

push

and

he

wo

uld

mo

ve

afe

win

ches.

Ale

xth

ou

gh

tth

esn

ow

curl

ed

asid

e

23.

from

his

head

lik

ea

sod

from

aplo

w.

He

watc

hed

the

man

’sje

rk

How

ard

pain

ful

pro

gre

ss

for

alo

ng

tim

e,

whil

eth

ete

am

sw

ere

hit

ched

pp.

and

the

oth

er

wo

un

ded

load

ed

into

the

sle

ighs.

The

bo

yfelt

as

he

wante

dto

call

ou

tto

the

poli

ce

tow

ait

.T

hey

did

n’t

,an

d

the

wo

un

ded

man

was

left

still

plo

win

gbli

ndly

tow

ard

the

road.

(It

would

be

reaso

nab

leto

co

nclu

de

that

the

wounded

mar

menti

oned

inH

ow

ard

’sacco

un

tw

asth

esa

me

of

whic

hL

ouis

Sch

m.i

c

inth

efo

regoin

gm

emoir

-w

rote

:“...t

he

Meti

sfo

und

aw

ou

nd

ed

man

who

had

not

been

able

tofo

llow

the

oth

ers

.T

hey

bro

ug

ht

hi

wit

hth

em

an

dto

ok

care

of

him

.”)

Gabri

el

Dum

ont:

“Th

eso

und

of

gunfi

rew

ash

eard

at

Bato

che

and

Rie

lw

ith

70m

enh

urr

ied

tohelp

their

bro

thers

at

Duck

Lake.

Gabri

el

Du

nio

nt’

sdescri

pti

on

of

the

batt

leat

Du

ckL

ake

had

man

yin

teresti

ng

deta

ils.

Law

ren

ce

Cla

rke

inh

isfli

ght

let

beh

ind

his

racco

on

coat

and

Cro

zie

rle

ft

behin

dsevera

l,w

ago

ns

and

hors

es,

he

recou

nte

dsev

era

lyears

late

r.

The

foll

ow

ing

arc

excerp

tsfr

om

his

descri

pti

on

of

the

acti

on:

“Once

the

fusil

lad

ebegan,

we

fire

das

oft

en

as

we

co

ulc

As

for

my

self

,I

fire

dth

etw

elv

esh

ots

of

my

Win

ch

est

er

rif

le,

and

had

relo

aded

tog

et

itin

top

lay

again

,w

hen

the

Engli

sh,

stunned

by

the

num

ber

of

their

dead,

began

tow

ithdra

w.

For

them

itw

asti

me,

because

unti

lth

en

their

can

no

n,

whic

hhad

pre

vente

dm

ym

en,

who

were

now

on

foo

t,fr

om

movin

gdo

wn

the

hil

lsid

en

ow

,w

assil

ent.

Th

eir

can

no

neer,

in’

loadin

git,

had

put

the

lead

befo

reth

ep

ow

der.

Our

men

then

began

tom

ove

rour

them

.

./25

—25

—

Sin

ce

inth

eir

fli

ght

they

wo

uld

cro

ss

acle

ari

ng,

I

att

em

pte

dto

am

bu

sh,

say

ing

tom

ym

en:

‘Coura

ge.’

I’ll

mak

ea

few

red-c

oats

jum

pin

their

wagons.

And

Ila

ughed

--

not

because

Ito

ok

ple

asure

inkil

ling,

but

toencoura

ge

my

boys.

As

Ita

lked

about

kn

ock

ing

over

the

red

-co

ats

,I

neg

lecte

dto

take

cover,

and

abull

et

plo

ughed

my

sk

ull

,w

here

it

left

adeep

scar.

Ifell

.T

hen

my

ho

rse,

als

ow

ounded

,b

ou

nd

ed

over

me.

We

were

then

ab

ou

tsix

tyyard

sfr

om

the

enem

y.

I

wante

dto

get

up,

but

the

sho

ck

was

sosev

ere

that

Icou

ldn

’t.

Whe

nJo

sep

hD

elo

rme

saw

me

fall

back,

he

cri

ed

ou

tth

at:

Iw

ask

ille

d.

Isaid

toh

im,

‘Co

ura

ge,

wh

enth

ehead

isn’t

lost

:

we

do

n’t

die

.’I

then

told

Bapti

ste

Vandal

tota

ke

my

cart

rid

ge

and

my

rif

le,

wh

ich

was

fain

ous

and

whic

hhad

ara

nge

of

800

yard

...T

he

sou

nd

of

gu

nfi

rew

asheard

at

Bato

che

and

Rie

lw

ith

70

men

hu

rrie

dto

help

their

bro

thers

at

Duck

Lake.

Whil

ew

efo

ught,

Rie

lsat

on

his

hors

e,

ex

po

sed

toth

e

Gab

riel

bu

llets

,arm

ed

only

wit

ha

cru

cif

ixw

hic

hhe

held

inh

ishand...

Dum

ont

‘S

Acc

ou

nt

of

the

Batt

leW

hen

August

eL

afr

am

bo

ise,

acousin

,fell

,D

um

on

ttr

ied

tr

85

toget

tohis

knees

too

ffer

apra

yer,

but

fell

ov

er

on

his

Ses

sional

sid

e,

murm

uri

ng,

“C

ousi

n,

I’ll

ow

eit

toy

ou

.”24

Pap

ers

49 Vic

tori

aL

auri

er’

sA

necd

ote

s:

Sask

atc

hew

an

Hera

ld”

corr

espondent

Lauri

e,

wh

ile

sta

tioned

at

Fo

rtC

anto

nre

counte

dsev

era

lanecdote

safte

rth

e

batt

le.

The

fir

st

gave

adescri

pti

on

of

Gabri

el

Du

mo

nt’

sd

ash

ahead

of

the

Meti

s’

and

co

nseq

uen

tw

ou

nd

ing

whic

h,

on

the

pre

cedin

gpages

was

po

rtra

yed

from

apro

—M

eti

s’poin

tof

vie

w.

Laure

rm

akes

aclo

sin

gco

mm

ent

wh

ich

reveals

his

str

ong

anti

25.

Meti

sb

ias..

.

Lauri

eP

aper

s“W

hat

apit

yth

at

San

dy

’sb

ull

et

had

not

been

an

oth

er

inch

low

er.

By

Lauri

e: “...a

sone

of

the

rear

guard

,a

Scotc

hm

an

nam

edM

acD

on

al

was

ab

ou

tto

mount

his

hors

eh

esa

wa

so

lita

ry

half

-bre

ed

astr

id

of

apony

dash

out

as

though

inte

nt

on

purs

uin

gus

alo

ne

but

San

dy

reste

dh

isrif

leo

nth

esaddle

,to

ok

care

ful

aim

and

fire

d

and

had

gri

msati

sfacti

on

of

seein

ghis

vic

tim

thro

wu

phis

han

ds

and

fall

frm

his

ho

rse.

We

subsequentl

yle

arn

ed

that

the

man

of

bra

vado

was

no

oth

er

than

Gabri

el

Du

mo

nt

him

self

and

that

.12

6

—26

—

6.th

eW

inchest

er

Bull

et

had

str

uck

him

hig

hin

the

fore

head

and

had

gla

nced

upw

ard

s,th

us

spari

ng

his

life.

What

apit

yth

at

ACS

andy’s

bull

et

had

not

been

anoth

er

inch

low

er!”

26

“Am

Iw

ounded

Lauri

e?”

(L

aurie

narr

ati

on.)

“The

retu

rnm

arch

was

uneventf

ul

and

devoid

of

any

sta

rtl

i

incid

ent.

Ire

mem

ber

though

that

aP

oli

cem

an

know

nas

“Dutc

hy”

Mil

ler

who

was

ridin

gin

the

sam

esle

igh

wit

hm

ehappened

to

take

off

his

cap

for

som

ere

ason,

when

he

noti

ced

aro

und

hole

7.in

the

front

and

turn

ing

itaro

und

dis

covere

da

corr

esp

ondin

gone

inth

eback.

Inam

azem

ent

he

leaned

forw

ard

and

poin

ting

toth

e

‘AC

top

of

his

head

ask

ed,

“Am

Iw

ounded

,L

auri

e?”

and

sure

enough

there

was

afu

rrow

just

scalp

deep

plo

ughed

the

full

length

of

the

top

of

his

head.”

27

For

the

fir

st

tim

ein

my

life

Iheard

the

answ

ers

to.

the

roll

call

:“K

ille

d,

wounded

or

mis

sin

g.”

“We

reached

Canto

nshort

lyafte

r4

o’c

lock

inth

eafter

noon

and

then

cam

ew

hat

was

tobe

the

most

pain

ful

and

most

28.

sole

mn

event

of

the

day,

the

roll

call

,and

for

the

fir

st

tim

e1

Lau

rie

Pap

ers

my

life

Iheard

the

answ

ers

,“kil

led

inacti

on”

or

“wounded

”

PAC

or

“m

issin

g.”

28

Young

Napie

rdie

d,

call

ing,

“T

ell

them

Idie

dli

ke

am

an.”

John

Hooper,

aS

taff

N.C

.O

ffic

er

wit

hM

iddle

ton’s

Colu

mn,

heard

the

foll

ow

ing

sto

ryfr

om

one

of

Cro

zie

r’s

men

.It

concern

ed

severa

lP

rince

Alb

ert

Volu

nte

ers

who

die

dduri

ng

the

batt

leof

Duc

kL

ake.

“C

apta

inM

ort

on,

leadin

gth

evolu

nte

ers

as

he

fell

mort

all

yw

ounded

,said

toone

who

off

ere

dassis

tance:

“N

oth

ing

wil

lhelp

me.

See

that

my

wif

ean

dfa

mil

yare

care

dfo

r!”

expir

ing

wit

ha

gro

an.

Am

om

ent

aft

er,

young

Napie

r(s

on

of

Sir

Charl

es

Napie

r,

of

Mag

dal

a)w

ashit

inth

ebre

ast

by

aslu

g.

To

the

next

man

he

call

ed,

“I

amsh

ot

—te

llth

emI

die

dli

ke

am

an!”

Whil

st

sti

llon

his

knees,

he

was

again

str

uck

twic

e(i

nth

eneck

and

29.

inth

eth

igh).

Young

Arn

old

was

shot

thro

ugh

the

lungs

and

John

Hoo

per

AS

taff

conti

nued

tofi

ght,

but

was

str

uck

by

two

more

bull

ets

inquic

k

cer

successio

n.

Sevral

of

the

civ

ilia

ns

were

com

ple

tely

expose

d

Infa

ntr

y.

and

ina

kneeli

ng

postu

re-

asple

ndid

mar

kfo

rth

eir

hid

den

foe.

Bri

gad

ade

but

afe

wyard

saw

ay.”

Mid

dle

ton’s

29

Col

umn

/27

—).I

—

Majo

rC

rozie

rto

ok

anunexpecte

dp

lun

ge,

-as

told

by

Lauri

er.

Of

Nap

ier

the

Sask

atc

hew

an

Hera

ldcorr

esponden

tL

auri

er

told

anam

usi

ng

tale

.T

his

incid

ent

must

have

taken

pla

ce

only

afe

wdays

or

ev

en

ho

urs

befo

reth

ey

ou

ng

man

was

kil

led

in

batt

le.

“M

ajo

rC

rozie

r,th

eo

ffic

er

com

mandin

g,

was

makin

ga

to

of

the

sentr

ies

som

eti

mes

betw

een

mid

nig

ht

and

daybre

ak

for

the

pu

rpo

seof

learn

ing

ifall

was

ale

rt

and

giv

ing

att

enti

on

o

the

du

ties

dev

olv

ing

up

on

them

.O

ne

of

the

new

volu

nte

ers

fro

m

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

,W

illi

am

Nap

ier,

who

by

the

way

was

aco

usin

of

Lo

rdN

apie

ro

fM

ag

dala

,w

asone

of

these

sen

trie

san

dw

hen

he

heard

the

Majo

rand

the

ord

erl

yserg

ean

tappro

achin

ghe

pro

mptl

ychall

enged

them

,w

hen

accord

ing

toth

eusual

routi

ne

Cro

zie

rask

ed

him

tog

ive

over

his

ord

ers

,m

eanin

gfo

rhim

to

rep

eat

the

instr

ucti

on

sw

hic

hhad

been

giv

en

tohim

when

pla

ced

on

sentr

y.

It

seem

sth

at

the

serg

eant

of

the

guard

had

negle

ct

this

little

form

ali

ty,

takin

git

for

gra

nte

dth

at

that

the

sentr

ies

pla

ced

by

him

wo

uld

be

aw

are

wit

ho

ut

any

specia

lin

str

tiori

sfr

om

him

what

they

were

expecte

dto

do.

“O

rders

,”said

Nap

ier

“I

have

no

ord

ers

.”W

hen

the

Majo

rask

ed

him

“Wh

atdid

the

serg

eant

of

the

gu

ard

tell

you

when

he

pla

ced

you

here

?”

The

answ

er

cam

e“O

hy

es,

he

told

me

tolo

ok

out

and

not

ste

pin

30.

that

ho

le,”

poin

ting

his

finger

toa

pla

ce

acouple

of

feet

Lau

rier

the

rear

of

Majo

rC

rozie

r.T

he

Majo

rtu

rned

aro

und

suddenly

Pap

ers,

P.A

.C.

and

ste

pp

ed

back

wit

hth

eresu

ltth

at

he

plu

mp

ed

into

the

ho

lecle

ar

toh

isarm

pit

sand

had

tom

ake

ahurr

ied

depar€

ure

for

his

qu

art

ers

toget

into

dry

clo

thin

g.”

30

Rie

lhad

ho

ped

that

the

en

gag

em

en

tat

Duck

Lak

ew

asth

efir

st

and

the

last

acti

on

.

Phil

ippe

Garn

ot,

secre

tary

of

the

Meti

s’council

,w

rote

inhis

mem

oir

so

fth

eli

mit

ed

num

ber

of

men

,scouts

and

ho

rses

avail

ab

lew

hen

the

ala

rmth

at

the

Poli

ce

were

com

ing

was

rais

ed

at

Duck

Lak

e.

He

said

that

the

Meti

sw

ere

not

expecti

ng

anim

media

teatt

ack

and

had

on

lytw

en

ty-s

ixm

enand

six

teen

ho

rses

ready

tom

eet

Cro

zie

rand

his

forc

eo

fo

ne—

hu

nd

red

men

.H

econti

nues: “A

llth

esa

me

they

left

tom

eet

the

Po

lice

quit

efa

raw

ayso

they

could

not

reach

the

ho

use

sw

ith

their

rif

les..

.The

26hors

em

en

met

the

Po

lice

am

ile

and

ahalf

from

Duck

Lake,

on

the

Rese

rve

of

tie

India

nC

hie

fB

eard

yand

they

dis

moun

ted

imm

ed

iate

lyan

dsen

tth

eir

hors

es

toth

ere

ar.

..tw

oam

ong

them

,an

Ind

ian

who

had

no

rif

le,

and

who

was

alm

ost

bli

nd,

and

I:;i

dor

./28

—28

—

Dum

ont,

bro

ther

of

Gabri

el,

co

nti

nu

ed

toadvance

on

the

road,

whil

efo

rty

pla

ced

them

selv

es

alo

ng

the

sid

eo

fth

ero

ad

and

ten

oth

ers

haste

ned

tog

et

-agood

pla

ce

on

the

oth

er

sid

e...

befo

reth

eP

oli

ce

took

po

ssessio

no

fit

...(

Du

rin

gth

ebatt

le)

the

Meti

sconserv

ed

their

am

munit

ion,

havin

go

nly

alittle

and

hav

ing

only

six

carb

ines,

the

rest

were

rif

les

for

the

hu

nts

;

but

they

knew

how

tob

esu

pp

ort

ed

by

ab

ou

to

ne-h

un

dre

din

fan

try

men

who

were

tom

ake

adeto

ur

tocu

toff

the

retr

eat

of

the

Poli

ce.

The

batt

lela

ste

donly

twenty

min

ute

s.

..W

hen

Majo

rC

rozi

gave

the

ord

er

toretr

eat,

the

vo

lun

teers

who

were

alo

ng

the

fence

(by

the

sid

eo

fth

ero

ad)

were

all

sh

ot,

save

the

one

who

was

wounded

an

dfell

pri

so

ner

toth

eM

eti

s;

for

the

Poli

ce

lef

t

31.

its

dead

,it

sw

ou

nd

ed

,fi

ve

or

six

hors

es,

about

twelv

ecarb

ines

Phil

ipp

eso

me

am

munit

ion...

(and)

abob—

sleig

hcom

ple

tely

harn

essed

...

Gar

not

Kem

oirs

The

Meti

sw

ante

dto

purs

ue

the

Poli

ce,

but

Rie

lpre

vente

dth

em

,P

.A.C

.te

llin

gth

em

that

they

had

alr

eady

mad

een

ou

gh

dam

age

and

hE

ho

ped

it

was

the

fir

st

and

last

actio

n.”

31

“T

oro

nto

Dail

yM

ail

”to

ldsto

ryo

fg

ov

ern

men

tscouts

,captu

!ed

by

the

Meti

s.

On

the

day

of

the

Duck

Lak

eb

att

letw

oscouts

by

the

nan

of

Haro

ldE

.R

oss

an

dW

.A

stl

ey

were

captu

red

by

the

Meti

s.

T1-

.

had

left

Fo

rtC

anto

nbetw

een

11

and

12o

’clo

ck

on

the

nig

ht

of

the

25

Mar

chw

ith

the

inte

nti

on

of

gain

ing

the

hig

hg

rou

nd

in

the

vic

init

yof

St.

Lau

ren

tto

fin

dif

the

Half

-bre

eds

had

taken

an

yste

ps

toin

terc

ep

tC

om

man

der

Irv

ine,

who

was

on

his

way

to

the

fo

rt.

Whe

nth

ey

cam

eover

the

hil

lat

Du

ckL

ake

they

were

spo

tted

by

India

np

ickets

near

the

trail

.A

sth

ey

pro

ceeded

do

wn

the

hil

lth

eH

alf

-bre

eds

rode

afte

rth

em

,th

esoft

sno

w,

wh

ich

had

fall

en

the

day

befo

recom

ple

tely

mu

ffli

ng

their

fo

ot

ste

ps.

“T

oro

nto

Mail

,M

ay25

,1

88

5.”

“H

eari

ng

an

ois

ebehin

dh

imR

oss

loo

ked

back

an

dsa

w

Dum

ont

at

the

head

of

about

20m

enw

ith

arif

lein

his

hand.

Gab

riel

at

on

ce

cri

ed

out,

“S

urr

ender,

Yo

u’r

escouts

.”A

stl

ey

did

not

hear

the

call

,w

here

upon

Ross

tap

ped

him

on

the

should

er

and

said

“T

hey’r

eon

top

of

us,”

and

wheele

dh

ish

ors

earo

und.

Du

inont

imm

ed

iate

lyseiz

ed

him

by

the

foo

tan

do

rdere

dh

imto

dis

mo

un

t,w

hic

hR

oss

refu

sed

todo.

The

rebel

ad

juta

nt-

gen

era

l,

—29

—

as

he

sty

led

him

self

inoffic

ial

docum

ents

,th

en

att

em

pte

dto

pu

llR

oss

off

,u

po

nw

hic

hth

ela

tter

endeavore

dto

dra

whis

revolv

er.

Tw

oIn

dia

ns

got

on

each

sid

eo

fh

im,

and

tho

seon

the

rig

ht

pull

ed

his

foot

fro

mth

esti

rrup

and

Du

mo

nt

succeed

ed

inunhors

ing

him

,an

din

doin

gso

dis

covere

dth

ere

volv

er

whic

hhe

dem

anded

.R

oss

dre

wit

at

once

not

tog

ive

itup,

how

ev

er,

but

for

the

pu

rpo

seof

adm

inis

teri

ng

ale

ad

en

pil

lto

anIn

dia

nw

ho

had

him

co

vere

dw

ith

agun,

at

the

sam

eti

me

seiz

ing

Dum

ont

by

the

thro

at

wit

hh

isd

isen

gag

ed

han

dto

pre

vent

his

inte

rfere

nce.

Feeli

ng

som

eth

ing

tou

ch

his

head

behin

d,

Ross

loo

ked

aro

und,

2.

and

fou

nd

him

self

co

vere

db

ytw

om

ore

guns,

seein

gw

hic

hhe

[‘oro

nto

‘)ai

lysurr

endere

d.

Ast

ley

inth

em

eanti

me

had

endeavore

dto

esc

ap

e,

“fai

l,but

perc

eiv

ing

his

com

rad

ew

asn

ot

foll

ow

ing,

turn

ed

back

to‘l

ay25

,18

85his

assis

tance

when

was

als

osu

rro

un

ded

and

tak

en

.”32

(Car

onta

per

s.)

Captu

reof

poli

ce

sco

uts

from

Meti

s’poin

to

fvie

w(T

rau

rnad

an)

Th

ecap

ture

of

poli

ce

scouts

Ross

and

Astl

ey,

as

rep

ort

ed

on

the

“T

oro

nto

Mail

,”has

als

obeen

descri

bed

by

Au

gu

ste-H

enri

Tra

um

adan

who

base

dh

isacco

un

to

nG

abri

el

Dum

ont’

sp

ers

onal

Mem

oir

s.T

rauin

adan’s

descri

pti

on

leads

from

the

cap

ture

of

the

govern

ment

sco

uts

toth

eh

arr

ass

men

to

fC

rozie

r’s

Po

lice,

pri

or

toth

eD

uck

Lak

eengagem

ent.

“Th

e(M

eti

s)scouts

ob

serv

ed

two

hors

em

en

-H

aro

ldR

oss

and

Joh

nW

.A

stJ.

ey

-g

oby,

and

turn

ed

back

ton

oti

fyD

umon

tw

ho,

wit

hh

isb

roth

er

Ed

war

d,

Phil

ippe

Gard

ipy

,B

ap

tiste

Des

çham

ps.

.an

dan

Ind

ian

,Jo

sep

hT

rott

oir

,set

off

inp

urs

uit

.O

nth

ew

ay,

he

ad

vis

ed

his

arm

edcom

panio

ns

not

toh

arm

them

ifth

ey

did

not

resis

t.T

hey

ov

ert

oo

kth

etw

oat

Du

ckL

ak

e.

Dum

ont

took

aim

and

yell

ed:

“D

on’t

run

away

or

Ish

all

kil

lyou.”

“I

ama

surv

eyo

r”,

said

Ross

as

Dum

ont

appro

ached

.

“Y

ou

’re

ali

ar

and

no

surv

eyor”

,re

tort

ed

Dum

ont

as

he

forc

ed

the

man

todis

mo

un

tan

dnote

dth

ere

volv

er

he

carr

ied.

As

Ast

ley

was

try

ing

toesc

ape,

Dunio

nt’

sm

enpre

pare

dto

shoot

him

,but

Dum

on

tst

op

ped

them

.H

ow

ever

,A

stle

yfell

and

the

Meti

sse

cu

red

him

.B

oth

pri

soners

wer

eta

ken

toD

uck

Lake.

On

the

way

,D

umon

tassure

dth

emth

at

“if

they

wer

egood

lad

s,

they

wo

uld

be

well

-tre

ate

d.”

Dum

ont’

sm

enhad

scarc

ely

had

tim

eto

sta

ble

their

ho

rses

when

they

he4

rda

sho

ut:

“Th

eP

oli

ce

are

here

!”A

ctu

all

y,

only

thre

escouts

,D

umon

tan

dh

is

/30

—30

—

bro

ther

Ed

ward

,Ja

mes

Short

,th

eir

bro

ther-

in—

law

,an

d

Patr

ick

Fle

ury

,w

en

tafte

rth

em

.T

hey

co

uld

n’t

catc

hth

em

but

am

ongst

them

,th

ey

reco

gn

ized

Thom

asM

cKay

,and

stu

bborn

ly

conti

nued’

topurs

ue

them

.

Dum

ont,

who

was

ah

ead

of

his

co

mp

an

ion

s,suddenly

saw

twen

ty—

two

Mo

unti

es

am

bush

ed

alo

ng

the

road

they

had

just

ridd

en

over.

Duz

nont

gall

oped

tow

ard

shis

men

and

yell

ed

at

them

tod

ism

ou

nt.

Bla

sphem

ousl

y,

aM

ou

nte

dP

oli

ce

Serg

eant

an

nounced

that

he

was

goin

gto

kil

lh

im.

Dum

ont

pro

mptl

y

rushed

him

and

dis

arm

ed

him

.A

sh

ot

reso

un

ded

,and

Dum

on

t

heard

Th

om

asM

cKay

shout:

“Pay

att

enti

on,

Gab

riel.

”

“Pay

att

enti

on

yours

elf

,o

rI’ll

blo

wy

ou

rbra

ins

out”

,

repli

ed

Dum

ont

as

he

hurl

ed

him

self

at

this

new

advers

ary

.

McK

ayw

heele

dh

ishors

ew

hic

hfl

ou

nd

ere

din

the

snow

and

reare

d.

Wit

hth

eend

of

his

rif

le,

Dum

ont

pro

dd

ed

McK

ayin

the

back,

but

as

McK

ayspurr

ed

his

ho

rse,

he

man

aged

tofr

ee

him

—

self

.D

uri

ng

this

fracas,

McK

aynever

ceased

from

repeati

ng

:

“Pay

att

enti

on,

Gabri

el”

,to

whic

hD

um

ont

reit

erate

d:

“Pay

att

enti

on

yo

urs

elf

”.

Wit

hth

eend

of

his

rif

lebarr

el

over

McK

ay’s

kid

ney,

he

forc

ed

his

vic

tim

tom

ove

on.

Meanw

hil

e,

McK

ayord

ere

da

retr

eat.

As

they

were

leav

ing

,D

uin

ont

shoute

d:

“Why

did

you

com

ehere

?”

“Just

tosp

eak

toyou”,

McK

ayre

pli

ed

.

“Th

enw

hy

run

aw

ay

?”

ask

ed

Dum

ont.

“You

told

us

yo

u

would

com

ew

ith

som

em

en.

Wh

ere

are

they?

Bah

Yo

u’r

e

no

thin

gbut

afo

ol!

”H

ow

ever,

McK

ayand

his

co

mp

an

ion

sheard

little

of

this

;th

ey

were

gall

opin

gaw

ayat

fu

llspeed.

Du

mo

nt’

sm

enw

an

ted

toch

ase

them

but

he

held

them

back.

There

were

on

lyth

ree!

Th

ere

fore

,abandonin

gth

eid

ea

of

Aug

uste

—purs

uin

gth

eru

naw

ays,

the

little

troop

retu

rned

toD

uck

Lake.

Hen

riA

nd

this

tim

eagain

,th

ey

had

scarc

ely

tim

eto

sta

ble

their

Tra

nmad

auin

off

icia

lhors

es

an

dsw

all

ow

afe

wm

ou

thfu

lso

flu

nch

when

the

cry

that

trans-

the

Poli

ce

were

co

min

gro

used

them

toacti

on.

Th

isti

me,

the

tat

3.on

?.26

4—26

6P

oli

ce

were

info

rce.”

33

Astl

ey

and

Ross

pro

vid

ed

Cro

zie

rw

ith

swo

rnsta

tem

ents

,nam

ing

locati

on,

an

dnum

ber

of

half

-bre

ed

sen

gag

ed

inbatt

le.

“I,

Haro

ldE

.R

oss

of

the

tow

no

fP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

inth

eS

ask

atc

hew

an

dis

tric

tin

the

Nort

hW

est

Territ

orie

so

fC

anada,

Dep

uty

Sheri

ffdo

sole

mnly

decla

re:

..../3

1

—31

—

1.

Iw

asa

pri

so

ner

inth

ecusto

dy

of

Rie

land

the

Rebels

on

the

26th

day

of

Mar

chla

st

and

pers

onall

y

vis

ited

the

scene

of

the

batt

leon

Satu

rday

the

28th

day

of

Mar

chla

st

past,

the

said

Rie

lth

e

lead

er

of

the

rebels

was

then

wit

hm

eo

nth

esaid

batt

lefie

ld.

2.

Ih

av

eex

am

ined

the

pla

nand

peru

sed

the

sta

tem

ent

here

un

to

___

__

__

__

__

and

mark

ed

“W’

mad

eby

Joh

n

Astl

ey,

who

was

afe

llow

pri

so

ner

wit

hm

eon

both

of

the

above

men

tio

ned

date

s,

and

Iso

lem

nly

decla

re

the

sam

eare

exact

and

instr

ict

accord

ance

wit

h

what

Isa

wand

observ

ed

myself

.

3.

An

dI

furt

her

decla

reth

at

Ico

un

ted

the

num

ber

of

men

goin

gout

tota

ke

part

inth

esaid

batt

lean

d

that

there

were

over

300

half

bre

eds

and

India

ns

engaged

inth

esaid

batt

le.

Im

ake

this

sole

mn

decla

rati

on

co

nscie

nti

ou

sly

beli

ev

ing

the

sam

eto

be

tru

ean

db

yv

irtu

eo

fan

act

passed

inth

e37th

year

of

her

Maje

sti

es

Reig

nenti

tled

An

Act

Fo

rth

eS

uppre

ssio

n

of

Vo

lunta

ryand

?

Decla

red

befo

rem

eat

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

inth

eN

ort

hw

est

Territ

orie

s,

Canada,

this

28

thday

of

May

1885.

sig

ned

Ste

ven

Burs

tis

No

tary

Publi

c

Sig

ned

Haro

ldE

.R

oss

.

“I,

Joh

nW

.A

stl

ey

of

the

tow

no

fP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

inth

edis

tric

tof

Sask

atc

hew

an

inth

eN

ort

hW

est

Territ

orie

so

fC

anada

aciv

ilengin

eer

do

sole

mnly

decla

reth

at

Iw

asa

pri

so

ner

in

the

hands

of

the

rebels

un

der

Louis

Rie

lat

Duck

Lak

eo

nth

e26

day

of

Mar

chla

st

past.

2.

That

the

sketc

hm

apor

pla

n

here

to?

isaccu

rate

lydra

wn

fro

mm

yow

np

ers

onal

observ

ati

on

of

the

locali

tyw

here

the

fight

too

kpla

ce

and

tru

ly

exhib

its

the

featu

res

of

the

locali

ty.

3.

Of

my

own

know

ledge

Idecla

reth

at

there

were

betw

een

thre

eand

four

hundre

dH

alf

-b

reed

and

India

ns

engaged

inth

efi

ght

at

Duck

Lak

eo

nth

esaid

26th

day

of

Mar

chla

st

past.

And

Im

ake

this

sole

mn

decla

rati

on

conscie

nti

ously

beli

ev

ing

the

sam

eto

be

true

and

by

vir

tue

of

anact

passed

in

the

3’7

thy

ear

of

Her

Maje

sti

es

Reig

nand

enti

t1d

An

Act

for

the

Suppre

ssio

nof

Vo

lun

teer

and

ex

traji

rdic

ial

oath

es.

/32

—i2

—

Decla

red

befo

rem

eat

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

inth

eD

istr

ict

!orn

of

Sask

atc

hew

an

this

28

thday

of

May

A.D

.1

88

5.

atem

entS

SS

,S

igned

ley

Nota

ryP

ubli

c

Sig

ned

J.

Astl

ey

”34

Am

ong

the

oth

er

pri

soners

was

Geo

rge

Ness

who

was

rele

ased

for

7so

me

unknow

nre

ason

tohis

fell

ow

pri

soners

.

(unko

wn

toall

but

Rie

l..)

The

Toro

nto

Mail

,M

ay25,

18

85

carr

ied

the

foll

ow

ing

sto

ry

en

titl

ed

:O

ther

Pri

so

ners

:

“Anum

ber

of

oth

ers

were

als

oin

confi

nem

ent,

but

the

majo

rity

were

only

impri

soned

for

ashort

tim

e.

Those

who

were

pla

ced

inW

alt

er

and

Bak

ers

sto

refo

rsafe

keepin

gw

ere

kep

tth

ere

only

duri

ng

the

nig

ht

of

the

18th

,and

were

rem

oved

toB

ato

che

churc

hth

enext

mo

rnin

g,

and

the

next

day

were

rem

oved

toth

e

resid

ence

of

Phil

ippe

Garn

ot,

secre

tary

of

the

pro

vis

ional

Go

vern

men

t.A

mon

gth

eo

ther

pri

soners

were

Georg

eN

ess

,L

ouis

Mari

on,

and

Ch

arl

es

Noun,

half

-bre

eds

who

had

refu

sed

tota

ke

up

arm

s.W

alt

ers

,o

fW

alt

ers

and

Bakers

,and

J.D

.H

anafi

n,

a

cle

rkin

their

em

plo

ym

en

t,E

dW

oo

dco

ck,

alr

eady

refe

rred

toas

captu

red

at

Ho

od

oo

,an

dT

ho

s.S

an

ders

on

,o

fC

arr

ott

Riv

er

who

happ

ened

toh

av

eca

mp

edat

that

pla

ce

the

nig

ht

it

was

plu

ndere

d.

...B

oth

...N

oli

nan

dM

ari

on

gave

their

adhere

nce

(to

the

Meti

s

govern

ment)

but

the

latt

er

(Mari

on

)d

esert

ed

the

next

day

and

sio

nal

ers

Noun

the

day

of

the

Duck

Lak

een

gag

em

en

t.N

ess

sto

od

ou

tto

.C.

the

last

bu

tw

asre

leased

for

som

ere

ason

unknow

nto

his

fell

ow

pri

soners

...

..

.35

Mrs

.N

ess

toR

iel:

Dear

Sir

,E

xcuse

me

troubli

ng

yo

u,

Iam

the

cause

of

my

husb

and

bein

gta

ken

pri

soner.

It

appears

cert

ain

that

Rie

lre

leased

Georg

eN

ess

on

acco

unt

of

two

lett

ers

wri

tten

tohim

by

Mrs

.N

ess

.T

he

fir

st

on

ere

ad

sas

foll

ow

s:

“M

onsi

eur

Lo

uis

Rie

l

Dear

Sir

,

Excu

sem

ytr

oubli

ng

yo

ubut

Ihav

econfi

dence

inyou

alo

ne

that

yo

uw

ill

have

pit

yo

nm

ew

hoare

all

alo

ne

wit

hm

y

thre

eli

ttle

chil

dre

nw

hoare

very

yo

un

g.

No

near

neig

hbo

rto

help

me

tak

ecare

fm

yli

ttle

catt

lean

dals

oy

ou

arr

este

dm

y

/33

—33

—

hu

sband

whil

eh

ew

astr

yin

gto

get

som

eth

ing

for

his

little

fam

ily.

Oh

beli

ev

em

eit

isI

who

amth

ecause

of

his

bein

g

tak

en

.T

he

nig

ht

befo

reI

beg

ged

of

him

tog

osell

his

ho

rse

toget

pro

vis

ion

and

oth

er

thin

gs

whic

hare

gre

atl

yn

eeded

...

Dear

Sir

Iw

ould

be

sogla

dto

see

him

,only

osp

eak

tohim

,

6.an

dyou

on

lycan

gra

nt

me

this

favor.

....A

nd

yet,

Georg

eis

.ess

ion

al

aM

eti

s;

No

never

sh

all

Ibeli

eve

that

my

nati

on

iscru

el

aper

s.A

.C.

enough

tok

ill

my

husb

and

or

keep

him

pri

so

ner

for

lon

g..

.Adeu

dear

Sir

,I

pra

yfo

ryou

wit

hall

my

heart

.

Sig

ned

The

wif

eo

fG

eo

rge

Ness”

36

Str

ain

ed

em

oti

ons

com

pell

ed

Ind

ian

sand

Meti

s’to

seek

revenge,

but

inte

rven

tio

no

fco

ole

rheads

avert

ed

trag

ed

y.

Aft

er

the

fight

at

Duck

Lak

eG

ab

riel

Dum

ont

ente

red

the

pri

son

an

dord

ere

dth

epri

soners

tob

eshot

but

the

men

inch

arg

e

refu

sed

too

bey

the

ord

er.

The

Sio

ux

were

parti

cu

larly

an

xio

us

toh

av

ere

ven

ge

but

were

restr

ain

tm

ain

lyth

rough

the

inter

ven

tio

nof

Monkrn

an.

Fath

er

Andre

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

wro

teto

Bis

hop

Gra

nd

ino

fa

wounded

man

who

was

att

acked

on

the

battle

fie

ldbut

was

sav

ed

by

Wil

liam

Bo

yer

wh

ena

Sio

ux

was

about

to

kil

lth

em

anusin

gth

ebutt

of

his

gun.

He

had

alr

ead

ybeen

hit

37.

sev

era

lti

mes

an

dtw

oo

fhis

fingers

were

bro

ken

as

he

covere

dA

ndre

his

face

toshie

ldhim

self

fro

mth

eb

low

s.B

oyer

took

the

Can

din

,w

ou

nd

edm

anto

Duck

Lak

e.

This

,F

ath

er

Andre

wro

te,

“is

an

oth

er

matt

er

wh

ich

isa

cred

itt

the

half

—bre

eds.”

37

R.A

.\i

bert

a.

The

latt

er

incid

en

tm

ust

be

unders

tood

inth

eco

nte

xt

of

experi

ence

wh

ich

the

Sio

ux

had

inth

eU

nit

ed

Sta

tes.

There

they

had

been

cru

ell

ypers

ecu

ted

and

hunte

dli

ke

gam

e.M

any

of

their

rela

tiv

es

had

been

kil

led

and

it

isli

kely

that

they

wis

hed

to

rev

enge

the

bruta

lity

their

next-

of-

kin

had

suff

ere

d.

Th

epri

soners

were

moved

toC

arl

ton

whic

hby

then

had

been

vacate

db

yth

eM

ounte

dP

oli

ce.

Ad

eta

ch

men

to

fh

alf

-bre

ed

s

rem

ain

ed

toguard

the

pre

mis

es

and

am

anand

aw

oman

were

assig

ned

toth

ecare

of

guard

sand

pri

so

ners

.

Aft

er

the

batt

leo

fD

uck

Lak

eR

iel

urg

ed

Cro

zie

rto

com

ean

dta

ke

away

his

dead.

The

Meti

sco

un

cil

met

pro

mptl

yafte

rth

eD

uck

Lak

eengage

men

tto

dis

cu

ss

the

sit

uati

on

at

han

dan

dd

ecid

ed

that

the

fir

st

an

dm

ost

pre

ssin

gn

eed

was

the

rem

oval

of

the

dead

on

the

battle

fie

ld.

Apri

sonet

was

rele

ased

and

giv

en

ale

tter

toth

eco

mm

and

.134

—34

—

ing

off

icer

at

Fort

Canto

nu

rgin

gh

imto

com

eta

ke

away

the

bod

ies

of

the

unfo

rtunate

and

that

those

inch

arg

eof

this

task

wo

uld

no

tb

em

ole

sted

.T

hom

asS

anders

on

off

ere

dto

carr

y

the

mess

age

toS

upt.

Cro

zie

ran

dth

en

retu

rnagain

tog

ive

him

self

up

as

apri

soner.

“To

Rie

lth

isse

emed

too

ffer

anopport

unit

yto

corn

rnuni

cate

wit

hth

ose

who

had

backed

the

agit

ati

on...a

nd

topla

ce

his

case

befo

reth

emonce

more

...h

eth

ere

fore

wro

tea

lett

er

add

ress

&

toC

rozie

r,w

hic

hhe

han

ded

toS

an

ders

on

,at

the

sam

eti

me

ask

inL

Sanders

on

tote

llth

ep

eo

ple

(the

volu

nte

ers

)th

at

he

did

not

wis

hto

fig

ht

them

...T

he

lett

er

toC

rozie

rre

ad

,in

part

as

foll

ow

s:

“Acala

mit

yhas

fall

en

upon

the

countr

yyeste

rday.

You

are

responsib

lefo

rit

befo

reG

odan

dm

an.

Your

men

can

no

tcl

am

that

their

inte

nti

on

sw

ere

peaceable

and

sin

ce

they

wer

ebri

ngin

alo

ng

can

no

ns.

And

they

fire

dm

any

shots

fir

st.

God

has

been

38

.p

leased

togra

nt

us

the

vic

tory

;an

das

our

movem

ent

isto

save

ou

rli

ves,

our

vic

tory

isgood;

and

we

off

er

itto

the

Alm

igh

ty.

p.32

0M

ajo

r,w

eare

Ch

risti

an

sin

war

and

inpeace.

We

wri

teyou

in

the

nam

eo

fG

odan

do

fhum

anit

yto

com

ean

dta

ke

away

yo

ur

dead

,

who

mw

erespect....”

38

-34a

—

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

Volu

nte

ers

had

felt

that

“th

ey

could

eat

tho

se

bre

ed

s,

mo

ccass

ins

and

all

,”re

late

done

of

Rie

l’s

pri

so

ners

.

Jim

Bra

dy,

twenti

eth

-cen

tury

org

aniz

er

of

tho

Meti

sin

Alb

ert

aar

idS

ask

atc

hew

an

,o

utl

ined

parti

cula

rs

of

the

batt

le

at

Duck

Lak

ein

ale

tter

toM

r.R

.B

.S

wan

key

of

Ed

mo

nto

n.

Bra

dy

’ssto

ryis

base

do

na

firs

t—p

ers

on

account

by

Pete

r

Tom

pkin

s,w

how

ascaptu

red

by

aM

eti

ssco

ut

on

Mar

ch1

8,

1885,

wh

ile

try

ing

tore

pair

ate

legra

ph

lin

e.

To

mp

kin

sw

asco

nfi

ned

wit

ho

ther

pri

soners

ina

house

at

Duck

Lak

eand

watc

hed

Gabri

el

Du

ino

nt’

satt

em

pt

toorg

aniz

ea

sm

all

Meti

sfo

rce.

Th

isgro

uo

mp

os

of

25M

eti

san

d5

Sio

ux,

then

met

and

defe

ate

dth

eM

ou

nte

d

Poli

ce

under

Cro

zie

r.

Jim

Bra

dy

rela

ted

the

foll

ow

ing

about

Pete

rT

om

pkin

s.

“In

the

earl

ym

orn

ing

hours

of

Mar

ch2

6th

he

was

aro

used

by

aco

mm

oti

on

ou

tsid

eth

ehouse

inw

hic

hhe

was

imp

riso

nn

ed.

Ric

heli

the

Meti

sguard

cap

tain

,all

ow

ed

him

tosta

nd

at”

up

per

sto

ryw

ind

ow

.

Dir

ectl

yb

elo

wh

imw

asD

um

ont

and

an

um

ber

of

mounte

dm

en.

Scouts

had

rep

ort

ed

that

the

po

lice

fro

mC

an

ton

were

movin

go

nD

uck

Lak

e.

The

part

yw

hic

hhad

hasti

lyass

em

ble

dm

oved

out

tom

eet

them

.H

eco

un

ted

25M

eti

sand

5S

iou

xIn

dia

ns.

It

was

this

part

y

wh

ich

met

an

ddefe

ate

dC

rozie

r.D

uin

ont

had

despatc

hed

mess

en

gers

sum

mo

nin

gth

em

enfr

om

the

low

er

sett

lem

en

tsto

join

them

.I-

Iow

ever

wh

enth

ese

rein

forc

em

en

tsre

ached

Duck

Lak

ev

illa

ge

they

were

info

rmed

that

Cro

zie

rw

asin

retr

eat.

To

mk

ins

was

extr

em

ely

crit

ical

of

the

blu

nders

of

the

att

ackin

gfo

rce.

The

Meti

ssc

ou

ts.

had

rep

ort

ed

that

Cro

zie

r’s

forc

ehad

cannon.

He

sp

en

ta

few

uncom

fort

able

min

ute

sex

pecti

ng

tobe

shell

ed

as

the

house

inw

hic

l

the

pri

soners

were

con

fined

sto

od

on

apro

min

ent

ris

eo

fg

rou

nd

,

clo

se

toth

ela

ke

shore

,and

pre

sente

dan

excell

ent

arti

llery

target.

He

full

yex

pecte

dth

at

Cro

zie

rw

ould

ad

van

ce

acro

ss

the

ice,

lau

nch

ing

afr

onta

lassault

,in

wh

ich

case,

the

Meti

sac

know

—

led

ge

Duck

Lak

ew

ou

ldhave

fall

en

.C

rozie

r’s

movem

ent

was

tacti

call

yu

nreali

sti

c.

The

Meti

scla

imC

rozie

rw

asle

dto

Duck

Lak

e

ag

ain

st

his

bett

er

Judg

em

en

t.W

hil

eat

Can

ton

he

was

join

ed

by

the

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

Vo

lun

teers

.T

his

gro

up

were

inth

em

ain

Pro

testa

nt

Ora

ngem

en

from

Onta

rio

wit

han

accre

tio

no

f“Q

uis

lin

g”

loyali

sts

fro

mam

ong

the

En

gli

sh

half

-bre

eds.

Cro

zie

rhad

sen

t

Serg

ean

tS

tew

art

wit

ha

sm

all

deta

ilto

retr

ieve

the

pers

onal

effects

of

Hil

lyard

Mit

ch

ell

who

had

fled

from

Duck

Lake.

This

part

yhad

been

warn

ed

and

turn

ed

back

by

the

Meti

s.

Poli

ce

scouts

rep

ort

ed

this

develo

pm

ent

toC

rozie

r.T

he

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

Vo

lunte

ers

were

for

anim

media

tem

ov

emen

tagain

st

Duck

Lake.

Cro

zie

rsu

gg

este

ddela

yunti

lS

tew

art

’sre

turn

.W

her

eupon

the

volu

nte

er

com

man

der

told

Cro

zie

rh

ew

ou

ldb

ran

dhim

as

ap

lotr

oo

n

and

cow

ard

ifh

edid

not

advance

imm

ed

iate

ly.

He

als

oadded

they

\

-34b

-

had

suffic

ient

forc

e‘t

oeat

tho

se

bre

eds

moccasi

ns

and

a11.

Cro

zie

rre

pli

ed

that

he

would

lead

him

toD

uck

Lake.

It

is

no

tew

ort

hy

tore

co

rdth

at

this

conte

mptu

ous

exponent

of

the

mil

itary

min

dw

aspro

mptl

ydespatc

hod

duri

ng

tha

fir

st

min

ute

s

of

the

en

gag

em

en

t.T

he

Nort

hW

est

Mo

un

ted

Poli

ce

wit

hlo

ng

39experi

ence

inth

ecountr

yand

man

ypers

onal

acquain

tances

amo

ng

the

Meti

sre

co

gn

ized

inth

em

ad

vers

ari

es

of

pro

ven

coura

ge

and

Jim

Bra

dyre

so

urc

efu

lness

and

were

an

xio

us

toavert

adir

ect

arm

ed

encounte

r.

BR

Th

eP

rince

Alb

ert

Volu

nte

ers

were

co

nfi

den

tth

at

am

ere

dis

pla

y

Sw

anke

y,of

forc

ew

ou

ldo

vera

we

Du

nio

nt

and

dis

pers

eh

isfo

llow

ers

.T

om

kin

sE

dmon

ton.

recall

ed

that

the

Meti

sheld

ala

rge

gath

eri

ng

tocele

brate

their

Co

rres

ponden

ce,

vic

tory.

Cro

zie

rab

an

do

ned

Canto

nand

Meti

ssco

uts

ranged

up

toG

abri

el

the

envir

ons

toP

rince

Alb

ert

.O

none

occasio

n,

anote

dsco

ut

Dum

ont

Insti

-Ji

mus

Short

co

nceale

dh

imself

for

aday

inth

echurc

hto

wer

at

tute

,P

rince

Alb

ert

,observ

ing

enem

ydis

posit

ions

and

at

dusk

dro

ve

Reg

ina

away

ah

erd

of

catt

lew

ithin

sig

ht

of

the

garris

on.’

9

Rie

lh

ad

hoped

tocre

ate

ahaven

inw

hic

hall

the

op

pre

ssed

people

s

would

find

refu

ge.

Tom

pkin

srela

ted

toB

rady

that

du

rin

gth

eir

confi

nem

ent

at

Du

ckL

ak

eth

epri

soners

were

vis

ited

by

Rie

l.H

erecall

ed

that

Rie

lsp

ok

eexcell

ent

Eng

lish

wit

ha

decid

ed

Fre

nch

accent,

sta

ting:

“‘

Gentl

em

en,

the

fort

unes

of

war

have

mad

eyou

our

pri

soners

but

you

hav

eevery

assura

nce

your

life

and

pro

pert

yw

ill

be

respecte

dand

yo

uw

ill

be

treate

daccord

ing

toth

ere

cogniz

ed

rule

s

of

warf

are

.If

at

anyti

me

yo

uhave

any

co

mp

lain

tslo

dg

eth

emw

ith

Monsi

eur

Ric

heli

eu,

the

Capta

ino

fth

eG

uard

,and

he

wil

ltr

ansm

it

them

toour

Council

’.

Lash

,th

eIn

dia

nA

gent

and

oth

er

wh

ite

pri

soners

refu

sed

tota

lkto

Rie

lbut

Lash

did

thre

ate

nR

iel

wit

h

the

word

s‘I

wil

lli

ve

tose

eyou

and

yo

ur

Council

han

ged

’.

Rie

l

ask

ed

Tom

kin

sif

he

had

any

questi

ons

toask.

There

upon,

To

mk

ins

en

qu

ired

wh

at

Rie

lp

urp

ose

dto

do

ifth

ere

bel

effo

rts

succeed

ed

.

Rie

ldecla

red

that

ifth

ere

bel

cause

was

successfu

lth

eM

eti

s

wo

uld

sum

mon

repre

senta

tives

of

all

the

peo

ple

so

fth

eN

ort

h-W

est

toset

up

aN

ati

on

al

Ass

em

bly

tom

eet

at

Batt

lefo

rdw

hic

hw

ould

bec

om

eth

ecap

ital

of

anew

fed

era

ted

rep

ub

lic

base

du

po

nth

e

div

isio

no

fth

ecountr

yin

ton

ati

on

al

reg

ion

shavin

ga

com

mon

cen

ter

wit

hth

eb

ou

nd

ari

es

rad

iati

ng

there

from

toth

eoute

rcir

cu

m

fere

nce

of

the

rep

ub

lic,

exclu

din

g,

ho

wev

er,

the

no

rth

ern

and

Arc

tic

reg

ion

sw

hic

hw

ere

tobe

all

ocate

dto

the

India

ns

and

Esk

imo

and

oth

ers

foll

ow

ing

that

mode

of

life.

To

mk

ins

poin

ted

ou

tth

at

inth

ishypoth

eti

cal

sta

teth

eM

eti

sw

ould

be

am

inori

ty.

Rie

l

acknow

ledged

this

but

av

err

ed

there

wo

uld

be

acom

munit

yo

fin

terest

inw

hic

hall

would

sia

re.

To

mk

iris

quote

dhis

wo

rds

‘In

this

new

nati

on

all

the

op

pre

ssed

peo

ple

so

fth

eeart

hw

ill

fin

da

hav

en

an

da

refu

ge.’

Accozdin

gly

each

imm

igra

nt

gro

up

would

be

ap

po

r

tioned

toth

eir

nati

on

al

regio

n.

All

regio

ns

wo

uld

en

joy

local

au

ton

om

yw

ith

dir

ect

fed

era

lre

pre

sen

tati

on

at

Batt

lefo

rd.

In

matt

ers

of

exte

rnal

affair

s,

cust

om

sand

defe

nce

the

federa

l

po

wer

wo

uld

be

supre

me.

To

mk

ins

enquir

ed

ab

ou

tla

nd

ow

ners

hip

.

Rie

lco

nfi

rmed

the

pri

ncip

leo

fp

riv

ate

ow

ners

hip

of

land

wit

han

inali

enable

rig

ht

inheri

tance.

This

led

To

mk

ins

tosa

y‘M

r.R

iel,

Ican

full

yunders

tand

yo

ur

pla

ns

for

are

pu

bli

cand

Iagre

ew

ith

your

ideas

of

lan

dow

ners

hip

but

Ican

fore

see

apro

ble

mari

sin

g

out

of

yo

ur

pro

po

sed

syst

em

of

pro

pert

yrig

hts

.A

syou

note

d,

these

vari

ous

racia

lg

rou

ps

wil

lb

earib

traril

yconfi

ned

wit

hin

their

nati

on

al

bo

un

dari

es.

We

have

the

hum

anp

rob

lem

.E

very

where

men

look

they

see

the

dau

gh

ters

of

Eve

are

fair

tolo

ok

up

on

and

love

laughs

at

bo

un

dari

es.

Fro

mth

eyouth

wil

lco

me

new

cit

izen

s

wh

oh

av

ea

loy

alt

yto

two

races

and

this

wil

lb

ere

peate

dco

n

tinuo

usly

inendle

ss

co

mb

inati

on

san

dv

ari

ati

on

s.

All

these

new

hybri

dcit

izens

wil

lin

herit

pro

pert

yri

ghts

inale

nable

toth

emJi

mby

law

.If

aw

oman

marr

ies

outs

ide

her

regio

nw

ill

she

reta

inB

rady

toin

heri

ted

lan

drig

hts

wit

hin

her

ori

gin

al

reg

ion

or

wil

lsh

eB

.R.

up

on

marr

iag

esurr

ender

them

toth

ere

gio

nal

au

tho

rity

.I

can

Sw

anke

y.Ib

id.

fore

see

where

people

wil

lfi

nd

these

mult

iple

boundari

es

not

on

lyconfu

sin

gbut

actu

all

yd

ep

riv

ing

them

of

their

pro

pert

y

rig

hts

.H

oww

ill

you

deal

wit

hth

at

pro

ble

m,

Mr.

Rie

l?’

For

ci

mom

ent

Rie

lw

asvis

ibly

sun

kin

thought.

He

repli

ed,

‘Mr.

Tom

kin

s,

you

have

po

sed

avery

pen

etr

ati

ng

questi

on.

To

be

frank

Ih

av

e

never

giv

en

it

an

yth

ought.

How

ever,

Ish

all

giv

eit

my

seri

ous

consid

era

tion

and

nex

tti

me

we

meet

Ih

op

eI

wil

lb

eable

to

answ

er

yo

ur

qu

esti

on

’.A

tth

isju

nctu

reR

ich

eli

eu

ente

red

and

co

nfe

rred

inC

ree

wit

hR

iel

who

then

hu

rrie

dly

left

the

room

.”40

CH

APT

ERTH

REE

83G

aps

inth

eC

.P.R

.

SUM

MA

RY

OF

HIS

TO

RIC

AL

EV

EN

TS

DIS

CU

SS

ED

INC

HA

PT

ER

TH

RE

EO

FT

HE

PR

OJE

CT

Marc

h20

Govern

ment

info

rms

C.P

.R.

that

no

more

pub

lic

mo

ney

tofi

nance

corp

ora

tion

wil

lb

efo

rth

co

min

g.

Marc

h24

Afo

rce

of

400

so

ldie

rs

transport

ed

fro

mO

ttaw

ato

the

West

.

Marc

h27

Afe

whours

afte

rth

eD

uck

Lak

eb

att

le,

Nort

hW

est

Mounte

dP

oli

ce

Co

mm

issi

on

ers

Irv

ine

arriv

es

wit

ha

forc

eo

f100

men

from

Regin

a.

Marc

h27

700

more

sold

iers

dis

patc

hed

fro

mE

aste

rnC

an

ad

ato

N.W

.T.

Van

Ho

me,

Vic

e-P

resid

en

tof

the

C.P

.R.

pro

mis

es

toget

troops

inle

ss

than

sev

en

day

sto

their

desti

nati

on.

Marc

h28

Mid

dle

ton

arriv

es

inF

ort

Qu’A

ppell

eand

div

ides

his

forc

ein

toth

ree

colu

mns.

1.

his

own

str

ikin

gfo

rce,

based

at

Qu’A

pp

ell

e.

2.

Co

lonel

Ott

er’s

forc

e,

based

at

Sw

ift

Curr

ent.

3.

Majo

rG

enera

lS

tran

ge’s

forc

eb

ase

dat

Calg

ary

.

Ap

ril

3M

iddle

ton

leav

es

Qu

’Ap

pell

ew

ith

part

of

his

arm

yfo

rH

um

bo

ldt.

Colo

nel

Ott

er

leaves

Sw

ift

Curr

ent

for

Batt

lefo

rd

.

Ap

ril

6D

om

inio

ng

ov

ern

men

tsett

les

Half

-Bre

ed

cla

ims.

PE

RS

ON

AL

ITIE

SW

HIC

HP

LA

YE

DA

PR

OM

INE

NT

RO

LE

INC

HA

PT

ER

TH

RE

EO

FT

HE

PR

OJE

CT

RIE

LM

eti

sle

ad

er

sta

tioned

at

Bato

ch

e.

GR

AN

DIN

(O.M

.I.)

Bis

hop

of

St.

Alb

ert

and

Superi

or

toO

bla

teM

issio

nari

es

inth

eS

t.L

au

ren

tare

a.

AN

DR

E(R

ev

.)P

ari

sh

prie

st

sta

tioned

inP

rince

Alb

ert

.

MID

DL

ET

ON

Genera

lo

fC

anadia

nD

om

inio

nM

ilit

ary

Forc

es.

IRV

INE

Mounte

dP

oli

ce

Co

mm

issi

on

er

sta

tioned

inR

eg

ina.

VA

NH

OR

NE

Vic

e—

Pre

sid

ent

of

the

Canadia

nP

acif

icR

ail

way

Co

rpo

rati

on.

WH

ITE

(Dr.

)T

oro

nto

ph

ysic

ian

.

CH

APT

ER

TH

RE

E

The

Po

lice

tran

sfer

toP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

and

the.

Canadia

ntr

oo

p—

movem

ent

from

East

toW

est

.

Intr

od

ucti

on

toC

hap

ter

3.

The

decis

ion

tom

ov

eP

oli

ce

and

Volu

nte

ers

toP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

had

been

gre

ete

dw

ith

enth

usia

sm

by

the

men

sta

tioned

at

Fo

rt

Canto

n.

The

fo

rt

was

of

little

import

ance,

eit

her

from

the

poin

tof

vie

wof

sit

uati

on

or

suppli

es.

The

evacuati

on

was

carr

ied

ou

tunder

cover

of

the

nig

ht

and

every

av

ail

ab

lev

ehic

le

load

ed

wit

hg

oo

ds.

What

could

not

be

taken

was

destr

oyed,

-

eit

her

sunk

ben

eath

the

ice

inth

eriv

er

or

em

pti

ed

inth

esn

ow

.

The

arriv

al

of

the

Po

lice

bro

ug

ht

co

nfi

den

ce

toth

ecit

izens

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ei-

tw

hoh

ad

been

thro

wn

into

apanic

when

they

heard

of

the

Meti

s’v

icto

ryov

er

the

Mo

un

ted

Poli

ce.

Man

yth

ought

that

eit

her

Half

-bre

ed

so

rIn

dia

ns

would

soon

“sw

oo

pdow

nand

bri

ng

fir

ean

db

loo

d-s

hed

toth

eto

wn,”

wro

teF

ath

er

Andre

,a

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

Pari

sh

prie

st,

tohis

superi

or,

Monsi

gneur

Gra

nd

in.

Man

yof

the

resid

ents

recounte

dth

eir

experi

ences

tonew

spaper

report

ers

afe

wd

ecad

es

late

r.

These

an

ecd

ote

shave

been

pre

serv

ed

by

the

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

His

tori

cal

So

cie

tyand

are

sto

red

inth

e

local

Muse

um

at

the

pre

sent

tim

e.

Dir

ing

the

fir

st

two

weeks

of

Ap

ril

life

inP

rjn

ce

Alb

ert

resu

med

afair

lyn

orm

al

cours

e,

the

Po

lice

were

aw

ait

ing

the

arriv

al

of

govern

men

ttr

oo

ps

dis

patc

hed

from

Easte

rnC

anada.

Van

Ho

me

of

the

Can

ad

ian

Pacif

icR

ail

way

moved

clo

se

tofi

ve

tho

usa

nd

men

toth

eir

desti

nati

on

inle

ss

than

ten

day

s.

Th

is

gig

anti

cta

sk

was

well

wort

hth

eeffort

from

the

C.P

.R.’

s

poin

to

fv

iew

It

bro

ught

the

com

pany,

whic

hhad

been

on

the

po

int

of

ban

kru

ptc

y,

the

desir

ed

Dom

inio

nlo

an.

Aft

er

the

arriv

al

of

the

mil

itary

inF

ort

Qu’A

ppell

em

any

of

the

new

Volu

nte

ers

had

topra

cti

ce

the

skil

lsre

quir

ed

in

com

bat.

The

arm

yh

ad

been

call

ed

togeth

er

ingre

at

haste

and

man

ym

enh

ad

never

fire

da

rif

lebefo

re.

Fro

mF

ort

Qu’A

ppell

e

the

majo

rity

of

tro

op

sm

oved

nort

hut’

few

had

tore

turn

east

on

acco

un

to

fil

lness.

Tho

sew

hore

turn

ed

had

man

yn

eg

ati

ve

com

men

tsab

ou

tth

em

od

eo

ftr

ansport

,th

ebehavio

ur

of

off

icers

and

men

,and

the

mora

leam

ong

so

ldie

rs.

The

65

thB

att

all

ion

fro

mM

on

treal

was

sin

gle

dout

as

the

least

dis

cip

lined.

The

men

fro

mth

iscorp

sm

dti

pie

dduri

ng

transport

and

show

eda

genera

l

unw

illi

ng

ness

tofi

gh

tth

eM

eti

sin

West

ern

Can

ad

a.

/36

—36

—

Whil

epre

para

tions

for

ala

rge

mil

itary

batt

lew

ere

in

pro

gre

ss

the

gri

ev

an

ces

of

the

Half

-bre

eds,

whic

hhad

led

to

their

dis

conte

nt

and

org

aniz

ed

effort

toeffect

acti

on

from

govern

men

t,w

ere

rem

ed

ied

.T

he

Half

—bre

ed

cla

ims

were

gra

nte

d

by

Ott

aw

aon

Mar

ch3

0,

18

85

;b

ut

at

this

poin

tit

was

too

late

tohalt

the

ho

sti

liti

es

set

inm

oti

on

.B

yearl

yA

pri

lth

ousan

ds

of

tro

op

sw

ere

on

their

way

toB

ato

che

and

asm

all

but

dete

r

min

ed

Meti

sfo

rce

pre

pare

dto

defe

nd

itself

again

st

no

ver

whelm

ing

majo

rity

of

train

ed

so

ldie

rsw

how

ere

ready

tostr

ike

“th

ere

bels

”a

death

lyblo

w.

The

fore

goin

gin

troducti

on

isin

ten

ded

toh

elp

the

read

er

bec

om

eacquain

ted

wit

hth

ese

qu

en

ce

of

events

lead

ing

from

the

ev

acu

ati

on

of

Fo

rtC

an

ton

toth

earriv

al

of

te

mil

itary

in

the

Bato

che

are

a.

Th

eexcerp

tsfr

om

pri

mary

docum

ents

and

second

ary

sourc

es

have

been

sele

cte

dto

show

S.not

on

lyth

e

acti

on

san

devents

set

inm

oti

on

by

the

lead

ers

hip

of

the

opposi

ng

forc

es,

bu

tals

o,

the

gen

era

lm

ood

of

the

people

caught

up

inth

ech

ain

of

hap

penin

gs

aro

und

them

.

/37

The

evacuati

on

of

Fort

Can

ton

was

carr

ied

out

un

der

co

ver

oI

the

nig

ht.

Th

edecis

ion

tom

ove

Poli

ce

and

Vg

lun

teers

boP

rince

Alb

ert

had

been

gre

ete

dw

ith

enth

usia

sm

by

the

men

sta

tioned

at

Fo

rt

Can

ton.

Irvin

eto

ohad

been

infa

vor

of

the

move.

Canto

n

wao

flittle

imp

ort

ance

eit

her

fro

mth

epoin

to

fvie

wo

fsit

u

ati

on

or

suppli

es.

On

the

oth

er

han

dP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

was

looked

upo

nas

the

str

ate

gic

al

centr

eo

fth

ete

rrit

ory

of

Sask

atc

hew

an

.

The

tow

n,

how

ever,

su

rrounded

as

it

was

by

En

gli

sh

Half

-bre

ed

sett

lem

en

ts,

was

beli

eved

tob

ein

danger

of

att

ack

by

the

Meti

s.

Th

ere

fore

the

decis

ion

tore

locate

the

troops

for

the

pro

tecti

on

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

cit

izens

was

unanim

ousl

yap

pro

ved

by

com

mis

sio

ne

offic

ers

an

dV

olu

nte

ers

..

The

evacuati

on

of

the

fo

rt

was

tarrie

do

ut

under

co

ver

of

the

nig

ht

fro

mM

arch

27

,to

28,

and

every

av

ail

ab

leveh

icle

bad

e

wit

hg

oo

ds.

What

co

uld

not

be

taken

was

destr

oyed

-eit

her

sunk

beneath

the

ice

inth

eriy

er

or

em

pti

ed

inth

esn

ow

.

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

inhabit

ants

were

bew

ildere

dand

frig

hte

nen

d,

wro

te

Fath

er

Andre

,a

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

pari

sh

prie

st,

toM

on

sig

neu

rG

ran

di.

Thro

ugh

care

lessness

afir

eb

rok

eo

ut

áh

ile

Fbrt

Canto

nw

as

bein

gev

acu

ate

dan

dth

esecre

cy

of

the

opera

tion

destr

oy

ed

;fo

r

this

reaso

nth

em

enh

urr

ied

away

wit

hall

po

ssib

lesp

eed.

Th

earriv

al

of

the

Po

lice

forc

eb

rou

gh

tco

nfi

den

ce

toth

e

cit

izen

sof

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

who

had

lived

inte

rror

sin

ce

the

new

s

of

the

Meti

sv

icto

ryo

ver

the

Mounte

dP

oli

ce.

Fath

er

An

dr&

s

descri

pti

on

of

the

fears

whic

hperv

aded

the

tow

nw

ere

ex

pre

ssed

ina

lett

er

toM

onsi

gn

eu

rG

randin

.

Th

egovern

men

ttr

oo

ps

su

ffere

da

seri

ous

defe

at

and

were

forc

ed

tob

eat

aretr

eat

.E

leven

of

their

men

were

kil

led

and

there

were

anum

ber

of

wounded..

,th

enum

ber

of

the

dead

amo

ng

the

half

-bre

eds

isnot

know

n.

This

new

shas

sp

read

terror

1.in

the

heart

sof

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

cit

izens

who

are

bew

ildere

dan

d

frig

hte

ned.

At

an

yti

me,

it

isexpecte

dth

at

Rie

land

his

band

Mo

nsi

gneu

rof

half

-bre

eds

,fo

llow

ed

by

the

Ind

ian

s,w

ill

swo

op

dow

nand

bri

r.G

rand

ul,

fir

ean

db

loo

dsh

ed

toth

eto

wn

.P

eo

ple

are

ab

an

do

nin

gth

eir

P.A

.C.

ho

mes

tota

ke

refu

ge

ina

kin

do

ffo

rt

that

has

been

bu

ilt

in

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

.“1

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

res..

den

tso

f1

88

5to

ldth

eir

sto

rie

sm

any

years

lat

The

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

his

toric

al

so

cie

tyis

inpossess

1ion

of

the

reco

llecti

on

sof

form

er

cit

izens

who

resid

ed

inth

eto

wn

./38

—38

—

duri

ng

the

No

rth

west

dis

turb

ances.

Foll

ow

ing

are

anum

ber

of

excerp

tsfr

om

this

coll

ecti

on.

Sto

ryof

June

Gars

on

,n

ee

Fle

tt.

2.“T

he

people

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

,genera

lly

speakin

g,

were

very

Mrs

.P

.F.

ex

cit

ed;

ind

eed

man

yo

fth

em

were

scare

d.

Isa

wL

aw

rence

Cla

rke

Gar

son

,H

oey,

Sas

k.

and

alittle

cro

wd

go

past

our

house

toth

ew

est,

shouti

ng

and

Pri

nce

sin

gin

g.

Isaid

that

the

little

cro

wd

would

be

no

matc

hfo

rth

eA

lber

tH

isto

rical

Ind

ian

s.

2S

oci

ety

Georg

ina

Fre

eb

orn

,nee

Mil

ler,

had

this

tosay:

3“o

n27th

Marc

h,

asto

ckade

was

buil

tat

the

churc

hw

here

Mrs

.W

;all

the

sett

lem

ent

were

call

ed

inone

nig

ht

and

let

go

hom

eth

eM

ille

rs

Hil

l.next

day

as

they

tho

ug

ht

Rie

l’s

men

were

com

ing

toP

rince

Alb

ert

,F

ile

97but

wh

ich

turn

ed

out

tob

ea

herd

of

catt

leth

at

had

been

seen.”

3

Excerp

tsfr

om

T.

E.

Jackson’s

account.

“A

fter

the

Duck

Lak

efi

gh

ta

Fre

nch

half

—bre

ed,

nam

ed

Tousa

nt

St.

Lu

cie

nn

e,

whose

hom

ew

asn

ear

Canto

n,

cam

eto

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

,and

said

that

my

bro

ther

Wil

liam

Henry

Jackson,

was

ind

an

ger.

He

had

been

secre

tary

of

the

Farm

ers

Unio

n,

and

was

inti

mate

lyassocia

ted

wit

hR

iel.

As

Ihave

alr

ead

ysta

ted,

Rie

lhad

tak

en

pri

soner,

Tom

San

ders

on

,o

fC

arr

ot

Riv

er,

and

now

Tom

was

sent

wit

ha

mess

age

afte

rth

eD

uck

Lak

efi

ght

toM

ajo

r

Cro

zie

r,head

of

the

Mounte

dP

oli

ce

inP

rince

Alb

ert

:tC

ome

and

rem

ov

eth

edead

bodie

so

fth

em

enw

hohave

been

kil

led

at

Duck

Lak

e,

and

you

wil

ln

ot

be

mole

ste

d.’

Whe

nS

anders

on

reached

Cro

zie

r,th

ere

were

pre

sen

tT

omM

acK

ay,

Law

ren

ce

Cla

rke,

an

doth

ers

who

too

kex

cepti

on

toth

em

ess

ag

e;

they

feare

da

trap,

as

they

had

lost

the

Du

ckL

ake

fig

ht.

The

conse

quences

was

that

they

refu

sed

toall

ow

Sanders

on

tore

turn

for

the

bo

die

s.

Majo

rC

rozie

rw

asca

mp

edw

ith

his

offic

ers

on

the

level

gro

un

dnear

where

Mis

sL

ucy

Bak

er

use

dto

live.

Iw

ent

and

saw

Majo

rC

rozie

rp

ers

on

all

yand

ask

ed

ifhe

co

uld

pro

vid

eS

an

ders

on

and

myself

wit

htw

ote

am

sto

go

for

the

bodie

s.

He

ag

reed

todo

so

,an

dg

av

eu

stw

opo

lice

team

s.W

in.

Dra

involu

nte

ere

dto

go

alo

ng

wit

hu

s.

Inreali

tyD

rain

was

ask

ed

togo

wit

hus

to

keep

track

of

us

an

dw

atc

hour

mo

vem

en

ts!

He

was

the

only

one

wh

oh

ad

any

fire

arm

sw

ith

him

.S

ow

ejo

urn

ey

ed

off...

We

got

all

the

bod

ies,

loaded

them

on

sle

igh

s,

and

cam

e

rig

ht

thro

ug

hto

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

,S

an

ders

on

dr.

ivin

gone

team

,an

d

—39

—

my

self

anoth

er

wit

hD

rain

sit

tin

galo

ng

sid

eo

fm

e.W

ew

ere

met

inP

rince

Alb

ert

by

anin

tere

ste

dcro

wd.

The

re1.L

tvcii

oF

Lhe

ckcoase

darr

ived

and

Look

Lho

boci

.Les

away

.

Rie

lre

fused

tole

tm

yb

roth

er

go

,and

Ilo

st

all

the

rob

es

4.th

at

Ihad

tak

en

alo

ng

inth

esle

ighs.

Whe

nR

iel

wo

uld

not

let

Jcson.

my

bro

ther

go,

he

inti

mate

dth

at

ifI

retu

rned

aw

eek

or

two

Doc

.55

late

r,

he

wo

uld

let

me

take

him

.I

had

toget

aperm

itfr

om

the

Mac

do

nnel

lau

tho

rit

ies

inP

rince

Alb

ert

for

the

tow

nw

asunder

mil

itary

byru

le.

Sentr

ies

were

on

the

outs

ide

of

the

tow

n,

and

we

need

ed

dic

tati

on.

ano

rder

fro

mth

em

ilit

ary

auth

orit

ies

befo

rew

eco

uld

get

thro

ugh

the

guard.”

4

Sto

ryof

Mrs

.W

.W.

Cla

rke,

nee

McL

eod

.

“W

ith

the

reb

ell

ion

of

1885,

my

pare

nts

,no

ww

ith

two

ch

ildre

n,

myself

and

ababy

sis

ter,

too

kre

fuge

inP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

at

my

Au

nt

RO

SS

’Sif

lth

eo

ldhouse

sta

nd

ing

next

“A

dd

ie”

McB

eth

’s

house

and

opposit

eth

eo

ldlo

gM

ass

ey

Harr

isw

are

house

.L

ate

r

wh

enm

yA

unt

Ro

ssm

ov

edaw

ayfr

om

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

,G

eo

rge

Dil

l

bro

ught

his

bri

de,

Rov

en

aM

cG

reg

or,

ab

eau

tifu

l,g

low

ing

gir

l,

tohis

ho

use

.(H

ere

there

isone

page

mis

sin

gfr

om

the

do

cu

men

t.j

Th

eF

ort

was

acord

wood

barr

icade

aro

un

dth

eo

ldbri

ck

Pre

sbyte

rian

Ch

urc

habo

ut

opposit

ew

here

Cit

yH

all

now

sta

nds

an

dth

eb

rick

man

sestill

sta

nd

s.

Most

of

the

men

were

away

at

the

Duck

Lak

eaffair

and

only

afe

wle

ft

wit

hm

yfa

ther,

am

ongst

them

,half

adozen

rif

les

toguard

the

fort,

when

asco

ut

cam

e

gall

opin

gin

wit

hth

eala

rmth

at

the

rebels

were

marc

hin

gon

the

tow

n.

Alt

hough

severa

lo

fyears

late

rare

bla

nk,

this

nig

ht

isv

ivid

inm

ym

emory

.

My

baby

sis

ter

and

Iw

ere

inbed

inone

of

the

roo

ms

of

my

Aunt’

shouse

and

my

mo

ther

inh

er

nig

ht

clo

thes,

when

my

fath

er

spra

ng

into

the

room

an

d,

say

ing

som

eth

ing

tom

ym

oth

er,

gra

bb

ed

an

dp

utt

ing

my

coat

an

dsto

ckin

gs

on

me

wit

hm

yb

oo

tsin

his

pocket,

wra

pp

ed

ash

aw

laro

un

dm

ysis

ter

and

takin

gone

of

us

ineach

arm

ran

for

the

barr

icade.

My

moth

er

had

sli

pp

ed

aco

at

ov

er

her

nig

ht

clo

thes

and

put

shoes

on

her

bare

feet.

We

co

uld

have

go

ne

aro

un

dth

esq

uare

up

toth

eold

Mis

sio

n(o

pp

osit

ew

here

J.

B.

Kern

aghen’s

sto

reis

bu

ilt)

and

dow

nw

hat

isnow

Cen

tral

Av

enu

eto

the

barr

icad

e.

Inste

ad

of

whic

hw

ecu

td

iag

on

all

y

acro

ss

back

of

where

the

old

McG

regor

ho

me

sto

od

for

som

any

years

,ab

ou

tw

here

the

sit

eo

fR

obert

Cassie

’ssto

reis

now

.T

he

wate

rfr

om

the

melt

ing

snow

sto

od

afo

ot

deep

and

pain

ted

on

my

mem

ory

isth

epic

ture

of

my

moth

er

run

nin

ga

few

feet

ah

ead

in

—4U

—

the

dim

light.

Ican

still

feel

my

fath

er’

sarm

saro

und

me

and

hear

him

spla

shin

gacro

ss

and

well

rem

em

ber

at

the

deepest

part

,le

an

ing

dow

nfr

om

his

sh

ou

lder

tofe

el

inhis

pock

et

for

my

pre

cio

us

red

bo

ots

.T

hen

,in

the

old

manse

,w

ith

my

moth

er

inbed

an

dsc

ream

ing

wom

enand

chil

dre

naro

und,

arif

lew

ent

off

by

accid

en

tan

dw

omen

fain

ted

and

men

ran

wit

hb

lan

ch

ed

faces

toth

esto

ckade.

Ifo

und

two

doll

su

nd

er

my

mo

ther’

sbed

and

sta

rted

do

wn

the

sta

irto

sho

wm

yfa

ther,

bu

ta

big

gir

lm

etm

eand

sla

pped

me

and

too

kth

em

fro

mm

e.M

ym

oth

er

lost

her

fir

st

baby

son

that

tim

e,

layin

gin

bed

at

death

’sdoor

for

man

yw

eary

month

s,

an

dever

afte

rw

asa

frail

er

wo

man

,not

the

on

lyone

who

paid

her

pri

ce

for

pio

neeri

ng

the

fronti

er

wit

hher

husb

and.

It

was

po

ssib

lyth

enext

mo

rnin

gth

at

the

sle

ighs

carr

yin

g

our

dead

dre

wm

ou

rnfu

lly

into

the

barr

icade,

Capta

inM

ort

on,

5.our

good

neig

hbor

on

the

farm

,D

anM

cP

hail

,bro

ther

of

J.

R.

Reco

llec-

McP

hail

who

had

ahard

ware

sto

rein

Gosc

hen,

Dan

McK

enzie

,and

tio

ns

of

Mrs

.w.

w.m

any

oth

er

gall

an

tspir

its.

Cla

rke,

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

‘The

tum

ult

an

dth

eshouti

ng

die

d’,

and

life

shif

ted

dow

nH

isto

rical

ag

ain

for

the

pio

neers

tolo

ng

hours

of

wo

rkin

the

ineff

ab

leM

use

um

,P

rince

su

nsh

ine

an

dcle

ar

air.”

5A

lber

t

En

titl

ed,

“In

Mem

ori

am,”

apoem

by

Wil

liam

McD

ougall

of

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

.

INM

EM

OR

IAM

Th

efo

llow

ing

lines

were

com

pose

db

yM

r.W

m.

McD

ougall

in

mem

ory

of

the

anniv

ers

ary

of

the

bra

ve

hero

es

who

fell

at

Du

ckL

ak

“Com

eall

true,

loy

al

Can

ad

ian

s,

Wh

ere

’re

yo

um

ayre

sid

e

And

shed

ate

ar

inm

emory

Of

Eig

hte

en

Eig

hty

-fiv

e.

‘Tw

asth

en

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

’sh

ero

es,

who

inacti

on

at

Duck

Lak

e

On

that

ill-

fate

dtw

enty

-six

tho

fM

arc

h,

Fought

for

their

co

un

try

’ssake.

Those

drif

tsof

snow

sop

ure

and

whit

e

Wer

esta

ined

.cri

mso

nre

d

Fro

mth

ev

ein

sof

our

bra

ve

cit

izens

Who

lie

num

bere

dw

ith

the

dead.

/41

—‘4

.1.

—

No

frie

nd

tocla

sp

their

cold

wh

ite

han

d

Or

their

life

—blo

od

help

tosta

y,

Wit

hin

their

co

ld,

whit

esn

ow

ybed

Their

yo

un

gli

fe

fled

aw

ay

.

Infair

er

lan

ds

bey

on

dth

evale

,

Wh

ere

nati

on

scease

tofig

ht,

Th

eym

arc

haro

un

dth

eg

reat

wh

ite

thro

ne,

Inspotl

ess

robes

of

whit

e.

6. Pri

nce

Alb

ert

Her

itag

eG

odeck

wit

hfl

ow

ers

their

lovely

gra

ve,

Mus

eum

As

the

years

go

fle

eti

ng

by,

For

mo

uld

eri

ng

their

beneath

the

cla

y,

Lie

sa

moth

er’

ssold

ier

boy.

--W

m.

McD

ougall

.”6

Co

l.Ir

vin

eassert

ed

that

he

had

unquesti

onable

pro

of

of

the

nearl

yeq

ual

bala

nces

betw

een

loy

al

and

“tr

ait

ero

us”

ele

men

ts

inP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

.

Accord

ing

toG

ary

W.

D.

Ab

ram

sth

eP

oli

ce

were

receiv

ed

wit

h

am

ixtu

reo

freli

ef

and

bit

tern

ess.

He

ex

pla

ins:

“Th

ew

ors

tfe

ars

were

reli

eved

inth

ela

teaft

ern

oon

of

Mar

ch28

wh

enth

ev

olu

nte

ers

and

poli

ce

arr

ived

from

Canto

n.

Yet

their

co

min

gserv

ed

als

oto

cre

ate

anew

pro

ble

m.

Hu

ng

ryand

tire

d,,

the

poli

ce

occupie

dth

esto

ckade

“ra

ther

uncere

mo

nio

usly

,”

an

dth

us

rev

ived

ab

itte

rness

whic

hw

asto

feste

rm

ali

gn

antl

y

duri

ng

long

week

sof

inacti

on

.C

oo

ped

up

inth

eto

wn,

su

bje

cte

d

toall

the

pett

yrestr

icti

ons

dem

anded

by

asta

teof

war,

and

seein

gth

epoli

ce

sta

nd

idle

whil

eth

ecrit

ical

batt

les

were

fought

by

oth

ers

,th

efa

rmers

inp

arti

cu

lar

nu

rsed

anim

osit

yag

ain

their

recent

en

em

ies.

The

poli

ce

for

their

part

,re

mem

beri

ng

that

the

sett

lers

had

help

ed

tofo

ment

the

agit

ati

on

whic

hhad

en

ded

inre

bell

ion,

co

nscio

us

of

the

hatr

ed

and

conte

mpt

dir

ecte

dat

7th

em

,and

an

no

yed

by

incessant

gru

mbli

ng

beli

eved

them

selv

es

Gar

yW

.D.

surr

ounded

by

pote

nti

al

trait

ors.

Irvin

eassert

ed

late

rth

at

he

Adr

ams,

Pri

nce

had

“cle

ar

an

du

nq

uesti

onable

pro

of,

at

tim

es,

how

nearl

yequal

Alb

ert

,w

ere

the

bala

nces”

betw

een

the

loy

al

and

trait

orous

ele

men

ts.

The

Fir

st

Cen

tury

,O

nly

the

pre

sen

ce

an

dvig

ilance

of

the

po

lice,

he

beli

ev

ed

pre

p.

78

vente

dR

iel’

ssy

mp

ath

izers

from

lendin

gacti

ve

support

toth

e(M

oder

nP

ress

)M

eti

s.”

7

1966

The

Poli

ce

inP

rince

Alb

ert

were

aw

ait

ing

the

arriv

al

of

govern

men

ttr

oops.

.142

—42

—

Whil

eduri

ng

the

fir

st

two

weeks

of

Apri

l,1885

life

in

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

resu

med

afair

lynorm

al

cours

eth

eP

oli

ce

were

an

xio

usly

aw

ait

ing

the

arriv

al

of

go

vern

men

ttr

oo

ps

dis

patc

hed

from

Easte

rnC

anada.

Mid

dle

ton

arr

ived

wit

ha

larg

efo

rce

on

Apri

l12

inF

ort

Qu

’Appell

e.

The

majo

rity

of

his

men

had

been

call

ed

from

their

hom

eso

nshort

no

tice

and

had

never

fire

da

rif

le,

for

this

reaso

nth

ey

rem

ain

ed

inQ

u’A

pp

ell

efo

ra

few

days

pra

cti

cin

g,

fir

ing

bla

nk

and

ball

am

munit

ion.

The

mo

vem

ent

of

troops

was

descri

bed

by

Joh

nA

rcher

as

foll

ow

s:

“O

ttaw

ah

ad

tak

en

som

ep

recau

tio

ns.

On

Mar

ch24

afo

rce

of

40

0m

enh

ad

been

ord

ere

dto

Win

nip

eg.

On

Mar

ch2

7,

one

day

afte

r

the

Du

ckL

ake

batt

le,

780

more

men

were

on

their

way

west.

Care

was

tak

en

tose

nd

both

En

gli

sh

-sp

eak

ing

and

Fre

nch

-sp

eak

ing

un

its.

By

Apri

l22

som

e3,3

00

mil

itia

men

had

mad

eth

elo

ng

trek

toth

e

scen

eof

acti

on

.A

lthough

the

Am

eri

can

so

ffere

dfu

llco—

opera

tion-

are

vers

al

of

the

sta

nce

tak

en

in18

70—

—th

egovern

ment

decid

ed

tose

nd

tro

op

sby

CP

R.

It

ispro

bable

that

no

one

inO

ttaw

a

appre

cia

ted

the

real

hard

sh

ips

faced

by

the

sold

iers,

for

there

were

gaps

inth

era

ilro

ad

and

late

Mar

chis

no

tim

eto

be

travel

lin

gin

open

cars

thro

ugh

no

rth

ern

On

tari

o.

Van

Ho

me

was

urg

ed

8.to

transport

the

so

ldie

rsw

ith

all

haste

.H

em

et

the

ch

all

enge

Arc

her

,an

din

do

ing

so,

the

CP

Rca

me

into

its

ow

n.

Hors

e-d

raw

nsle

ighs

John.

Ibid

.m

et

the

train

san

dtr

ansport

ed

the

troops

toth

ep

oin

tw

here

the

tracks

began

again

.S

hort

er

gap

sw

ere

travers

ed

on

foo

t.It

was

aco

ldble

ak

trip

,but

on

Apri

l4

the

fir

st

deta

ch

men

tsfr

om

the

east

arr

ived

inW

innip

eg,

join

ing

troops

rais

ed

inw

este

rn

Can

ada.

8

Van

Hom

ehad

pro

mis

ed

toget

the

tro

op

sto

their

desti

nati

on

in

ele

ven

day

s.

Van

Hom

eof

the

Canadia

nP

acif

icm

oved

nearl

yfi

ve—

thousa

nd

men

toth

eir

desti

nati

on

.H

ehad

pro

mis

ed

the

go

vern

men

tth

at

he

would

get

the

tro

ops

over

the

gaps

inhis

unfi

nis

hed

rail

road

inele

ven

days.

(Th

ed

ista

nce

was

betw

een

twenty

—fi

ve

hu

ndre

dto

eig

hte

en

hu

nd

red

mil

es.)

Van

Hom

ekept

his

pro

mis

e;

infa

ct

no

ne

of

the

tro

op

sn

eeded

ele

ven

days,

som

em

ade

it

info

ur,

oth

ers

too

kn

ine

day

sto

com

ple

teth

ejo

urn

ey

.T

oacco

mpli

shth

is

gig

anti

cta

sk

the

CP

Rp

ut

rail

sdow

no

nic

eand

sno

w,

ran

train

s

ov

er

frozen

riv

ers,

use

dconstr

ucti

on

train

sand

work

engin

es,

an

dim

po

rted

Chin

ese

cooli

es

fro

mth

eU

nit

ed

Sta

tes

top

erf

orm

most

of

the

labori

ous

tasks.

Th

eir

effo

rts

were

am

ply

rew

ard

ed.

Th

ecom

pany,

rep

ort

sd

lybankru

pt

afe

ww

eeks

earli

er,

got

a

Dom

inio

nlo

an

befo

reth

efir

st

shots

at

Bato

che

were

fir

ed.

—43

—

Betw

een

Mar

ch9

to20,

the

“S

ask

atc

hew

an

Hera

ld”

had

repo

rted

the

foll

ow

ing

:

“TH

EC

.P.R

.,T

oro

nto

Mar

ch9.

Th

eM

ail

say

sth

at

the

Can

ad

ian

Pacif

icR

ail

way

Com

pan

yh

as

no

t

su

ffic

ient

fun

ds

tocom

ple

tetI

:le

undert

akin

gand

that

furt

her

assis

tance

isn

ecessary

or

the

road

must

be

abandoned...

RE

LIE

FFO

RT

HE

SY

ND

ICA

TE

.B

yte

legra

ph.

Ott

aw

a,

Mar

ch1

3.

Her

ald

Am

inis

teria

lcaucus

was

held

today

toconsid

er

the

qu

esti

on

of

Mar

ch13

,th

eP

acif

icR

ail

way.

It

isunders

tood

that

the

pre

sid

ent

for

18

85

.th

eco

mp

any

isto

conv

ert

thir

tym

illi

on

of

unuse

dsto

ck

held

by

govern

ment

into

bonds..

.”9

SA

SK

AT

CH

EW

AN

HE

RA

LD

,M

arc

h20

“Th

edem

ands

of

the

Can

ad

ian

Pacif

icR

ail

way

Com

pan

yfo

raddit

10.

ional

help

fro

mth

ep

ub

lic

treasu

ry,

as

fore

shad

ow

ed

inth

e

Sas

k.

arti

cle

inth

eM

ail

tele

gra

phed

here

last

week

,has

not

taken

M:2

0,

the

countr

ym

uch

by

surpris

e...I

tis

felt

that

the

pre

sent

1885

.dem

and

mu

stb

eth

elast...”

10

On

Apri

l30,

1885,

the

C.P

.R.

got

its

loan

.

“In

Brit

ish

Co

lum

bia

thre

eh

un

dre

darm

ed

str

ikers

.wer

e

bein

gh

eld

at

bay

ina

C.P

.R.

cam

pb

yeig

ht

Mounti

es,

and

there

was

trouble

els

ew

here

becau

seth

eco

mpan

yw

asb

rok

eand

the

men

were

unpaid

...

.the

rail

road

was

do

om

edunle

ss

aD

om

inio

nlo

an

11.

co

uld

be

obta

ined.

Th

ere

had

been

bic

keri

ng

ov

er

this

for

How

ard,

four

mo

nth

s;S

irJo

hn

was

hold

ing

out,

as

usu

al,

for

apoli

tical

Ibid

.deal.

Bu

tif

Van

Hom

eco

uld

get

the

troops

west

inti

me

top.

379

save

the

Territ

orie

s,

the

Cabin

et

would

hav

eto

com

earo

und.”

11

On

Apri

l30,

the

C.P

.R.

got

its

loan

,because,

inJo

hn

Arc

her’

sw

ord

s,“W

hen

Van

Hom

eperf

orm

ed

mir

acle

sin

mo

vin

g

12tr

oop

sfr

om

Toro

nto

toW

inn

ipeg

,in

sp

ite

of

uncom

ple

ted

secti

on

s

Arc

her

,of

the

rail

way

nort

ho

fth

eG

reat

Lak

es,

Macdonald

gauged

the

Joh

n.

publi

cm

ind

arid

push

ed

bil

lsth

rough

Parl

iam

en

tg

uara

nte

ein

gIb

id.,

.68

com

pan

ybonds.

Wit

hth

em

on

eyfo

und,

Van

Ho

me

had

the

line

com

ple

ted

by

au

tum

nof

l885.”

12

Are

turn

ing

sold

ier

said

that

the

tro

op

ssh

ou

ldh

av

ebeen

sen

t

by

the

Am

eri

can

route

.

/44

—44

—

Not

every

one

inC

anada

felt

that

the

Canadia

ng

ov

ern

men

t

had

mad

ea

wis

ed

ecis

ion

insen

din

gtr

oo

ps

via

the

C.P

.R.

Ten

volu

nte

ers

who

had

fall

en

ill

on

their

arriv

al

inth

eS

ask

atc

hew

ai

retu

rned

toW

inn

ipeg

and

air

ed

their

feeli

ng

sre

gard

ing

troop

tran

sport

ati

on,

co

nd

uct

of

so

ldie

rsand

mo

rale

amo

ng

Engli

sh

and

Fre

nch

speakin

gfo

rces

tore

port

ers

of

the

“T

oro

nto

New

s.”

“Jo

hn

Hew

itt,

am

ember

of

the

12

thB

att

all

ion,

was

among

the

num

ber

who

retu

rned..

.To

aN

ews

rep

ort

er

he

said

that.

he

was

su

fferi

ng

fro

mcongesti

on

of

the

lun

gs...H

eexpre

ssed

the

opin

ion

that

the

hard

ship

wh

ich

the

sold

iers

had

toendure

wo

uld

put

a

13.

dam

per

on

the

vo

lun

teer

syst

em

infu

ture

.H

eth

inks

the

govern

-T

oro

nto

New

sm

en

tshould

hav

esent

the

troops

by

the

Am

eri

can

route

.H

adth

at

20been

done

the

terrib

lem

arc

hacro

ss

Lak

eS

up

eri

or

wo

uld

hav

ebeen

AP

ril

avo

jded

.H

ebeli

eves

the

govern

ment’

sso

lere

ason

for

sendin

g

the

men

by

the

Can

adia

nro

ute

was

sim

ply

toput

money

inth

e

pock

ets

of

the

C.P

.R.”

13

Dr.

J.

E.

Whit

eto

ldo

fth

eft

and

dru

nk

en

ness

amo

ng

offic

ers

and

men

of

the

65th

Batt

all

ion

fro

mM

ontr

eal.

“D

r.J.

E.

Wh

ite,

who

went

up

wit

hth

eB

od

yG

uard

,an

dw

ho

retu

rned

toth

ecit

yth

ism

orn

ing

wit

hth

esic

k,

has

learn

ed

a

consid

era

ble

am

ou

nt

ab

ou

tth

eacti

on

sand

conduct

of

the

off

icers

an

dm

eno

fth

e6

5th

.T

he

su

bsta

nce

of

his

sto

ryas

told

toa

New

sre

po

rter

today

isas

foll

ow

s:

On

arr

ivin

gat

Mo

nro

eharb

or

the

men

of

the

65th

were

lod

ged

ina

larg

esc

hooner

and

som

ein

shed

s.

The

offic

ials

of

the

C.P

.R.

there

very

kin

dly

op

ened

som

e

bale

sof

bla

nkets

that

they

had

insto

re,

and

lent

one

hundre

d

pair

sto

the

men

,w

ho,

when

they

went

away

,to

ok

wit

hth

em

-th

at

is,

sto

le—

six

typair

so

fth

ese

bla

nkets

.E

very

thin

gth

at

they

could

lay

their

hands

on

they

took,

kniv

es,

fork

s,

spoon

s,etc

.

Nic

ecle

an

bunks

had

been

pro

vid

ed

for

them

,and

these

they

left

insu

ch

fil

thy

condit

ion

that

one

could

scarc

ebeli

eve

that

hu

man

bein

gs,

let

alo

ne

civ

iliz

ed

sold

iers,

had

occu

pie

dth

em

.F

rom

the

sto

res

of

the

regim

ent

they

sto

letw

obarr

els

of

whis

key

an

do

ther

liq

uo

r,all

of

whic

hth

ey

dra

nk,

makin

gth

em

up

roari

ou

s

dru

nk.

At

Monro

eH

arb

or

ala

dy

nam

edM

rs.

Macdonald

kin

dly

thre

w

open

her

house

toth

eo

ffic

ers,

and

pro

vid

ed

them

wit

hh

ot

meals

an

devery

co

mfo

rt.

Th

ese

gentl

em

anly

offic

ers,

afte

ren

joy

ing

the

meals

,pockete

dth

ekniv

es,

fork

s,

and

spoons.

They

als

o

sto

leth

eto

wels

that

Mrs

.M

acd

on

ald

had

pro

vid

ed

for

their

acco

mo

dati

on

.B

ut,

wors

to

fall

they

left

her

ho

use

inth

e

condit

ion

that

the

men

of

the

regim

ent

left

the

bunks.”

14

/45

—45

—

Lie

ut.

Col.

O’B

rian

did

not

all

ow

the

men

topart

ake

of

the

hot

meal

pro

vid

ed

for

them

.

“D

r.W

hit

eals

oco

rro

bo

rate

sth

esta

tem

ent

ab

ou

tL

ieut.

-Col.

O’B

rian

not

all

ow

ing

the

men

of

the

12th

and

35th

topart

ak

eof

the

hot

meal

pro

vid

ed

for

them

.W

hen

the

regim

ent

arr

ived

in

Toro

nto

Win

nip

eg

O’B

rian

was

info

rmed

that

the

meal

was

all

read

yin

the

New

sre

sta

ura

nt

wait

ing

for

the

men

toatt

ack

it.

O’B

rian

said

that

Ibid

.th

em

endid

n’t

need

it,

as

they

had

en

ou

gh

rati

on

sw

ith

them

,

and

refu

sed

toall

ow

them

top

art

ak

eo

fit.”

14

(They

ate

hard

tack

inste

ad.)

-

Retu

rnin

gS

old

ier

said

that

all

went

well

un

til

the

“in

fern

al

Fre

nch

men

,”fr

om

Mo

ntr

eal

spoil

ed

the

wh

ole

arr

angem

ent.

Serg

ean

tG

eo.

H.

Nels

on,

No

.4

Co

.R

oyal

Gre

nadie

rs,

report

ed

toth

Toro

nto

New

sth

at

not

asoli

tary

man

of

the

Queen’s

Ow

n

or

of

the

Gre

nadie

rsw

ould

co

mp

lain

of

food

or

hard

ship

.A

l

thoug

hit

had

been

tou

gh

,it

was

the

best

the

secti

on

could

aff

ord

and

much

bett

er

than

the

people

ord

inari

lyhad.

He

said

:

“E

very

thin

gw

en

tall

right

unti

lth

ein

fern

al

Fre

nchm

en,

the

65th

fro

mM

ontr

eal,

bau

lked

rig

ht

inth

em

iddle

of

the

gap

s

an

dsp

oil

ed

the

whole

arr

angem

ent.

”

Rep

ort

er:

“How

do

yo

um

ean

that

they

baulk

ed?”

Nels

on:

“Why

,I

mea

nth

at

they

muti

nie

d.

You

don’t

know

these

men

.T

hey

are

the

wors

t,m

ost

mu

tin

ou

s,

reck

less,

dis

ord

erl

ygang

Iev

er

met

inm

yli

fe.

They

mu

tin

ied

rig

ht

there

in

the

gaps,

kept

those

behin

dth

em

for

aday

and

ahalf

inth

.e

sno

ww

ithout

shelt

er

and

nearl

ysta

rved

those

befo

rebecause

no

pro

vis

ion

could

go

thro

ugh.

Oh

,th

ey

are

afi

ne

cro

wd

of

sold

iers

...’

We

do

n’t

want

tofig

ht,

’w

asth

ein

cessant

cry

.W

hen

15.

they

were

not

say

ing

that

they

said

,‘W

ew

an

tto

go

ho

me.’

The

Toro

nto

train

was

back

ing

dow

nto

ward

sus

and

just

as

it

arr

ived

one

of

New

sIb

id.

them

said

,‘M

ew

on

’tfig

ht,

’and

thre

wh

imself

under

the

train

.

Th

ebre

akbeam

sto

ve

inh

isscalp

,and

aw

heel

cut

off

one

of

his

feet.

We

left

him

inth

ebed

Ihad

just

left,

and

Id

on’t

kn

ow

ifh

ed

ied

or

got

better.”

15

By

Ap

ril

13,

Mid

dle

ton

and

his

troops

had

reach

ed

Hu

mb

old

t

afte

ra

treachero

us

18

0m

ile

trek

acro

ss

the

open

prair

ie.

The

weath

er

was

cold

,an

dth

ere

was

astr

ong

win

dblo

win

g.

For

days

the

men

mo

ved

ahead

again

st

flu

rrie

so

fsn

ow

,ieet

and

hail

. .14

6

——

“I

amafr

aid

the

dre

ss

of

my

Aid

e—de—

cam

pand

my

self

would

have

asto

nis

hed

ifnot

ho

rrif

ied

anA

lders

hot

Gen

era

l

an

dhis

Aid

e—de—

cam

p,”

the

genera

lw

rote

inhis

acco

un

tof

the

cam

paig

n.

“We

were

both

cla

din

short

buff

alo

skin

coats

,

sta

ff

panta

loons,

fur

serv

ice

caps,

and

long

Engli

sh.

shoo

ting

16boots

,w

ith

jack

spurs

.S

wo

rds

were

worn

under,

and

revolv

ers

Sta

nle

y,

over,

our

coats

.T

he

men

and

offic

ers

were

inth

ere

gu

lar

Ibid

.B

riti

sh

un

ifo

rm,

supple

mente

dw

ith

snow

boots

,fu

rcap

sand

p.32

5glo

ves,

and

most

of

them

wit

hhid

eous

red

com

fort

ers

round

their

necks.”

16

On

Apri

l20

the

Gen

era

land

his

troops

were

35m

iles

from

Bato

che,

at

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

g.

They

were

now

inM

eti

scountr

y.

Th

eir

movem

ents

had

been

clo

sely

watc

hed

by

Half

-bre

ed

scouts

who

patr

oll

ed

the

terr

ain

onb

zth

sid

es

of

the

South

Sas

kat

chew

an.

Iro

nic

al

the

qri

evances

wh

ich

had

led

toth

edis

conte

nt

of

the

!tis

and

Half

-bre

ed

sh

adby

this

tine

been

ren

die

d.

“In

ten

days,

fro

mth

e26th

Mar

chto

the

6th

Apri

l,th

e

Go

vern

ment

had

alt

ere

dth

eir

poli

cy

and

had

giv

en

what

they

had

refu

sed

for

years

.W

hat

was

the

cause

?T

he

bull

ets

of

Duck

Lak

e...”

Bela

ted

decis

ion

togra

nt

Half

-bre

ed

cla

ims

by

go

vern

men

t.

“U

nd

er

auth

ori

tyo

fsu

bcla

use

Eo

fC

lause

81

‘th

ego

vern

ment

sta

ted

,’it

isexpedie

nt

tod

eal

wit

hh

alf

-bre

ed

cla

ims

in

N.W

.T.

by

gra

nti

ng

:

1.

To

each

half

bre

ed

head

of

fam

ily

resid

ent

inN

WT

,outs

ide

lim

its

of

Man

ito

ba,

pre

vio

us

to15

July

1870,

the

lot

or

port

ion

of

land

of

wh

ich

he

isat

pre

sent

tim

ein

bona

fid

ean

du

nd

isp

ute

doccupati

on

by

vir

tue

of

resid

ence

upon

and

cult

ivati

on

there

of,

toth

eex

ten

t

of

160

acre

s,

ifsaid

land

he

isin

bona

fide

occu

pati

on

of

isle

ss

than

160

acre

s,

the

dif

fere

nce

tobe

mad

e

up

by

an

issue

of

scri

pre

deem

ab

lein

land

at

the

rate

of

$1

per

acre

;th

ose

half

bre

ed

sn

ot

inbona

fide

occupati

on

of

any

land

sh

all

be

issued

scri

pfo

r$

16

0

redeem

able

inla

nd.

2.

To

each

chil

do

fa

half

bre

ed

head

of

afa

mil

y,

resid

ing

inN

WT

,pre

vio

us

to15

Ju

ly1870

and

bo

rnbefo

reth

at

date

,th

ela

nds

he

isat

pre

sen

tin

bona

fide

and

undis

pute

doccu

pati

on

by

vir

tue

of

resid

en

ce

upon

and

cult

ivati

o:

there

of

toth

eex

ten

to

f240

acre

s;

any ..../4

7

—47

—

17.

dif

feren

tto

be

mad

eu

pb

yan

issu

eo

fscrip

red

eem

ab

leW

aite

,in

lan

dat

rate

of

$1

per

acre

;if

not

inbona

fid

eP

ete

rB

.C

anad

aoccupati

on

of

any

land,

such

chil

dto

be

issued

scrip

1847-1

896

redeem

able

inla

nd

for

$240.”

McL

ella

nd

and

17S

tew

art

Lim

ited

1971

,p.

157

By

now

it

was

too

late

toh

alt

the

hosti

liti

es

set

inm

oti

on

.E

igh

th

un

dre

dgovern

ment

troops

ho

vere

din

the

vic

init

yo

fB

ato

che

and

anoth

er

fou

rth

ou

san

dw

ere

on

their

way

toth

eS

askatc

hew

an.

Asm

all

but

dete

rmin

ed

Meti

sfo

rce

pre

pare

dto

defe

nd

them

selv

es

again

st

the

overw

helm

ing

majo

rity

of

go

vern

men

tso

ldie

rs

ready

tostr

ike

ablo

wto

the

“re

bels

.”

BA

TO

CII

EP

RO

JEC

T

PAJ{

’ltl’

WO

cHA

p’r

ER

sF

’flt

JRA

ND

FIV

E

Chri

ste

lB

arb

er

Gabri

el

Dum

ont

Insti

tute

Sep

tem

ber

l92

CH

APT

ER

FOU

R

.Jk

’‘•,•:.

‘i

•-

•‘Il

I

.1••

A,

,,1

‘I

p.

-•,

PE

RS

ON

AL

ITIE

SW

HIC

HP

LA

YE

DA

PR

OM

INE

NT

RO

LE

INC

HA

PT

ER

FO

UR

OF

TH

EP

RO

JEC

T

?.IE

LM

eti

sle

ader

sta

tioned

atB

ato

che.

)UM

ON

TG

enera

lof

Meti

sarm

y,

sta

tioned

at

Bato

che,

DEW

DN

EYL

ieute

nant-

Govern

or

of

N.W

.T.

and

India

n

Com

mis

sioner,

sta

tioned

inR

egin

a,

CR

OZ

IER

Superi

nte

ndent

of

N.W

.M.P

.,sta

tioned

at

Fort

Canto

n,

GA

RN

OT

Secre

tary

of

the

Meti

sC

ouncil

.

NO

LIN

Rie

l’s

bro

ther-

in-l

aw

who

did

not

support

the

Meti

sresort

toarm

s.H

ew

as,

for

ashort

tim

e,

Rie

l’s

pris

oner.

MA

CD

ON

AL

DP

rim

eM

inis

ter

of

Canadia

nD

om

inio

n,

sta

tioned

inO

ttaw

a,

MO

UL

IN(R

ev.)

Pari

sh

prie

st,

sta

tioned

inB

ato

che.

LA

CO

MB

E(R

ev.)

Mis

sio

nary

of

mix

ed,

whit

e—

India

n,

herit

age.

He

was

the

founder

of

the

St.

Alb

ert

mis

sio

n.

Lacom

be

was

aw

ell

-know

nand

wid

ely

-tra

vell

ed

mem

ber

of

the

Obla

teO

rder.

CR

OW

FOO

TB

lackfo

ot

chie

fw

ho

did

not

take

part

inth

e

upri

sin

g.

VA

NH

OE

Vic

e—

Pre

sid

ent

of

the

Canadia

nP

acif

ic

Rail

way

Corp

ora

tion.

QU

INN

India

nA

gent

at

the

India

ncom

munit

yof

Fro

g

Lake.

BIG

BE

AR

Cre

eC

hie

fw

hose

band

took

part

inth

ekil

lings

at

Fro

gL

ake

and

the

take—

over

of

Fort

Pit

t,

FA

FA

RD

(Rev.)

Pari

sh

prie

st

at

the

India

ncom

munit

yof

Fro

g

Lake.

MA

RC

HA

ND

(Rev.)

Pari

sh

prie

st

at

the

India

ncom

munit

yof

Fro

g

Lake.

WA

ND

ER

ING

SP

IRIT

War

chie

fof

the

Cre

es

at

Fro

gL

ake.

GO

WA

NL

OC

KO

pera

tor

of

Go

vern

men

tF

lour

Mil

lsat

Fro

gL

ak

e

DE

LA

NE

YF

arm

instr

ucto

rat

Fro

gL

ak

e

GO

tJIN

Half

-bre

ed

carp

ente

rat

Fro

gL

ake

PE

AU

India

nw

om

anm

arr

ied

toW

an

deri

ng

Spir

it’s

nephew

DIC

KE

NS

Cap

tain

inco

mm

and

at

Fort

Pit

t.H

ew

as

a

son

of

the

no

veli

st

Ch

arl

es

Dic

ken

s

MA

CL

EA

NH

udso

n’s

Bay

Com

pan

yoffic

er

at

Fort

Pit

t

BR

AD

Y20th

cen

tury

org

aniz

er

of

the

Meti

sin

Alb

ert

aan

dS

ask

atc

hew

an

SUM

MA

RY

OF

HIS

TO

RIC

AL

EV

EN

TS

DIS

CU

SS

ED

INC

HA

PT

ER

FOU

RO

FT

HE

PR

OJE

CT

Mar

ch30

Meti

skil

led

inD

uck

Lak

ebatt

leare

buri

ed

inS

t.L

au

ren

t

Mar

ch31

Meti

sfr

om

Duck

Lak

eg

oto

Bato

che

top

rep

are

for

po

ssib

learm

ed

en

co

un

ter

wit

hth

epoli

cern

ent

of

wh

ich

they

were

warn

ed

by

L.

Cla

rke.

(Meti

sesti

mate

the

num

ber

of

poli

ce

as

31

5,

acco

rdin

gto

min

ute

so

fC

ou

ncil

meeti

ng

on

Mar

ch31.)

Apri

l2

Nin

esett

lers

inth

eF

rog

Lak

eare

aare

kil

led

by

India

ns

from

Big

Bear’

sband.

Apri

l2

Ind

ian

sfr

om

Beard

y’s

Rese

rve

and

the

Sio

ux

from

Ro

un

dP

lain

are

pro

vid

ed

wit

hfo

od

rati

on

s,

hors

es

and

catt

le.

Apri

l188

5E

arl

yin

Ap

ril

of

1885,

Rie

land

his

Council

sen

dle

tters

toth

eIn

dia

ns

at

Batt

lefo

rdu

rgin

gth

em

tod

estr

oy

the

fo

rt,

tota

ke

the

am

mun

itio

nan

dto

assis

tth

eM

eti

sat

Bato

che.

Ap

ril

12F

ath

er

Lac

om

be

who

has

been

giv

en

asp

ecia

ltr

ain

totr

avel

toIn

dia

nsett

lem

en

ts,

and

top

ers

uad

eth

eN

ati

ve

People

sto

refrain

fro

massis

ting

Rie

l,re

po

rts

toM

acdonald

that

the

Bla

ck

foo

tn

ati

on

wil

lre

main

loy

al

toth

eQ

ueen.

Ap

ril

15

Macle

an

,H

ud

son

’sB

ayfa

cto

rat

Fort

Pit

tis

taken

pri

soner

by

Big

Bear.

Big

Bear

negoti

ate

sth

esu

rren

der

of

civ

ilia

ns

at

Fort

Pit

t.T

he

N.W

.M.P

.usin

ga

scow

esc

ap

eat

nig

ht

by

the

riv

er.

Pheasan

I

Hil

l4.’

%•

I,

11//hi,,

S

MO

OS

I,

4.

H-

LL

S•C•

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ake

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illi

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Bla

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e

C

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.7j”

Batt

le.

MA

PSH

oWIN

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TL

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RD

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RT

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TA

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GL

AK

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(1S

85)

(%*

CH

APT

ER

FOU

R

The

Meti

sA

ttem

pt

toO

rganiz

eA

rmed

Resis

tance

and

the

India

n

Involv

em

ent

inth

eN

ort

hW

est

Dis

turb

ances

Intr

oducti

on

toC

hapte

rF

OU

R:

The

vic

tory

at

Duck

Lak

ehad

ela

ted

the

Meti

s.H

ow

ever

,

the

confr

onati

on

betw

een

the

Meti

sand

the

poli

ce

had

spoil

ed

Rie

l’s

pla

nof

captu

ring

Cro

zie

r’s

forc

ean

dhold

ing

them

as

hosta

ges

topre

ss

the

Canadia

nG

overn

ment

into

abarg

ain

ing

posit

ion.

Garn

ot,

the

secre

tary

of

the

Meti

sC

ouncil

,expla

ined

in

his

mem

oir

sth

at

Rie

l’s

pri

me

moti

ve

had

not

been

todri

ve

the

Dom

inio

ngovern

ment

out

of

the

countr

y,

but

rath

er

toget

the

govern

ment

topay

att

enti

on

toth

eM

eti

sand

Half

-bre

ed

grie

v

ances.

The

min

ute

san

dre

solu

tions

of

the

Meti

sC

ouncil

whic

h

have

been

pre

serv

ed

indic

ate

that

arm

edconfr

onta

tion

was

seri

ously

consid

ere

donly

afte

rth

efi

rst’

batt

lew

ith

the

Mounte

d

Poli

ce,

On

Mar

ch31,

the

Council

expre

ssed

concern

over

the

new

spass

ed

by

Law

rence

Cla

rkth

at

apoli

ce

forc

ew

asm

arc

hin

g

tow

ard

Bato

che.

Are

solu

tion

on

Apri

l16,

requir

ed

every

able

man

topre

sent

him

self

toth

eC

ouncil

soth

at

asm

all

Meti

sar

my

mig

ht

be

esta

bli

shed.

Appeals

for

help

went

toIn

dia

ns

and

to

Half

—bre

ed

com

munit

ies

afte

rth

eD

uck

Lak

ebatt

leurg

ing

their

assis

tance

indis

arm

ing

the

poli

ce

and

inth

egath

eri

ng

of

pro

vis

ions

for

dif

fic

ult

tim

es

ahead,

Not

all

Meti

sw

ere

infa

vor

of

takin

gup

arm

s.T

he

infl

uence

of

the

cle

rgy,

who

oppose

dR

iel’

sre

sort

toar

med

resis

tance,’

mad

em

any

Meti

suncert

ain

of

Rie

l’s

leaders

hip

.R

iel

finall

y

pla

ced

the

prie

sts

under

house

arrest

when

they

refu

sed

reli

gio

us

serv

ices

toth

epari

shio

ners

who

took

up

arm

s.S

ensi

ng

the

seri

ous

loss

of

spir

itual

dir

ecti

on

that

his

impri

sonm

ent

would

cre

ate

,he

adm

inis

tere

dth

ere

ligio

us

serv

ices

him

self

,

as

best

he

could

.H

ow

ever

,m

any

pari

shio

ners

were

unable

to

accept

Rie

las

aspir

itual

guid

ean

dbec

ame

uncert

ain

about

their

all

egia

nce

tohim

.

Sir

John

A.

Macdonald

,fe

arf

ul

over

the

thre

at

of

India

n

involv

ment

inth

eN

ort

hW

est

dis

turb

ances,

pro

vid

ed

the

well

-

know

nF

ath

er

Lac

om

be

wit

ha

locom

oti

ve

soth

at

the

prie

st

could

travel

toconsult

wit

hth

echie

fsof

Nati

ve

trib

es

and

dis

suade

them

from

support

ing

the

Meti

s.

Lac

om

be

convin

ced

the

Bla

ckfo

ot,

the

Pie

gan

and

the

Sarc

inot

togo

tow

ar,

there

by

rem

ovin

g

about

two—

thousa

nd

warr

iors

from

pote

nti

al

involv

em

ent

inth

e

confl

ict.

Rie

l’s

lett

er

of

appeal

for

help

were

an

swere

dpro

mptl

y

by

the

Cre

es

fro

mP

oundrn

aker’

sband.

The

ban

dre

sen

ted

the

str

ain

sof

reserv

eli

fe,

and

govern

ment

restr

icti

ons

on

food

rati

ons

kept

them

ina

sta

teof

sem

i—st

arv

ati

on.

Whe

nth

ey

heard

of

the

Meti

sv

icto

ryover

the

poli

ce

at

Duck

Lake,

the

ban

dm

oved

at

once

toB

att

lefo

rdan

dra

nsa

ck

ed

the

tow

n.

The

sett

lers

inth

esurr

oundin

gare

as

had

ample

warn

ing

of

the

Ind

ian

’sappro

ach.

They

fled

toth

efo

rtan

dre

main

ed

there

unti

lth

eblo

ckade

was

lifte

d.

Aft

er

one

mo

nth

,P

ou

nd

inak

er’

s

ban

dw

ithdre

wfr

om

Batt

lefo

rd.

The

Cre

echie

fdid

not

appro

ve

the

raid

on

the

tow

n,

bu

tw

asu

nab

leto

restr

ain

his

hu

ng

ry

warr

iors

.

New

spaper

report

sof

the

month

spre

cedin

gth

ere

sis

tan

ce

were

str

on

gly

bia

sed

ag

ain

st

the

Nati

ve

Peo

ple

san

dre

flecte

d

the

en

mit

yof

the

sett

lers.

Ind

ian

ag

en

ts,

farm

instr

ucto

rs

and

mis

sio

nari

es,

though

man

yh

av

eb

een

port

rayed

as

well

-meanin

g,

oft

en

sup

port

ed

go

vern

men

tp

oli

cie

sof

keepin

gN

ati

ve

Peo

ple

s

under

str

ict

co

ntr

ol.

This

led

tom

any

dis

pute

sbetw

een

sett

lers

and

Ind

ian

s;

som

eti

mes

wit

htr

ag

icresult

s.

Such

was

the

case

at

Fro

gL

ake

where

eig

ht

people

fro

mth

en

on

-Nati

ve

com

mu

nit

yw

ere

kil

led

by

mem

ber

sof

Big

Bear’

sband.

Big

Bear

late

radm

itte

dth

at

he,

lik

eP

oundm

aker,

had

been

un

ab

le

topre

vent

the

ou

tbu

rst

of

vio

lence,

and

that

he

was

gre

atl

y

saddened

by

the

kil

lings.

He

was,

ho

wev

er,

able

topre

vent

furt

her

blo

odsh

ed

by

arr

angin

gfo

rth

eevacuati

on

of

civ

ilia

ns

at

Fo

rtP

itt

befo

reit

was

tak

en

by

the

young

warr

iors

of

his

ban

d.

The

evacuati

on

of

the

fort

took

pla

ce

short

lyaft

er

the

Fro

gL

ake

incid

ent,

on

Ap

ril

15.

Th

efo

reg

oin

gacco

un

tsu

ms

up

the

events

afte

rth

ebatt

le

of

Duck

Lake.

The

pages

wh

ich

foll

ow

all

ow

the

reader

tob

ecom

e

acq

uain

ted

wit

hth

em

ore

inti

mate

deta

ils

surr

oundin

gth

eev

ents

.

Anum

ber

of

pri

mary

docum

en

tsand

pri

mary

sou

rces

were

sele

cte

d

for

the

pu

rpose

of

pro

vid

ing

avari

ety

of

read

ing

sto

illu

str

ate

the

com

ple

xit

yof

sit

uati

ons

wh

ich

are

oft

en

port

rayed

fro

ma

sim

pli

sti

cpoin

to

fv

iew

.A

case

inpoin

tw

ere

the

kil

lings

at

Fro

gL

ake—

—an

incid

ent

wit

ho

ut

appare

nt

pro

vo

cati

on

.Y

et

the

tap

ed

inte

rvie

ww

ith

the

form

er

Meti

sorg

aniz

er

Jam

esB

rady

pro

vid

es

new

ev

iden

ce

of

beh

ind

—th

e—

scen

es

acti

on.

This

evid

ence

shed

sne

wli

ght

on

the

moti

vati

on

for

the

vio

lence

inth

esm

all

nort

hern

com

munit

y.

The

fir

st

part

of

this

chapte

rconta

ins

afair

lyle

ngth

y

sele

cti

on

of

min

ute

san

dre

so

luti

on

spass

ed

by

the

Meti

sC

ouncil

duri

ng

the

tim

ew

hic

hela

psed

betw

een

the

batt

les

of

Du

ckL

ake

(Mar

ch26)

and

Fis

hC

reek

(Apri

l24).

The

Council

rep

ort

scom

pensate

for

the

lack

of

wri

tten

mate

rial

from

the

Meti

scom

munit

y.

Th

eydem

onst

rate

aneffort

on

the

part

of

the

Meti

sto

deal

wit

h

what

was

beli

eved

tobe

arela

tively

small

forc

eof

315

poli

ce

men

.R

eaders

anxio

us

tosi

mply

foll

ow

the

chain

of

acti

on

con

necte

dw

ith

the

batt

les

may

wis

hto

skip

this

secti

on.

How

ever

,

for

those

who

take

anin

terest

inth

eli

ves

of

ord

inary

people

whic

happli

ed

them

selv

es

wit

hsin

ceri

tyto

aconfl

ict

that

thre

ate

ned

tota

ke

away

their

modest

possessio

ns,

this

secti

on

isa

rich

sourc

eof

info

rmati

on.

Not

only

wil

lth

ere

ader

be

impre

ssed

by

the

dem

ocra

tic

pro

cesses

thro

ugh

whic

hth

eM

eti

s

reached

agre

em

ent

but

s/h

ew

ill

be

all

ow

ed

anopport

unit

yto

unders

tand

the

ord

er,

the

concern

s,

and

the

fears

of

asi

mple

livin

gyet

inte

llig

ent

people

.T

he

reader

wil

lse

eth

at

the

Meti

svalu

ed

and

wis

hed

topro

tect

their

fam

ilie

s,

that

they

care

dfo

rth

eem

emy’s

dead

and

wounded,

that

they

had

firm

reli

gio

us

goals

,an

dth

at

they

had

astr

ong

posit

ive

rela

tion

ship

wit

hth

eIn

dia

ns

inth

esurr

oundin

gare

as.

One

lett

er

to

the.

Council

dem

onstr

ate

sa

concern

for

the

uphold

ing

of

mora

l

valu

es,

gri

evances

over

quarr

ell

ing

and

dri

nkin

galc

ohol,

vexati

on

wit

htr

ouble

makers

,an

da

fear

of

agenera

ldis

hearte

n

ing

and

weakenin

gam

ong

Meti

sm

ember

s.

This

secti

on

more

than

any

oth

er

all

ow

sth

ere

ader

agli

mpse

of

the

life

inth

evil

lages

aro

und

Bato

che.

It

captu

res

the

vie

ws

of

those

who

were

involv

ed

most

dir

ectl

yin

the

events

;

people

who

have

oft

en

been

port

rayed

as

ruth

less

vil

lain

s.

I‘

..“

81G

BE

AR

.

C’GLAKE

c:rnp.”byT.Gc’in1ockanuT.Deianey

Arctiivest,cardPttcgrapr1.0.1—BrO37.

a9..

Rie

lhad

Hoped

toF

ore

sta

llH

osti

liti

es

by

Captu

ring

Cro

zie

r

And

His

Forc

e

The

vic

tory

at

Duck

Lak

ehad

ela

ted

the

Meti

s;how

ever,

the

confr

onta

tion

betw

een

the

Meti

san

dpoli

ce

had

spoil

ed

Rie

l’s

pla

nof

captu

ring

Cro

zie

ran

dhis

forc

ean

dhold

ing

them

as

hosta

ges.

The

fore

goin

gpoin

t,m

ade

by

G.

F.

Sta

nle

y,

was

base

don

asta

tem

ent

mad

eby

Rie

laft

er

the

batt

leof

Bato

che.

Rie

].appare

ntl

yexpla

ined

toC

apta

inY

oung

that,

“...h

isobje

ct

had

been

tocaptu

reM

ajo

rC

rozie

ran

dhis

forc

ean

dth

en

say

toth

eC

anadia

ngovern

ment,

consid

er

the

sit

uati

on...

Garn

ot,

the

Secre

tary

of

the

Pro

vis

ional

Govern

ment,

agre

ed...t

hat

there

had

been

no

‘seri

ous

expecta

tion

todri

ve

the

Dom

inio

nG

over

nm

ent

out

of

the

countr

y,’

but

that

they

rose

to‘f

orc

eth

eD

om

inio

nG

over

nm

ent

toatt

end

toth

em’

and

expecte

ddail

yth

at

‘som

eone

would

com

efr

om

the

Gover

nm

ent

to

treat

wit

hth

em

.’

The

Meti

sw

ere

inno

posit

ion

toconduct

asuccessfu

l

rebell

ion.

At

the

most

Rie

lcould

only

call

upon

four

or

five

hundre

dM

eti

s,m

any

of

who

mw

ere

defi

nit

ely

oppose

dto

fighti

ng

and

took

up

arm

sonly

under

pressure.”

1

Phil

ipp

eG

arn

ot

wro

tein

his

Mem

oir

sth

at

Rie

lhad

hoped

the

Du

ckL

ake

batt

lew

ould

have

been

the

fir

st

and

last

acti

on

the

Meti

sengaged

in;

(see

Chapte

r2)

bu

tw

hen

Rie

lheard

of

the

troop

mov

emen

tto

the

Terr

itory

,he

conse

nte

dto

conti

nued

arm

ed

resis

tan

ce.

Th

eC

ouncil

met

frequentl

yto

decid

ew

hat

ste

ps

mig

ht

be

tak

en

invie

wof

the

sit

uati

on

at

hand.

The

min

ute

sof

these

meeti

ngs

rev

eal

the

dern

ocra

cti

cp

rocesses

by

wh

ich

the

Meti

sC

ouncil

resolv

ed

majo

ran

dm

inor

matt

ers

.T

he

foll

ow

ing

are

exam

ple

sof

min

ute

sfr

om

these

meeti

ngs.

Exam

ple

sof

Resolu

tions

and

Min

ute

sof

Meti

sC

ouncil

Concern

ing

the

Dea

dan

dW

ound

edof

the

Duck

Lak

eB

att

le

No.

51

:R

eso

luti

on

of

Co

un

cil

tob

yth

edead

(tra

nsla

tio

n)

(27

thM

arch

18

85

)

Min

ute

sof

Council

,p

rep

are

db

yM

r.L

epin

e,

seco

nd

ed

by

Mr.

Carr

iere

that

apart

ybe

sent

who

(put)

the

dead

who

were

left

on

the

batt

lefi

eld

under

the

shelt

er

of

anneig

hbori

ng

house

and

that

it

be

do

ne

imm

edia

tely

.C

arr

ied

unanim

ousl

y.

7fo

rto

day

,3

for

tom

orr

ow

.

No.

56:

Min

ute

sof

Council

of

29

thM

arch

1885

(tra

nsla

tio

n)

Ord

er-

in—

Council

29th

Mar

ch1885.

Pro

po

sed

by

Mr.

Lepin

e

seconded

by

Mr.

Boucher

that

the

man

kil

led

inth

efi

gh

tof

the

26th

be

carr

ied

toS

t.L

au

ren

t,to

morr

ow

,th

ere

tobe

buri

ed

and

that

the

prie

sts

be

requeste

dto

chant

afu

nera

lserv

ice.

Carr

ied

un

an

imo

usl

y.

Ord

er-

inC

ouncil

of

29th

Mar

ch1885.

Pro

po

sed

by

Mr.

-L

ep

ine

.M.P

.se

conded

by

Mr.

Dum

ont

that

the

wounded

man

C.

A.

Nevil

lem

ade

C.

pri

soner

afte

rth

ebatt

leof

the

20

th,

be

set

free.

Carr

ied

un

an

imo

usl

y.

Th

eD

ecis

ion

toT

ake

up

Arm

san

dA

wait

Arr

ival

of

Po

lice

was

Mad

eafte

rth

eD

uck

Lak

eB

att

le

“M

inute

sof

the

Council

of

31

stM

arc

h,

1885.

Pro

pose

dby

Ex

ov

ede

Gab

riel

Du

mo

nt,

seco

nd

ed

by

Exoved

eM

axim

eL

ep

ine,

that

we

abando

nfo

ra

tim

eD

uck

Lake,

and

go

and

take

up

posit

ion

again

at

St.

Anth

ony,

toaw

ait

there

firm

lyth

e31

5poli

cem

en

who

are

on

the

way

,it

wo

uld

appear,

and

are

marc

hin

gagain

st

us.

Ad

op

ted

un

an

imo

usl

y.

Glo

ryto

Jesu

sC

hri

st,

ho

no

ran

dp

rais

eto

Mar

y,

to

Jose

ph

,to

St.

John

the

Bap

tist,

and

toS

t.A

nth

ony

of

Padua.

Min

ute

so

fth

eC

ouncil

,th

e6

thA

pri

l,1885.

Pro

pose

dby

Mr.

Lep

ine

and

seconded

by

Mr.

Bo

uch

er,

that

the

sold

iers

beg

in

the

wo

rkof

mak

ing

roads

thro

ug

hth

eic

ean

dp

lacin

gth

efe

rry

bo

at

inpo

sit

ion

toesta

bli

sh

the

ferr

y.

Ad

op

ted

unanim

ousl

y.

Pro

pose

dby

Mr.

Boucher,

seco

nd

ed

by

Mr.

Pare

nte

au

that

an

Ord

er-

in-C

ouncil

be

publi

cly

read

req

uir

ing

every

man

capable

of

beari

ng

arm

sto

be

pre

sen

ted

here

tom

orr

ow

duri

ng

the

fore

noon.

Ad

op

ted

un

an

imo

usl

y.

Pro

po

sed

by

Mr.

Ou

lett

e,

seco

nd

ed

by

Mr.

Lepin

eth

at

aio

nal

ho

rse

guard

be

org

aniz

ed,

and

that

acap

tain

,w

ith

his

com

pan

y

be

appoin

ted

toth

isd

uty

,and

that

Mr.

Lafo

nd

be

appoin

ted.

Ad

op

ted

un

an

imo

usl

y.

Ord

ers

-in—

Council

Dete

rmin

ed

the

Rig

ht

toT

ake

Meals

inC

oun

cil

Hall

an

dth

eP

rosp

ecti

ve

Ow

ner

of

aC

aptu

red

Ho

rse

“O

rder-

in—

Co

un

cil

of

Ap

ril

11,

1885.

Pro

pose

db

yM

r.;i

onal

Boucher,

seconded

by

Mr.

Dum

ont,

that

Mr.

Cham

berl

ain

be

43fu

rnis

hed

wit

ha

list

of

people

who

have

the

rig

ht

of

tak

ing

their

meals

here

and

of

en

teri

ng

the

Council

Hall

.”:0

ria

Exam

ple

so

fL

ett

ers

Sen

dand

Receiv

ed

by

the

Meti

sC

ou

ncil

No.

58:

J.

P.

Boucher

toD

um

on

t(t

ran

sla

tio

n)

St.

Louis

de

Lan

gev

in,

NW

.30

Mar

ch1

88

5.

To

Mess

rs.

the

Ad

juta

nt

Gen

era

land

Council

lors

.

Gen

tlem

en

:

Ile

ft

Duck

Lak

ew

ith

the

inte

nti

on

of

co

min

gto

fetc

hm

y

hors

e.

Als

oto

assis

tth

ein

dis

pensable

need

sof

my

fam

ily.

Ale

xM

acdo

ug

all

the

man

wh

ow

asto

have

seen

toth

eir

wan

ts

left

four

days

ago,

soth

at

yo

um

ayse

eth

eim

port

ance

of

uy

bein

gh

ere

.T

ruly

ev

ery

thin

gis

incrit

ical

po

sit

ion

.If

yo

u

can

possib

lydo

wit

ho

ut

me

for

ati

me.

.M.P

.as

Iam

wit

hperf

ect

con

sid

era

tion,

(Sig

ned

)J.

Bap

tiste

Bo

uch

er

P.S

.It

ism

yd

uty

tom

ake

my

wif

em

ake

her

Easte

rD

uty

.”*

5

*“E

aste

rduty

”re

fers

tore

cepti

on

of

sacra

ments

duri

ng

the

Easte

rp

eri

od

.

Lett

er

from

P.

H.

Garn

ot,

Secre

tary

toA

.M

onkm

an,

reg

ard

ing

Tre

atm

en

tof

the

Sio

ux

Ind

ian

sand

Half

—bre

eds,

&c.

Bato

ch

e,

2n

dA

pri

l,1

88

5

Dear

Bro

thers

,-

Wil

ly

ou

receiv

eall

India

ns

from

Beard

y’s

Ban

dand

see

ab

ou

tra

tions

for

them

?

We

are

receiv

ing

today,

all

the

Sio

ux

from

Round

Pla

in,

and

the

half

—bre

eds,

and

we

sh

all

be

str

ong

en

ou

gh

,and

we

are

afr

aid

toru

nsh

ort

of

rati

on

s,

sow

eex

pect

that

yo

uw

ill

treat

them

kin

dly

and

keep

them

under

your

ord

er,

and

giv

era

tio

ns

to

every

one,

and

tohis

fam

ily

as

long

as

he

or

they

wil

lbe

under

your

contr

ol

at

the

fort.

Len

dth

emh

ors

es

and

catt

le,

ifpossib

le,

toh

elp

them

to

get

toC

anto

n.

Tak

ecoura

ge,

and

we

would

ad

vis

eth

ek

eep

ing

of

guard

so

n

top

of

the

hil

ls.

Beli

ev

eus,

dear

bro

ther,

yo

ur

bro

thers

inJesus

Chri

st.

;ional

rs

For

the

Council

,43 :ori

aP

.H

.G

arn

ot,

Secre

tary

.

‘N.

Nault

and

Oth

ers

toC

ou

ncil

,re

gard

ing

Into

xic

ati

ng

Liq

uo

rs.

(Tra

nsla

tion).

Bato

che,

P.O

.,9th

Apri

l,1885

St.

An

toin

ede

Padoue.

To

the

Mem

ber

sof

the

Co

un

cil

:

Gen

tlem

en

,—

Sev

era

lru

mors

havin

gre

ached

this

sid

eo

fth

e

riv

er,

we

dee

mit

ou

rduty

tose

nd

you

afe

ww

ord

sanent

the

sam

e;

we

mea

nas

toth

em

att

er

of

dri

nk

.W

eh

av

efa

ult

tofi

nd

wit

hy

ou

gentl

em

en,

mem

ber

so

fth

eco

un

cil

.W

efi

nd

dru

nken

men

on

every

sid

ealo

ng

the

riv

er.

It

seem

sto

me

itis

the

du

tyo

f

all

of

you

tose

eto

this

matt

er.

It

seem

sto

us

that

yo

uare

inacti

ve.

What

gri

ev

es

us

isto

see

yo

uo

nth

eo

ther

han

d

quarr

ell

ing

am

ongst

yours

elv

es

and

giv

ing

tro

ub

leto

tho

se

who

act

rig

ht.

Fro

mth

ew

ayy

ou

are

acti

ng

we

fear

gre

atl

yth

at

yo

u

wil

ld

ish

eart

en

man

yam

on

gst

us.

The

best

cours

eto

take

isto

com

eto

acle

ar

unders

tand

ing

am

on

gst

yo

urs

elv

es,

once

for

all

.

We

pro

mis

ed

tokeep

tem

pera

nce

inti

mes

of

the

hard

est

str

uggle

,

and

now

that

thin

gs

do

not

look

qu

ite

sobad

as

they

were

we

wan

tto

fall

back

.W

ere

lyon

yo

uto

set

matt

ers

rig

ht.

Yours

truly

,

Napole

on

Nau

lt3io

nal

rs

Jose

ph

Del

orm

e

43P

atr

ior

To

uro

nd

:ori

aB

apti

ste

Ouel1

ett

e

•C.

Patr

ice

Flu

ri&

’7

Pra

yer

of

the

Meti

sC

ou

ncil

fro

mth

eC

ou

ncil

Book

“0L

ord

,o

ur

God,

Tho

uW

hoare

the

Fath

er

of

merc

yan

d

consola

tion,

we

are

sev

era

lF

ren

ch

—C

an

ad

ian

Meti

s,gath

ere

d

tog

eth

er

inco

un

cil

who

pu

tco

nfi

den

ce

inT

hee;

gra

nt

that

we

may

not

be

covere

dw

ith

co

nfu

sio

n,

ev

er

defe

nd

us

fro

mth

is;

lon

al

rsen

lig

hte

nus

ino

ur

dark

ness

of

do

ub

t,en

co

ura

ge

us

ino

ur

tria

ls,

str

ength

en

us

inour

weakness

es,

and

succor

us

inth

e

tim

eof

pre

ssin

gneed.”

8

Aw

are

of

the

Weakness

of

his

Po

sit

ion

Rie

lA

ppeale

dto

the

Reli

gio

us

Myst

icis

mo

fth

eM

eti

s

Duri

ng

the

earl

yp

art

of

Apri

l,R

iel

felt

that

his

fir

st

task

was

tostr

ength

en

his

own

posit

ion

among

the

Meti

s.

Wit

h

the

fli

ght

of

his

bro

ther—

in—

law

,C

harl

es

Noun,

toP

rince

Alb

ert

,h

ispri

ncip

al

oppon

en

tam

on

gth

eM

eti

shad

been

rem

oved.

Noun

had

no

tsupport

ed

Rie

l’s

decis

ion

tota

ke

up

arm

sand

had

succeed

ed

inp

ers

uad

ing

oth

ers

tore

main

neu

tral.

“F

red

Fid

ler,

Lo

uis

Mari

on

,R

oger

Go

ule

t,B

apti

ste

Boyer,

Louis

Reig

uid

el,

Gabri

el

Pare

nte

au

,Jean

Bap

tiste

Bo

uch

er,

Jean

onal

dL

apla

nte

,O

cta

ve

Reg

nie

rand

Jose

ph

Bre

mn

er

were

amo

ng

tho

se

who

110

fell

away

fro

mth

eir

all

egia

nce

toR

iel

or

refu

sed

tofi

ght

for

C•him

.”9

Ph

ilip

pe

Garn

ot,

wro

tein

his

Mem

oir

sth

at

he,

him

self

,

pers

iste

din

refu

sin

gto

take

up

arm

s.O

fN

oun’s

esc

ap

ehe

wro

te,

ho

wev

er,

“I

forg

ot

tom

en

tio

nth

at

Cro

zie

rw

aso

nth

ev

erg

eof

pro—

cla

imin

gth

at

all

pers

ons

reta

ined

by

forc

eb

yth

ere

bels

could

find

pro

tecti

on

at

Fort

Canto

nor

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

by

ap

ply

ing

to

the

com

man

din

goffic

er.

No

un

truste

dth

ispro

cla

mati

on

and

went

toP

rince

Alb

ert

toask

for

pro

tecti

on;

but

he

was

receiv

ed

and

pro

tecte

din

an

od

dw

ay.

They

thre

wh

imin

pri

so

nand

held

him

lippe

for

the

gre

ate

st

part

of

the

tim

e.

We

heard

als

oth

at

Tom

Scott

,•O

t10

irs

Jam

es

Isbis

ter

and

oth

ers

were

treate

din

the

sam

ew

ay

.”

Rie

lw

asaw

are

of

the

weakness

of

his

posit

ion

and

from

tim

eto

tim

elo

st

pati

ence

wit

hh

isfo

llow

ers

.A

to

ther

tim

es

he

appeale

dto

the

reli

gio

us

mysti

cis

mo

fth

eM

eti

s.

Rie

lP

rocla

imed

Him

self

as

aP

rophet

of

the

Lord

Afo

rmal

decis

ion

of

the

Meti

sC

ouncil

recogniz

ed

Rie

l’s

cla

imas

Pro

ph

et

inth

eS

erv

ice

of

Jesus

Chri

st.

On

oth

er

occasio

ns

the

Exovedate

spen

tit

sti

me

ch

an

gin

gth

enam

eso

fth

e

week.

Th

efo

llo

win

gdocum

en

tsfo

und

inR

iel’

sp

ossessio

ndem

on

str

ate

that

these

decis

ions

were

not

un

an

imo

usl

yaccepte

d.

“D

ecis

ion

of

the

Cou

ncil

—R

iel

aP

rophet.

(Tra

nsla

tion)

Mo

ved

by

M.

Boucher,

seco

nd

ed

by

M.

Touro

nd,

that

the

Can

ad

ian

half

—b

reed

Exovid

at

ack

no

wle

dg

es

Lo

uis

David

Rie

las

apro

phet

inth

eserv

ice

of

Jesus

Chri

st,

and

So

nof

God

and

only

Red

eem

er

of

the

worl

d;

etc

.

Sig

ned

by

9m

emb

ers

of

the

Meti

sC

ouncil

.

The

Opposi

tion

of

the

Cle

rgy

Pro

mpte

dR

iel

toT

ake

Over

the

Reli

gio

us

Leaders

hip

The

gre

ate

st

thre

at

toR

iel’

sle

aders

hip

,re

main

ed

the

pri

ests

who

would

have

noth

ing

todo

wit

hhim

and

call

ed

him

ahere

tic.

Accord

ing

toP

.C

harl

ebois

,F

rs.

Vegre

vil

lean

dL

acozu

be

were

the

most

crit

ical

and

outs

poken.

Sir

John

A.

Macdonald

,re

cogniz

ing

the

danger

of

agenera

lIn

dia

nupri

sin

gan

dL

acom

be’s

posit

ive

rapport

wit

hth

eN

ati

ve

People

spers

uaded

the

prie

st

touse

his

infl

uence

tokeep

them

out

of

the

confl

ict.

Fath

er

Vegre

vil

le,

who

cam

eto

see

Fath

er

Mouli

n,

inearl

yA

pri

l,w

asarr

este

dby

Rie

lan

dfo

rced

tosig

na

sta

tem

ent

say

ing

that

he

would

obse

rve

str

ict

neutr

ali

ty.

The

oth

er

prie

sts

were

obli

ged

tosig

nsim

ilar

sta

tem

ents

.A

ccord

ing

toC

harl

ebois

:“T

he

opposit

ion

of

the

cle

rgy

mad

eth

eavera

ge

Meti

svery

uncert

ain

of

his

cause

because

he

respecte

dan

dhad

been

dir

ecte

dby

them

for

years

.R

iel

finall

yre

sort

ed

topla

cin

gth

epri

ests

O1S

,under

house

arr

est

and

tota

kin

gover,

as

well

as

he

was

able

,th

eadvis

ory

and

reli

gio

us

duti

es

of

the

cle

rgy.

This

was

quit

eaccepta

ble

toth

eM

eti

san

dth

eir

confi

dence

retu

rned.”

11

Sir

John

all

ow

ed

Lac

om

be

unre

str

icte

dtr

avel

thro

ughout

the

Terr

itory

by

pla

cin

ga

locom

oti

ve

at

his

dis

posal,

soth

at

he

mig

ht

dis

suade

inpart

icula

rth

eB

lackfo

ot

trib

efr

om

join

ing

the

Meti

sfo

rces.

“Lac

om

be

succeeded

appare

ntl

yon

the

gro

unds

that

warf

are

wit

hC

anada

would

be

futi

lean

dw

ould

bri

ng

even

more

hard

ship

son

the

nati

ve

people

s.

Aspecia

llo

com

oti

ve

was

pla

ced

at

his

dis

posal

day

and

nig

ht

on

the

ord

ers

of

Macdonald

and

Van

Hom

e,

head

of

the

C.P

.R.,

toenable

him

toquic

kly

conta

ct

any

Nati

ves

who

mhe

mig

ht

infl

uence.

Rid

ing

inth

ecab

of

the

engin

e,

Fr.

Lac

om

be

travell

ed

all

nig

ht

from

Calg

ary

toB

lackfo

ot

Crossin

g.”

2C

hie

fC

row

foot

of

the

Bla

ckfo

ot

trib

ew

asth

eso

nof

the

gre

at

warr

ior

“S

itti

ng

Bull

”,

who

had

fought

Genera

lC

uste

rin

the

batt

leof

the

Lit

tle

Big

Horn

.L

acom

be

arr

ived

toconsult

wit

hth

egre

at

Chie

fvery

earl

yone

morn

ing

and

had

asuccessfu

lta

lkw

ith

him

.T

he

prie

st

was

able

tote

legra

ph

Macdonald

soon

aft

erw

ard

sth

at

the

Bla

ckfo

ot

trib

ew

ould

keep

the

peace.

Fath

er

Lac

om

be

was

successfu

lals

oin

convin

cin

gth

eB

lood,

the

Pie

gan

and

Sarc

inot

togo

tow

ar.

On

Apri

l12th

,he

forw

ard

ed

the

foll

ow

ing

mess

age

from

the

Bla

ckfo

ot

Chie

f:“O

nbehalf

of

myse

lfan

dpeople

Iw

ish

tose

nd

thro

ugh

you

toth

eG

reat

Moth

er

the

word

sI

have

giv

en

toth

eG

overn

or

at

aC

ouncil

held

,at

whic

hm

ym

iflo

rC

hie

fsan

dyour

men

were

pre

sent.

We

are

agre

ed

and

dete

rmin

ed

tore

main

loyal

toth

eQ

uee

n.

Ou

r

yo

un

gm

enw

ill

go

tow

ork

on

their

reserv

e,

and

wil

lra

ise

all

the

cro

ps

we

can,

and

we

ho

pe

the

Go

vern

men

tw

ill

help

us

sell

wh

at

we

cannot

use.

Conti

nu

ed

report

sare

bro

ug

ht

tous,

and

we

do

no

tknow

what

tobeli

eve,

bu

tno

wth

at

we

hav

ese

en

the

Govern

or

and

heard

him

speak

,w

ew

ill

shut

our

ears

and

on

lyli

ste

nto

and

beli

eve

what

isto

ldu

sth

rough

the

Gov

ern

or.

Should

any

India

ns

com

eto

ou

rre

serv

es

and

ask

us

tojo

in

them

inw

arw

ew

ill

send

them

away

.I

have

sent

mess

en

gers

to

the

Blo

ods

and

Pie

gans

who

belo

ng

toour

treaty

tote

llth

em

what

we

are

do

ing

,an

dw

hat

we

inte

nd

tod

oabout

the

tro

ub

le.

Iw

an

tM

r.D

ewd

ney

tobe

wit

hu

san

dall

my

men

are

of

the

sam

e

min

d.

The

word

sI

sen

tby

Fath

er

Lac

om

be

Iagain

sen

d.

We

wil

l

be

loyal

toth

eQ

uee

nw

hate

ver

happens.

Ih

av

ea

copy

of

this

,

and

wh

enth

etr

ou

ble

isov

er

wil

lh

av

eit

wit

hpri

de

tosh

ow

the

Queen’s

off

icers

,and

we

leave

ou

rfu

ture

in.y

ou

rh

an

ds.

We

have

ask

ed

for

noth

ing

,b

ut

the

Go

vern

or

has

giv

en

us

a(n

eyt

litt

lepre

sent

of

tea

and

tob

acco

.H

ew

ill

tell

yo

uw

hat

oth

er

ton

ald

13.1

12,

talk

we

had

at

our.

Council

;it

was

all

good,

not

one

bad

word

.”

Iney

trs,

Th

eF

irst

toR

esp

ond

toR

iel’

sA

ppeal

for

help

were

Poundm

ak

er’

sC

rees

Whil

eF

ath

er

Lac

oin

be

was

on

his

mis

sio

n,

Rie

lan

dh

isC

ou

ncil

sen

tle

tters

toth

eIn

dia

ns

inth

ev

icin

ity

of

Batt

lefo

rd.

Th

e

lett

er

con

tain

ed

new

so

fth

ev

icto

ryat

Duck

Lake:

“...t

hir

tyH

alf

-bre

ed

san

dC

rees

fought

again

st

one-h

un

dre

d

an

dtw

en

tym

en.

Aft

er

afi

ght

of

thir

ty—

fiv

eto

fort

ym

inute

s

the

enem

yto

ok

fli

gh

t.B

less

God

for

the

success

he

has

sok

ind

ly

gra

nte

du

s..

.Take

Fo

rtB

att

lefo

rd.

Dest

roy

it.

Sav

eall

the

goods

and

am

unit

ion

and

com

eto

us...A

l1th

at

yo

ud

o,

do

it

for

the

lov

eof

God...B

ecert

ain

that

fait

hw

ork

sw

on

ders

.;i

onal

rs

Lo

uis

“D

avid

”R

iel

,C.

Ex

od

ed

e”

14

(Th

ele

tter

was

signed

by

eig

ht

co

un

sell

ors

).

“The

fir

st

tore

spond

toR

iel’

sap

peal

were

the

Cre

es

of

Poundm

aker’

sband.

Po

un

din

aker

was

one

of

the

fore

mo

stC

hie

fs

of

the

trib

e.

..H

ism

oth

er

was

ahalf

-sis

ter

of

the

gre

at

Bla

ck

foo

t

Ch

ief

Cro

wfo

ot,

who

adopte

dP

oundin

aker

as

aso

n...P

oun&

naker

was

respecte

dby

t)ie

wh

ites,

bu

this

trib

ehad

been

trouble

som

eat

tim

es

and

was

now

rip

efo

ra

rebell

ion.

It

resente

dth

ene

w

str

ain

so

fre

serv

ati

on

life

and

the

Go

vern

men

td

ecre

eth

at

ird,

rati

ons,

whic

hhad

been

insuff

icie

nt

anyw

ay,

were

tobe

issued

O6.

on

lyto

those

who

did

.arx

nw

ork.”

15

New

spaper

Report

sof

Earl

ier

Tim

esP

ort

ray

ed

Sett

ler’s

Enm

ity

wit

hIn

dia

ns

“Th

eS

ask

atc

hew

an

Hera

ld”,

aB

att

lefo

rdn

ew

spap

er

whic

h

cate

red

toth

esett

lers

of

the

Wes

thad

fanned

the

man

ym

iscon

cepti

ons

that

exis

ted

amon

gth

enon-N

ati

ve

people

inth

e

Sask

atc

hew

an

dis

tric

t.R

ep

ort

sof

India

nfi

re—

sett

ing

,u

nw

ill

ingness

tow

ork

and

dis

co

nte

nt

wit

hre

serv

eli

fe

perp

etu

ate

dth

e

imag

eo

fth

ela

zy

,m

ischie

vous

malc

onte

nt.

Duri

ng

the

sum

mer

of

1884,

the

pap

er’

sg

en

era

lai

map

pears

toh

av

ebeen

toassu

rep

ro

specti

ve

sett

lers

that

rum

ors

of

anIn

dia

nu

pri

sin

gw

ere

unfo

unded

and

treate

dm

ost

matt

ers

concern

ing

Nati

ve

Peo

ple

sw

ith

am

ixtu

re

of

iro

ny

and

sarc

asm

.O

nth

efo

llow

ing

pages

are

excerp

tsfr

om

such

repo

rts.

“F

als

ere

port

s.

Acon

sid

era

ble

degre

eof

excit

em

ent

was

occasi

oned

inth

e

Easte

rnP

rovin

ces

late

lyby

ate

legra

mfr

om

Qu

’Ap

pell

esent

out

on

the

18

thof

Ap

ril,

toth

eeff

ect

that

there

had

been

anIn

dia

n

up

risin

gat

Batt

lefo

rd,

and

that

the

opera

tor

here

report

ed

two

thousa

nd

India

ns

marc

hin

gon

the

tow

n,

and

mo

reco

min

g...

Th

ere

isn

otr

uth

inth

ere

po

rtof

ap

ast

or

pro

bab

leri

sin

g

of

the

Ind

ian

sin

the

dis

tric

t,n

or

any

oth

er

that

we

kn

ow

of.

Th

en

ob

lere

dm

anm

aytr

yto

inti

mid

ate

ano

dd

sto

reh

ou

se

keeper,

anin

anem

erg

ency

captu

rea

bag

of

flour

or

asid

eof

baco

n;

but

as

toa

gen

era

lupri

sin

g,

he

has

str

ong

reasons

for

lett

ing

that

job

out.

He

has

neit

her

hors

es,

wit

hout

whic

hhe

can

no

tm

ov

e;nor

arm

san

dam

munit

ion,

or

the

mea

ns

of

bu

yin

gth

em

;nor

has

he

any

pro

vis

ion

sw

hic

hto

carr

yo

na

cam

paig

n;

and

above

all

,th

ere

is

anabse

nce

of

unanim

ity

amo

ng

the

bands

such

as

isnecessary

to

insure

success

incase

of

aco

nfl

ict

wit

hth

ew

hit

es.

As

far

as

we

can

un

ders

tand

the

Batt

lefo

rdopera

tor’

s

connecti

on

wit

hth

ere

port

it

issi

mply

this

:In

answ

er

toth

e

dir

ect

qu

esti

on

,“H

owm

any

Ind

ian

sare

there

aro

und

Batt

lefo

rd?”

he

rep

lied

“Ab

ou

ttw

oth

ou

sand”;

and

there

the

co

nv

ers

ati

on

ceased.

The

lin

ew

en

tdow

nshort

lyaft

erw

ard

s,

wh

enu

nfo

un

ded

surm

ises

were

giv

en

as

facts

.

Report

sof

Ind

ian

trouble

are

calc

ula

ted

tod

om

uch

har

mto

idth

ecountr

y,

and

the

part

ies

gu

ilty

of

sp

read

ing

them

should

be

gre

ss”

cauti

oned

ag

ain

st

the

pra

cti

ce,

especia

lly

ifth

ey

occupy

offic

ial

lefo

rdposit

ions.

Fort

unate

lyno

gre

at

har

maro

se

inth

iscase,

as

the

rday

,sto

ryw

asin

itself

imp

robab

lean

dw

asp

rom

ptl

ycontr

adic

ted.”

6

“May

17

,1

88

4,

rep

rinte

dfr

om

TE

NO

RO

FT

HE

TIM

ES

.

Jo

s.

H.

Pri

ce

had

anarr

ow

esc

ape

from

losin

ghis

ho

rse

and

pre

mis

es

last

wee

kb

ya

fir

eth

at

had

.been

sta

rted

by

anIn

dia

n.”

7

“T

his

spri

ng

fir

es

have

run

over

the

countr

yto

anunpre

cedente

dexte

nt,

and

anin

calc

ula

ble

amount

of

dam

age

has

result

ed

idin

the

wood

edd

istr

icts

...T

he

India

ns

are

bla

med

for

sett

ing

out

uost

of

the

fir

es,

especia

lly

those

inE

agle

Hills.”

18

“May

31,

1884

TH

EL

T.

-G

OV

ER

NO

R’S

VIS

IT

...W

hen

the

Govern

or

retu

rned

fro

mF

ort

Pit

the

fou

nd

a

num

ber

of

Eagle

Hil

lsS

tone’s

wait

ing

tose

ehim

.T

hey

had

no

busin

ess

tola

ybefo

rehim

but

mere

ly“w

an

ted

tohave

ata

lk.!

’

Th

e“ta

lk”

was

very

short

.T

hey

were

ord

ere

dback

toth

eir

reserv

es

and

tohave

eig

ht

days

rati

ons

stopped

for

leavin

g

work

wit

hout

the

instr

ucto

r’s

perm

issio

n...

...t

he

India

ns

genera

lly

are

conte

nte

dan

danxio

us

tow

ork

,

especia

lly

as

they

find

that

wh

enth

espri

ng

isover

rati

ons

wil

lbe

dis

conti

nued

except

where

oth

er

work

isfu

rnis

hed

them

.

No

pro

vis

ions

wil

lhere

aft

er

be

giv

en

except

inre

turn

for

wo

rk

perf

orm

ed...

Pre

para

tions

are

bein

gm

ade

ashort

tim

eag

oto

have

a

gra

nd

thir

st

dance,

but

sub-a

gent

Qu

inn

took

such

asta

nd

again

st

it

that

it

was

abandoned...H

isconduct

inth

isre

spect

isw

ort

hy

of

imit

ati

on

inoth

er

pla

ces.

(Quin

nw

askil

led

inF

rog

Lak

e

mass

acre

,1885).

Mr.

Dew

dn

eynoti

ces

wit

hsati

sfa

cti

on

that

whenever

he

has

met

the

repre

senta

tive

men

of

any

of

the

bands,

except

the

two

trouble

som

eB

att

leR

iver

ones,

they

have

taken

anearl

yoccasio

n

toassure

him

that

all

the

rum

ors

of

anin

tended

upri

sin

gare

unfo

unded

and

that

they

are

due

enti

rely

to“th

ebad

Batt

le

Riv

er

talk

.”

“T

here

are

som

eti

mes

dif

fere

nces

of

opin

ion

betw

een

the

agents

and

instr

ucto

rs,

but

noth

ing

soseri

ous

as

tocause

any

uneasin

ess.

(This

arti

cle

als

ote

lls

about

rem

oval

of

Lu

cky

Man

fro

mC

hie

ftain

ship

and

the

genera

lm

eddli

ng

of

India

n

Depart

ment.

)”

“Th

ed

ud

eis

repre

sente

dhere

by

Big

Bear’

sso

ns,

who

have

been

dri

vin

garo

und

ina

buckboard

all

spri

ng.

They

are

got

up

inth

eheig

ht

of

fashio

nas

they

vie

wit,

regard

less

of

expense

,

but

still

cli

ngin

gto

the

bla

nket

as

apri

ncip

al

garm

ent.

One

day

last

week

,how

ever,

they

fair

lyoutd

idth

em

selv

es

by

turn

ing

out

wit

ha

fine

um

bre

lla

tosa

ve

their

bro

nzed

vic

ages

fro

m

furt

her

tannin

g.

The

absurd

ity

of

the

thin

gis

the

gre

ate

r

fro

mth

efa

ct

that

their

genera

lcost

um

ew

asth

esa

me

as

they

wo

reduri

ng

the

most

incle

ment

weath

er

of

last

win

ter.”

19

Duri

ng

the

Mo

nth

of

June

New

spaper

Art

icle

sO

utl

ined

the

Poli

cie

s

Ad

op

ted

toD

eal

wit

hth

e“In

dia

nT

rouble

s”

“B

att

lefo

rd,

Sask

atc

hew

an

Terr

itory

,S

atu

rday,

June

28,

18

84

.

Th

eIn

dia

nT

rouble

s.

It

has

oft

en

been

said

that

this

sum

mer

would

see

aconte

st

betw

een

the

India

ns

and

whit

es

for

supre

macy,

and

those

who

thought

of

itas

pro

bable

looked

forw

ard

toa

coll

isio

nin

wh

ich

pre

cio

us

lives

would

be

lost,

pro

pert

ydestr

oyed,

and

the

pro

gre

ss

of

the

countr

yarr

este

d.

The

str

uggle

has

taken

pla

ce,

and

has

result

ed

ina

com

ple

tem

ast

ery

of

the

India

ns-

—a

decid

ed

vic

tory

,blo

odle

ss,

but

no

ne

the

less

com

ple

te.

How

long

itw

ill

be

main

tain

ed

lies

wit

hth

ose

who

have

the

contr

ol

inIn

dia

n

affair

s.”

“Th

eF

utu

reIn

dia

nP

oli

cy.

Th

eevents

of

last

wee

km

ust

result

inth

eenfo

rcem

ent

of

aunif

orm

poli

cy

on

the

part

of

the

Gover

nm

ent’

.M

ost

of

the

trouble

sin

the

past

have

ari

sen

fro

ma

clo

se

adhere

nce

by

subord

inate

off

icers

tocast

—ir

on

regula

tions

laid

dow

nb

yth

e

Depart

ment.

Inevery

investi

gati

on

that

has

taken

pla

ce

a

poli

cy

of

concil

iati

on

has

been

adopte

dand

concessio

ns

mad

eto

the

India

ns;

and

this

has

giv

en

them

the

idea

that

all

their

hard

ship

san

dtr

ouble

sare

cause

db

yth

ein

str

ucto

rsan

doth

er

local

offic

ers,

wh

o,

they

say,

have

no

sym

path

yw

ith

them

.

Wit

hout

ente

ring

on

adis

cussio

nof

the

pro

per

poli

cy

tobe

adopte

d,

it

isevid

ent

that

ifit

isto

be

concil

iati

on

and

a

yie

ldin

gto

the

ever-

incre

asin

gdem

ands

of

the

India

ns,

adis

cre

tionary

pow

erm

ust

be

veste

din

the

local

off

icers

.If,

on

the

oth

er

hand,

it

isto

apoli

cy

of

astr

ict

obedie

nce

toord

ers

,

they

must

at

all

hazard

sbe

susta

ined

incarr

yin

gout

their

instr

ucti

ons.

To

do

oth

erw

ise

isto

impair

the

usefu

lness

of

the

men

who

are

indail

yconta

ct

wit

hth

eIn

dia

ns,

betw

een

who

m

and

their

instr

ucto

rsth

eutm

ost

confi

dence

should

exis

t.

One

of

the

puzzle

sth

at

vexes

the

India

nis

,th

at

when

he

isto

ldb

yan

instr

ucto

rin

answ

er

toso

me

dem

and

that

it

is

contr

ary

toin

str

ucti

ons,

yet

the

fir

st

hig

hoff

icer

that

com

es

alo

ng

com

pli

es

wit

hhis

dem

ands.

The

India

nth

en

natu

rall

y

looks

upo

nth

ein

str

ucto

ras

ali

ar,

hard

heart

ed

and

unkin

d,

and

his

usefu

lness

isgone.

Th

esit

uati

on

sim

ply

resolv

es

itself

into

this

,th

at

the

local

off

icers

must

eit

her

be

all

ow

ed

som

e

dis

cre

tion,

or

they

must

be

backed

up

by

suff

icie

nt

forc

eto

enfo

rce

their

ord

ers

,an

dto

ensu

reth

ism

ore

men

and

hors

es

must

be

sent

toth

ispost.

The

Go

vern

men

tw

ent

toa

gre

at

deal

:lefo

rdof

trouble

tose

nd

the

offs

couri

ngs

of

the

pla

ins

over

here

,

wh

ere

they

would

be

out

of

the

way

;th

ey

mu

stno

wconti

nue

their

irday

,eff

ort

sto

pre

vent

their

conti

nuin

gto

be

an

uis

an

ce.”

2°

*(T

he

wri

ter’

sopenin

gre

mark

s,“T

he

events

of

last

week,”

refe

rs

toa

dis

pute

betw

een

anIn

dia

nan

da

farm

instr

ucto

rw

hic

hw

as

resolv

ed

thro

ugh

the

inte

rventi

on

of

Supt.

Cro

zie

r.)

“H

era

ld”

Wri

ter

Cla

ims

that

Duri

ng

the

Month

of

July

1884

Big

Bear”

Begged”

the

Govern

ment

toT

each

His

People

Farm

ing

Skil

ls

“Big

Bear

-T

his

Chie

f,w

hose

naue

has

for

alo

ng

tim

e

occupie

dan

undue

pre

min

ence

inth

eannals

of

the

day,

has

ente

red

on

ane

wcare

er,

and

one

whic

his

likely

topro

ve

more

usefu

lto

all

concern

ed

than

the

unsett

led

one

he

has

solo

ng

foll

ow

ed.

At

anin

terv

iew

wit

hM

ajo

rC

rozie

ran

dIn

dia

nA

gen

t

Rae

afe

wdays

ago

he

announced

it

as

his

inte

nti

on

tosele

ct

his

reserv

eat

once

and

tom

ove

on

toit.

He

ple

aded

inex

ten

nati

on

of

his

form

er

cours

eth

at

he

was

labori

ng

under

afa

lse

impre

ssio

nan

ddid

not

unders

tand

thin

gs

as

they

reall

yw

ere

,

and

had

consequentl

yall

ow

ed

him

self

tobe

too

much

infl

uenced

by

his

young

men

.H

ecould

now

see

that

the

govern

ment

had

done

more

for

him

than

they

were

requir

ed

todo

by

the

treaty

.H

e

was

ready

togo

on

toa

reserv

ew

ith

such

of

his

people

as

would

foll

ow

him

.H

esaid

they

were

all

very

ignora

nt

of

farm

ing

and

the

modes

of

sett

led

life,

and

begged

that

the

govern

ment

would

send

am

anto

teach

them

who

would

have

som

epati

ence

wit

hth

eir

ignora

nce

and

not

get

angry

and

abuse

them

because

they

could

not

do

thin

gs

at

once.

He

spoke

most

reasonably

and

wit

happare

nt

candor

thro

ughout,

and

conclu

ded

by

ask

ing

for

pro

vis

ions

tokeep

him

whil

ehe

gath

ere

dhis

men

togeth

er

and

went

toP

itt.

If

he

went

there

as

he

agre

ed,

the

agent

would

know

that

he

was

inearn

est,

and

then

he

would

ask

for

som

eth

ing

els

ew

hen

he

had

got

tow

ork

.H

egot

what

he

ask

ed

inth

ew

ay

of

pro

vis

ions

and

left

tow

n,

and

there

isevery

reaso

nto

beli

eve

idhe

isin

earn

est,

and

that

wit

hhis

sett

lem

ent

on

his

reserv

e

.rday

,one

of

the

few

dis

turb

ing

ele

ments

inth

eIn

dia

nquesti

on

wil

l

12,

,,21

be

quie

ted.

The

Cre

es

of

Poundm

aker’

sB

and

Att

acked

Batt

lefo

rd

Wit

hout

His

Appro

val

Whe

nP

oundm

aker’

shungry

Cre

es

learn

ed

of

the

Duck

Lak

e

batt

lefr

om

the

Meti

sm

ess

engers

they

.dete

rmin

ed

at

once

tom

ove

on

toB

att

lefo

rdan

dlo

ot

its

sto

res,

despit

eth

eC

hie

f’s

dis

appro

val,

cla

ims

the

his

tori

an

J.

How

ard.

“The

people

of

the

vil

lage

and

sett

lers

inth

evic

init

y

had

np

lew

arn

ing

of

the

India

ns’

appro

ach

and

fled

toth

efo

rt.

Fiv

ehundre

dan

dtw

elv

epers

ons,

about

thre

ehundre

dof

them

wom

enan

dchil

dre

n,

were

bro

ught

insid

eth

esto

ckade.

The

tow

n

was

som

edis

tance

away

,b

ey

on

dth

era

ng

eof

the

fo

rt’

scannon,

and

could

not

be

defe

nded;

on

the

oth

er

hand

the

hil

ltop

stock

ad

e

was

inv

uln

era

ble

toIn

dia

natt

ack.

Th

en

igh

to

fth

eir

arriv

al

the

India

ns

began

sack

ing

the

vil

lag

ean

dconti

nued

this

for

days,

un

til

ev

ery

house

and

.rd

sto

re,

inclu

din

gth

eH

udso

n’s

Bay

post,

had

been

em

pti

ed

and

07destr

oyed.

,,22

Th

eB

ell

evil

le,

On

tari

onew

spaper,

“D

ail

yIn

tell

igen

cer”

,

bro

ug

ht

the

foll

ow

ing

repo

rto

nA

pri

l1

7:

“E

very

house

and

sto

reo

nth

eso

uth

sid

eof

Batt

leR

iver

has

been

ransa

cked

and

all

the

good

no

tappro

pri

ate

ddestr

oyed.

All

pers

on

so

ther

than

those

occupyin

gth

eto

wn

on

the

nort

hsid

e

are

hom

ele

ssan

dm

any

are

desti

tute

.If

com

munic

ati

on

conti

nu

es

severe

dw

ith

the

fro

nt,

choke_dog*

and

bacon

wil

lbec

om

eth

e

sta

ple

food

inth

enear

futu

re.

It

isesti

mate

dth

at

one—

thousa

nd

head

of

catt

lean

dsix

hu

nd

red

hors

es

were

dri

ven

off

by

the

India

ns.

Agri

cult

ura

len

terp

rises

hav

eb

een

thoro

ughly

ch

eck

ed

and

all

seed

inth

eco

un

try

isd

estr

oy

ed

and

farm

ers

gen

era

lly

ruin

ed

.T

he

seaso

nis

pro

pit

iou

s,

bu

tall

wo

rkis

susp

en

ded.

Sev

era

lhalf

-bre

ed

fam

ilie

sare

incust

ody

for

thie

vin

gan

ddestr

oyin

gpro

pert

yafte

rth

era

id.

It

isfe

are

d

that

the

India

ns

have

mate

riall

yin

jure

dO

liver’

ssa

wm

ill

at

er

Turt

leR

iver.

It

isre

port

ed

that

Instr

ucto

rP

ayne’s

body

was

.ev

ille

ch

op

ped

up

and

thro

wn

abou

tth

ebarn

yard

.In

str

ucto

rJeff

ers

on

.118

:is

apri

son

er

wit

hP

ou

nd

inaker.

The

pers

ons

wit

hin

the

sto

ck

ade

nu

mb

erfi

ve

hundre

dan

dsix.”

23

ILIO

N*

(Ch

ok

e...dog

refe

rsto

hard

Dors

et

ch

eese.)

Th

eC

rees

ran

ged

bey

on

dth

eto

wn

als

o,

bu

rnin

gevery

thin

g

that

would

ign

ite.

Fle

ein

gh

om

est

ead

ers

report

ed

that

their

way

was

lighte

dat

nig

ht

by

the

flam

es

fro

mburn

ing

hom

est

eads.

A

few

farm

ers

,unable

toget

away

inti

me

were

report

edly

murd

ere

d.

Batt

lefo

rd’s

inhabit

ants

,safe

insid

eth

est

ock

ad

ehad

enough

food

(in

sid

eth

efo

rt)

tola

st

them

for

thre

em

on

ths,

bu

tth

e

sie

ge,

imp

ose

dby

the

Cre

es,

was

lifte

dafte

rone

month

.

Retu

rnin

gS

co

ut

Bri

ngs

New

sof

Fro

gL

ake

Tra

gedy

toM

eti

sC

om

munit

y

Whil

eB

att

lefo

rdw

asu

nd

er

sie

ge,

are

turn

ing

Meti

sscou

t,

Isadore

McK

ay,

bro

ught

the

mess

age

that

two

pri

ests

had

been

mu

rdere

dby

Ind

ian

sin

the

tiny

vil

lag

eof

Fro

gL

ake.

Th

escout

seem

edunaw

are

that

not

on

lyth

eprie

sts

bu

tnearl

yall

the

whit

es

had

been

kil

led.

He

told

the

council

that

every

one

had

fled

and

that

Cla

rke

had

suppli

ed

arm

sto

India

ns

tofi

gh

tth

e

Meti

s.T

he

sco

ut

explr

iined:

“I

cam

efr

om

Lak

eA

ssin

ibo

ia.

Ica

me

by

the

win

ter

road

.

cro

ssed

the

Sask

atc

hew

an

at

Can

ton

.E

very

one

had

fled

...T

he

Ind

ian

sat

San

dy

Lak

ean

dat

Snak

ep

rair

iefl

ed

toL

ake

Pech

e,

and

Iheard

that

they

were

equip

ped

and

all

again

st

us.

They

were

equip

ped

by

Cla

rke.

Isa

wa

man

from

Batt

leR

iver,

Phil

ipM

usk

ego

n,

8days

ago.

He

said

it

was

his

seco

nd

jou

rney

,th

at

he

was

carr

yin

g

lett

ers;

...P

auJ.

Laro

nde

read

the

lett

ers

whic

hhe

show

ed,

the

itin

grt

lett

ers

were

inth

eli

nin

gof

his

vest.

..T

he

lett

ers

conta

ined

Lore

the

new

sof

Fath

er

Fafa

rdand

Marchand...”

24

Ly C•

On

Apri

l2

,F

ath

er

Fafa

rdan

dM

arc

han

dw

ere

cele

bra

tin

gm

ass

.

India

ns

cain

ean

dw

en

tduri

ng

the

serv

ice

bu

tth

epri

ests

man

aged

tore

main

com

pose

d.

Big

Bear

sto

od

by

the

door

fro

wn

ing

upon

the

mem

ber

sof

his

trib

ew

hoin

terr

up

ted

the

sole

mn

ity

of

the

cele

bra

tion

.

“P

ere

Fafa

rdpra

yed.

‘May

the

Bo

dy

of

Our

Lo

rdJesus

Ch

rist

keep

my

so

ul

un

toli

fe

ev

erla

sti

ng

...’

Th

eey

es

of

the

pri

ests

flic

kere

db

riefl

yto

the

ais

leof

the

churc

has

an

oth

er

India

nen

tere

d,

str

ode

alm

ost

toth

ealt

ar

rail

,lo

were

dhim

self

slow

lyto

one

knee,

and

sta

rd

at

them

un

bli

nk

ingly

.

Fath

er

Fafa

rdgasp

ed

and

reddened

wit

han

ger.

The

new

com

er

was

L’E

sp

irt

Err

an

t,W

an

deri

ng

Spir

it,

War

Ch

ief

of

the

Cre

es,

and

he

was

infull

regali

a...

The

mas

sd

ron

ed

on

.A

fter

the

fir

st

gla

nce

Fath

er

Fafa

rd

paid

no

att

en

tio

nto

the

pag

an

chie

fkneeli

ng

mo

ck

ing

lyb

efo

re

the

alt

ar,

his

impla

cable

eyes

foll

ow

ing

ev

ery

mo

vem

ent

of

the

prie

sts

...

Th

econgre

gati

on

was

fascin

ate

db

yth

eim

mobil

efi

gure

of

ird

the

war

chie

fin

the

isle

and

the

responses

gra

du

all

ygre

w,,2

509,

fain

ter

and

die

d.

10

.A

fter

the

serv

ice

Wan

deri

ng

Spir

itto

ldQ

uin

n,

the

India

n

agent,

togo

toth

eIn

dia

nca

mp

.Q

uin

nre

fused

.H

ew

asa

pro

ud

and

indepen

den

tm

anw

hohad

lived

long

among

the

Nati

ve

People

s

and

was

marr

ied

toa

Cre

ew

om

an.

Feeli

ng

him

self

safe

amo

ng

his

wif

e’s

rela

tiv

es

he

op

po

sed

the

war

chie

f’s

com

man

d‘N

ea’,

(Go

,)

ase

cond

tim

e.

Wit

hout

furt

her

hesit

ati

on,

Wanderi

ng

Spir

it

shot

Quin

nin

the

face.

He

dro

pped

dead

at

Wanderi

ng

Spir

it’s

feet.

Wit

hin

the

nex

tfe

who

urs

,se

ven

more

people

were

sh

ot

seem

ing

lyw

ith

ou

tseri

ous

pro

vocati

on:

Charl

es

Go

uin

,a

half

bre

ed

carp

ente

r,Jo

hn

Wil

liscra

ft,

am

ech

an

ic,

Joh

nG

ow

anlo

ck,

opera

tor

of

ag

ov

ern

men

t—b

uil

tfl

our

mil

l,D

ela

ney,

the

farm

advis

or

and

the

prie

sts

Marc

han

dan

dF

afa

rd.

Geo

rge

Dil

l,a

trader

and

Wil

lG

ilchri

st,

an

em

plo

yee

of

the

flour

mil

l,ra

n

for

cover

but

were

chaie

dan

dgunned

do

wn

afe

wm

iles

away

fom

the

sett

lem

ent.

Only

thre

ew

hit

es

surv

ived

the

kil

lin

gs,

nam

ely

the

wid

ow

sD

ela

ney

and

Go

wan

lock

and

Wil

liam

B.

Cam

ero

n,

a

young

Hud

son’s

Bay

Com

pan

ycle

rk.

Ch

arl

eb

ois

att

em

pts

toex

pla

inth

em

urd

ers

at

Fro

gL

ake

as

foll

ow

s:

“The

Fro

gL

ake

incid

ent

was

the

culm

inati

on

of

aseri

es

of

ev

en

ts.

For

years

Big

Bear’

sband

had

been

ina

sta

teof

sem

i-

sta

rvati

on.

They

had

been

harr

assed

by

the

govern

ment

agents

att

em

pti

ng

tofo

rce

them

onto

land

reserv

es

whic

hth

ey

knew

were

inad

eq

uate

toth

eir

needs.

They

had

reached

the

bre

akin

g

po

int

and

were

go

ing

tofo

llo

wL

ou

isR

iel’

sad

vic

eto

take

cap

tiv

es

an

du

seth

emto

barg

ain

wit

hG

ov

ern

men

tauth

ori

ties.

rleb

ois

How

ever

,th

eir

pla

nw

asu

pset

by

aconfr

onta

tion

betw

een

Quin

n

161.

and

Wan

deri

ng

Spirit.”

26

Th

ew

idow

sD

ela

ney

and

Gow

anlo

ckre

main

ed

as

capti

ves

of

Big

Bear’

sb

an

dand

wro

tea

small

book,

enti

tled,

“Tw

om

onth

s

inth

eca

mp

of

Big

Bear”

,afte

rth

eir

rele

ase.

The

Batt

lefo

rd

new

spaper

pri

nte

dth

eir

sto

ries

inA

pri

l1885.

An

excerp

tfr

om

Mrs

.D

ela

ney’s

acco

un

tre

ads

as

foll

ow

s:

“Mrs

.D

ela

ney’s

account.

...W

ew

ere

foll

ow

ed

and

surr

ounded

by

the

India

ns.

Th

e

two

prie

sts

,M

r.an

dM

rs.

Gow

anlo

ck,

Mr.

Wil

liscra

ft,

Mr.

Dil

l,

Mr.

Gouin

,M

r.Q

uin

n,

my

husb

and

and

myse

lffo

rmed

the

part

yof

whit

es.

My

hu

sban

dand

Iw

alk

ed

ahead.

Whe

nw

ehad

got

about

on

eacre

from

the

ho

use

we

heard

shots

,w

hic

hw

eth

ou

gh

tw

ere

fire

din

the

air

.W

epaid

little

or

no

att

en

tio

nto

them

.I

had

my

hu

sban

dby

the

arm

.W

ew

ere

thus

linked

wh

enold

Mr.

Wil

liscra

ftru

shed

past,

bare

—h

ead

ed

.I

turn

ed

my

head

to

see

what

was

the

cau

seof

his

ex

cit

em

en

t,w

hen

Isa

wM

r.G

ow

anlo

ck

fall

.I

was

about

tosp

eak

wh

enI

felt

my

hu

sban

d’s

arm

dro

p

from

min

e——

and

he

said

,‘I

amshot

too’.

Just

then

the

pri

ests

rush

ed

up

and

Fath

er

Fafa

rdw

assa

yin

gso

meth

ing

inF

rench,

wh

ich

Icould

not

catc

h.

My

hu

sband

sta

gg

ere

dover

about

twenty

feet

from

me

and

then

back

again

,an

dfell

dow

nbesid

em

e.I

bent

do

wn

and

rais

ed

his

head

upon

my

lap.

Ith

ink

over

fort

ysh

ots

mu

sth

av

eb

een

fire

d,

but

Ico

uld

no

tte

llw

hat

sid

eth

eshot

cam

efr

om

that

hit

my

husb

and.

Icall

Fath

er

Fafa

rdan

dhe

cam

e

over

and

ask

ed

my

hu

sban

dif

he

say

the

‘Co

nfi

teo

r’.

My

husb

and

said

‘yes’,

and

then

repeate

dth

epra

yer

fro

men

dto

en

d.

As

he

fin

ished

the

pra

yer,

the

prie

st

said

:-—

‘My

po

or

bro

ther,

I

thin

kyou

are

safe

wit

hG

od’,

and

as

the

wo

rds

die

dupon

his

lip

sh

ere

ceiv

ed

his

death

wound,

and

fell

pro

str

ate

acro

ss

my

husb

and..

Id

idnot

see

who

fire

dth

eshot.

Io

nly

saw

one

shot

fire

d;

Ith

ought

it

was

for

myself

,but

it

was

for

my

husb

and,

and

it

fin

ish

ed

him

.In

aco

up

leof

min

ute

san

India

n,

fro

m

the

opposit

esid

e,

ran

up

,caught

me

by

the

wri

st

and

told

me

togo

wit

hhim

.I

refu

sed,

bu

tI

saw

anoth

er

India

nsh

ak

ehis

head

at

me

and

tell

me

tog

oo

n.

He

dra

gged

me

by

forc

eaw

ay.

Igot

on

eg

lan

ce

-—

the

last

--

at

my

poor

husb

and’s

body,

and

Iw

asta

ken

off

.A

fter

we

had

gone

ap

iece

Itr

ied

tolo

ok

back,

but

the

Ind

ian

gave

me

afe

wshakes,

pre

tty

roughly

,an

d

then

dra

gged

me

thro

ugh

the

cre

ek

up

tom

yw

ais

tin

wate

r,th

en

ov

er

path

sfu

llof

tho

rns

and

bria

rs,

and

fin

all

yfl

ung

me

do

wn

inh

iste

nt.

Iw

ill

not

now

sta

yto

descri

be

my

feeli

ng

sor

att

em

pt

togiv

ein

lan

gu

ag

ean

idea

of

the

mil

lio

nphanto

ms

of

dre

ad

and

terror;

mem

ory

seem

edb

ut

too

keen

,an

donly

too

viv

idly

could

Ibehold

the

repeti

tion

of

the

scen

es

that

had

just

pass

ed

befo

rem

e.

Th

ere

isn

opossib

ilit

yo

fg

ivin

gan

idea

of

our

suff

eri

ng

s.

Th

ephysic

al

pain

,ex

po

sure

s,

dangers

,cold

s,

heats

,sle

eple

ss

idnig

hts

,lo

ng

marc

hes,

scan

tfo

od,

po

or

raim

ent,

etc

.,w

ou

ldb

e

122

,bad

enough

,but

we

mu

stnot

lose

sig

ht

of

the

menta

languis

h

that

mem

ory

,o

nly

too

fait

hfu

l,could

infli

ct

up

on

us,

and

the

rste

rror

that

alt

um

ate

hope

and

despair

would

com

pel

us

toundergo.”

27

(The

latt

er

sente

nces

po

rtra

yth

eso

mew

hat

exaggera

ted

sty

le

of

wri

ting

po

pu

lar

at

that

tim

e.)

Fro

gL

ake

Incid

ent

Co

uld

Als

obe

Ex

pla

ined

as

the

Result

of

a

Cla

ndesti

ne

Lia

iso

n

Whe

nJi

mB

rady,

form

er

Pre

sid

ent

of

the

Meti

sS

ocie

ty,

was

inte

rvie

wed

in1

96

0,

he

shed

new

lig

ht

on

the

behin

d-t

he-s

cenes

incid

en

tsw

hic

hco

uld

have

cause

dth

ek

illi

ng

sat

Fro

gL

ak

e.

Bra

dy

was

info

rmed

that

acla

ndesti

ne

rela

tionship

betw

een

an

India

nw

oman

and

the

local

farm

instr

ucto

rp

lay

ed

asig

nif

ican

t

role

inth

em

urd

ers

.T

his

info

rmati

on

was

pass

ed

alo

ng

toJa

mes

Bra

dy

by

anold

frie

nd

.W

hil

eth

esto

ryw

asto

ldto

him

the

India

nw

oman

was

avis

itor

toth

ehouse

inw

hic

hB

rady

sta

yed.

Bra

dy

late

rre

late

dth

ein

cid

ent

toA

rtD

avis

,pro

fessor

at

the

Un

ivers

ity

of

Sask

atc

hew

an.

Dav

is:

“Som

ey

ears

back

you

had

atr

ue

sto

ryof

the

Fro

gL

ake

mass

acre

,d

oyou

rem

ember

that?

Bra

dy

:Y

es,

Ire

mem

ber

that.

Davis

:W

ell

,w

hydon’t

you

tell

me

what

the

tru

esto

ryw

as...

Bra

dy

:In

the

year

l88

4...t

he

Cre

es

had

been

dri

ven

and

forc

ed

onto

their

reserv

es..

.th

ere

was

anum

ber

of

Big

Bear’

sband

who

had

been

all

ocate

dth

isre

serv

eat

Fro

gL

ake

and

anagent

had

been

sent

up

and

the

enti

repara

phern

ali

aof

the

Ind

ian

Dep

art

men

t...

At

that

tim

eth

eC

ath

o.l

icm

issio

nari

es

had

esta

bli

shed

them

selv

es

als

oat

Fro

gL

ake

wh

ere

they

were

bu

sypro

sely

ting

(sic

)th

e.C

ree

Ind

ian

s.

Sta

tioned

there

were

the

tw.

mis

sio

nari

es...F

ath

ers

(Fafa

rd)

and

Marc

han

d.

At

that

tim

eam

on

gth

ep

ers

on

nel

of

the

Unio

nA

gen

cyw

asth

eIn

dia

n.

Ag

en

tT

hom

asQ

uin

n.

Qu

inn

him

self

was

of

Sio

ux

descen

tand

aC

ath

oli

cand

it

cert

ain

lyd

idn’t

sho

wg

oo

dju

dgem

ent

on

the

part

of

the

Ind

ian

Depart

men

tto

pla

ce

him

as

asu

perv

isor

over

the

Cre

e..

.

Am

ong

them

was

the

farm

ing

instr

ucto

rD

ela

ney

,w

how

asm

arr

ied

and

his

wif

ere

sid

ed

wit

hh

imo

nth

ere

serv

e.

(Jim

Bra

dy

then

descri

bed

ayoung

Cre

ew

om

an,

by

the

nam

eof

Mrs

.P

eau—

-”th

ebell

eof

the

trib

e”—

—w

ho

was

marr

ied

toth

en

eph

ewof

Wan

deri

ng

Spir

it.

The

nep

hew

had

been

am

emb

erof

the

“C

hic

ken

Lo

dg

e”,

asold

ier

so

cie

tysim

ilar

toth

edog

so

ldie

rsocie

tyam

ong

the

Chero

kee.

Th

issocie

tyw

asa

yo

un

gm

en’s

org

an

izati

on

whic

hhad

the

duty

of

po

licin

gm

emb

ers

of

the

trib

e,

on

the

hu

nti

ng

cam

por

at

import

ant

festi

vit

ies.

Wro

ng

do

ers

were

severe

lypunis

hed.)

...b

ut

due

toth

ehard

tim

es,

yo

usee,

the

India

ns

they

were

sta

rvin

gso

consequentl

ym

any

of

them

bec

ame

convert

sto

Cath

oli

cis

m...

Dav

is:

They

had

food

tohand

out

toconvert

s

Bra

dy

:A

ndnatu

rall

yth

ey

use

dth

isyou

mig

ht

alm

ost

say

as

apoli

tical

weapon,

because

Qu

inn

him

self

was

aC

ath

oli

can

dso

was

Dela

ney

and

betw

een

the

two

of

them

they

would

be

infl

uen

ced

by

the

pri

ests

inth

ed

istr

ibu

tio

nof

these

suppli

es.

These

su

pp

lies

were

held

ov

er

the

head

sof

the

Ind

ian

sas

aclu

b..

.but

Wan

deri

ng

Spir

it’s

nep

hew

had

desert

çd

the

chic

ken

lodge

so

cie

tyan

dhe

had

bec

om

ea

convert

toC

ath

oli

cis

m...

He

work

ed

aro

un

dth

em

issio

nan

dgot

his

food

ou

tof

this

.W

ell

,he

marr

ied

this

gir

l.O

rig

inall

yhe

had

marr

ied

her

accord

ing

toth

epagan

reli

gio

nb

ut

afte

rhe

bec

ame

aco

nvert

he

was

law

full

ym

arr

ied

acco

rdin

gto

the

rit

es

of

the

Rom

anC

ath

oli

cC

hurc

h.

Inth

esu

mm

erof

1884,

Dela

ney

,th

efa

rmin

gin

str

ucto

r,he

hap

pen

ed

tolo

ok

at

this

gir

l,an

dsh

ew

asab

out

the

most

att

racti

ve

one

on

the

reserv

e,

sonatu

rall

yh

em

ade

apla

yfo

rh

er,

wit

hth

eresult

,you

see,

there

was

aso

rtof

cla

nd

esti

ne

liais

on

goin

gon...D

uri

ng

the

hay

ing

seaso

n,

in1884,

Dela

ney

took

her

away

wit

hh

imfr

om

her

hu

sban

d,

and

he

took

her

out

toth

ecam

p...a

nd

ev

ery

Ind

ian

on

the

reserv

eknew

that

Dela

ney

was

shackin

gu

pw

ith

this

wom

anan

dher

husb

and

resente

dit

.H

ew

en

tto

the

mis

sio

nari

es

and

told

them

,‘T

hat

whit

em

anis

runnin

garo

und

wit

hm

yw

ife

tell

him

tosto

p.

You

peo

ple

say

yo

uhave

ala

wagain

st

this

.’W

ell

,no

one

know

sw

heth

er

the

mis

sio

nari

es

inte

rvened

or

not;

bu

tD

ela

ney,

he

was

Iris

han

da

rath

er

ex

cit

ab

lech

ara

cte

r,an

dn

odoubt

it

would

n’t

hav

ed

on

ean

ygood

ifth

eprie

sts

did

n’t

seem

tobe

ab

leto

ex

erc

ise

any

mo

ral

restr

ain

ton

him

.A

fter

all

,he

was

one

of

the

most

responsib

leof

the

Ind

ian

Dep

art

men

tem

plo

yees

because

he

assis

ted

wit

hgiv

ing

ou

tth

era

tio

ns.”

(The

young

man

then

pu

this

vie

ws

toth

ep

riests

inth

isw

ay

:)

“Now

,th

at

nev

er

hap

pen

sam

ong

us

India

ns

because

when

aw

oman

co

mm

itte

dadult

ery

itw

ould

be

anaff

ron

tto

her

fam

ily

.H

erbro

thers

wo

uld

pu

th

er

tod

eath

or

her

own

fam

ily

would

.B

esi

des

that,

the

Ind

ian

hu

sband

alw

ays

had

the

right

topunis

hhis

wif

e.

So

he

gets

pre

tty

fed

up

wit

hth

isone

day

soafte

rsh

ere

turn

sfr

om

one

of

her

esc

apad

es

he

just

gra

bs

her

and

he

beats

the

dayli

ghts

ou

tof

her.

As

are

su

lthe

found

him

self

up

on

charg

es

befo

reth

eR

.C.M

.P.

becau

seth

ew

hit

em

anto

ldher,

under

ou

rli

wy

ou

rhusb

and

can

’tto

uch

you.

It

isw

rong

for

him

tod

oth

at.

So

he

was

taken

and

pro

secute

dan

dth

ey

pu

thim

inth

ecell

s,

at

Fort

Pit

t

just

as

asort

of

punis

hm

ent

toim

pre

ssupon

him

that

he

mustn

’tbeat

his

wif

e.

It

was

at

Fort

Pit

t

that

he

serv

ed

this

very

short

peri

od

of

impri

sonm

ent,

about

30days

was

the

usual

thin

g.

One

of

the

thin

gs

that

infu

riate

dth

eC

rees

was

that

when

they

had

him

inth

ecell

sat

Fort

Pit

tone

of

the

mounti

es

use

dconsid

era

ble

vio

lence

on

him

...

Whe

nth

eyoung

fell

ow

cain

eback

toth

ere

serv

ean

d

he

att

em

pte

dto

pic

kth

ings

up

again

wit

hhis

wif

e,

well

,it

just

went

from

bad

tow

ors

e.

He

was

pow

er

less

because

he

had

no

mea

ns

•by

whic

hhe

could

punis

hher

or

restr

ain

her.

He

had

lost

face.

Well

he

reali

zed

then

that

there

was

som

eth

ing

wro

ng

wit

h

this

Chri

sti

an

reli

gio

nw

hopre

ached

one

thin

gan

d

then

pra

cti

sed

anoth

er.

Conse

quentl

yyou

see

he

bec

ame

are

negade,

he

went

back

from

Chri

sti

anit

y

then.

He

went

tohis

old

bro

thers

inth

echic

ken

lodge.

Well

the

Chic

ken

lodge

isa

warr

ior’

ssocie

tyan

d

anaff

ront

again

st

one

isan

aff

ront

again

st

all

and

it

isa

matt

er

of

blo

od

vengeance.

...Q

uin

ndid

n’t

inte

rfere.

The

India

nA

gent

he

did

n’t

mak

ean

yatt

em

pt

todis

cip

line

his

em

plo

yee

and

poin

tout

tohim

the

seri

ousness

of

his

acti

ons

...W

hen

the

(Fro

gL

ake)

rebell

ion

began...t

hey

surr

ounded

the

whit

es

inth

echurc

h.

Wanderi

ng

Spir

itsent

acm

eIn

dia

ns

tobri

ng

Quin

n,

because

Quin

nw

asnot

pre

sent

at

the

actu

al

mass

acre

.

Quin

nre

fused

toco

me.

He

was

ast

ubborn

man

so

they

shot

him

.W

ell

,th

ey

als

osh

ot

the

prie

sts

because

they

felt

it

was

the

only

way

they

ou1d

-get

rid

of

this

undesir

able

sit

uati

on.”

Davis

:H

ave

you

ever

seen

any

account

of

this

inpri

nt

anyw

here

?...

Bra

dy:

Ihave

never

seen

itin

prin

t...

Davis

:I

suppose

this

show

sth

at

there

isalw

ays

more

under

neath

the

surf

ace

than

appears

inprin

t.

Bra

dy:

Well

,m

ost

his

toric

al

accounts

of

any

event

dif

fer

ervie

wbecause

its

alw

ays

the

ruli

ng

cla

ss

that

wri

te

Art

Dav

ishistories.”

2°

534

The

Arc

hbis

hop

of

St.

Bonif

ace

Wro

teT

hat

the

Fro

gL

ake

Murd

ers

Wer

eN

ot

Com

mit

ted

wit

hout

Pro

vocati

on

Severa

lm

onth

safte

rth

eF

rog

Lak

etr

agedy,

the

“M

ontr

eal

Hera

ldan

dD

ail

yC

om

merc

ial

Gazett

e”,

pri

nte

da

“M

anif

est

o”,

wri

tten

by

Tache,

the

Arc

hbis

hop

of

St.

Bonif

ace,

whic

hpoin

ted

out

that

cert

ain

non-N

ati

ve

indiv

iduals

inth

eF

rog

Lak

esettle

ment

had

bru

tali

zed

India

ns.

The

pers

ons

who

kept

these

bruta

liti

es

from

genera

lknow

ledge,

nam

ely

the

Fath

ers

Marc

hand,

Fafa

rd,

were

kil

led

alo

ng

wit

hth

ose

who

mth

ey

were

str

ivin

gto

pro

tect.

Such

poor

treatm

ent

was

not

excepti

onal,

the

Arc

h

bis

hop

added.

The

foll

ow

ing

excerp

tfr

om

the

Arc

hbis

hop’s

Manif

est

obears

pain

ful

testi

mony

of

cru

etl

yto

India

ns:

-“1

,th

ere

fore

,d

onot

inan

yw

ayw

ish

toju

sti

fy

the

Ind

ian

s,

but

as

it

isri

ght

that

the

truth

should

be

kn

ow

n,

and

at

the

risk

of

ex

cit

ing

gre

at

su

rpri

se,

Iaff

irm

that

the

mass

acre

sw

ere

not

co

mm

itte

dw

ithout

pre

vio

us

pro

vocati

on.

I

here

en

vo

ke

the

testi

mo

ny

of

one

of

the

vic

tim

sh

imself

.T

he

Rev

ere

nd

Fath

er

Fafa

rdsaid

inconvers

ati

on

wit

hanoth

er

mis

sio

nary

,w

hoin

turn

rela

ted

it

tom

e:‘S

uch

aone

acts

wit

h

sham

efu

lbruta

lity

tow

ard

sth

eIn

dia

ns.

He

wil

lbe

kil

led

som

e

day.’

The

pers

on

all

uded

tow

ask

ille

d,

and

two

dev

ote

dm

is

sio

nari

es

incre

ased

the

nu

mb

erof

vic

tim

sth

ey

were

str

ivin

gto

pro

tect.

Agentl

em

an,

wh

ose

vera

cit

yI

can

no

tq

uesti

on

assu

red

me

•th

at

som

eIn

dia

ns

had

told

him

in1

88

4th

at

such

anin

div

idu

al,

u.f

est

orc

h-

who

mh

em

enti

oned,

‘tre

ate

dth

em

like

dogs’,

and

the

sam

eop

ind

ivid

ual

was

als

ok

ille

db

yth

eIn

dia

ns

who

had

lodged

the

Bon

i—co

mp

lain

tag

ain

st

him

.I

sta

teth

ese

part

icu

lars

sop

ain

ful

rea1

torela

te,

because

the

ab

ov

eare

not

the

only

excepti

ons

‘to

nerc

ial

the

consid

era

tetr

eatm

ent

tow

hic

hth

ep

oo

rIn

dia

ns

have

mo

ral

3tt

ecla

im’,

and

because

Ihave

invie

wth

efu

ture

agre

at

deal

mo

resd

ay,

29

15,

than

the

past.

”) 7(

4392

8)•C

.T

he

Cre

eC

hie

fB

igB

ear

Arr

an

ged

the

Evacuati

on

of

Fo

rtP

itt

toA

void

Blo

od

shed

Aft

er

the

murd

ers

at

Fro

gL

ak

e,

the

people

of

Fort

Pit

t

were

indre

ad

of

att

ack

and

took

imm

ed

iate

ste

ps

tostr

ength

en

their

po

sit

ion.

The

fort

shelt

ere

dabout

22p

oli

cem

en

and

28

civ

ilia

ns.

The

po

lice

were

under

the

com

man

dof

Cap

t.F

rancis

Dic

ken

s,so

nof

the

noveli

st.

Dic

ken

str

ied

toim

pro

ve

the

defe

nce

of

the

fort

by

pla

cin

gcart

san

dco

rdw

ood

betw

een

the

bu

ild

ing

san

dth

en

form

ing

ram

part

sw

ith

sack

sof

gra

inan

d

trad

eg

oods;

but

the

fort’

sm

ain

pro

ble

mw

asit

sin

accessib

ilit

y

toa

wate

rsu

pply

.

Big

Bear’

sb

an

dhad

been

join

ed

by

an

oth

er

band

of

Pla

in’s

Cre

ean

dto

geth

er

they

ap

pro

ached

the

Fort

on

Ap

ril

10.

The

Cre

es

were

ben

ton

assau

ltin

gth

est

ockade

desp

ite

Big

Bear’

s

att

em

pts

topre

vent

anatt

ack.

Ch

arl

eb

ois

told

the

sto

ryof

the

Chie

f’s

solu

tion

toth

edil

em

ma.

“B

igB

ear

could

no

tp

ers

uade

Wan

deri

ng

Spir

it,

or

the

Pla

ins

and

Woo

dC

ree

warr

iors

,n

ot

toatt

ack

Fort

Pit

t-

anact

whic

hw

ou

ldundoubte

dly

result

inth

eannih

ilati

on

of

the

No

rth

Wes

tM

ou

nte

dP

oli

ce.

Big

Bear,

ho

wev

er,

fou

nd

aso

luti

on

by

whic

hno

lives

were

lost.

Big

Bear

off

ere

da

deal

where

by

the

civ

ilia

ns

would

leave

Fort

Pit

tan

dco

me

into

the

Cre

eca

mp

under

his

gu

ara

nte

eof

pro

tecti

on.

And,

ifth

epoli

ce

wo

uld

leav

eth

eir

arm

sat

Fort

Pit

t,th

ey

wo

uld

be

all

ow

ed

todep

art

.

The

Cre

es

co

uld

cla

ima

blo

od

less

vic

tory

and

the

conte

nts

of

Fort

Pit

t.

Dic

ken

sagre

ed.

How

ever,

as

the

Cre

es

su

perv

ised

the

civ

ilia

ns’

evacuati

on,

Dic

kens

hit

ch

ed

ate

am

of

hors

es

toa

pre

vio

usly

pre

pare

dsc

ow

and

quic

kly

tow

ed

it

toth

eic

e—

fill

ed

riv

er.

All

the

poli

ce,

wit

hth

eir

arm

s,ju

mped

into

the

scow

and

sta

rte

dth

eir

slow

drif

ting

journ

ey

dow

nriv

er.

The

Cre

es

o.w

ere

com

ple

tely

su

rpri

sed

and

fire

donly

afe

wsh

ots

,b

ein

gm

ore

harl

ebois

inte

reste

din

takin

gth

eciv

ilia

ns

pri

so

ner

and

looti

ng

Fo

rt

•16

7P

itt.

” No

men

tio

nof

Big

Bear’

scom

pro

mis

ew

asm

ade

inA

.B

eg

g’s

account

of

Fort

Pit

tev

acuati

on.

He

descri

bed

the

parl

ay

betw

een

the

Hudso

n’s

Bay

Com

pan

yo

ffic

er

Mac

Lea

nand

the

Cre

es,

whic

h

1.ended

inM

acL

ean’s

arrest

by

the

India

ns.

InB

eg

g’s

vers

ion,

egg,

the

“sa

vages”

were

bent

on

mis

chie

f,and

Mac

Lea

n“sent

wo

rdto

lexan

der

isto

ryo

fD

ick

en

sto

get

away

wit

hh

isfo

rce

as

qu

ick

lyas

possib

le.”

Mac

Lea

nth

en

sent

for

his

fam

ily

tojo

inh

imin

the

Cre

eca

mp.

un

ter

&T

he

dia

ryof

Corp

ora

lS

leig

h,

repri

nte

das

part

of

Beg

g’s

chapte

rose

Co.

on

the

Fro

gL

ake

Mass

acre

,ex

pla

ins

that,

“B

igB

ear

sent

lett

er

895,

31

•21

1.d

ow

n.

Sen

tw

ord

for

every

bo

dy

toevacuate

fo

rt.

..”

Th

eP

oli

ce

Esc

ap

ed

from

Fo

rtP

itt

ina

Leaky

Sco

w.

Man

yw

ere

Fro

stb

itte

n.

Clo

thin

gF

rozen

on

their

Backs.

Entr

ies

inC

orp

ora

lS

leig

h’s

dia

ryb

etw

een

Ap

ril

14to

22,

were

as

foll

ow

s:

“A

pri

l14

-N

oreli

ef,

and

thin

gs

look

blu

e.

Every

bo

dy

in4

good

sp

irit

s.

H.

Quin

n,

D.

Co

wan

and

Cl.

Loasb

y,

wit

hth

ree

saddle

hors

es,

went

out

scouti

ng

toF

rog

Lak

e.

Bo

dy

of

India

ns

at

top

of

hil

l,8

00

yard

sfr

om

fo

rt.

Tw

ohundre

dand

fif

ty

Ind

ian

s,

arm

ed

and

mo

un

ted.

Had

Dufr

esne,

Sr.,

and

Hapli

n,

Hu

dso

n’s

Bay

Com

pan

y,

pri

so

ners

.B

igB

ear

sent

lett

er

do

wn

.

Sen

tw

ord

for

every

body

toevacuate

fort

and

giv

eu

parm

s.D

oors

barr

icaded,

and

men

inp

laces.

Ind

ian

shad

big

war

dan

ce

on

hil

l.

India

ns

skulk

ing

thro

ugh

wo

od

sin

every

dir

ecti

on.

Mr.

Mac

Lea

n,

of

Hid

son’s

Bay

Com

pan

y,

had

parl

ey

wit

hth

em

on

hil

l.-

Double

sen

trie

sin

barr

acks.

Tw

ohundre

dand

fif

tyIn

dia

ns,

on

war

path

,su

rro

un

du

s.

Apri

l15

—M

r.M

acL

ean,

at

noon,

wen

to

nhil

lto

parl

ey.

Th

ree

scouts

cam

egall

op

ing

thro

ugh

tow

ard

sP

itt.

Co

nsta

ble

Co

wan

sh

ot

dead,

Lo

asb

ybadly

wounded,

and

hors

ekil

led.

Sh

ots

fire

dfr

om

loop

hole

s;

two

India

ns

kil

led,

Quin

nm

issin

g,

and

two

wounded.

Mr.

Mac

Lea

nand

Fra

nco

isD

ufr

esn

eta

ken

pri

so

ners

.

Mr.

Mac

Lea

nw

rote

dow

nto

his

wif

eto

com

eo

ut

and

giv

ehers

elf

up

,an

dall

the

Hudso

n’s

Bay

Com

pan

yem

plo

yees

tod

oth

esa

me.

Th

eH

udso

n’s

Bay

em

plo

yees,

twen

ty-t

wo

innum

ber,

gave

them

selv

es

up

toB

igB

ear.

Impossib

leto

hold

fort

.n

ow

,so

we

had

tograce

full

yreti

re

acro

ss

the

riv

er

ina

scow

,and

cam

ped

for

nig

ht,

not

forg

ett

ing

tobri

ng

colo

rsalo

ng

.N

earl

ysw

amped

cro

ssin

g,

river

bein

gro

ug

hand

sco

wle

ad

ing

bad

ly.

Genera

lid

ea

prev

ail

ing

that

we

would

be

att

acked

go

ing

do

wn

river.

To

ok

Loasb

y

alo

ng

.T

hus

ended

the

sie

ge

of

Fort

Pit

t.

Apri

l16

-U

pat

4:3

0afte

rp

assin

ga

wre

tch

ed

nig

ht.

Sn

ow

ing

fast,

and

very

win

dy.

Movin

gsl

ow

.S

evera

lm

enfro

st-

bit

ten.

Clo

thin

gfr

ozen

on

ou

rb

ack

s.H

adso

me

narr

ow

esc

apes

inic

e

jam

s.C

amped

at

nin

efo

rd

inn

er.

Res

um

edtr

ipat

no

on

.

Ap

ril

18-

Sta

rted

at

seven

a.m

.D

aydull

and

cold

.M

uch

ice

run

nin

g.

Ap

ril

19—

Su

nd

ay

.L

eft

Sla

pJa

ck

Isla

nd

at

7:1

3a.m

.R

an

for

fiv

eh

ou

rs.

Cam

ped

on

Beav

er

Isla

nd

,n

um

ber

35.

Ran

on

thre

ehours

,and

cam

ped

on

Pin

eIs

lan

dfo

rnig

ht.

Apri

l20

-H

ere

all

day.

Barr

icaded

the

scow

.In

sp

ecte

d

arm

s.R

ou

gh

-lo

ok

ing

para

de.

Wounded

man

bett

er.

Apri

l2

1-

Left

isla

nd

at

7a.m

.E

leven

a.m

.hai1

din

ter

pre

ter

Jose

ph

Ale

xan

der

and

two

poli

cem

en

on

sou

thb

an

k.

They

had

desp

atc

hes

for

us.

They

rep

ort

ed

Batt

lefo

rdsafe

,an

dtr

oo

ps

ex

pecte

ddail

y.

Ran

all

day

and

stopped

on

small

isla

nd

for

the

nig

ht.

Riv

er

fall

ing

rap

idly

.S

truck

on

sand—

bars

.A

llsle

pt

on

board

scow

.T

wo

men

on

pic

ket.

Lar

yo

f)r

p.

R.B

.A

pri

l22

-S

tart

ed

at

5:4

5a.m

.,re

ach

ed

Batt

lefo

rdat

nin

e

a.m

.G

arr

iso

ntu

rned

ou

tan

dpre

sente

darm

s.P

oli

ce

ban

dpla

yed

iper

su

sin

tofort.

Enth

usia

sti

cgre

eti

ng.

Lad

ies

gave

us

ag

ran

d5

cit

ed

32din

ner.

”

•Beg

g,

To

ron

toN

ew

spap

er

Cla

imed

that

Go

vern

men

tw

as“M

isle

d”

Abo

ut

Tru

e

Feeli

ngs

of

Nati

ve

People

sB

efo

reN

ort

h—

Wes

tT

rouble

s

Sev

era

lm

on

ths

afte

rth

eN

ort

h—

Wes

td

istu

rban

ces,

the

To

ron

toD

ail

yM

ail

cla

imed

that

the

offic

ials

inth

eT

err

ito

ries

must

have

“gro

ssly

mis

led”

the

Ott

aw

aG

ov

ern

men

tab

ou

tth

efeel

ings

wh

ich

ex

iste

dam

ong

Meti

sand

Ind

ian

s,

becau

seth

e“upri

sin

g.

cam

eli

ke

ab

olt

from

the

blu

eupon

the

agents

”in

thedis

affecte

d

dis

tric

ts.

The

paper

menti

oned

the

nam

esof

Pay

ne,

afa

rm

instr

ucto

rm

urd

ere

din

the

Batt

lefo

rddis

tric

t,Q

uin

n,

Dela

ney

and

Fath

er

Fafa

rdand

Marc

han

d.

Pete

rB

all

en

din

e’s

role

as

go

vern

men

tsp

yw

asoutl

ined

inth

isarti

cle

als

o.

Excerp

tsfr

om

this

arti

cle

are

pri

nte

dh

ere

wit

h:

“It

has

oft

en

been

all

eged

by

the

Opposi

tion

pre

ss

that

the

offic

ials

of

the

Nort

h—

Wes

tm

ust

have

gro

ssly

mis

led

the

Ott

aw

a

Govern

ment

tou

ch

ing

the

feeli

ng

whic

hex

iste

dam

ong

the

Meti

san

d

Ind

ian

sju

st

befo

reth

eo

utb

reak

last

srp

ing

.It

isevid

ent,

ho

wev

er,

from

report

squote

db

yM

r.D

ewdney

inth

eN

ort

h-W

est

Council

the

oth

er

day

,th

at

the

up

risin

gca

me

lik

ea

bo

ltfr

om

the

blu

eu

po

nth

eagents

resid

ing

inth

ed

isaff

ecte

dd

istr

icts

.

...I

nstr

ucto

rP

ay

ne,

Mr.

Dela

ney

and

agent

Qui:

rn,

who

were

mu

rdere

d,

had

sen

tdow

nm

ost

favora

ble

report

so

fth

ebands

at

Fro

gL

ake

and

the

Eagle

Hil

ls.

Pete

rB

all

an

din

e,

am

anbro

ug

ht

up

among

the

Ind

ian

san

dem

plo

yed

tom

ake

aconfi

denti

al

repo

rt

reg

ard

ing

Big

Bear’

ssenti

ments

tow

ard

sth

egoverr

unent,

..Q

uin

n,

lik

eB

all

an

din

e,

had

sp

en

this

life

amo

ng

the

Ban

ds,

had

Ind

ian

blo

od

inh

isv

ein

s,

and

was

marr

ied

toan

India

nw

ife.

He

had

not

been

appoin

ted

for

any

poli

tical

serv

ice,

bu

tsole

lybecau

se

of

his

fitn

ess.

It

issafe

tosa

y,

there

fore

,th

at

wh

enh

isk

no

w

ledge

of

the

India

nch

ara

cte

rfa

iled

tore

veal

toh

imany

sig

n

of

the

plo

tth

at

was

on

foot,

no

ord

inary

wh

ite

off

ice-h

old

er,

ho

wev

er,

pro

ficie

nt

inhis

duti

es,

co

uld

have

fore

seen

it.

Dela

ney

and

Pay

ne

were

als

ofi

rst—

cla

ss

off

icers

and

it

goes

wit

hout

sayin

gth

at

Rev

.F

ath

ers

Fafa

rdan

dM

arch

and

en

joy

ed

the

confi

dence

of

the

savages

toso

me

exte

nt,

yet

we

know

how

terrib

lyth

ey

were

deceiv

ed

.T

he

tru

this

the

In

din

can

keep

asecre

t.W

hen

he

isp

lann

ing

an

up

risin

g,

he

does

not

ad

opt

O’D

on

ov

anR

oss

a’s

meth

od

of

pro

cla

imin

ghis

inte

nti

ons

from

the

ho

useto

ps,

bu

tw

ork

sin

the

dark

,se

nd

ing

and

receiv

ing

mess

ag

es

ina

man

ner

that

aro

use

sn

osuspic

ion.

The

Hin

doo

po

ssesses

the

sam

efa

cult

yo

fsil

en

to

rgan

izati

on

,w

itn

ess

the

sud

den

ess

wit

hw

hic

hhe

pre

cip

itate

dth

em

uti

ny

in1

85

7.

Ina

regio

nli

ke

the

Nort

h-W

est

,it

isn

ev

er

safe

toassert

that

the

Ind

ian

popu

lati

on

islo

yal.

No

savage

can

be

loy

al

too

ur

civ

iliz

ati

on,

for

he

know

sth

at

it

mea

ns

the

exti

ncti

on

of

his

race.”

33

PE

RS

ON

AL

ITIE

SW

HIC

HP

LA

YE

DA

PR

OM

INE

NT

RO

LE

INC

HA

PT

ER

SIX

OF

TH

EP

RO

JEC

T

MID

DL

ET

ON

Genera

lo

fC

an

ad

ian

Dom

inio

nM

ilit

ary

Forc

es.

POU

ND

MA

KE

RC

ree

ch

ief

cam

ped

at

Cu

t-K

nif

e--

Hil

l,

BIG

BE

AR

Cre

ech

ief

from

the

are

ao

fF

rog

Lak

e.

OT

TE

RL

ieute

nant-

Colo

nel

inch

arg

eo

fth

eS

eco

nd

Co

lum

nw

hic

hm

arc

hed

toth

eS

outh

Sask

atc

hew

an

fro

mS

wif

tC

urr

en

t.

HE

RS

CH

NE

RS

uperi

nte

ndent

of

the

Mo

un

ted

Poli

ce

whose

forc

ejo

ined

Ott

er’s

Seco

nd

Colu

mn.

CR

OW

FOO

TB

lackfo

ot

chie

fw

hose

ban

dd

idn

ot

tak

epart

inth

eu

pri

sin

g.

JEF

FE

RS

ON

Fed

era

lG

ov

ern

men

tagric

ult

ural

representa

tiv

e,

from

Batt

lefo

rd

,fo

ra

sh

ort

tim

eim

pri

so

ned

by

Po

undm

aker,

CH

AP

TE

RS

IX

The

Batt

leof

Cut-

Knif

e-C

reek

Intr

oducti

on

toC

hapte

rS

ix:

Whil

eG

enera

lM

iddle

ton

was

engaged

inth

efig

ht

at

Fis

h

Cre

ek,

Lt.

Col.

Ott

er

was

on

his

way

from

Sw

ift

Curr

ent

to

Batt

leford.

On

the

evenin

gof

Apri

l16,

the

Colo

nel

and

his

troops

cro

ssed

the

Saskatc

hew

an

Riv

er.

Fiv

e-a

nd-a

-half

days

late

rth

ey

reached

Batt

lefo

rdand

set

up

cam

pclo

se

toth

eto

wn.

Thre

ecom

panie

sof

sold

iers

were

sent

tooccupy

Batt

lefo

rdand

shortl

yth

ereafte

rth

ein

habit

ants

,w

hic

hw

ere

still

inth

e

poli

ce

barr

acks

sin

ce

Poundm

aker’

sca

mp

had

raid

ed

the

tow

n,

retu

rned

toth

eir

hom

es.

Chie

fP

oundm

aker

and

his

band

were

livin

gabout

thir

ty-

eig

ht

mil

es

from

Batt

lefo

rdat

Cut-

Knif

e—

Cre

ek.

Wit

hth

eC

hie

f

were

agro

up

of

Sto

ney

India

ns,a

nd

it

was

rum

ore

dth

at

Big

Bear

and

his

band

were

on

the

way

tojo

inP

oundm

aker’

scam

p.

Pound-

maker

expecte

dan

att

ack

from

govern

ment

troops

at

any

tim

e.

He

had

sent

word

toR

iel

that

he

was

inneed

of

help

,but

Rie

l

was

inno

posit

ion

tocom

ply

wit

hth

eC

hie

f’s

request

because

he

knew

that

Mid

dle

ton’s

arm

yw

assta

tioned

clo

se

toB

ato

che

and

ready

tostr

ike

at

any

mom

ent.

On

May

1st,

Ott

er

decid

ed

tole

ad

asurpris

eatt

ack

on

Pound-

maker

cam

ped

at

Cut-

Knif

e-C

reek.

He

had

heard

that

the

chie

f

was

hesit

ati

ng

betw

een

war

and

peace

and

felt

that

ifa

juncti

on

of

the

two

gre

at

Chie

fs,

Big

Bear

and

Poundm

aker,

could

be

pre

vente

d,

an

imm

inent

threat

tohis

forc

es

would

be

rem

oved.

To

Mid

dle

ton

he

wro

teth

at

he

set

out

on

a“re

connais

sance”,

but

invie

wof

the

forc

eof

thre

ehundre

dm

en,

and

thre

eguns

whic

h

accom

panie

dhim

,his

true

inte

nti

ons

can

be

readil

ydete

cte

d.

The

batt

lebetw

een

the

Cre

es

and

Ott

er’s

men

was

inte

nse.

At

one

poin

tth

em

ilit

iaw

ere

nearl

ysurr

ounded,

but

som

ehow

managed

tom

ain

tain

an

exit

thro

ugh

whic

hth

ey

retr

eate

d.

Six

hours

afte

rth

ebegin

nin

gof

the

engagem

ent,

Ott

er

and

his

men

wit

hdre

wand

retu

rned

toB

att

leford.

It

was

due

toP

oundm

aker’

s

and

Fin

e—

Day’s

restr

ain

tth

at

not

man

ym

ore

mil

itia

men

were

kil

led

or

wounded

as

they

escaped

thro

ugh

the

narr

ow

bott

leneck

kept

open

duri

ng

their

retr

eat.

Aday

late

r,

Poundm

aker’

sband

journ

eyed

toB

igB

ear’

s

cam

p.

Aft

er

the

batt

leof

Bato

che,

the

Chie

fand

his

people

surr

endere

dto

Genera

lM

iddle

ton.

The

Genera

laccused

Poundm

aker

/91

CH

APT

ER

FIV

E

/

4.

I I

)

,

‘

6’

PE

RS

ON

AL

ITIE

SW

HIC

HP

LA

YE

DA

PR

OM

INE

NT

RO

LE

INC

HA

PT

ER

FIV

EO

FT

HE

PR

OJE

CT

RIE

LM

eti

sle

ader

sta

tioned

at

Bato

che.

DU

MO

NT

Genera

lof

Meti

sarm

ysta

tioned

at

Bato

che.

MID

DL

ET

ON

Genera

lof

Canadia

nD

om

inio

nm

ilit

ary

forces.

HO

WR

IEC

ree

inte

rprete

rfo

rth

eM

ounte

dP

oli

ce,

sta

tioned

at

carlt

on,

TR

OT

TIE

RM

eti

sfr

om

the

Bato

che

area.

LE

PIN

EM

eti

sfr

om

the

Bato

che

area.

CA

RO

NM

inis

ter

of

Defe

nce,

sta

tioned

inO

ttaw

a.

SC

HM

IDT

Secreta

ry

of

the

Meti

sC

ouncil

,sta

tioned

at

Bato

che,

BR

EL

AN

DM

eti

sof

advanced

age

who

work

ed

as

ascout

for

Dum

ont.

Bre

land

was

am

em

ber

oth

e

Nort

hW

est

Territ

oria

lC

ouncil

.

WH

ITE

CA

Pjo

ux

Chie

f.

SUM

MA

RY

OF

HIS

TO

RIC

AL

EV

EN

TS

DIS

CU

SS

ED

INC

HA

PT

ER

FIV

EO

FT

HE

PR

OJE

CT

Apri

l15

Surr

ender

of

Fort

Pit

t.

Apri

l17

Mid

dle

ton’s

arm

yarriv

es

at

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

g

on

the

South

Saskatc

hew

an

Riv

er.

Apri

l(E

xact

date

unknow

n.)

Rie

lyie

lds

toD

um

ont’

s

pla

nof

am

bush

ing

Mid

dle

ton’s

troops.

Dum

ont

dis

patc

hes

messages

toB

igB

ear,

Poundm

aker,

and

the

Sio

ux

of

Whit

eC

ap’s

band

soth

at

they

may

assis

thim

wit

hth

eam

bush

.

Apri

l24

Batt

leof

Fis

hC

reek.

Meti

svic

tory

over

Mid

dle

ton’s

forces.

CH

APT

ER

FIV

E

Th

eB

att

leo

fF

ish

Cre

ek

Intr

oducti

on

toC

hapte

rF

ive:

Aft

er

the

su

rren

der

of

Fort

Pit

tm

any

India

ns

inth

eT

ern

—

tory

join

ed

Big

Bear’

sband.

The

fall

of

the

fort

had

nelt

ed

away

an

yli

ngeri

ng

doubts

ab

ou

tth

ein

vin

cib

ilit

yo

fth

eM

ou

nte

d

Poli

ce.

Report

so

fis

ola

ted

India

nra

ids

sp

read

terror

inth

e

heart

sof

the

sett

ler’s

inth

eW

est

and

man

yfl

ed

tose

ek

safe

ty

beyond

the

boundari

es

of

the

Sask

atc

hew

an

dis

tric

t.M

acdonald

had

vali

dre

asons

tofo

resee

the

po

ssib

ilit

yo

fa

genera

lIn

dia

n

up

risin

g.

It

was

for

this

reaso

nth

at

the

govern

ment

had

dis

patc

hed

the

gre

ate

st

num

ber

of

tro

op

sit

could

must

er

into

the

No

rth

—W

est.

Alt

hough

the

Meti

sfo

rces

were

esti

mate

dto

be

no

more

than

on

e—

tho

usa

nd

,th

enum

ber

of

treaty

India

ns

were

clo

se

to

twen

ty-t

hou

san

d.

Th

ere

were

als

on

um

ero

us

oth

er

Half

-bre

ed

sett

lem

ents

betw

een

Woo

dM

ou

nta

inand

St.

Alb

ert

wh

ich

sym

path

ized

wit

hth

eM

eti

sgri

evances

and

could

have

pro

vid

ed

men

and

arm

sto

su

pp

ort

an

upri

sin

g.

Th

eg

ov

ern

men

t’s

mil

itary

com

manders

had

two

pri

mary

obje

c

tives

for

their

cam

paig

nin

the

Territ

orie

s.

Th

efir

st

obje

cti

ve

was

tolo

cali

ze

the

“re

bell

ion.”

This

was

do

ne

by

the

imm

edia

tedesp

atc

ho

fguns

an

dm

ento

Fort

Qu’A

ppell

e.

The

rap

idit

yw

ith

wh

ich

these

troops

were

thro

wn

into

the

Nort

h-W

est

fro

mE

aste

rn

Canada

kep

tquie

tth

edis

aff

ecte

dIn

dia

ns

and

Meti

sin

the

Qu’A

ppell

eV

all

ey

.T

he

seco

nd

ob

jecti

ve

was

tocru

sh

the

arm

ed

resis

tance

of

Ind

ian

so

rM

eti

sb

ym

ilit

ary

forc

e.

The

ori

gin

al

inte

nti

on

of

Majo

rG

enera

lM

iddle

ton

had

been

tom

ove

ag

ain

st

St.

Anto

ine

or

Bato

ch

ew

ith

two

sep

ara

tecolu

mns

bu

tw

ith

the

ris

ing

of

Poundm

aker

and

Big

Bear

it

was

dee

med

advis

able

todespatc

hth

ree

dif

ferent

colu

mns

ag

ain

st

thre

ep

rin

cip

al

cen

tres:

Bato

ch

e,

Batt

lefo

rdand

Fort

Pit

t.

Genera

lM

idd

leto

nw

asin

ch

arg

eo

fth

ecolu

mn

again

st

Bato

che.

Aft

er

astr

en

uo

us

marc

hfr

om

Fort

Qu

’Ap

pell

eth

efo

rce

arr

ived

at

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

g,

on

the

South

Sask

atc

hew

an,

on

Ap

ril

17th

.A

t

this

po

int

Mid

dle

ton

div

ided

his

troops

into

two

gro

ups

who

marc

hed

inp

arall

el

fashio

nalo

ngsid

eo

pp

osit

ebanks

of

the

river

tow

ard

s

Bato

che.

By

Apri

l24,

the

Genera

land

one

half

of

his

tro

op

shad

reach

ed

ath

ickly

wo

od

edcoule

eth

rough

whic

hra

na

little

cre

ek.

Th

isare

aw

asknow

nto

the

Meti

sas

“T

ou

ron

d’s

Coule

e,”

or

“F

ish

Cre

ek.”

/75

—75

—

Whe

nth

eC

anadia

ns

ap

pro

ached

the

coule

eth

ey

were

sur

pri

sed

by

Gab

riel

Dum

ont

an

dh

ism

enw

how

ere

well

hid

den

alo

ng

both

sid

es

of

the

cre

ek.

Afi

erc

eb

att

leen

sued

.D

uri

ng

the

fig

ht

the

Canadia

ns

had

fort

ym

enw

ounded

and

ten

kil

led.

The

Meti

slo

st

four

men

an

dh

ad

two

wo

un

ded

.G

enera

lM

iddle

ton’s

colu

mn

did

not

reach

the

sit

eo

fth

ebatt

leu

nti

lla

tein

the

evenin

g.

At

this

po

int

both

sid

es

had

been

un

der

heav

ycross-fir

e

for

man

yh

ou

rsand

were

ready

tow

ith

dra

w.

Ath

un

ders

torm

foll

ow

ed

by

sle

et

and

rain

had

soak

ed

and

chil

led

the

fig

hti

ng

men

duri

ng

the

aft

ern

oo

n.

Whe

nD

unto

nt

su

gg

este

dto

pu

rsu

eth

e

retr

eati

ng

Can

ad

ian

his

rem

ain

ing

forc

eo

f56

men

was

un

wil

ling

tocom

ply

wit

hhis

wis

hes.

Impre

ssed

by

the

ex

trao

rdin

ary

sta

min

a

and

coura

ge

dis

pla

yed

du

rin

gth

ebatt

leG

ab

riel

pre

ssed

the

Meti

s

no

furt

her

an

dre

turn

ed

wit

hth

emto

Bato

che.

Th

efo

reg

oin

gsu

mm

ary

descri

bes

the

events

befo

reand

du

rin

g

the

batt

leo

fF

ish

Cre

ek.

Th

edocum

ents

whic

hfo

llo

wp

resen

tan

account

of

the

acti

on

fro

mdiv

ers

eposit

ions.

Docum

ents

sele

cte

d

att

em

pt

toport

ray

the

inv

olv

em

en

to

fg

rou

ps

and

indiv

iduals

in

the

batt

lera

ther

than

the

batt

leit

self

.

/76

.:..

——

ittil

lI

‘ /

I;

Z1

414

11

,.

/ II I,.

f:

4/2

,‘

If

.

/

e4.

I

) ‘p.?—

I.

1itar”

I,’4,

I•••

••‘W

•

—

-

“‘:

,1

—p A-

at)

’I

—,

,/

Th

egovern

men

t’s

fir

st

obje

cti

ve

had

been

tolo

cali

ze

the

“rebel

lio

n,”

the

seco

nd

,to

cru

sh

the

Meti

sre

sis

tance

by

mil

itary

forc

e.

Aft

er

the

su

rren

der

of

Fort

Pit

tm

any

India

ns

inth

eT

err

itory

join

ed

Big

Bear’

sb

an

d.

The

fall

of

the

fort

had

melt

ed

away

any

lingeri

ng

doubts

ab

ou

tth

ein

vin

cib

ilit

yo

fth

eM

ou

nte

dP

oli

ce.

Report

so

fis

ola

ted

India

nra

ids

sp

read

terro

rin

the

heart

so

f

all

whit

esett

lers

inth

eW

est

and

man

yfl

ed

tose

ek

safe

tyb

ey

on

d

the

boun

dari

es

of

the

Sask

atc

hew

an

dis

tric

t.S

irJo

hn

A.

Macdonald

had

vali

dre

asons

tofo

resee

the

po

ssib

ilit

yo

fa

gen

era

lIn

dia

n

upri

sin

g.

It

was

for

this

reaso

nth

at

the

go

vern

men

thad

dis

patc

hed

the

gre

ate

st

num

ber

of

tro

op

sit

could

must

er

into

the

No

rth-W

est

.

Alt

hough

the

Meti

sfo

rces

were

esti

mate

dto

be

no

more

than

1,0

00,

the

num

ber

of

Tre

aty

Ind

ians

was

clo

se

to2

0,0

00

.T

here

were

als

o

num

ero

us

oth

er

Half

-bre

ed

sett

lem

ents

betw

een

Woo

dM

ounta

inand

St.

Alb

ert

whic

hsy

mp

ath

ized

wit

hth

eM

eti

sg

riev

an

ces

and

could

hav

epro

vid

ed

men

and

arm

sto

support

an

upri

sin

g.

G.

F.

Sta

nle

youtl

ined

two

pri

mary

obje

cti

ves

of

the

Canadia

n•

govern

men

t’s

cam

paig

n.

“The

fir

st

obje

ct

of

the

Go

vern

men

tw

as..

.to

locali

ze

the

reb

ell

ion

...T

his

was

acco

mpli

shed

by

the

imm

edia

tedespatc

ho

f

men

toQ

u’A

pp

ell

e,

even

pri

or

toth

efi

ght

at

Duck

Lak

e.

Th

e

rapid

ity

wit

hw

hic

hth

ese

and

su

bseq

uen

ttr

oops

were

thro

wn

into

the

Nort

h-W

est

fro

mE

aste

rnC

anada

kep

tq

uie

tth

ed

isaff

ecte

d

India

ns

an

dM

eti

sin

the

Qu’A

ppell

evall

ey...

...t

he

second

ob

ject

was

tocru

sh

the

arm

edre

sis

tan

ce

of

the

an1ey

Ind

ian

san

dM

eti

sby

mil

itary

forc

e.

Th

eori

gin

al

inte

nti

on

of

‘The

the

Majo

r-G

enera

lhad

been

tom

ove

again

st

St.

Anto

ine

or

Bato

ch

e,

...w

ith

two

separa

teco

lum

ns,

bu

tw

ith

the

risin

go

fP

ou

nd

maker

anada”

an

dB

igB

ear

itw

asdee

med

advis

able

todespatc

hth

ree

dif

feren

t

co

lum

ns

ag

ain

st

the

thre

ep

rin

cip

al

cen

tres:

Bato

ch

e,

Batt

lefo

rd

355.

and

Fo

rtP

itt.”

1

The

thre

em

enin

charg

eo

fth

ecoli

.mus,

were

Genera

lM

iddle

ton,

who

pla

nned

tota

ke

Bato

ch

e,

thus

reli

ev

ing

Pri

nce

Alb

ert

;C

olo

nel

Ott

er,

who

was

tom

arc

hfr

om

Sw

ift

Curr

ent

tore

liev

eB

att

lefo

rd;

an

dG

en

era

lS

tran

ge

who

set

ou

tfr

om

Calg

ary

via

Edm

onto

nto

mo

ve

again

st

Big

Bear.

Mid

dle

ton

and

Str

an

ge

ho

ped

toeff

ect

an

eventu

al

juncti

on

at

Fort

Pit

t.

Mid

dle

ton’s

men

marc

hed

thro

ug

hw

ind,

hail

and

sno

wto

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

g.

On

Apri

l1

7,

Mid

dle

ton

had

reached

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

g.

There

/77

he

div

ided

his

forc

ein

totw

ocolu

mns.

The

seco

nd

co

lum

nw

as

tran

sp

ort

ed

acro

ss

the

So

uth

Sask

atc

hew

an

Riv

er

tom

arc

hp

arall

el

wit

hth

efir

st

co

lum

nd

ow

nth

eri

ver

tow

ard

sB

ato

che.

This

move

pro

ved

tobe

.a

dis

ad

van

tage

toM

iddle

ton

on

Apri

l2

4,

when

the

Genera

lm

et

Du

mo

nt’

sm

enin

the

are

ao

fF

ish

Cre

ek,

(als

ocall

ed

“T

ou

ron

d’

SC

ou

lee.”

)

Mid

dle

ton

descri

bes

the

marc

hto

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

gas

foll

ow

s:

“We

had

ate

rrib

lem

arc

h,

inth

efa

ce

of

are

gula

rb

lizzard

of

win

dan

dh

ail

the

whole

day

,w

ith

not

atr

ee

or

bu

shto

bre

ak

the

forc

eof

the

win

d.

It

was

fearf

ull

ycold

,and

we

had

con

sta

ntl

yto

dis

mount

an

dw

alk

tore

sto

reo

ur

cir

cula

tion.

We

halt

ed

half

—w

ay,

but

could

no

tm

ake

afir

e,

and

sohad

tod

ow

itho

ut

our

hot

tea.

We

reached

the

Cro

ssin

gab

ou

t4

p.m

....

There

were

afe

w

house

son

our

sid

eof

the

riv

er,

one

of

them

bein

gin

habit

ed

by

a

Mr.

Cla

rke

and

his

wif

e..

.

Th

eso

uth

bra

nch

of

the

Sask

atc

hew

an

Riv

er

ishere

abo

ut

200

ErF

red

Eddie

-y

ard

sbro

ad

wit

ha

pow

erf

ul

curr

ent

runnin

gabout

fou

rm

iles

an

hour,

hig

hbanks,

an

da

wid

edeep

bo

rder

of

the

thic

kest

and

beii

ion

the

sti

ckie

st

mud

on

each

sid

e,

inw

hic

hw

ere

emb

edd

edla

rge

bo

uld

ers

rth

of

huge

blo

ck

sof

ice.”

st

liv.

ET

oro

nto

Asold

ier

inM

iddle

ton

’sar

my

report

ed

the

marc

hto

Cla

rke’s

tess

,C

rossin

gand

eventu

al

arriv

al

at

Fis

hC

reek.

48

.25

“A

pri

l17

—F

riday.

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

g.

Marc

hed

at

7:3

0.

It

was

very

co

ldla

st

nig

ht

and

this

morn

ing.

Had

no

wood

tocook

our

bre

akfa

st.

..h

ad

no

thin

gels

eb

ut

hard

tack

toeat.

..N

ot

atr

ee

seen

all

day.

Had

topic

kall

the

wo

od

we

co

uld

find

on

the

way

.

Th

ero

ads

were

frozen

this

mo

rnin

g.

One

of

the

Capta

ins

wan

ted

to

mak

ea

fir

ela

st

nig

ht

no

tfe

eli

ng

well

and

had

topay

one

of

the

team

ste

rs$1

for

asti

ck,

every

one

dow

no

nth

ete

am

ste

r..

.1b

eli

ev

e

we

hav

em

arc

hed

20

0m

iles

sin

ce

leav

ing

Fort

Qu’A

ppelJ

.eand

are

86m

iles

fro

mP

rince

Alb

ert

by

the

sun

table

.D

on

ot

know

wh

en

we

wil

lget

acro

ss

the

riv

er.

Th

ere

are

two

or

thre

elo

ghouse

s

wit

hth

atc

hed

roofs

an

do

ne

sto

ne

ho

urs

e..

.

Apri

l1

8,

Satu

rday.

We

were

all

ow

ed

tosle

ep

un

til

7a.m

.

)id

ier’

sIt

isa

raw

sto

rmy

day

wit

hsn

ow

fall

ing

...H

ay

is$60

per

ton

,.a

ryp

ota

toes

$2

.50

per

bushel,

bre

ad

40

per

loaf

and

can

hard

lyb

e

got.

...S

ask

ato

on

is15

mil

es

away

ahd

has

ab

ou

t40

houses.”

3

Th

esa

me

dia

ryh

as

ala

ter

entr

yw

hic

hre

po

rted

asala

ryo

f

$5

0fo

rA

pri

l.T

he

sala

ryra

tepro

vid

es

acom

pari

son

for

the

co

st

..

../

78

of

hay

an

dfo

od.

Despit

efa

tigue

and

co

ldth

em

eno

fM

idd

leto

n’s

arm

yengaged

ina

tug

-of-

war.

Afe

win

div

idu

als

were

dis

cip

lin

ed

,

for

“sle

epin

go

nth

ejo

b,”

and

“sw

eari

ng”

at

the

Serg

eant

Majo

r:

The

dia

ryco

nti

nu

es:

“A

pri

l2

0,

Mo

nd

ay

...G

reat

ex

cit

em

en

to

ver

atu

go

fw

ar

bet

wee

n12

of

the

90th

and

12o

fth

ete

am

ste

rs.

Th

ete

am

ste

rsg

ot

the

best

of

it

both

inw

restl

ing

and

inth

etu

go

fw

ar.

The

10

th

Cre

nadie

rbeat

both

team

ste

rsand

the

9O

th..

..O

ne

of

4co

mpan

ym

en

was

put

inth

eguard

tent

for

sweari

ng

at

the

serg

eant

Majo

r.

Ap

ril

21

,T

uesd

ay.

Had

mil

kand

bre

ad

for

our

tea

last

nig

ht.

Th

ere

was

one

of

the

pic

ket

fro

mN

o.

1C

om

pan

yfell

asle

ep

whil

e

on

du

tyla

st

nig

ht.

He

was

pla

ced

un

der

arrest.

Apri

l22,

Wednesday...B

lake

that

was

un

der

arrest

for

sweari

ng

at

Serg

eant

Majo

rW

ats

on

was

ord

ere

dto

have

4h

rspack

dril

lto

day

.

He

would

no

td

oanyth

ing

he

was

told

sohe

was

bro

ug

ht

back

to

the

guard

ten

tand

handcuff

sp

ut

on.

Ib

eli

ev

ehe

wil

lbe

giv

en

an

oth

er

chance

tom

orr

ow

...I

tis

said

that

the

Mounte

dP

oli

ce

have

4.

changed

their

un

ifo

rmas

som

eof

the

reb

els

have

Mo

un

ted

Poli

ce

Sold

ier’

sD

iary

unif

orm

san

dit

would

be

hard

tote

llth

em

ap

art

...W

ew

ill

know

the

P.A

.C.

Mounte

dP

oli

ce

an

dP

rin

ce

Alb

ert

by

their

sig

nals

.T

hey

wil

lra

ise

thei

hands

thre

eti

mes

toth

eto

ps

of

their

heads

and

we

wil

l

rais

eour

rig

ht

band

thre

eti

mes.”

4

Apri

l24,

at

Fis

hC

reek,

the

“C

reeds”

kep

tu

pa

co

nti

nu

ou

sfir

e.

“A

pri

l2

4,

Fri

day..

.we

heard

fir

ing

infr

on

t9:3

0a.r

n.

We

had

run

inso

me

reb

els

,fir

ing

com

men

ced

imm

edia

tely

.S

ome

of

our

scou

tsan

dcavelr

y(s

ic)

were

wo

un

ded

and

Ibeli

eve

two

kil

led.

The

Cre

eds(s

ic)

kep

tu

pa

co

nti

nu

al

fir

eand

sodid

we

but

it

was

alm

ost

impossib

leto

see

them

,as

they

took

cover

inth

ebush

.

5. Sold

ier’

sW

ent

thro

ug

hso

me

of

their

ho

use

sb

ut

did

not

dis

turb

any-

Dia

ryP

.A.C

.th

ing. It

seem

ed

as

though

they

had

just

go

tu

pfr

om

breakfast.

”5

India

nS

cout

would

no

tab

an

do

nh

isrela

tive.

Meti

sS

co

uti

ng

Report

so

fth

esa

me

peri

od

giv

eacco

unts

of

two

Ind

ian

son

hors

eback

who

were

purs

ued

by

mil

itia

men,

and

of

Mr.

Bre

land

who

wen

tto

dis

cover

the

wh

ere

ab

ou

tso

fth

eP

oli

ce.

No.

2—

Sco

uti

ng

Rep

ort

.

Tra

nsla

tio

n

Report

of

We-

cha—

we—

co—

pew

in.

.179

—79

—

“Whe

nI

left

here

Iw

alk

ed

all

nig

ht.

..I

thin

kth

eir

cam

p

ison

the

hil

lon

this

sid

eo

fth

eriv

er.

On

the

hil

lare

som

e

tents

and

inth

eholl

ow

are

,I

thin

k,

most

of

the

tents

.It

isa

qu

art

er

of

am

ile

or

more

fro

mth

eriv

er.

We

saw

noth

ing

on

the

oth

er

sid

e..

.Wh

en

we

saw

the

ho

rsem

en

who

were

alr

eady

ah

ead

of

us.

Th

eypassed

ab

ou

thalf

am

ile

fro

mu

s,

betw

een

us

and

the

riv

er.

We

fled

fro

mth

ebank

toth

eo

pen

,and

as

we

were

at

the

dis

tan

ce

they

were

cu

ttin

goff

ou

rro

ad

.T

here

were

at

least

30o

fth

em

.

Those

who

purs

ued

us

were

few

innum

ber.

My

part

ner

said

to

thro

waw

ayo

ur

bla

nk

ets

,and

we

thre

wth

em

aw

ay.

He

was

neare

st

mad

eus

asig

nto

sto

pb

ut

Isaid

he

wan

tsto

catc

hu

s.

Wh

ip,

he

said

tom

ele

tus

pra

yand

Ith

ought

of

God.

Isaid

Iw

ill

try

tod

ierig

htl

yth

inkin

go

fG

od,

and

we

pra

yed

hard

,cry

ing

toG

od.

Th

eyw

ould

descen

tevery

tim

eth

ey

wante

dto

fir

eo

nus,

and

wh

enI

saw

they

wan

ted

tofir

eI

would

cry

out

tosepara

tean

dw

e

wo

uld

separa

te.

Th

ere

were

lots

of

little

old

ho

les

and

their

hors

es

stu

ck

...I

saw

that

my

part

ners

hors

ew

asgiv

ing

ou

t..

.1

alw

ay

sw

ou

nd

rou

nd

behin

dand

cri

ed:

“C

oura

ge,

co

ura

ge.”

Then

Isaid

that

Iw

ould

no

tab

an

do

nm

yrela

tiv

eali

ve

and

Isaid

to

him

that

Iw

ould

no

tle

ave

him

when

Isaid

sohe

cri

ed

out

for

joy

wh

ich

en

co

ura

ged

me

als

o..

.Isaid

toh

im“C

ou

rag

efl

ytr

yto

get

away

fro

mm

ebecause

Iw

ant

tod

efe

nd

my

self

,I

want

tofir

e

on

them

”an

dI

mad

eh

img

ofu

rther

on

and

Ica

me

back

and

fire

don

them

.W

hen

Isa

wth

at

my

part

ner

had

got

aw

ay,

Ials

ofl

ed

bala

ncin

gon

my

hors

eand

cry

ing

out

for

joy.

..a

fte

rw

efl

ed

we

saw

fir

enear..

..”

No.

96--

Sco

uti

ng

Report

Tra

nsla

tio

n

Rep

ort

of

Mr.

Gil

bert

Bre

lan

dw

how

ent

todis

cover

the

Poli

ce

at

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

g.

5“W

em

ade

for

the

Cro

ssin

gto

the

last

cow

hil

l.F

rom

there

Ses

sio

n-

we

could

see

people

walk

ing

on

fo

ot.

...T

here

seem

ed

tobe

about

al

Pap

ers

fort

yh

ors

es.

On

the

way

back

we

met

the

sam

eIn

dia

nw

hom

we

met

Doc

umen

tsfo

und

befo

re.

He

was

fasti

ng.

We

kil

led

alittle

yearl

ing

ox

belo

ngin

g

(NW

MP

toG

ou

let

perh

ap

s.

The

Ind

ian

told

us

that

he

had

left

the

mounta

ii

Fil

e)

20d

ay

sag

o,

that

the

Poli

ce

wante

dto

go

take

anIn

dia

nw

hohad

bro

ken

the

do

ors

of

ash

ed

this

win

ter.

Whe

nth

ey

cau

gh

tth

e

India

nhis

fath

er

fire

do

na

Poli

cem

an

and

kil

led

him

...”

6

Rie

lre

lucta

ntl

yagre

ed

toD

um

on

t’s

pla

no

fharr

assin

gM

idd

leto

n’s

troops.

Meti

sscouts

had

told

Du

tno

nt

that

Can

ad

ian

arm

yw

asclo

se

to

Cla

rke’s

Cro

ssin

gan

dhe

was

an

xio

us

tocarr

yo

nan

acti

ve

pla

n /80

of

gu

eril

law

arf

are

.H

isp

lan

was

tog

et

ahead

of

Mid

dle

ton

’s

troops

an

dh

arr

ass

them

by

nig

ht.

He

ho

ped

that

by

pre

venti

ng

them

fro

msle

ep

ing

the

men

would

bec

om

edem

ora

lized

and

lose

the

7.in

centi

ve

tofig

ht.

Rie

lw

ou

ldn

ot

agre

eto

Duin

ont’

spla

n.

He

Ses

sio

nal

Pap

ers

wis

hed

tohave

the

enem

ystr

ike

the

fir

st

blo

wand

the

Meti

sto

Ibid

.rall

yin

defe

nce

“u

nd

er

the

Alm

ighty

hand

of

Div

ine

Pro

vid

en

ce.”

7

Dum

ont

yie

lded

toR

iel’

spla

nan

dre

main

ed

inB

ato

ch

e,

impati

ent

under

the

restr

icti

ons

impose

du

po

nhim

.H

efin

all

y8.

bec

ame

imp

ati

en

tand

po

inte

do

ut

toR

iel

that

he

was

giv

ing

the

Du

mo

nt’

sA

ccou

nten

emy

too

man

yadvanta

ge.

“A

llri

ghts

”said

Rie

l,“d

oas

you

258

wis

h.”

8D

um

ont

quic

kly

desp

atc

hed

mess

ag

es

toB

igB

ear,

Poundm

aker

P.A

.C.

and

the

Sio

ux

of

Wh

ite

Cap’s

band.

He

then

pre

pare

dan

ambush

alo

ng

the

road

leadin

gto

Fis

hC

reek

toh

old

up

the

pro

gre

ss

of

go

vern

men

ttr

oops

unti

lth

earriv

al

of

India

nall

ies.

On

Apri

l24,

the

batt

leo

fF

ish

Cre

ek

was

fought

betw

een

the

Meti

sand

on

eof

Mid

dle

ton’s

colu

mns.

Lo

uis

Schm

idt’

saccount

of

the

Fis

hC

reek

batt

leb

eg

ins

wit

ha

descri

pti

on

of

ah

asty

bre

ak

fast

whic

hco

rro

bo

rate

sth

e

observ

ati

on

record

ed

inth

em

enti

oned

dia

ry,

“it

seem

sas

though

they

had

just

got

up

fro

mb

reak

fast.

”“T

he

Meti

s..

.Bre

ak

faste

d

hasti

lyin

the

coule

eo

fT

ou

ron

do

rF

ish

Cre

ek

,as

ithas

sin

ce

been

nam

ed.

Their

repast,

bare

lybegun

had

tobe

ab

an

do

ned

for

the

enem

yarr

ived

.

Taken

thus

by

surp

rise,

they

could

take

no

consid

ere

d

posit

ions

for

co

mb

at.

Als

oth

egre

ate

st

num

ber,

Gabri

el

wit

h

them

,h

ad

tow

ithdra

wfo

llo

win

gth

ew

ind

ing

so

fth

eco

ule

e,

un

til

they

were

out

of

sig

ht

of

Mid

dle

ton’s

sold

iers

.T

hey

met

again

at

the

house

of

Cali

xte

Touro

nd

where

they

deli

bera

ted

on

the

mea

ns

tota

ke

tore

turn

wit

hadvanta

ge

toth

ech

arg

eand

especia

lly

toaid

theie

bro

thers

that

they

had

left

inth

eco

ule

e.

Th

ose

,num

beri

ng

ab

ou

t50,

afte

rh

av

ing

tied

their

ho

rses

up

toth

etr

ees

alo

ng

the

riv

er,

found

shelt

er

near

the

top

of

the

ban

ks,

inth

ecra

gg

iness

of

the

terrain

worn

by

the

wate

r,

and

shelt

ere

dat

the

sam

eti

me

by

trees.

Th

ere

they

faced

Mid

dle

ton

and

his

en

tire

arm

yand

held

their

own

thro

ug

hall

that

lon

gand

dis

mal

and

sno

wy

day

.

Hap

pil

ya

good

num

ber

of

Rie

l’s

best

shots

,li

ke

Phil

ippe

Gari

epy,

Jam

es

Short

,B

eau—

ble

Laverd

ure

,G

ilb

ert

Bre

land

,and

oth

ers

were

there

.T

hey

did

much

har

mto

the

enem

yw

ho.co

uld

n’t

dis

lodg

eth

em

.I

don’t

know

how

man

ygunners

they

kn

ock

ed

from

...:

./81

their

guns.

One

or

two

amo

ng

the

rifl

em

en

had

taken

them

specia

lly

as

targ

ets

...

Tow

ard

sn

oo

n,

asp

ok

esm

an

advanced.

It

was

the

inte

rprete

rP

ete

rH

ouri

e..

.He

cri

ed

toth

eM

eti

sto

su

rren

der,

that

they

wo

uld

not

suff

er.

Mem

oirs

ofB

ut

Jam

es

Short

cri

ed

inh

istu

rn:

“You

wit

hd

raw

,o

rI

kil

lL

ou

isyo

u——

Ara

sski

ka

paskis

oti

nle

ave

us

alo

ne.”

And

the

batt

leS

chm

idt

P.A

.C.

resum

ed.”

9 Th

eskil

lan

dd

ete

rmin

ati

on

of

the

Meti

sin

batt

lew

asob

vio

us.

P.

Charl

ebois

wro

teth

at

the

fir

st

tofir

eupon

the

Meti

s

were

Boult

on’s

Sco

uts

whic

hw

ere

join

ed

by

the

Band

FC

ompa

n;’

of

the

90

thB

att

ali

on.

“B

esi

des

Boult

on’s

Scouts

Mid

dle

ton

had

more

than

300

men

,

makin

ga

tota

lof

524

or

who

m60

were

team

ste

rs.

Dum

ont’

s1

30

men

rap

idly

dw

ind

led

.A

few

fled

when

fir

ing

began.

Oth

ers

felt

that

they

were

usele

ss

once

they

had

fire

dall

10th

eir

po

wer

and

shot.

But

the

sk

ill

and

the

dete

rmin

ati

on

of

the

Char

le-

Meti

sis

ob

vio

us

wh

enth

eir

po

or

equip

ment

and

small

nu

mbers

are

bois

consid

ere

d.

Th

ere

were

bu

t54

rem

ain

ing

,w

hen

Ed

ou

ard

Du

mo

nt

cam

elb

id,

p.18

0w

ith

rein

forc

em

ents

fro

mB

ato

che

tod

riv

eb

ack

Mid

dle

ton

’str

oops.”

Tro

ttie

r,

aM

eti

sw

hofo

ught

at

Fis

hC

reek

,te

lls

of

the

arriv

al

of

enfo

rcem

ents

;-

“Whe

nth

ey

cam

eu

pI

shook

hands

wit

hth

emsayin

g,

‘We

are

only

fort

y—

eig

ht,

and

Ith

ink

man

yhave

been

kil

led.

As

Isp

oke,

Isa

wsix

of

our

people

com

eo

ut

of

anoth

er

wood,

bri

ng

ing

our

num

ber

up

tofi

fty

—fo

ur.

Then

when

ou

rpeople

had

com

e,th

ey

(the

Meti

s)w

ante

dto

foll

ow

them

,(t

he

go

vern

men

ttr

oops,)

but

Icall

ed

out:

‘Do

not

foll

ow

them

,w

ehave

done

enough

for

the

present.

’...I

said

toth

em

:‘W

em

ust

try

and

find

cart

sto

take

hom

eth

ew

ounded

this

ev

en

ing

’...

.Wh

en

we

go

tto

geth

er

at

Touro

nd’s

house

Ifo

und

out

that

there

had

no

tbeen

man

yo

four

peo1

ekil

led;

only

fou

rw

ere

mis

sin

g.”

Duri

ng

the

Batt

le,

Iask

ed

conti

nuously

where

my

chil

dre

nw

ere

,T

rott

ier

rep

ort

ed

.

Part

of

Tro

ttie

r’s

rep

ort

port

rays

the

co

ncern

the

Meti

sh

ad

for

the

safe

tyo

fth

eir

next-

of-

kin

duri

ng

the

fighti

ng.

He

told

Garn

ot:

/82

——

“..

.Iask

ed

conti

nuall

yw

here

my

chil

dre

nand

nephew

sw

ere

,

and

Ith

ou

gh

that

all

our

people

had

been

kil

led

ex

cep

ta

few

,

for

no

on

ean

swere

dm

ebut

two

of

my

bo

ys,

and

ev

ery

tim

ew

e

stopped

fir

ing

we

pra

yed

toG

od

...I

tw

asab

ou

t5

o’c

lock

inth

e

evenin

g,

Icall

ed

ou

t,‘W

her

eis

Johnny?’

(My

bro

ther’

sboy,)

an

d

Iheard

him

answ

er

ab

out

ahundre

dyard

sfr

om

us.

Imm

edia

tely

11afte

rh

isansw

er

they

(Mid

dle

ton’s

troops)

fire

dth

ree

cannon

Ses

sio

nal

shots

and

som

erif

leshots

inth

at

dir

ecti

on

.S

om

etim

eaft

erw

ard

s

Pap

ers

Ist

ood

up

and

went

tose

eall

the

people

...T

hen

my

yo

un

gnep

hew

p.19

said

tom

e,‘U

ncle

,co

me

here

,I

want

tosp

eak

toy

ou

.’I

answ

ere

d,

‘Do

not

sti

re

nep

hew

and

do

no

tfe

ar,

Iw

ill

no

tle

av

e

you,

Iw

ill

go

and

see

my

hors

eand

then

Iw

ill

go

toy

ou

.’”

11

“AP

oli

cem

an

spo

ke

tou

sin

the

Cre

eto

ng

ue,”

Lepin

ere

port

ed.

Max

ime

Lepin

e,

am

ember

of

the

Meti

sC

ou

ncil

engaged

inth

e

batt

le,

recounte

dth

ein

cid

ent

of

co

nta

ct

wit

ha

Po

lice

spo

kesm

an

who

spoke

the

Cre

eto

ngue,

als

o.

Louis

Sch

mid

t,in

his

descri

pti

on

of

the

Fis

hC

reek

fig

ht,

iden

tifie

dth

ispers

on

as

the

Poli

ce

inte

rprete

rH

ouri

e.

Lepin

egave

the

foll

ow

ing

acco

un

t:

“..

.all

day

the

bu

llets

seem

tofall

like

hail

.A

ndafte

r...

we

heard

am

anfr

om

amon

gth

eP

oli

ce

shout

tou

s,

speak

ing

inth

e

Cre

eto

ng

ue.

He

said

‘his

nam

eis

Bone,’

and...’

that

we

must

be

hungry

,’and

he

aked

tobe

all

ow

ed

tov

isit

us.

He

als

oask

ed

us

tote

llhim

how

man

yw

ew

ere

.A

ndso

me

of

the

oth

ers

answ

ere

d

him

.B

ut

they

would

not

let

him

com

e.I

was

incli

ned

tole

t

him

com

e,and

felt

tem

pte

dto

tell

him

toco

me,

bu

tI

thought

it

bett

er

tosa

yn

oth

ing

for

fear

of

makin

ga

mis

take

and

bein

g

bla

med

aft

erw

ard

s.

It

occurr

ed

tom

eth

at

wh

ile

he

was

wit

hu

s

12.

the

poli

ce

would

not

fir

e,

and

meanti

me

nig

ht

would

set

inand

Ses

sio

nal

Pap

ers

we

sho

uld

be

able

tog

et

aw

ay.

But

imm

edia

tely

aft

erw

ard

sour

Ibid

.people

cam

eu

pand

the

so

ldie

rsfl

ed

and

did

no

tfir

eag

ain

,and

p.18

we

cam

eaw

ay.

We

pra

yed

all

day

,and

Ith

ink

pra

yer

did

mo

reth

an

the

bu

llets

.“1

2

“I

found

alo

to

fS

iou

x,

Cre

es

and

half

bre

ed

sgoin

gu

pth

eco

ule

e

toh

ead

off

Po

lice,”

said

Gab

riel

Dum

ont.

Gabri

el

Du

mo

nt’

saccount

of

the

Batt

leo

fth

e24

Ap

ril

wen

t

as

foll

ow

s:

“Mr.

Cham

pag

ne

arr

ived.

..H

ere

port

ed

Poli

ce

com

ing

from

the

dir

ecti

on

of

Lit

tle

Mou

nta

in,

on

the

Fourc

he

Ro

ad.

He

ask

ed

for

/83

thir

tym

ento

com

e...H

eask

ed

Mr.

Rie

lif

he

wo

uld

com

ew

ith

them

.M

r.R

iel

consente

d,

ask

ing

for

fort

ym

en.

Nearl

yall

the

peo

ple

wante

dto

com

eaw

ay.

Inth

eend

som

efif

tycam

e.

Aft

er

eati

ng

at

Roger

Goule

t’s

we

sent

the

Sio

ux

ou

tas

scouts

...W

e

halt

ed

on

the

oth

er

sid

eo

fth

eco

ule

e.

..1

myse

lfro

de

out

furt

her.

Iw

ent

ou

to

fth

em

oonli

gh

tin

toa

tuft

of

trees..

.heari

ng

no

thin

g

but

the

flu

te.

Whe

nI

go

tb

ack

toour

peo

ple

they

were

on

their

knees,

pra

yin

g.

..W

ekil

led

ano

xfo

rbre

akfa

st,

and

go

th

ay

for

our

catt

le.

Befo

reeati

ng

we

sent

Mr.

Gil

bert

Bre

land

tose

e

ifth

een

emy

were

com

ing

.A

fter

we

had

eate

nhe

cain

ein.

He

said

that

the

cav

alr

yw

ere

com

ing

on

infr

ont.

We

saddle

dtw

enty

-

seven

ho

rses.

Then

we

wen

tdow

nth

ecoule

eand

po

ste

dou

rselv

es

about

ah

alf

am

ile

fro

mour

people

.M

r.B

te.

Des

cham

ps

told

us

he

saw

atr

ooper

passin

galo

nge

and

then

som

ete

no

nth

eo

ther

sid

e..

.We

then

mounte

dand

pre

pare

dfo

ra

rush

.W

hil

ew

ew

ere

watc

hin

g,

one

of

them

show

edh

imself

tom

eabout

150

yard

soff

.

His

ho

rse

turn

ed

sharp

about

and

we

rushed

str

aig

ht

for

him

.O

ur

men

fir

ed

...I

thin

kth

ey

hit

him

at

the

fir

st

sh

ot.

He

was

no

longer

able

tohandle

his

ho

rse;

then

Ifo

llo

wed

him

and

fire

d

two

sh

ots

at

hii

n...W

eex

ch

an

ged

fir

eag

ain

for

ashort

tim

e.

Th

e

poli

ce

then

cam

ed

ow

nat

once

alo

ngsid

ea

wood.

I...

.met

som

e

people

com

ing

dow

n.

Th

eyw

ere

nearl

yall

Sio

ux.

Iw

asto

lda

Teto

nhad

been

kil

led.

Iask

ed

him

,‘A

reyou

dead?;

He

answ

ere

d

me:

‘No

.‘

Napole

on

Neault

call

ed

ou

tto

me:

‘.

Dum

ont,

Ith

ink

the

India

ns

an

dth

eS

iou.x

are

goin

gto

run

,Y

oubett

er

go

an

dsto

pth

em

.’A

sI

saw

man

yo

fo

ur

peo

ple

who

were

ing

oo

d

heart

,I

an

swere

d:

‘Yes,

I’ll

foll

ow

them

.’W

hen

Ig

ot

near

the

hors

es

Ifo

und

alo

to

fpeople

there

:S

ioux,

Cre

es

rand

som

e

half

—b

reed

s,g

oin

gup

the

co

ule

eahead

of

the

poli

ce

inord

er

13.

toh

ead

them

off

...W

ith

som

eo

fth

eS

ioux

and

som

ehalf

-bre

eds

Gab

riel

Dum

ont

there

were

fif

teen

of

us...a

nIn

dia

nsaid

tom

e:‘D

on

ot

leave

Rep

ort

us;

ifyou

do

man

yw

ill

run

aw

ay.’

Ih

eld

on

for

aw

hil

eand

Batt

leth

en

said

toth

em

:‘T

ryand

fight

yours

elv

es

for

aw

hil

e;

Iof

wil

lg

oand

see

ou

rp

eo

ple

,and

Ipro

mis

eto

com

eback

toyou.

Ap

ril

24.

Ses

sio

nal

Whe

nI

hear

my

men

sh

outi

ng

stu

rdil

yI

kn

ow

they

are

ingo

od

Pap

ers

heart

.”Ib

id.

13

p.21

,(

See

Bre

.Lan

clscouti

ng

repurL

cri

pag

e7

nth

isC

tiate

r.22

“I

do

n’t

kn

ow

ifI

kil

led

man

y,

bu

tI

should

not

hav

em

isse

d

oft

en

,”said

Gab

riel

afte

rth

eb

att

leo

fF

ish

Cre

ek.

Mid

dle

ton’s

troops

at

one

poin

tn

earl

yencir

cle

dth

eM

eti

s

but

as

their

pin

cers

were

clo

sin

gth

eM

eti

ssuddentl

yatt

ack

ed

the

left

win

g,

“Whe

nth

ey

saw

that

Iw

asm

ak

ing

it

too

hot

for

them

”D

um

ont

14.

rela

ted,

“th

ey

began

top

ut

cannon

voll

eys

into

the

thic

ket

hrle

-w

here

Iw

as.

Bra

nches

bre

akin

gall

about

me

were

warn

ing

me

that

Ibid

.it

wasn’t

pru

dent

tosta

yhere

.I

don’t

know

ifI

kil

led

man

y,

p.

182

but

Ish

ould

not

have

mis

sed

often.”

14

/84

—84

—

At

on

eti

me

the

opp

osi

ng

forc

es

were

soclo

se

that

Du

mo

nt

shot

thro

ug

hM

iddle

ton’s

fur

cap

.S

evera

loth

er

sold

iers

were

15.

wounded

,am

ong

them

John

A.

Macd

on

ald

’sso

nH

ug

hJo

hn

Macdonald

.

Char

teG

abri

el

Dum

ont

fin

all

yset

fir

eto

the

prair

iegra

ss

tom

ake

the

[bid

.en

emy

back

off

,sin

ce

they

faced

the

win

d.

This

manoeuvre

pro

ved

.18

2successfu

lan

d“th

ere

d—

coats

ran

off

wit

hout

abackw

ard

loo

k,”

15

Du

mo

nt

recall

ed.

“The

Rebels

ad

van

ced

un

der

cover

of

smoke

out

of

the

ravin

e,”

rep

ort

ed

Mid

dle

ton

toh

issuperi

ors

.

Genera

lM

idd

leto

nsent

aM

ilit

iaand

Defe

nce

Report

of

the

batt

leat

Fis

hC

reek

toO

ttaw

ah

ead

qu

art

ers

on

May

1st,

1885.

Excerp

tsfr

om

this

rep

ort

are

as

foll

ow

s:

“I

had

pre

vio

usly

info

rmed

yo

uo

fth

ed

ivis

ion

so

fm

yfo

rces,

an

don

the

morn

ing

of

the

23

rdboth

colu

mns

advanced

on

the

two

sid

es

of

the

riv

er,

wit

ha

sco

wm

ov

ing

betw

een

them

.W

ehalt

ed

about

18m

iles

dow

nth

eriv

er....A

fte

ra

quie

tnig

ht

we

sta

rted

on

the

mo

rnin

go

fth

e2

4th

at

about

7a.m

.w

ith

the

usual

mil

itary

pre

cauti

on...

Though

Iw

asle

dto

beli

eve

that

the

Rebels

would

no

tco

me

sofa

rto

the

front

toatt

ack

us,

still

Iw

asaw

are

of

the

exis

t

an

ce

of

ara

ther

deep

ravin

eor

cre

ek

ab

ou

tfi

ve

or

six

mil

es

ah

ead

,...O

rie

ap

pro

ach

ing

som

eblu

ffs...w

esuddentl

yre

ceiv

ea

heavy

fir

efr

om

ablu

ffand

som

eg

rou

nd

slo

pin

gback

on

ou

rle

ft,

wh

ich

fir

ew

aslu

ckil

yto

ohig

hto

do

mis

ch

ief.

..t

he

enem

yg

rad

uall

reti

red

alo

ng

the

ravin

e,

wh

ile

ou

rm

enadvanced

slow

lyto

the

crest

of

ad

eep

lyw

oo

ded

part.

..In

this

form

er

rav

ine

asm

all

part

yo

fR

ebels

mad

ea

sta

nd,

inw

hat

we

fou

nd

aft

erw

ard

sto

be

som

ecare

full

y—

constr

ucte

dri

fle—

pit

s.

Th

ese

men

were

evid

en

tly

their

best

shots

-G

abri

el

Dum

ont

bein

gam

ongst

them

,b

ut

were

,

soto

speak,

caught

ina

trap...T

hese

men

were

gra

duall

yre

duced

innum

ber

un

til,

from

aposit

ion

of

ou

rm

en,

it

was

alm

ost

im

po

ssib

lefo

rth

em

toreti

re,

and

they

co

nti

nu

ed

tofir

eat

inte

rvals

,d

oin

ga

good

deal

of

mis

chie

f.C

ap

tain

Pete

rs,

wit

h

gre

at

plu

ck

an

ddash...g

all

antl

yatt

em

pte

dto

dis

lodge

them

,but

they

were

sow

ell

covere

dand

were

able

tob

rin

gsu

ch

heavy

fir

e

on

the

part

yadvancin

gw

ithout

bein

gseen..

.that

Ire

so

lved

to

leav

eth

em

....

co

nte

nti

ng

myse

lfw

ith

exte

ndin

gm

ore

of

the

90th

infr

ont

tow

atc

hth

em

and

sendin

gso

me

shell

sin

toth

eb

luff

now

and

then....In

the

meanti

me,

hav

ing

seen

the

part

of

the

90

thexte

nded....I

gall

op

ed

acro

ss

toth

eri

ght.

..O

narfiv

al

there

Ifo

und

that

the

enem

yw

asin

forc

e,

tryin

gto

turn

our

rig

ht

hav

ing

set

fir

eto

the

prair

ieas

the

win

dw

asblo

win

gto

ward

sus..

Th

eR

ebels

at

this

tim

ead

van

ced

under

co

ver

of

smoke

ou

to

fth

e

ravin

e....and

the

fir

ing

was

trem

en

do

usl

yh

ot,

my

A.D

.C.

Lie

ut.

/85

Doucet,

and

severa

lm

enbein

ghit

.”

Mid

dle

ton

report

ed

that

his

men

were

dri

ven

back

alittle

at

fi±

st

but

soon

rall

ied

and

advanced,

hold

ing

their

ow

n.

Mid

dle

ton

conti

nued:

ileto

n“O

ur

men

were

forc

ed

back

alittle

at

fir

st,

hut

soon

rall

ied

nce

and

advanced

ste

adil

y,

hold

ing

their

own

and

takin

gcover

well

Drt

unti

lusin

gth

eenem

y’s

own

tacti

cs,

we

fair

lydro

ve

them

back,

blu

ffby

blu

ff,

and

they

reti

red

alt

ogeth

er,

goin

goff

as

hard

die

ton

as

they

could

.1, sional

By

about

2p.m

.th

een

emy

had

dis

appeare

dand

all

fir

ing

es

ceased,

except

from

the

men

inth

era

vin

e,

who

seem

ed

by

their

..C.

voic

es

reduced

innum

ber,

and

who

mI

endevoure

dto

reach

by

mea

ns

of

the

guns

from

the

opposit

esid

eof

the

ravin

e,

Ith

ink

success

full

y,

from

the

am

ount

of

blo

od

aft

erw

ard

sfo

und

nth

epit

sand

adead

Sio

ux

found

near

there.”

16

Dum

ont:

My

sold

iers

fought

well

;to

encoura

ge

one

anoth

er

they

sang

the

Falc

on

song.

P.

Charl

ebois

cit

ed

Gabri

el’

saccount

of

the

batt

le,

as

foll

ow

s:

“I

said

toa

Sio

ux,

who

was

wit

hm

e,th

at

Iw

ould

try

togo

thro

ugh

the

bush

toco

me

out

behin

dth

een

emy,

soas

tom

ake

them

thin

kw

ew

ere

much

more

num

ero

us.

Ayoung

India

nsaid

,if

you

leave

us,

we

shall

all

run

aw

ay.

“I

reassure

dhim

by

sayin

gth

at

Iw

asgoin

gto

the

47m

enw

ho

were

still

inth

era

vin

e.

As

it

happened,

Ista

rted

togo,

but

I

could

n’t

get

there

;it

was

cir

cle

dby

enem

ysharp

shoote

rs,

who,

havin

gcro

ssed

the

ravin

elo

wer

dow

n,

had

cli

mbed

into

the

woods

on

the

oth

er

sid

e,

and

their

cannon

consta

ntl

yspat

shra

pnel.

“S

till

my

sold

iers

inth

era

vin

efo

ught

well

,encoura

gin

gone

anoth

er.

Isadore

Dum

as,

how

ever,

bec

ame

fearf

ul;

so,

tore

new

his

assura

nce,

he

began

tosin

gan

old

song

of

Napole

on

I,T

he

Song

of

Pie

rre

Falc

on.

The

oth

ers

pic

ked

itup

inchoru

s,

and

all

regain

ed

their

coura

ge.

“U

nable

tore

join

them

,I

turn

ed

back

toth

em

enI

had

left

inth

eprair

ieth

icket.

My

Sio

ux

had

gone,

and

Ihad

but

seven

men

rem

ain

ing.

Iatt

em

pte

dto

rejo

inm

ym

enin

the

ravin

e,

but

itw

asim

poosib

leto

get

there

wit

hout

facin

gcert

ain

death

.

/86

“I

too

km

yse

ven

men

for

som

eth

ing

toeat

at

Cali

xte

Touro

nd’s

pla

ce.

It

was

then

ab

ou

tsu

nset.

“I

had

hoped

tog

et

help

fro

mB

ato

ch

e.

But

Rie

ld

idnot

want

toall

ow

men

tole

av

e;

he

reassure

dth

epeople

,te

llin

gth

em

that

we

wo

uld

not

suff

er

much

harm

.

“M

eanti

me

my

bro

ther,

Edouard

,heari

ng

the

can

no

n,

had

ask

ed

Rie

lto

all

ow

him

tole

av

e.

Fin

all

yh

esaid

:w

hen

my

kin

are

indan

ger

Icannot

rem

ain

here

,and

he

raced

tou

sw

ith

80h

ors

em

en

.

“I

had

managed

toshif

tth

een

emy

lines;

the

regula

rsh

ad

backed

off

wh

ile

the

volu

nte

ers

co

nti

nu

ed

the

fig

ht.

“We

hurr

ied

into

the

thic

ket

at

their

rear,

and

on

heari

ng

our

shouts

they

ran,

leavin

gso

me

of

their

bag

gag

e.

Th

ed

octo

r

forg

ot

his

medic

ine

ch

est,

wit

htw

obott

les

of

bra

ndy.

We

dra

nk

his

healt

h.

“I

tho

ug

ht

of

purs

uit

,b

ut

my

boys

were

wet

and

chil

led

to

the

bone;

it

had

rain

ed

all

day

.It

was

now

ab

ou

teig

ht

o’c

lock

inth

eevenin

g.

17.

Qui

met

:“M

ayP

rovid

ence

be

ble

ssed,

duri

ng

the

whole

day

of

co

nti

nu

ou

sL

aQ

ues

tio

n.

Met

isse

an

dbit

ter

fighti

ng,

we

lost

bu

tfo

ur

men

;tw

oS

ioux,

my

nep

hew

As

St.

Pie

rre

azd

Jo

se

Verm

ett

e.

Tw

ooth

ers

were

wounded;

Fra

ncois

site

dB

ayer,

my

nephew

,an

dM

ich

el

Desja

rlais

,w

hod

ied

thre

edays

P.

late

r.

Char

lebois

Ibid

.p

.p.

182

“We

took

ou

rdead

and

ou

rw

ou

nd

ed

,th

en

head

ed

for

Bato

che.”

183

ii

An

eyew

itness

report

ed:

Inth

eC

anadia

nca

mp

ate

nt

flag

hid

the

bu

llet’

sw

ork

.It

was

the

most

horr

ible

sig

ht

Iever

wit

nessed

.

Bo

thfo

rces

receiv

ed

help

at

the

last

mo

men

t.A

sexpla

ined

(in

the

fore

go

ing

account)

by

Gab

riel

Dum

ont,

the

Meti

sw

ere

eventu

all

ysupport

ed

by

80hors

em

en;

among

them

Edouard

,G

ab

riel’

s

bro

ther.

Mid

dle

ton’s

help

cain

efr

om

his

seco

nd

co

lum

nw

hic

hhad

mad

eth

eir

way

acro

ss

the

riv

er;

but

the

Can

ad

ian

sd

idn

ot

pre

ss

forw

ard

toatt

ack

again

.T

he

Genera

lw

asstill

no

tcert

ain

of

the

str

ength

of

Du

mo

nt’

sfo

rce.

His

mil

itia

men

wit

hdre

wti

red,

chil

lec

and

sho

ck

ed

by

the

casualt

ies

they

had

suff

ere

d.

Dum

ont

su

gg

este

d

acoun

tera

ttack

,b

ut

his

men

were

no

longer

wil

lin

gto

su

sta

inth

e

acti

on.

Rea

dy

for

resp

ite

they

wit

hd

rew

,als

o.

Aco

rresp

on

den

tw

ith

the

govern

ment

forc

es

wro

teo

fth

ecease

fir

eat

Fis

hC

reek:

/87

“At

five

o’c

lock

the

fir

ing

from

the

enem

yhad

alm

ost

enti

rely

ceased

and

there

was

every

indic

ati

on

that

not

more

than

adozen

rem

ain

ed

inth

era

vin

e,

the

larg

est

part

of

the

forc

e

havin

gesc

aped

toth

eeastw

ard

.O

new

ould

natu

rall

yask

why

they

were

not

com

ple

tely

surr

ounded.

Icannot

answ

er

the

questi

on

any

more

than

you

can

why

the

thir

ty—

five

mounte

dre

bels

who

had

a

parl

ey

wit

hH

ow

ie,

the

inte

rpete

r,

were

all

ow

ed

tori

de

toth

e

east

out

of

their

rif

lepit

sand

jeer

at

our

troops,

who

were

ord

ere

dto

reti

re

toth

eca

mp

by

the

river

bank.

Neit

her

can

I

expla

inw

hyth

escouts

report

ed

this

morn

ing

that

these

sam

e

thir

ty—

five

were

all

ow

ed

toreti

re

toth

isra

vin

e.

The

hospit

al

tents

were

inth

ere

ar

of

the

centr

e,

and

the

accom

modati

ons

for

18.

the

wounded

were

am

ple

.E

very

com

fort

was

giv

en

toth

ose

who

were

c.p

.hit

,and

the

docto

rsw

ere

cool

and

effic

ient.

The

dead

who

mw

e

Mul

vane

yw

ere

able

tobri

ng

from

the

fie

ldw

ere

laid

besid

eone

of

the

Form

erly

of

No.

1hospit

al

tents

,and

were

all

ow

ed

tore

main

inpla

invie

w.

The

Com

pany

mora

leffect

of

cours

ew

asbad.

Late

ra

tent

flag

hid

the

Que

en’s

bull

ets

’w

ork

.T

he

chara

cte

rof

the

wounds

was

two-f

old

.W

her

e

Ow

nth

efo

rty—

five

cali

bre

Win

cheste

rhad

been

use

dth

eorif

ice

of

Rif

les,

The

the

hurt

was

cle

an

cut.

At

clo

se

quart

ers

their

(the

Meti

s)

His

tory

shot

guns

mad

every

jagged

and

terrib

lein

jurie

s.

Duck

shot,

Nort

h-

round

ball

,pie

ces

of

lead,

irregula

rin

shape,

had

been

use

din

11iori

loadin

gth

eguns,

and

inm

any

insta

nces

the

pro

be

foll

ow

ed

the

A.H

.tr

ack

of

one

bull

et,

whil

eth

em

ort

al

wound

lay

ina

tota

lly

Hov

eydif

ferent

dir

ecti

on.”

&C

o.18

Toro

nto

1885

The

sold

ier’s

dia

rycit

ed

earli

er

record

ed

anentr

yre

lati

ng

toth

edead

and

wounded,

on

Apri

l26:

19.

“Took

aw

alk

round

tose

eth

edead

and

wounded

yeste

rday

Sold

ier

saft

ern

oon.

It

was

the

most

horr

ible

sig

ht

Iever

wit

nessed.”

Dia

ry19

P.A

.C.

Of

the

Canadia

nm

ilit

ia,

ten

were

kil

led

inbatt

leor

die

dof

wounds,

and

fort

yw

ere

wounded.

Mid

dle

ton

told

Caro

nth

at

he

regre

tted

the

list

of

kil

led

and

wounded

was

sola

rge.

He

expla

ined:

“Alittle

afte

rfi

ndin

gth

efir

ing

had

cease

dand

the

enem

y

fled,

except

the

two

or

thre

ew

hom

Ile

ft

there

for

the

reason

above

menti

oned

and

as

ath

under

storm

was

com

ing

up

--

havin

g

rem

oved

the

dead,

and

sent

off

the

wounded,

we

pit

ched

cam

p

am

idst

asevere

thunders

torm

inan

open

spot

clo

se

toth

esc

ene

of

the

fig

ht,

whic

hhad

been

sele

cte

dby

Lord

Melg

und,

as

above

menti

oned.

Iappen.i

anoffic

ial

list

of

the

kil

led

and

wounded,

whic

hI

regre

tis

sola

rge,

but

whic

his

not

larg

er

than

mig

ht

/88

—uo

—

be

expecte

d,

co

nsid

eri

ng

the

cir

cum

sta

nces

under

whic

hw

ew

ere

att

ack

ed

,an

dth

efa

ct

that

not

am

anin

the

forc

ebut

my

self

20.

had

ever

befo

rebeen

under

fir

e.

More

over

Ihad

only

abo

ut

350

Car

onm

enin

acti

on

and

Iesti

mate

the

enem

yat

ab

ou

t3

00

.A

sre

gard

sP

aper

sR

eport

their

loss,

all

we

actu

all

yfo

un

do

nth

efie

ldw

asth

ree

dead

of

the

Ind

ians,

but

Iam

co

nfi

den

tth

ey

must

have

su

sta

ined

ato

lera

bly

Maj

or

Gen

eral

sev

ere

loss,

as

they

would

not

have

ab

an

do

ned

sostr

on

ga

posit

ion,

Com

man

d-an

don

e,

from

the

am

ou

nt

of

food

we

fou

nd

inth

ed

ifferent

houses,

App

endi

xth

ey

evid

entl

yexpecte

dto

occu

py

for

som

etim

e.”

20

P.A

.C.

Inclo

sin

gM

idd

leto

nm

enti

oned

the

assis

tan

ce

of

alittle

bu

gle

r,“W

illi

am

Bu

ch

an

an

,”o

fth

e9

0th

Regim

ent,

“who

mad

e21

.him

self

parti

cula

rusefu

lin

carr

yin

gam

munit

ion

toth

eri

ght

Car

onP

aper

sfr

ont

wh

enth

efir

ew

asvery

hot;

this

he

did

wit

hparti

cula

rIb

id.

nonchala

nce,

walk

ing

calm

lyabout,

cry

ing:

‘Now

bo

ys,

who’s

for

cart

ridges.

‘“21

Th

eM

eti

slo

sses

were

fou

rk

ille

dand

two

wo

un

ded

.

On

May

13,

Mid

dle

ton

rep

ort

ed

toC

aro

nth

at

the

“re

bels

”

had

inte

nd

ed

tocap

ture

and

toh

old

him

as

ho

sta

ge

soth

at

they

mig

ht

neg

oti

ate

term

sw

ith

the

Go

vern

men

t.H

eals

ore

po

rted

the

Meti

slo

sses

bu

tin

accura

tely

told

of

am

uch

hig

her

nu

mb

ero

f

casualt

ies.

“May

13

th.

Ifi

nd

fro

mp

ap

ers

cap

ture

dat

Bato

ch

ey

este

rday

that

the

num

ber

of

the

Rebels

at

Fis

hC

reek

was

25

0u

nd

er

Gabri

el

Dum

ont,

that

they

had

inte

nd

ed

tole

tm

een

ter

the

rav

ine

or

crest,

an

dth

en

destr

oy

us,

takin

gm

ep

riso

ner,

and

hold

ing

me

as

ah

osta

ge

toassis

tth

em

inm

akin

gte

rms

wit

hth

eG

overn

men

tat

22.

Ott

aw

a.

Their

schem

ew

asd

efe

ate

db

ym

yhavin

gm

yscouts

sofa

rC

aron

Pap

ers

inadvan

ce,

whic

hobli

ged

them

tofir

eo

nth

em

,and

thus

dis

clo

sed

Ibid

.th

eir

posit

ion.

Ials

ofi

nd

now

that

the

Rebels

had

11k

ille

d

or

die

dof

wounds,

an

d18

wounded

at

Fis

hC

reek.

FRE

DM

IDD

LE

TO

N

Majo

rG

en

era

l

Co

mm

and

ing

Can

ad

ian

Mil

itia

and

N.W

.

Fie

ldF

orce.”

22

Mid

dle

ton

said

late

rth

at

he

had

men

and

offic

ers

who

had

nev

er

been

under

fir

e.

Off

icers

and

men

were

“gre

en,”

he

said

.

Mid

dle

tori

was

sev

erl

ycrit

iciz

ed

for

his

decis

ion

todiv

ide

the

Canadain

afo

rces

an

dfo

r“havin

gexpose

dhim

self

unw

isely

,”

at

the

Batt

leo

fF

ish

Cre

ek

,b

ut

he

defe

nd

ed

him

self

sayin

g: ./

89

—89

—

“I

could

n’t

do

oth

erw

ise,”

Ihad

gre

en

troops,

an

d,

wo

rse

still,

gre

en

offic

ers

-—

gre

en

inth

ese

nse

that

they

had

never

been

under

fir

eb

efo

re.

They

did

well

and

bra

vely

,but

wh

ile

you

can

dril

la

man

into

aso

ldie

rin

afe

wm

onth

s,it

tak

es

years

toeducate

offic

ers

inw

hom

ag

en

era

lco

mm

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gcan

have

imp

licit

confi

dence.

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had

been

inco

mm

and

of

regula

rs,

or,

possib

ly,

ifL

ord

Mel

gund

had

been

wit

hm

efr

om

the

fir

st,

I

wo

uld

hav

eta

ken

aposit

ion

inre

ar

of

the

line

of

batt

le,

set

up

my

flag,

an

dsen

tm

yord

ers

.I

would

hav

edone

this

,th

at

is

as

soon

as

the

troops

had

been

inspir

ed

wit

hco

nfi

den

ce.

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alu

e

Mul

vane

ym

yli

fe

as

much

as

any

one

can,

and

itis

no

tn

ecessary

top

rov

eIb

id.

my

bra

very

,at

least

inE

ngla

nd

where

Iam

know

n,

but

it

was

necessary

that

Ish

ou

ldn’t

dodge.

By

the

way

,“p

oin

tin

gto

his

Astr

achan

cap

wit

ha

sm

ile,”

ifI

had

been

du

ck

ing

when

that

fell

ow

hit

me

the

bull

et

would

have

go

ne

into

the

top

of

my

head

and

my

quie

tus

made.

If

Ih

ad

n’t

expose

dm

yse

lfy

ou

wo

uld

all

have

been

scalp

ed.

Iam

inan

em

barr

assin

g,

but

not

an

ov

el

posit

ion.”

23

The

foll

ow

ing

ex

cerp

tfr

om

aM

ilit

iaco

rresp

on

den

t’s

lett

er

giv

es

anid

ea

of

the

feeli

ng

sw

ith

whic

hth

eC

an

ad

ain

tro

op

s

regard

ed

the

enem

y:

“Th

efe

eli

ng

that

the

Half

—bre

eds

have

been

wro

ng

ed

,th

at

the

Govern

ment

had

been

cri

min

all

yn

eg

lig

en

tin

its

treatm

ent

of

their

cla

ims,

and

that

the

poli

ticia

ns

should

be

held

acco

un

tab

lefo

r

the

whole

tro

ub

le,

gro

ws

more

deep

lyro

ote

dand

more

wid

ely

spre

acL

The

sig

ht

of

these

com

fort

ab

leh

om

esand

the

couple

dknow

ledge

Mul

vane

yth

at

the

men

who

reare

dth

em

,suff

ere

dth

eri

go

urs

of

fron

tier

Ibid

.li

fe

and

foste

red

alo

ve

for

the

very

soil

itself

,cannot

get

suffic

ient

title

tora

ise

$10

by

mo

rtg

ag

eo

none

tho

usa

nd

acre

s

bri

ng

shom

eto

ev

ery

man

the

reali

tyo

fth

ere

sid

en

t’s

grie

vances.

BA

TO

CH

EP

RO

JEC

T

PA

RT

TH

RE

E

CH

AP

TE

RS

SIX

AN

DS

EV

EN

Chri

ste

lB

arb

er

Gab

riel

Dur

nont

In

sti

tute

.S

ep

tem

ber

192