Transcript North West Rebellion - Shaw Communications

North West Rebellion
Timeline
6 May, 1884

The South Branch Metis and English half-breeds meet
and pass resolutions specifying grievances. In a petition
drawn up at the meeting and sent to Sir John A.
Macdonald, Gabriel Dumont and the Metis of St.
Antoine de Padoue claimed exemption from onerous
homestead duties and exemption from the township
survey system of mile square lots that threatened to
disrupt their long narrow river lots. It was also decided
that Louis Riel should be asked to return.
18 May 1884

Métis delegation leaves Batoche for
Montana to ask Riel for help.
5 June 1884

4 men ride to St. Peter's mission in
Montana to persuade Louis Riel to once
again bargain with the Canadian
Government to protect the rights of
both Metis and white settlers. After
two days Riel decides to go with them
to Batoche
June 1884

Thirst Dance held on
Poundmaker reserve - by
mid-June over 2,000 people
from many bands had
gathered to discuss their
situation. Treaty 6 promises
food in time of famine. Crops
have failed and since the
buffalo are all gone, many
natives have starved. They
want support from the
government promised by the
treaty.
Thirst Dance lodge
Recent Thirst Dance
Celebration disrupted


celebration disrupted
by Crozier & NWMP
pursuing an Indian
accused of assaulting
Farm Instructor Craig.
Violence was averted
by Poundmaker and Big
Bear, as well as by the
distribution of food as
the man was being
taken away.
5 July 1884

Riel arrives at
Tourond's Coulee
(Fish Creek), NorthWest Territories.
19 July 1884


Louis Riel speaks to a well attended meeting
in Prince Albert. Here he repeats the
constitutional nature and aims of the
agitation for responsible government in the
Northwest.
White settlers, including spokesmen of the
newly formed Settlers Union, endorse the
proposals. At the end of the meeting, after a
question period, the gathering seems
convinced that he is opposed to violence.
Petitions ignored


28 July 1884 - William H. Jackson
issues a manifesto of the grievances
and objectives of the Settlers' Union
16 December 1884 -Louis Riel sends a
petition to the Secretary of State
outlining Métis grievances and
demands.
28 January 1885

John A. Macdonald's
cabinet authorizes the
creation of a threeperson commission to
review and settle Métis
and Half-breed claims
in Manitoba and the
Northwest Territories.
4 Feb 1885

Lt. Gov. Dewdney of
the NWT receives
word about the
Metis land claims
commission
5 March 1885

Louis Riel and a group of prominent
Metis hold a secret meeting. They sign
an oath, the Revolutionary Bill of
Rights, to "save our country from a
wicked government by taking up arms
if necessary."
18 March

Commissioner
Acheson Irvine
leaves Regina for
Prince Albert with
90 N.W.M.P., 66
horses, and a long
train of sleighs
leaving behind a
skeleton staff of
only 32 men and no
horses to cover the
rest of the territory

Lawrence Clarke, on his way
back from Winnipeg, stops
in at Batoche. He is
reported to have told the
Metis that many soldiers are
on their way to arrest Riel
and Dumont. Isbister reports
that Clarke says “They are
sending five hundred men
behind me, who will answer
your petition with lead.”
Clarke denies saying this.
19 March

Reacting to the news that police are on
the way to seize Riel, the Métis seize
control of St. Anthony's Church: they
cut the telegraph wires at Batoche,
ransack Government stores and seize
employees as hostages. Riel proclaims
a provisional government with himself
as president and Gabriel Dumont as
adjutant general.
21 March

Riel sends a message to
Superintendent Leif Crozier and
demands the surrender of the N.W.M.P.
detachment at Fort Carlton
threatening, "To commence without a
delay a war of extermination upon
those who have shown themselves
hostile to our rights."
22 March

English Half-Breeds
of St.Catherine's
and the Ridge vote
to remain neutral in
the event of armed
conflict

The Winnipeg Militia is
ordered to a state of
readiness and 60-Yearold Major-General
Frederick Dobson
Middleton, British
Commander of the
Canadian Militia, is
given command of the
troops
23 March

Prime Minister Sir
John A. McDonald
orders mobilization
of troops in every
province of Canada.
General Middleton
is given orders to
march west with all
due speed
26 March

At 2:30 a.m. Commissioner A. G. Irvine sets out
from Prince Albert for Fort Carlton with 83
police and 25 civilian volunteers to bolster the
defenses. Before the Relief column from Prince
Albert arrives, Lawrence Clarke is reported to
have incited Superintendent Crozier to attack
the Metis at Duck Lake before Irvine’s column
arrives, saying “What! Are we to be turned back
by a parcel of half-breeds? Now is the time,
Crozier, to show if you have any sand in you.”
Battle of Duck Lake, Mar. 26

Leif Crozier leads 55 N.W.M.P. and 43 Prince Albert
volunteers from Fort Carlton and encounters the
Metis one-mile west of Duck Lake. The first shot is
purportedly fired by "Gentleman" Jim McKay, a
N.W.M.P. scout from the Duck Lake district.
Crozier is wounded, receiving a flesh wound to the
right cheek. Gabriel Dumont has a bullet graze his
scalp. Louis Riel orders Gabriel Dumont not to
allow the victorious Metis and Indians to pursue
the retreating Police and Militia. One hour after
Crozier limps back to Fort Carlton, Commissioner
Irvine's column arrives from Prince Albert.
27 March


General Middleton arrives in Winnipeg
and leaves that night with 260 officers
and men of the 90th Winnipeg Rifles
Commissioner Irvine decides to
abandon Fort Carlton and retreat to
P.A. the next day due to the Fort's poor
defensibility and location.
27 March

Major General Thomas Bland Strange
receives a telegram from A. P. Caron,
Minister of Militia, requesting that he recruit
a field force to help quell the unrest in the
North West, especially near Calgary and
Edmonton, where rumors of Indian uprising
are everywhere.
28 March

Fort Carlton is
abandoned. A fire
breaks out in the
hospital during the
pullout, which spreads
to engulf the entire
fort burning it to the
ground. The survivors
march unmolested back
to Prince Albert


News of the Duck Lake
skirmish hits eastern
Canada. The Federal
Government assembles
a Canadian Militia
Force.
Half of the 90th
Winnipeg Rifles
company arrive at Fort
Qu’Appelle.
29 March

When news of the Metis
success at Duck Lake
reaches Poundmaker,
he decides to utilize
the unrest and fears of
government agents to
negotiate necessary
supplies. Joined by the
Stonies, the Cree go to
Battleford

Itka kills farm
instructor Payne on
the Mosquito
reserve.
30 March

Poundmaker arrives at
Fort Battleford to find all
the settlers barricaded in
the NWMP barracks.
Indian Agent Rae refuses
to meet with him. Hungry
and frustrated, Cree and
Stonies begin looting the
empty homes in the
Battleford area, despite
Poundmaker's attempts to
stop them

Canadian Government
appoints a
parliamentary
committee to
investigate Metis claims
and petitions. Chief
Crowfoot promises
Father Lacombe to
remain loyal to the
crown during the Metis
rebellion
31 March

The Council of the
Provisional
Government of
Saskatchewan moves
the Metis force to
Batoche. They
construct a defensive
system of trenches
and rifle pits around
Batoche.



The bands go back to the
Poundmaker reserve and
camp east at Cutknife Hill.
Poundmaker is appointed the
political leader and chief
spokesperson for the
combined bands.
A soldiers' lodge is erected at
the Cutknife camp. According
to Plains Cree tradition, once
erected the soldier's lodge,
not the chief, is in control of
the camp.
2 April

Frog Lake Massacre:
Wandering Spirit, War
Chief of Big Bear's
band, shoots Thomas
Quinn the Indian agent
and calls on the rest of
his band to kill the
other whites. Quinn,
two Catholic priests,
five other whites, and a
Metis are murdered.

General Middleton
arrives at Fort
Qu'appelle with the
rest of the 90th
Winnipeg Rifles. They
will spend the next four
days in rifle practice,
as many of them had
never fired a weapon
before.
Camp Desolation
Soldiers from Eastern Canada have been making
their way to the west on the train. The area around
Lake Superior has stretches where the tracks are
not complete. The soldiers first must march
through deep snow then continue on in open
sleighs. Tired from the long march, many men fall
asleep in the sleighs and tumble out into 6-7 feet
of snow. When they reach Camp Desolation they
are placed on open flatbed cars with slats around
the sides, 65 to a car. No one sleeps because of the
bitter cold (-31 C).
6 April

General Middleton's column heads
north for Batoche with 800 men. The
nights are so cold that in the mornings
the tent pegs have to be chopped out
of the ground by axes. The days are so
cold that those lucky enough to be
mounted will find their boots freeze to
the stirrups.
13 April

Big Bear and 250
mounted Indians
surround Fort Pitt and
demand the surrender
of the Fort and the
inhabitants. They also
ask for tea, tobacco,
and blankets. Civilians
decide to go to the
Indian camp as
hostages

Later that night the
N.W.M.P. abandon Fort
Pitt and cross the N.
Saskatchewan River.
Inspector Dickens and
his men start their
journey down the river
to Fort Battleford in a
leaky boat.
13 April

A relief column of
Militia heads north
from Swift Current to
Ft. Battleford led by
Lt.Col. William Otter. A
detachment of
N.W.M.P. under
Superintendent William
Herchmer acts as
scouts.
17 April

General Middleton's column reaches
Clarke's Crossing and General
Middleton unwisely splits his force in
two columns in order to cover both the
east and west banks of the South
Saskatchewan River.
20 April

General Thomas
Bland Strange
("Gunner Jingo")
leads his column
north from Calgary
200 miles to
Edmonton.
24 April

150 Metis ambush General Middleton's column at
Fish Creek. The Metis break off the fight when
their ammunition runs out. Middleton has 10
killed and 43 wounded - almost 10% of his East
Bank force and is almost a casualty himself.
General Middleton's west bank column finds a
small boat and attempts to cross the river to the
east bank but before the first load of soldiers can
get across the battle is over. Middleton declares
Fish Creek a victory. Middleton then waits at Fish
Creek for re-enforcements to catch up before
advancing on Batoche.
2 May

Colonel Otter's column attacks Poundmaker's camp at Cut
Knife Hill. After seven hours of fighting, Col. Otter's force is
badly mauled at Cut Knife Hill by Poundmaker's Crees and is
forced to withdraw back to Battleford. At this point
Poundmaker steps in and stops the Indians from attacking
the retreating troops, saying that to defend themselves and
their wives and children was good, but he did not approve
of taking the offensive. Following the battle, Poundmaker
attempts to move the camp to the hilly country around
Devil's Lake. The warriors leading the camp, however,
prevent this retreat and begin leading the combined tribes
east to join Riel at Batoche.
7 May

Almost two weeks after the Battle of
Fish Creek, General Middleton leaves
Fish Creek and marches on Batoche
with 850 men, four nine pounder
cannon, the Gatling gun, and fifty
wagons.
9 May

Troops sail to Batoche on
the steamer Northcote.
Metis lower the ferry
cable at Batoche's
Crossing, shearing the
funnels and the masts off
the steamer and causing
a loss of steering. The
Northcote drifts
downstream until later
that night when the
damage is repaired.

Middleton orders a
"Zareba" built which
is a rectangular
defensible position
dug into the ground
and surrounded by
meal bags and
wagons.
Battle of Batoche
12 May

Last day of the battle - In the morning General
Middleton leads a feint on the Metis left flank
that is partially successful. In the afternoon Lt.
Col. Williams, irked by the slow progress and by
rumors that British regulars were to be called in,
organizes a charge of the Metis positions that
routs the Metis and ends the battle. The soldiers
start looting the town and in the confusion Louis
Riel and Gabriel Dumont flee. The Northcote
with her load of soldiers finally gets to Batoche a
half-hour after the fighting is over
14 May

While passing through the Eagle Hills,
Poundmaker's bands capture a wagon
train carrying supplies for Colonel
Otter's column. Once again
Poundmaker successfully intervenes to
prevent bloodshed and the twenty-one
teamsters captured along with the
wagons are taken prisoner.
15 May

Metis Leader Louis Riel surrenders and
is brought back to camp where General
Middleton formally arrests him. Metis
General Gabriel Dumont escapes to
Montana
25 May

Chief Poundmaker surrenders his arms
and his followers at Fort Battleford to
Middleton. He is immediately
imprisoned.
Poundmaker’s surrender
28 May

Battle of Frenchman's Butte. Big Bear's
band and Major General T.B. Strange
clash at Frenchman's Butte. Major
General Strange forces Big Bear and his
men to retreat north
3 June

The Battle of Steele Narrows (Loon
Lake), the last battle on Canadian soil
is fought. A detachment of N.W.M.P.
under Major Samuel Steele fights with
Crees under Big Bear but the Cree
chief escapes. Otter, Strange and Irvine
spend the month of June chasing Big
Bear
2 July

Big Bear, accompanied
by his son, "Horse
Child," and a councilor,
"All And a Half,"
surrenders at Fort
Carlton to N.W.M.P.
Sgt. Smart after
evading N.W.M.P. for
two hundred miles. The
North-West Field Force
breaks camp to go
back east.
19 July

Wandering Spirit surrenders at Fort Pitt
20 July

Louis Riel is charged with high treason,
which carries a death penalty. His trial
begins in Regina in a rented room at
the land titles office since the Court
House is too small for the number of
spectators and press. Justice Hugh
Richardson presides.
24 July

William Henry Jackson is found not
guilty by reason of insanity. Jackson is
sent to a lunatic asylum in Manitoba
1 August

Louis Riel is found guilty of high
treason which carries an automatic
death sentence. Although the all white
jury recommends clemency, Justice
Hugh Richardson reluctantly sentences
Riel to be executed by hanging on 21
September.
More trials


5 August
Sir John A.
McDonald requests
that murder charges
be laid against the
Indians involved at
Frog Lake and in the
killing of Payne.


14 August
A number of Métis
involved in the
rebellion plead
guilty to felonytreason and receive
prison sentences
ranging from one to
seven years.
17 August

Poundmaker's trial on the charge of
felony-treason begins in Regina before
Judge Richardson. After deliberating
for half an hour, the jury returns a
guilty verdict. Poundmaker is
sentenced to three years in the Stony
Mountain Penitentiary in Manitoba. At
that time, Poundmaker states he would
rather be hung than go there.
11 September

Big Bear is tried on the charge of
felony-treason, found guilty and
sentenced to three years imprisonment
at the Stony Mountain Penitentiary in
Manitoba.
Native trials




25 September
Wandering Spirit is tried
at Battleford and
sentenced to hang for
starting the Frog Lake
Massacre.
5 October
Itka and Man Without
Blood are tried, found
guilty and sentenced to
hang for killing Payne.


10 October
Five Indians, Round the
Sky, Bad Arrow,
Miserable Man, Iron
Body and Little Bear
are tried in Battleford
for involvement at Frog
Lake, are found guilty
and sentenced to hang.
9 November

After several appeals, a stay of execution is
granted to allow three Physicians: Drs.
Augustus Jukes, F. Valade and M. Lavell, to
re-assess Riel's mental condition. This
Medical commission submits its report to the
Prime Minister. The Commission is divided on
the question of Riel's sanity. Cabinet decides
to proceed with the death penalty
16 November

Louis Riel is executed by hanging at
the Mounted Police Barracks in Regina.
20 November

Louis Riel is laid to rest in the
cemetery of the Cathedral of St.
Boniface in Winnipeg
26 November


William Campbell, the lone male survivor of the Frog Lake
massacre, goes to visit Wandering Spirit, Big Bear’s war
chief. Wandering Spirit tells Campbell his reason for killing
the settlers at Frog Lake:
“Four years ago we were camped on the Missouri River in
the Long Knives’ land [USA]. Riel was there, trading
whiskey to the Indians. He gave us liquor and said he
would make war on this country. He asked us to join him
in wiping out all Canadians….Last fall Riel sent word to us
that when the leaves came out the half-breeds would rise
and kill all whites. The Long Knives would come. They
would buy the land, pay the Indians plenty money for it,
and afterwards trade with them. All the tribes who
wished to benefit must rise, too, and help rid the country
of Canadians.”
27 November

Wandering Spirit and 7 other Indians
are hanged in Fort Battleford for the
Frog Lake Massacre
Sad news


July 4, 1886
Poundmaker, who
was released from
prison one month
earlier, dies at
Blackfoot Crossing
during a visit to his
adopted father
Crowfoot.


17 January, 1888
Big Bear dies on
Poundmaker
reserve.
Responsible Government
Achieved






1887
The first North West Territories members are
elected to the House of Commons.
31 October, 1888
The first Legislative Assembly of the North
West Territories meets at Regina
1905
Saskatchewan and Alberta become
provinces.