North West Rebellion

1. North West Rebellion Timeline

3. 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.

5. 18 May 1884 • Métis delegation leaves Batoche for Montana to ask Riel for help.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. Thirst Dance lodge

9. Recent Thirst Dance

10. 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. Leif Crozier

11. 5 July 1884 • Riel arrives at Tourond's Coulee (Fish Creek), North-West Territories.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 28 January 1885 • John A. Macdonald's cabinet authorizes the creation of a three-person commission to review and settle Métis and Half-breed claims in Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.

15. 4 Feb 1885 • Lt. Gov. Dewdney of the NWT receives word about the Metis land claims commission

16. 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."

17. 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. 18 March

18. 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.

19. 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."

20. 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-Year-old Major-General Frederick Dobson Middleton, British Commander of the Canadian Militia, is given command of the troops 22 March

21. Winnipeg troops

22. 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

23. 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.”

24. 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.

25. Battle at Duck Lake

26. 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. 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. 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. 28 March

29. 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. 29 March

30. 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 30 March

31. 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. 31 March

32. 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. 2 April

33. 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).

34. 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.

35. 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

36. Siege of Fort Pitt

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. 20 April • General Thomas Bland Strange ("Gunner Jingo") leads his column north from Calgary 200 miles to Edmonton.

41. 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.

42. Battle of Fish Creek

43. 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.

44. Battle of Cut Knife Hill

45. 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.

46. 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. 9 May

47. Battle of Batoche

48. 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

49. 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.

50. 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