The North-West Rebellion 1885 Riel on Trial

Transcription

1 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 182 Chapter 13 The North-West Rebellion 1885 Riel on Trial It is the summer of The small courtroom in Regina is jammed with reporters and curious spectators. Louis Riel is on trial. He is charged with treason for leading an armed rebellion against the Queen and her Canadian government. If he is found guilty, the punishment could be death by hanging. What has happened over the past 15 years to bring Louis Riel to this moment? This is the same Louis Riel who led the Red River Resistance in This is the Riel who was called the Father of Manitoba. He is back in Canada. The case against Riel is being heard by Judge Hugh Richardson and a jury of six English-speaking men. The tiny courtroom is sweltering in the heat of a prairie summer. For days, Riel s lawyers argue that he is insane and cannot tell right from wrong. Then it is Riel s turn to speak. The photograph shows Riel in the witness box telling his story. What will he say in his own defence? Will the jury decide he is innocent or guilty? All Canada is waiting to hear what the outcome of the trial will be! Reflecting/Predicting 1. Why do you think Louis Riel is back in Canada after fleeing to the United States following the Red River Resistance in 1870? 2. What do you think could have happened to bring Louis Riel to this trial? 3. Do you think he will be found guilty or innocent? 182

2 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 183 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion Riel Returns In 1884, Gabriel Dumont and three other Métis rode 1100 km from the Saskatchewan River valley to Montana. Louis Riel was living in Montana with his family and teaching school. Dumont s mission was to persuade Riel to return to Canada and fight again for the Métis cause. Gabriel Dumont was a well-respected hunter and military leader. However, he was not the educated, fiery representative the Métis needed. Dumont told Riel a very sad story. After Manitoba joined Confederation, many Métis moved farther west into present-day Saskatchewan and Alberta. They were looking for wide open spaces and freedom to live in the traditional Métis way. Then Canadian surveyors suddenly appeared in the North-West. They started to divide the land for settlement. The railway was coming through. It would be only a matter of time before settlers would flood into their land. It was the same old problem for the Métis. Background to Rebellion When Riel first returned to the North-West, he seemed to have no thought of an armed rebellion. He wanted to try peaceful ways first. Riel dreamed of bringing the Aboriginal peoples, the Métis, and the settlers together. They would speak to Ottawa with one voice. A petition to the government was drawn up. A petition is a formal request to an authority for rights, privileges, or other benefits. Although the government promised to look into these problems, Ottawa took no real action. By March 1885, Riel decided to wait no longer. He planned to use the same methods that had been successful earlier in Manitoba. He would set up his own government and arm his followers. Then he could pressure the What the Métis wanted: legal proof that they owned the small spaces of land where they lived a voice in their own government What the Aboriginal peoples wanted: food and more money in exchange for the use of their land; many people were close to starvation with the buffalo almost wiped out What the Settlers wanted: lower prices for farm machinery and for moving goods on the railroad higher prices for their wheat a stronger voice for the North-West in Ottawa Canadian government to provide a better deal for the citizens of the North-West. It was a risky move. Conditions had changed since Now there was the North-West Mounted Police to support the Canadian government. There was also a railroad to bring troops from eastern Canada. Riel s call to take up arms lost him the support of the settlers. They wanted to see changes come in a lawful way. Riel also lost the support of the Roman Catholic Church when he encouraged the use of arms. Only the Frenchspeaking Métis and some Aboriginal people continued to support him. Among the Aboriginal peoples, only chiefs Big Bear and Poundmaker and their followers joined Riel in the rebellion. They refused to give up their way of life and move quietly onto the reserves. They became increasingly desperate as food grew more scarce. Big Bear was concerned for his people. The early successes of Riel and the Métis gave Poundmaker and Big Bear hope. But what chance would Riel, the Métis, and the few Aboriginal people have against the Canadian government?

3 /1/04 2:57 PM Page Unit 2: The Development of Western Canada The Rebellion Begins Bloodshed at Duck Lake 26 March 1885 Today, 17 North-West Mounted Police officers set out from Fort Carlton to pick up food and ammunition stored at Duck Lake. About 5 km from Duck Lake, they found the road blocked by a group of Métis. The Mounties were greatly outnumbered. They returned to Fort Carlton without a fight. Superintendent Crozier decided to lead a force of 50 police and 50 volunteers back to Duck Lake to secure their supplies. On the way, they met Gabriel Dumont News Bulletin and his followers. From the top of a ridge, the Métis could see the Mounties as they advanced along the trail. The Mounties were easy targets for the Métis. Ten Mounties were killed and eleven injured in the 40- minute battle. Four Métis and one Aboriginal person were also killed. The North-West Mounted Police abandoned Fort Carlton and retreated to Prince Albert. A rebellion has begun in the North-West. Frog Lake 2 April 1885 News of the Mountie defeat at Duck Lake swept across the prairies like wildfire. Encouraged by this Métis success, some Aboriginal people decided to strike. One group broke into the Hudson s Bay Company store in Battleford. They took needed supplies. Big Bear s son, Wandering Spirit, led a band of Aboriginal people against the settlement at Frog Lake. The Indian agent (a government worker), two priests, and five others were killed. Then the band headed toward Fort Pitt. Big Bear, who was a friend of the Mounties, warned the police to retreat. My young men are wild. I can no longer control them, he said. Other Aboriginal people under Chief Poundmaker headed for Battleford. But Chief Crowfoot and most of the Aboriginal groups on the prairies refused to become involved in these battles. The government rushed extra supplies of food and blankets to them. Train carloads of flour and sides of bacon, as well as extra tea and tobacco, were distributed to these Aboriginal peoples. The government hoped that this would keep them neutral during the trouble on the prairies. Ottawa Sends Troops Ottawa was alarmed at the news of the Mountie defeat at Duck Lake. The government decided to send troops immediately to put down the rebellion. The problem was how to get the troops to the West quickly. In March 1885, the CPR had not yet been completed. There were still 138 km of track to be laid. William Van Horne was struggling to get the last sections of track laid. He still needed more money to finish the job. He saw the uprising as a chance for the CPR to get another loan from the government. He promised to have the troops in Fort Qu Appelle in ten days in return for another loan. Van Horne would use one

4 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 185 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion method or another to get the troops over those incompleted sections of track! General Middleton and the first forces left Toronto for the West. Ahead of them was a journey of approximately 2200 km. The troops rode in sleighs provided by the railroad company in some places. On stretches of track between the gaps, they rode in open flatcars. The horses suffered even more than the soldiers because there was no way of sheltering them from the wind and rain. One soldier, George Beauregard, recalled the misery of being packed onto flatcars sheltered only by a scrap of canvas: There were 50 of us to a car, piled one on top of another, drenched by the rain which fell on our backs in torrents. For the first time, we really knew what misery was. Eight days later, the first troops arrived in Winnipeg. An eyewitness said the troops looked as if they had already gone through a war. Many were frostbitten and half-blind with the glare of the snow. Van Horne had kept his promise. The troops were in Fort Qu Appelle in nine days. The government was happy and the CPR earned the loan to complete the railroad. Five thousand armed troops were now in the West. Added to these were 500 North-West Mounted Police and 50 surveyors. The surveyors were especially helpful because they knew the country well. This was the plan: 1. Troops under General Middleton were to advance from Qu Appelle to Riel s headquarters at Batoche. 2. A column of soldiers, under Colonel Otter, was to head north from Swift Current toward Battleford. Battleford was surrounded by Poundmaker and his people. Otter s job was to relieve the settlement. 3. A third force, under General Strange, was to leave the train at Calgary.They were to set out for Edmonton and the North Saskatchewan River to track down Big Bear. The railway west was not yet complete. Four times Middleton s troops had to leave their trains in freezing weather to cross the gaps in the railroad.they had to drag their guns and horses through deep snow in temperatures well below 0 0 C. It was a very rough introduction to the life of a soldier. Most of the troops were volunteers. Only a few days before, they had been shopkeepers and clerks in eastern Canada.

5 /1/04 2:57 PM Page Unit 2: The Development of Western Canada Profiles Big Bear (Mistahimaskwa) Big Bear was considered one of the most influential chiefs on the prairies. He was a chief of the Plains Cree. Big Bear had a stocky build and great physical strength. He was an excellent rider and buffalo hunter. While hunting or during a battle, he could cling to the side of a galloping horse and shoot from the underside of the horse s neck. Big Bear was deeply concerned about the disappearance of the buffalo, the increasing number of settlers, and the destruction of his people s way of life. He believed the treaty conditions were impossible and would leave his people in poverty. Big Bear and his followers did not want to live on reserves or accept treaty money from the government. Gabriel Dumont Earlier in his life, it is said that Big Bear had a strange dream. He saw a spring of water spouting up through the ground. In the dream, Big Bear tried to stop the flow of water with his hands. The water turned to blood and squirted through his fingers. In 1885, the bad dream came true. Once again, Big Bear was not able to stop the flow of blood. This Métis buffalo hunter was one of the most colourful figures of the North-West Rebellion of He was a crack shot. He was also an excellent rider who caught and tamed his own wild horses. After the rebellion, Dumont worked in the United States as a sharpshooter in Buffalo Bill s travelling Wild West Show. Dumont showed his skills in military strategy and leadership during the battles of the rebellion. He turned the discipline and tight organization of the Métis buffalo hunt to his advantage in the military battles. The Métis used their skill as sharpshooters and hit-and-run tactics against the Canadian armies. In July 1886, the Canadian government pardoned those who had taken part in the North-West Rebellion. Dumont did not go back to the South Saskatchewan River until During the last years of his life, it is said he would sit at his cabin door and tell neighbourhood children tales of the rebellion. He would show them the scar from the wound in the head he received at Duck Lake. Then the old buffalo hunter would say, You see, my skull was too thick for the soldiers to kill me!

6 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 187 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion General Frederick Middleton Middleton was a British general who had spent his entire career in the army. He was placed in charge of all troops sent to put down the North-West Rebellion. Why was a British general in command of Canadian troops? Canada at this time was still a colony of Britain. It was Britain s right to appoint an experienced British soldier to command the Canadian militia. The militia were citizens trained to defend the country and fight as an army. However, they were called into service only in times of emergency. Middleton would have preferred to have British regular soldiers to fight in his army. He criticized the Canadian militia as Sunday soldiers, and he did not trust the North-West Mounted Police. He was rather stubborn and unwilling to follow advice. Therefore, he did not listen to his officers who were much more familiar with the Canadian countryside than he was. He also underestimated the fighting skills of the Aboriginal people and the Métis. Poundmaker (Pitikwahanapiwiyin) Poundmaker was an adopted son of Crowfoot. He became a Cree chief in How did he get his name? It seems that he had a special ability to attract buffalo into pounds. A pound resembled a huge corral. Sometimes a herd of buffalo were stampeded into this trap. On other occasions, the buffalo were drawn in quietly by a person like Poundmaker. He would dress in a buffalo robe and use a bell to capture the herd s curiosity. One time, it is said Poundmaker lured 500 buffalo into his pound. Poundmaker was genuinely concerned about the welfare of his people. He did not want to see the destruction of their way of life and he believed the government was not fulfilling its treaty promises. 1. Compare the skills, experience, and qualifications of Gabriel Dumont and General Middleton as military leaders.who do you think might have the advantage in battles on the prairies? Why? 2. Poundmaker, Big Bear, Crowfoot, and other Plains chiefs are discussing whether or not to join Riel in the rebellion. Choose the role of a chief for or against joining. Outline your viewpoints and then role play the meeting. Consider the following: a) the role of the Mounted Police b) the soldiers military strength c) feelings among Aboriginal peoples d) problems facing Aboriginal peoples.

7 /1/04 2:57 PM Page Unit 2: The Development of Western Canada Story of a Rebellion Fish Creek 24 April 1885 General Middleton marches slowly with 850 troops toward Batoche. The soldiers have cannons and a large wagon train of supplies. Métis scouts bring Riel daily reports of the soldiers progress. But Riel and Gabriel Dumont do not agree on what to do. Dumont wants to act at once. He knows Middleton s troops outnumber the Métis and are much better equipped. He wants to slow down the troops by means of ambush. Riel thinks it is better to wait until the soldiers attack Batoche. He says he has prayed about it. God has told him that if the Métis wait, they will win. But Dumont gets his way. During the Battle of Fish Creek, Riel is at his headquarters in Batoche. He can hear the boom of Middleton s cannons 13 km away. It is said that all day he stands praying for success. His arms are stretched out to form a cross. When his arms tire and seem to drop, his friends come forward and hold them up. Batoche 9 May 1885 At Batoche, Middleton s plan is to use the Hudson s Bay Company supply steamer Northcote. The steamer has been fitted out as a gunboat. Its sides are barricaded with planks, boxes, and mattresses. When the Northcote s whistle blows, it will be the signal for the battle to begin. Troops on the steamer will fire from the river. At the same time, the general will attack Batoche on land. But this first naval battle on the prairies is a disaster! The Northcote arrives too early. Métis scouts discover the plan and set a trap. They stretch a steel wire across the river. When the Northcote hits the wire, the smoke funnels and whistle are ripped down. The whistle cannot blow! On land, Dumont and his followers have dug rifle pits in the ground around Batoche. The pits are carefully hidden in the bush and shrub. From these protected pits, Métis sharpshooters fire at approaching troops. For three days, the cautious Middleton refuses to allow his army to attack the Métis rifle pits. Finally, the troops charge the pits without orders. By this time the Métis are running out of ammunition. They are firing only small stones and nails. The first skirmish between Middleton and the Métis is at Fish Creek. Dumont traps the army in a coulee, a shallow ravine. Middleton s troops fight back, but 50 are killed. Dumont loses four of his followers. He considers it a Métis victory. He has slowed Middleton down. Now he has more time to gather a larger force of Métis and Aboriginal people.

8 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 189 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion At Batoche, the Métis take cover in rifle pits. For three days, Dumont s plan works.when Middleton s troops attack the high ground near the church, they are in full view of the Métis in their protected pits. Middleton s troops stand out against the brightness of the sky. It is a clever scheme. But the Métis run out of ammunition. It is the decisive battle of the Rebellion. The Métis are defeated. Otter Arrives at Battleford In the meantime, at Battleford, frightened citizens take shelter in the North-West Mounted Police barracks. Colonel Otter and his troops are coming from Swift Current to relieve Battleford. They have 200 loaded wagons, 600 horses, and 500 soldiers. For these volunteers from eastern Canada, it is the first time they have experienced the open spaces and the cold April winds of the prairies. At night, freezing temperatures make sleeping on the frozen ground a torture. There is nothing to eat but salt pork and hardtack. Hardtack is a thick, stale biscuit that is often full of maggots. To drink, there is only unsweetened tea made from the bitter, salty water of the prairie ponds. During the day, the weather becomes quite hot. Then the soldiers North Edmonton S Calgary 0 Fort Macleod are nearly driven crazy by mosquitoes. They have to constantly swat the insects with branches cut from prairie bushes. Finally, tired and footsore, Otter s column arrives at Battleford. The people are relieved. For almost a month they have lived in constant fear of an attack. THE REBELLION OF 1885 General Strange Lt. Colonel Otter askatchewan River Fort Pitt Cut Knife Hill N 200 km Frog Lake Battleford Frenchman's Butte Fort Carlton Duck Lake South Saskatc General Middleton Battle site n River hewa Swift Current Fort Walsh Saskatoon CPR Canada United States Batoche Fish Creek Regina Fort Qu'Appelle Assiniboi ne River Lake Winnipeg Winnipeg Red River

9 /1/04 2:57 PM Page Unit 2: The Development of Western Canada Cut Knife Hill 2 May 1885 Colonel Otter decides to pursue Poundmaker. He believes it is wise to confront Poundmaker before he and Big Bear can combine forces and go to help Riel at Batoche. Otter has two cannons and a secret weapon a Gatling gun. This is an early type of machine gun. Otter s plan is to move forward under the cover of night and attack Poundmaker at daybreak on 2 May But Poundmaker and the Crees are ready for the attack. Although their guns are old, their aim is good. Cree snipers pick off Colonel Otter s troops. Gradually, the Cree encircle the base of the hill. They creep through the bush until Otter s forces are almost completely surrounded. The troops are firing down on the Cree with their Gatling gun. At first, the Cree are alarmed with the noise. But soon they realize that the bullets are passing harmlessly over their heads. One group tries to rush the hill to seize the gun, but is forced back with rifle fire. At a crucial moment, the two cannons refuse to fire. They are not in good working condition. By late morning, Otter s troops are in serious trouble. The list of wounded soldiers is growing. Otter knows that the Cree will soon surround him and cut off his only line of retreat across Cut Knife Creek. He gives the order to withdraw to Battleford. Government troops take up their position high on Cut Knife Hill overlooking Poundmaker s camp. From there, they fire cannons down on the village. But the Cree take positions in the shelter of the wooded valley below.they gladly leave the exposed positions to Otter s troops. Otter is surrounded and must retreat. Riel Surrenders 15 May 1885 After the defeat at Batoche, Riel writes a letter to Middleton. He offers to surrender himself if Middleton will allow the Métis to go free. On the outside of the envelope, Riel scribbles the words: I do not like war. Gabriel Dumont tries to persuade Riel to flee with him to the United States. Riel refuses to go. Sadly, Dumont leaves without his leader. The old buffalo hunter slips through Middleton s military patrols and enters the United States.

10 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 191 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion Poundmaker Surrenders 23 May 1885 When Poundmaker hears the news of Riel s defeat at Batoche, he does not follow Otter s troops. Poundmaker is convinced that to struggle alone is useless. On 23 May 1885, he voluntarily surrenders to General Middleton. Big Bear Surrenders 2 July 1885 Farther west, General Strange meets Big Bear in battle at Frenchman s Butte. The troops have the advantage of heavy guns. Big Bear s followers begin to disperse. He and a few others avoid capture by heading north into the woods and lake country. Three groups set out in search of Big Bear. Finding Big Bear is important to the military because Big Bear s Crees had taken prisoners at Frog Lake and Fort Pitt. As it turns out, the prisoners were released unharmed. All through the hot days of June, the soldiers pursue Big Bear. Through dense bush and swamps where the mosquitoes drive troops and horses mad, the chase continues. By the end of June, Big Bear is out of ammunition and food. On 2 July 1885, he surrenders to the North-West Mounted Police at Fort Carlton. The North-West Rebellion is over. From the outbreak of fighting at Duck Lake to the surrender of Big Bear, exactly 100 days have passed. The Gatling Gun was a hand-cranked gun with six barrels revolving around a central shaft.the gun was capable of firing 600 rounds of ammunition a minute. It was invented by an American, Richard J. Gatling, and was first used in the American Civil War. Gatling continued to make improvements to his gun and began to sell his machine guns throughout the world.

11 /1/04 2:57 PM Page Unit 2: The Development of Western Canada Skill Building: Analyzing Bias Have you ever wondered why two historical accounts of an event can be very different? Sometimes an event occurred so far in the past that no accurate records of it exist today, or ever existed. Sometimes eyewitnesses have given conflicting accounts of the event. If there is more than one account of an event, a historian will choose the one that she or he feels is more accurate or that best suits her or his own interpretation.this is because each historian (and every person) has a bias. A person s bias is shaped by his or her frame of reference. Frame of reference is determined by a person s experiences, family, friends, occupation, religion, location, interests, and politics.two historians writing about the North-West Rebellion may have different frames of reference. One may believe in preserving the traditional lifestyles of Aboriginal peoples.the other may favour the idea of progress and settlement, and think that the changes the settlers brought were good for Canada. Read the two fictional accounts of the battle at Batoche below and then answer the questions that follow. HAMILTON GAZETTE Today news reached us about a battle at Batoche in which General Middleton and his loyal troops showed the Indians and Métis that they could no longer stand in the way of progress. The railroad is almost completed. The Canadian government is determined that the prairies will be opened to the thousands of settlers who will soon flood west. From eyewitnesses we learn that General Middleton opened the attack with the brilliant use of the steamer 13 May 1885 Northcote. The steamer was fitted out as a gunboat. The plan called for a surprise attack from the Saskatchewan River. Troops would fire from the river at the rebels in their headquarters at Batoche. Meanwhile in Batoche, the Métis sharpshooters had to huddle for protection in pits dug in the ground. General Middleton estimates that rebel casualties were high. He reports that a Catholic priest told him that 51 Indians and Métis were killed at Batoche and 173 were wounded.

12 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 193 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion MONTRÉAL MATIN 12 May 1885 Today news reached us about a battle at Batoche. A handful of Métis and Indians fought courageously to defend their lands. All the Métis and Indians want is to maintain their open spaces, the buffalo, and their way of life. From eyewitness accounts at the battle we learned that General Middleton's attempt to attack Batoche was a disaster. Clever Métis scouts set a trap for the steamer Northcote. They stretched steel wire across the Saskatchewan River. When the so-called gunboat struck the wire, its smokestacks were ripped down. The Northcote drifted helplessly down the river. So much for the general's clever battle plan! Métis and Indian snipers were hidden everywhere. From rifle pits dug in the ground for protection and from the bush, sharpshooters could pick off Middleton's troops like sitting ducks. If only they had not run out of ammunition, a Métis victory at Batoche would have been certain. As it is, Dumont reports only 13 Indians and Métis killed and 2 wounded. Note: The term Indians is used in these articles in its historical context. Examine Closely 1. In your own words, state the bias in the Hamilton Gazette article. Also, state the bias in the Montréal Matin article. 2. Bias can lead to different interpretations of the same fact. Find two facts that both stories discuss but disagree on. 3. Bias also occurs in the use of language.the historian might use negative words to enforce his or her point of view. Can you find two words or phrases in the Hamilton Gazette story that describe the Aboriginal peoples in negative terms? What two words or phrases in the Montréal Matin article describe General Middleton and his troops in negative terms? the Montréal Matin article, find two words or phrases that show the Métis and Indians in a positive light. 5. Another kind of bias occurs when sarcasm or humour is used. One example from the excerpts is the Montréal Matin s reference to the Northcote as the so-called gunboat. Find another example of sarcasm or humour in the Montréal Matin account. 6. Bias sometimes causes the reporting of facts to be different. Look at the statistics of Métis and Indian casualties in the two newspaper accounts. Suggest some reasons why the two estimates differ.which source do you think you can trust? Why? 4. A historian can use positive or favourable words to describe her or his point of view. Search for two words or phrases in the Hamilton Gazette story that describe General Middleton and his soldiers in a positive light. In 7. Explain how the frame of reference of the Hamilton Gazette might account for the bias of the newspaper in reporting this battle. How does the frame of reference of the Montréal Matin account for its bias?

13 /1/04 2:57 PM Page Unit 2: The Development of Western Canada Civics & Society In all, 44 Aboriginal people were convicted of various crimes. Eight were hanged. In addition, 18 Métis were eventually sent to prison for their part in the 1885 Rebellion. Trials in the North-West Louis Riel, Poundmaker, and Big Bear were all prisoners of the Canadian government. All would be brought to trial for their part in the rebellion. A formal charge of treason was laid against them. What would be their fate? Poundmaker s Trial When Poundmaker surrendered and was brought before General Middleton, he offered to shake hands. Middleton refused. At Poundmaker s trial, the general said, Poundmaker, you are accused of high treason. However, there was no phrase for high treason in the Cree language. The interpreter tried to make the charge clear to Poundmaker. You are accused of throwing sticks at the Queen and trying to knock off her bonnet was the explanation of the charge. Poundmaker insisted at his trial that he had not fired first at Cut Knife Hill. He also replied that he was only trying to improve the living conditions for his people. He pointed out that he actually saved peoples lives. He held back his followers when Otter and his soldiers were retreating at Cut Knife Hill. The jury ruled that Poundmaker was guilty. He was sentenced to three years in Stoney Mountain Penitentiary. After two years, he was released, but he died a few months later. At Poundmaker s trial, General Middleton sat on a chair with his interpreter nearby and his officers in a half circle behind him. Poundmaker and his chiefs sat on the grass before him. Poundmaker was accused of high treason and sentenced to prison. Big Bear s Trial Big Bear was also tried for treason at Regina. He was charged with the deaths of the people at Frog Lake and with taking prisoners. Some witnesses testified that Big Bear cried out against the killings at Frog Lake. He personally protected the prisoners that his followers had captured.

14 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 195 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion The chief delivered a speech in Cree to the court. He pleaded more for his people than he did for himself. I ruled my country for long. Now I am in chains and will be sent to prison....now I am as dead to my people. Many of them are hiding in the woods...can this court not send them a pardon? My own children may be starving and afraid to come out of hiding. I plead to you Chiefs of the white man s laws for pity and help for the people of my band. Big Bear was also found guilty and sentenced to three years in the Stoney Mountain Penitentiary. He was released two years later, but like Poundmaker, died shortly afterwards. Riel on Trial The trial that aroused the greatest interest and excitement across Canada was the trial of Louis Riel. Held in Regina, it has been called the most important trial in Canadian history. The outcome is still debated. Six settlers were chosen to act as Riel s jury. All were English-speaking and of the Protestant religion. Riel was French-speaking and of the Roman Catholic religion. His friends feared he would not get a fair trial. Lawyers were hired to defend Riel. Money was raised in Québec by the Riel Defence Committee to pay all the expenses. His lawyers believed that the only hope of saving Riel was to plead insanity. If he were insane, then during the rebellion Riel would not have been able to tell right from wrong. This would mean he could not be held responsible for his actions. His lawyers pointed out that twice Riel had been in institutions for the mentally ill. Riel himself would not accept this excuse of insanity. In two long speeches to his jury, he argued that he was sane. For Riel, to plead insanity would be a disgrace. It would also make his Métis followers look foolish for following an insane man. The lawyers for the Canadian government argued that Riel was sane. They argued that no insane person could lead 700 people into a rebellion. They believed Riel knew what he was doing. He had taken up arms against the government. He had stirred up the Aboriginal peoples. He was guilty of treason! Riel s jury took only one hour and twenty minutes to reach a decision. They declared him guilty. Mr. Justice Richardson, the trial judge, read the sentence: You shall be taken now from here to the police guardroom at Regina jail... and on the 18th of September... be hanged by the neck till you are dead, and may God have mercy on your soul. 1. Do you think Poundmaker and Big Bear got a fair trial? Why or why not? 2. Divide your class into groups and put Riel on trial.you will need a judge, a prosecuting lawyer, a defending lawyer, Riel, a six-person jury, witnesses, reporters, and spectators. If you decide not to hang Riel, what else can you do with him? Did Riel get a fair trial in your class? In Regina in 1885? Explain your answer.

15 /1/04 2:57 PM Page Unit 2: The Development of Western Canada Fast Forward Louis Riel Today In 1885 Riel was executed as a traitor. Today many more people are seeing him as a hero. In 1992, more than 100 years after Riel was hanged in Regina, the Canadian Parliament passed a bill. It recognized the contributions that Louis Riel made to Canada s growth as a nation. Other attempts have been made to have Riel s conviction for high treason reversed and to have him formally recognized as a Father of Confederation and the Founder of Manitoba. Some new evidence suggests that the Chief Justice in Manitoba at the time of Riel s trial was secretly working to ensure his execution because it was what federal politicians wanted. Recently, a Member of Parliament suggested that July 15 be recognized as Louis Riel Day. The issue of Riel s true position in Canadian history is still debated. Riel is Executed Letters from all provinces poured into Ottawa. Hang Riel, said some. Free Riel, said others. Twice the execution was delayed. Sir John A. Macdonald and his Conservative government were in a tricky position. If Riel was not hanged, Ontario would be enraged. The Conservatives would lose votes in Ontario in the next election. If Riel was punished, then Québec would be angry with the Conservative party. Finally, Macdonald decided he would have to take his chances with losing support in Québec. Riel shall hang, he is reported to have said, though every dog in Québec shall bark. On the bright, cold day of 16 November 1885, the execution was carried out in the Regina jail. Riel was dressed in a black coat, a woollen shirt, grey trousers, and moccasins. Two priests, two guards, and the deputy sheriff What does this cartoon suggest about John A. Macdonald s position over the Riel affair? Use your skills to analyze the cartoon. walked with him from his cell to the scaffold. Riel said, I thank God for having given me the strength to die well... I die at peace with God and man, and I thank all those who helped me in my misfortunes. Riel showed no signs of weakness. During the Lord s Prayer, the trapdoor opened. Riel was hanged. On the day of the execution, crowds gathered quietly in English-speaking Canada to hear the news. In French-speaking Canada, however, the reaction was quite different. Flags flew at half-mast. Black-framed pictures of Riel appeared in store windows. Hundreds of students in Montréal shouted Glory to Riel! Likenesses of Sir John A. Macdonald were burned openly in the streets. In the newspapers and in Parliament, French-speaking Canadians blamed the death of Riel on Macdonald and English Canada. They said that he had been murdered because he was French. They asked, Could Confederation, which had joined English and French together, manage to survive?

16 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 197 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion Results of the Rebellion For Aboriginal Peoples 1. The only Aboriginal rebellion in Canadian history was put down by force. 2. The Aboriginal peoples realized that the government was going to enforce the treaties. Since rebellion was unsuccessful, they had no other choice than to move onto the reserves. 3. Aboriginal people who took part in the rebellion lost their annual government payments. Their horses and ammunition were seized. For the Métis 1. Many Métis fled to the wilderness in northern Alberta. 2. Others took scrip worth $169-$240.They took the money because they remembered how they were unable to keep their land after 1870.When this money was gone, these Métis would have neither land nor money. 3. The Métis Nation was broken up. Not until the 20th century were Métis organizations formed again to improve conditions for their people. For French-English Relations in Canada 1. The split between English-speaking and French-speaking people over the Riel affair was bitter. Neither side forgave the other for its view of Riel. 2. Hard feelings between Ontario Protestants and Québec Catholics lasted a long time after Riel s execution. For Political Parties 1. Many people in Québec stopped voting for the Conservative party.they no longer supported the party that had hanged Riel. 2. Many people of Québec began to vote in large numbers for the Liberal party.this was especially true after the Liberals chose a French-Canadian leader,wilfrid Laurier. For Western Canada 1. The railroad was completed to bring the troops west. 2. Settlers felt more secure in moving to the West because the rebellions had been put down. 3. Many soldiers who fought in the rebellion settled in the West.

17 /1/04 2:57 PM Page Unit 2: The Development of Western Canada Activities Understanding Concepts 1. Add these new terms to your Factfile. petition Battle of Fish Creek Gatling gun militia Battle of Batoche high treason Battle of Duck Lake Battle of Cut Knife Hill plea of insanity 2. a) On an outline map of western Canada, locate the following places. Use an atlas to help you. North Saskatchewan River South Saskatchewan River CPR Batoche Battleford Fort Pitt Medicine Hat Cut Knife Qu Appelle Prince Albert Duck Lake Winnipeg Fort Carlton Swift Current Regina Frog Lake b) Devise symbols to mark each battle site in the North-West Rebellion and indicate who was fighting whom at each location. 3. a) Why would Riel be considered a hero in Québec? b) How did the Riel situation create problems for Sir John A. Macdonald? c) How did the people of Ontario react to Québec s opinion of Riel? Why? Digging Deeper 4. THINK Gabriel Dumont and his Métis followers made a long trip to Montana to see Riel. Imagine you are a member of this Métis group. Make a list of the arguments you would use to persuade Riel to come back to Canada and lead the Métis people. 5. COMPARE Develop a comparison organizer to determine the similarities and differences between the forces of Middleton and Dumont. Use the following headings in your organizer. a) battle tactics and strategies b) available military equipment c) skills of the soldiers d) importance of the railroad in the campaign

18 /1/04 2:57 PM Page 199 Chapter 13: The North-West Rebellion TIMELINE Arrange the following events in the history of the Canadian West in chronological order.then create a timeline to record and illustrate the events. Remember to give your timeline a title. a) The Manitoba Act b) the Red River Resistance c) the last spike ceremony at Craigellachie d) the signing of Treaty Number 7 with the Blackfoot (Siksika) e) the hanging of Louis Riel f) the Great March of the North-West Mounted Police g) Gabriel Dumont s ride to convince Louis Riel to return to Saskatchewan h) the British North America Act i) the Pacific Scandal j) John A. Macdonald s National Policy 7. THINK/WRITE Do you think that the Métis should have fought against the government? Can you think of anything they could have done instead? Write a letter to the editor that would appear in a newspaper of the time giving your point of view. 8. SPEAK/LISTEN Imagine that you are either a soldier with Colonel Otter or one of Poundmaker s followers.you are asked to be a witness at Poundmaker s trial. Audiotape your eyewitness report of the Battle at Cut Knife Hill. Compare your version with a partner who has taken the same role as you have and another partner who has taken the role of an individual on the other side of the battle. Note similarities, differences, and any biases. 9. CLASS SURVEY Gabriel Dumont, Riel s commander, was eventually pardoned for his part in the rebellion. Riel was hanged. Do a class survey to determine how many people believe this was fair or not fair. List reasons for both sides. Making New Connections 10. CREATE In 1967, Canada s Centennial year, Poundmaker s bones were moved to Cut Knife Hill Reserve and a plaque was put up to honour the chief.what do you think this plaque might say? Create a model of the plaque for Poundmaker, as well as plaques for Big Bear, Gabriel Dumont, and General Middleton. Decide where each plaque should be placed to best remember these people from our past. 11. DEBATE Debate this statement: It is time that Louis Riel be recognized as a Father of Confederation. 12. CURRENT EVENTS In Canada today, there are still many land claims of Aboriginal peoples that have not been resolved. In some cases, there have been armed conflicts where Aboriginal people or police have been killed. Could something like the Rebellion of 1885 happen today? What do you think needs to be done to avoid armed conflicts?