Apr 10, 2006 07:09
THE BATTLES
There were six major battles during the Northwest Rebellion of 1885. The battles would determine how Canada would be shaped in the future, and how things would be ran.
The Battle of Frog Lake was actually more of a massacre, the Metis killed 8 Canadians and it made things tenser. This took place in the spring of 1885, in Frog Lake. There were no strategies, the Metis and the Canadians just got so mad at each other that the Metis decided to kill the Canadians. The Canadians didn’t really lose, they just had some members killed, and it made their relationship with the Metis even worse.
Battle of Duck Lake took place between the NWMP and the Metis on March 26, 1885, near Duck Lake. Cozier brought a cannon from Fort Carlton, and Dumont brought resistance. Both sent people to negotiate but there was a fight and the Metis negotiators were killed. A battle was fought and the Metis won, and Cozier retreated. As a result Cozier got reinforcement from Middelton.
Battle of Fish Creek after the Battle of Duck Lake between Middleton and his men against Gabriel Dumont and the Metis, on April 24, 1885, near Fish Creek. The Metis ambushed Middleton when his troops tried to cross Duck Lake. In the end The Metis won temporary and Middleton retreated. As a result Middleton’s group continued forward after a temporary retreat
Battle of Cut Knife took place between the Cree and Assiniboine peoples and the mounted police, militia and Canadian army, on May 2, at Cut Knife hill. The Crees were on one side and the Assiniboines on another side, and they both attacked the Otter’s men in turn from both sides. In the end The Cree and Assiniboine won and Otter’s men were allowed to leave because Poundmaker intervened on their side.
Battle of Batoche was a critical battle between the Canadians and the Metis on May 9, at Batoche. Middleton encircled the Metis and the Canadians won the battle. At end of that battle the Metis had to give up Louis Reil, and the rebellion was lost for the Metis people. Dumont escaped death with Reil.
The Battle of Frenchman’s Butte took place between Big Bear and the Cree and the Canadians on May 28, 1885 at Frenchman’s Butte. The Cree spread out to make it seem like they had a lot of people, and the Canadians retreated because they thought they were outnumbered. As a result the Cree slipped away in the confusion. The Cree bought themselves time to escape, but it victory they had in this battle was hollow, because the rebellion was dead the day Reil was hung.
These were the six are the main points of the rebellion. Despite the results of each separate battle, in the end the Canadian forces won against the Metis and First Nations.