The Disappearing Métis

“Into the Mountains”  background

Gabriel Dumont

Louis Riel's Children

Jean Louis and Angelique

In 1885 after years of unfulfilled promises from Canada’s Federal Government the Métis of the North Battleford and Frog Lake areas of the North West Territories (in today’s province of Saskatchewan) rebelled over their treatment. It was known as the Northwest Rebellion or the Second Riel Rebellion since it was led by Louis Riel who had led a rebellion in 1870 in the Fort Gary/Red River area (today’s Winnipeg).

Riel was indeed the leader but the military leader or Métis General was Gabriel Dumont and they were joined by some Assiniboine and Cree people. Despite being ill equipped in relation to the Canadian Militia and North West Mounted Police …

(Though both sides had some repeating rifles about half of the Métis’s were muzzle loading/percussion weapons. Toward the end when supplies where disappearing a few flint locks appeared. )

Martini-Henri 1871 in  577-450

This was the weapon used by the Canadian militia 

... if they had been properly issued in enough numbers

The North West Mounted Police had transitioned to this

the Winchester 1876 in 44-40 from a Ross rifle and

in 1886 began switching again to ...

Winchester 1886 in 45-70

Some of the Métis may have used the Spencer 1860 carbine

This is a 7 shot repeater loading through the base of the butt-stock

Using a .50 or .52 rimfire cartridge

…and vastly outnumbered, the rebellion lasted for several months and resulted in the deaths of 91 people. Had Dumont been allowed to operate without political interference it probably would have lasted much longer thus resulting in more deaths.

The eventual outcome probably would not have been any different. The Canadian Militia (Including a detachment of North West Mounted Police lead by Sam Steele) had them greatly outnumbered and had better equipment including two Gatling guns (and an officer and two non-coms) on loan from the US military, several artillery pieces, all the horses they could round up and commandeer in the country, and the use of a couple of stern-wheel river boats.

This is an 1876 model Gatling. It is probably of .50 Cal.

but there were few made in 1"

An episode with one of the river boats supplied some comic relief for the Métis. They strung a cable across the North Saskatchewan which resulted in the removal of the wheel house and fancy footwork by those aboard.

When it was all over several of the leaders escaped (Dumont into the US) and some, including Riel were tried, convicted and executed. At least one and perhaps more of those where not involved in the rebellion and had tried to keep their people (Cree and Assiniboine) out of the fracas and either died in Stoney Mountain Penitentiary or shortly after release.

(There is a “Heritage Minute” for Louis Riel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=61&v=FVVFjfyvgMg )

True, the Métis where forced into a corner by the government and by the racist though accepted treatment by those surrounding their communities. However their actions where definitely rebellious and therefor constituted treason. On the other side the Métis had tried several peaceful methods to elicit attention and change but had been ignored. Therefor the government was guilty of incompetence and negligence but, as is and always has been the case, no one was charged for that ineptitude. The leaders of the losing side became public figures due to imprisonment and execution while the leaders of the winning side (who caused it all in the first place) where shuffled off to some innocuous position where their names would quietly disappear from history.

As has often been said the news (and history) is written by the winners.

The population of Métis suddenly decreased dramatically. Truthfully it undoubtedly increased but many denied their heritage and Métis suddenly “disappeared.” As mentioned, some like Dumont went south of the 49^th parallel into the US. What happened to the rest?

Almost a century later Métis suddenly appeared as individuals and as communities throughout the West. Perhaps my short story “Into the Mountains”, fiction though it is, supplies one possible explanation.

What do you think?