What was the North-West Rebellion of 1885?

The North-West Rebellion of 1885 was an armed uprising of Métis and First Nations in what is now Saskatchewan from March to May 1885 led by Louis Riel and military commander Gabriel Dumont, prompted by federal failures to address Métis and Indigenous grievances. The Rebellion was defeated by Canadian forces at the Battle of Batoche on May 12, 1885 and culminated in Riel's execution on November 16, 1885. Often called the Saskatchewan Rebellion in older sources, the term North-West Rebellion is now standard.

The Rebellion's causes included long-standing Métis grievances about land titles in the South Saskatchewan River valley (where Métis had settled in the long-lot pattern after migrating from Manitoba in the 1870s), the federal government's slowness in confirming title, falling prices for buffalo robes and pemmican as the bison herds were destroyed, treaty implementation failures (especially delays in agricultural assistance under Treaty 6), and Indigenous starvation following the disappearance of the bison. The Métis at Batoche, St. Laurent, and Duck Lake had petitioned the federal government repeatedly without effective response. In June 1884 a delegation of Saskatchewan Métis led by Gabriel Dumont travelled to Montana to ask Riel to return.

Riel returned in July 1884 and led a peaceful petition campaign for several months. By March 1885 Riel had concluded that armed pressure was necessary. He proclaimed a Provisional Government at Batoche on March 19, 1885. The Battle of Duck Lake on March 26, 1885 was the first armed engagement, with Métis and Cree forces defeating the North-West Mounted Police under Superintendent Lief Crozier. The Rebellion expanded to include Cree resistance under Big Bear and Poundmaker. The Frog Lake Massacre on April 2, 1885 saw Cree warriors kill nine settlers including Indian Agent Thomas Quinn. Cree forces also attacked Battleford and Fort Pitt.

Federal Minister of Militia Adolphe-Philippe Caron mobilised about 5,000 militia and transported them west on the partially built CPR. Major-General Frederick Middleton commanded Canadian forces. Battles included Fish Creek (April 24, 1885, a Métis tactical victory) and Cut Knife (May 2, 1885, a Cree victory). The decisive engagement was the four-day Battle of Batoche (May 9 to 12, 1885), which the Canadians won after a coordinated assault on the Métis rifle pits. Riel surrendered on May 15, 1885. He was tried for high treason at Regina, found guilty on August 1, and hanged on November 16, 1885. Eight Cree warriors were also hanged at Battleford on November 27, 1885 (the largest mass execution in modern Canadian history). Big Bear and Poundmaker were imprisoned. The Rebellion's defeat ended Indigenous and Métis armed resistance to Canadian westward expansion and ushered in decades of intensive federal Indian Act administration.