Resistance: 1869 & 1885

A detailed history and guide to Fort Pitt Historic Park, located near present-day Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. Fort Pitt was an important scene of battle during the Northwest Resistance of 1885.

Historical note:

Reminiscences of W.J. Carter on life in the early Canadian North-west. Includes a wealth of material on First Nations, the Northwest Resistance, Metis (French and English), and early European settlement in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Historical note:

W.J. Carter was a carpenter in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (NWT).

Photograph. Caption: One of the fugitive Indians (possibly Four Sky Thunder) who surrendered at Battleford instead of fleeing to the United States. From the book Loyal till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion by Blair Stonechild and Bill Waiser.

Image of Father Louis Cochin, O.M.I. At the time of the 1885 Rebellion, Father Louis Cochin was a Catholic missionary to the Cree Indians in the Battleford district. He was taken prisoner by Poundmaker. From the book Loyal till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion by Blair Stonechild and Bill Waiser.

Gives the history of the Frog Lake Reserve and the taking of and interpretation of Treaty #6.

Mr. Paulhus is of French descent, not Metis. He is married to a Metis and has lived most of his life in a Metis community in the Duck Lake/Batoche area. He gives his impression of the Riel Rebellion, the causes, the battles and views of Riel and Dumont.

Book review of: "The Free People - Otipemisiwak": Batoche, Saskatchewan 1870-1930 by Diane Payment.

A poster of Gabriel Dumont with the slogan "Free the North," and the description "Gabriel Dumont Armed" upon it.

Historical note:

Original photograph from the Public Archives of Canada. Cited as a CUS Poster, 197-. [Possibly a political poster produced by the Canadian Union of Students].

Argues that while the Quebeçois did not support the Métis rebellion per se, they also viewed the response as an effort by Ontarians to repress French-Catholics.

Reaction to this article may be found in the Edmonton Journal, November 20, 2006, p. A19 entitled, "Riel Poem Isn't That Noteworthy".

Image of cairn/monument at Frog Lake.

Historical note:

"Although it was not a military engagement, the incident known as the Frog Lake Massacre proved to be one of the most influential events associated with the North-West Resistance. Incited by hunger and mistreatment rather than political motives, a breakaway element of the Plains Cree murdered nine White men on the morning of April 2, 1885, in Frog Lake, North-West Territories (now Alberta).

Image of cemetery at Frog Lake. Visible are the following grave markings: W. Gilchrist, C. Gouin, and Wolliscroft and T. Quinn. Two others are included but blurred.

File contains a leaflet with the pictures of the two catholic priests killed in the so-called Frog Lake "massacre" on 2 April 1885, Fathers Marchand and Fafard. The caption reads "Les Martyrs du Lac La Grenouille" (The martyrs of Frog Lake).

Pages of notebook written by Mapletoft relating to the Frog Lake Massacre and to future planning of the Frenchman's Butte Museum. Also included is a letter from CN permitting the donation of a caboose to the Frenchman's Butte Museum.

Discusses greater emphasis that is currently placed on social history of Métis communities and concludes that further investigations should consider the importance of class as well as comparisons of relevant experience of parallel peoples in other lands.

Highlights some of the most important facts in the history of Métis resistance consulting both historiographic accounts and literary texts. Entire issue on one pdf. To access article, scroll to page 25.

A biographical piece about the Longmore family and the roles they played in the history of Western Canada, including as freighters, soldiers, guides and explorers.

File contains hand written and typed notes of historian George Shepherd, dated from 1937-1974. The notes include several pages on Aboriginal history in the North-West, that were scanned for this database. This includes a wide variety of material: from copy of a letter written by Louis Riel, to a list of the reserves in Saskatchewan in 1962 and their estimated landbase and populations.

Historical note:

Negative of an artists representation of Gabriel Dumont

Black and white photograph of Gabriel Dumont in buckskin jacket with rifle.

Full length shot of Gabriel Dumont, ca 1900, who presided over Metis Council of St. Laurent district and acted as war leader in the Riel Rebellion of 1885.

A portrait etching of Gabriel Dumont.

A studio portrait of Gabriel Dumont with Napoleon Nault and ? Gladue. Dumont and Gladue hold rifles.

A portrait of Metis Gabriel Dumont posing with his rifle. He wears a fringed buck skin coat and a wide brimmed hat.

Looks at GDI's 30th year celebration along with the 125th anniversary of the 1885 Resistance and trial of Louis Riel, the 105th anniversary of Saskatchewan's entrance into Confederation, and the 40th anniversary of the Back to Batoche festival. Article found by scrolling to page 16.

Photograph. Caption: "A triumphant Middleton poses in a buckskin outfit in an Ottawa photo studio." .

A photographic portrait of "Gentleman" Joe McKay of Prince Albert. McKay was a Metis North West Mounted Police Scout, and held by some to have fired the first shots in the Northwest Uprising of 1885 at Duck Lake. This is a studio portrait with McKay posed in costume.

A photographic equestrian portrait of "Gentleman" Joe McKay and Mistawasis.

A photographic studio portrait of "Gentleman" Joe McKay and Chief Mistawasis studying a book while sitting. Likely taken sometime after the 1885 uprising.

George Gwynne Mann was a farm instructor and Indian agent for the government of Canada in Onion Lake, North-West Territories from 1879 to 1900. Mann and his family fled Onion Lake to Fort Pitt after the so-called Frog Lake "massacre," and were later taken as hostages from Fort Pitt and held for two months by Plains Cree warriors. The file contains hand written manuscripts and photocopied documents that detail Mann family's involvement in the 1885 rebellion, and describe aspects of Aboriginal ceremony and culture.

Interview is a general account of his life.

An image of the frontispiece, The Gibbet of Regina by the One Who Knows, New York 1886. It shows an image of a young Riel next to his grave stone. It reads: In Memory of Louis David Riel, Born in 1844 and Cowardly executed on November 16, 1885. A tribute from his countrymen and sympathisers.

Note: The title and description of this document uses wording that was common to mainstream society of that time period in history. As such, it contains language that is no longer in common use and may offend some readers. This wording should not be construed to represent the views of the Indigenous Studies Portal or the University of Saskatchewan Library. Article was of interest to Paul Chartrand, head of the Native Studies Department at the University of Manitoba who makes fun of the incredibly racist tone of the article on a one sheet poster he perhaps kept on the door of his office.

File contains a photocopy of M. Giraud's article "The Western Metis After the Insurrection," as published in Saskatchewan History Vol. IX No. 1 (winter 1956): pp. 1-15. He gives his impression of the lives of the Metis in the North-West Territories after 1885. He argues that many were destitute living on thin strips of crown land, and only a few had small farms, while others settled on reserves. Many got a title to land worth $240 (scrip), but most sold their title for less than it was worth and then spent the money foolishly.

This news release announces that the Glenbow Museum has acquired the archival collection of Oliver B. Buell, a distinguished CPR photographer during the late 19th century. Among the significant documents is an important letter written by Louis Riel on 1 August 1885, at the time of his trial for treason, and photographs taken by Buell at Riel's trial include a courtroom scene and portraits of Riel's defense lawyers.

A photograph of the government's surveyors corps of scouts during the 1885 uprising, probably taken at Qu'Appelle prior to Middleton's march north. The men appear to be armed with lever action repeating rifles and pistols.

The grave of Francois-Xavier "Batoche" Letendre who died in 1901 of consumption. He was a successful businessman and the founder of Batoche, Saskatchewan.

Three photographs on one page including the grave of Chief Poundmaker, the last camp of Chief Crowfoot (tipi ring), and the grave of Chief Crowfoot.

Historical note:

The Cree Chief Poundmaker was the Blackfoot Chief Crowfoot's adopted son.

A photograph of the nine graves of the men killed in Frog Lake by Plains Cree warriors. The Frog Lake Graves is written on the back of the photo and it is signed by W. B. Cameron.

Historical note:

This photograph is part of a collection of images used by Reg Taylor of the Saskatoon Star Phoenix in an article he wrote which featured William Bleasdell Cameron, a survivor of the so-called Frog Lake Massacre, 2 April 1885.

Black and white photograph of the wooden grave markers of the Metis killed at Batoche.

Black and white photograph of the graves of seven men killed in the Frog Lake Massacre of 1885, along with the graves of Corporal D. Cowen, who was killed while scouting.

Black and white photograph of the graves of seven men killed in the Frog Lake Massacre of 1885, along with the graves of Corporal D. Cowen, who was killed while scouting.

Image of the graves of Metis killed at Batoche. Note on back: "Note the church and Presbytry in background."

A photograph of grenadiers of the Northwest Field Force (Canadian Army) at Fish Creek, NWT, 1885. It is unclear from the shot whether it was taken during the battle, or afterwards while Middleton's troops camped there. Many of the grenadiers are lying prone on the ground which seems to indicate that they are engaged in firing.

Image of the Royal Grenadiers relieving the Winnipeg 90th Battalion at Fish Creek during the Northwest Resistance.