The Battle of Batoche was the decisive Canadian victory over the wwwww Combatants Dominion of Canada • Métis Provisional Government •Cree–Assiniboine Natives Commanders Leif Crozier Frederick Middleton William Otter Thomas Bland Strange Sam Steele Big Bear Fine-Day Gabriel Dumont Louis Riel Wandering Spirit The North-West Rebellion (or North-West Resistance or the Saskatchewan Rebellion) of 1885 was a... The beginning of the Battle of Batoche during the North-West Rebellion of 1885. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Batoche, Saskatchewan is the site of the historic Battle of Batoche, the last battlefield in the Northwest Rebellion of 1885. ... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (Latin: The Strength of Many Peoples) Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Gordon Barnhart - Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (Split from NWT) (9th (province)) Area  Ranked... The Métis (pronounced MAY tee, IPA: , in French or , in Michif ), also historically known as Bois Brule, mixed-bloods, Countryborn (or Anglo-Métis), are one of three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada. ... Canada is the second largest and the northern-most country in the world, occupying most of the North American land mass. ... Gabriel Dumont Gabriel Dumont (December, 1837 – May 19, 1906) was a leader of the Métis people of what is now western Canada. ... Louis Riel (October 22, 1844 – November 16, 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. ... Sir Frederick Middleton (November 4, 1825 - January 25, 1898) was a British general noted for his service throughout the Empire and particularly in the North-West Rebellion. ... wwwww Combatants Dominion of Canada • Métis Provisional Government •Cree–Assiniboine Natives Commanders Leif Crozier Frederick Middleton William Otter Thomas Bland Strange Sam Steele Big Bear Fine-Day Gabriel Dumont Louis Riel Wandering Spirit The North-West Rebellion (or North-West Resistance or the Saskatchewan Rebellion) of 1885 was a... The Battle of Duck Lake is the name given to the skirmish between Métis warriors of Saskatchewan and Canadian government forces that signaled the beginning of the North-West Rebellion on March 26, 1885. ... The Frog Lake Massacre was a Cree uprising during the North-West Rebellion. ... The Battle of Fort Pitt was part of a Cree uprising coinciding with the Métis revolt that started the North-West Rebellion in 1885. ... Combatants Métis Dominion of Canada Commanders Gabriel Dumont Frederick Middleton Strength 200 900 Casualties 4 dead 10 dead 45 wounded The Battle of Fish Creek, fought April 24, 1885 at Fish Creek, Saskatchewan, was a major Métis victory over the Dominion forces attempting to quell Louis Riels... The Battle of Cut Knife, fought on May 2nd, 1885, occurred when a small force of Cree and Assiniboine warriors were attacked by a flying column of mounted police, militia, and Canadian army regulars. ... The Battle of Frenchmans Butte, fought on May 28, 1885, occurred when a force of Cree, dug in on a hillside near Frenchmans Butte, was unsuccessfully attacked by the Alberta Field Force. ... The Battle of Loon Lake concluded the North-West Rebellion on June 3, 1885. ...

 Métis resistance that led to the surrender of Louis Riel on May 15, 1885 and the collapse of his Provisional Government of Saskatchewan`s resistance in the North-West Rebellion (the Cree, however, would continue to successfully engage Canadian authorities in the weeks that followed – see Battle of Frenchman's Butte). Fought over the week of May 5 to May 12 at the ad hoc Métis capital of Batoche, the siege was noted as the first true demonstration of tactical excellence and professional conduct by the Canadian army in 1885. 

The Métis (pronounced MAY tee, IPA: , in French or , in Michif ), also historically known as Bois Brule, mixed-bloods, Countryborn (or Anglo-Métis), are one of three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada. ... Louis Riel (October 22, 1844 – November 16, 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Provisional Government of Saskatchewan was the name given by Louis Riel to the independent state he declared during the Northwest Rebellion of 1885 in what is today the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. ... wwwww Combatants Dominion of Canada • Métis Provisional Government •Cree–Assiniboine Natives Commanders Leif Crozier Frederick Middleton William Otter Thomas Bland Strange Sam Steele Big Bear Fine-Day Gabriel Dumont Louis Riel Wandering Spirit The North-West Rebellion (or North-West Resistance or the Saskatchewan Rebellion) of 1885 was a... For other uses, see Cree (disambiguation). ... The Battle of Frenchmans Butte, fought on May 28, 1885, occurred when a force of Cree, dug in on a hillside near Frenchmans Butte, was unsuccessfully attacked by the Alberta Field Force. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Ad hoc is a Latin phrase which means for this [purpose]. It generally signifies a solution that has been tailored to a specific purpose, such as a tailor-made suit, a handcrafted network protocol, and specific-purpose equation and things like that. ... Batoche, Saskatchewan is the site of the historic Battle of Batoche, the last battlefield in the Northwest Rebellion of 1885. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Early advances and the crippling of the Northcote

Conscious of the numerous reverses that had been suffered by government forces in previous clashes with the rebels (see the battles of Duck Lake, Fish Creek, and Cut Knife), Middleton approached Batoche with caution, reaching Gabriel's Crossing on May 7 and advancing within eight miles (13 km) of the town the following day. The Battle of Duck Lake is the name given to the skirmish between Métis warriors of Saskatchewan and Canadian government forces that signaled the beginning of the North-West Rebellion on March 26, 1885. ... Combatants Métis Dominion of Canada Commanders Gabriel Dumont Frederick Middleton Strength 200 900 Casualties 4 dead 10 dead 45 wounded The Battle of Fish Creek, fought April 24, 1885 at Fish Creek, Saskatchewan, was a major Métis victory over the Dominion forces attempting to quell Louis Riels... The Battle of Cut Knife, fought on May 2nd, 1885, occurred when a small force of Cree and Assiniboine warriors were attacked by a flying column of mounted police, militia, and Canadian army regulars. ... is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Middleton's plan rested on a clever encirclement strategy: as his main contingent advanced directly against Métis defensive lines, the troop transport Northcote would steam past the distracted defenders and unload 50 men at the rear of the town, effectively closing the pincer. However, due to the difficulty of the terrain and Middleton's penchant for prudence, his force lagged behind schedule, and when the Northcote appeared adjacent to the town on May 9 it was spotted by Métis who had not yet come under artillery fire. Although their small arms fire did little damage to the armoured ship, the Métis were able to lower Batoche's ferry cable into which the Northcote steamed unsuspectingly. Its masts and smokestacks sliced clean off, the crippled ship drifted harmlessly down the South Saskatchewan River and out of the battle. is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The South Saskatchewan River flows eastward from the confluence of the Bow and Oldman Rivers near Grassy Lake, Alberta. ...

Mission Ridge

Ignorant of the Northcote's fate, Middleton approached the church at Mission Ridge on the morning of May 9 in order to bring his plan into effect. Finding the mission occupied only by priests and civilians, Middleton brought his artillery out onto the ridge and began shelling the city. There his Gatling gun was used to good effect, providing covering fire for the withdrawal of cannons that had come under sniper fire and dispersing an attempt by Dumont to capture the guns. is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... An 1865 Gatling gun. ... Gabriel Dumont Gabriel Dumont (December, 1837 – May 19, 1906) was a leader of the Métis people of what is now western Canada. ...

Canadian advances saw less success but were carefully conducted, keeping casualties to a minimum. A Métis attempt to surround Canadians lines failed when the brushfires meant to screen the sortie failed to spread, and at the end of the day, both sides held their positions at Mission Ridge, Canadian soldiers retiring to sleep behind their network of improvised barricades.

Probing attacks of May 10 to 11

On May 10, Middleton established heavily defended gunpits and conducted a devastating, day-long shelling of the town. Attempted advances, however, were turned back by Métis fire, and no ground was gained. The next day, Middleton gauged the strength of the defenders by dispatching a contingent of men north along the enemy's flank while simultaneously conducting a general advance along the front. Having redirected a portion of their strength to hold the northward flank, the Métis lacked the manpower to oppose the Canadian thrust, ceding ground with little resistance. Canadian soldiers ventured as far as the Batoche cemetery before turning back. Satisfied with his enemies' weakness, Middleton retired to sleep and contended to take the town in the morning. is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The storming of Batoche

By May 12, Métis defences were in poor shape. Of the original defenders, three quarters had either been wounded by artillery fire or scattered and divided in the many clashes with the Canadians on the outskirts of the town. Those that still held their positions were fatigued and desperately short of ammunition. To this effect, some metis were forced to fire nails and rocks out of their rifles, from their remaining gun powder supplies. is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Middleton's attack plan was designed to mirror the success of the previous day's flanking feint, with one column drawing defenders away to the north and a second, under Colonel van Straubenzie, assaulting the town directly. Straubenzie's soldiers performed brilliantly, charging into Batoche in the face of heavy fire and driving the remaining Métis clear of the town.

Aftermath

The Métis defeat at Batoche virtually ended the North-West Rebellion. Louis Riel was captured and hanged for treason on November 16 while Gabriel Dumont fled to the United States, returning to Batoche only in 1893. Middleton's forces proceeded north to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Louis Riel (October 22, 1844 – November 16, 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... Gabriel Dumont Gabriel Dumont (December, 1837 – May 19, 1906) was a leader of the Métis people of what is now western Canada. ... Year 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prince Consort to Queen Victoria Prince Albert is the third-largest city (after Saskatoon and Regina) with a population of 41,072 as of 2006, in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. ...

Following the battle, several Canadian soldiers from Millbrook, Ontario took the bell from the Batoche church back to Ontario as a prize. The fate of the bell has become an issue of longstanding controversy, involving several Métis organizations and the provincial governments of Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. The Township of Cavan-Millbrook-North Monaghan is located in central-eastern Ontario, Canada in Peterborough County, Ontario, Canada, about twenty kilometers southwest of the city of Peterborough. ... The bell of Batoche is a 20-pound silver church bell seized in 1885 as spoils of war from the Métis community of Batoche (now in Saskatchewan) by soldiers from Ontario, following their victory in the Battle of Batoche over the North-West Rebellion. ...