North-West Rebellion

North-West Rebellion; Rébellion du Nord-Ouest (French)
	; Top: Battle of Batoche; Bottom: Battle of Cut Knife
Date	March 26 – June 3, 1885 (2 months, 1 week and 1 day)
Location	Present-day Saskatchewan and Alberta
Result	Federal government victory Collapse of the Provisional Government of Saskatchewan; Completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway; Trial and execution of Louis Riel;
Belligerents
Canada	Provisional Government of Saskatchewan (Métis); Cree–Assiniboine;
Commanders and leaders
John A. Macdonald; Leif Crozier; Frederick Middleton; John Wimburn Laurie; William Dillon Otter; Thomas Bland Strange; Sam Steele; Francis Dickens; James J. Bremner;	Louis Riel ; Gabriel Dumont; Honoré Jackson ; Big Bear ; Fine Day ; Wandering Spirit ; Poundmaker ; White Cap ;
Strength
5,000 volunteers and militia; 500 NWMP;	280 Métis; 250 Cree–Assiniboine;
Casualties and losses
38 dead; 141 wounded; 11 civilians killed;	33 Métis dead; 48 Métis wounded; 10–17 Cree dead; 78–103 Cree wounded; 1 Nez Perce death (at Cut Knife Hill); Total (military): 43–50 dead; 126–151 wounded;

The North-West Rebellion (French: Rébellion du Nord-Ouest), was an armed rebellion of Métis under Louis Riel and an associated uprising of Cree and Assiniboine mostly in the District of Saskatchewan, against the Canadian government. Important events included the Frog Lake incident, and the capture of Batoche.

The North-West Rebellion began in March 1885 after Louis Riel returned from political exile in the U.S. With the assistance of Métis leader Gabriel Dumont, Riel declared a provisional government on March 18, and rebel territory was carved out. As government forces responded, fighting broke out, with the last shooting over by the end of June.

Rebel forces included roughly 250 Métis and 250 First Nations men, largely Cree and Assiniboine, who were led by Big Bear and Poundmaker and other First Nations chiefs. A non-Indigenous man, Honoré Jackson, served as Riel's secretary. Defence of the government of Canada depended on a force of 5,500 men, including North-West Mounted Police, armed loyal residents of the North-West Territories, and Canadian militia units from Ontario and Quebec, brought west by train.^: 3–4

Riel's rebels seized many small settlements in north-central Alberta and in Saskatchewan, including Fort Carlton, Fort Pitt, Battleford and Frog Lake. They won victories at Duck Lake and Fish Creek. But overwhelming government forces and a critical shortage of supplies wore down the rebels. Government forces finally quashed the rebellion by winning the Battle of Batoche.

Cree and Assiniboine fighters suffered from the same imbalance and, despite achieving limited victories at Cut Knife, Frenchman's Butte and Loon Lake, surrendered in June and early July. Following the defeat of Indigenous forces, several chiefs were put on trial, found guilty and served prison time. Eight Indigenous men were hanged in Canada's largest mass hanging, for murders committed outside the military conflict. Following the end of the Rebellion, Louis Riel was captured, put on trial, and convicted of treason. Despite pleas from many across Canada for clemency, he was hanged.