St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-31
Five Hundred Crees Invest Battle
ford Threatening to Burn the Town
and Take Supplies.
Women and Children Take Refuge in
the Barracks to be Defended
to the Death.
1t is Feared that Other Indians will be In
cited to Take the War Path by These
Hostiles.
Special Trains from Various Sections of
Canada En- Route West with Troops
Riel to be Taken Dead or Alive.
Special TO the Globe.


WINNIPEG, March 30.-The rebellion
started by Riel has gained greater dimeu-
sions by the rising of the Indians in SYM
pathy than had been anticipated. News came
from Qu'Appele to-day that the Indians on
the reserve at File hills had risen in arms
and killed the farm instructor stationed
there There are four bands of Indians
there, numbering in all about five hundred
Three companies of rifles aud a portion of a
field battery went from Qu'Appelle station to
Fort Qu'Appelle to be ready in case of hos
tilties No late advices have been received
from there. The afternoon Free Press re-
ceived the following message from Battle
ford: We are in imminent danger
from Indians in this vicinity.
Chief Poundmaker has gone into opGs
rebellion and put instructors and agent at
defiance. The IN iians have left the other
reserve. and are centering in large numbers
about BattlefOrd. 1t is estimated that there
are at least 500 Indians, and more coming
in a short time Several Of them have come
down to town and threaten to burn it and
take possession Of the barracks and stores.
AL the women and children have been hur-
ried'into the barracks and everything is being
done to put them in the best possible condi-
ton for the defense of the helpless. The
men have been enrolled for service, and
arms and ammunition have been
issued 10 them. We will be
able to raise force OF fully 200 men for de-
Tense. Several houses in town were broken
into last night and rlfied. a few half breeds
who live about town have gone to the hills,
oslcnsibly to DE out of the way, but it is
pretty certain that they will join the Indians
and incte them 10 violence when the worst
Is feared. The Indians will not remain long
inactive, and they may descend on Che town
al any moment and seize all the stores to
provide themselves with provisions. There
viii likely be general pow-wow of the In
dams to-day, when they Will make
their demands known. The whites
viii protect their lives and property to the
last. bat owing to the superior number of the
Indians their positions is most critical,
nearly all the police have been Withdrawn to
Prince Albert and the supply of arms is linn
tied. We hope for the best. The Hudson
Bay company afterwards received a dispatch
from their agent ut Batteford saying the
Indians came into town this morning num-
Boring between eighty and one hundred.
They were almost all armed I have just
come in, after having talk with them. They
seem unsettled and are not at all well dis
posed. a Macdonald, merchant here,
VINO has store at Battle
ford, received dispatch from
his brother which says: GAN the people, in
Guiding the outside settlers, are in barracks
The Indians are rapidly assembling on the
south side and are already in possession of
the buildings. We hope to have brush
with them tonight and settle matters. "
The barracks at Battleford are well situated
for defense aud will not likely be attacked
The other buildings, however, are at con
siderable distance and are left to the mercy
Of the Indians. Further excitcm ent has
been caused to-day by the report that the
Blackfect Indians were in arms around Cal
gary, but "a dispatch from the Hudson Bay
officer there saws all Is quiet on the reserves
No word has been received from Riel's Vi
ciuity or from Prince Albert. Operations
cannot be undertaken 10y the troops until
force arrives from the East Volunteer bat
taliOus are rapidly enrolling here.