Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-05
A DECISIVE VICTORY.

Their Whereabouts Unknown-The Ca-
nadians Lose Five Killed and tifteeh
wounded-The Half-Breed's Loss Heavy.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, May 14.-General
Middleton captured Batoche on Tuesday AFT
ernoon, after a gallant charge, led by the
Grenadiers, in which the rebels were driven
out of their rife-pits at the point OF the bay
onet. Riel and the other rebel leaders have
ded and their whereabouts are not known.
While General Middleton was reconnoit-
ering early in the day a prisoner bearing a
flag of truce galloped up with a message
from Riel, which read: IF you massacre
our families l will massacre the prisoners
In my hands," The General in reply
told him to gather his women and chill
dren into one house and they would
not be fred upon. Middleton then re-
turned to camp and pushed on his advance,
who received a heavy fire from the rebels.
A general advance was then ordered, and
the whole line moved forward, the grena-
diers being in the center, with the Ninetieth
Battalion on their left and the Midland
Battalion forming the right and rear. Two
sevcn-pounder guns Of the Winnipeg
Battery and a n%ine-pounder of
Battery A assisted the troops.
The column advanced until near Batocho
with no casualties of any consequence,
Captain Towards Calling gun meanwhile
doing deadly execution against the rebels
OH the bluffs. When near the rif1e-pits the
order to charge was given and the men adj
vanced with a rush CALAMITY led by their
officers and Colonel Straubenzie, driving the
rebels out of the ritle-pits, while the bullets
fell like hail around them. They
forced their way across the plain, the
enemy flying before them. The men
seemed wild with enthusiasm, and cheered
as they pushed on. Many of the rebels in
their flight attempted to cross the river and
were shot while swimming. All of Riers
prisoners were released from the cellars in
which they had been confined, and were
found to be weak and furnishing. Middle
ton is now master of the place and his
troops bivouacked there Wednesday night.
The following is a list of the killed:
Captain John French, Scouts; Lieutenant
Fitch, Royal Grcnadiers; Captain Brown,
E 1t p1 troops W.: H. NKippent; SuIyeXor's
W 4 w ~
Private Hardisty, Nincticth Battalion. The
wounded number fifteen. Father Moulin was
found in his house at Batoche, wounded, it is
believed, by the rebels, but not seriously.
The rebel loss was heavy, and nine half
breeds were noticed by Il correspondent lying
dead Oh the field.
The following private dispatch gives the
first definite tidings of the steamer North
cote:
o BOARD NoRTHcorE, via Humboldt,
May H.-As we ran up tho river the rebe's
three were wounded. Hugh John Macdonald,
the Premier's son, is with me, and is all right
The troops e7b al, are still Il fighting. ,N W. ran out Of
assist troops after wooding; Repels about
five hundred strong. S. L.. BEDsON."
The news of the capture of Batoche by a
bayonet charge was something Of a sur
prise. General Middleton was expected to
pursue other tactics. No details of the sue
cessful attack Oh Batoche have been re-
ceived, and the enelny's loss is still a mat
ter of conjecture. 1t is believed here, now
ever, that the rebels have been beaten so
badly that they will make no fur
ther stand in body, but will
very likely dispcrse through the west
crn country i'll small bands, where
they can not be hunted down without great
difficulty. Riel is expected to get away to
AAOiiet<iio3 40 ~ INV ODSUNClCS III llo
way. In fact, there is little to p%reventhim
from Disgusting himself, making his way to
Qu'Appelle, and thence by railway to VIM
nipeg. He has plenty of sympathizing
friends not very far from the city who
would gladly give him refuge. No
prominent officers were killed at Batoche.
Captain French, leader of the scouts, was
formerly an officer in the mounted police,
and has lately been farming near Fort Qu'
Appelle. Lieutenant Fitch, of the Toronto
Grenadiers, was the son of a prominent
merchant. He was only twenty-five, and
was leading his company at the time he feI'
OFFICIAL ADyICEs.
OTTAWA, May 14.-In the House yester-
day afternoon Hon. Mr.. Caron read the fol-
lowing official dispatch from General Mid
dleton:
%"BATocHE's HOUSE, May Il, VIA CLAnKE's
GRoas!NG, May E.-Hon a. 7. Ca,on, !Ottaara:
the whole settlement. The men behaved
splendidly, and the rebels are in full tli~ht'
Am sorIy to say ! have not got Ricl. while 1
X Xab rec9 ona of 9ho this sr; morning william
up with q flag OF truce, and handed me a
letter from Riel saying: If you massacre our
answer that if he would put his women and
children in one place and let me know where
It was, not a shot should be fired on them. /
unSh lOItiHSu W CaLlp ana pushed on nv
advance parties, which were heavily fired
on. l SO pressed on until l saw nv
Chance, and ordered Il general advance.
The men responded nobly, splendidly led
ny their officers and Colonel S1raubcn-
ne, and drove. the enemy out OF their rifle
plts. After the rifie-pits were taken they
Ilie houses, and we are now masters of tho
place, and most of my force will biyo1nc
there. Right in the heat of the action Mr.
Ashley came back with another missivc from
Rlel, as follows: General: Your promnt an.
swer TO my note shows that l was right in
mentioning to You the cause of humanity- We
VIII gather our families in one place. and as
soon as IT is done we will let YOU know On
the envelope he had written as follows: T do
not like war, and il you do not retreat. and
refuse an interview, the question remains lie
same concerning tho prisoners
Our loss. ] am afraid, is heavy. but not so
neaNy US might be expected. AS yet I find it
Is hVc killed and Ten wounded"
MONTREAL, Canada, May IA te1a-
gram from the Hudson Bay Compa.,y's
agent near Batoche to the comnany,s
office here says Saturdays fight was mich
more serious than has been reported. sJf
it mad not been for Captain Howard. Of
tlle United States Army" he writes
defeat would have been certain, Tha
capture of the guns was inevitable, but for
his GOODNESS. The rebels fought like devils
ana our men were unable to do anvthino
with them. We have not an officer wlo
III N thu ,-~1~