The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-31

habitants, and. with the surrounding country,
was held in subsection by Riel The route of the
march, after leaving the western terminus of the
railway, was through wild and unfre-
ouented country. and the advance was retarded
by obstacles of the greatest magnitude. Rivers
and lakes were navigated and rapids and for
ests traversed which the rebels thought could
not BE overcome in so short q time. Hence they
were greatly surprised at the arrival Of troops
so early in the fall Riel and his followers re-
treated before the troors crossirc the Winraneg
river and cutting loose the pontoon. Riel es
capped and crossed the frontier into the territory
of the United States, where he remained several
months Ambrose Lepine one of his lieuten-
ants surrendered. and was tried and
sentenced to Imprisonment for one
year, and after serving out his term
became a useful citizen, and is now
representative in the Dominion Parliament
Another confederate, named Donahue, who had
been clerk for the Hudson Bay Company went
with Riel and died iii Dakota. Riels followers
were half breed Indians, some of them being of
Scotch and French fathers, and had settled on
small grants of land made to them by the Hud-
son Bay Company. Rel is a native of lower
Canada, and was given good education, and
after reaching manhood became an adventurer
and went West where he became very popular
with the half breeds. He claimed for his object
the establishment of northwestern republic
but he was never considered man of any char
acter, his whole ambition consisting, in the opin-
ION OF those who knew him, of a desire to control
the half breeds and become their leader.
After remaining away from the province
year or two Riel returned, was elected to Par
lament and went to the seat of government to
assume his duties, but was not permitted to do
do so. The authorities, through political mo-
tives, did not arrest him, however, and after
remaining in the East few years he returned
to Manitoba. That province was filing rapidly
with immigrants, and Riels followers found
themselves surrounded by more civilized peo
pie, and determined to go further west They
sold their lands back to the Hudson Bay Com
pany, and took other lands in the Saskatchewan
valley and among the Touchwood hills, at the
foot of the Rocky mountains, about /, 900 miles
northwest of Winnepeg.
Riel went to them about year ago and began
to stir them up against the government again,
and the recent outbreak is the result OF his visit
The Canadian Pacific railroad has been COM
was about two hundred miles south of the pres
ent habtation of the rebeous half breeds. The
province of Manitoba contains large popula-
ton, and Winnepeg is fourishing city, sur
rounded by a fertile farming country, which the
inhabitants consider the garden spot of the
world The climate in the Saskatchewan valley
is more temperate than that of the sections much
further south and east of it, hence its selection
by the half breeds
Col. Irwin. the commander of the troops in
Manitoba who will march against Riel, was
major OF the Quebec Rifles in the Red-river ex-
petition, and is thorough soldier. Riei will
md that his chances for success are not half so
good as they were fourteen years ago, and will
doubtless be quickly subdued. He cannot es
cape into the United States, because the railroad
runs to the south of his country, and his retreat
will be easily cut off. Mr.. Kellond does not
think the outbreak will be at all serious, and
says the rebellion will be short lived.
Mr.. Kellond retired from the service at the
close of the Red-river campaign, and resided in
Winnepig until last August when he came to
louisville. He states that the police which the
papers mention are really mounted rifemen,
from the ravages of the Indians and half breeds,
and that they will make short work of Riel's
army