Assignment #8- Louis Reil

Ms. Pollock's Website



Other websites: http://library2.usask.ca/northwest/background/riel.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Reil

http://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/Canada/riel.htm

http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=10646



Introduction on Louis Riel:

Louis Riel is a very controversial figure some people considering him to be a traitor and some people considering him a hero. He was born the twenty second of October, 1844 to Louis Riel Sr and Julie Lagimodiere at the red river settlement. He went to the Catholic church St.Boniface training for priesthood until he was thirteen and then went to the College de Montreal in Montreal because he showed great potential in his academic studies and it was a better school for training to be come a priest. His father died in 1864 and he lost interest in becoming a priest and worked many odd jobs in Chicago Illinois until he returned to the red river settlement in 1868.When he returned to the red river settlement he found that great tensions between the Hudson's Bay Company and the Metis in the red river settlement because the Metis had no claims to their land and so Louis Riel took the Metis and surrounded Fort Gary and then captured it, this battle being the red river rebellion. After the red river rebellion the Canadian military were a little bit frightened by Louis Riel and offered him 1000 dollars to go into exile and they also gave his family 600 pounds, Louis moved into Montana in the united states and had two children while he was teaching at St.Peters Jesuit Mission. Louis Riel was hanged on the sixteenth of November 1885 for high treason because he fought some of the government militia who had 500 men with his 100 men using what we now know today as guerrilla warfare, Louis Riel will always be remembered as, sometimes a good, sometimes a bad memory.

Interview with Louis Riel ( I found Louis Riel's ghost and I thought he should be able to defend his actions):

Auguste: So Louis Riel can I ask you a few questions?

Louis Riel : Oh alright then but make it snappy I don't want to be late for lunch again.

Auguste: Oh, Okay. First Question : How did you get captured by the Canadian military if you were using guerrilla warfare and tactics.

Louis Riel: I did that because I wanted to protect my "city of god" (Batoche) and did not want the Canadian Military occupying it because it has so much spiritual value to me. This is what happened during the battle: we started shooting at them on the ninth of may and killing lots of them but not enough. They had 500 and we had a mere 100 men and they easily outnumbered us and killed some of us and we did the sensible thing on may twelfth to surrender as to prevent more bloodshed.

Auguste:Ah, I see. Sensible thinking there Louis Riel. Question number two: Why did you plead you were insane after your trial?

Louis Riel: Yes that is true I pleaded insanity but only in vain. I was not actually insane, I just pleaded insane to try to avoid death.I regretted very much that I dismissed my lawyer after he was trying to say I was insane to save my life, I regretted that decision very much but I was stubborn and I was try to look like a courageous hero in the eyes of all Canadians.

Auguste: Mhmm, I understand why you plead insanity as a last attempt to save your life right?

Louis Riel: Yes, that is correct.

Auguste: Okay Third question: Why did you execute Thomas Scott?

Louis Riel: I actually didn't execute Thomas Scott, that is a total rumor and the one who spread it is a total knucklehead. Thomas Scott got tried for insubordination and was guilty of defying the authority of the provisional government and was sentenced to death. Ten of the guards fired shots at Thomas Scott but only two hit him and he still wasn't dead. One of the guards went up to him and shot him in the head but he still wasn't dead, the captain of the guard left him to die a slow painful death in his coffin. I was present when all this happened but I never took part in any of it.

Auguste: Well, that puts an interesting turn on things thank you Louis Riel for letting us interview you.