Codex Battleford
Transcription: 24
Transcription:
{28 [written in the top right corner]
the altar, thus question the crowd: “What will we do with Charles Nolin?” The populace cried out: “To death! To death!” “I shall see Maxime Lepine.” added Riel, “he is his brother-in-law.” “To death! To death!” repeated the crowd. However, Riel, before deciding anything, wished to have the opinion of his council. He therefore,, made a long list of charges, accusing Nolin of the crime of treason, which merited death. He asked, the council, however to submit that sentence to the attitude of the clergy in their regard. If the priests consented to approve the taking up of arms, Nolin should be acquitted if not he should pay the penalty. However, when it came to voting, the council exonerated Nolin by a large majority. Then, Riel, changing his tactics, was the first to congratulate his councillors [sic] on their wise decision, and he asked them to choose Nolin as one of theirs, which was accepted unanimously.
After Nolin, several others had to appear before the judges. These painful proceedings continued throughout the whole day.
“On the following days,” writes Father Fourmond, “news more and more glooming of the future, reached us. The 25th of March, day of the merciful Incarnation ofOur [sic] Lord Jesus Christ, Riel, in spite of the protestions [sic] of Father Moulin, again took possession of the presbytery and the church of St. Antoine, which he profaned unworthily in the presence of the assembled half-breeds, of whom, few had the courage to [crossed out] without scarcely any [added] protest. There they renounced the Pope who [crossed out] and the church that [added] forbade the revolt, and the church [crossed out], amid the frantic bellowing of the poor wretch who had just consummated his apostacy [sic], and raised the standard of revolt not only against men, but also against God and Holy Church.
On march [sic] 26th, the first encounter between the half-breeds and the regular troops took place. During the engagement, Riel encouraged his combatants by showing them a crucifix which he had carried off from the church of Father Tourze [corrected to “Touze”]. Several soldiers,also four half-breeds were left dead on the field of Battle. An old Catholic Indian named Assiyiwin was mortally wounded. He was carried into a house where Father Touze came to administer him the last sacrement [sic]. He died that same night. After four days, the five dead bodies were buried in the cemetery at St. Lawrence. On this occasion, Father Fourmond tried to recall the half-breeds to sound reasoning, and to make them abandon their foolish undertaking. But, their hearts were hardened, and they remained deaf to the appeal of their most faithful friend. They were more fully resolved th than ever to continue the struggle to avenge their dead. The families which had lost one of their members, gave no sign of sorrow; the mothers forbade their children to weep for those whom they considered as true martyrs in the cause of the half-breeds. rash [written in pencil in the right margin]
A few days later the Stobart establishment was destroyed under orders from Riel, by the detachment, which during severe days had occupied [crossed out] coming back from [added] Fort Carleton. Abandoned by the troops [added above] Of eight houses, only one was spared. at Duck Lake [added] However, they touched neither [crossed out] the flour-mill and [crossed out] the chapel-house. were spared [added].
There was not a single [added] All the [crossed out] storex left untouched [added] in the district [crossed out] settlement [added] were robbed. [crossed out] All the families were forced to come to the central camp of the half-breeds. The deserters and the traitors were threatened with death. However,}
the altar, thus question the crowd: “What will we do with Charles Nolin?” The populace cried out: “To death! To death!” “I shall see Maxime Lepine.” added Riel, “he is his brother-in-law.” “To death! To death!” repeated the crowd. However, Riel, before deciding anything, wished to have the opinion of his council. He therefore,, made a long list of charges, accusing Nolin of the crime of treason, which merited death. He asked, the council, however to submit that sentence to the attitude of the clergy in their regard. If the priests consented to approve the taking up of arms, Nolin should be acquitted if not he should pay the penalty. However, when it came to voting, the council exonerated Nolin by a large majority. Then, Riel, changing his tactics, was the first to congratulate his councillors [sic] on their wise decision, and he asked them to choose Nolin as one of theirs, which was accepted unanimously.
After Nolin, several others had to appear before the judges. These painful proceedings continued throughout the whole day.
“On the following days,” writes Father Fourmond, “news more and more glooming of the future, reached us. The 25th of March, day of the merciful Incarnation ofOur [sic] Lord Jesus Christ, Riel, in spite of the protestions [sic] of Father Moulin, again took possession of the presbytery and the church of St. Antoine, which he profaned unworthily in the presence of the assembled half-breeds, of whom, few had the courage to [crossed out] without scarcely any [added] protest. There they renounced the Pope who [crossed out] and the church that [added] forbade the revolt, and the church [crossed out], amid the frantic bellowing of the poor wretch who had just consummated his apostacy [sic], and raised the standard of revolt not only against men, but also against God and Holy Church.
On march [sic] 26th, the first encounter between the half-breeds and the regular troops took place. During the engagement, Riel encouraged his combatants by showing them a crucifix which he had carried off from the church of Father Tourze [corrected to “Touze”]. Several soldiers,also four half-breeds were left dead on the field of Battle. An old Catholic Indian named Assiyiwin was mortally wounded. He was carried into a house where Father Touze came to administer him the last sacrement [sic]. He died that same night. After four days, the five dead bodies were buried in the cemetery at St. Lawrence. On this occasion, Father Fourmond tried to recall the half-breeds to sound reasoning, and to make them abandon their foolish undertaking. But, their hearts were hardened, and they remained deaf to the appeal of their most faithful friend. They were more fully resolved th than ever to continue the struggle to avenge their dead. The families which had lost one of their members, gave no sign of sorrow; the mothers forbade their children to weep for those whom they considered as true martyrs in the cause of the half-breeds. rash [written in pencil in the right margin]
A few days later the Stobart establishment was destroyed under orders from Riel, by the detachment, which during severe days had occupied [crossed out] coming back from [added] Fort Carleton. Abandoned by the troops [added above] Of eight houses, only one was spared. at Duck Lake [added] However, they touched neither [crossed out] the flour-mill and [crossed out] the chapel-house. were spared [added].
There was not a single [added] All the [crossed out] storex left untouched [added] in the district [crossed out] settlement [added] were robbed. [crossed out] All the families were forced to come to the central camp of the half-breeds. The deserters and the traitors were threatened with death. However,}
