IDENTIFIERS ----------- id: 141502 accession number: CM.1408-2009 DATE AUDIT ---------- created: Saturday 6 August 2011 updated: Monday 15 January 2024 DESCRIPTIVE DATA ---------------- object type: Colonial Canada's nineteenth-century history did not lack for secessionist movements, all ultimately unsucessful. In 1870 the Canadian Government began to organise settlement in the North-West Territory, and this was resented by the indigenous peoples, including the Métis groups from whom the revolutionary Louis Riel, involved in the earlier Red River rising, sprang. Riel returned from exile in the United States in 1884 and immediately began to agitate for recognition of Métis rights. In 1885, emboldened by lack of Government response, he set up a Provisional Government and proclaimed himself a divinely-chosen leader, and although general support eluded him numerous indigenous groups took the opportunity to rise on their own accounts. A military response was swiftly forthcoming, and almost all of the Canadian Militia had to be committed to the campaign. Three battles, at the Saskatchewan River, Fish Creek and Batoche, more or less suppressed the various insurgents and the government was able to pacify the Indian discontents with pardons and food supplies. Riel was forced to surrender, and was tried and hanged. He is still regarded as a hero and national father in some Québecois quarters. This medal bears no name or bar, and its suspension, of the type used for the Crimean War Medal, is not that used for the regular issue of this medal. It is possible therefore that this piece was a specimen or test version. Lester Watson acquired it at some point before 1928. title: North West Canada Medal (1885) NOTES ----- type: history note value: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, acquired before 1928 LICENSING --------- text license status: CC0 image license status: CC-BY-NC-SA OWNERSHIP --------- instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum department: Coins and Medals collection: Lester Watson Collection creditline: Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009 STABLE URL ---------- url: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141502 TECHNIQUES ---------- struck CATEGORIES ------ category: medal (military) category: test piece DATING ------ creation date: 1885 - 1885 creation date earliest: 1885 creation date latest: 1885 CREATORS -------- maker: Wyon, Leonard Charles maker: Brock, Thomas maker: Victoria (1837-1901) maker: Victoria regina et imperatrix maker: London DIMENSIONS ---------- dimension: Diameter units: mm value: 36.2 dimension: Weight units: g value: 36.03 CITATIONS -------- British Battles and Medals 7th edn British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959) --- IMAGES surrogate: large format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0291_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 115 pixels surrogate: mid format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0291_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 115 pixels surrogate: original format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0291_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 115 pixels surrogate: preview format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0291_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 115 pixels surrogate: large format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0291_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 115 pixels surrogate: mid format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0291_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 115 pixels surrogate: original format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0291_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 115 pixels surrogate: preview format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0291_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 115 pixels