Ambroise-Dydime Lépine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ambroise-Dydime Lépine
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| Born | 18 March 1840 St. Vital, Winnipeg
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| Died | 8 June 1923 (aged 83) Saint Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg
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| Occupation | Military leader, farmer, politician |
Ambroise-Dydime Lépine (born March 18, 1840 – died June 8, 1923) was an important Métis leader. He was a farmer and politician. Lépine worked closely with Louis Riel during the Red River Rebellion of 1869–1870. This was a time when the Métis people stood up for their rights.
Ambroise Lépine faced serious consequences for his role in the resistance. He was tried and sentenced to death. However, his punishment was changed to five years of exile by the Governor General of Canada. Lépine passed away on June 8, 1923, at St. Boniface Hospital. He is buried next to Louis Riel at the Saint Boniface Cathedral.
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Early Life of Ambroise-Dydime Lépine
Ambroise-Dydime Lépine was born in St. Vital on March 18, 1840. This area was part of the Red River Colony at the time. He was the fifth of six children. His father worked for the Hudson's Bay Company.
Ambroise went to school at the Collège de Saint-Boniface. He later married Cécile Marion in Saint Boniface on January 12, 1859. They had 14 children together. Lépine became a farmer in the area.
Ambroise Lépine's Role in the Red River Rebellion
Ambroise Lépine became involved in politics in late 1869. He learned that the Hudson's Bay Company planned to transfer Rupert's Land to Canada. The Métis people, led by Louis Riel, wanted to negotiate the terms of this transfer.
Lépine joined Riel and the Métis resistance. He was given important tasks. On October 30, he led 14 men to stop Lieutenant Governor–Designate William McDougall. McDougall was trying to cross the border into the Red River Colony.
On December 7, 1869, Lépine led 100 Métis. They captured John Christian Schultz and his group. Schultz's group was known as the Canadian Party militia.
Lépine's Leadership in the Provisional Government
On January 8, 1870, the Provisional Government of Manitoba was formed. Louis Riel led this government. Lépine was named adjutant general of St. Boniface. The people of St. Boniface also elected him to a 40-person convention. He also headed the military council.
The next month, Lépine and his troops captured Charles Arkoll Boulton. Boulton was another leader of the Canadian Party militia. Boulton's group had tried to take Fort Garry.
Among the prisoners was Thomas Scott. Scott was an Irish Protestant. The Métis people had strong disagreements with him. Riel ordered a military trial for Scott. Lépine was in charge of this trial.
Lépine sentenced Scott to death. Riel agreed with the decision. Scott was executed on March 4, 1869. This event caused a lot of controversy.
In March, some Métis rebelled against Lépine's actions. Riel was able to calm the rebels and spoke with Lépine about the situation.
When Colonel Garnet Wolseley arrived with his forces, Riel and Lépine left. They fled to a Catholic mission in the United States. They spent the next year crossing the border often.
See Also
In Spanish: Ambroise-Dydime Lépine para niños
