They were not alone unprepared and undetermined to go up to Fort Garry, and fight the greasy Rebel and his followers, but they were by no means certain as to what they should do were the enemy to come against them.  And this is just the very thing that the enterprising Monsieur Riel proposed to do.  It is said that about this time he was often found reading books describing the sudden and unexpected military movements of Napoleon.  And I have not the remotest doubt that the diseased vanity of the presumptuous crank enabled him to see a likeness in himself to the Scourge of Nations.  So he said to his men: 

“We shall go down and capture this Dennis’ geese-pound.  Better turn out in good force, with your arms, though I am quite certain that you can capture the whole caboose with broom-sticks.”  So the Metis thronged after his heels, and surrounded the Schultz mansion with its “congregation of war spirits.”  Of course there is something to be said for the gathering together of these loyal people here, as there is for the issuing of the proclamation by the citizens of London, per the mouth of the three tailors.  Beyond was Fort Garry, unlawfully seized by Riel, and now unlawfully invested by his troops.  This was, therefore, a menace to the unlawful combination at the fort.  At once the agitator began to dictate terms.  If they would come out of their ridiculous hive, and surrender their arms, he would suffer no harm whatever to befall them; but content himself with merely taking them all in a lump, and locking them up prisoners in the fort.  He would, however, insist upon other formalities; and, therefore, exhibited a declaration which he would ask them to sign.  By this document each man would bind himself to rise no more, but to submit to the authority of the Provisional Government.  There was very little parleying.  Each brave loyalist took the paper, and put his name to it. [Footnote *] Dr. O’Donnell was the first to sign his name, and after he had done the rest followed and with much credit to the celerity of their penmanship.  Then they all moved out and were escorted up to Fort Garry, where they were held for a considerable period, despite the prayers of prominent persons who had taken no active part on either side, for their liberation.

[* Footnote:  I take the following from Mr. Begg’s History of the Rebellion:  “In the meantime, there were from two to three hundred armed French half-breeds, as well as a number of lookers-on, around and outside the building; and it is said that a couple of mounted cannon (six pounders) were drawn outside the walls of Fort Garry, ready to be used in case of an assault upon the besieged premises.

“When all those in the house had signed, and the surrender handed to Riel, he said that there were two signatures not on the list, which ought to be there—­and which he insisted upon having.  These were the names of James Mulligan and Charles Garrett.  A guard from the French party was therefore sent to hunt up those two men; and in a short time they returned with the individuals they had been in search of.  As soon as this had been done, the prisoners were taken out and marched to Fort Garry; and the following ladies, who, during the siege, had nobly resolved upon remaining by the side of their husbands, also insisted upon accompanying them to Fort Garry.