Ambroise-Dydime Lépine


Ambroise-Dydime Lépine was a military leader of the Métis under the command of Louis Riel during the Red River Rebellion of 1869-1870. Lepine led the armed party that ordered Lieutenant Governor designate William McDougall back across the US border in late 1869. He was prominent in the surrenders of Schultz and the Canadian Party in 1869 and the surrender of Boulton and the "Portage gang" in 1870. He was tried and sentenced to death for his role in the resistance regarding the execution of Thomas Scott, but his sentence was commuted to five years exile by the Governor General of Canada.
In 1899 Ambroise appeared in the Buffalo Bill Cody Wild West Show at the Exposition Universelle. He was accompanied at this event by his brother Maxime Lepine, Maxime Goulet, Michel Dumas and Jules Marion, all Red River Metis. He died at St. Boniface Hospital on June 8, 1923, and is buried in the churchyard of the St. Boniface Cathedral next to Louis Riel.
Ambroise was the son of Jean Baptiste Lepine and Julia Henry and brother to Maxime Lepine. Ambroise was married to Cecile Marion, the daughter of Francois Marion and Angelique Deschamps Moreau.