It was during this period in Canadian history that the NorthWest Mounted Police came into being. This force was created to patrol and bring law and order into the wilds of the Northwest Territory. Canada began re-enforcing troops at the forts in the area. NWMP officers were sent to Fort Carleton. Superintendent L.N.F. Crozier was placed in charge of defending this part of the Northwest Territory. Between Fort Carleton and Batoche was the village of Duck Lake whose store contained arms and provisions that would be useful to either Riel's or Crozier's forces in the event of an armed conflict.

On March 25, Gabriel Dumont left Batoche with a group of Metis fighters to take control of Duck Lake. Crozier sent an expedition with sleighs the next morning to obtain provisions from the Duck Lake store. Crozier was unaware the Metis had taken control of the fort. On the way, Crozier's men encountered a small party of Metis. The police turned back and the Metis returned to Duck Lake.

Urged by the volunteers to face the Metis, Crozier set out from the Fort Carleton the next day with about 100 men and a seven pounder cannon. They met the Metis just outside Duck Lake. Riel had two choices, negotiate or fight. Riel had sent Charles Nolin and Ambroise Lepine to demand that Major Crozier surrender the fort to him. In return he would let Crozier and his men go free. Dumont succeeded in drawing the troops into a valley where Crozier was forced to come to a halt. Two horsemen, Isidore Dumont and Falling Sand (a Cree Chief) came forward to meet them. Believing they wished to negotiate, Crozier also advanced, accompanied by a guide named McKay. All four men stopped in the middle of the valley and Crozier extended his hand as a gesture of friendship. Thinking they had been betrayed, Falling Sand made a grab for McKay's rifle. The first shot of the Northwest Rebellion was fired when the gun of "Gentleman" Joe McKay (a Prince Albert volunteer) went off. The guide fired and Isidore Dumont fell dead from his horse. The battle of Duck Lake had begun. There was no time to conclude the negotiations. On hearing the shot, Crozier gave the order to fire.

Crozier's men took shelter behind the sleighs and in bushes beside the road, while some of the Metis entered an abandoned log house. Volunteers tried to rush the house but were caught in deep snow and met heavy fire from the Metis. It was here that most of the casualties in the battle occurred.

After forty minutes, with his force decimated, Crozier gave the order to retreat. Seventeen members of the government force had been killed and several were wounded in the battle. The Metis lost five men including Isidore Dumont, Gabriel Dumont's brother. Further casualties were avoided when Riel intervened to prevent Dumont from pursuing and killing all the retreating soldiers. On March 27, 1885 the NWMP abandoned Fort Carleton (accidentally burning it as they left) and retreated to Prince Albert.

This battle made the Indians and Metis realize that the Canadians were not invincible. Soon war whoops and cries of revenge rang out among the Indian tribes. Two hundred Cree Indians attacked Battleford and Fort Pitt, killing 6. Ottawa was shocked out of its lethargy. They expected a full-scale Indian war. The Federal Government began to raise a Canadian Militia Force in March 1885 and within two weeks, three columns of the Northwest Field Force are were motion. General Frederick Middleton was dispatched to put down the insurrection.

The Indian Nations were uprising in the Northwest at this time as well. Go on to the Indian uprisings at Frog Creek and other locations.