Jean-Baptiste Riel

In the late 1600’s William of Orange (Protestant) tried to overthrow King James II of England (Catholic) With defeat in England imminent, James fled to Ireland where he was sure of Irish Catholic support. Also, French soldiers traveled to Ireland to help the cause. Alas, James lost.

His army’s last hurrah was at Limerick, a city strategically situated on the Shannon River which flowed to the Atlantic. There, after a “near win” the Irish army surrendered on December 22, 1691.

Their leader, Patrick Sarsfield, was given the choice to leave Ireland forever or to retain his estate and swear allegiance to William of Orange. Rather than swear allegiance to William, Sarsfield chose to surrender his wealth and sail to France. His small fleet sailed with 2600 men. Twelve thousand more Irish soldiers (along with ten thousand of their women and children). To understand why they left go to: http://www.kavanaghfamily.com/articles/2003/20030618jfc.htmhttp://w...

Their removal is called “The Flight of the Wild Geese”. This event is important to Irishmen because it meant they had to give up religious freedom, sufferer the subsequent anti-Catholic laws, and lose hope for a free Ireland.

(Of special interest today: During this war [London]Derry was saved while under siege by some young Protestant boys who closed the gates of the city. This day is now celebrated as “Orange Day” by the Protestants of Ulster who have parades which they purposely route into the Catholic area of town. Until recently, during this “parade” many Catholic homes were destroyed and many Catholics beaten, even killed.)

The army waited in France, in the hope that James would try again to regain the throne. He didn’t and, in 1697, the Treaty of Ryswick disbanded James’army in France. Some Irish returned but most feared going back. (In their memory, among other horrors, was1672 shipment of 6,000 Irish boys and girls to Jamaica as slaves.)Many of the “wild geese” were assimilated into the army of Louis XIV. Among them was the Irishman Jack Reilly. And, when Louis sent his army to fight the wars in Canadian Jack went along with them.

At some point in France or in Canada, Jack Reilly became French soldier Jean-Baptiste Riel d’Ireland. I have read that as Jean-Baptiste d’ Ireland he commented regarding his commander in Ireland: “Sarsfield gave me a hard time.”

All of which comes down to the fact that Reil was not a Frenchman in Ireland, but an Irishman in France (and later New France, Canada). Like many French soldiers, he chose to stay in Canada where a better social and economic future could be made. He soldiered in the Compannie de La Valtrie (Berthier Company of the Carignan-sALIERES Regiment). In Canada,he procreated, resulting in his famous grandson, Louis Riel. Google Louis; quite a story.

Still researching.

Looks like he married Louise in Limerick, Ireland at St. Peter's Church

According to an article I read he may have fought in Scotland to fight in the armies of the (pretender?) Stuart

In a letter written to my father by a family member in 1983, his cousin included a family tree, written by hand, going all the way back to Jean Baptiste Riel and his wife. She knew that Louise was from Ireland and assumed Jean Baptiste was from France because of the name and knowing that they came to the American Continent from France. Her big question was, "I wonder how they ever met?" Thanks to the information above, now we know. Robert Kovats Jr