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32X

Major Gknkkai. V. D. MiDDMcroN, ('. B ,

Couunander of tlie ('ur.u<iian Militia.

THE HISTORY

OV TH>

NORTH-WEST REBELLION

OE" 1885.

OOMPniSINa A VVVt. and IMPARXUUi ACCOUNT OP TOE

ORIGIN AND PR0GUE88 OF THE WAlt, OF THF, VAIUOUH ENGAGE-

MENTH WITH THE INDIANS AND HALF-HUEED.-;, OF THE

UEUOIC DEEDS PERFORMED HY OFFICERS AND

MEN, AND OF TOUCHING SCENES

IN THK

Field, the camp, and the cabin;

INCLUDINO A HISTORY OF THE

INDIAN TRIBES OF NORTH WESTERN CANADA,

THEIR WlMBEKa, MODEM OV LIVING, nAIUTH, CI 8TOM8, KBLIGI0U8 KITES AND

CBREMONIES, WITH THRILLING NAURATIVE8 OK OAPTURKH, IMPKIfiON-

MBNT, MASS<ACRKH, AN1> HAIU-BRKADTH ESCAPES OF WHITl

SETTLKRH, ETC.

CHARLES PELDAM MULVANEY, A.M., M.D.,

Formerly of !fo. l Company, Queen's Own liifiea, author of " Hiatory of th«
County of Brant" " History of Liberalism," etc., aaaUled by a
well-kiiow7i journalist.

EIGHTH THOUSAND.

Illustrated

WITH JP0ETBAIT8 OF DISTINGUISHED OFFICERS AND MEN, MAPS, DIAGRAMS

AND KNQRAVINGB.

TORONTO, ONT.:
PUBLISHED BY A. H. HOVEY & CO.. 10 KING STREET EAST.

ima.

Entered nooordint; to tbo Act of tho rtirliamout of Canada, in tho year One
TliouKimd lOigLt numlred uad Kiglity-ftvo, by ALiiBttT lliCNUX HovaY, In
tbo OlUoe of tbo Miolster of A;;>icuituro.

(

(!>

H\A

8ri|i-j*i'*t •

-=^-.,.-^^ -

iDcMcatton.

TO THE

OFFICERS AND MEN

OK THE

.CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED

3Y THK

AUTHOR AND PUBLISHERS.

/ '. -

- ill

LIST OF no IT -LUSTRATIONS.

r*«a

• ••#•• •••••• •••»

Frontlnj'

• ■ « • •

• • • • • • «

M*j<>r-Oon«ral F. P. Mi.l.llr^tnn, C.B

I,j.'Ut..Cnl. A. A. Mill.T, 1.^0 It

lioiiin HiA

Fort Carleton

Major I,. II. X. Crozier

Lieut.Cnl. A. (J. Irvine, N. W.Nr.P...

Ijuni Mnlj^iind

Major I.rtiirAiico Hticlian

l.lcut.Cnl. W. J). Ottor ;

Map of Hattlefitnl.. . . '.

Francis J. Dickenn, N.-W.Af.P

Plan of Fort I'itt

Hon. Ktlxar Dowdney

Pia|K)t, Clii.'f of the S.mth Croei

Capt. Charles Swinford . ...

Col. W, M. Mcrchiner, N.W.M.P

(Jeo. F;1. Coopor. ('ol<)u-S< r.,'i'unt

Horl)ert FoulktM (Hri^frtdo I'mgler) ; The Tn-Han ffuntor 170,

PiMuidniaker . ■ •

Map of " Hiitoche," " l>uck Lalce " and " FLth Creok."

Capt. .IiiniOf* .MuHon (( trunudie/g)

vit.-Cul. Van Straubenzie

leut. W. C. Fitch

..'hitrnafi Moor..

BuKltT (lauL'han

Alexaiidor Watson

Franklin . J aokea

Lieut. A. Tj. Howard, in Coininan«l of (jatlinjf Gun

l^ient. A. M. Irvinff

Lieut.-C'ol. A. T. H. Williain.% M.P

ljieut.-('ol. U. J. GraHett

Mi.jorl). H. Allan, Q.O.R

A<ljut.int J. M. Delanioro

GatlitiK' Gun (four illustrations) 297, 21)8, 301,

Staff HfiiK^fknt Walker

Lieut -Col. W. E. O'Brien, ^LP

( Jabriel Dumont, (full length i)oi trait)

19
20

:(0

4S
Oft
66
100
1()6
116
117
119
120
139
1B8
107
185
186

iy5

213
222
23fi
237
241
242
244
246
267
260
202
274
287
304
371
376
:<82
391
.394
396
397
399

Map of Froy Lako M.i.'^s.ipre and Surroundings 402

Lieut. -Col. Breniner and Major Welsh 409

< 'apt. James Peters 410

1 nspector Joseph Howe .... : 411

< 'apt. C. W. Prury 412

Gunner Waltor Woodman 413

Christoplier Robinson, Q.C., Crown Counsel in Rial's Trial 416

Cr. W. Burbidge " " 417

F. X. Lemieux, Q.O., Riel'a Counsel 418

Sir John A. Miu-donald.

General Strange

Colonel James McLeod (Stipendiary Magistrate)

Father Leoombe :

Big Bear

/W*

PKEFACi:.

The hiilldiiig up of a nation iH not a men* effort of will on
th»^ piirt of an imlividual or a pooplfl. A p«»opli^ or an imli
vi'lual may have much to do with Hhaping the d«>Htini(>H of a
country. ^)Ut wh*»n tho fnonts which conntitute tlni Haliont points
in the history of that country come to be viowod from the
Homowhat elevaUul ntandpoint svhich he who would writ(» a
history must ncccHHarily occupy in order that his viHion may
have scope surtiiuent to include everything bcariiiyf on the situ-
ation, those aotorH who in tl •> bustle of ''history-making"
tower in magnitude and importance us primary causew, suddenly
dwindle into "temporary agents," "creatures of circumstance,"
" mere puppets," moved and controlled by some unseen and
unknown power, be it Providence, Destiny or Fate. Hut while
the acts of one agent tit into those of another in making a
history which so ristjs in importance and far-reaching effects as
to dwarf the men who made its integral parts, wo must not
forget to hold each man morally responsible for his acts. An
overruling Power may so control the acts of individuals as to
cause good to result where only greed or selfish ambition
proin[)ted, but this must not blind us to the moral responsi-
bility of the actors, who must be judged only by the motives
which actuated them.

To-day Canada has just shaken herself free from the clutches
of Rebellion, which at oue time threatened to bring with her
her sisters Anarchy and llevolution. Somebody is to blame
for all this, and if the reader after scanning the evidence as to
the causes of the rebellion chooses to call prominent men by
hard names, we cannot help it. It is not our business to call
harsh names nor to judge our neighbours. It is ours to state the

vi.

PIIEKACR.

faota ftM tJiey urti to bo fouii«l, ftu»l lnuve to tlm p««opl»i of CanaiU
tho HX<*roiM»> of jiKlicial fuiKtioiiH in thin inattor. Wo ghall toll
tho truth ro^unlN'HH an to whom wo nhull hit and wholly indif-
forrnt hh to hoth tho great politicjal parti»!« who jointly control '
tho doHtini<H of thin country.

Wlmn tho arm of KMholiion hud l>oon raiHod and loyal oitij^oni
and Mounted Folii^oHhot down foiHtrivin^ t'j vindicate Canadian
authority, it wan not for um an Ouna»liai»H to ank whethor the
iflitlH hud uny rifj[ht on their Hido or not. Our National intog-
rity hud hm^w aHHailod, our Natioiiui honour Imd be<'n thnMitencd,
and it only roinriinod for oiir ci(izon-Holdi<!rH to drnw th« sword
in tlu'ir diffotuu*. How this has hoen done, and with what
tfloriouH ntHultft, it iH for thoHj; pagoH to t«ll. What our future
may bo no on** knows, but tho imniodiato roBulfc of thiH robollion
has btitMi that Canada han proved horanlf abundantly able to
take caro of herHolf. Her voluntfjors and her littlo handful of
rogularH have bofui pittisd against a foe, as bravo, as adroit, and
as experienced in tlni hardships, perils and horrors of frontier
warfare as cati be found under the sun, and after mooting with
a desp(M-ate and stubborn resistance our gallant fellows Imvo
triumphed brilliantly ; but it is a costly and blood-bought
victory. The mighty unseen force that makes history has
pushed us one stage further on in our National development,
and it is fitting that some land mark should be fixed to note
our progress.

With such materials as are now available, and with a fairly
accurate and comprehensive knowledge of the North-West to
help us, we shall try faithfully, fearlessly and conscientiously
to mai-k this important stride that has just been made in our
National history.

The Author.

CONTKNTS.

Lote

nt\iTrfi. fAOi.
1. To Armi^TIi« (*all and the Kotponi^ 17

li. Prelude to thu Iiisiirmction Th<» Huditm Ray

('i)inpAny— Tim liidiana—The llulf-brueda The

BufKJo '2i)

HI. LouiH Uiitl — Hit Hmt liisurructiuii — Uia Bill of

Ri«htn of 1870 and of IMHR 26

IV. Thy Duck Laku Fight How t)i« Police and Prince

Alhort Vol.intoors Kouj|(ht and Foil 27

V. After the Hattlo — Uoti eating to Princo Alb«rt —

l^uryinu; the Dead 44

VI. Tlio Indian Triboi of Manitoba and the N«irth-We»t —

Their Nunibers, Condition, etc 60

VII. SkotcheH of tlu' Livos of (General ^fiddI•'ton and

Stall— Lord Meli,MMi(l and Major Itnchun till

VJH. Caiiada'H Soldierr. to the Front — "Our Hoya in tho

North-West A way. " 08

IX. The War Cloud iiurats on Battleford 75

X. On C}uard at Prince Albert The (irievancea of

yottlers— Description of Country 7ii

XI. The Siege «>f Battloford— The Murder of i'ay no-
Flight of .ludge Uonlt^au and Ap[)h!garth--Major
Wrtlah gives liia Views 80

XII Tho Frog Lak«^ Masgacre 80

XIII. Otter's March io Battleford— Relief of the Beftieged

Town — U(jupeh Burned and Sacked — Tlie Finding

of Paynt's Body 100

XIV. General Middleton's Advance — Waiting for Supplies

and Beuifoiceinents 114

XV. Tlio Fall of Fort Pitt- Oallant Defence by Inspector
Dickena—Fort Pitt befjio ita Fall — Big Bear—

LX'wdney — Pi-a-pot- llig Bear's Prisoners 115

XVI. The Battle of Fish Creek— The Killed and Wounded—
After the Battle— General Middleton's Letter —
In Meiuoriain 126

(.'lurTRii. finm,

X\ U. Bntilt of Out Knift Or««1i-Orii{in of tho IVam«—
Who tuok Pnrt in it- Ooloii«1 Hi rrhinur-Th*

Killf.l mud VVMumliMl 1A6

XV III. Pouii(lniikt<r-[x)ra Lorito ViiiiU him 186

XiX. UAttlu of liAtocho'i Ferrj— Tlio Killu<l aiuI Wouiultid
— 8oiiiuof the Hrrort • Tliiillii)t< Inciiloiita- Tli«
Miiii with the (^ntlniK (Inn -" Hhi't Thn^ugh tho

11. art "—'• Victory «t Hftf..oh«i " 193

XX U(<i'till('ctinii«()f liufochu't F«rry Aftor tho IUttlo~
Col'inel Williiiiiiii of tho Midlniid Who led the

ChiirKo i -Di'Boription of thu Kiflu Titi 261

XXI. Tho PrinonurH and Mio VHUtpuiihod — lliilf-hn^ud
I)iiioi;<liMu Ti-rrorund Kull'tirinfjM of thu lluholi--

TonthiniL; Soimuih 271

XXII. Tho (iatling (lUii l)oacrih«(l and lUiistratod 200

XXIII. PouMdiiiftlvrr Heard From - (J(»nural MiddU'ton'i

Intervii'W with tli<> Ouo (.'!iit f nounly Hiol
Cupturod "lliH Woiulcr/ul rnf'.ufiico -OurVolun-
toiTB .307

XXIV. Priiico AUiort-Coh.md Irvine K.xphiins — A Tribute

to tho iSIounti.l Polico--'*Tho llidori of the
riaiiis" - A lH)tter from ri»undiiiakor — .Journey

to HattKiford 834

XXV. At Battluf(»rd with Middleton— Lifo in tint Town
during Ilebollioii --Indian Ciiimin;.^ and War

Craft-Ho is not Urav(j 301

XXVI. Poundni.ikor and Middloton .\n Tnterosting Tntcr-

viow 384

XXVII. (Jential Strang»/8 Column— Cohniol McT^ood Father
Lecombo Hig Boar Surrcndors-- '^'lio IStorius of
Mrs. Dtd.moy and Mth. (5iiwanU)ck 304

XXVIH. Martial Ardour in the Muritinio Provinoos— Roturn

of the Troops 403

XXIX. Kiel's Trial Those Engairod in it, etc 415

Tho Truupa in tho Fiuld 421

THE

History of the North -West Rebellion.

CTTAPTEIl T.

"TO A It M 8 1 "

AT eleven o'clock on the ui^'lit of Maivu the 27th
tho citizens ot* every city in (Jana«la, from Flalitiix
to Victoria, wore .startle<l hy the ti<liii^'s that armed
reliellion ha<l broken out in the Prince Albert rejjjion
of the Nortli-West, that the loval f«)rces under Major
CJrozior had het'U lired upon by rebel Ilalf-breedH, and that
two of the Mount(id Poli(N> and ter\ Prince Albert Volun-
t(;erH had been killed, while eleven more of the loyaliats
ha<l been woundiitl.

The response of every city in the Dominion was an
instantaneous call to arms, ft was immedintely and uni-
versally responded to by the armed youth and manhood
of our country. Emerson's nol>lo verses received that
niirht a new illustration : —

8o ni'ar is grandeur to our dust,

So c.loae 18 (»od to man,
Wlwa duty wins, ered low "thou muat,"

The youth replied ** 1 can."

Early on tho next mornin<T the peaceful slumbers of
the inhabitants of (^iiobee, Kiniijston, and Toronto were
broken by bugle calls and the unwonted sound of mili-
tary preparation. At eleven o'clock the ni;^dit before tele-
,<;jrams had been received from Ottawa to the effect that
th(^ light had taken plave, aful that the QueV)ec and
Kingston batteries of tield artillery, and contingents from

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST KEBELUON.

the Toronto Queen's Own, Royal Grenadiers, and C Com-
pany Infantry (regulars) were to be called out at once for
active service. Small rest tliat night in the usually
tran(juil stieets of the cities of Champlain and Frontenac I
Even in ever-busy Toronto, the streets were unusually
crowded by uniformed men hurrying to di'ill shed and
armoury, and by (dHcers diiving about all through the
night to seek out the members of the different companies
and warn them of the para<le next morning. The Queen's
Own were to parade at the drill shed at 9 a.m., the Gren-
adiers at the armoury at 8 a.m. At the New Fort all
was activity; the men, sleepless with excitement, were
cleaning arms and accoutrements. At a little table
Colonel Miller and Adjutant Delamere sat an-anging the
details and v/riting tWb orders and despatches necessary
for such a hasty call to fiim^. At Quebec, Colonel Cotton
had been ordered by telegram to prepare Battery A and
one hundred men for immediate departure to the North-
West. At Kingston, in the barrack-yard, where stands
the last vestige of a bastion of the fort named after the
heroic Frontenac, the well-trained little corps of the Field
Battery rejoiced at an opportunity of exercising the
discipline in which they had been so long practised
aij'ainst the enemies of Cana<la.

With the morning of Saturday the 2Sth the gen-
eral public learned with astonishment the sudden news
of the rebellion againsb Canada. Some rumours then
had been afloat for a week previously ii the newspa-
pers of disaffection and discontent among the Half-
breeds and of meetings held by Riel. But the Half-breeds
are always discontented ; as " Sir John " had said in Par-
liament, " if you wait for a Half-breed or an Indian to be-
come contented, you may wait till the millennium." But
here was bona fide intelligence endorsed by the Federal
Government at Ottawa, that a secessionist rebellion
against the Canadian Confederation had actually broken
out, the first battle had been fought and lost by the loyal
forces, and tliat the scattered settlements were exposed
almost undefended to the horrors of Jndifiii warfare.

«<

TO ARMS.

Com-
ce for
siially
,enac !
anally
d and
h tlio
lanios
uiien's
Grcn-
)rt all
, were
table
liT the
essary
Jotton
A. and
^orth-
stands
ber the
Field
g the
Hctised

le gen-
news
then
wspa-
Half-
3reeds
Par-
te be-
But
efleral
.lellion
broken
e loyal
sposed
■e.

Such were the rumours wliich that Saturday the 28th
of March uiade the theme of conversation with excited
irroups in every city and town, nay, in every backwoods
village in Camida. Happy were they who belongtul to a
volunteer company, even although not at once called on

COLONEL MILLER, Q.O.R.

for service ; happiest of all t^ ose on whom the lot had
fallen to belong to the contingent ordered to the front in
the North-West.

In Toronto the volunteers met on parade in busbies,
great coats, and leggings, not an available man was

•<!•»• ■<:"5<:

,.-,,,,H-#-*f''-''lTWi-f^',-«^^'-1!?J*^

•-t^lfijf-**^

((

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLIOIT.

absent, all met in the spirit of what Golouel Miller had
Haid till' night before : " I don't care who a man is, or what
he is doing, but I want every man in the regiment to bo
under arms and ready ! " The Royal Grenadiers showed
equal alacrity. With all the struggle was as to who should
be accepted as one of the contingent of two hundred and
forty men to be drafted out of the two Toronto battalions.
On Sunday the martial excitement continued. Even
in douce Sab bath -keeping Toronto, Sunday editions of the
Mail, World, Neios, and I'elef/ram were published with
what |)urported to be "intelligence" from the seat of
war. The churches assumed a martial aspect, the pews
ever and anon displaying the scarlet uniform of the
Grenadiers, and the dark green of the rifle corps. In
many a household sad arid excited groups gathered round
the gallant soldier boy on whom the lot had fallen to go
to the seat of war : excited as they thought of the glory
of fighting in the cause of Canada, sad as they felt that
this might l»e the last Sunday they were to pass together.
For with all abhorrence for the mischievous alarmists
who invariably make the most of such a crisis, there were
serious grounds for apprehension. The blow of secession
had been struck at the life of our Confederation ; the
lialf-breeds and Indians were dangerous foes ; already in
the first skirmish defeat had been sustained by a Cana-
dian force, and more life lost tnan had been lost by
Canada in the fighting of 1837, or the Fenian raids of
18G6 and 1870.

CHAPTER II.

THE PRELUDE OF INSURRECTION.

THE real course of the events which gave rise to these
military preparations was as follows : —
As far back as the summer of 1884, it was known to
the Ottawa Government fc«nd to those connected with the
North-West Territories, that grave dissatisfaction, nay
positive disaffection, existed among the Half- breeds.

'•■W«""i*-' •■wy y ■ » »■ i>yi ■«■ « n i

•*f"f"f-.'i**r*»*t_'**'^-%*w,i#» .yM'*'Mk<k< ^fM^w^p.^"

■•*»»■••■

THT PRELUDE OF INSURRECTFON.

The Half-l>rred population had boon in process of
(growth over since the Iludsou's Bay Company received
its cli alter.

This nominally Euj^lish company was, to a t^'reat ox-
tent, served by French coureurs de ho la, ortirered by
Scotchmen. The solitary life of the trading-post in the
wilderness, with its sure provision for subsislt iico, its
pension from the Hudson's Bay Company for old age, and
its many casual opportunities for gain, were attraction
enough to many a canny Scot. The French conreur de
hois, already half- Indian in blood and ten\perament, was
the best servant the Company could possibly have secured
for the fiir trade of the sub-Arctic forests.

The S[>aniards made the Indians slaves, the British
made them freemen, not as yet allowed the fraiK^hise, for
which savage races are unfit, but protected b}' law ; but
the French have intermarried with them and adopted
their customs. The result has been a curious intermix-
ture of races.

Captain Butler mentions as a case in point his Half-
breed friend Batoche : "His grandfather had been a French-
Canadian, his grandmother a Crow squaw ; English and
Crse had contributed to his descent on the mother's side."
—(Butler's Wild North Land,^A().) The Half-breeds by
a very " natural " process of selection chose the hand-
somest and most vigorous squaws, they also escaped the
curse of tribal intermarriage, which more than one factor
of a Hudson Bay Company's fort has assured the writer
is destined to cause the extinction of the North-West
Indian. With the Half-breeds, even with many of Scotch
descent, the language, manners and methods of surveying
laud for farms are French.

So long as the Hudson Bay Company only had to do
with the Indians of the Canadian North-West, thev were
not seriously demoralized. It is quite true that the Com-
pany made no attempt to civilize, enlighten or christian-
ize them ; while, on the other hand, they were rather
inclined to encourage feuds between the Crees and Black-
feet, as both bought ammunition at ruinous prices during

CANADA S NOTITII-WEST REBKI.IJON.

tliosc wars, while th«se dissensioiiH among the tribes
remlcnMl anything liko asuccesslul attack upon tin- (Jofu-
pany'ft stores out of tlie (jue-stion. ShoiiM the Black feet
throaterj, tlie ofHcer.sof th(^ HiKlson'a Bay (Jomj)any would
call to their assistance the Crees ; thus it was easy I'or
the ^n-cat fur traders to retain the balance of power and the
friendship of the tribes with aconij^aratiNely small force.
As Dakota and Montana began tc be opened up for
settlement, American traders, who make it their business
to keep "on the frontier," pushed their way into British
territory and soon began to sell whiskey to the Cree and
Biackfeet tribes. Thousands of gallons are estimated to
have been sold to tlie Blackfct hunters at a price of a
pint of whiskey for a buffalo robe 1 VVhen the Yankee
snuiggler arrived in a Biackfeet camp the scene of
grotesque horror, and damage to life, probably surpassed
any spectacle of human degrado,tion brought about
by Man's greatest enemy, the " enemy put in the mouth
to take away the reason " 1 The sinuggler's appearance
with his gaudy canteen gave the signal for the liquor
feast. The smuggler roamed triumphant through the
camp, selecting everywhere the finest robes at will, and
after getting rid of his stock of liquid devilry would im-
mediately drive away to escape the danger of the scene
certain to follow. Then began the liquor feast. It lasted
sometimes for daj'-s. The braves, old and young, drank
greedily the undihited firewater. The women and the
young girls drank as eagerly as the men. The young
bucks, the vanity and ferocity of their savage natures
excited by the strong drink, stalked through camp bran-
dishing hunting knives or parading with careless osten-
tation revolvers and guns ready to challenge, shoot or stab
their best friends. The horrors of this whiskey traffic
rendered it necessary that its originators should be driven
out of the country as speedily as possible, and for this
purpose the North- West Mounted Police force was or-
ganized and sent into the country. Of course settlement
followed the advent of the police, and with the advance
of the settlers the buffalo, the mainstay of the Indian,

THE PHKLUDE OF INSUURKfTION.

his .strength and hin wraltli, HU«lihMily left tlie teriit(iry;
and thou the conditioji ut* tho Half-hreod and the Indian
wa8 changtMl for the worse.

In the ohl tinuvs mi I lions of buffalo roamed the great
plains, not only between the North Saskatchewan and
the 4!)th parallel but away north of the great river. In
those times it wa.s not a matter of unusual occurrence for
an outfit of carts to be compdhul to camp for fioni half-a-
day to a day and a-half to allow a herd of butl'alo to
troop past. At such limits one might stand on an emin-
ence and for a belt many miles wide and as far in the
direction whence the herd was advancing as the eye couhl
reach, the prairie would bo hidden by the vast, black,
moving mass. And when such a herd liad passed no
running fire would leave tlie prairie more <lry, dusty and
destitute of grass. It is no wonder that when following
the trails of such great l)ands Capt. Vallissier pronounced
nuiny of the best [)ortions of the North- West arid, sterile
deserts.

In those days what was to them practically limitless
wealth was within the reach of the Indians and Half-
breeds and, as might have been expected, they were
nearly all improvident. Close upon the advent of any-
thing in the shape of white settlement came the hard
times incident to the departure of the buffalo, and it is
not to be wondered at that the natives of the North-
West, whether Indian or Half-breed, should not look upon
the advancement of white immigration with any especial
favour. The Half-breeds settled around Qu'Appelle and
the Saskatchewan had learned to dread the conditions
and methods of land settlement imposed on them from
Ottawa. They especially dreaded being compelled to
change the location of their farms which had l^een sur-
veyed on the old French methods of delimitation, for
square blocks according to the new survey. With or
without reason, they distrusted Lieut.-Governor Dewdney ;
they looked with fear and hatred on tho elicjue of land
speculators which was so influential with those who con-
trolled the allotment of lands. For these reasons they

I ;

iii' :

CANADA8 NOHTH-WEHT IIEBKLLION.

were thoroiifjhly satiivatcd with «li.safr<'v'tion U) tlio Ottawa
government.

This "Was remarked hy Colonel floiii^hton, D.A.O.,
when, in June, \HH\f, he visittMi the Saskatchewan settle-
niiaits in order to remove the arms and annnuriition from
Fort Caileion and Prince AlluTt, a st('[) the unwisdom o^
which this experienced soldier clearly saw.

The FlalfdmHMlsand Indians natuially looked to rjouis
iliel to secure lor thcni i/he same ptivile^'CH which they
believed him to have won for the liull' hieeds ot'Manitoh.i.
Tliey kn(nv that liirl liad held his own against two huc-
cesaive governnuMits represent!?!^ the two ;nrreat parties of
Canada. An armed rebellion ainl a judicial murder had
been condoned in the teeth of exasperated public opinion ;
the French vote liad supported Kiel throuf^di evtsrythinu:,
the Half-breed.s of Manitoba had i(.'C(;ived what they moat
wLshed for : patents for their farms. Clearly, therefore,
Kiel was their best leader; they invited liim to visit
their settlements; during tlie h^ng winter of I88't-I8<s5
he was assiduously engaged in the work of agitation ;
all peaceful and constitutional means, he told them in a
speech delivered at the Catholic church of Batoche, two
days before the rising, had been tried and with no hope
of redress : and wlien at length came the news that Eng-
land was likely to l)e engaged in a Russian wnv, he openly
preached rebellion. To comprehend the secret of KieFs
all-powerful influence with his compatriots, it moy bo
well to take a brief survey of his career previous to the
rising inaugurated in March, 1885.

LUI IS UIUL, FROM A I'OUTUAli' OV t'lVK yUAIlS AGO.

CLlArTER III.

SKETCH OF LOUIS KIKL.

LOUIS RIEL was born at the town of St. Boniface, on
the west branch of the Seine lliver. Riel'a father
was a white, of pure Scandinavian origin, his mother a
Half-V)reed ; he was descended from a very mixed stock of
Indians, Half-breeds and Irish whites. He was born in a
small log-house, of tht 'ost primitive backwoods shanty
pattern. It was thatched with sti'aw, was one storey
high, and contained but one room. As a boy Riel was
known for his activity and bodily strength; he was a
skilful hunter and marksman, and at school was already
the recognized leader among his sclioolmates, among whom
he sought to gain influence by every means in his power.
In order to effect this he was known frequently to share

OAVADAH NOHTIf WKMT KKHFIIION

or ^ivo awj<v )ii^ iliinior to a pnoror follow '<lii<l«Mit I, ike
ftll t»r l''n'Mi'M tloHc»»n<, y<»»ni^ \{\v\ wii-t (l<'i'|»l> atlMcIu'tl to
Ills priKMits. Otiro a lu»y, who lwi<l somr i|iiin m>I witli liiiii,
clmil<'n;,'o«l him to fi^hl. Iliol ioI'unimI uiih-isH his I'litlior
woiiM sjUM'lion it. Ilo was oi^ht ytMirs old wlioii ho litst
ftttoiultMl Hflu»ol at St. honil'iK'o (\>lh>p\now St. MonilMCo
Town IliiM. aiwl at olovon wiim ti'auNl'rrnMJ to tho .hvsiiii
Colio'jfo, Mdotrt'al. \\i> l>or»» tho r««|Mitation of JHMHf^ an
Apt Moholar. «n<l h'anuMi to road, writ(^ and spoak Kii^lish
roinHrkaltly woll.

Ill ISdii, Hiol rotiirnod to St. N'ital, Maiiitoha, whore
hiH pan'iits iivod.aml v\ Iwro hisiuothor now ro.sidoH. At
St. Vilul, Kiol livtMl as a TarnnM, and .son;^dit ov«mv nioMUH
of^.^ainin^ inlliKMio*' ainoiii;; tho ilall' broods ot Manitoha,
whoHo minds ho iidlan\tMl hy dwollin^ on thoir j.,n iovan<'ofl.
This is not tho plaoo to roo.ount tho ovontsof tho rohollioii
of lSt»!^ in which lliol was ohoson loador. In passin/j^,
notio* may ho t,M.k(»n of tho many rooklossly-falso talos .sot
tortli i\s to Hiol's caroor by wtitors who fijot \ip what pnr-
port to bo '* liistoritvs," on tho plan of tlnnlinio novol. Ono
Muoli writor inforn\s his roadors that tho r«»ason Kiol l»a<l
for tho Scott murdor was thai, both woro in Invo with, the
samo i^nrl. As a matter of fact, lliol con Id novor have
soon tho youn^ I'^'b' *^'^ wlnnn Soott's atloolion.s wore
piacivl, who livod, or still livo.s, in a city of Ontario novor
visitod by l^iol

Aftor tho collupso of his tirst thisco of rovolt, IMcjI
travolhul a ^ood doal. both i>i (./anada and tho Diiitod
States, Ilo spont much time in Washinjjjtofj, nnd at
Woonsockot, Rhode Island, at ti»e house of his aunt, Mrs.
Joyce, mother of Mr. Joyce, formoily chief of police at
St. I^«tnifaco. In 1879 he settled for a time in Montana, in
the Sun River settlement, where ho manifMl a l^'rench
Half-breed named Marguerite Bellinieure, of Fort Kllice.
Riel at this time acted as teacher in an Industrial School.
He was very poor, and eked out his moans by buttalo-
hunting, at wddch he was export.

When the North- West Ualf-breeds asked liini to load
them as ^ ^ had led them in Manitoba, he at tirst refused,
ga}'ing that he was aii American citizen, and wished to

HKKTril oK I.oniH lllKL.

fmv« no mnrw to flo with ('aiiu«li/m troiil)l«vt. Kut tluir
(•iititvH i«>r« |)irvail<«<l •••• iiiiii t.o ntti,si>nt..

Hirl iM a iotul ali<tMiii«i-, nui M{M<ak F'lrrirli, lOii^lisli,
and rmii lihiiHii laii^iiMi^'PM. Il»' M|»t'/ikH mIowIv, «li'lilM.r.
jitily. Jiinl willi rir«'rl. I U^ JHstnifi^^, ol' I'liir' Hl.atiirr, M(|im.i'«-
Mli<>nl<l*wr<l, wiMi r(>at,iin>M of ^iratMi' nioliililyy uidI < \|in)H-
Kioii t.liaii iikihI. hall' lii<liaiiM.

At. H iiHM'tin;..'' of thn IImP' lu'.Mfh in Si^pImiiImt, JHHI.,
Mi<> r<illn\viii|{ hill of Ki^litM waM a<lu|it«'<l, ou KiclK hu^-
pvstioii : —

III 1,1, ov UK nil H OK IHh:).^

Klrst,. t]\(^ Kill* jliviMioii into l'i(>viiir,i'H of tlw Nt;rth-

* \\. iiiity ititi'i'ONl, till* rou)l<'r to (!oiiM>Ar<> willi iliiM tlio Hiilflirood Hill of
lllKlit-. >.l IS/O.

I. riu' r\n\\\ t.'i ole<l our own ^l»•^'iMlnl,llr«.

'2. 'I'lio I«(^Ki"*l'itiint to liiivt' iiiiwi-r to |iimH till lnwn loriil to tho 'I'urrltorjp
over tin' voto of f.lm IvMM-ntivi', dy n twn tliinls vo1,c.

.'{. No Act of tliH |)oinitiio(i I'lirlmiru'tit (Io<!a| to the Tirritory) to li«
l)iii«liii|r on tln> iH>o|(li. until mvtn tinmil liy tloMr r«'|iit'M»'ntutivf(4.

4. All MlionlfH, HiawUtrivtiiM, (Oil i(,iil)l«M, «tc. , otd. , to \<(i nlHuttvl liy the
pooph" ; 'i frpo hoiii«iMt»'Hi| iirn-ninption Imw.

r>. A portion of the pultlic IiiicIh to li«> np|iro|)rlatfv| to th<4 Ix'nclit ot
aohoolH, tho I'lilldinK <*f n»ft(lH, liri(l^»»4, moI pnriHh l>iiiMiritCH,

(5. A x>ia'""l'''* to contiprt Winnipt'K by iiiil vviUi tlif> nfiiroHt lim« of
railroad- thn lan<l ^iiinl for hmcIi toail or ioutU to bo itul>jt)i:t to th« Ii*!t{iMla
turo of tlje TorriLory.

7. For four yoarH thw |)uMiti •>,\|it'ni«<H «if th*' 'IVrritoiy, oivil, niililary
urid unuiioipnl, to \u* piiid out of Mm huniinion tttiaHiiry.

H. The military to ho oonipoHcd of thM pooplo now oxiHtin^ in tho Ter-
ritory.

0. Tim Fronfli ami MnKliHli livn(^uaK«H to be (totnriiori in the T^ej;' '*'»'-"'■''
iiiiil (>oun(^il, and all pililio <loounM>ntH and Ai^tH of the Itixinlaiwn) to be
piiMiHhed in both lan;{iiat/«)H.

10. That tliH jiiclj^n ot tlin Miipnrlor Court Kp«!ftk Frnrich nnd Knj^li-h.

II. Troati^H to 1k> (!on';b»(hMl and ratifiiwl b»»tw(«\n tho (iovernmont and
H(>veral triben of IndiunH of thiH Territory, culculatt'd to inHuro peace in th*-
future.

12. That all prlvile^eH, cuatomH and una^'OH exintiui; at the time of the
traUHfor bti roHpfotcd.

13. That tnoMi! riKditH he guarantood by Mr. Macdouj,'aIl before ho he
adtnitteil into thn Territory.

11. If ho have not tlie power hiniHolf to ^rant th*'rn, he nniHt uet an Act
of Parliament piwsec' exproKHly Hecnrinj.,' uh thene rights ; and until wuidi Af:t
bo obtained he uiUHt stay outHide the Territory.

in. That we have a full aud fair repretteDtatiun la the Dominion
Guverument.

Canada's north-wkst iiKBKr.uoN.

Sorond, tlio lIulf-ltnuMlM to rwoeivo tlK» same jjrautH utul
other AilvantA^CH a.s t)ui MuiiituLa HnH'-bruiulH.

Thinl, patents to ho iMHiu'd at oiu-e to the Colonists in
pOHscMsion.

Fourth, tlie sain of lialf-a niilHon acres of Doniinidn
land.s, tho jiroc(3t>il.s to l)o ajiplitul to tho <».stahliHhiiu'nt in
the HaUhreed sotthMiicnts of schools, hospitals an<l siKjh
like institutions, and to tlK
brot'ds with simhI jL^rain and iinplonK>nts.

tspitals at
the t»o'>rt'

r Half.

like institutions, and to tlio i'<|itipui('nt of the }

u\ iinp!onK>n

Fifth, tho roMcrvation of a huiiilicd townships of
swamp land foi- distribution ajuon;;^ tho children of Half-
breeds during the next 120 y<'ar8.

Sixth, a grant of at least !?l.()00 for tlie maintonanee
of an inntitution to be conducted by tlie nuns in oach
Half- breed Kottleinent.

Seventh, better provision for tho aui»|»()rt of tho Tinlians.

It was forwarded to Ottawa, and contoumtuously
throw n aside. This was a fatal t-rror in policy, which was
yet to cost our country a heavy [)rice in blood and
treasure. The Half-breeds were doubtless justilied in
demanding patents frjr their farms, and it was ini(piitous,
as well as impolitic, to refuse this simple act of justice.
Had the Half-breeds hut felt secure that the farms they
had by hard work reclaimed from the wilderness would
be safe from the clutches of the land-grabber, there would
have been no rebellion. The otlier demands were purely
political, and were introduced by Riel himself in order to
found an exclusively French Province in the North-West.
To grant this would have been to re[)eafc tlie lamentable
error by whicli England at the C(>n(juest perpetuated tho
French langiuige, law, and religion, and eHtal>lis}iofl an
island of median-alisn) and of alien race in the midst of
the spread of English Canadian civilization.

' ^v,^" iir;'?nr>

CHAPTER TV.

THK DircK LAKK DISAKIKR.

ALTi tlir(>u;;h the llr.st w«M'k of March, in.siirroctionary
inovonionts took plae«\ StoroH brloiij^iii^' to tho
Hutlsoii Ray C«)n»|uuiy and to the (ioverimu'tit wvvu
HoizocI, loyal settlors were compelled to Huncndcr their
arms and aminunition. The Indians were tampered with,
and were observed to ii-ave their reserves.

Kiel heLjtiu tiio insinri'ction on Mareh 17. He seized
arms and aniniunition at the store of John Keer, a mer-
chant Scuttled at " Hatoche's Crossing," a small villa,!^'e on
the South Saskatchewan, a short distance from Kort
('arlton. He also imprisoned Trees, a magistrate, and
several loyal C^anadians ; Kecley, a miller ; Nash, Tom-
kins, Ross, a fn^ghter, and otliers, in the house of
one Cavan, at Datocho. He usetl tho village church of
IJatoche as a store-house, and afterwards as a prison.
Till' Half-breeds witli Hiel formed a Council of Twelve, of
which Jackson, iormerly a druggist from near Wingham,
w&a the only member ol r)ure white race. This man be-
came a convert to Catholicism just before the rising.
The Council appointed ca])tains of the Half-breed force,
and placed guanls on the trail from Clark'u Crossing to
iiatoche, so as to intercept supplies.

The first reports of tne insurrection were hardly cred-
ited in Ontario and Quebec. So entirely was this the
case that, when the Globft published an account of Kiel's
first movements of rebellion, the story was openly ridi-
culed as a device of party tactics ' But on the afternoon
of March 28, Sir John Macdonald, in his place in Parlia-
ment, confirmed the news of the insurrection, and on
Wednesday, March 25, tho 90th Regiment of RiHes, under
('olonel Nauii^hton, with a portion of the Winnipeg Field
Battery, left Winnipeg fur Qu'Appello, e?i route for the

10 cawada'h nortii-wkst itrnri.MoK.

wt»r«' litpl win rt' tlH»<'i. .• ri>Nrrvi>, utiil<*i' n chui htuii«*<|
Moiinl), wiui nf iloiil.tliil li'h'lily. Ho WIW4 ri smiill hi/.nl
limn. Imt rrafty, ftii«l I>h.| j;iveu much troublo ulremly to
tint Hiitli(»riti(»«.

Hut on riiursday, tlu» 2r»th of Mnroli, Major Oozior,
with H liiinihi'l iiuMi. m«l out I'mui l*'ort I'mh'ton to ix vil-
Ifk^o nofU' Piu-U Lalio, in onlt^r t<» siMMin* houw |>roviHii)n!f
nii«l Miip|»Ii»'s which hiv at thni pliUM*. aii<) in •hm^t^r, hrinj(
nn<lt i'omhd, of fallin'' into tho hundN of llitl. Duck

rOKT rARI.KTON, TUB III DHON PAY i'oHT AliASDONKl* UY COL. lltVlNB AMI

Atri-|;\VAUi>.s m.'hNT.

Twiko, whoso name has attainod Huch a Hini.stor import ns
that of the 8]>ot whciT HowimI tho tirst l)h)oil 8ho(l in tho
rehellion, in situated thirtoon and a-lialf miles south-
cast of Fort Carh'ton, and twelve niiloH from Gabriel's
Croasinpj, on the South Hianch of tho Saskatchowan.
The villa<i:e near which the ti^dit took place is called
Stobart, after the founder of its first settlement, a mem-
ber of the rirm of Stobart ^> Eden, of Winnipeg. It
consists of nine long one-storey log buihiings. It is
fronted by an oinamental fence, an<l at the sides has a
common snake fence. There is no stockade, nor any
means of defence whatever. It is sotnetimes called
Duck Lake A'ilhige, from a long, low, marshy sheet of

TIIK DUCK I.AKR DIHAhTRa

AMI

wnt»»r w}»iol» oxtomU to the went of it. The Hiilf-hr^«»«li»
iiii«i alroKtly vinittMl Duck Lnkn V'illii;;«*. hu'l m< i/ni moiih^
of thn proviHiotiN iukI artuH, and (hi<utoiUHl tho loyal
inlialiitiifiU.

(■rozirr hii<l with liitii, lH'i'uh«H liix party of Mounted
I'olit'o, a niiinlxM' of voiuittrriM frou) (*urlt<»ii, nonio of
thiMn inouiifr.l Mud othi-rs lidinj^iii wa^'^jMnM. Wh»'n th«y
appioachod tiio villagr i\wy haw a l»o«ly of ooiuo fifty

MAJOR cnoZIKU, N.-W. MOLNTKD POLICK.

armed Half-lncodK, apparently ftl»out to (lispute their ad-
vance. A parley ensued with (Jabriel Dumont, a llalf-
hreed much in Kiel's (^ontidence, who was the darinjj; and
tiery loader of the rebels. During the parley a shot was
fired, as far as the evidence has been obtained, it would
seem from the loyalist side, and on Crozier's orders. It
seems that he thouj^ht the 1 falf- breeds were al)Out to sur-
round him. Some brisk firing ensued on both bides.

CANADA S NORTH-WKST REBELLION.

Tlie Half 1»rpftfls, ar^cordinrr to their custom, sought cover
behiud a number of huslies. Crozior's men did the same,
and the combat was maintained for about forty minutes.
Crozier seeing tliat his men were getting tlie worst of it,
and that the civilians in the sh'ighs were exposed to
danger, gave the onhn* to withdraw. Fn their retreat the
loyalists sulfered still more than during the Hght. Ga))riel
Dumont'.s deadly skill with the ride encouraged his men.
The JIalf-breed.s ihvA more than one volley, with what
good aim the number of the killed as conipar(;d with the
number w )unded is a sufHcient proof. The names of the
twelve who were killed are as follow: Ga|>tain Morton,
a farmer from Biuce, Ontario, and an efficient volunteer
officer; \Vm. Napier, a law student of Prince Albert, late
of Edinburgh, Scotland, nephew of Sir Charles Napier
(strange that the kinsman of the victor of Meeanee should
fall in an obscure skirmish 'n the wilderness) ; A. W. R.
Merkley, formerly of Ottawa; S, C. Elliott, son of Judge
Elliott, of London, Ont.; R. Middleton and D. McKenzie,
both natives of Prince Edward Island; Charles Hewitt,
of Portage la Prairie ; Daniel McPhail, of Prince Albert ;
Alex. Fisher, a young Englishman ; \Vm. Baikie, an old
Hudson Bay employe ; and Joseph Anderson, a loyal
Half-breed. The wounded Prince Albert volunteers were
Captain Moore, whose leg was broken ; Sergeant A.
McNabb ; and Alex. S. Stewart. But two of the Mounted
Police were killed, viz. : Constables T. G. Gibson and
Geo. P. Arnold. The wounded Policemen were Inspector
Joseph Howe, of St. John, N.B., of the gun detachment,
nephew of the once all-powerful Hon. Joseph Howe, the
Nova Scotia statesman; Corporal Gilchrist; and Con-
stables M. K. Garrett, J. J. Wood, Sidney F. Gordon,
A. M. Smith and A. Miller. This melancholy list con-
tains the names of young men from almost every })art of
the Dominion: the Maritime Provinces, London, Kings-
ton, Ottawa, and the North- West settlements are repre-
sented as well as England, Scotland and Ireland. At
this engagement the reltel force numbered two hundred,
and their loss was six killed and three wounded.

THE DUCK LAKE DISASTER.

Tho party of 11 nif breeds which foufijht at Du'jk Lake was
ill reality tlie a<lvance j^iianl of a much lar^jjer force with
whif'h Kiel had inten(h^<l to attack Fort (.'arltoYi. This
he did not do, as Colonel Irvine had arrived with a larijjer
force of Mounted Police and sleii^hs from Swift (■urrcnt.
He had eluded the Half-breeds who had gone to intercept
him at tho ford of the South Saskatchcwa!! known as
Gabriel's Crossin^r — where the slielving banks covore<l
with trees would have given great advantafjo to an
enemy — by marcldng to Clark's Crossing instead, and
reached Fort (Jarh^ton with his force in good condition
just after the Duck Lake light.

AJ^OTHER ACCOUNT OF THE DUCK LAKE FIGHT.

A genthiman from Prince Albert cognizant of the
circumstances preceding and attending the J)uek Lake
iiglit, furnishes the follow^ing :

It w41l be recollected that the Half-breeds of Mani-
toba received a grant of land (240 acres to each), when
the North-West was taken over by tho Dominion. A
number of Half-breeds were living outside of the present
boundary of Manitoba, in this and other parts of the
North-West Territory at that time, and though many
years have passed since the transfer, and frequent peti-
tions have been sent to the Government, they have
never yet received the grant of land bestowed on their
brethren in Manitoba. Other grievances, such as want of
repi'csentation in the Dominion Parliament, the number
of Government nominees in tho North-West Council, the
management of the public lands, and the inattention of
the Government to petitions and representations on local
matters began, among the white settlers as well as the
French Half-breeds, to create during the last year or two
a good deal of irritation. The great amount of destitu-
tion in this district during the past year added keenness
to the feelings of dissatisfaction and indignation,
2

CANADA 8 NOUTU-WEST REBELLION.

In these circuin.stancos the French Half -breeds sent to
Montana n deputation to invite Uiid, whose term of out-
lawry liad expired, to vi.sit Prince Albert settlement, and
i^ive to the B'rencli-spoaking population hi.s counsel and
aid in obtaining what they desired from the (.{overnnient.
Kiel, on his arrival, was gladly received by the French,
and even by many of the Canadiaii settlers. The latter,
when taunted about the indecency of countenancing or
employing a man who had been denounced as a l)andit
and a nmrderer, vindicated their conduct by pointing to
the action of the Government. They said Riel had paid
the penalty which was thought sutlicient for l)is former
crime. Look how the Govei anient neglect to give atten-
tion to our wants ! Petition after petition is pigeon-holed
in an office at Ottawa and receives no further notice.
These French people are entitled to their lands ; why
should they be so long withheld by the Government ? We,
too, as well as they, are entitled to redress of other griev-
ances. Perhaps, now that Riel is here, the Government
may at last condescend to recognize our existence.

At the public meeting which Riel addressed he spoke
with great prudence and propriety, urged above all
things unity of action, and proposed to seek redress only
by constitutional measures. Some of the discontented
Indians came even from groat distances to visit Riel and
his friends, and it was feared that he was tampering with
them. A number of the settlers formed a union, and
continued for months to act in concert with Riel, whose
agitation they regarded as quite loyal and constitutional.
After a time Riel began to urge that the Indian title to
the North-West had never been extinguished ; that it was
not with the Hudson's Bay Company, but with the Indians,
the Half-breeds, and pioneer wdiite settlers, to whom
the country really belonged, that the Government had to
deal. It is believed also that he was bent on claiming
from the Gov^ernment indemnity for personal losses,
which he had sustained by the confiscation of property
once belonging to him in Winnipeg, and which has
increased enormously in value since the time of his

The duck lake disaster.

hflui.shmont. Ifc is almost certain that he began to })iit forth
cliiimsauch as the wliito settlers could have nosyuipatliy
with, and the Dominion could not tor a moment cntor-
tair> ; and unknown to the English-speaking part of the
connnunity a .secret conihination was iormed to attempt
to enforce their deman«ls l>y illegal aad violent moans.
Some say that Kiel be^an to use stronger language only
with the hope that ho might be arrested on insiitficienfc
grounds, and thus excite public sympathy on behalf of
himself and the movement of which he was the leader.
The language used by him at some meetings came to tlie
knowledge of the police and others. The Ministcis of
the Dominion were informed, it is said, that therf) was
imminent danger of an outbreak, that the Indians — starv-
ing, mutinous, and some of them almost desperate — would
fall in with Kiel and the Half-breeds, and that the
plunder and massacre of many of the white settlers at
this remote point miglit be accomplished before assistance
could be obtained from below. Prince Albert is separated
from the C. P. R. by an almost unbroken and unsettled
prairie 250 miles wide. The journey cannot ea.ily be
made in less than a w^eek, and an armed force carrying
its own supplies would of course take longer time. Kiel
could in a tew hours raise a force of several hundrcMl
Ilalf-breeds and an unknown quantity of Indians. The
Police force in the district was not very strong and
stationed at a most inconvenient point. The white
settlers were therefore, if he had preparations made for a
rising, really at his mercy.

Major Crozier, commanding the force at Carleton, sent
w^ord to Prince Albert that in the case of an actual out-
break he would like to be assured of assistance. A
meeting was consequently held on Wednesda3^ the 18th
of March, when, though most felt that the gravity of the
situation had been exaggerated, it was determined that a
company of volunteers should be formed to be ready I'or
ijorvice when called on by the authorities. During the
very time when this meeting was held, Riel, at a point
some 40 miles off, was provifig that the situation was

T"*,^'»

CANADA'S NOIITH-WEST IIEBEI.UON.

quite as grave as any one could desire. Ho, followed by
a crowd of H ilt'-breeds, seized the store of Walters h
Bak'T, at Hatoche, and launehed out on that insane and
reckless course wliicli has alicsadv brou-dit terrible disas-
ter to some, and niuiit brin<^ still more terrible disaster to
many nioi'e.

It may be well at this point, before sketching the
Huccectlini,^ eourso of events, to give an idea of the country
and th(5 localities afterwards to be referred to in the
narrative.

The North and South Branches of the Saskatchewan
unite at a point about thirty miles east of Prince Albert,
called the Forks of the lliver. The North Branch from the
west approaches the South Branch flowinirfrom the south
at a point called "the Elbow," some loO miles west of
the Forks ; then the rivers run ])arallel to each other, but
some twenty or thirty miles apart, first in a northerly and
then in an easterly direction, to their j)oint of union.
About fifty miles from the Elbow, Carleton Fort is situ-
ated on the southern bank of the I^orth Brarjch, and
almost opposite to it, on the South Branch, there is a
village called Batoche, which is the centre of the French
Half-breed settlement. On the road from Batoche to
Carleton, about four miles from the former and tifteen
from the latter, is another small village, near an Indian
reserve, called Duck Lake. The town of Prince Albert,
the centre of the English-speaking population, is fifty
miles east from Carleton and about forty miles north-east
from Batoche, the roads from these two places converging
at a point twenty miles from Prince Albert.

At Carleton there are a few Half-breed settlers and
only one or two white families. The fort, facing the
river to the north but distant from it almost half-a-mile,
is enclosed on the south by a semi-circle of hills, w^iich
are about two hundred feet high, and less than one
hundred yards distant from the ^fort, and covered on the
sides with brush and small trees. It is hardly possible
to conceive a worse situation on which to locate a fort,
and station a body of armed men. In case of an attack

THK DUCK T.AKE DTR ASTER.

in force not a man would be allowod fco hIiow bis bead
outside of tbe cni'losure ; and oven inside tbe wbole
Hquaro couUl be conniian<led n'on\ tbe bill.s, except tbe
part under shelter of tbe buildin^^s on one side. Besides
tbo Police barracks tbe only building in tbe fort is tlie
HudHon's Bay store. Your readers may jud<^e of tbe
wisdom wliieb stationed tbe mass of tbe police force in
sncb a gravel pit, forty or fifty miles from tbo settlement
wliicb it was meant to protect. Humour bas it tbat tbe
Dominion Government is guided in making its appoint-
ments and arrangements more by private inHuenccH tban
by concern for tbe safety or benefit of tlie general
community. Passing sucli subjects, bowever, I now
return to tbe outbreak of Wednesilay, 18tb Marcb, at tlie
Village of Batocbe. On tbe afternoon of tbat day Kiel,
followed l)y two or tbree score of men, entered tbe sliop
of Walters & Baker and said: " Well, gentlemen, it bas
commenced." " Wbat bas commenced ? " said Mr. Walters.
" Ob, tbis movement for tbe rigbts of tbe country." He
tben asked for arms and ammunition, and urged tbat
tbey sbould be given up (piietly, saying: " If wt^ succeed
our government will ])ay you in full, and even if we are
defeated you will be indemnitied by your own." Mr,
Walters refused to give up tbe powder in bis store and
reacbed for a rifle banging unloaded on the wall. Ife
was immediately seized by a number of men, and, along
witb bis clerk, was made prisoner. Tbe store was then
plundered, tbe Half-breeds clothing themselves with
coats, boots, etc., from the store. All tbe freight as it
passed from day to day through Batocbe from Troy, was
seized. Private parties obtained a receipt for tbe goods
taken from them, but all Government and Hudson's Ray
freight was at once confiscated.

Intelligence of tbe outbreak did not reach Prince
Albert initil after midnight on Thursday. Tbe telegraph
line had been cut, all travel stopped, and the first news
came from Major Crozier, at Carleton, to Major Moffat,
who was in charge of the few police in Prince Albert.
Crozier recommended the enrolment of volunteers, and

!\H

Canada's notitii-wkst rehkllion.

WTffoj] tliat AS many as possible should bo sont to bis
assiHtauco. If o was ublo also to report that Coloiu;! Jrvirw».
witli one liuDlied nifii and sixty horses, had already
siartc) from Troy for Prince Albert, At the public
meeting' hasiily snrninoned to bear those dcspatc^boa,
it was stioiijjfiy felt that it would be much bettor
for Crozior to aliandon Carleton, burn! 02; wliat ho could
not carry off, and coricentrate all the forces in the district
at a point where they could protect the whites. Riel
could also march front Batoche on Prince Albert hmfji;
before the force could reach it from Carleton, and could
plunder the place it* ho chose. It was determined, how-
ever, to comply with the request of the Government
olTicials, and Captain Moore, with forty-seven men, started
for Carleton after midday, and reached it by 10 o'clock
tliat night. An operator was sent across the piairie by a
circuitous route to Humboldt, seventy miles south of
liatoche, to telegraph to the East for assistance, and also
to nrire Colonel Irvine to advance with all haste. On Satur-
day Walters and his clerk, having been liberated by Riel,
came to Prince Albert. They repor^,;ed that they had been
as well treated as could bo ex])ected amid the confusion
at Batoche, and that Kiel held a numljer of piinoners
there, whom he had seized on different pretexts. In his
conversation he spoke confidently of obtaining possession
of the country, and said that his government would gi/e
one-seventh of the land to the Indians, one-seventh to
the Half-breeds and pioneer whites, a seventh to the
churches and schools, and hold the rest for public pur-
poses. His force was supposed to consist of three hun-
dred Half-breeds and about one hundred and fifty Indians,
armed with guns and rifles. During tlie next two or
tliree days, though freight was still being seized as it
arrived at Batoche, the feeling of alarm was gradually
passing away. All sorts of rumours were abroad of
English a.nd French Half-breeds in the different settle-
ments ofl'ering their services to Riel, and of his intentions
to attack Carleton and plunder Prince Albert. The arri val
\)i Irvine with his force was daily expected, and it was

•«- -. ^ ••m t ,

II ■» II y n w^.

THK » UCR LAKE PISASTFU.

confKl.^ntly hoped tliat whon ho and Crozior nnitnd, they,
wit.li the aid of the voIiuUccin, would scatter th« ▼•jbelH
at t)jo Hrst touch, and that Kiel and Ids leadin«jf followers
would take to lliLfht aeroH.s the prairi". On Tuesday
iiifjht Colonel Frvnie wdth his troop, arrived quietly at J)
o'cloek and was ^'reeled with rousiuL,' cheers as ho |)a.sse<l
through the town. Tiie Colon<d assured repre^iontatives
of the town who waited on hiiu that he wa.s more con-
corned about the safety of the whites thau about savinfj
the solitary store ami rotten fort at C'arleton ; and that
the great purpose of Ins mission would be kept in view
in all his movementH.

On the next day he rested his force, as for several
days he ha<l lieen making forced marches, and about
twenty of his men were snow blind.

On Thursday, 20th Maroh, he left at 3 a.m. for
Carleton, taking with him eighty police and thirty more
volunteora from the town. The people of Prince Albert
have reason to be congratulated on their courage and
public spirit — having thus sent on two occasions about
eighty men, the flower of their manhood and strength, to
aid the Govern me»^t forces at a distant point, and leaving
their own town and people almost naked to the attack of
the enemy.

Col. Irvine reached Carleton on Thursday afternoon
just in time to learn the great disaster which had
occurred in its neighbourhood. To reach Ihis properly it
may be well to return to the departure of the first con-
tingent of volunteers on the p-ovious Friday iti compli-
ance with the entveaty of Major Crozier.

Thos. McKay, one of our most intluential citizens, had
gone up with the com])any. He and his family are well
known and much respected all over the district. On
reaching Carleton he went on his own account to Batoche
to interview the insurgents and use his influence to
restore peace and order without further violence. He
went in company with a Mr. Mitchell, the storekeeper at
Duck Lcike, who had come, bearing a message from Kiel
to Major Crozier, requiring his surrender. On reaching

(?ANAnA'S NOnin-WRST RFTJRFJ,T()N.

Batocho Mr. McKay told evory one that tlio coinplote
ovrrtlirow of tli<ir riiovi'iiicnt was (^iily a (luostion of a
slioit tiinn, and tliat tlioir only liopo of safety was to bo
found in thcii- innncdiato disjiiTsal, and tln^ sim-endor of
tho loaders of tlic nioveniont, wlio nuist be dealt with and
punislifd by tilt' law. Kiel, tinditii; that MOine wore con-
fessing' that tlicy had been forced reluctantly into the
movement, had Mr. MeKay brou^jht before his council,
c]iar;^nri<^ him with endan;^'t'rin«,' tho siiccoHs of their cauHo
by .statements which ho coidd prove to be false. Mr.
AlcKay liad a.s.sured tln'm that all tlio white scttlens
wore a;j;ain.st them, and that tho Kn^'lish lialf'-breeds
would, at the l<*ast, remain neutral. Kiel proposed to
bring forward Mituesses tj prove tho reverse. The
council, l;owever, agreed to liberate Mr. McKay, and as
he dej)artod an arran^'ement was made by Mr. Mitcliell
by wliich two from Carleton and two from iUtoche
sliould moot near Duck Jjake to consider the possibility
of a settlement. Captain Moore and Mr. McKay met tho
representatives from ])u(5k Lake, Nolan and ]je]>ine, on
the following day. No terms could be nuide, as the
insurgents demanded tho siurend(T of Carleton ;md of
all Crozier's forces, and McKay and Moore deujanded the
dispersal of the French and that their hmders .should bo
given up.

On Thursday morning, when Col. Irvine was on tho
way from Prince Albert to Carleton, it was thf)Ught
advisable to .send a party of sixteen police and volunteers
with teams to Duck Lake to get su})plies from the store,
which, as far as known, liad not yet been seized by Riel.
Mr. McKay again led this party. On approaching a
point about two miles from Duck Lake ho was met by a
Force of twenty-five or thirty armed horsemen. Having
told for what purpose he had come, he was insolently chal-
lenged to go and take the .stores if he dared. Prudently"
declining this, he was asked to surrender his arms and
party to the rebels. This, he firmly said, would never be
done while tliey were alive. Then he was challenged to
commence firing, his teams were knocked about, and

TIIK DUCK LAKF niSASTRR.

pcvoral phots fired over thoir hea<ls to provoke thorn.
Mr McKay and his iiujii remained cool, with rifiew in
hand. At length ho. proposed thai lii.s party should
return as tln'y cani**, and warned tlio insurgents not to
follow thi'iii a.s ho cotdd not answer for his men if
in«ilosted \>y pursuit. On >^'''tlin«Tf clear of the rebels ho
sent Word l»y a patn^l to ('arlcton of what had o(rcurred
and followed IcMsurely with his teams. When the news
reaehed < /arlcton tlnu'e was ;(roat excitonnmt and indig-
nation. Tt wa.s nof supposed that a very laroje number
of Kiel's party C(nild 1)0 at J)uek liake. it would even
seem that some of the Prinee Albert party brouj^ht
pressure to bear upon the counuandint^ ofPicer not to bear
the indiii:nity put upon them. Perhaps some tbouglit
that thti insurj^^ents mij^^fht be erushed at onco, or at least
the stores secured with ease. Major Orozier, as v/e need
not wonder, seems to have hesitated to incur the respon-
8il)ilitv of attack inj:^, when his commandint^ oiii'-cr was, as
he well knew, approachinjL; and within a few hours' march.
Volunteers, however, were called for, and on the point of
startinjT, when McKay and the teams reached the forh.
Agai*" there was a sliglit hesitation, but finally sixty
police and twenty-five volunteers were commanded to
start. They took with them the only field-piece in their
})ossession — a seven-pounder of brass, which had seen
service with Napier at Magdala.

On arriving at the place where the teams had been
stopped in the morning the scouts were again chased in
by twenty or thirty horsemen, followed by a body of nu'n
on foot constantly increasing in numbers as others came
from Duck Lake. Major (/Vozier halted liis troops, and
the police spread out to the left and the volunteei-s to the
right of the road. One ol" the rebels was waving a
blanket, and Major Crozier, with the interpreter, went
forward to meet Jiim and a few others who were advanc-
ing along the road. A short and unsatisfactory conver-
sation took place as to what was wanted by our men and
where they were going. At the same time the reftels
kept advancing and scattering across the front of our

canada'b yonrn-wrsT nrnKLuoTf,

mon. Tlio ofRniT and intrrpn^tor iiwistod thfit ihey
Hhoiild \n> ki'|it, Imck, Imt no h('«»<l wjim paid to ih«' warn-
iiij^. ('r«>/i»'r tlwri r»^tin<l to his nu'ti and toM tli»»iii to
coirniifrKM} tiring. The ndu'ln had mow mostly h'tl the
road and wcr« getting' undor covor ainon/jf tlu^ Itliifls or
^'roV(«s ill front of our rnoii, an«l ev(3n Jiround thuir flank.
A nnndtfr niadr tlwir way into tin empty lo;j; hnildin^^ to
th« liufht of our line, from which thoy ponrfd a r.nirdcr-
ous fire on the vohmtt,'<'rs. Tho cannon Hred thioo shots;
then, by a sad mistake, a .sholl was put in before tho
chnrj^e of powflt^r, and th(^ tfun lu-came useless until tlie
••n;;M;T(»nu'nt was ovci-. Tlio rebels' (ire was very severe.
(.)ur nn'n were in a holjuvv, while the enemy had <^ood
cover and hi<d\cr L'ronnd. Tlic Indians and Halfdirct'ds
llred with ;,'n'at coohi'ss, droppin;,' on tlieir blaidvi^is an<i
takinnf sun; aim. Tlicy vvcre ;,'radtially working round
the Hank of our force and about surroundins^ it, when
orders were j^'von to retreat. A rush wa.s made for the
roari, tlie teanis w re hitched up, the wounded, with tho
exception of one man^ who wa.s not ni;ticed, had already
been [>nt in the sleii^hs, and the force retreated, leaving
nine men deid or dying on tlie field. Five horses, some
of them shot, had also to be al>andoned. Had our men
remained but a little lonf^er the wliole force would have
been sacrificed, [t was almost a miracle that the j^unnors
and their horse.s were not destroyed and the ^nn cap-
tured. It wouM seem t') ordinary persons a fatal mistake
to have taken it so far to the front, where it was under
close rifle fire. About a (]uartor of a mile farther ba(5k
th(^rc was rising ground, from which the gun could liave
poured its shot on the enemy, while our men could have
ailvanced under the cover of its fire. It does not scorn
eithei' to hrve occurred to the commanding officer after
retiring out of rifle range to ren(!W the iire from his
cannon, and treat the rebels to a few shells to cover his
retreat, even if lie did not return to recover the dead.
Of incidents during the skirmish there is not now time
or space to write. Captain Morton, of the volunteers, a
mail much respected and loved, was shot ia the breast.

TUK DUCK I,AKF niRASTEFl.

!r«> tolil tlioHo Im»sii]o him who ofT.»rc(l IjIiii ai<l that fhoy
( (Miiti do iintliini:^ Tor him. hut a-sUi-d thorn to care for )\\h
wile an<l fnmily. f^oor Napier -oiio c)f that ^^allant Sc«)t-
tish lumily which lu»s ^ivrm ho many henx's to fii^ht for
their country — was hit fir-st on tho hreast, and diopjHMl
to his kne^s. To tlw n(>xt nmu he Haid, " 1 am Hhot.
Tfil my father and motlier f <li«'«l lil^o a man." He wn.s
aCterwanls Hliot thro»i;.»:h th<» ruirk and in the tld-^'h. S.
('. Klliot, our most proiuisin^ hiwyer, immodiatoly al'icr
helpin*,' a wotnid^MJ man into om^ of the sh^^diM, was sliot
from l)(diind, the Indh't wliich killed hini hoin^ found in
tlie front of his sliirfc after hiw hody was broufjht honu\
Arnold, one of the Mouute<l Poliec!, <,'ot a hulh^t throuijh
th( tipper part of lu.s lun;^H, and sniil, " I'm shot, hut jL^ood
for them yet." He stooped forward a little, and 1ire<l
Heveral .shots more, was shot a;:ain in the ho<ly, and then
re<'eived a third hullet, but was lifted irito the fihMi]fh and
rcai'hed Carh ton. where* \\o died next morninj^. Novvith,
a volunteer, woumhid in tie leg, crept down towards the
road, but the sleij^dis had «jjone. An Indian came up, ami
began to clu)) him with his ffun. He held up Ids nands
to C( ver hiH face and head, and w^as hit four times, and
had two of his tingrrs broken, when a Half-breed noticed
the Indian and conipcllctl him to stop. He was carried
to Duck Lake two liours after, and his life a^ain threat-
ened by two Indians. A;:;ain the Half-breeds protect<^d
him. lie was lil)or; hed on the following Monday, when
the dead bodies wre brought home. Two of the men
were again .*<hot through tlie head and one .stabbed while
lying on the Held. Both of them, it is believed, must
have been at the point of death, if not actually dead.
None ot the de-'d. were scalped, althougli until they
v/crc brought in, there was great fear that this had
been done.

Of the wounded Capt. Moore's ^ef; is shattered below
the knee. Gilchrist, a policeman, with broken thigh, has
8)ifFered intonstdy. Inspector Howe, Gordon, and McNab
had only flesh wounds. The last mentioned nearly had
the artery of his arm severed. In all twelve died, -iAxm of
them (all volunteers) on the tield.. and seven were wounded.

*-* #*|t«rf*-w*>.»r -

CHAITKU V.
ATTRU Tin; iiA'irr.R.

TT wft.s plain ihtii tho dnfj^ncoH of F^)rt Tarleton wf»r«
nof sih'li lis to iimko th<» pbico ttMwildtt di^uitist the
llalt-brec'ls now Wfll snpplic.l with provisiorjM art<l atninti-
nitioii, Rn«l full of triiirn|»li from thuir latii hiicc«\sh.
IWMicIcM this, it WAN tl»otii,'lit tliat Hounly, th«^ Cree chiof,
whofle roHcrvo wah n, fow iniles from (.'aiNiton, was in
Irn^Tjuo with Kit.'l. Carlcton wa.s only <h'f<'n«liMl l»yanolJ
stockade; it was Hitiiatc'«l close to a hitjh hill which com-
pletely connnnrnhd it. On th« next <lay, Fri<hiy, March
27, thorefofM, ('olonel Irvini^ niarehed out of Kort C/arle-
ton. Saeks of tlour wore eniptie*! and HonttenMl around
and soaked with eoal oil. The same day Sanderson, one
of tlie jM'isoners in Kind's camp, was sent to(-arh^ton with
an olh'r to snrriinder tho ho<lies of the dead. H«) ^avo up
tn Colonel Irvine also a h tt<M- from Fliel to o\'e Scott, near
Prince Alhert, who wa.s Hus})ected of synipai'..' witlj the
riHinj^. For scmie rea.son hv was at tiist put under arrest,
and the offer was not accepted lest it should prove to he
a ruse to draw a party into an ambuscade. On Friday
nifjfht, before the preparations for Icavinp; wore quite com-
pleted, a tiro broke out accidentally in the fort. No ef-
fort was made to stay its proufress, an<l on Saturday
nioniing the whole force started for Prince Albert, which
was reached at 8 p.m.

Great relief was felt on tl^^ir arrival. The people of
Prince Albert received on Thursday iit;ht news of the
skirmish and the dcatli of so mai)y of f/hose whom ihvy
had sent otl" full of life, and contiu nt of an easy if not
bloodless victory. It was expected that as soon a.s Irvine
and Crozier had united their forces, the movement would
collapse at once. Now a serious disaster had occurred,
and Riel and his savage forces, tlushed with victory, were

•^ . ■ " ^ C" *

irrrn riir battle.

n^'firor to iii t)mn otir own nun Tlu» ritl/i'iift nt oiuv net
to work til build a Lnrruvuln of roniwotxl Aroiitiil tlio
IVoMhytt'iian Ohuirh and inarno ^(ruundH, in which tliu
woiu«>n and i hildn^n might olitain shrltor. Almost cv^ry
man in town, inoludinj^' tlm** of tho ininiMtotM, woik«Ml
wii)> a will, and in Uihh tinio than conid havo ht>t>ii Nup-
|)OH(>d, a Mti'ung .stv)cku«lu wu.-^ i*oui()lctu'd, in niont placoM

LIKUT.-COL. lUVlNB, N.-W. MOUNTED POLIOB.

eight feot high, and lined within by anotlier pile of wood
on which the nion could .stand. Stores and ice cut from
the river were rapidly diiven in. A lar^^e shed was run
up in the enclosure, and a two-storey house across the
street, which coiiiinanded the square, and would have
given protection to the enemy advancing, was pulled
down and lovoUed with the ground. All tlirough Friday

CANADA'S NOUTH-WEST UEDELLION.

no courier name from Colonel Irvine. In the afternoon ono
of the scouts who had been as tar as Carleton the previ-
ous night, and held fomniunioation with those in tho
fort, tiiough not with the officers, reported seven nuns
from the convent had tho novel experience of spendinj^
two nights under the roof of a Pre.shyterian cler;;yman ;
that sixteen men were dead and the seventeenth was
dying, and that J^ig Bear, one of the most dangerous of tho
Indian Chiefs, had crossed the prairie from Battleford
with 100 braves on snowshoes, and was then witli Kiel at
Duck Lak(5. This news confirmed the fears of a large
Indian rising with all its attendant horrors. The sus-
pense on that night was very painful. It was expected
that the savages would either at once attack Prince Albert
or lie in wait for Colonel Irvine and his troops in "Tho
Pines," where the Carleton trail passes for several mibs
through thick woods, from which the Indians could easily
pick off our rnen as they passed. Not a little vexation
and amazement were felt that Irvine had sent no despatch
on which reliance could be placed.

The manse, church, and shed were filled with the peo-
ple of the town. Three women with little babes only
two or three days old were carrie<l on mattresses into the
manse. The houses near at hand were also lilled with
people ready to run into the stockade as soon as an alarm
should be given. During the night Nolan came in to
Prince Albert. He had been a member of Kiel's Coui^cil,
and acted as one of the French representatives at tho
meeting with Moore and McKay near Duck Lake. He
asserted that he had been compelled to join the movement
by threats that on refusal he would be put to death, and
that after the skirmish he had contrived to make his
escape. He reported that all of the French had been at
the skirmish or close at hand ; and that only four Half-
breeds and two Indians were killed. He stated that
many were urging Kiel to march at once on Prince Albert,
and that what was to be expected was an attack by
night from the Indians, who would perhaps cross tho
river and enter the town from the north side. Major
Mofi'at, who was for giving Nolan his liberty, was induced

tli
h(

AFTER THE BATTLE.

to
e

)r
d

to keep liim under surveillance, and on Col. Irvine's re-
turn on the Satunluy lie was plac<;(l in safe-keeping.

Not till 1 i>.ni. on Saturday was intelligence received
of Irvine's march from (varlet(jn. Two hours after the
wounded were driven in. It was with thaidcfulness
learned that onlv twelve were dead and that the wounded
had borne the journey very well. Captain Moore, thou^'h
the splints had been removed from his shattered le<?, said
ho '* came down (|uite comfortably, and had smoked eleven
pipes by the way." The force had not been molested in
" The Pines," nor was the enemy anvwliere seen. The
police and vokmti'ois were greeted on their arrival with
ringing clieers — the joy and gratitu'le shaded only by tlie
thought that nine of theii* brave comrades were still lying
dead upon the field, exposed, as far as was then known,
to the hot sun by day and the frost at night, and possibly
also to beasts of pr<3y.

About 7 p.m., just as people w^ero ho})ing that all was
safe, the scouts and telegraph operator came in from the
road that leads to Batoche and reported that a force of
Indians was approaching and close at hand, A shot was
fired from the stockade, and messengers rushed in all di-
rections to alarm the people, and bring them within the
stockade. The church bell was rung ; and even in the
midst of the alarm there were many who noticed how
different is the eHect on the soul of the same sound in
different circumstances. The bell vv^hich had rung out joy
and gladness after a wnnlding, which had filled them with
solemn and devout feelings as they went to the house of
prayer, seemed now to be pouring out sounds of horror
and making the heart quake with alarm.

" Hear the tolling of the bells 1

Iron bells I
What a tale of terror now t^'eir turbulency tells —

In the silence of the night,

How we shudder with affright
At the melancholy menace of their tone —
For every sound that floats
From the rust within their throats

Is a groan."

CANADA S NOUTII-WKHT HKHKLLIOM.

Slid

I a

panic

ever see a<rnni

many pray to Go<l that they may not
Women arose fDm tlieir sick beds and
rushed ijito tlie enclosure; chihlren snatched up in their
ni«i;htelothes were earrietl into tlie ni;inse in Ijliinktfts.
Another woman with .i l)abe only a U'w hours okl was
added to tlie nuuiitrr of those previously e,arri<«d in. The
n)inister and otliers guarded the door, adiuittin»j^ women
and children oidy, and sternly refusing admittance to
selfish (»• timid men and hoys. Some sad and one or two
anmsing scenes might he described. Two or three of th(^
women fainted and the doctor was passed in t(/ attend to
the sick. After the first rush was over all behaved very
well, keeping (piiet as th(>y sat on the floor, and receiving
as well as could be expected the assurance that there was
n ) sufficient cause for the alarm. Meanwhiu; the stock-
ade was lined with police and volunteers in arms rea<ly
to receive tlie enemy. After a time it was discovered
that the scouts ha<l been far too hasty in giving the
alarm, as they had not actually seen the Indians at all.
A few days after, however, it was said that the Indians
had been on the march, but coming to theOarleton Road,
and noticing the traces of the pjissage of the pol* -e force,
they returned to Kiel's camp.

On the Sabbatli Sanderson and two others went with
sle'ghs to Duck Lake to bring in the dead. They found
that Kiel had permitted the prisoners whom he held,
and some of the French to go out and carry the bodi'^s
into the house from which so many had been shot. On
Abjnday at noon they returned, bringing along with the
corpses, Newith, the wounded prisoner, whom Riel had
liberated. The bodies were laid out in an empty build-
ing, and with great thankfulness it was found that none
of them had been grossly mutilated by t^.e savages. The
nine bodies lying side by side, the faces of two blackened
with powder, formed a ghastly spectacle. A few days
before they went forth, full of life and spirit, too eager,
poor fellows, for the fray, and too contemptuous of their
foes, and there now they lay — stiff, discoloured, and silent
in death. But they w^ent at the call of duty, and they

AFTER TIJK BATTLl.

died on " the field uf honour." Loving and gentle hands
carried them to dillcrent pianos and prepure<l their hodie.s
for the hurial. Well may tlie peoj)le of Prince Albert
clieri'^h their memory witli fit)rrowiii<x nrtectit^n and
solemn pride. Mko Him in whom we trust for .salvation,
thoui;h of eour.se in a lower sense, they "laid down their
lives lor their t'rien<ls."

On 'ruenday, at, 2 p.m., the funeral procession fltart<Hl
for the Church of I'jiin^land eemeter3\ where it was tliou<^d»t
btvst to liiy the nine tojufethtn- in one eonimon grave. The
Prince Albert band led the way ])layin^^ a funeral march.
Then followed the volunteers, a body of police, and the
ministers of the town. Next came the eotlins, the
mournei's, and the j^eneral publie. The liisliop and two
of his ('\vv<xy read thi; oruinary burial service. There
was no sermon nor address, nor allu.siori to the; peculiar
circumstances. To some ifc seemed a pity that tlie order
of the Church should V)e so ri;j;id as to prevent any more
honour being done to these brave men brouefht in from
the field of battle, than would be shown at the burial of
a newborn cliild. The IJishop of Saskatcliewan, and the
Presbyterian minister, however, both preached funeral
sermons appropriate to the circumstances on the following
Sabbath.

Thus closes the story of the first act in the great
tragedy. The story is a pathetic one, telling as it does
ot" true heroes whose blood was poured out upon the
snow, not in the cause of freedom and the defence of
their hearths au'l homes, but in ol)e<lience to that stern
call of duty that foibids us to argue as to the justice of
the cause and only commands us to defend the honour of
the old flag, and ask no ({uestions of the cause. By-and-
bye somebody may be called to answer for the blood of
those gallant fellows who perished nobly with words of
defiance and un(iuenchable briivery on their lips ; but for
the ]n"esent we can only shed bitter tears over the
untimely flight of spirits, the bravest of the brave.

As might have beeii expected, the result of the Duck
bake skirmish aroused the Half-breeds to more active
3

CANADA S NORTH-WEST RRRKT.T.TON.

rehelHon. Everywhere the tele^^^raph wires woro cnt,
and the stores and aniinnnition j)lundere(l. Tho Mounted
Police and what vohinteers could ho armed held I'rinee
Albert, liatlleford, Fort Pitt, Fort Saskatchewan, and
Edmonton in the North.

CHAFF ER VI

THE INDIANS OK MANITOBA AND THE NORTH-WEST.

THE ^reat problem now to be solved was the extent to
which the Indians would assist in the rebellion upon
which the Half-breeds had now fairly launched them-
selves. The follo\^'ing pretty accurate estimate of the
force and disposition of the Indians was made at this
time by a <^entieman well-posted in matters pertaining to
the Indians and to the Nortli-Weat generally. The
question has been answered. This estimate of the pro-
babilities is jmrticularly interesting, as it serves to illus-
trate the nature and extent of our national peiil at this
time :

There were in Manitoba and the North-West Territories
very nearly or quite ^^4,000 Indians who were under the
care of and to a cert.'iin exlx^nt dependent upon the Cana-
dian Governnieiit. They are divided into several great
nations, prominent among which are the " Ojibewas,"
"Crees," "Sioux," and " Black i'eet." Besides these, how-
ever, there are many sub-divisions indicating tribal and
sectiouiil distinctions rather than those of race find na-
tionality; at least a general similarity of the languages
of the various groups would indicate this.

The Ojibewas, very often corrupted into " ChippeA/as,"
besides embracing nearly all of the "bush" Indians of
Manitoba, are closelv allied to the Saulteux of the more
open country west of Red River Valley. Their language
is in many respects similar to that of the Crees, andinter-
mari'iages witli the latter are not infrequent. The

oft(

THE INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND NORTII-WKST. 51

ones

the

ana-

ro,at

vas,

lOW-

and

na-

ages

>^awS,
s of
nore
uage
ter-
The

Swampios, who ocoupy the country ahont the mouth of
Red River, and bord«'nng on Lake Winnipeg, are also of
this same nation. In the event of any hctious trouhlo.s
among the Indiann, it was not probable tliat the Ojibewas
wuuhi take any very active y)art, as most of their bands
were located so as to be nearly or quite surrounded by
white settlements of confli(hMal)le ir»agnitnde. They are,
as a rule, very peaceably inclined, and poorly armed,
most of thera using old-fashioned Hudson Bay Company
shot guns, which, however, will throw bullets of heavy
calibre with considerable accuracy. There are very few
of the Ojibewaa proper to be found west of the Red River
Valley, and most of them occupy the bush country east of
Red Ris^er, though some bands might be found in portions
of Northern Manitoba. There were {»rol>ably of the
Ojibewas proper in Manitoba and tlie extreme west of
Ontario about 4,000.

The Saul teux (pronounced "Sotos") were so inter-
mingled with tlie Crees in the eastern portion of the
North-West Territory and the west of Manitoba that it
was not easy to ascertain their number.^}. There were,
however, not less than 2,500 of them. They are for the
most part to be found in the regions of Fort Pelly, Fort
Ellice, Moose Mountain, Qu'Appelle, and Crooked Lakes.
Among the more well-inclined Cree Half-breeds these
Saulteux have the reputation of being rather clever, and
often very plausible mischief-makers. Some of them are
remarkably well off for Indians, and not a few of them
are exceedingly ambitious. They are, as a rule, rather
intelligent and extremely active and energetic. Their
reserves are for the most part well located.

The Crees largely outnumber any other tribe of the
North-West, and it is in a great measure owing to the
thoroughly pacific disposition of these people that Cana-
dian supremacy has been so easily maintained thus far.
It has long been the boast of the Crees that as a nation
they have never shed the blood of tlie white man. In
times past they proved themselves capable fighting men,
however, in their struggles with the Sioux and Blackleet,

CANADA n NORTH-WEST REUKIXION.

and tliey think thoy aro hHU as capable of fit^htinj:; iw*
tlioy ever were. Theie is no doubt, how(?ver, tluit tlit-y
aro not nearly so warlike a people as the Hlackfeet, and
nothing but a real sense of wr()n<^ would ever induce them
to take u|) anns against British authority. Of course it
is not sayjn<^ that they are wroiiiifed to say that th»^y liavo
experienced a s(?nse of wronij, aiid it is just hert; that the
great dan<^er lies so far as they aio concerned. They
were for many generations accustomed to meeting no
wlute men except the agents of the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany, and whatever may be said against that great
cor})oration the otfencc of lying to the Indians can nt.'ver
be laid to their charge. Aside from the moral aspect of
the case altogether, it was a part of tlu>ir business })oliey
to conduct their traffic with the Indians in such a way
tliat the latter would never bn.vc the shadow of a cause
for doubting the word of any ofHccr or agent of the Com-
pany. If an indiscreet trader made a pron\ise to tlie
huml)lest member of a tribe, that piom'.ae was invariably
fulfilled, no matter what the cost might be. In the old
times an insignificant order of the v^alue of two or three
shillings has been sent all the way to the Old Country,
via York Factory, merely because soTnething not in stock
had been promised to an Indian. As the shipments of
goods to York Factory were not very frequent, the dark-
skinned customer would sometimes have long to wait
before receiving what was promised him, but he rested
safe in the assurance that it would not be forgotten, and
that however long in coming it was sure to come at last,
and so he was satisfied. Accustomed to this sort of
treatment, it is not surprising that the Cree became the
firm friend of the white man. He could rely implicitly
on all tl.at was told him, and he came to look upon the
white man as well-nigh all-powerful. In this way the
Crees were brought up for many generations in a good
school, and it is only a pity that they have not always
had such an example of thorough truthfulness before
them. Inexperienced men, who knew notlung of Indian
character, have been brought in contact with them

thi
pf'(
d.,

TIIK INDIANS OF MANIK.IIA AND MJUTJI-WIST. 5.*}

tliiou;^!! ihf a^^'ricy of tlie Imlian Departinent, and tluso
people, too often pressed by tlio cxi^^oncics of ^vlult tliey
deemed a trying' situation, have made pi.)n\ises to them
Aviuch liavo not boon fultillcd, Promise- had bton made
which could not with propriety be carritul out, «'inil too
oftiin pr(»misc:s had boon made which l»iid beej wholly
forgotten. These broken pi'omises ndi^lit seem little
things to the men who made and broke them, but they
were big things to theao Hini[)lc-miiided children of the
wilds. Truthfulness was the one virtue whieh thev
prized above all others, and knowin'4 notlung of the
nature of the resources u[)on which the Indian Agent or
Fj)»'m Instructor had to fall bac k, they supposed them to
be unlimited, and therefore regarded thoi)leaof inability
no excuse for tho non-fulfilment of any promise.

Big Bear, with a band of about five hmidred, had
always been a troublesome and dangerous man, niorefond
of hunting buffaloes, wheth«'r north or south of the lino,
than of tilling the soil, His reserve was not definitely
located, and it w^as not known just where he was at that
time to be found. He was of the South Crees, but in
common with the rest of that branch of the Oreo nation,
he had been induced to go north. The policy of the
Government in taking the South Crees as far as possible
from the international boundary, and i'rom the line of
railway, was doubtless a good one. In the South they
were frequently getting into difficulty with the Indians
and Ilalf-breods south of tho line, as well as with the
Bloods and Blackfeet of the South-Weit, and had they
remained there tho danger of a collision with the railway
navvies was always to be feared.

Had the insurgents had the opportunity of clioosing
their own time for an outbreak, they could not have
selected a season more thoroughly opportune for their
own purposes. The winter had been a severe one, and,
in any event, these improvident Red-men w^ere always
worse off in the spring than at any other season of the
year. This was the season at which tho Agency supplies
were most apt to fall short, and the advent of spring

--*•■-•(•■

CANADA S NOHTII-WEST HKllKLLION.

weather would soon rcuvlor transportatiou ji matter of
very grave diliicnlty.

Ill the inimediato vicinity of tlie outhn^ak it was to
h(» presumed tlwit there was more to be feanul iVdin t]jc
Ifalf-breeds than from the Indians, as the majority of tlie
latter had always had tlie name of heinjtj peaceable and
well-inclined.

Mis-ta-was-sis (h\^ Child) was the most powerful chij.f
in the CJarloton Aj;ency, and his band only nuinbored two
liundred and twenty-six. Ho hiiuself was a (hn'oiit Pres-
byterian, as were many of his band, and while it was
easy to understand that they wovdd not feel inclined to
rise in arms against people of their own race, and peihaps
in some instances their own relatives, it was not at all
probable they wouhl take any ))art in the outbreak.

Ahtah-ka-koop had a band of one lumdred and ninety-
six, and what has been said of the band of Mis-ta-was-sis
was mainly true of his followers. They were not at all
likely to take action for or against the insurgents.

Boardy, on whose reserve the first battle had ttiken
place, was not by any means an amial)le Indian. His
oand numbered something over one hundred and fifty,
and, like their chief, they had small respect for the white
man or his institutions. Unlike many of the Indians in
theCarleton Agency, they were pagans and had no religious
instruction of any Kind. They managed to raise some
grain and roots, but not nearly enough to supply them
with the necessaries of life. It was extremely ]>robable,
therefore, that Bjardy would cast his fortunes in with the
rebels, if he had not already done so.

Altogether, however, it was not probable tha . many of
the Indians of the Carleton Agency would take any part
in the insurrection, and those who would do so would
very probably be actuated more by a desire to obtain food
ana clothing, than that of avenging real or fancied
wrongs. The condition of these unfortunate people was
dt\plorable. Their staple food, muskrats, had become
scarce, their crops even on the very limited acreage broken
on their reserves wei-e bad, and as early as July, 1884, it

THE INDIANS ()K MAMTOUA AND NOUTIl-WEST. 55

was [)n)|)liesi(Ml tlwit tlicir piiTi('i|»al (l<'pentleiic*> for food
the following' winter would li»5 upon ral)l)itM. The Cn^cH
in the Carleton Atjoncy numlu red nhoiit one thousand six
hundred, and as they hid^istid cliitHy on the pKnlucts of
the chase, they were douhth'ss fairly aruied. They are
divided into al)outa(h)zenHnui.ll hands, and were Hcattered
over a very considerahh* cxttMit of country.

Thert! were at tlie Batth^t'ord Agency, which lies west
of the ('arleton Agency, upwards of two thonsand (-rets
and some tluee hundred Stoneys or Assinihoines, and these
were divided into ahont a dozen Hcparato hands. There
was none of them in a particuhirly prosperous condition,
tliough most of tlieir reservea were well kicateth The
most influential cluef in ihis Atjfency, and perhaps the
most influential chief in the Northern Territory, was
Poundinaker, a Cree chief, whose individual following
was about one hundred and fifty. His reserve was on
Battle Kivei', a shtrt distance west of liattleford. lie is
a particularly fine -looking- s|)ecimen of his race, being
considerably over six feet hi'^U, of ratlier slight bulla,
and singularly erect. He has an intellitjenti and i'atlier
refined looking face, a high, prominent forehead, and a
nose of the purely Grecian ty})e, while there is nothing
coarse or sensual about the lower portion of his face. His
hands are small and delicaie in appearar:ce, his fingers
being long and tapered. He is accounted an orator among
his own people, but has none of the noise and bluster
chat too often characterize Indian oratory. He speaks
slowly and distinctly and in a manner that gives the
hearer the idea of suppressed power. His gestures are
invariably very graceful, and his mtinncr thoroughly dig-
nified, without the faintest suspicion of pomposity or
self-consciousness. He is always solemn and earnest in
his utterances, and generally bears himself after the
manner of a religious entlmsiast who was oppressed with
the idea that he had some great mission to accomplish.
Though a pagan, he has more than once betrayed a strong
inclination to embrace Catholici.sm, His father was a
Cree and his mother a half-sister to the great Blackfoot

CANADA S NORTH WKST HKUtLMON

(!hief, Crowfoot. His (^rAinlmothor on the Hidt* of lii.i
rnotluT wiih Hui'l to Iwivo In'on a Sto!j«'y.arnl Miis is cor-
rulK)ratc(i hy tl»»" ^'n;at cliicfH pocMliiir cast of count<'ruiii('«'.
l'oiin<l?nakor'8 can'or has Ixcmj in liinnv itsspccts a nui.iik-
aMo one. To iiso his own ian^Mmi^M', h«' ol'tm wfiit amoji;jj
tht' lilac.lvfiM't 'hiring' his hoyii'^jd for th«' purpose of kiil-
in;r tlu'ir pooplo antl stt'iilin;;' tlioir ponies, hut wlien hn
fjrow to he a ninn ho ('oncoivcd the iih.'a of niakin;( pcaoe
ht'twoen tlio Chmvs and lilackfoot. Crowfoot, his uncle,
was then alI-pow«M'fnl in th<! couiicHh of thf hitt(!r, hut
often when hv was ahf-cnt from tlio cairip l*»)iMi<hnaki'r
Iny protondifi-j; to nlcep while ho hoard the Hi-ickfoet
debating whotnor to kill hini or not. Many a ni;^'ht had
he lain hom- after liour with liis ri^dit Ji.ind ^'r.'ispin^i; his
big flt»min*4ton rcvolvijr at full cock under his pill(Av.
Alter a winter of terror, and several trips from Ka;^de
Hills to Dlaekfoot (yro.ssini^ durin_t»tho followinj^f summer,
liis great ol>ject wa.s acjomplished, and peace was made
between the two great nations of the ])lains.

As the friend of Crowfoot, the great chief of tho

Bhickfeet, and as one of the most intelligent and inllu-

ential of tho Cree chiefs, Poundinaker could, if ho chose,

beci)me the most danjjerous In Uan in tin' North- We-.t.

His inHuence with Crowfoot liad always been excraordi-

nary, and he was universally looked up to and respected

by all the Crces of tlie North, He had trouble with the

Indian Department in the winter of i8S.'3-84, and he was

not a man to quiiikly forgot an indignity offered to himself

or his people. There was not an Indian in the North-

West who knew tho country better than Poundmaker.

In 1881, when Lord Lome went acro.ss the plains,

Poundmaker jjiued the party for the purpose of inter|)ret-

ing the languige of the Blackfeet into Oee, aa the Cree

interpreter accompanying the party did not understand

Blackfoot. Johnny Saskatchewan Wiis taken along to

act an guide, but between Battleford and the crossing of

the lied Deer the Half-breed lost himself, and for the la.st

two daj^s Poundmaker waH "guiding tho guide." After

crossing the Red Doer, Poundmaker took the lead, and

r*>

fo.
on

Up(

TIIK INDIANS or MANITOUA AND NORTn-WflHT. ft?

travelled in alnioNt an air-lino to tlx iilackt'oot CioHMin^.
tljou^'h tlu^ro wa.H no trail, an«l wl.at was «'Vi'ii niori*
roinarkablii, ainui^Til Iuh tiii>'« tahlo ho that hv hit tlie
Jm'hI ^rasM and wati-r to be had juyt about tainpinj,' tinio
on evurv oc .ahion.

LittU' Pino hail tlie lar{j;«» t following' of any chief in
the Butthd'ord <li.'stii<"t Hin bund nimibrrod w»'ll toward
four hundr^'d and Mt't}, and as h« )»ati I utrncmtly settltd
on his n's«'rvo, too nmch do|)«*nd»MU'o w»i.s not to }m» j)lac,ed
ii[)on Jiis loyalty. I In liad l>' ^n one of the South (JrooH,
and one of th«5 lawt to nettlu ou a Northorn resorvf. }\\h
inon woro w<dl-uruied and woll-nio\mt(ul. Lucky Man
was an Indian of very tuuch tin* H.'uno stylr as Littlo
Pine, he taking ircaty an 1 t;oinLr North at the same tinio.
}{[» band nunibt red about thnje Iniiidrod and fifty, at\d,
like those of Little Piiu^ his men wc^ro will arin»'d and
well-mounted. Like all bullalo hunters, they were expertH
with both pony and rifle. Thfre were upwnrd.s of two
thousand Cree.s in tlie J^attleford Agency, besides .some
throe hundred Stontiys or A.y^iniboines.

In the Kdmout(tn district there w<;re about a dozen
HUiall baiuls of Cree.s, and half-a-dozm bands of Assini-
bcincs. Alto^^ether they numbered nearly tluee thousand.
They were, like the other Indians in the Nortli, in a
miserably destitute condition, and thou^di dis[)osed to be
pacific it was difficidt to say wliat influence tne |)roHpect
of urdimited food and clothing might have had upon
their loyalty.

The Fort Pitt Agency only embraced about seven
hundred peoph;, thou<4h at one timo, during the summer
of 1884, Big Bear and liis band of live hundred were
located there. So far as the Crees properly belonging to
Fort Pitt were concerned, th(ire was not much feared from
them, or much expected of them. Like all the rest, they
w^ere badly off, and would have done a great deal for a
liberal supply of food and clothing.

The Crees of Treaty Four were numerous and well
armed and eipiipped ; but as they were for the most part
pretiy well settled on their reserves, and many of tliem

ft8

canaoa'h nohth-wkmt KKHKr.i ion.

fairly wfU off for IiulinnH, thoy were not likoly to tuko
nart in any iipriHin^ unl'Hi it Mhoiild liavr iHconic ^M>n«'ral.
Tho only clii««k' in Uuh tn-aty who was at all liktly to
bticoino trouliliviouiM wiu* Piapot, who with his hand of
Hve hnndioil and fifty was looat«'d iit Indian Ih'jid, n<!ar
Qn'Appolhv M<' was known to have no v«ry friftidly
frtding towanl tlm Indian Donartniont, and [>arMfuljirly
towaiil.s Li»Mjt4'nant-(iov»»rnor l)t5wdnnv. He was so near
tho railway, and as it wt»ro alinoHt in the heart of a fairly
Hottlotl district, it was thoOLrht that Im would havf .soino
difliculty in ^t'ttin^ away uni)l»Ht'rvod. If theni should
hav«» c(tino anything,' iik • a ^^'n♦>ral uprinini^ ajuonif tho
Indians, howtnrr. INaput would without douht hav«' taken
an activM part on thu.sid«'of tho (■rces.Rnd unfortuiiattdy
should I «• havo dono ho, and niadoanythinj^ likea .succe.sH-
ful Htand.it was ordy too prohahlu that a lar;;n portion of
theH«won thousauti in Treaty Tour woidd have; joined hiui

TlioHo who know any

thin J'

of Indian aflairs in tho

North- We.st wore now w^atching, with a ^neat deal of
anxifty, the attitude of tho Hla(^kfeet nation iti any
future tTisis. Tfiough not so numerous as the C VeeN. th»»so
people, if roused, could not fail to become far n»orti dan-
gerous. They numbered nearly six tliousand, and in tead
of being acattt^red about in snmll bands over a la>j.;e
extent of country, they wi.'re compactly placed as follows,
accordini^ to tlwnr tribal distinctions:

Of the Blackfeet propiT there were nearly two thou-
sand two hundred at Blaekfoot Oossin^', on Bow River,
some sixty ini'js from (Jal«,^ary.

Of the Bloods there were nearly two thousand three
hundred on the Blood reserve, near Fort McLeod.

Of the Piegans (another branch of the Blackfeet family)
there wer(j over nine hundred on the Piegan reserve, on
Old Man's River, a few miles west of Fort McLeod.

Of the Sarcoes there were over four hundred on their
reserve near Calgary. These people were not of tho
Blackfeet tribe, but they ha^i for years been under the
protection of and had foiined a portion of the Blackfeet
nation. The legend concerning them is that they were

fori

poll

diH|
l.y

•

ex is

the

sine

cus

to n

Bla.

port

niK INDIANS or MANITOBA KVU NOllTII-WKHT. A9

foriiHirly a p<»woilfiil liiul vrry warlike trilx', oociipvinK a
portion of tho Vvnni llivi»r rotiMtry. Tlwir turbuN'nt
(iinponition involviMl them in ono war lil'ti-r another, till
l»y tli(>ircoiiHtaiit ti^^'htiri)^, ottcii u^uiiiMt .Nup«-ri()r iiuintMMii,
they bociiiim ho rt'<liu'<Ml tluit tlusy wero no lonj^i'r iil»l«' to

till)

exist anions the tincr and cofiMtuntly warnn^^ MituH o
the North VVost. Atimiing their unuucstioiiahlc Kruvfry,
the Hlacktoet nation to<»k th<Mn uinlor their pintiM«tiori,
si nc«j which tinu*, thtMi<»h they have pre.s«<rvt>«l their own
cUHtoiiiH, hmj^ua^^u. aixl trailitinns, anti thoii^^h ihry have
to a ^n«at extent ai)8taint;<l from ititi'r ni.irri i;,'o with the
lilnckfi't't, ihi^y hav»» hofn to all inU'nts ami purposoH a
portion of the liluckt'eot nation.

Tims it will ho Heon tlint within a ra«lius of hoiiio
sixty miles those tV)nr powe' 'ul hranche.s ot* the IUackf«'et
nation were conceiitraied. Tlie) were all ot* them much
more fond of WJir and pillage tluui of tilling' tin; soil. Of
the fonr trihuH forniinj^ this great nutioTi the hloM<ls had
always heen re^'ii) led as the most p'^w«jrfid and dani^'erous.
Ii«'side8 heing the niost num«Mous tliey wore the most
warlike, and were provided with Wincln^ster rifles, re-
voivors, and ahinidanee of aiinnuiiition. The BloodH hud
a<^ain and again been accused, and often convicted, of
horse-st4;aling, and the unfortunate Police Constable
Oreyburn was murdered l>y a Blood Indian. In fa'>*i, thin
tribe ha<l always enjoyed a nu)st unenviablo reputation
amongst the ranch men of the vicinity. What made them
still more danger. »u» was their close proximity to the
cattle ranches, an I to the extensive supplie;^ of th<; indiiin
Department, an<l those of the local traders at Fort
McLeod. They had no conHciontious.scruj)le8 against the
robbery of either the white men or of their own people.
Neither they nor any of the Blackfeet tribe had overbad
much to do with the Hudson Bay Company, ai.<l fchey
had, as a consequence, received nothing like the lesson of
honesty and good faith impressed upon those whoso traffic
had been with tlie Hudson Bay Company. The Bloods
were particularly iond of "Counting Coo," and regarded
such a prosy and unromantic occupation as farming as

CANADA S NORTH-WEHT HKIUCI-LION.

((uitc beneath the di;^Miity of individuals calling them-
st;lv(iH men. Nothing,'' l)ut tfie pioHsure of circumstances ev(jr
compelled them to a-lopt farming as an oc<nipation, an<i
should thoy have discovered that there had been a pros-
pect of a general Indian uprising, ^my would have Ixion
very much disappointed if they had not been permitted
to play a part in it on one side or the otlier. They had
no artection for the Crees, nor indeed for any tribe outside
of the Blackfeet viation ; but, at the same time, a.y they
would probably have imagined the white settlers, ranch-
men, and traders in their immediate vicinity would have
made much better "picking" for them than the Half-
breeds and Orees, it was not im])robable that they might
have been induced to join the latter, in view of richer
plunder. The Bloods were probably the most accom-
plished hoisemcn in the North- West, tlicy having had a
large number of good ponies of considerable size and speed.
What was true of the Bloods was also true, to a less
extent, of the Piegaiis- They were less numerous, less
warlike, than the Bloods ; but they were, for all that,
sufficiently numerous, powerlul, and warlike to have given
ground ior very serious ap})rehension in case of a general
uprising among the Indians. They, too, were w^ell-armed,
and had in their band some four hurulrod horses.

Though the acknowledged head of the Blackfeet
nation, and though under the immediate leadership of
Crowfoot, the chief of the Blackfeet, the Blackfeet tribe
was scarcely as powerful in the councils of the nation as
w^ere the Bloods. Phey were rich in horses, and were
always well supplied with arms and ammunition,, and in
the use of all these appliances of war and the chase they
had always been adepts. That they were less trouble-
some tlian the Bloods was probably less attributable to
their disposition than to their surroundings. They were
in a measure out of the way of settlement, and their
reserve was one of the most charming spots in the North -
West, if not on this Continent. Thoy were in the valley
of that .ost beautiful of mountain streams, Bow River,
and their land was wonderfully rich and productive.

THE INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND NORTH-WEST. 61

They had an unlirnitod rang« for their ponies, and thu.s
far had been very liberally rationed by the Government.
They had for a few years made very satisfactory progress
in fanuinor, but it would not do to place too much de-
penderjce on this circumstance. When Lord Lome wa>
crossinn^ from Battleford to Blackfoot Cros.sini:j, Commis-
sioner Dewdney was fondly hoping that the Blackfeet at
the Crossing would hcwe made a grand showing from an
agricultural point of vie.v, as it was known that they had
broken, fenced, and seeded a considerable tract of land ;
but alas, before the Governor-General arrived the Black-
feet had received the news that a tew buffaloes had crossed
the line and were coming northward ! This news sealed
the fate of the growing crops which t.e Commissioner
had hoped to show Lord Lome with so miich pride, for
in order to get their ponies into condition for running
buffaloes as rapidly as pos3ible, they had thrown down
their fences and turned the animals into the fields, and the
highly-prized crops ])resented a sorry picture by the
time His Excellency pitclied his first camp on the banks
of the crystal Bow.

Crowfoot was an Indian of more than ordinary intelli-
gence, and the comparatively good behaviour of the
Blackfeet tribe, and indeed that of the whole Blackfeet
nation, was largely due to his rational counsel. He had
sense enough to see that there was nothing for it but that
the Blackfeet should bow to the inevitable, as the Red-
men have always been compelled to do in the long run
on the advent of the white man. There was no longer
game enough in the country to support his people, and
the neighbouring tribes were so poor that they were not
worth robbing. Shoidd his people have risen against the
whites they would always have felt that besides the white
men they would have had their old-time enemies, the
Crees, to fiirht; and, taking all these thinijs into consid-
eration, Crowfoot had evidently come to the conclusion
that, as there was nothing else for him to do, it only
1- Miained for the Blackfeet to settle down and become
oaceable farmers. What influence the news of an

CANADA S NOTITH-WEST REBELLION.

outhreak in the North-West nnj.^ht have upon him it was
hard to tf 11. It wa ; not improbable that ho and his people
n\j(rht wrvnt to take part in it, and not iiupossilde that
through Poundinaker's influence they might have been
inclined to Join the insurgents. And in this connection
there was another circumstance worth considering. Crow-
foot was getting old, and his younger brother-in-law,
Yellow Horse, has a great deal of influence with the
more youthful members of the tribe, who had as yet no
scalps with which to fringe their deer-skin shirts, and. no
"Coo to count." Yellow Horse, though an active and
intelligent Indian of some means, and a particularly tine
apjiearance, had nothiug like the intellectual ballast
possessed by Crovvioot. Should Crowfoot have heeded
nis coun,?el, there could be little doubt that the Blackfeet
would have got into trouble in a very short time. Like
One Spot of the Bloods, Yellow Horse bore no very
choice reputation among the white men who knew him.
Ho was particularly fond of talking of the good old days
when the B]ackfe*.'t were nearly always on the warpath.

The Sarcees, though few in point of numbers^ would
have (■ -nted for a good deal in case the Blackfeet had
gone t> Aar. They were savages of the most degraded
and vicious type. They hated farming, were thoroughly
warlike, and, like all the Blackfeet nations, had arms,
ammunition, and ponies.

Though a formi-iable tribe in the more recent histories
of American wars, it was thought im|)robable that eitlier
the Sioux proper or their near relatives, the Stoneys,
would have taken any part against the whites should
there have been an Indian uprising in the Canadian
North-West. They were scattered about in small bards
all the way fruui Fort Ellice to the Rocky Mountains.
There were some few of them in nearly every agency,
and they w^ere, as a rule, active and ind trious. They
had little to do with either the Crees or the Blackfeet,
and were perhaps more remarkable for minding their ow^n
business than any other Indians of the North-West.
White Cap, the Sioux chief, occupied a reserve at Moose

*« •■?*» ■-> • }'••,■,

THE INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND NORTH-WKST. 63

Woods, only a short distance south of Duck Lake. His
band consisted of about two hundred and fifty, and it
was not loni,^ before h? allied liitnself to the rebel cause,
though such a oourse was not expected of him. Ho and
the elder members of his band had fled to Canada from
the United States after the Minnesota massacre, and
knew quite well that should they become involved in a
second war upon the whites they would have nowhere
to go for rest and pi'otection in the event of defeat.

CHAPTER VTT.

GENERAL MIDDLETON AND STAFF ON THE SCENE.

IT has been mentioned that the 00th RiHes had been
ordered from Winnipeg to Qu' Appeal le, together with
the Winnipeg artillery. They arrived on Sunday, •29th
of March, and were established in comfortable barracks
at the immigrant quarters, the division which arrived
earliest being placed in Fort Qn'A]>pelle, eighteen miles
to the north. General Middleton, Commander-in-Chief of
the Canadian Militia, on his arrival at Qu'Appelle, de-
cided that it would be unwise to proceed to the scene of
the rebellion w^ith the force on hand, and resolved to
await the reinforcements on the point of arrival from the
East. This distinguished officer began his military career
in 1842, his commission as ensign bearing date December
30 of that year. His hrst ex|)eriences of active service
were in South New Zealand, wheethe insurgent Maoris
carried on n fierce guerilla warfare much the same as
that of the Indians and Half-breeds in the North-West.
He took part, in the successful attack which carried the
strongly intrenched " pah " of Wauganui. He was next
engaged in the suppression of the Santhal rebellion in
India, and took a leading part in the desperate, but
u'lorious, struoftjfle of the few British soldiers who faced
llie terrible storm of the Hindoo Mutiny in 1857-58.

CJANADA8 NOIITH-WKST IIEMELLION.

Captain Mi'Mlciton served as orderly officer to GoiKiraT
Fratiks at tin* battle of 8ultan|>ore, and took part in the
aflvai'.ce on Lucknow. While thus enira«xod he was
A. 1). C to (loneral fiUard. He to )k part in the .storming'
of Bank-i-Hoiin and the Martiniere ; Major MiddUston
was reconunendod hy the general otlicer under whom ho
served to Lord (/lyde tor the Victoria Cross on account
ot" two sij^nal acts ol* valor in the field. At the Battle of
Azenighiir, on April 15, 1858, ho was ordered to take
coniinand of a troo}) of the Military Train and to charge
a dense cuhnnn of the rel)els. Just as the troop, led by
Captain iMiddleton, had swept sword in han«l into tho
midst of the Sepi)ys, one of the otHceis, Lieut. Hamilton,
fell wounded tVom his horse. The wound had completely
<lisabled him, and a nninbor of Sepoys rushed forward to
cut him to pieces with their iulw^irs. Captain Middleton
at once dismounted, lifted the wounded otlicer on his
own horse and carried him from the field in safety. In
the same fight, a private soldier of the troop being un-
horsed and disabled bv a wound, was saved in tho same
way by Middleton. The Victoria Cross so well merited
by these gallant acts, was never actually bestowed ; some
red-tapeisni as to Captain iMiddleton's having been then
on the stalf is supposed to have interfered with the course
of justice.

In accordance with the rules for the retirement of
officers after a certain term of service, Major Middleton
must have been compelled to leave active service in the
army with the rank of Lieut.-Colonel, had not his ap-
pointment to succeed Cc;iei-al Luard last year given him
the rank of Major-Genei-al. General Middleton is more
frank in his courtesy than his predecessor, and infinitely
more popular with the Canadian soldier. In face and
figure he is the ideal of a military leader, and is, no
doubt, one who, if necessary, can use the sword with good
effect. Among the most distinguished officers on Ge'i.
Middleton's staff are Lord Melgund and Major Buchan.

Lord Melgund is also Military Secretary to the Gov-
ernor-General, and is the eldest son of the Earl of Minto.

Born

at on

Hchoi

for

acter

brid;

the a

OKN MTDrH.F.TON AND HIH STAFF ON THK SCENK. CB

Born in July. 1845, h« was educated at Eton CoIIcljo,
at onc!o Olio of tin; most aristocratic of the {^roMi puMic
Hclioola of Kn'^'laiid, and ono of tlic host traiiiitirj pl.-uu^a
tor boys to form a manly hearing and strength of cliar-
acter. IVoni Eton ho wont to 'I'rinity Collogo, ('am-
hridgn, whore in 18(16 ln» graduated as B.A. Ho entered
the army in 1807, when ho received a conimissiou in the

LOIU) MELGUND.

Scotch Fusilier Guards. From this regiment he retired
in 1870, holding the ratdc of captain. Ho is a captain
and honorary major in the First Roxburghshire Mounted
Volunteer Rifles, and, as has been stated, is a captain in
the regular army. He has seen service on a considerable
scale, having been in 1877 attached to Colonel Lennox,
the English military attache with the Turkish army, and
was present at several hard-contested battles. He also

CANADA'S Nuuril-WKST UKIiKM.lnN.

sorvpil (luriuLC Mio war in Ar!.Hwinis|,iiij in 1H7!>, wIh'm .10
MorviMl us a v«)lunt«M>r on th«>, stnll' ol' Linil. < Jonrnil Sir
Kn-.U-riclv KoImmI.m, who is coiisiJricil on«' ol' tlu) hvM, Uo-
tioinuM in tlu' liritisli uruiy. In l-SSI !).« iHMM)in|»iini»Ml Sir
Kro«itMiok Ki^ImmMh to NIiImI in Si.mIIj AlViniHM j.rivjitc
MiMM'cUry. Il«> snl)S(M|iuM»My touji nn !irliv<« jMirl in iUr
Iv'vplian wiir, an<| wns Wi)Mn<ltMl at Ma';wur. In l'>^M
ho'iu.'uriiHl Mary ( 'arolintv «i in"_M\t(M >A' tlin lato JIun.
CharKvs tlrcy, ami nieco to Kjvrl i.irry, K.(i.

MAJOK I,A\VRKNOR Hl'C'HAN.

Major Lawronoo l^ucluin in (loscu'Tnled from an anricnt
Scottisij I'amily. He was born in Paris, County of Ik'aut,
(Ontario, and receivod liis education at Upper Canada
CJolleire. wliere lie evinced a taste for matlK^niatioH and
the study of nulitary tactics; ho studied then at the
Military C'ollege, wliere he received acertiticate. lie then
spent several years in New York city, where he enga^'cd
in the conunission business. Then retnrnini]^ to Toronto,
he became a partner in the stock-broking tirui of Blake

OFN. MIPDMCroN AND MIH HTAFK ON THB SCllNK. W7

ami AloximdiT. KorHix yrai-H lio lu'M tin* |;<»Mition (jf n'si-
»l<'iit wicntniv in r'U.MM.»la lor Mm- ScoIUhIi ( 'oiniiifnMul
lnHurivfirr ('(unpimy VVIion lio hiul carrir.! out tin* win'l-
iii;4-up of thi.s ( 'orniniiyM aflairM in ( 'ana«la, In; w«nt t«»
r»ian<loii ati<l displayrtl imirh rruTi^'V 8-'>'l bii.inosH talont
ill |»rt»m«)tifi^ lli.i jiro^MtviM ami I;iuiNmI <;sl8i»^ irii'TJ^sts of
(lint city and llin MuiinuTulinij^ 'listrict VVIicri tin- Mani-
t<»l>a Muniiripalitios Act. was inl ((xlni'cd, li»^ was nppoinUMl
Srcri'tary 'l'n«aMnrnr oF th« Wostorn Judicial JJiutrict,
wliirli |K»Mit.i«'ii lio ,st,ill n'iain«.

Majo^ ir.linri was conrmcttMl with Uir Qmocmi'm Own
HiHivs for a |h riod of Irn yojirs , ho cntcnMl it eh cnHi^n,
and Inft witli tin) nird^ ol' captain. Ilo was inucli lik« d
iti the n^^im(»nt, l>cin^ ctpialiy n, favoarit*' with hoth
oHici'TH and nion ; of tlio colonel ho lias always ficcn a
cloHO I'l'iond. Wh«'n tli«i prcMrnt llaU' hrood rc.hfdiion
broke out, Major liuchan t<;h^^(raplnd to Ottawa for h'-avo
to ctilist threw coiaj>aiii()H in Ihandon ; ho j^rococdcd to
Wimiip*'^ whoro h« was ^a/iCtt<d major, and sor vod as
adjutant on Oon oral Middloton's start'- Ho is a vahiahlc^
ai<lo, aH he has travolled a j^ood doal throu^^h tho North-
We.st, and is thoroughly acquainted with the country and
tho jtoople.

Gonoral Middleton asked the (iovornmont for a force
of two thousan<l men, and Sir John Macdonald obtained
from Failiaincnt an additional ^'rant of a million dollars
for the cxpf^nses of the war.

M<ianwhile, the r<'bels and Indian Hym])athizers were
actively en^ajj^ed in ()illa<^e of all stores, public and |)ri-
vate. lliel detained a number of settlors, among oth(;rs
William Mitchel, prisoners in tlie little woo<len clnirch at
the village of Stobart, n(;ar the scene of tho Duck Lake
skirmish. A leading settler named John Kerr was
ar^-ested by Riels orders and broug) it before his executive
council of twelve, on a charge of counselling the escaT)e
of a telegraph operator from the neighbourhood. Riel
on this occasion affected clemency, and told the
council that " Kerr was a good fellow." He was leleased
with a caution to abstain from taking part against Riel.

CHAPTER VIII.

OLD CANADA HTUlJk»8 FOll THK KiaHT.

MEA.NWUILE every effort for «lelrnco wa.s ma<1e at
the towns and forbw threatened l>y the uMurgents.
At Uattleford 200 vohintoerM were enlisted, and a lioine-
guard at Medicine flat and Calgary, botli of which liad
to i't'PA the Blackfeot Indians in case Kiel .should succeed
in calling them to the war-path by the intlu«Mico of their
chief Crowfoot who, as has been mentioned, was a rela-
tion of the Cree chief Poundmaker. Qu'Appelle, which
was in the neighbourhood of some Oree lodges, was well
defended by both divisions of the 90th Battalion of Wiu-
nipeg Riiles and by the Winnipog Artillery.

The Canadian Paoiric Railway Ooinpany resolved on
organizing a regiment iVoni among their employes for
the defence of the property of the railway against at-
tempts of the rebels, and Captain Gaulter, of the
Purchasing Department, an experienced volunteer officer,
undertook the work of directing this force which waa
likely to form a valuable ai<l to the main array.

At Winnipeg the .students of the College organized a
company of volunteers ; and from Ottawa Colonel Scott
telegraphed to Winnipeg to old officers of the Red River
Expedition to form companies, and if possible a battalion
for active service.

In Ontario the preparations for the despatch of
troops continued to be pushed on with an alacrity which
])roved the universal determination of our people to
punish the rebels. Colonel Villiers received orders to
form a Provisional Regiment to be constituted as follows :
— from the 46th Battalion, one company each from
Port Hope and Millbrook ; from the 57th Battalion at
Peterborough, one company ; from the 49th Battalion at
Belleville, one company ; from the 45th Battalion at

OLD CANADA 8TRIPH FOR THE FiaHT.

Bowmaiivillc, one oompany ; from thft 47t)» RaUalion,
P.)itMi\t )uth, ouf- company thcMr tri)op« t,n c<mcoi)trnt«at
Kin;j;Htori en route for Qn'Apprllo.on MRrch JU. At Pott
If ope Colonel WilliaruH, MP., in coniinarul of the 4(ith
Battalion, made up a battalion for active service with
picked men Hclected from the 4r)th Hattalion of West
Durham ami Victoria, the 40tli i'lant Durliam, fl,n<l 40th
Nortlmmherlami. At (\)l»ourj:j (Jol. Kogern, of the 4()th.
had in readiness No. 1 C'ompany, (^aptain H. J. Snejj^jrove ;
No. 2 Company, (Captain G. <Juilet; No. 3 Company,
Captain Bony castle, of Campbcllford.

At Toront<> the de()arture of the troops was attended
with cnthuaiustic excitement of wliieh tlie city has had
no experience for the last peaccahl'j and easy-goin^ half-
century.

On Friday night (March 27) the orderly serj^cants
V)eIongin<T to the Queen's Own an<l the Royal Grenadiers,
were busily en|2;ajj((Ml in snmmoidni^ the men of tlie sovt.'ral
companies to the muster early next morninj^, at which
the f)00 picked men for the war contingent were to be
chosen.

At eiglit on Saturday morning the streets leading to
the drill shed were packed with a dense multitude eager
to know who would he selected for the perilous honours
of battle. In the drill shed the whole available strength
of both the Toronto battalions was mustered, not a man
being absent from the post of duty, except a few who
were too ill to attend.

By 2 p.m. the officers who had met in the orderly
room of the two regiments had selected the men who
were to join the war contingent, the selection being made
of those who were not only physically fit to endure the
campaign, but who were unmarried and had no relations
depending on them.

The next day was Toronto's "Soldiers' Sunday." EvcTy-
where the streets and the churches took a martial
aspect, the Rifleman's dark green and the scarlet of the
Grenadiers shone gaily in the feeble spring sunshine.
Sermons bearing on the wai and the duties and responsi-

CANADA V: NORTH WMT RKBr.LU.'/N.

l*llitie« It l>roii;jrht with it were preached in all the
chwrchos. In manv a lioiiin liili-lit eves irrcw (iirn, an-l
anxious pray«Ms weru l>r«*al!ie<i, at tlie tht)ii;j;ht of thoso
Idvcd oijos vvho would dopait on LIk' morrow to the din-
tant wiltl«'rn«vsH, to facti the prriln of savaj^t? war*'.ire.

On Mou'lay at noon the Toronto ccntinji^ur.t left for
the srat of war. Throun^h tho densely crowdna strtM^ts,
amid showers of bouijiK'ts from ladies in Kin;^^ Stretit hal-
conins, with all echil of a triumph and the pomp of martial
tuusic. Toronto's soldiers hehl their steady much to the
I'lilvvay station. No mark of public synjpathy was want-
in;X. Tlic city had bestowed a fr«^o «,'ratitof underclothing
on each soldier. The rank and intellect and beauty of
Toronio was conspicuous amon^' the concourse of Hfty
thou.^'ind who gathered to cheer them as the train moved
away.

Mr. 0. Van I Torn, Vice-President of the Canadian
Pacitic Railv/ay, had been in Toronto duriniL; March 28
and 2D, making' arran<]jements for providinsj comfortable
car accommodation f >r the soldiers. To that iijreat
national railway thanks are <]ue from everyone who is
loyal to Canada, since it is only owin<^ to the exertions
nride by that Company and its othcers that sure, rapid
and healthful means of transit werw y-jrovided for the troops.

On boai'l the cars all was merry as a raarriaj^f bell.
P;icks and heavy accouti'ements were stowtjd away,
lunch was partaken of from the twetity Four hours' supply
of cooked pi-ovisions which each man had been directed
to provide. 'J'hon came the singing of patriotic songs
and such hymns as " Only an Armoui'-boarur," jokes
from the regimental wit wlio had been practising sleight-
of-hand all the week so as to juggle the rebel bullets.
The time pa.ssed meicily and they reached Mattawa in
time for a hearty breakfast next morning (March 31) at
the Pacific Railway's dining hall.

Much exposure to cold r,nd liardship had to be under-
f;ine by the Toronto contingent during the journey, espe-
cially over the gaps or uncompleted sections of the
railway. Every pains was taken by the officials of the

OLD CANADA HTUIPS FOH THK FIUIIT.

railway to pr.»vM<' uianm to cnrry tlie Holiliors over the
f^apM witli iiH littlo (h'liiyfts possihlo, ami tlut cttrn l)<>a?'<lc»«l
to the hoij^'iit of four t'eot aritl Hj»n'a<l thiokly with hay
woro providi'fl for tho riioii during iii.;ht journoVH. Hut
the thoriMomotor wa.s :iO" to .'{O' helow zoro, th« rou«!s
throu;;h the foroHt^ woro torrilily rou^h and hrokcn by
pitch-liolcs, si>; ft'ct ov *nor<' <i«'op, into which th« liornnM
stutnhhMl as into a tni)). \Vh<'ri th(^ march wa.M ov<m' tln^ro
was no Hh<!lt«!r l»ut tlic win<lthi[)p(.'<| wa'U of a <'anvaM
tent witli door of hardrnecl snow, (hi this tlie men laid
down their hlankets, hut numy preferred to sleep on the
Hnow outside near tlu^ hn^a fires wluch were l»hizin;4 *'^
ni'^dit. Few sl«'pt; arounil tlictn lit hy the catnp liros
wore the sihmt aisloH ol' th(i eohnnnod W(»o<1h; over all rm
over the liotnes they liad left was Hpr«^a<l the Hteel blue
vault with the diaiuoml stars of a Canadian winter niijht.
Willi dawn came eheeiful sunshine, fr«'sh HtreniL»th and
effort. The cohh'st nml most tryin;:^ part of the route was
crossin*^ the frozen .surfaeo of Lake Superior, a b'rrihle
ordeal to any hut men of unusually stroiii,' constitution.
As it was many had their faces partially frozen.

However, on April 5, all arrived at Port Arthur in
safety, bat such was the eaj^er <.lesire to reach tho front
that Colon'd Otter would not allow tho Queen's Own to
halt even ion^^ enough to partake of a hot dinner, which
the people of Port Arthur liad prepared. A little less
liaste perliaps Tnight have been gofxl for the health and
efFiciency of the troops. The Tenth Rovais, however,
were allowed time to profit by the hospitality of Port
Arthur. Tho Toronto coutinfT<»nt arrived at Winnipej^on
the mornini:,^ of April 7, and at (^u'Appello, General Mid-
dleton's base of operations, on April 9.

In Toronto some of those intej-ested in the fortunes of
the Queen's Own were inclined to wish that their ad-
vance by the mil way to Winnipeg and Qu'A|)pelle had
been pursued wi, .i less relentless hurry. Happily, events
proved that in this matter Colonel Otter did not over-
estimate the powen of endurance of the men under his
command.

CANADA'S NORTH- WF.MT IlKHEI.MOlf.

Ah ihe nmrrh proc^edcil the ffood-humotir of the men
exposed to in/uiy privatloiiM wa« uw luoro note worthy hm
inf)st of thoin worti luruMtoiiicd lo tli»' K-fincMl luxury of* a
h(>m« in whi«'h I'vcry coiidort al»'mnd<'d. Their oHic<rs
from tho tirst (»i»«N'ar(ul tlu'insolvca to tlni u\**u, aud iiiudo
Ijard t<u'k and harder inarcliin^ more ch<«?rt'ully home l»y
their own rheerfid readine.sM to share r«jiiallv with the
j»ri\'ate Holdier.s every form of jtrivation and expostue.
The otVicialH of tlie ( unadian I'ucitic lUilwny were unro-
niittin^ in tlieir tdforts to make t)io march through " the
gaps," or uncompleted poitions of the road, lus easy a.s poH-
Bible. Mr. (J. H. Middh^ton, Chief Knpfiiver of the \N'rMt«
em DiviHion, sp<'eially deserveH the gratitude of Ciimida.
No hotter appointment could have been made by the
DirectorH of the Railway which at that criticuil time held
in its hands t)»e fonum's of the war. Much of th(5 Hub-
Hcqueni success of our army wan due to his knowledge of
the country and srigaciouH disposition of the materials at
his disposal so as to got the troops over the ground in the
quickest possible tiiMe. Owing to Ids exerti»)nK and those
of Mr. Henry Abboct an ample stock of provisions was
provided at the gaps, where the men's strength would be
mofit heavily taxed. Mr. Abbott at his camp at Dog
Fjake (where the first gap began) was in the Imbit of bak-
ing bread for a I a»'ge nund)erof railway employc'vs. Our
i»'en were well supplicil with what the Roman poet
described as the best of sau(!cs, active work, and the fresh
hot rolls turner! out in abundance by Mr. Abbott's shanty
cook needed no pate de foie gran for a relish ! Noi
were slices of cold boiled pork wanting, broiled or fried in
shanty fashion. When possible, sle(q>ing accommodation
was pn)vided. Although it was not feasible to do all tliat
was wished to spaic the brave l)oys from exposure and
discomfort, Colonel Otter and hia otficers were indefati-
gable in seeing after the wants of the men, and it was
shown that they fared in every respect no better than
the private soldiers. The boys bore eveiything with
cheerful en«lurance. The wise counsel of their (Jolone!
here prevailed on them to avoid the materials lor " Dutch
"ourage," strong drink forming no part of their equipment.

Or.D TANAIU HTUIIV FOR THK THWIT.

SongR hranl (Urn in the ontrVte at iho Toronto OrAnd
Opt^ra Houso ro-iM'ho -fl ilh tliry Im'1<1 thoir inaroh uwi tli«
wiiitor-Htrick«Mi lotrMt tnul.o?- th»> <l»rkM»io ic«« floor of
liUko Sup»M"ior. Aim»rig t hoin t,h« lyrics of th«i TyrtHMin of
the Qucimi'h Own, John A. Fhimt, hold a loadinj; placo
in choerin^f hin former roniradon.

Many worn t\m curious iru'ith'ntu re»tiltii»^ from tlioir
ha«ty dopariuro from homo. <)no man wu.s toh«j(rftp!uuI
for tho oomltination of his bank safo. An<»tli«'r man ha»l
hift his^a-H hmtiinj»,ntj<l another wa.*4 piiyin;.j tliroc cont« a
•lay for a F<'roe Lil)iary book, which h«^ hA<l forgotten to
return whon h'avin^ Toronto.

Moanwhilo tho doar onow left boliind waited in anx-
ious Husponso. Captious critics haunlrd tl»« nowspaper
olIicoH, and inon who had no ndlitary oxpoi irince or whoso
HlioiiMors had never known the woij^'ht of a ritlf woro
loudly asHortinj^ that " the raw lovios " must fail Ixrforo
tho exporicnco(i savaj^'o tijj;ht«^rM of the wilderness. Of all
tho Toronto nowspa]>ors the Globe, and tho World j^avo
accurate and unsensational intelli^'cnce, and the ^reat
nia.ssof our poople waitctl in calm reliance on Provitlonce,
not without fear of loss of beloved lives, not vvithoiit
hope that the brave youths of (^anada wotdd be victorious.
The following' poem, publishn«l in tho Glnhe of May 24,
describes a scene witnessed by the writer in a Toronto
church on one of those anxious Sundays: —

OUR BOYS IN THE NORTH WEST AWAY.

1 Haw thd sudden tear drop rise
In sweefoHt, purest of blue eyes,
Wlien kneeling in tho houHo of prayer
She heard good words of comfort th»^re,
1 knew the angels heard her pray
For one in the Nort^ ^Ventaway.

It was but noon of yesterday
Ho bade farewell, he marched away I
The rifle bright and bayonet seen
Above the Queen's Own gar}» of gn-en,
With our five hundred's bold array
He marched for the North- West away.

CANADA S NORTH- WEST RK BELT. I ON.

As farther then, and farther still,
The dim march sounded down the hill,

Ab file on file, with sceady paco,
Within the cars our boys took place,
Ah rose our farewell cheer to say
" God bless you," as they passed awav.

They bore the foodleas, dreary march.
The nights, that chill, the days tliat parch,
Through drifted wilds their way they take,
Their pathway is the frozen lake,
Yet buoyant, brifjht, and bold are they,
Our boys in the North-West away 1

They did not fear that dark ravine

Where Ifalf-breed hell-hou-uls yelped unseen,

W'ith uiigiit predestined to prevail

Trod down the gusts of leaden hail,

Victorious in the fight are they,

Our boys in the North- West away.

They could not fail, they knew not feaf
When Otter led the charging cheer.
They charged the open, they laid low
With Gatling fire the Iv* id skin foe,
They felt the rapture of the fray,
Cur boys in the North- West away.

God send them safe, and send them soon.
Each Sabbath hour we ask the boon,
Once more to march; once more to meet
The cheering from each singing street,
While proud resolve and daring high
Blend with their notes of victory I

How sweet to grasp each strong right hand

And greet the saviours of the land.

How good to hear the news at last

Of danger gone and peril past,

How proudly prized will then be they.

Our boys from the North- West away !

C. Pelham Mulvaney, M.D.,
Formerly Na 1 Company, Q.O.R.

PTI AFTER IX.

THE WAR CLOUD BQUSTS ON BATTLEFORD.

0T*5 the last day of March Winnii eg wa8 horrified by
^ the news that the most dreaded calamity to be
cearod as an accompaniment of the Half-breed rebellion
had fallen upon Battleford. The Indians had risen in
large numbers and had taken possession of a portion of
the town. The villagers had taken refuge in the Police
Fort, but their houses and the greater portion of their
effects were at the mercy of the savages. Worn out with
want and suflVring, embittered with the recollections of
their former {)rosperity, these misguided people were only
too willing to listen to any achem^ however absurd and
impossible, that promised to give them back the country
and the homo wliich the.y had bartered away to the white
man, but for which they had only received in return
dependence, want, and shame. They thought they were
on the eve of a restoration to the good old days of wealth,
comfort, and happiness enjoyed by them before the
advent of the white man, and to any one who has known
their history for the past teu or fifteen years, it will not
be very surprising that they were thus ready to insanely
rush upon their own ruin.

The Indians plundered the Hudson Bay Company's
store, and when the agent, Mr. McKay, walked out of th«
banacks and remonstrated with them, several shots were
fired at him. An attempt was also made to intercept him
on his return to the barracks. Fortunately this failed.

The Bcittleford bari'acks were protected by a substan-
tial stockade, and the Mounted Police force therein had
arms and ammunition enough to stand a siege. Mr.
Applegarth, one of the ten menaced Indian instructors,
had for some time suspected that the Indian Department
stores under his charge were being plundered. The immi-
nent death of the Chief Red Pheasant served as a pretext

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.

for the assembling of a lar^e body of armed men. Apple-
garfcii, who had filled the dangerous post of instructor to
Red Pheasant's band, narrowly escaped being murdered.

So began the biege of Battletord, destined to be
gallantly niaintaine 1 by the besieged and successfully
relieved. All the civilians capable of bearing arms volnn-
teered for service. The Home Guard were on daily (■rill.
Sentries or scouts watclied the movements of the skulkinij
foe with incessant vigilance. Meanwhile the Ottawa
Government issued the following proclamation for the
appointment of a Commission to settle the Half-breed
grievances : —

" His Excellency the Governor-General, on the recom-
mendation of the Minister of the Interior, has been
pleased to approve of the appointment of the following
Commissioners for the purpose of making an enumeration
of the Half-breeds resident in the North-West Territories
outside of the limits of Manitoba previous to 15th of
July, 1870, who would have been entitled to land had
they resided in Manitoba previous to the transfer, with a
view to an equitable settlement of their claims, viz.,
William Purvis, Rochefort Street, of the City of London,
Esquire, Q.C., Chairman of the Commission; Roger Goulet,
of the Town of St. Boniface, Manitoba, Esquire, Dominion
Land Surveyor; and Amedee Edmond Forget, of the
Town of Regina, N.-W.T., F^squire, Clerk of the North-
West Council, barrister-at-law."

CHAPTER X.

ON GUARD AT PRINCE ALBERT.

THE town, or fortified post, known as Prince Albert, is
situated on the North Branch of the Saskatchewan
along a low fertile reach of alluvial deposit. It is on the
south bank of the river, along which it extends for ten
miles, the lots being arranged according to the old French
method of survey, with frontage to the river. It is tliirty
miles from the Forks of the Saskatchewan, forty -nine

..Jbl

ON GUARD AT PIUNCE ALBERT.

from Carleton, forty five from the scane of iho fight at
Duck Lako. and about fitly by the shortest trail from
Batoche's Crossing, on the South Saskatchewan. The
peninsula between the branches of the river is at this
point about fifteen miles wide from iiorth to south. The
country in the north-eastern part of this peninsula, ex-
tending from a point about twelve miles east of Prince
Albei't, to a point about lifheen miles south-west of the
same, and thence north to the Saskatchewan, is a vast
sweep of rolling prairie, containing numerous bluffs or
small groves of poplar, cotton wood and gray willow.
The land is of unexampled fertility, and the country is
one of the most thickly settled in the North-West. In
many cases extensive agricultural labour-saving machinery
is in use. Much capital has been invested, and the Eng-
lish settler w^ho has learned to make his home in this
wilderness of wild-flowera, has a residence, farm build-
ings and a garden that would compare for elegance and
comfort with any in the older-settled Provinces, which
have outlived the dangers of Indian war. Twelve miles
west of Princi^. Albert a belt of heavily wooded hills
extends on either bank of the South Saskatchewan, which
renders its pa,s3age dangerous in the presence of an
ambushed foe.

The population of the town of Prince Albert previous
to the siege was seven hundred. Owing to tlio attempts
of the ownei's of land to " boom" property for pur|)oses
of settlement, Prince Albert has grown in three distinct
centres or clusters of houses. The strongest of these for
purposes of niilitary defence is that to the east, which
contains the LLudson Bay Company's store, flour mill and
fort, altogether about seventy buildings. There also are
the Mounted Police barracks, a plain red brick building
of two storeys, and a large saw-m^ll belonging to Messrs.
Moore & Macdonald. In the central part of the town is
situated the " Mission property," and a handsome brick
built Presbyterian Church, work shops, dwelling houses,
and ten or fifteen of those general stores peculiar to
pioneer towns in Canada.

■ yw «-l^ -■»■-

CANADA S NORTH-WEST REBET.LION.

Half-a-inile west of this is the thiid and smallest por-
tion of Prince Albert, coini»risin<,r McKay's mill, tlie post
and land otHces, and several pri'/ate residences, includinc^
th* lately foimded Commercial College, and the dwelling
house of the Anglican bishop of Saskatchewan. Tlie
country around this town is sufficiently open to prevent
an Indian attack.

The Saskatcliuwan where it flows by Prince Albert
has an average width of a liundred and fifty yards.

There, since the retreat of Colonel livino from Fort
Carleton. about three huiid red and fifty availal)le lighting
men were on guard over a post more than any other likely
to be made the object of Kiel's attack on account of its
containing a large (quantity of valuable provisions and
ammunition. The following letter will give a just idea
of the state of public feeling at Prince Albert at the com-
mencement of the war. It is from Wm, Miller, farmer,
of Prince Albert, who has been residing there for up-
wards of tea years, and has not yet receiv^ed the patent
for his land. He writes as follows : — " The grievances of
both whites and Half-breeds are neither few^ nor small.
Money is very hard to get hold of. The Government is
to blame for a large share of it. We have to depend on
a local market, ^he Indian and police supplies have all
been given by p :,te contract to the Hudson Bay Com-
pany; that mean ;arly all the money goes out of tlie coun-
try. It is put ii ' ' their power to pay us in trade, and they
have taken advantage of it to the utmost. I will give an
instance or two : — They let 500 cords of wood by private
contract to the Hudson Kay Company at $3.50 per cord.
I would have liked to have had the job at $2 per cord,
and would have done well by it. It did not cost them SI
per cord. Also a contract for hay at $:25 per ton, the
Hudson Bay Company paying $7 for it, and paying both
in trade. I attended a large meeting a few days ago that
was held at the South Branch. Some had come there over
thirty miles. In their remarks they threatened rebellion.
I was asked an opinion. In a few words I asked them
to confer with the Government before they went any

ON GUAHI) AT PltlXCF. ALBERT.

further. If tht^y take up arms I don't know how they
will (Mjuip and t'eed tho.se men. I suppose tlio most of
thorn would have a jrun of some kind. It is said that
Riel. could gailior up 10,000 Indians on this aide of the
line. A great many here feel very much alarmed, already
talking of building fortifications with cordwood. I can-
not say I feel much alarmed yet, although there is a dan-
ger with Indians. When they get started they don't
know when to stop."

Meanwhile at Prince Albert, as at Battleford, the
available men were organized for armed defence. The
position was made stronger by that best of f'xtemporized
outworks, piles of rough cord wood ; but the wires were
cut by the rebels and little eommuni';ation could be
obtained from the base of Middleton's operations at
Qu'Appelle.

In the meantime, by the night of April 7, General
Middleton, who had marched from Qu'Appelle that
morning, had arrived at a halting place some thirty
miles north. The Queen's Own were already camped at
Qu'Appelle.

The entire distance, by the route chosen by General
Middleton, from Qu'Appelle to the Saskatchewan was
about tvs^o hundred miles. The first thirty miles of it lay
through open undulating stretches of prairie, amid which,
at considerable intervals, were sparsely wooded bluffs, but
no caves which foes could occupy in the face of the vigil-
ance with which the General pushed forward his scouting
part^ ^.s in front and on the flanks of his main advance.
Beyond this was a succession of gravelly and more thickly
wooded hills, known as the "Touchwood Hills. They
bear this name for the reason that, unlike most wooded
tracts, especially in the North -West, they have never had
their timber cleared by a conHagration. Those versed in
forestry are aware that when trees are suffered to decay
by the slow process of dry rot, peculiar to densely
wooded regions, the product is what used to bo known
as toychwood or tinder. In days before the lucifer match
was known, this hilly region was in great demand among

CANADVS NORTU CVEST UEUEL.MON.

tho Indians for supplies of this tindor with w])ir;h, bottor
than the dry leaves described by Viriril, they could catch
the H parks latent iu the tlint-stone.

Beyond the Touchwood Hills extends the great Salt
Plain, stretching for thirty-tive miles of dreary saline or
alkaline morass, where the melted snow was settling into
clayey slush niixed with the alkaline mud into which a
settler's waggon would sink hub-deep. Hero the only
trees were willows, aspens, and the sad grey foliage of the
poplar. Here there were many points at which it wouhl
nave been ditlicult for the mast etfective scout to discover
a skdfuUy ambushed enemy, who could have hidden
behind cover in places remlered inaccessible to our men
by the surrounding morass. But here the Gejieral and
our Canadian army hold their march unopposed.

CHAPTER XL

THE SIEQE OF BATTLkFORD CONTrNlTES.

GIVES HIS VIEWS.

-MAJOH WALSH

AS day after day passed the situati'jn at Battleford be-
came more and more desperate. The town, by
reason of its distance from the railway, was necessarily
isolated from the outer world, while owing to the very
imperfect state of the telegraph line only short despatches
were received and that at i 'Tegular intervals. From
these despatches it was evident that the rising in the
district was no merely local affair, but that it was part of
a very formidable system of insurrection, which even tljen
threatened to sweep the country from the western boulid-
ary of Manitoba to the foot of ^he Rocky Mountains.

' Half the sufferings and perils of the manj^ isolated
settlers in the North Saskatchewan region during this
Indian Rising will never be tolJ. but occasionally an
experience comes to the surface, which serves as a sample
of V/ »-v«^ they had to undergo. Here is one of them :

(

he w

ing t
ha<l
Indi;
figl.i

in til
lip hi
(|uic'k
told
some
him.
eightf
time
Thoy
squaw
missfo
Appl(
about
and to^
hitchei
tho at
only a
hor as
was h(
Jiiornir
Swift (
five mi;
had to '
not of.
througl
ing ove
At (
liad no^
into the
day, an

TIfK SIKOE OP BATVI.KFORD f'ONTINUF.S.

hen
kid-
ded
Ihis
an
Ae

OeorjL'" K. Applt'i^arth was Farm Inst-ructor to Red
Phoa^ant's liajid. On Uio mcrht of Monday, March 30,
he vva.s inakinj^ up his roturas with tho intention of go-
in^' to Hatth'Ford noxt dny. The Indians of hia re.sorve
had {)rofesM('d ^'reat friendliness lor the whites. Like nil
Indians, they said that since troidjh^ had risen tl\ey might
fi^^lit, hut they would fif^ht on the wide of the whites.

Apj)legarth went to hed ahout midnight. At {\ o'clock
in the morning ho hear*! a tapping at tlie <loor. Getting
up ho went to see what was the matter, when an Indian
(pjickly Htrotie in and clos»3d the dofir behind })im. He
told Applegarth that tln^ res^^rve was rising, and that
some of the bucks who had been to Battleford were after
him. Almost \vhll(^ he spoke the door burst open and
eighteen I'edskins rushed in. Applegarth thought his
time had come, but luckily this was not the war party.
They were eighteen in number — six bucks and twelve
squaws — and the friendly Indian whispered that their
mission was to hold him until the warriors arrived.
Applegarth roused his wife and sister-in-law, a little girl
about twelve years old, and Indian teacher Cunningham,
and told them to dress. He himself slip[)ed out behind, and
hitched up his team, while the friendly Indian engaged
the attention of the visitors. Like a true woman, the
only article of apparel which Mrs, Applegarth took with
her as the team drove oil", besides tlie clothes she wore,
was her w^edding dress. About half-past three in the
morning the party of four set out on their race for life to
Swift Current, two hundred mdea distant. They had got
live miles away when the wliifflotree broke, Applegarth
had to walk tw^o miles back to get a rail to make a new one
not of. Then they flow on again, plunging and galloping
through snow three feet deep, with the moonlight stream-
ing overhead.

At dawn they saw six Indians in the distance. They
liad now struck the trail, which thi y left again to strike
into the coulees and elude their pursuers. They drove all
day, and towards nightfall caught sight of the Indians

CANADA'S NORTH-WEfiT IMlHF'^l.LION.

fljjjain. This time they thonglit it was all up witli them.
Tlu! Imliaiis won* ctrtaiiily fuIlowiriLj tlujin.and wt^rv ])()h-
Hibly waitin*; till ni^htl'all to Uill tluMii. All Apph'j^arth
coiiid do was to toll ins wife lu! wouM ask them to make
short work ol' tlio husiness. Mis wife aivl the little girl
cried a little, Imt k(;|)t up their couni^'o well. They had
no arms with them. Bel'or K ivin;^ the house Applegarth
! ad heen searche,»i 'V u 8«^,uaw8, and his arms and
money taken from 1.. . '^'»e only defence the party had
n^jainst their pursuers » ;„<j a.i axe.

At 2 o eloek in the morniiij^ '»f Wednesday, they rest-
ed for a conple of hours. The liorses were nearly ex-
haust<"l. Jiut a little before morniii;,' Ihey were put
to;rether aj^ain and driven on. When daylii^ht came
there were tw Indians in si»^dit. ITiey drove on all Wed-
nesday, and at ni<,ditiall took another rest. Apple^arth
never closed his eyes, how*^ver. Sometime after mid-
ninrht they wont on, and on the forenoon of Thursday they
came up with Judge ll()\deau, who had left IBattl^ford
the previous Sunday with his wife and eldid, Mrs. Kae,
wife of the Indian a<;ont, a Id red man, the two Parkers,
of Fiattleford and a man nained Foster -eiijlit in all. This
brouiGflit up the p'.nty to twelve persons. Wlien tlie jud-j^e
left"* Battleford there was no trouble, although trouble
was apprehended. A]»plegarth's report hurried up their
movements considerably. Thirty miles from Swift Cur-
rent they were overtaken by Constable Storer and Mr.
Smart. Storer had left Battleford on Sjiturday, and was
the bearer of despatches to Cokmel Herchmer. The
Battleford garrison believed Herchmer ^vas within a day's
march of Battleford. Storer had pluekily volunteered
to cro out and meet him and tell him of the events that
had transpired. On his w^ay he met Smart, who was
coming in with goods, and tlie two journeyed south to-
gether. They arrived at Swift Current on Monday
morning.

The escape of Judge RouK,au and the party of Battle-
ford refugees above alluded to, constitutes an interesting

ible
icir
Uir-
Mr.
was
The

■ihat
was
1 to-
day

.tt-lo-
iting

THE 8IE0K or BATTLEFOUD CONTINUES.

story ospncially as thoy wer(( t.lio last wliitc people to see
tho ill -fated Farm Instiuctor Payiio, who wa.s inurdcnMl
by his own In'<liaiiH only a few nionicnts alM'r he had ha<le
thorn good-bye.

On Monday, Manrh 30, Mr. Rae, the Indian ap;ent,
sent a nicssenf^er up to one of tlic ri>serv»5s to iiKjiiire as
to tlu! truth of a rinnonnd njirisinj; id' th«' Indians.
M<Min while so lo of the people hefj;an ]^aekin«if )ip sueli
articles as tlie ' wiHhe<l to talo' with thciu ; l»nt th«!y had
not tiuio to eoniplete tlieir preparations before the return
of the niessen<j;er, who reported to Mr. Rae th .. ^he
Indians we^'o on their way, and were within oigl'l or m
miles of B; ttleford Pouudnuiker, however, stw.^d liuit
they intended no mischief, but oidy v/antcd ^ h». /o a
talk with the Indian at^ent. On account of the sli rtuess
of the time, the number of small children, and 'he difVi
culties, most of th«' people gave »ip their int.muion (.
leaving and concluded to go to the bari-acks, so that the
party which s*^arted consist(id of Judge Rouleau, wife and
three small children ; Mrs. Dr. Rouleau and two servnnis;
Mrs. Rae and servant ; two brothers named Parker, one
of whom was ill, and Mr. Berthiaumo. The party ha<
three double rigs and one single rig. Mrs. Rae and ser-
vant started in the afternoon, and the others at 7.20 in
the evening, amving at the Stoney reserve at 10.30 p.m.
Mr. Payne, the ristructor, was to furnish a rig, supply
hay and oats, and also to send an Indian with the party
to take back the rig after reaching the bu.sh forty miles
distant. In the morning, however, this Indian iailed to
appear, and Mr. Payne sent his mother-in-law to insist
upon his going. The instructor, by the way, was married
Lo one of the daughters of the chief, a tine-looking and
intelligent woman. From Mr. Payne it was learned th-it
the Indians were painting themselves, and evidently pre-
paring to have a dance during the day. The party started
between 8 and 9 o'clock a.m. One Indian at length con-
sented to go and bring the team back, and on leaving
took his gun and clothing with him. Mr. Berthiaume

('ASADA8 N0RTU-W|.;HT HKBKMJON.

h'h lit a »|u/irt(5r to 10 o'clock, nhakirj^ liands with Mr
I*ayii0 in a t'ritindly iii;inii(»rii.s 1»« lut't, ftinl tit'U'(*n inimiU'H'
al't«'r'w»inl,s tli«^ latttr ^ontlciiian wa-s shot hy his own
iniliaiiM. After leavin;^ Mr. l^ayn« tht? party travelled in
company with the Indian on tho prairi*' nntii II o'l'look,
havin<^' no su.sj)ioion of what h.ul bi'on oocuiiin^ in the
hj'intinje at tho reserve; and the next (hiy at ahoiit M
o'ldoek they reached the Imsh, forty tnihjs distant from
th(3 reserve, from whi(rli point tho Indian returned with
tho ri<^. Tiio horses boiii;^ very tired, the party rested
thei'e until the next mornint^. As they were then getting
reu(Jy to start, Mr. Anplenraitli arrived with his wife and
lier sister. Tliey had leJt at U o'clock in tlie morning
(Tuesday), liaving ])een infornwid by th(3 l)r(;ther of the
chic^f that lie lind just arrived from Hr.ttleford where lie
had seen the Stoneys plundering the phiec^ It app»!ared
that, after killi»»g P.'iyne, th(!y liad starU^I for Battlef )rd,
and on their way Iiad stopped at lUrney Tremont's,
alxMit lialf-way to Battlofonl ; and tliat tliey had pro-
ceeded to t.iko away his liorses and cattle, and on his
r<'sisting. had kiije.d liini in his own house, and then
lielpcd themselves to all they wanted. Mr. Treniotit was
an umnarried man, and ho had \)>'0.i\ on very friendly
terms with the Htoneys. many of whom had worked for
hiiu from time to time, ft was further learned that, on
the .same Monday morning before the party left tho
reserve, some of the Stoneys had gone to the ( 'ree or Red
Phoa.sant reserve to tell <;hcni to go down to Battleford,
as the d.?y for action had come.

Among the details of the plundering of Battleford, is
the sttrtement that some of tho chief's squaws were
cnabh^d to })resent quite a stylish appearance as they
pronK^naded in the silk dresses tak(!n from the homes of
Mrs. Rouleau, Mrs. Rae, and other ladies. The wife of
Rev. Mr. Clarke, who was married last fall, lost her wed-
ding presents of silver, tho savages smashing them in
front of the house.

Of course, as the news of the rising spread, greatly
exaggerated reports got abroad. It was reported that D.

TIIK SIKOK OF nATLIKFoKD rriNTrM'KS,

H!S

'as

tor
on
lie

(Ml

ere

loy
of
of

•d-

in
0.

L. Clink, iristnictor to Moo.soiiiin'n lmn<l. harl l>c'tn iniir-
(lored, iin«) at orio tiiii>' tint iuipi-cssion provdi 1 t)iat all
tlic inNtnicfors, iuelmlinLj Mr. JeHVrson on PoiukIhuiIu r'n
ivMorve, lia'l boon inui<l»!r«M|. Suhsti'pu'nt.ly, liowmtT, nn
tlu! factn camo to bo known, it was toiirnl tiuit Moosotiiin
and his peoplo had romaitud <|iii<'tly on their roHcrvo
«hninL( tho troiihlM, v hilo I*oiintliuaktM !ja«l novi-r mani-
iV\sted a dispoMilion to take tliu life of a whito man an
h)nj^ a.s lie was allovrd to loniain nniiu»li"st«d on his
rosrrve. In(h!od, from all tliai has as y« t conio to li;j;lit
t))o attack on Poini huak«*r's eainj/ uo ('ut Knife* Hill
appwars ali.soluttily iuoxplicahle. It is truo thiit Iuj camo
ilown to Hattlefoid, hut he allo^'oH that he wan comin;* to
have a talk with the Indian a<jj»'nt. That h(; should have
f«)ujjfht alter the lodjjjes containiii;^ his women and
children had been fire<l im is in no way .suiprisinj^. To
any one who kn«vv the ;^'reat (>ree chief, the i<lea of liis
permittin*^ thy murder of a defenceless white man on his
reserve was of course past belief.

Durin<]^ the few days' calm wliich followed the storm
of excitement, aroused by the news of the Indian rising'
at Battleford, Major Walsh was interviewed with re<^'a)'d
to the rebellion, the causes loading u]) to it and the best
method of su[)pressin<jj it. Anionn^ other thinjjfs he said:

"When the first news of the Half-breed risin<^ was
received my opinion was a <ked as to its result. I replied
then that there would not be a shot tired. I was led to
this conclusion by two reasons. 1st. 1 did not believe
that the Half-breeds wanted to spill any blood. They
felt they had a p^rievance and desired to make .«v)me
demonstration which would attract the attention of tlie
Government and the people of Canada, with the hope
that it mitrht lead to their redress, but they never antici-
pated such a serious result as has been developed. I
could not and do not now believe that the Half-breeds
wanted war. 2nd. I did not think any ofllcial of the
Government would be so lost to reason as to take the
responsibility of bringing on a war and driving the

Canada's nortm-wkst kkhklmon.

country info mich n Ntafo of excitoment an now •xUi«
until ovory rcsourco in hi« poMaiHion or powor wiwi

<'X)lAUStO(J.

" Durinjjf tli« lust twelve yo.",r« thtjrc \*ore twoofflrials
on tlio pljiinN who had many an opportunity, by taking
u Ivantngc of thn Minij)lieity of tho IIaU'-))rti(5(lH an«i
hiilianH, of niakin)^ a littlo notoriety for thoinsolveH if
they hud Iw^eri <lispouMl to do ho, at the oxi)oiim«i of an
Iii'lian war. Hut diploinacy wan uho<1 iii.sU>au of pow«l«u.
( )uo of thoMo iM(!n was CJoloufl M<!Loo<l. To whow you
the tractable aiul poacoful 'ii.sposition of these pmrnje, I
will, if you have time, relate a litt!«» oxpf'rienco 1 luid
with them at Fort Walsh in l.S7<). There wf^ro at that
time about 2,000 families of Ilalf-l)ree<ls and p«'rliapM
I'J.OOO families of Indians in the Cypress and Wood
Mountains. Tlie.ie p«.'o[)h» feeling di.s.satisfiod with what
they called the ' Poli(;e Law '-the criiniiuvl law of Oafuida
— which was introduced into that country by the police
in the spring of \H7rt, niet in grand convention forty-five
miles east of Fort Walsli an<l decided that they must
appeal against the further enforcement of the law. They
appointed a delegation of titty men to present their views
to me. I met the delegation. They claimed that the
law was inconsistent with the goofl government of a
people leading a wamlering life, and interfered with their
domestic and social habits and comforts, and was to them
oppressive. Aud it is easy to understand how a people
living as they had been would find the law oppressive.
They, in a very humble but determined manner,
announced that they had decided to no longer obey the
law of the police. I commenced my argument at pleading
— I am not ashamed to say pleading — by reading over to
the delegation from the statutes of Canada the Acts
which governed the country, and which the population
of the prairie, white man, Half-breed or Indian, were
amenable to, and pointed out the liberty and pn^tection
extended to every individual, and the safety given to life
and property as compared with the ordinances of the

TBR 8IK0X 0? UATrLEKUiill CUMilNUKa

FiAirit) Oovt'iniiiont, which woro iyrunnical. aiwl tuuk

awft^ th« lilKii'ty iu)t only of tho iiulivi'hml. I»»it of

fiuiiilioH. For tliro« dayn tht* «liH(!UNHion coutimnMl nu»[

at th«' t'lKl of tho thini th«i confcrnncn hiuko iii» without

my h»Mri«jf uhle to coiivintMi tho <ioh'^'iitiori timt thoir

il.^niandM wi-re niin.'iMoimhh'.aini th» y withdraw, aiinouin'-

ii»^ thnir <li't(«niiirmtion to resist tl»«» hivv that up to that

day tlu'y Iwul strictly l)ut unwillin^'ly oiM-ytd. I wont to

uiy fiuaitors thoroughly dincouragiMl an«l wishing i'or thu

UNMiMtanco of Homo ntio with iikjH) powor ol' Inn^unge and

more nkillod in 'linlomacy. I Itdt the fault was mine,

and that I Tailed lor watd of ability to coi.n ino«» thorn.

Miml you, 1 was not afraid of any personal linrm, hut I

felt tho Horiou.snoHs of driving thcKc people into hostility

and instituting a war on tho pooplo of tlio plains.

Besides I hrd for tln^so people, whom hy this time J had

f»ot to know \v«'ll, a t'ec^lifig of— shall I call it sympathy?

it was more than sympathy, it was justice, and led mc to

desire tf) cou'pier with wor«is rather than with arms. 1 felt

that these ptH»pUi meant to «lo right and were only doiiif;

wrong from my want of ability to eidighten them as to

what was right. I sent for my interpreter ami instructed

him to go and <*ad from anion,' the. Half-breeds live men

whom 1 had selected as the niost intelli!;;ent and inlluen-

tial of the delegation. They arrive<l at midnight. One

of these, a niimesake of my own, wns Vice-President of the

Prairie Government. I said to him that so serious was

the step they were about to take that I could not pUow

th«5m to dep. ri without once more appoalin^jj to their

judgment. I t,/ld them that I had been sent amon^ them

not to be a mast >r, but a friend, ami that my treatment

of tliem had proved this. The Oovernmcnt of Canada

had decided that one set of laws (those I had read to

them) should govern the v;];ole country. To allow each

community to make its own law.s would destroy any

State or country. I concluded by sayirjg that tlie law

would have to bo enforced, even it force had to be used,

and that while the Government of ( ^anada wished to be

CANADAS NUUTJI-VVEST Ili:iti;iJ.ION.

their friciuls, if tlioy became enemies it woii]<l bo tbe
fault of tli<! Ifalf-breeds. Tlioy retirctb sayin^jf tb(i dele-
gation woiiM wait on nio a<^ain. It did the IblhAviDg
day, and iiiforiMed nie that our law would bo observed,
!ind that tlu;ir council would be disuiissed au<l their
Ooveriiment abolishci. From that day till I left ther(\a
little over a ycnir ago, the Half-breeds were my firm
allies, and on two occasions when my force was small, and
I had to be a little more than firm with the Indians, they
rendered me assistance. In my last disturbance with
Sitting Bull at Wood Mountain, two hundred llalf-bioeda,
some of them now with the rebels, as they are called,
offered me their services and went so far as to tell the
Indians that whenever a dend Red-coat was found there
also would be found a dead Half-breed, meaning that
they would die fighting with the police. These are the
people wo are now having trouble witli.

"I think a commission shouid have been sent out long
ago, but that it has been neglected so long is no reason
why it should not be sent at once. What great credit
would it be to Canada to kill a few poor Half-breeds who
feel tliey have been neglected ? Dcni't forget that these
l)eople have the hearty sympathy of all the white settlers
in their district. Do you suppose if the white settlers
had the grievances the Half-breeds have, that they would
not have made a disturbance ? and in case they did, whd
is the man in Canada who would cry out against sending
a commission to treat with them ? These ])eople are
not rebels, they are but demanding justice."

CHAITER XII.

THE KlKXi LAKE MASSACRE.

1^0 matter wliat th(; cause, no matter what the wrong
IM he may have .siillerod, l\o incurs an awful responsi-
hility who incites the in<lians to acts of vioh'nce and
bloodslied. The demon of anarchy and rebellion becomes
tenfold more horrible when ]\e pcjssesses the breasts of
tliose rude tril>es wlio liave never learned to resp'-ct the
usages of civilized warfare. The m\u'dcr of Payne on tlie
Assiniboine reserve near Battleford and that of the
ranehman Barney Tremont, were horrifying ; but the
news of the Frog Lake massacre was Ity all o<lds th(^
most blood curdling that camo over the wires during
the war.

On the 2nd of April the massacre took place under
circumstances which will always stamp it as one of the
most cruel and treacherous in the annals of Indian war-
fare. It had been observed that the Indians of the
district liad been excited and restless, they had com-
plained that they were not being properly fed, an<l were
dissatisfied generally : the crops were short, and as it was
not unconnnon for thern to grumble under almost any
circumstances, their uneasiness was not in all probabilit)
deemed to furnish reasonable grounds for anything like
serious alarm. In view of the fact, however, that insur-
rection W9S rife in the country, and that Big Bear, one
of the most turbulent and troublesome chiefs of the
North-West, had been doing all within his power to make
trouble for several months before the rebellion had broken
out at Duck Lake, Sub-agent Quinn thought it advis-
able to act with the utmost caution and at once do all in
his power to allay all semblance of troulde.

When the news of the Duck Lake tight reached them,
Big Bear's Indians were loud in their professions of

CANADA'S NORTH WEST RKnPXLlON.

tVIendsliip, several times vi.siting the Indian sub-agency
at wliich Thouiaa T. Quinn was thci officer in charge. On
April 2 they were in the village, having the u.sual jokcM
of the day, and in the evening they visited Quinn's house,
still proiessiug great friendship. They roniained Uiero
till late. An hour before daylight next morning (April 3)
they came in a body to Quinn'vS. Two Indians went up
into the bedroom. One of Big Bear's son's, Bad Child, had
intended to shoot Quinn as he lay in bed. Quinn was
married to a Cree vvonian, and had one little girl. His
brother-in-law followed up-stnirs, and preventevl the crime
by stej)ping between Bad Child and QuinnVt bed. Mean-
time the Indians below had taken three guns from Quinn's
otiice. Travelliiig Spirit called out Quinn's Indian name,
saying, •' Wan-Sjieakin^: Sioux, come down." His brother-
in-law, Lov^e-Man, told him not to go. Not taking his
advice, Quinn went down, and was at once seized and
taken over to Farm Instructor Dehmey's house. The
Indians had been blustering a good deal, but nobody sus-
pected that they had intended foul play.

Before going to Quinn's, the Indians had already taken
the Government horses from Quinn's stable, and Love-
Man, who was standing up for Quinn, was going to shoot
Travelling Spirit in a quarrel about them.

At Delaney's house the Indians continued their threats
and held a confab. Then Travelling Spirit went with
others to the Hudson's Bay store. Mr. Cameron, the
agent, was already up. Bad Child came in first, and
said : " Have you any ammunition in the store V
" Yes, a little," said Mr. Cameron.
"Well," replied Bad Child, "I want you to give it to
us. If you don't we will take it."

Mr. Camei'on said, '' If you are bound to have it I will
give it rather than have you clean out the store," Mr.
Cameron was the only official on the premises at this
time. He went from the dwelling to the store and gave
them what powder, ball, and caps were in stock — only a
eniall quantity. A keg of powder and nearly all the ball

TIIIO FllOG LAKE MASSACRE.

cartridge had been sent to Fort Pitt from Frog Luke, on
thw advice of Mr. Came/ on and others, after the news of
the Duck Lake fight had boon received. While Cameron
was getting out the stuff for the Indians, they watclied
him narrowly with their h.)fi(hMl guns all ready.

Big Bear now appeared on tlve acene. Entering the
store he waved his arm round, saying to his braves :
" Don't touch anything here in the Company's place. If
there w anything you need, ask Mr. Cameron for it."
After getting a few things all but two friendly Indians
went out/. Cameron followed to see what was going to
be done, and was ordered by Travelling Spirit to go to
Quinn's and had to obey.

Other white men had meanwhile been brought there
along with Pritchard, the Half-breed interpreter. The
priests, Father Fafard and Father Marchand were there
too, and the place was crowded with Indians. Travelling
Spnit said : — " I want to know who is the head of the
whites in this country. Is it the Governor or the Hud-
son's Bay Company, or who ?"

Quiim said jokingly, " There's a man at Ottawa, Sir
John Macdonald, who is at the head of affairs."

The Indians said, "Will you give us beef?"

Quinn asked Delaney if he had any oxen which he
could give them to kill. Delaney said he had one or two,
and all then left the house. Five Indians took Mr. Came-
ron back to the store and asked for more goods. One of
the Frog Lake Indiajis, William Gladiea, asked Big Bear's
party to leave hiiu in charge of the store, " because," sai<l
he, " you are always wanting to get something, and
there's no use taking Mr. Cameron there." They agreed
to this.

Shortly at'terwards Travelling Spirit came up to Mr
Cameron an»l said : " Why don't you go to church ? All
tlie other white people are there already." Then he took
him to the Roman Catholic Church. As it was Good
Friday the priests were holding service. Big Bear and
Miserable Man were b'tanding near the door and the

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.

otliers were kn»,'eling while tlie Ksorvice was going on.
Travollin^j Spirit entered and remained balt'-kneelir);*' in
the centre of i\w. little church, with hi.s rifle in his hand.

lie had

daviV)ed with vd-

ivar hat on an«l his face wan
low paint in mockery. The priests finished the service,
and Fatlier Fafard at th»* ckxse got ui) af\d warned the
Indians ai^ain^t coniniitting excesses.

The people then went to Delaney's house, while Mr.
Cameron wont to briiakfast, Yellow Bear, a Frog l/.ike
Indian, keepin*,' close to hini all tlic time. After finisliing
his breakfast Mr. Cameron went to his store. Travellinix
Spirit again called for him, ordering him to Delaney's.
He went next door to the barracks, which the Indians
were ransacking. King Bird (Big Bear's young son)
came up saying : " Don't stay here."

Yellow Bear then came out of the barracks saying, ^' I
want to get a hat."

Mr. Cameron said, " Como with me." Yellow Bear
said, " Bring it here.''

Mr. Cameron replied, '* Ti'a veiling vSpirit has ordered
me to como here. If he sees me going back he might
shoot me."

The Indian said, " Never mind ; 1 will go with you to
the store.''

On the road they met Travelling Spirit, who asked
them where they were going. Yellow Beai said to the
store. They went to the store and Yellow Bear got a
liat. Miserable Man entered with an order from Quinn,
probably the >ast writing he ever penned. Mr, Cameron
lias preserved it. It read as follows :

" D^ar Cameron, — Please give Miserable Man one
blai,ket— Quinn."

Mr. O.MiatiTon .aid, " I have no blankets."
Miserable Man looked hprd at him but said nothinor.
Yel^OvV Bbarvpoke "Don't you see he has no blan-iets.
What .'V y( u i^oking at )'im for ?" " Well," said Miser-
able Man 1 wili take S( mething else," and he took four
or five doi/ai: . v^urth of odds and ends. Just as they

THK FIIOG LAKE MARSACriF.

finished tradiiiL? tlioy licard the fivHt shot. Misrnihlc
M;in turned and rusheil out. Cameron licard .soin<' one
cnllin^ " Stop ! stop !" This was Bii,' Bear, wlio was in
tlie Hudson's Bay (■oin{)any's liousc talking to Mrs. Sinip-
son, the factor's wife. As Mr. Cameron went out * f the
store he locked th.- door, and while he was doino- this an
Indian ran up and said, " IF you s()eak twice you are a
dead num. One man has spoken twice already, and lie
is dea<l."

Tlvis man, as Mr. Cameron soon h^arncd, was Quinn,
who had becm standing with CMuirles Gouin, the Halt'-
bieed carpenter, in front of Pritchard's house, 'ruixellin^^
Spirit had said to Quint*, "You liave a liard head ; when
you say no, you mean no, and stick to it. Now if you
love your life you will do as I say, go to our camp."

Quinn said : " Why should I go there ?"

" Go," said he.

" Never mind," Quinn said, rpiietly, " I will stay here."

Travelling Spirit then levelled his gun at Quinn's
head, .saying, " I tell you go !" an<l shot him diad. Gouin,
who was an American rialf-breod, was shot b}- the Worm
immediMt(?ly after on the road to the Indian camp, a short
distance from Pritchard's house.

Mr. Cameron asked Yellow Bear what all t
Yellow Bear caught him by the hand and s.
this M^ay." Then seeing Mrs. Simpson about
house, he said, " Go with her; don t leave her. '

Mr. Cameron walked away with Mrs. Sin ^ison. When
they had got a short distance from the hou die stopped
and called Cameron's attention to the prie ts, who were
standing about a hundred yards away ..Apostulating with
some Indian.s who were loading their guns. I^elaney was
close bv. Suddenlv the Indians raised their tjuns and
rushed at Delaney. Father Fafard daslied up and placed
hiuwelf in front, menacing the Indians, bul was over-
powered by numbers and thrown down, and Bare Neck
shot Delaney, and then, with the other barrel, tire<l at the
priest. Father Fafa*d and Delaney were badly wounded,

'S meant.
, ''Come
leave her

CANADA S NORTTT-WEST RKBET.tJON.

an«l, as they lay wrifchin/:ij, Man-Who-Wins wallc-.d up
anil finMl at Lhcin, killiii;^' both. Fatlxn- Marchand (from
Onion liak(^) wiiH nu'anwliilc attempting to koo|) the
Indians tVom j'oin<r at'tor the wonon. Wlioii he .saw tliat
Father Fafard had Iteen killed he att(3iiii)ted to push liis
way throwfjh the crowd of Indians to reach the hody, l>ut
they resisted. He was a wiry man and founrlit liacd.
Travellini^' Spirit, however, rushed up and shot him in the
chest and head, and he fell dead.

In the rush that followed a moment after this Oowan-
lock wjus killed by the Worm. Gilchrist and Dill were
together, and Little Bear—who had previously killed
WiMiscralV— fired on them. Gilclirist fell immediately,
V>ut JJill Ava'> not liurt and started to run. The Indians
cliawe'l him on horseback and he was finally killed by Man-
Talking-to-Another.

Mr. Cameron was horrified on seeing the killing of
the priests and Delaney. Of course he oould do nothing
to save them. He ^vent up and caught Mrs. Simpson by
the arm, thinking she was going to fall from the shock.
They walked on. She ke|)t saying " Go on faster," for
the Indians wore all round ; but there was no use in try-
ing to runaway. Tlvy afterwards learned that had tliis
been tried Mr. Canieron would have been shot. After
reaching the main camp, a Frog Lake chief named He-
8tands-U})- Before Him and some head man took Mr.
Cameron into a lodge, where they told him they would
see that no harm should befall him. They then went out
and brought in Travelling Spirit, and told him that he
and his band were to let Cameron alone. Travelling
Spirit assured them all, and Cameron himself that he
would. Mrs. Gowanlock was with Mrs. Delaney, having
left her own house three miles away on the tirst news of
the trouble. The two women were walking to camp
with Mr. Gowanlock and Mr. Delaney, when tlie two
latter weie sliot. Gowanlock fell dyinu' in his wife's arms.
The Indians then brought the women to camp. By this
time almost everything in the place had been taken.

THE FIK (J LAKE MASSACUR.

Wh'^ ^i^. Oaineron left Uiey broke oprn the storr and
rai<l«}(i it. WhtiU tht» two w«)iihmi arrived in camp they
were bought by Half bncds to save thorn from the
liKliuTis. Joliri I'ritehanl, the interpreter, lH)Ught Mrs.
TMliney for a liorse and .^*{(). Pierre Plondin hon«^lit
Mrs. Oovvanlock for tliree liorses. The two .stayod with
Pritchard's ianiily. Mr. Simj)Son, the Hudson's Bay
factor, was at [?itt wlu-n tlit? massacre cccurred, but
returning in tlie evening was taken prisoner. A day or
80 after this the bodies of llie kilNd wore frightfully
mutilated and thrown into the (unpty houses, after liav-
ing been stripped of valuaVtIes. Dancing and I'easting
went on for days.

Wb'jn Pitt was attacked oidy the men w^int out,
returning after tlie garrison evacuated with the McLeans
and others. The intention of the Indians was to go to
Battleford atKl join iNjundmaker and y'>vn attack the
pe)lico barracks, so the whole camp mo\ed towards Pitt,
taking about ton days. PFowever, they <lid not go to
Pitt, but moved down the river. Several camps were
made close together near the placo of General Strange's
.subsequent skirmish, and it w;.s from east of there where
a large thirst dance lodge had been put up, th<Mt they
were hunied b}' the a]>pearance of our scouts.

The majority of the Indians of Frog Lake, Long Lake,
and Onion Lake, and other bands of Wood Crees, were
compeil(^d to join Big Bear, thougli having no desire to
take part in the troubles. They helped themselves to a
share of the plunder, but they were in a manner obliged
to do so in or<ior to live. The Wood Crees did all they
could to save the whites, and did not know anvthiuLT of
the intention of P)ig Bear's party to kill the pec^ple at
Frosf Lake. Some \Vood tJrees even threatened to shoot
Big Bear's men when the murdering began, but they
were too few at the time, auil would onlv have been
killed themselves. All the wiiites saved owe their lives
to the Half-breeds and Wood (Jree.s.

During their captivity the prisoners were never hun-
gry nor were they closely contined, Hlthough everything

■'^^my- -<».

TAN ADA 8 NOKTIl WKST UKHErjjON.

was th\nm from thoin. The two wornei\ roniainod with
I^ritclianl's fkniilv hikI tlnTH was iiljsoliiti'ly no fouiula-
tiori for tho liurrihit) stovi<'.s altout tJu'ni which woro oil-
nilatni at Dn^ tiiii(\ I'ho McLean family was not .scpar-
ntod and aIthoii;^di at first Wi^r lk;ar'a party lia«l char^M' uf
tluini, the Wood Crcf.'S took th^ni over bcoa\i.si> tliry
Llioii<;I)t thoy were not U'^od w<'ll ononujli. A party of
(*rrt>,s took OanxM'on and otliors and witlnhow from \V\<^
iicai'^ hand jiHt prior to Stran^^^e's Hkiindsh of tho 27th
of May, thinking tliat porliaps tlio Plain Ohm^s would kill
tlic piisonor^ if any of their nnml»er wore wounded or
killi'd. I^i^' Bear's b.-nul had Ixjon wishing to kill tho
prisoners all alorii,', and were oidy prevented hy the
watchfulness of tht^ Metis ami Wood Creos, while the
women owe their nafety entirely to lUondin, Pritchard,
and ot)ier Ifalf-ltreeds.

The victims of tins fri<jjhtful massacre, so far as known
at present, areas follows;-—

T. T. (,^)uinn, 8id>-a::jent. Indian Deportment; Father
Fafard, Father Marchand, John Delaney, Farm Tn.'^tructor ;
J. A. Oowanloek, Charles ( Jf.min, William Gilchrist, John
Williseraft, Joi.n J)dl.

Besides these, Mrs. Gowanloek, Mis. Delaney, James
K. Simpson, and sevet-al other settUjrs were made
prisoners.

It is, of course, impossible to describe tlie horror witli
wldeh this mas.sacre inspiivd public sentintt nt throu^liout
Canada. Mr T. T. Quinn, the ln<lian Aijent, was known
as one of the nust capable and competent of the
eiiijdoyos in the Indian Department in the North- West.
lie was born in the Red River valley, his father being an
Irish trader and his niotlier a Cree Half-breed. He
received a good education at tlie St. Boniface College.
WHieri a mere lad he went down into Minnesota and spent
some time in a trader's store, and it was while he was
there that the Minnesota massacre occurred. His
employer's store was raided and its owner murdered, but
in the midst of these scenes of ^ orror an Indian who had

Sil

n«

li(
in

111

TMK KROO r.AKK MASSACRE.

taken a likinir to youn<^r Torn Quinn's hri^'ht ami liaiul-
HoiMo fa«M' liid him iiridcr tlic CDuntcr iiiiioiiLr sonu* empty
suit sacks, ami by that imaiis lio inado his csfup'* from
savages wlio wen', sparini,^ nuitlier women nor (.'hiMnri,
iin matter how h«;l[)feM.s tiny were. As a yoinijj^ man Mr.
(.^uinn entered the service (•!* the Hudson Bay (A)iii|'iiuy^
in vvhieli )io soon di^tin;;uiNli»id him-xU' for cwura^'e, intel-
ligence, industry, ami tlnjrough honesty. Hm was placed
in charge of the Company's post at Mali^^n Portage on
the Dawson lloute, over which passengirs wi're carri»;»l
for som<^ three or four years between Ptvi Aitlnir and
Winnipeg, and remained tlicre till tra'ie in that locality
was abandoned. Ho was always very jtopular with the
Indians wherever he went, thorovi/ibly understanding
Indian character, and always eondn.t^.ng hih bnsiness with
that frankness and honesty vvhieli the aborigines are sure
to respect. Ho spoke, tie.' Knglish, St'rench, Gree, Ojibewa,
Saulteux, Sioux, and .\.ss.iniboine languages with [)evfeet
fluency, and eould converse intelligently with the Black-
feet, though he did not profess to hjive mastered their
language. He ha»l been in the employ of the [jidian
Department for some four o-r five years, serving some
time in Battlefonl under tlie direction of Mr. Hayter
lleed, who was then in charge ol that agency. He was
subserpiently promoted to the Sub-agency at Fort Pitt,
and only made Frog fjake the head<(uarters of the Fort
Pitt Agency some time in June, 1.S84. Mr. Quinn was
probably one of the liuest physical specimens of humanity
to be found in the North-West T(!rritory Standing six

feet two inches high and weighing about one hundnul
and ninety pounds ho had the pecidiarily erect and
graceful carriage often characteristic of men of unusual
strength and agility. Though no stranger would detect
evidences of Indian V^lood in his appearance or manner,
his face had just enough of it to make it luilike the face
one usually ex})ects to sco when a man is described as
tall, dark, handsome, and having black moustache, hair,
and eves.
6

He was a thorough frontiersman either I'or

CANADA.S NOIITH-WKST Ui:r»EI,M(>N.

bush or plain. An acconipliMluMl liorst'man and a skilled
oanoenian, lio was tiiorDU^jhly at home «in snowshoes, an
• xpcriciiccMl travcllor with do;; trains, jm-l an cxptMt with
ux»', liMo, Jih<)t<,'un, or rijvolvur. Mr. Quiim, who wa.s a
Catholi<', lahourod in a very rpiiot and niodost, hut rtlt'c-
tivo way toward tho conversion of the IndiuiH U'oiu
paganism to Chri.stianity, as from hi.s hoyliood lie had
always taken u deep inteiust in anytliintr that was eaiiMi-
late'tl to ameliorate tho condition ot' th« Indian, no matter
to what tril)0 he nn';Ljht happ' n tn heh 'fjf. His death
was sincerely mourned hy many an ol<l front i(*rsman
betwcH'ii liuke Siiixirior and the Koeky Mountains.

Mr. John A. Oowanloek, one of the vietims of the Frocf
Lal'e massacre, was a hrorluT of Messrs. A. (i. and .lames
Gowanioek, proprietors of tho P<ii'k<l(thi TIuwh. Ilr^ waa
a millwri;jjht by trade, and fn-st visited the North-West
in 1879, when ho went out to Raj)id City and was ens?a^od
in the erection of a j^a-isfc mill. He afterwards w(!nt into
bu.siness as a storekeeper at Ile^^ina an<i l^attleford. In
October of 1884 ho came liomo, and while in Ontario
married Miss Johnson, <lauf,djter of a IJ. E. Loyalist of
tl»at name living at 'I'intern, Ontario, wliu accon){)anied
him on his return to tlie North-West. His friends were
unwilling for him to return to tho North-West, as he
said when at homo that he anticipated a disruibanco
among the Indians ; but having V>een engaged ir* trading
with them for a long time, and always being on the most
friendly terms with them, he had no fears. At the time
the troubles broke out he, in partneislup with Mr. Laurie,
son of the editor of the iSashitchevjan Ht'rald, was
enffagcd in the construction of a >jrist-inill at Fros: Lake,
where they had shortly before completed a saw-mill.

The Rev. Father I'afard was born in Berthier, P.Q.,
where his parents are still living. His earlier education
was carried on in Montreal, and completiid at L'A.ssou'p-
tion College in 1874. Immediately on linishing his col-
lege course he went to the North-West, where he was
attached to the Battleford Mission included in the diocese

THE FROO LAKK MASSACUK,

of Bishop Oran.liri, of St, AIl»ort. Hiw rlntioH werr* those
of a Cntliiilic priest, ir» a-Mition tf> w))ich )»< »in.l»utook
tho .Mltioatit)M of tilt* oliiMi.ri uf hi.s flock, which coUHi.sted
of whih'M, Half hi rd.s nn.l In.lians.

Of the H»'V. Father Murchuij<l, cornparativolv littlt> is
known ; ho wa.-«a yomi^ priest who came out iVoiii Kranco
in iShM. un.l \s ^m at ouc«« atlach.Mi to Hisliop (iran<liii'H
njission, an<l ai the tiiri^ or liis niartynloni was hihourin^r
in conruH'lion with Fatlier Fafard. Both of thoMO mi.>.diou-
arie« were Oblat Fathers.

g;gag|,'3fosaa^;*s?

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

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Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80

(716) 872-4503

<ii

<i^

<i^'

USUT.-OOL. W. D. OTTER,

CHAPTER XIII.

OTTERS MARCH TO BATTLEFORD,

ON the 12th of April Colonel Otter and stafF arrived at
Swift Current. The force composing his column
numbered five hundred and seventy-live, including two
hundred and fifty of the Queen's Own, half of C Com-
pany Infantry (regulars), A Battery, Ottawa Foot
Guards and fifty Mounted Police under Superintendent
Herchmer.

The country through which Colonel Otter's column
had to pass in its journey to Battleford is thus described :

The whole distance traversed between Swift Current
station on the Canadian Pacific Railway and Battleford
was about two hundred miles, or possibly a trifle more.
The march to the Saskatchewan was about thirty milos

OTTFUS MAIKH TO nATTLKFORD.

101

'oot
ent

(perhaps tliirty-fonr),an(l this bron|^'ht thorn to the ferry,
Hotno ilistance west ol'tlu; mouth ot Swift CurreTit Orcek.
The country botweeii tlie railway and tlio river is mainly
upland prairie, atVordinj^ sniooth. dry footing. The
approach to the rivor is down a steep bank, abo\it four
hundred feet high, and at the foot of this sj)n'ads a strip
of bottom land a mile wide.strctching to the river's bank.

The river itself is about two hundred yards wide. Once
across the river there wen* no bottom lands to cross, but
the ascent of the north bank bej^an at once. Thi; slope
is a comparatively gradual one, and the benoli land on
the north side is oidy about two hundn d and fifty feet
above the water; little or no difhculty or delay was en-
countered at that point. Ne.xt came a short march of six
or seven mil(>s over a beautiful upland prairie wliieh
brought the C(»lumn to a small sweet water lake wliich
was the scene of the first camp north of the river.

There was no wood north of this point, however, and
in fact the whole plain up to a point on the line of march
north of Eagle Creek, and j)robably ninety miles or more
from the Saskatchewan, is destitute of anything in the
shape of timber.

AtYer leaving the lake already alluded to, the trail
leads up along gradiial ascent made over gently undulat-
ing prairie uplands. Here, as well iia in the short match
already mentioned, the footing was reasonably dry and
firm. Then comes a very sudden, but slight descent into
a strange looking valley, with a smootn, level bottom
about a mile wide, and covered with a rich loamy soil.
This belt or valley, which appears to extend indefinitely
on either side of the trail, looks as though it might have
been the valley of some ancient river. On the farther, or
what appears to have been the north bank, there is a
lofty ridge which stands up out of the plain like a huge
wall and up this ridge the trail winds through a rugged,
rock-bordered, and somewhat tortuous pas.s. Above this
ridge the ascent continues as the march leads still north-
ward over slightly rolling prairie for some twenty miles,

» t*t»"f' r--B»»»'i»T»>:r.'-'«*''*»'i-iri^f,ti 'i" !i ;' - iTi i i i,n»i ynnH i i 'i

""t'

'fltfj

102

CANADA 8 NORTH-WEST RKIIELI.ION.

after which high rollinj^ hills are entered. Here the soil
Ih dry and gravelly, an«l alkali lakes are numerous, but
there are also pools and lakes of svvot^t water quite suf-
fici(Mit to supply all possible requirements for cani[)ing.
Though the trail through these hills is always iifni and
dry, it is very tortuoua, while some of tlie hills rise well
towards the dignity of mountains. 'J'his rough almost
mountainous country continues for about twenty miles,
and then the trail leads out into a smoother, though still
undulating tract. After traversing about fifteen miles of
this last nusntioned class (»1' conntr}', a big coulee is
reached, which contains an abundant supply of sweet
water of an excellent quality. Twelve miles further on
there is a strongly saline creek forty or fifty feet wide,
easily fordable, and having a fairly good bottom. This
creek is not alkaline, but pronouncedly " salt " at all sea-
sons of the year. A little farther on Eagle Hills Creek,
which is about eighty-five miles from the South Sfiskatch-
ewan, is reached. A long and rather steep hill leads
down into the valley of this creek from the south, and a
atrip of flat bottom land a mile in width intervenes between
the foot of the hill and the edge of the creek. The creek
itself is swift, deep, and narrow at this point.

The ascent out of this valley is a comparatively easy
one, and when the benches were reached once more the
travelling was unembarrassed by anything formidable in
the shape of hills or valleys. About twelve miles further
on timber sufficient for fuel was reached, and from this
spot until Eagle Hills were reached, the trail lay through
clean, open prairie. Just at the point of the hill (twenty
miles from Battleford) is the Stoney reserve, and it was
here that the boys began to keep a sharp look out for
trouble, and their vigilance was nowhere relaxed on the
journey over the last twenty miles.

The progress of Colonel Otter's command from the
South Saskatchewan Crossing to Battleford was very
rapid, the average being something more than thirty
miles p3r day. It is not to be understood, however, that

otteh'h mahcii to hattlkkord.

103

tho men marched at thnt rate, for the fact is that after
Saskatchewan (-r()ssin(^' was reached part of the iiu'n were
ahio to securo a ride on the waj^j^ons for portions of tho
remainder of tl»o distance. Goiii^ over the prairie in this
fashion was not at all disagrcoalde. The weather (hiring
the day was conifortaldy warm, and at ni^ht, although
the pools of water everywhore mot with on the prairie
were fotmd each morning covered with a fresh surface
of ice, the men got along very nicely under the canvas,
and accommodating themselves to tluiir changed circum-
stances really seemed to be beginning to enjoy the vicis-
situdes of soldiering. The mo-st trying time was on
picket or sentry. Those fandliar with the coiintry and
the Indian method of warfare had no fear that the column
would be attacked before rcaclung Battleford, except it
might be that stragglers from the cainp miglit be picked
off or that a picket or sentry would be chaiged at night.
While the column was advancing Colonel Hevchmer's
detachment of Mounted Police, numbering twenty-five.
Logetiier with some scouts specially engaged, rode about
a mile ahead and the same distance to the right and left,
beating into every coulee or clump of poplar where an
enemy might be ambushed, thus absolutely preventing
the possibility of anything like a surprise. At night the
pickets extended from a quarter to half-a-mile on all sides
ot the camp. All felt, or should have felt, perfectly safe
and rested as peacefully as need be. The camp was
usually pitched between four and six in the afternoon,
and struck about five in the morning. At the Eagle River,
about half- way up the trail, the sprirtg waters had carried
the bridire awav, but materials for the construction of a
fjew one had been brought along, and sent on in advance
to prepare a crossing for the coluir>r.,so that no delay was
experienced on this account. Stations were made at dis-
tances, in most cases of from thirty to forty miles. A
couple of men were ]»laced in each.

Colonel Otter started out with only about ten days'
forage, and his provisions also were very much short of

104

CANADAS NOin'U-WKHT RKHErXION.

Uio thirty d&yn ratiotiH lie had expected to take with
him. Tluj didiculty was timt thuro wore not sutrn-icMit
t«'ama to ;:(ct the wholo under way at onee. The method
adopted was to send Imck thu ttmm.s i'oi" fresh loarls as
Not»n as those they started out with were consunit'd.
They exptH^ted to meet otlier k)ads comin<( on from the
Crossifif;^, pick them up and return, while the teHuis, tlius
reli(» veil, carried tlio empty wae^ons hmk totlm ('rossing.
Colonel Otter's column presented a very fornddahio
appenrance as it wcnind alonijf the cri)ok<'d trail o\er tlie
|)rniries. Its two hundred tiMims stictelnMl .somi'time.s
ovisr (wo or three miles, and looked at from any promin-
ent position, was sueh assuredly as would put dread into
the heart of th<' Indian. The Kaujle Hills, where it was
e.xpected the enemy would Ik^ eneountered, if at any place
along the line, w.ero reaeluMl on 'IMuirsday, the 2Jkd A}iril,
ahout 11 a.m. A halt was made for ilinner, and among
the men the prohaliilities of th(^ next few hours were dis-
cussed with nmch intcicst. 'I'he day previous Charlie
Ross, one of the best-known and most rlaring of the
Mounted Police scouts, had come aero.«>s a hand of proha-
hly a ilozen Indians in one of the prairie valleys, The.y
had a buckhoard and cart, and were ai)pare!»tly engaged
in the very peneeful occupation of slaughtering and
dre.ssing a calf. They were certnirdy surprised by the
appearance of the scout who advanced to speak to them.
VVhen he was about twolnnidred yards distant they fired
a couy)le of sliots in his directi(m. He replied, but his
rifle burst, and the bullet failed to reach its mark. He
thought the accident must have occurred by the muzzle
of his rifle having got tilled with mud. The In lians
madeolfas fast as they could, and Ross returned and
reported the occurrence. A detachment was at once
ordered to be ready for pursuit, but tlie Indians were not
again seen. This occurrence aroused some apprehension
of ^rouble when the Hills were reached, although it had
been reported that the Indians Imd deserted their reserve
a day or two previously. All through these Hills there

'1 •

'-i- - ^v*'r**'*»

^^f*"nr^

otteu'h maucii to hatti.kkord.

105

wa.s acon.si<iorRl)lo jTrowlli of jjoj.lnr and iin<lerbruhh. Tlie
raviriL'M w»»n' deep, nit'I in some caseH procipitoiis, and tli«
ground rlHe,.s urji'\enly to a e()nsid<»,ralde lonp^'th. Hy two
o'clock on TImrsday afternoon, the column }ia<l reaelM^d
tlie r('serv(5 of (./liief Moscjuito. of tlie Stonnys. The
HCo'itH lumted it over tlioroii;^ddy, liut wen; unal/le to dirt-
cover traet'H of a livin<,' Tudian. All wan in su|Meme dis-
order, and the loir huts ir\ wldclj thoy had lod^'ed ;^ave
evidejiccM of very liasty tli;^dit. In i>no of tlie te|)('eH a
niost ^IwLstly spectacle met tlie nyo. A couple of hoxos,
Kuch OH ai<! used lor dry-^oods, were piled one on top of
tlio other, and on the »ip[)erniost a Hmaller hox which ha<l
been used for [)aekiii:^' soap. 'I'he latter wjim first takon
down nnd looked into. Ft contained the lifeless body of
an Indian child, probjtbly two years of a<^e, placed in a
Hiitin<r posture. Its little Iwjad had been knock(si out of
Hhapo, evidently by the back of an axo, and tho eyes,
crushed rH'arly out of their Hockets by the force of the
blows from behind, Hcomcd to be glaring out in the wild-
est horror. It was a most revolting sight, and boro
terrible testiinfmy to the fiendish nature of the warrini:^
Indian. The second hoK was looked into, and anr)th(^r
object almost equally revolting was to be seen. The
corpse of a s'piaw, prol)ably twenty years of age, witli
what looked like a bullet hole in the left cheek, was
deposited there, also in a sitting posture. About the
mouth of the woman was a quantity of clotted blood, and
tho left hand was raised to the cheek, holding a handker-
chief smeared witli blood. The boxes were restored to
the position in which they were found arid the search
was continued. It was on tliis reserve that Indian
Instructor Payne wa.s murdered, and it was expected that
his body would be found some place in the neighbourhood
Diligent search, however, failed to discover it at this
time. A large quantity of flour, potatoes, and bacon was
found cached in the bush near by, and as much of this as
possible was at once loaded on empty waggons and carried
along with the coiumn. Preparations in the way of

100

Canada's north-wk8t RRHKi.i.roif.

plotighinijf ari'l luirrowinj^ won< aln^ady on foot on tht
rascrvoN for putting,' in th«» soason's crop, wlien the hi'liunn
wont on tho warpath. The trail throujjh tho hills wa.s
about six milos in lenji^th, ami as tho cohunn a<lvano«fi
tho Hcouts wori^ kr'pt busy scourinj^ the nountry on all
sideH. A nuinbor of white poo|)l«i ha<l s^tthMl in thi«
fertile re^'ion, and wore layin;,' tho foundation of comfort-
aV)lo hoin(*s with ph ty o(' every necessary of iifd! at th«'ir
dooFH. Tiujir liom had all Uicn deserted, and were

=r«r

._ -,

\ 'Land ll«i»rv* J Utiitk "•'"'^'^j-^ ^

'^'p

• HiPi'O KIM.

looted by the In<rians. No traces of an Indian wore
found. Seven or eight inilos from Battleford the fort
and village could be descried from the brow of a high hill,
and as the advance of the column came into view of the
beleaguered place a hearty cheer was given by the men.
Just as the column was winding down the long incline
towards old Battleford, and when an intervening hill
obscured the Cow \ from view, great volumes of black
smoke shot up, and for a whils it was thought the enemy

OTTERS MARCiJ TO BATTLKfOllD.

107

IP*.

*>*»<:*

musty hftvi' ' ^tftiniMl |)OHHeHMion of tlio tc^wn ati'l pro^aMjr
tlui fort o-M well and, m 'ing tlu; advance of the forces
over the hill wero setting Hn« to th« placo provjouH to
(liVMcrtin;; it. No rU'WH from Battlofonl had Ix^'ii nHTiv»^d
})y Coloiwd ( )tt<'r for Hom« days, and lie wits, th»'r«'foro,
i^^norant of the position of aHairn. Thcro wa/n a ((uarter
of an hour ofanxiouN HusnenHO till tlu; troops •^ain«d tho
top of the intervening hill. It was tln-n H»;en at a dis-
tfinco of probably five iuil»!8 that a lniildin<^ on {\\i\ south
side of Battle River in the old town was on tire. That it
was the wf)rk of the Indians was apparent , hut it was a
relief to Hnd that the for^ and new towii were still hold-
ing out. Th(! coUnnn wa.s halted on a plain about three
mil»3H from the rivnr, the teams corralled, and thr tentn
pitched i'<>r the ni^ht. Scarcely had the sun sot, sinking
as it seemed into the jjjreat plain beyond Battleford, than
the Hky wa.s lit up by another building ablaze in the oM
town. From a prominence near the camp, with the aid
of a <jfood glass, the Iniiians could be seen dancing about
the lire in tiendi.sh delight over the ruin they wore mak-
ing. Charlie Ross, the police scout, accompanied by sev-
eral others, left the camp at sundown to reccmnoitre the
position and numbers of the Indians. Just before be and
his companions slipped away into the dark underbrush.
Colonel Herchmer said, '* Take care of yourself, Ross, but
if you get a chance to shoot don't forget to do it." " Yes,"
replied Ross, in a tone that left no doubt of his int»?nti(m.
The party had not gone for more than an hour before
firing was heard in the direction of the town, and Colonel
Herchmer ordered out a detachment of a dozen Mounted
Police to go to the scouts' assistance. Ross and his com-
panions had scattered themselves as they approached the
position of the Indians, and crept up t>o within a very
short distance of them. Koss himself got into a dense
undergrowth where he lay watching the Indians' antics.
So far as he could determine there were about eighty of
them, all with horses ready to mount. As Ross lay
among the shrubbery he was startled by a cough within

■■'»m^mj<tm

miif^m t » «

lOS

CANADA H NOHTM-WKHT KKHKLIJON.

A fow yarjn of hifii, an«l ^^'came awari' of i\u' proni'nce of
ail Italian. Tii*^ latt^^r no doubt look lt<»N.s to l>o oiiu of
his own poopio, and Uohh was not avnxo that he nhould
holil t)>at o|»inioii iindi»r Huch rimiiiistiinfcH. Half a-
doz«'M Iiidiaiis presently roso up all around him and went
to tht'ir hor-(»N a shdi't diMtanoo away. Ross uIho tnovrd
away, and pro.sontly came aoroMs his companions n«'ar tlio
main trail. 'I'horo thoy HtationtMl thoutstdves tdl a do/.on
nioiinti«(l Indians rodo slowly alon^'. Wlim tln-y wcru
thirty yards pa«t Ross .spranj» up and called, " Halt." The
Iiidiiins did not Imit, howt'vcr, hut put spurs to thoir
poiii«\s, and tho sroutH opened tiro on them with thoir
rovol\t>rs, tho ofdy tiroarnjs they carried. This was tlie
firing tluiy licard from the camp. Tin^ Indians in a tew
minutes all seemed to have disappeared, as if hy nm^ic.
They wore doulitlew.s in amhush awaitin<^ the advance of
those who had fired on thera. The Mounted Pt)li(i .sipuid
]iresently came up and thou;(ht it wise that all shovild
return lo ean>ji.

The pick(^t.s thrt ni^jht douhtleH.s put in an anxious
time of it. It was tli«i general impression in camp that
the Inilians would make an eflort to pick off some of the
farthest out, hut it wius otherwise. Tne .iun ro.so bright ly
over the scene of the Imlians' bonfire, but no lndia?i
was then to be seen. The house timt had been biirneil
the previoua evening was Judge Rouleau's handsome
resi lence.

Immediately after breakfist the tents were struck
and the whole column advanced to the brow of the some-
wiiat steep declivity running down to Battle River.
Here the tents were again |)itched close beside the Indus-
trial School and only a short distance ftom thcsmouhler-
iiig ruins of Judge Rouleau's residence. The Imlians had
made a complete wreck of the ohl town and had exercised
almost devilisli ingenuity in their methods of destruction.
The contents of the Industrial School were thrown about
in shapeless confusion, the windows smashed, and the
walls battered and polluted. The interior of every

C^TKUa MAIK H TO llAITLKFOUl).

109

un^)(ini«>(1 hoime in tho old town proHHiitm) a Himilar

Then' worn itliiit up in tht^ fort sdimthin^ ov»;r five
liun<li'(j<l iiMUi, woiiicM, and (*)iil(lri>ri, coinpoMMd <»f townM-
people and all tliH whit4» p«>om1u Hcttlt^d in t\u* dintrict.
riio fort in iiliout two hund?i«d yardn ntpiaie, with a
ntof'kado ton fcot hij^li. TIhto wiih an nl»nndance (d* pro-
viHionH — enough, it was thougiit, to last thn'e niontliM.
Thi.s coinpriHo(l l)oth th«' poiicn and li.dian HUpplioH. hi
HO snuill a Hpacc it will ho roadily und»'rstou<l that tho
peoplo woru pretty well crowded, hut not unconifortaldy
80. Numerous tontH wore pitched in ail part« of tho
encloMuro, an«i tho Insletiguerod people contrived to make
theniHolvoH tolenddy coiufortahle.

The t\)rt ih 8it<iated on an elevated plateati, and can
he approachixl only in the open. Tho new town lies went
of tho fort, and the Indians nad heen kept from Ha(^kiiijj[
it by a wholosouio ilread of th<' nhells whi(!h the Hcven-
pounder gun in tho harnuikH was capahle of throwing. Up
to the day before (Jolonel Otter's arrival Colonel Morris
was in connnand, with a detachinont of twenty tive police.
HIh .situation had been umpiestionahly a difficult one.
His first duty, of course, was to hoc that tho fort and the
people within it were protected from tho enemy ; his
Hocond to protect a.s far as possible the property of citi-
zens and settlers in the ncighl)ourhooa. Ho had suc-
ceeded in preserving the fort as well as tho property of
citizens in the new town, and in order to do this ho had
to exercise constant vigilance. The property of settlors
in the outlying district of course easily fell a prey to the
Indians, who had sacked all the houses, and burned niost
of them for twenty-five miles around — that is throughout
the whole settlement But Colonel Morris was very
roundly blamed by many of tho people for not making a
more determined effort to protect the vast stores of the
merchants and Hudson Bay (Company in the old town.
Every day up to the time of Colonel Otter's arrival the
Indians could be plainly seen from the fort, about a mile

• -i^' «MI|i«ntAltr^

TANADAR NOHTII \fKNT KrHKI.MOK.

iliHt4tnt, |)lun(ltM inu the ■tori^i anct cnrryiiii; of)' tliM ^^xmIa
mill proviNiotkH with t)i<« liorNoM Ami v<<liiclrs tlioy itiid
a|t|)riii)riAt(>i| liavii iMM^ri
a f^Hllin^^ sif^ht. AIkxU onu liuinlrc*! litxl fifty of ttio tnni
In tlio fort n'poAttMlly nMiitiv^t*)*! < 'olorirl Morri.s to Ih<
ailowril to m> out And ntt*'ii)))t to iliivi> tli(!riit*niy nf!'iiiMi
M)curi» tlio provwionn. This n^mivit h<» r«'liMrr.HiN-
tontly, and tho ttlnndoiin^ wt>nt on un<')i«M*ki*d, rxc«»|)t on
two oooAsionM wImmi tlir ^un wam lnou^dit out ulMiut half
way to tin* river, and a iniii))M<r of hlu>ll.s tlirown at thi^
oneuiy. Four of tli«*ni worn kilN'd and tlx* rest disporMrd
into tin* wood«. On tho Mocond day a dozen iiu-n o( the
Tloine (hmrds croHs«»d the river, when the IridianH fled,
And captured a horse and liuek hoard, tlie latter loaded
wit)) looted i(o(mIh. It appears the horse was Imidky and
wouM not move off with (he Indians. In etjnnei'tion
with C«)lonel Morris' rotoMal to allow a reseiio party f^
leave the fort it nnist he kept in vitiw that the com-
manding otHccr had ahout as L^reat dread of the enemy
within the fort am that without. Many of them were
HrJf-hreedH And their loyAlty, to say tlie least of it, (juen-
tionable. Had tlu^y been allowed to jj;et out he did not
know what their freedom mi^ht liave devel()|io<l. Ilia
prsition, if dinaster ha<l followed a compliance with the
men's re(jueHt, would have been a most uiu'nviable one.
Another reason for his refusal was that the ice in the
river was in atich a condition that it mi^ht be expected
to break up at any moment, anti if this had occurred
whih' the men were on the opposite shore, their return
would ha\ «) been next t«) impossible, and the fort would
practically have been left at the mercy of the enemy.

On Wedne>4day, the day before the arrival of the
relief column, one of the most lamentable events of the
whole siege occurred in the shooting of poor Frank A.
Smart, who was one of the moat popular men of the
district, and one who seemed to possess the entire confi-
dence of the Indiana. But it wa.s a most notable circum-
stance during this uprising that those men who have

Ol'IKKH MAKCil Ut IIATTLKrolll).

Ill

booit iitiMt kii)<l aii< cotiHidnraU* in ih«i hi<iinii.H havt* licun
thoMi* who liiivt* tirNt 1m>i>ii inurktMl I'or <|i'ut|i.

Thf iitiintiori nil tliii>U({li tliiM diMtrittt wan tiumi
(|(*|)li)riil»lo. TItt' st'ttli'i.s, <»f (*our*Nr, ltH«l Imm^ii roMxMl of
nvuiytiiin^ Tlii'ir CHlttt) And liorHim IiaiI iM^n <iiivi>ti
AWAV, llitMf lioiiHi'H rltliiT l>MrniMl or Muoko«l, and tItM.s tho
hilioiir ol' yvtiVH Iiaii i'enil«in'(l vain. 'Dioho wito hml
toiiiMl aiiii<l iiirmtiirriilili) lianUhiim to Itrinj^ tiM'iiiholvoH
liiiii tlitiir t'liiii 'i«>M into poNJtionMot coinimrativi; riuto, wim*o
Utft )H)in««l('HH an«i ttrnnilcNM, in an infinitely woi-mo condi-
tion than when uwy tii«t n't toot in the rountry. 'I'hn
N<*od for which thtt ground wiut juHt Indti^' {>ropar«)d wan
never sow n.

The lindin^ r>f tliu Itody of Payne, the Indian Instruct
tor, on Mos<|uito'H reMervo cansod soniethin;^' like a Herisa-
tion in the camp and liarrackM. It wam h(>lioved tliat tltu
Indians had cut it to pieces and diHpoAed of it in that
way. Ser^c^ant Lanj^try wan in charge of thn fati^tio
jmrty that nmde the diHCovery. Tlu^ Tnuidrred man was
lying apparently just an ho had t'alh'n, on his face, with
hin anuH Htr(>t(-)i<Mi out hi'fore him, and a numli'>r of doup
wounds on tlu^ hack oi his head told of the di adiy and
cowanily nature of the attack. A (pjantitv of straw luid
been h)oscly thrown over the corpse, and the wind hU»w-
ing a portion of tins away disclosed the form. In the
house which he occupied everything wan in confusifni.
His diary, contuinin;,' entries up to the ni^ht before his
death, was discovered. There wa.s no reference to an
expect«Hl rising, excentin*:,' m an entry made three days
previous to his <leatM, which Hhowetl that Indian A^ent
Rae had been on the reserve that day, and had had a talk
with the Indians and was convinced of their loyalty.

The conduct of Jud^e Houleau in desf^rtinj^ the place
immediately that the sli^ditest danger showed itself, was
very severely commented ori by nearly all those in the
fort. Ever since cau.se for fear had nianifested itself by
the sullen manner of the Indians, Judge Rouleau, it is
said, persistently maintained that there was no reason for

112

CANADAS NOIITII-WEST UKBKLLIOJ^.

alarm, and being constituted a censor of all despatches
going over the wires, refused to permit any mention of
the true condition of affairs to be sent out. Every effort
seems to have been made by him to suppress the real
condition of aflaii's, but immediateH' that matters assumed
a gravity that could no longer be gainsaid, ho took to
horse and " skiniied " out of the country. A corres, ond-
ent in referring to this matter said : " People have stolidly
maintained that he did not stop running till he had got
to the other side of the big bridge at Ottawa, and that
according to the last bulletin of his ilight, he had got
safely into the Citadel at Quebec, and is now barrieaded
from the arrows of the enemy by many thicknesses of
iron plato. Almost everybody, even his compatriots and
personal friends, are tlius referring to him."

In referring to the volunteers the same correspondent
says:

"iTo words of mine can sufficiently express the heroic
manner in which the Queen's Own regiment has withstood
the trials and hardships of the month intervening
since their departure from the Union Station, Toronto.
There is not a man of them ailing at present, and they
take their work and submit to the rigid discipline of
active service with a cheerfulness that is in the highest
sense creditable. I believe that almost every man in the
regiment is roundly disapi)<>inted and dissatisfied that an
opportunity has so long be ^n denied them to show their
merit in the field, and when it comes to that they may be
depended on to do their duty. From most of their faces
the sun has already removed the outer film of skin, and
what remains "s tanned a glorious brown. Most of them
have perforce d lowed their beards to grow, and as they
were seen at cliurch parade to-day they presented an
appearance vastly different from that they wore on a
King Street parade last summer. Until the column
arrived here the rations consisted of hard-tack, pork,
canned meat, dried apples, beans, and tea, and there was
abundance of it, notwithstanding that reports have gone

■I'.

GENERAL MIDDLETON's ADVANCE.

113

got

forward to the contrary. Since pitching camp here, fresh
beef has been occasionally served, and thin cliange has
been hailed with great glee. Whenever a g()od I'at steer
is found it is approi)riatod and slaughtered forthwith, and
if the owner is not near by he is settled with as soon aa
he happens to turn up.

" Whde making the ahove remarks about the Queen's
Own, the other bodies composing the brigade niust not
be lost sight of. Company C, of the Toronto Infantry
School, half of which are here under Ca|»tain Wadmore,
are admired l)y all for their soldierly bearing and hand-
some appearance in column. Captain Todd's Ottawa
Foot Guards are a thoroughly disci [)lined body of men,
and it is only necessary to mention B Battery to provoke
plaudits among Canadian jnilitiamen."

Thus the siege of Battlef'ord was raised, and it v;as
thought that the work of Colonel Otter'a colunm was
done. How little we know of what is before us. The
tra'^edy of Cut Knife Hill was still to bo enacted.

CHAPTER XIV

gone

GENERVL MIDDLETON's ADVANCE— WAITING FOR SUPPLIES

AND REINFORCEMENTS.

WHILE *-.heso events were taking place in the West,
matters in the eastern portion of the disturbed
district were by no meai.s at a stand-still. Recognizing
tlie pressing necessity of doing his utmost to nip the
rebellion in" the bud, General Middleton was hurrying
forward with all possible speed. The provisions for
transport service, having been hurriedly made, were of
course not particularly ethcient nor satisfactory. It too
often happens that in emergencies of this kind, people
selected in a hurry to fill positions of responsibility and

114

Canada's north-west rebellion.

tr\i«t, are selected on account of personal popularity, or in
acknowledgment of poUticti) services rather than Ixjcause
of anv especial fitness for the place. The conduct of the
canipaif^m in the North- West was not altogether free from
blunders of this kind, and it would be too much to expect
that it should have been. At the season of the year
when the jour'^ey from Qu'A|)j)elle to Clark's Crossing
had to be undertaken, the grass was not in such a state
as to furnish suitable forage for any but native or
thoroughly acclimatized horses. In consequence of this
supplies for man and beast had to bo freighted thro\igh.
In this way it will be seen that a large proportion of the
supplies hauled in were consumed by tlie horses engaged
in the transport service, so that the amount of freighting
necessary to keep the force in the field properly supplied
was something enormous. With the trails in the worst
possible condition, with both horses and teamsters all
green at the business, and with, possibly, a very limited
aptitude for the work himself, it is not surprising that
Mr. Bedson should have made a very sorry job of the
transport service. General Middleton was very consider-
ably handicapped in his efforts to push forward by the
lack of sup})lies ; his patience was sorely tried at having
to wait day after day at Clark's Crossing, knowing well
that every day of such inaction was equivalent to giving
aid and comfvrt to the rebel cause. Every day Gabriel
Dumont was strengthening his position at Batoche, and
still General Middleton was powerless to advance against
him. Every day Kiel's runners were carrying into Indian
camps all over the Territory the news that the white men
dared not attack them, and yet, well-knowing this, General
Middleton was powerless to advance against him. Find-
ing the transport service via Qu'Appelle would be nearly
or quite inadequate to meet the demands of the situation
General Middleton determined to open another route for
bringing in supplies. The Midland Battalion and a
Gatling gun in charge of Lieutenant How^ard, an ex-
tensive store of supplies, and other necessities for the

•, t w >r^)jr if»y^'»»'VT^''' •'<yrf--' -^- -y -

THE FALL OF FORT PITT

116

or in
cause
if the
from
ixpect
year
assing
I state
ve or
►f this
rough,
of the
igaged
ghting
ipplied
worst
bers all
limitod
ig that
I of the
►nsider-
by the
having
well
giving
abriel
e, and
against
Indian
ite men
eneral
Find-
nearly
tuation
ute for
and a
an ex-
Ifor the

campaign were started from Saskatchewau Landing near
Switt Current to make tlio long journey down the river
by boat.

On the 18th of April, Lord Melgund, with Captain
French and Major Boulfcon with a party of scout.s, made a
reconnoirt.sance from Middleton'.s cauipan<l (captured tliree
In<lians, whom tlioy found liiding in a coulee. One of
tlie.^He was a cousin and two were sons of the Sioux cliief,
White Cap. Of course they told the old story of being
forced into the fight by Ri»;l and the rest of the Half-
breeds, but as White Cap and his band manifested a par-
ticular fondness for tlie scalps of white men during the
Minnesota massacre, it appears extremely probable that
neither he nor his followers required much coaxing to
induce them to join Kiel.

On the 21st of April the steamer Northcote started
from Saskatchewan Landing with the first instalment of
the South Saskatchewan branch of the ex{)edition.

On the 22nd a few of Major Boulton's scouts chased
two rebels on the west side of the Saskatchewan for some
fifteen miles but failed to capture them. They also came
upon a small party of rebel scouts with whom they
exchanged shots at long range, but nobody was injured.

CHAPTER XVL

THE FALL OF FORT PITT.

THE events in this tragic history now began to tread
close upon the heels of one another. While Colonel
Otter was preparing his column for an attack on Pound-
maker's reserve, and while General Middleton and his
force were impatiently awaiting the hour when they
should stand face to face with Gabriel Dumont's Half-
breeds, there was, away in the far North- West on the
banks of ilio Great Saskatchewan, far beyond the reach of

'''^iv;;rH''

"«»•»-

■i M o »i«««^^.> m ,»»»«|..

IIG

CANAIUH NOHTH Wi:ST UKHKLMON.

|>r(\s<»nt, ussi.stau('«», a Httl(» hand of ro»l-<*()atO(l prairio
troojxT.s, every ono of tliom witli as l)iav<» a lu'art aw twiir
Invit lu'jH'at]i t,l»o H('arl(*t. Tlirir liMuier wa.s a wcll-t-ritMl
Holdior wlioso inodost worMi, thouijh hlazorhHl by no bin>
liiiLT I'liroiiic'.Iors, was woll-known to Holdior (!oiina<lt',s in
India, on tlio nigfji^l mountain hIo|m5h ol' Montana, and in

INhPKCTOH FUANCIS J. DIUKBNS.

every portion of the North -West, from Fort Pelly to
Ivootenay, and I'loni Ethnonton to Wood Mountain. 'I'liis
was Inspector Francis J. Dickens, son of tlie famous
novelist, and though one of the most modest and retir-
ini; officers of the North- West Mounted Police, well-
known to be one of its coolest and most intrepid soldiers.

TIIK KALL OF KOHT PITT.

117

rndrr hiMjM'clor DirluMjH, who liold Fort Pitt wrre
tvvciil y-t wo (»!' tin Momit<'<l I'olirr, and it was Mh'Ii'
cliai <.;•«' to [)n)to('t H litl I(« Imiidrid of wliito sctth-rM, mimI
pn'vcut a v(!ry considcral'lt' storr of .supplies, unn.s, and
aiinimnitioii from fnlliii;^ into tlw^ hatuls of tin- hidianH.
Opposr<l t.() them was \V\<^ Dear, one of tln^ iiiost war-iikn
ami p(»\v<'rful cliicfs of tln^ N(jrtli- Wont. Ho li.'ul under
hill) a forcowliicli.iti all prol»al>ility,nuiuheitMl not lesH than

. .. .. 1.. rr -r -t I-. »;■ ■>•.«._ ■-■>.. rr^:r—.^ . ■ ~— . - . ^^ . . — y

PLAN OF '• KOnr PITT.'*

thrco hundred. Fort Pitt Is sitiiafcd on the north hank
of the North Saskatchewan, ninci y-eigl»t miles north-
west from Battleford, and two hiii.cfred anil four miles
ea.st from Ftlmonton, hy the trail ruiudng alonor ijie nor tli
side of the river. It is situated on a hnv, rieh tlat, which
lies from twelve to fifteen feet ahove the river level, and
which runs back about half-a-mile to where it meets

■*sr

n«

CANADA H NOHTfl-WKST IIKHKI.I.FOM.

th«» hijjh n)Iliiii? <*«nmtry I lint Mtrrtclu'M away on all .si<it>H
ill (ln> vrar of t\\v pest.. Tlic fort cotiMi.stnl of Hov^tal lo;^
buildings nrranj^M'd in a Ixtllow square, ari«l wan f<)rnn«rly
oncloMi'd h\ a Ht()*ka«!»^ with liastioiis on the coriu^rH, Imt
OS tluM l»a<l lu'cri r»MMov<Ml sonio yoars . foro, it tJH'n lay
<'o«ii|t|t'trly ui»|irot('oto(l in the midst «»f sonio cultivatfil
li(»l<ls siirrouiiiltMl by rominon rail f(*n<M>s.

Hi^ Hoar, who was Ix'sif^^in/j; Kort IMtt, had \>rvn
indiu'od by nu'uns (»f nun'li coaxirj;^ and many pnsscnt.H
to roniovo from tlio South, whero in Ins close vicinity to
tho border line lie was continually a causo of anxiety to
Fort Pitt, wlu'ro in tho midst of a numlxT of liithcrto
(juiot and peaceful bands of his own nation, and henmicd
in on tlie South by the North Sa.sk Mtche wan, it was sup-
posed ]jc woulii settle down and ^ivc no further trouble.

li'i^ Hoar was the last to take ticaty and when he did
one of his strongest objections to doin^ so was that he
dill not lik':. the idea of hanjjfing as a punishment for
murder. It was late in I8}S2 when Hii^ Hear signed his
adhesion to the treaty and exjuessod his willingness to go
on a reserve near Kort Pitt. Whether or not Big Hear
wtus sincere in hia j^rofessions of loyalty at that time
riMuains to be seen. He had been down in Montana
bunting buffaloes all summer in the same region where liiol
was at that time said to be doing his best to how the
seeds of discontent and rebellion among both Hal f-brecds
and Indians from north of the border. Big Hear had
originally come from Fort PiU, but in the autunni of
187li he went South hunting bu Haloes, and from that time
till after he took treaty about the end of 1882 he
reiiiained South making Fort Walsh headquarters for
himself and his band. The buffalo hunting was bad even
south of the boundary line where he spent the summer,
and as early as the latter part of August or beginning of
September he sent five of his young men North with a
message to his particular friend Piapot. At this time he
believed that Piapot was settled on a reserve at Indian
Head, and the messengers were instructed to ask Piapot

•^»v

TIIK VM.\, (»K Four IMTT,

if Tii(Mitonafit Oovrrrior Dowdnoy* )uul carriod out 1ii«
ii'4nM'iii(>iits with tli(» Iatt(<r fairly aii'l li<»tit'MMy, and if the
answ»M- provoti to h«) in tl»« alHrmativt; I'iapot waM (o ho
nM|UOMt«Ml to HJ^nity to tho lii<liiui l)«'|»artmont that IJi^
hear wiw al.Mo anxioiiH to taUc troaty to ^'o unoii a i(!H»irv«\
'rh»'H»i rneHHoiururN, liowi^vor. worc3 m»'t hy l*ia[)ot hot'ore

nON. EDOAK DEWDNKT, LIKUT.GOV. W.W. TKHKITOniES.

they reached Qu'A])polle, and the gn^at chief of the South

• Hon, Edgar Dewdimy in an EngliEhtnan by birth, but with many of
his adventurous countrj nion found hiH way to Uritixli Columbiu durinpr the
earlier |>()rtion of the guld excitement. Like many othert* he made and iont
more than one handHomo compHtcncy in that country, but wan fortunate
enough to finally light on his fi-et financially. As a rfpresontative from
liritinh Columbia in the Dominion Parliament he bei:anie a man of Home
importance politically, and on, or soon after, the acceHwion of Sir .John
Macdonald to power in 187f< he uiih appointed Indian romraiBBitmer, and on
the expiry of Ex-Governor Laird'H term in 1881, he waa appointed Lieu-
teuant-Governor of the Territory, still retaining his Indian CommiuHiouahip.

•-'V-

I •"

120

CANADA 8 NOUTH-WKST limFI.LION.

Crt'CM wns in no hiinidur to ropoifc favouMiMy to \l\fi
lUnvH t'THjiiiry, a.s lui wns tlion fresh trom Ium famoiiM
interview witli liion^onHnt-CJlovernor DewJtioy at Fort
Qij'AppolIc, in wliich tho latter luul been held up by

OUIKV FIAPOT or THB SOUTH 0RBR8.

Piapot to contempt and scorn. This of course for the
time put an end to Big Bear'3 negotiations with the
Indian Department, but as the hunting continued bad
Big Bear found his way to Fort Walsh late in the season,

^- - ---^ ^'^"^

THR FALL of FOUT IMTT.

Ill

ainl .^Ipfnifl<'<l liin intc ntion of bfooruln^ a "Treaty Indian.**
At tlii« tiiin' Mr. Drwtlnt'y « xi)r«'Hs«<l tlw opinion that
Hi^ IWr luui " homo unjustly a batl character,"
and that it* lie wont North he would " niak»» ono of our
best chiofs." Hut aft<M- all it took tlio iini»<Ml efforta of
Colonol Irvine of the North-West Mounti'd I*oliro, Colonul
McDonnId, (ndian AmMit for I n^aty Four, and Peter
Hourie, th( llalf-brecd intj'rpretcr. backed by tho urj»ont
riMjuests of his own son and Hon in-law, to induce Big
Bear to consent to take treaty and <^'o North. Piapotaim
Lucky Man were prcMent when the bargain was finally
clo.sed.

Shortly after his arrival at Fort Pitt he att«'rnpted to
seize the stores at that point, and in order to overawe the
small force of police who were stationed there to watch
his nioveuumts, he not only assiuined a very threatening^
attitude, but used some considerable amount of violence,
which fortunately j^rovod of no effect. Sul)se(juently he
sent tobacco at diffbrent times amongst all the baiuls in
his vicinity, sumnioniti»< them to pow-wuws for the pur-
pose of discussing his old and time-worn grievances,
and in sliort, did all in his power to persuade all within
reach of his influence to dig up the hatchet, abandon
their reserves, and under his wild, savage, and reckless
leadership to demand his rights, and the fulfilment of the
promises that had been made him — at the muzzles of
their rifles, or at the edge of the scalping-knife. Although
this man was getting old, he still retained the active use
of a powerful, scheming, and very fertile V)rain, any defi-
ci'jncy in which was readily supplied by the evil councils
of those headmen of his band who were constantly near
his person. In addition to this, ho was not only very
widely known, but was held in high repute by the whole
Cree nation as a great chief, whose wise and prudent
opinions would carry immense weight in their Groat
Councils.

The annual dances in which the Indians are accus-
tomed to indulge had always been regarded aa a means

122

GANADA'H NOUTH WKfiT KKHKLLIOIf.

of connoctin^ thntn with thoir hoathoruMli paHt, and
tlirou^h tlw lalMiurM of tliu iiiissionArieM an<i TDiik C^uinii,
tho Iiuliafi A|^«'[it, who were lunong the vi«'tiii)H of i\w
Froj^ liaktj luRHMiipro, these cuHtoiiiM wero fa^t falling into
(lisuBe; hut with tho return of Bif^ Hear the "ThirHt Dancro"
wan rt'vivctl with all Oh revolting featureH. ThcHe danceN
take upon thenii'-lvcs the nature of religiouH corenionicM,
and the more enthuMiastic of the dovotceH Nuhject theni-
selvcH to tortureH of the nioHt painful clwiraeter tui a part
of the regular prograinnie. The "'I'hirst Dance" Ih nearly
or quite identical with the Sun Dunce of the SarceeH in
which the ; »un^' men make ineisionH in th« ir backs and
paHHing a cord under the .skin allow them.selveH to be
liung up by the loop thus formed, for Huch a length of
tiifie that it would seem inciediblo to one who had not
seen one of these horrible ceremonies.

A fairly accurate estimate of the total number of
Indians in the Fort Pitt Agency at this time is as
follows : —

Pig Rear, with a band of five hundred and twenty,
located nowhere in nartieular, but sjiending most of his
time roaming about between Fort Pitt and Hattleford.

See-kas-kootch, with a band of one hundred and
80vonty-six, located at Onion Lake.

Pay-moo-tay-a-soo, with a band of twenty-eight,
located at Onion I^ake.

Sweet Grass, with eighteen, at Onion Lake.

Thunder Companion, with five, at Onion Lake.

Wee-mis-ti-coo-seah-wasis, with one hundred and
thirteen, at Frog Lake.

O-nes-pow-hay, with seventy-three, at Frog Lake.

Pus-keah-ke-win, with thii-ty-one, at Frog Lake.

Kee-hee-win, with one hundred an<l forty-six, at
Long Lake.

Chipewagan, with one hundred and twenty, at Cold
Lake.

In all about one thousand two hundred.

TBI WAU. or FORT PITT.

123

TIjo folldwin^ in a •l«'Uil«Ml IIhI of the Mount<»«l Police
loft to hoM Fort Pitt aiiil itH vnlimhlo siippliuM aii<l HtoioH
rt^ttinnt iVi^ lioar:—

In.sjMJCtor Dickenn, F. J., appointed inNp«^ctor 4th
NovomlK»r, IH74.

StA'r-S«u-^r„aiit llolph, J. W., engaged 16th September,
18.S4, at Rc^iiia.

Sorj^oant Martin, J. A., re-ougageil 3rd November,
18.S4, at BattN^tord.

Corporal Sieij^h, U. B., enj(aged 7th June, 1881, at
Fort WalHh.

CoHHtables A.ii<l«r-on, Wm., engaged lOth April, 1882,
at Toronto.

Carroll, J. W., engaged 7th June, 1881, at Fort
Walsh.

E<lniona, H. A., et»gagod 15th April, 1882, at Toronta

HobUs, It, engaged 7tb June, 1881, at Fort Walnh.

Ince, R., engflged !Sth April, 1882, ut Toronto.

Leduc. F., en.,'aged 22nd April, 1882, at Toronto.

Lionain, Q., engaged Dlh May, 1H82, at VVinnijtftg.

Loasby, 0., engaged 12th July, 18S.'J, at Winnipeg,

MeDonald, J. A., engaged 29th April. 1882, at Toronto.
• PliilipH, C, engaged 20tli April, 1882, at Toronto.

Quigley, J., engaged 8th May, 1882, at Toronto.

Roby, F., re-engaged 9th .Inne, 1884, at Battleford.

Rowley, Geo., engaged Kitli October, 1881, at
Qu Appello.

Rubertson, 11. H., engaged 4th November, 1882, at
Regina.

Rutledge, R., engaged 3rd April, 1882, at Toronto.

Smith, \Vm., engaged 29th November, 1882, at Regina.

Tector, John, engaged 10th April, 1882, at Toronto.

Warren, F. F., engaged 23rd July, 1883, at Maple
Creek.

Conatable Cowan was engaged in Toronto in April,
1882.

The story of the engagement is soon told. Big Bear
and his overwhelming force ajjproached a comparatively

124

CANADA N NUUTII WKMT IIKIIKI.I.ION.

«li»f«'iirrl«<«<i fort on th<' Iftth of April, ntxl Nntiunonc'l flit
whiti'H to .siuri»n«l«^r rhiif Kftitor MrLonn, of tlu) llu«l-
NoriN Hay ('ompAiiy, wi*itt into \\\h cniiip for i\w purpono
of ptTMiintliii:^' him, if posHihlo, toAhuiiilon liin irit<*iitior. of
Httn«'kin^ nml riipttiriti);^ thi^ fort, Itistea*! of •(i'n<lit)«^
hiiii l»ack with trrnis, ho\v«»v»'r, llig Mvnv n'taino«l McLt an
as prisoner, and iitstniotod hii.i to conununinito with )iis
frit'nds in tho fort by Irttt^r. AwrtI hy thu oyci wh«'linin^'

tiCM,

Mispanty in th(> riMativu strtMi^th ot tli<< otipoNin^ par
Mr. M(*li(>i>n wrote to his family atid thr othrr whito
wt'ttlorH wlio vvfKf un<l«r tho protrction of thn pi)lici' to
Mtirr«>n(U)r thcinscivos to tho Irwlians, and como into tho
Indian camp, as Hi^^ H(>ar coittfinplatod an almost iuimtMl.
iatt) attack on tho fort. Yielding to th*- iin*lson Hay
oHicor's pcr.suiision an<l their own fears, tho scttlcrH,
urdmppily for thiMnsolves, dosortod tho protection of
Inspector Dickens ami his gallant little hand, and l< ft
tlicm aH they no donht supposed to a fate similar to that
which had overtakeT the unfortunate white Hottlors at
B'rog I^ako.

Bij^ Bear, however, decided to give the police one
chance at least to save their lives at the cost of tlioir
honour and what might have heen a surrender most dis-
astrous to the loyal cause. The answer of Inspector Dick-
ens and his handful of Mounted Polic'euien was in keepin;,^
with the chiiraeter which the force ha« always maintained.
They tiatly r(>fu«ed to surrt!ndt;r.

Big Bear then otlbrcd to allow them to escape pro-
vided they would leave their own arms and the arms and
Hupplios under their ehar{.(e to fall into his hands. This
they refused to do, and the attack wa« made. The i\^]it
while it lasted was a hot one. Constable Cowan was killed,
and l^ansby wountled, and for a time it looked as though
the police must succumb, but indondtable British pluck
and coolness at last prevailed, and tho Indians were
driven off, leaving four dead upon the field. Dickens and
his force then, destroying everything in the shape of arms,
ammunition, and supplies, which they could not take

TklL or rOKT IMTT.

ISA

with th«»ra, rotroftti*'! to the rivpit iin«l IoA'IIhk what ihvy
required iiiU) u Vuilc lH>at tiiA<lo tlii>ir wny dowu t)ie
HtreAm to Hattlrfoi'l. No inon lu«r<>ic lly;lit or Miipri'ssful
fl()f<*nco in tli<* hivr of overwlteiiiiin^ (xitiM illumitiDM titi!
|>a^i*N of inoilt^rii liiniory

Tho following is the lint of tho porsoni hiild priHontTM
hy lii^ Ht'ur:

Mr. MfI<«Min, Fiwtor, TTuiIsou'h Bay ('oniprtny; Mn«.
MrFi<'an Miss Me Lean, Miss Mar^^un't Meli«'un ami Minn
MfI,.'iiM, Mjistof ISij)oniaM MrLcan. Master Willir Mrf^'an,
MfiHtur An^iis MclAaii, Miwstii Duncan Mciiruti Mitsii^i
.J. ilo.s<^ Mi'Lraii ari'l infaitt, Mr. Stunluy SinipMiMi, Mu«l*
moii'm Hay <'l»'rk ; Mr. Ilcxison, llu'lson Hay cook; llciny
DufroMiui, Hudson H Bay Coujpany'M Norvant; HahiHCo
Sinitli, n«nl.son Bay Horvartt, an»l fatiiily of nix ; Mr.
Mann, Iristnurtoi. Onion Ijakt^, an»l family of fivo ; Kov.
Mr. an<l Mrn. ^^.uinnny, I*j|tisco|)al inisMionary, Onion Lako ;
Na-i' )-t<in un<l family, throo frii-n.lly Indians; three
H(|uaw.s, friomlly; Malcolm McDonaM, lludson Bay Uoiu-
pun^'H servant : lV'nti«uijn ami family of nix.

rriHoners taken at I'ro^' Lako : — MrH. John Delanoy,
Ottawa, instructor's wife; l*ot«'i Si. Luke, and family of
Kvo ; Mrs. Oo wan lock, Mr. Jamen Simpson ami family of
three, Hudson Bay agent; Mr. Cameron, Hudson Bay
clerk; Otto Dufre.sne, cook, Indian Di'partment, ori^^'in-
ally from Montn^al, fifty-seven years in employ of llud-
son's Bay (Jompany ; Pierre, a French-Canadian.

Before the .Mounted Police evacuated Fort Pitt, Big
Bear Heut a letter to Sergeant Martin, a copy of wddch i.s
a.s followH:

Fort Pitt, April 14, 1885.

Sdiyeant Martin, N.W.M. P.:

Mv Dkau Fkikni), — Since I have met you long ago
we liave alway.s been good friends, and you have from
time to time given nio things. That is the reason wliy
that I want to speak kindly to you, so please try to get
oft* from Fort Pitt a» soon oh you can, aii<l tell your cap-

.fir;' •rr" '*

126

CANADA 8 NORTH-WEST llEBELLION.

t<"in that I remembor hiia woU. For siiKje the Cana<lian
Govoniiiiont have had me to starve in this country, he
sornetiines gave me foo'l. I do not forget the lust time I
visited Pitt, ho gave me a good blanket; that is the
reason that I want you all out without any bloodshed ;
we had a talk, 1. and my mt'ti, before wo left camp, and
wo thought the way we are doing now the best. Tliat is
to let you off, if you would go, so try and get away before
the afternoon, as the young nion are all wild and hard to
keep in hand.

(Signed) Big Bear.

P.S. — You asked me to keep the men in camp last
night and I did so, so I want you to get off to-day.

Big Bear.

The document in question was written by a white
prisoner at the dictation of the old chief

CHAPTER XVI.

THE HATTTiE OF FISH C.'REER.

THE news of the fall of Fort Pitt and the brilliant and
successful retreat of Inspector Dickens, was hardly
received and comprehended ere its interest was eclipsed by
an event whose importance altogether overshadowed it.
Middleton's force was on the move and every day threat-
ened to bring the opposing forces within rifle shot of each
oiher. While no one doubted that our volunteers were as
brave as any untrained soldiers that ever shouldered a
rifle, there was no overlooking the fact that while they
were thoroughly raw so far as active service was con-
cerned, their enemies were for the most part men who
were not only inured to all the rigours of the climate and
to all sorts of hardships, but who had been under fire
again and again, and who were thoroughly versed in
everything pertaining to prairie and bush fighting.

" \

THE TJATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 127

General Middleton had divided his force into two
columns and wasadvancino^down botli l)ank.sof the South
Savskatchewan, determined if possible to pn^clude tlio
possibility of escape should the robels decide that it
would be Letter to run than fight.

The force was divided as follows : —

On the left or west bank of the river under the com-
mand of Col. Montizambert, with Lord Melgund as Chief
of Staff, was the following force : —

t rench's Scouts 25

Winnipeg Battery 62

Royal Grenadiers 250

Teamsters 80

Total 407

The right column on the east side of the river with
Lt.-Col. Houghton as Chief of Staff was composed as
follows :

90th Battalion 304

A Battery 120

C Infantry 40

Boulton's Mounted Corps 60

Teamsters 60

Total 5»4

On the morning of the 24th of April these two
columns were advancing down the Saskatchewan about
a mile and a-half from the river banks on either side. •

In order that the reader may understand the nature
of the ground on which the battle took place a few lines
of description will be necessary. It must be borne in
mind that except in a very limited sense the term
" Valley of the South Saskatchewan " is a misnomer. The
river runs throu^jjh the upland prairie in something more
like a canon than a valley. It drains the ecantry

128

CANADA 8 NOHTII-WKST UKHKLLION.

tlirou^^h which it runs not hy tho wat,or.sht'(i tjtf .slowly
sloj)in<^ himks, hut by means of crcnks, ravines an<l
oouleos, which gather tho Hurface wat»Tinto their deep
narrow ciiannels and Fall into the main .stream at various
aiiLjles. Of course each ert^ek or couKm' nuikt'S a sutldt'n
and very deep indentation or break in tlui river's bank,
but between these the banks are usiuilly of about the
same level as tho surrounding^ [)rairio, witli only narrow
and irregular patches of bottom lands borderijig the
stream itself. Many of these ravines and coulees which
were continually being cro.ssed were lined with stunted
poplars, cottonwoods and grey willows; and bluflsorgrooves
were numerous on the level uj)laiuls.

Prior to tho tight Duuiont with one hun(h'ed
and tvventy-iiv(! llali:'-bree<ls and Indians had lu'cti
retreating slowly before General Mi<ldleton'a right
column on the east bank of the river, their
scouts keeping theiu informed of our movements.
Dumont appears to have thought of waiting for us to
attack him on Thursday night; at least that is the belief
of Mi(hlleton'a .scouts who saw some of his mounted men
signalling to him all the afternoon on Thursday. How-
ever that may be, he lay waiting at the edge of a big
coulee near Fi.sh Creek early on Friday morning, his men
being snugly stowed away behind })oulders, or concealed
in the dense CN'erglades of grey willow, birch, and [)oplar.

When Boulton's scouts iirst foimd the enemy, at 1>.15
o'clock, they rode l)ack three miles to the main column.
Captain Wise, General Middleton's adjutant, at once came
up, and ordered the troops to advance. The men gave a
loud cheer and then struck out, extendinT" Vneir formation
as they neared the edge of the coulee, from which puffs of
smoke were already curling up, twenty of Dumont's men,
with Winchesters, tiring over a natural shelf or parapet
protected by big boulders. The column was <livided into
two wings, the left consisting of B and F Companies of
the 90th, with Boulton's mounted corps, and the right of
the rest of the DOtli, A Battery, and C School of Infantry.

TflK HArn.K Ob' riSH (JttEKK.

129

Tho h'h wing, F Company loadini,', cnme undorfnc first.
Ah tlio men were pa^sin^ hy liiin, (Joneral Miildleton
hIiouUhI out :

" Men of tlie 90th, don't bend your heads. Jf J had
been bunding my hiuid I Hhouid have had my biains
knocked out," ho added, touching his cap wliore a rebd'H
bidlct had pierced it but a moment before.

Tho men wore bcfiding down, partly to avoid the
shotwS and partly because tlH\y were nnming over the
uneven, wcrubby ground. A, (\ and D (Jompanie.s of the
DOth, witli A Battery and thti Seliool of Jnfantry, were on
the right, the whole force forming a huge half-moon
around the mouth of the coulee. The brush \va.s den.sely
thick, and aw rain was falling, the smoke hung in clouds
a few feet off the nuiz/les of the rifle.s.

Here the 90th lost heavily. Ferguson wa.s the first
to fall. The banilsmen eamo uj^ and carried off the
injured to the rear, where Dr. Whiteford and other sur-
geons had extempori/ed a snuill camp, the men being laid,
some on camp str(itchers and some on rude beds of
branches and blankets. K c(jm])any of the 90th, under
Captain VVhitla, guarded the wounded and tlu; ammuni-
tion. General Middleton appeared to be highly pleased
with the bearing of the 9()th as they pushed on, and
repeatedly expressed his admiration. ife seemed to
think, however, tliat the men exposed themselves unne-
cessarily. When they got near the coulee in skirmishing
order, they fired while lying prostrate, but some of them,
either through nervousness or a desire to get nearer the
unseen enemy, kept rising to their feet, and tlie moment
they did so Dumont's men dropped them with bullets or
buckshot. The rebels, on the other hand, kept low. They
loaded, most of them having powder and shot bags, below
the edge of the ravine or behind the thicket, and then
popped up for an instant and fired. They had not time
to take aim except at the outset, when the troops were
advancing.
8

130

CANADA S N()H'm-Wi:ST REHKKLION.

Monnwhilo thn rij^fht winf:^ }m<l f^one into action also.
Two guns of A. liattcry untlor Captain PcttTS daHhod up
at 10.40 o'clock, an<l at <;nco opmcii on tho (!()ule«\ A
couple of ol«l barn^ far hack to th(3 ritrht wero knockod
into splinttrs at tlie outset, it being supposed that rebels
were concealed there ; and three haystacks were bowled
over and subsequently set on fire by the shells or the
fuses. Attention was then centred on the ravine. At
first, however, the battery's fire had no effect, as from the
elevation on which the guns stood, the shot went whizzing
over it. Duniont had sent tliii tv men to a small bluff,
covered with boulders an"l scrul\ within four hundred
and fifty yards of the battery, and these opened a sharp
fire. The battery could not lire inlo this lilufF without
running the risk of killing some of the OOtl), who had
worked their way up towards the right of it. Several
men of A were struck here. The rei)elH saw that their
sharpshooters were causing confu.sion in this quarter, and
about twenty of them ran clear from the back of the
ravine }>ast the tire of and D Companies to the bluff,
and joined their comrades in a rattling fusilade on A.
Fortunately only a few of them had Winchesters, A
moved forward a little, and soon got the measure of the
ravine. The shrapnel screeche(l in the air, and burst
right in among the brush and boulders, smashing the
scraggy trees, and tearing up the moss that covered the
ground in patches. Tlie rebels at once saw that the game
was up in this quarter, though they kept up a bold front
and seldom stopped firing except when they were dodging
back into new cover. In doing tliis they rarely exposed
themselves, either creej>irig on all fours or else running
a few yards in the shelter of the tliicket and then
throwing themselves fiat on the ground again, bobbing
up only when tliey raised their heads and elbows to fire.

The shrapnel was too much for them, and they began
to bolt towards the other side of the ravine, where our
left wing was peppering them. This move was the first
symptom of weakness they had exhibited, and General

THE DATTLE OF FISH CREEK.

131

Mi<l(ll«'ton at once took a(lvanta<,ai of It and onlorou tho
whole force to close in upon thcn», his object apparer»tly
being to surround them. The reV^el eonnnander. how-
ever, was not to be caught in that way. Instc^ad ofc*
bunchin<:f all his force on the left away from the Wm of
tho artillery, lie sent only a portion of it there to keep
our men busy while the rest tailed oM to the north, retir-
in<,' slowly as our two wings closed on them. Duimtiit
was evidently on the look-out for the appearanc*.' of
Colonel Montizambert's Ibrce from the other side of the
river, and in adopting the movem(Mit just described, ho
completely disposed of our chances of cutting him olf.

The general advance bc<ran at 1 1.45 a.m., Major Buchan
of the 90th leading the right wing and Major IJoswell tu-
the same corj)8 the left. When the rebels saw this a
number of them rushed forward on the left of the ravine,
and the fighting for a time was carried on at close quar-
ters, the enemy not being over sixty yards away. An
old log hut and a number of barricades, formed by placing
old trees and brushwood between the boulders, enabled
them to make it exceedingly warm for our men for a
time. At this point several of the 90th were wounded,
and General Middleton himself had a narrow escape.
Captains Wise and Doucet, of Montreal, the General's
adjutants, were wounded about this time. C Infantry
behaved remarkably well all through, and bore the brunt
of the general advance for some time, the buckshot I'roni
the rebels doing much damajje. The rebel front was soon
driven back, but neither here nor at any other time could
their loss be ascertained, though it must have been nearly
as large as ours, considering that the artillery had full
fling at them for a while. The Indians among them, who
were armed with guns, appeared to devote themselves
mainly to shooting at our horses. A good many Indians
were hit, and e\ery time one of them was struck the
others near him raised a loud shout, as if cheering. The
troops pressed on gallantly, and the rebel fire slackened
and after a time die(^ away, though now and then their

132

CANADA'S NORTH'WEHT IIEUKLLION.

front riflemen made a Bplurge, while the others made their
way back. Captain Forrest, of the !M)th, lit.aded tl.o
advance at this jxtint. Lieutonani Hiijifh .1. Macdonuld,
('♦on of Sir John \facdonal'l), of this company, who ha«l
doiKi excellent stirvicu all day, kept w»dl up with F'orrcst,
the two being ahead of their men, and coming in for a
fair .share of attention from the retreating rebels. Mac-
donald wan first reported as killed and then as wounded,
but he was not injured, though struck on theshouMer by
spent buckshot. Forrest's liat was shot otF.

Just before the general advance was ordered General
Middleton sent a signal oflicer to the river to bring over
the Grenadiers, who wore with tin; left column, under
Colonel Montizambert and L(n'd Melgund. They had
heard the tiring of the artillery early in the forenoon, and
the Grenadiers, with the Winnipeg Field Battery, had
been ordered to the river, skirmishers going in advance,
and French's scouts watching the north, where it was
supposed another body of the rebels was hovering. The
troops had a good five-mile march. 'J'hey headed for the
spot where the artillery firing was loudest, and at noon
were at the river bank. General Middleton's messengers
at once signalled them to cross, and they came over in a
scow. By 1.15 o'clock the Grenadiers had crossed. They
were eager to get into action, but by this time Dumont's
men were retreating. Tlie Grenadiers, however, were
pushed on, and soon joined the 90th and C, their arri\'al
being greeted with tremendous cheering, to which they
responded by hoisting their head-gear on their bayonets
and cheering in reply.

The rebels now emerged from the woods at the end of
a second ravine, beliind the one in which they had fought
so toughly, and about a mile from the advancing troops.
A Battery sent a couple of shells after them, but most of
the rebels had their horses tethered behind a clump of
trees, and they rode away sliouting and defiantly brand-
ishing their guns. This was at 2.30 o'clock.

The infantry could not, of course, follow moiinte<1
men, and Boulton's scouts were not numerous enough to

v«?,.T-

•HTE UATTI.K OF FISU CllKEK.

1S3

attfmpt ft pursuit. Tho whol<» forofl wafl, tliorofore,
ordercfl to lialt, and at D.'M) it marclic' l)ftck a littli^ to the
Houth «)t" tlu) ravino \vJu»re the ti^ht ho^an, and cloHC to
tilt' rivor, whtTo diiunM- was prepare^l, and the mon
repaired daniajjfCM after their hard day's work. Tho
Winnipct^' Field Battery arrived tVoiu across the river,
and, with tlie (ireuadiers, ^ave tlie hest they liad to their
gallant comiailes of tl»e OOth, A, and C. Camp was
pitehed h(U'e for the night. Just helow the camyj was the
rough field hospital, in chargi^ t)f Dr. Orion and others,
who were biisy with tho wounded. Nurses wore drafted
an<l everytliing madti comfortahle for tho poor fellows.
Rain had fallen from time to time during the day, and
about 8 p.m. a heavy storm of rain, hail, and lightning,
with terrific thun<Ier, passetl over the camp. Double
guards were put on, and pickets and vedettes posted
everywh(uo, the (leneral taking the utmost care to protect
the troops in case the rebels returned. Notliing was seen
o)- hoard of them, however, except when a small mounted
party of them approached the outer pickets and cheered.

Dumont was not seen during the fight, but one of our
soonts saw him riding off after all was over. Hisdirect-
i?ig hand was plainly seen, however, as nobody else on
Kiel's side could have arranged the rebel plans or picked
the ground so well. The rebel movemeuts appeared to be
directed by long, low whistles. General Mi<ldleton said
it was like tho })iping of a boatswain. Occasionally they
could be heard shouting to each other to " Keep back,"
"Goon," "This way," "Fire lower," "Fire liigher," etc.,
but during the serious part of the day they fought in grim
silence. The rapidity witli which some of them loaded
their shot-guns with the old-fashioned powder-horns and
paper wadding was truly marvellous. A few of them
who had Winchesters ran from one part of the ravine to
the other, strengtliening their line as circumstances
directed. General Middleton says they are finer skirmish-
ers and bush-fighters than he ever imagined them to be.

A corresj)ondent writing the night after the fight says :
— "The buckshot made very ugly and painful wounds.

• «*«>*MM* ■•tM^t>r«PM^

134

CANADA 8 NOUTH-WKST RKBELLIOTf.

Old-style leadoii l»ailH wore alwo fired with considoraMo
etfect. Had the rehols been aniiod with Siiidcrs tlu»y
would havo wipt'd uh out in short order froui the Hhelter
which tln»y occupied."

The following is Ocaeral Middlcton's ollicial report oi
the engajTfeinont .*—

To the Hon. A. P. Car on :

FaoM Fish Orekk, twentv-five miles \

north of Clarke's Croising, N.W.T., April 24. j

T have had an affair with the rcd^els at this spot, or.
the east hank of the river. My advanced scouts were
fired upon from a hhiff, but we niana<red to hold our own
till the main body arrived, when \ took measure? to repel
the attack, which was over about 2. .SO p.m. We have
captured a lot of tlieir ponies, and have three or four
apparently Indians and Half-breeds in the corner of a
bluff who have done a great deal of mischief, being evi-
dently their best sliots ; and as 1 am unwilling to lose
more men in tryintc to take them, 1 liave 8urroun<led the
bluff and .shall wait until they have expended their
ammunition to take them. Lord Melgund joined me as
soon as he could from the other side of the river with the
10th Royals and the Winnijx'g half battery, but the affair
was over before the most part of the left column had
crossed, as it is a work of difficulty to cross. 1 have
ordered the rest to follow, and shall march to-morrow
with the united force on Batoche's. The troops behaved
very well in this their first affair. The killed and
wounded are, I deeply regret to say, too numerous.
They are as follow : —

KIU.ED.

Private Hutchinson, No. 1 Company 90th.
Private Ferguson, No. 1 Company 90th.
Private Ennis, No. 4 Company 90th.
Gunner Demanoilly, A Battery.

rilE HATTLE <1F FISH CUEKK.

ins

]

WOUNDED.

Captain Clark«j uikI Lieutenant Swinford, 00th, .seri-
ously.

Captain Wise, A.D.C, and LientonantDoiicett, A.D.O.,
one in the log ami the other in the arm.

Mounted Infantry — D'Arey Hakor and Li«Mitenant
liiuce, .seriously ; Captain Oardner, two wounds, not very
soriouH ; C. F. Kin^', II. V. Forin, J. rian;,d'()r(l

A Battery — Uunner Asseltine, Gunner Kinoye, Actin^-
B )mhardior Taylor, Serf^oaTit-Majnr McWinney, Driver
iiairison, Pri\ate P. Jl. Wilson, K. (J. Maunsoll, Private
0. Ainsworth, very seriously ; Walter VV^oodnian.

C School of Infantry — Arthur Watson, very seriously
(since dead), R. li. Dunn, H. Jones, Colour-Sergeant R.
Cunnning, R. Jones.

OOth Roglnient- Corporal Lethbridge, C Company;
Private Kemp, A (/Oinpany, very .seriously ; Corj)oral B.
D. Code, C Company; Private Hartop, F Company;
Private A. Blackwood, C. Company; Private Cannitf, C
Company; Private W. W. Mathews, x**. C )mp:),ny ; Pri-
vate Lovell, F Company.

I do not know what the loss of the enemy was, but I
doubt not it was pretty severe, though from their great
advantage of po.sition and mode of fighting it might well
be le.ss than our.s. I .sliall proc(;ed to-morrow after bury-
ing the dead and .sending the wounded Ijack to Clarke's
Crossing. By moving on this side I lo.se the telegraph
line, but 1 shall keep up constant communication by
Clarke's Crossing if possible. I regret very much the
wounding of my two A.D.C.'s. Captain Wise's horse was
shot previously to his being wounded.

(Signed) Fked. ^fiDDLETON,

Major-General commanding the North-West Field Force.

A corrected list of the killed aud wounded in this
enc-ao^ement stands as follows : —

••r

i:iO

JANAfrVH Noinil WKHT flKIIKI.LIoN.

Kit I ICII.

l.icnt.'imMt Swifjfonl. !KMh.

riivn<«' lliit»*lu»»Mfti. No. I (*i>in)iriny, !H)(h,

I'liviift' KoixiiMdn. No. I ('oini»unv. !M)t|i.

I'rivaft' MiihIh, No. 4 (\itn|mhy, !K)th.

<iuiitiir I ><<in(Uioilly A liarny.

Alt Inn NViit-Mon, Sriiool of Inrimtry.

l>'Aivv niik(«r, MouMlod Iiit'Hntry,

(linnirr Cook, A n»itlory,

Wlj.'olrr. !M)Mi.

Anisworth, A hftitory.

WOUNUKD.

Cuntnin riark.v !H)tlj,

A.I).(

( nplani \\ isc. ;
liitMitrnnnt I)(>u«M'lt, A.1>.0.

l<i*Mit

(Muin

( W

ru('<»

M.I.

(Captain (Jjirt.icr, M.l.
IVivHtf(\ V. Kinu'. MI.

IVIvnto n. P. roiiM.

Ml.

I'riviite J. Livn!j;r<)r<l. M.F.
OuiunT As.s«'ltiTu». A Kntlory.
(^ninicr Kn»('y«», A Hjiltcry.
non)l);n»li<>r Tnyli^r, A Hatlory.
Soiyonnl. Major Mawliihiu'y, A Hattory.

nvcr

irnson.

Vrivato 11. \\ Wilson.

Tiivato K. Maunscll.

I'rivatc WaUor Woodman.

Trivato 1\. H. Dnnn, Soliool of Infantry.

Private H. Jones, School of Inrantry.

Piivftto 1\. .lonoa, Soliool of inranlry.

Colour-SoriToant. (^nnniini^s, 8clu)ol of Infantry.

Corporal Lotlilni»lge, DDth.

Private luMup.

(\)rpor.'il (\h1o.

Private Hartop,

"■*'w*-f

TIIK HAITI, !•; l>K KIHII CIlllKK.

Prlvafn IMiuK Wilful.

I'riVHtt' ( 'aiimir

riivHfr W W MiitlluwH.

rriviltr liOVt'll.

i'r ivAl<« \ihw\ lOlh KovhIm.

I'rivftto VVIuM'Iiii|f, lOMi ItoyalM, kinr li .Kx'fttMl.

IViviiln iliHl()|>, IMMli

I'riviitc ( liaiiiliorM, !M)Ui.

( 'orponil 'I'lirrkor, ilOt.h.

Privftt.' noiirlnMn, IKJth.

Private Sw/ui, !K)(,li.

0(H|M»nil nrovvn.

Snr»n RH \t was fi mi iiiH.r»y points of viow, tfi« Htory of
tli(( hatili^ ol' Ki.sli (JnM'k ran ln«Mt l»o |jr()ii;;lit out \iy a
patrhwork o\' l»'tt»>rH written l»y «?yo-witin'SM«M from titiM-
to tiiin\ aftor tlm fij.jl>t. A corn^Hponfli-nt wlio, far niori

than any othor ''ornvspondont witn oitlmr Mhi'llctori or

Ottor, inuiiifoMtod an nltility to p«'rforni the functions of a
war corrcHpundent, writes an follows : —

HATTiKrfKt.n OK KiHM ^KKKK, twenty ?niU's north of
( 'laike's < 'ros.sin^, April 21. TImi t(fl« j^^rapli lias advised
you of oiM' li^^lit Ihtc, Mfid witli I Ih' pnvscnt facilities and in
tile coid'usion incident t<» tlic hattle, with twenty wounded
men j^roanin;^' witliin twenty feet, and as many more too
hadly hit to ;^roan a.s near hy, with a scatteiin;^ spray of
iire two hundred yards in front, and tie- (Iree wai-whoopR
risin;^ from the infernal ravim; in w)ii<'h the llalf-hreedn
and lleds are hidden, one flrxls little opportunity for
finislied ooiripoHition. The li;.;lit commcnccfl at 0. IT) a.m.,
and ill th(! settlement of only a few hou.s(!H within fivo
miles of last Tn|,dit's camp, the Reds and IndiauH numher-
in/?, by guesHwork, three liundred, opened firo on our
scouts fnmi eluinps of trcc^s, the "rnattos" of the Southern

lains. The ground is rolliiif^ down to the river hank.

ho Htream is a mi 1(5 and u-lialf west, and here? and there
are depressiotis, hut the lavinc! t}irou<jjh which Kish Creek
takes its windini,' course is more tlian a depres.^ion — its

lfr'f'„

OAWADA'h NOflTII-WKHr UKMI-Ml.folC.

•l«'[)tli \h fully forty f»'«»t ami tlio fipproafhi^H pr*»clpitouH.
Oil ill*' iiliiitiiii^' hiuikN ot' till* HtnMiu it^rlt' tlui hiIm'U
liAvo tlu'ir nt\v piiM, mil tlu» tiinlH>i in tin* valloy, two
)iiin<lii.>i| yixnU wido, coriiptttcly roncoiiN tluMn. Aho^ii
thi! vihrntionH of a wnr-wlioup, tin* llasli of u ^wu, or tlio
quivoriti^ of a willow iiif tin- «»Mly ol»|«»<'t.Hfor tlu» iimiks-
moil. Wo h(»po iimiiy njv kill<Ml, nti<i as wo c.nn hoo fully
ft HOor«i ot* liotMcs (jt'jul in till' stiram or on it.s<'«l;^o, proltii-
Itly our hopo. lut' w»'ll I'o iu'lrd. Hut wr killo«l ii»<»ro
lM»fiUe llu^ wliolo ImxIv of rt-'n-U lotiroil into tho niviiio
or tied inooritirwntly. The lioavio.st Iosn to tlto loyal
troopM was on our ii;,dit win;,', wlu»ro a party of lialf and
full liiooil.s jit ton o'clock tniid»' a dotrrniinod t-tlort to tuin
our Hank. Tln^v woro n'pniM'd aftoraliot fire 'I'lm two
jjfuiiM of A hatfory ;j^ot into position early, and ^ot tlio
ranjjjt- of tlio ruNinc and of tlio ^Mdund in front of tlio
ravino, hut tin' H'h.ds woi'»' too woll protected in tho deep
riHo pitM, R8 wo now supposo, to Ito dislod;^'od. 'I'hoy shoot
with ^roat actniraey, and have tho advanta^'t^ of floeing
their mark, (ienoinl Middli'ton h.*is U'otJ on his hor.so an<i
alon^' tho entiic lino time and time ai^oiin. lie has heon
a oon.MUint nuirk, and oiu- huUet .struck lii-i onp, missin^j;
the left temporal ho!io l. ibtnit a (|iiartor of an inch.
Captain J)onee(, Aid«? do-("!amp, arul hiothor-in-Iaw of tho
(lonoral, hatl an ui-lv not danLronnis llosli wound in tlio
ri^dit arm. ('njitain Wise, Senior Aide-do-Camp, iiad two
liorso.s killed under him, arui tiruilly, wliilo forward with
Company on the ed^'e of tho nivine, was shot through
the riglit foot, tlie hall, a 44('!ilihr'' Winchester carhino,
flattening like putty n^aiiist the Ijoik!. I'.veryhody has
boha' '(1 with the gieate-t ;j;allanti'y, and would long ago
have civ-arod the ravino at the point/ of tho oayonet, had
General Ajfddloton permitted. This, up to now ho has
not done, de«:lijiinij: to .sacrifice moro lives than aro ahso-
lutely nccoMsaiy. Some of tlio host .shf)t.s among the rebels
are in tho bu.sli or. our right flank, and thus far the east
end of the ravine i.s not covered by our artillery or Hkir-
misherH. .Not a movement to escape, however, could bo

',T

TflK RATTLB OF FIMll ( HRKK.

midt fHlhouf II witli'rinj( volloy from our mtjii. Slnc«
the CoiiHnr loll lor i\\o t>^ni\A\ Htiition ('uptKin ni5rl«iy
Hwilifonl, of (' (!oinjm»iy, Nirif5ti«'tli HAtUlion. Iium Im^oh
iiiortAllv wotirKJcii.Mli )♦, tliic»ii;r|i th,. I.iftjn,* Tlif Fn-ncli
Count I)oMiiriullv, Cook lor our ih»»>.h, had tho top of Win
lu»ii(l Mown off l»y n rhar^^t^ of IxickMliot oarly in thi»
engAguinoot. Wo aII tour that whoii the battle Ih oiiilud

OArt. OIIAHLKH BWZKrORO.

wo may find a good many more doail and wounded lying,
a.s J)eManally doas, whore thoy foil, and in no good range

•Captain Swlnford wa« » favotirite with all who knew him. He
wftB thirty-four vearH of ape, and in lH7ti went to VVinniiieK from (iiulph,
Ontario, where ne ruHidn*! witit Win parent* for ui>wanlH of twenty yearn.
Hin hirtliplace wan at Greenwich, Kits'latirl. At tn'> titne '>f the hroakint^
out of ti)o Kuljollion lio wan A<<Mistant Manager of the Froehohl Loan anu
Savings (.'ompany for Manitoba.

T^rr

■ " g rT ' . T S ^y'y^T'T" '

^f •

"i*'.t'fT;","t,r.i'7'

140

CAiVADAS NORTH-WEST RKUKr.LION.

to be brouprht in. Tho troops on the west bank of the river
went nearly wild with excitoinent when the firing com-
niencod, and vvlion the scow came down sixty men of No.
2 Company, Royal Grenadiers, Ca|)tain Mason, made a
rush for the brush and down the bank. Lord Melgund
pulled once more on the bow oar and tlie crossing
was quickly effected. The advance was hurried by a call
from General Mi(hUeton for more infantry, and in two
hours three companies of the Grenadiers were on this
side pegging away. The guns of the Winnipeg Field
Battery and the rest of the troops from the east side
are now being crossed as speedily as possible. As I
close to catch the courier, only a dropping shot is heard
now and then, and the men are munching biscuit and
canned beef. The shells of the artillery set fire to several
houses on the right flank, and while they were burning
the rebels fired slough grass on the right centre to co\er
a change of position nearer to our centre.

Fish Ciiefk, April 25. — Doubtless there will be as
man 7 accounts of this engagement, which may almost be
dignified as a l)attle, as there were of that preliminary
fight in which Crozier lost more than we did. We are
now camped within sight of the river, and nearly a mile
in the rear of where the action took place. The dead are
resting under the priine sod; the badly wounded are
bearing their pain quietly ; those bc.t moderately touched
are groaning. Without being hypercritical one can find
many faults with the result of the action of yesterday.
Though not actually defeated, the force, five times as
large as that of the rebels, has retired. The enemy, whom
we came so man}' ndles to meet, or the greater portion of
them, are in that infernal ravine still. No man on our
side knows the locale of their covers. No one except
themselves has any idea of the maximum or the minimum
of their casualty list. Every man you meet has killed
at least two. In plain sight there are but two bodies.
General Middleton, wnth mistaken kindness, did not order
a charge through the ravine. Had he done so we would

THE BATfLE OF FISH CRKEK.

141

are

probably have losfc twice the niuiiher in killed, but- the list
of wounded would have been siuallor and the result very
ditlerent. Tea miles to the north of us a far nioie ditKcult
field than that of yesterday's tifjht awaits our advance.
The iQoral effect upon the Indians of the North-VVcst
cannot fail to be exceedingly bad. So much lor the
pessimistic side. Looking on the silver lining, one cannot
help complimenting the troops, who fought like veterans,
or rather better than veterans, as they exposed themselves
time and again when there was no need. They were
largely encouraged to this by General Middleton, who rode
back and forward, a plain target for the enemy, one which
they took frequent advantage of, as a ragged hole in his
Astrachan caj) will bear evidence. The country in which
we fought : To the west runs the river, through the nnigh,
deep-cut banks; further down they are .sloping and pos-
sible of ascent ; thence eastward the country is of a semi-
rolling character, studded with clumps of timber varying
in area from one-half to ten acres. A mile and a-half
from the bank runs Fish Creek, henceforth to be noted in
Canadian history as the scene of a fruitless tight. The
banks of the creek resemble those of the river, on a
reduced scale, but instead of stones the land is of the
savanna sort. Of course the creek winds, and very
crookedly, and equally of course, the rebels took advantage
of one of its most abrupt turnings to make their shelter.
In the bank furthest from us, as far as we can judge with-
out seeing, are caves and rifle pits, ensconced in which
they were as thoroughly safe from fire as if within the
strongest battlements ever erected. To the right and left
of the ravine the country is the same as that between the
river and battle-ground. So much for the scene of
action. It was yesterday morning when the mounted
infantry and the scouts first felt the rebels by the token
of a couple of shots, followed by a volley, which sent
them back in rapid transit. C Company, of Toronto
Infantry School, in advance of the 90th, rapidly deployed
to the front, taking position in extended order, and firing

^-T' •T<-;~f: -v y . ' 7"7 ':'T"

142

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST KKWKTJ.ION.

at tlie tiniV>er from wlu(il) tlio first slK^ts ha<l boon discov-
ered. Rapidly ilio Hj^dit beeanio geiinral. Our lino
extended over fully a mile of frontage in les.s than
twenty minutea, the guns takincf position first on the
left centre an<l lat»M- on the extreme riijfht. A well-ilirectcd
shell fired the houses of the Half-I)reed8 half-a-mile east
by north of the clump of bushes in which they were lir.>-t
found, but beyond the destruction of property no h-ina
was done the enemy. Infh,ntry companies sui)portinj^
the advance were rapidly deployed, and inasenii-cireului
fashion .lurrounded the enemy.

It soon became ev; lent to eveiy one that the Half-
breeds and Indians 'General Iviiddleton niunljers them
at one hundred and twenty-five), knowing their ad\'an-
tage of position, were determined to make it very
hot for us. Without any reckless display of bravery
they were able to make their fire an exceedingly
well-directed one. Our artillery fountl trouble in getting
the range of the ravine, which is heavily wooded along
the brink, and the caves which the enemy knew of, were
ready to receive them. As I it natural with volunteer
troops, a slight nervousness was displayed at first. This
wore off as the shots increaseil in numbers, and li>'es were
hazarded as recklessly as if they amounted to naught.
Captain Peters, with a detachment of A 1 attery,
started from the left centre by permission of General
Middleton into the ravines and to the woods opposite the
centre proper. Here they came within easy range of the
enemy, who returned from the bluffs on tho edge of the
hill ; and here the fighting was the hottest. Meantime
our skirmishers advanced and the rebels shied into their
covers. The nnie-pounders kept pegging away, and of
their moral effect no one can complain. Finding it too
hot for him, and losing a number of men (poor Cook
still lies in the open, dead), Peters retired to his guns, the
rebels by this time occupying the thick brush, rifle pits
and blu If caves. From that time until four o'clock in the
afternoon it was a case of pot siiots. You have seen

and

froii

and

effec

bulh

■ •••■«,•

THK.BATTLK OF FISH CREEK.

143

nion ahoofc at a turkey Half buiicMl in the j^rouiul, the
killer to own th(3 bird. 1 can think of no ixjtter simile
for our Hght. li* f^ood luck served, the marksmen could
see til'! head.s and even the shoulders of tlieir opponents,
but the best nine times out of ten a flash of the rifle or
unoke of the powder was the mark at which they had to
aim. Either through forgetfuhiess or because they had
a voscvvo supply, the rebels h^ft a number of their ponies
on the bank of the croek. The fire from the right centre
ioon disposed of twenty-five or thirty of them. How
ninny of the enemy were killed no one knows, probably
a (hjzt'n. When th Royal Cjrr(!nadiers came up from the
other si(k3 they took an advanced position on the right
centre, and although rather too close for comfort, were
rewarded by the killing of a couple of red (h^vils. The
pair had evidently l^een sent out to see what chaDce of
escape to the t^ast presented itself. Probably more were
sent out than the two who were killed, as at five o'clock
the llring from the enemy had almost entirely ceased and
there was every indication thnt not more than a dozen
remained in the ^avine, the larger part of the foi-ce having
escajiedto the eastwai'd. One would naturftlly ask why they
were not c <mpleteiy surrounded. I cannot answer the
question any more than you caa why the thirty-five
mounted rebels who had a parley with Howie, the inter-
l)eter, were allowed to rid(i to the east out of their rifle
])its and jeer at our troops, who were ordered to retire to
the camp by the river baidi. Neither can I explain why
the scouts rei)ortod this morning that these same thirty-
five were allowed to retire to this ravine. The hospital
tents were in the rear of the centre, and the accommoda-
tions ior the wounded were ample. Every comfort was
given to those who were hit, and the doctors were cool
and efllicient. The dead whom we were able to bring
from th<^ field were laid b'\side one of the hospital tents,
and were allowed to remain in plain view. The moral
effect or course was bad. Later a tent flag hid the
bullets' work. The character of the wounds was two-

144.

CANADA S NOHTM-WKST HKIil l<l,U >N.

fold. WliiM'o tho fori v-livo calihro Winchfvstor liftil ^oen
unjmI tlio orilioo of t,lu» luirt,wii.scl<>aii «'nt. Al('l(>M(«(|iuMt<>rs
tlit'ir shot ;^\iiis mn<l»> vovy ju;j;j4r<l iviul tfriihln iiijurioH.
Duck sliot, rountl l>n.ll. piiMuvs of l(>a<l, inoj^iilar in shapo,
I\a»l Ikhmi iiMcci ill lon«lin<x tiit^ j^iiiis.aiul in iiuiuy iiiMtano.o.s
tho pr()l>«> followed till' truck of one hulirt, whiUt tho
luoital wound lav in a totally diflcront direction. Almost
ovcryl*»>dy as tho action procccilcd advancod to tho od^'n
of th(» ravino, and took a pot shot at tiio nd)olM. and inanv
of the •oimdiMJ havi^ i<) thank their t«Mnerity f<»r their
Niitrerinj^M. (.-aptain Wise, Middleton'n aiile, after losing
two horses, was struck by 'i hall, which ovideiitly
ricoohotttMl from a sU^uo, thougli thoy say it was llattouod
on tlic bono.

A VOT.UNTKKIl's I.KTrKll.

Oorporal Thos. McMulhMi, of No. 4 (■oinpany. Royal
tlronadievs, s(Mit the followinuf letter from Fish C/rcek
under <hite of April 28, to his father: —

I in)W take advantage of the littlo timu I haye to
\yrite, assuring you of my safety, as wo fought a bnttio
with Kiel's [ndiiins on Friday, and W(» came out all riij^ht.
Butit was a divaiifnl fiofht.as five of tho !H)th W(^re killed,
three of A Hatt(M'v, Watson, of the School, and two of
H'Milton's sciMits . poor Hob Dunn got shot three times in
tlu^ arm. We were on the other side of the riyer wIumi
tl\c light started, an<l about four miles below t]»e !)Otli's
position. As soon as wc lieard the cannon tirinin- wo fell
in and advanced in the follovying onler . — No. 1 Oompany
extended in skirmishing order, No. 2 as support, Nos. ,S
and 4 reserve. VVlien about opposite the scene of action
we got a commanti to cross the river, and they had to go
to the crossing for the scow. No. ] crossed first, then No.
4, folloNved by No. 2; No. 3 being left behind with the
Winnipeg Field Battery to guanl our supplies. When we
(No. 4) arrived at the field No. 1 ( 'Ompany was already
extemh^d and advancing in splendid form. As soon as
we arrived Tom Mitchell, Fred. Curzon, Joe and Will

fre

l!ai

liv,

hay

Ilea

thin

THF. HATTI.K OF FISM (TIKKK.

145

juries,
Hhiipo,
taiiovs

\linust

I niaiiY
r tiuni'
loMinu;
'kUmiIIv
i,btuuu<l

. Ko\n\
(./rook

luivo to

Imtfclo

11 lii^lil.

kiilo.l,

Iwt) of

ituos in

ir wlu'ti

DOtli's

;• wo l\'ll

«)iiH>iUiv

action

%(1 to IJJO

,lion No.

ith tho

V^hon wo

already

vsoon as

nil Will

Oonti, McMurmy, an<l mys^H' vvcmc? dchiiiod olf to j«)in A
Hath'iy and \v<' hIowIv crrpt iij) until wo rain«i to
tlui oii«^«^ of tlic I'liiir, \vlu<in tlio oiH'iny were
onlnMicht'i! in an ini|)rr^Miiil>lo poMJtion, Ono of tl

i;M,tt(

was s

licl; nl<)ii<!sid(> of n

<i I

Haw a

II nit Iuo<mI raise himself (o m'm tlio roHiilt of his .shot, ari<l
I took very ",o(m1 aim nrul liied nt onn hundred ynrds,
hut it was Imid to tell if ho was hit, Ixit no nioi(^ nliots
nuno fi-oni his lillo pit. »hid;4« and .loe Dent weni iti tho
fully with nu\ nnd they are rospoji.sihle for killing' two
irulians, hut wo could not dislod;.^o them, and tli(> whole
force retired four hundred yards ami <'ncamped with tlie
ex(M'ption of ourselves, the lOth eov(uin^' the retieat for
l(Jt) yards, when) we halted and hid w a swjuup, and had
to lie (soakiiiL,' wet as we were, it havin;,' rainisl all tho
time wo wero lie;ht in ,0 in throo inciiOH of water for one,
hour, without oui- ovorcoatK. As soon as it was dark we.
roHO up n,n<l Imd to patrol up and «lown until ludf-past
twelve at ni;.dit, when tho !M)th canw> out to relievo ns,
and W(^ r(»tired into the ti'»d.s just vaeuted hy tliem.
When WO retired I'rom tin; Mull' t.Iio llaH'-hreedH I'ollowecl
us up, hut as soon as wo haltecl in the swamp tluiy
stof)))!'*!, an<l kept si;.^n;dling to each other all ni^^ht.
As soon av) wo conim(Mie(«(l to pntrol, it started to
freeze and snow f<"r the rest of the ni^^dit, 'I'akiri^^
it aU,o,!jjether it was a tenihlo ni;^dd.. 'i'ho OOth, tho
r.attiu-y, and particularly (' School had ahout lorty-
tive or lil'ty w<iunded, (' haviii»if no less than fifteen,
havin<^ been in a regular traj), v/liieh accounts for their
h(>avy loss. Tlio ti(jops iK-haved in ^n-and st} ie, ami F
think, althou^di wo were late in notion, throu^di no fault
of our own, that Toronto w?i,s not disgraced hy her " crowd
of toughs." No. 4 ("ompany alone ollered to cliargo the
position with fixed Iwiyom^ts, hut Oeneral Middloton said
tJK^re were enounjh good men gone, and ho also said to
«)ur Colotiel, "Well done, (Itasett, I did not expect you
so soon." Wo cross(<l tho river in very quick time. Tliore
i.s one thing about our regiment, that our oliicers are good.
9

140

CANAIMM NORTIJ-WKHT IlKHKLIJON.

osjKMMally our (^>lonoI, who .siiicc we Htart<Ml has askt'd
Qu man to <i() whni lie woiiM not (!<> hiins*>lf, and lie
allow»nl MO (>lHc<'r to inipo.so npou any man. AU()^('ih«ir
<»V(M'y man is prond to he nmlcr nuch a man. VV«; don't
know whon the nt'xt fi<j;ht will take |)la<'<>. Inil I am hmw.
Wi.) nhaU Hvv soiwo n\on\ Tlin !l()th and A Uadory w«'nl
into tlio l>hifr on Sunday to roroviT tho bodies of two of
their men. and found it desertcti l)y all l»ul the dead.
Then" wore two dead Indians wliich tlu^ enemy 'ven;
afraid to carry oil" on acco.int of their jiroxiniity to our
pick(>ts. The hluM' is slopin;^ onall sides and the hidians
we?e ah hidden in formioalde rille pits wliicli wereswim-
noMg in l>lo(^d. tcdiini; us that many u Half' linked or Indinn
lUid fallen. The pits rose one upon arjotliei- antl wero vory
neatly contrivod. the Indians shovvin}^ much iti^'emiity in
their construetion. We an* lyiujLj oneaniped at Fish
Creek and will rem.'iin here prohahly houu! time.

BACK TO TIIK FATAL HAVINK.

Mr .lolinston, the eorrespondent already (pioted, fur-
nishes the followin^';^raf>hie, [»ieture of a vi.sit to the ravine
two days after tlie bjittle, and tinishes with some very
sensihh' conclusions rejj^ardini^ tlie fight as seen in tho
light of cool after thoughts, and sucli facts as had eonui
to light sinc(^ tlie fatal dny. Il(> says :- Almost every
one was pre]>ared to discover that the ravine was em]dy,
but th(Me was ghastliness in its silence. It proved an
almost impregnable stronghold. The bank nearest our
centre and left and right centres is wooded very heavily
(none the less, tlie Gatlingwe expect on the steamer from
Swift Current wouM have let daylight tlu'ougli it), and
is more precipitous than a gabh* roof. Our fellows shud-
dered when tliey saw how near they had been to the
very muzzles of the guns of their opponents .snugly lying
in rifle-pits dug like steps all the way up the bank. The
Half-breeds and Indians could see us unless when prone
to earth, but even he who had the hardihood to peer over
the brink could see nothing but perhaps the tlash of a,

'''^''^T^^'f^^^

THK HA'lTLh: Ob I ISII CHKKK.

147

Fish

hIio* jj;«in or rif!«v 'I'licir pits w«»n« tlirro nnd H(nn(«tiriicH
fiv(3 iiuirow, rtiMiiiii;^' Uk' (IncstoF coverts. Tlifsi' Imstily
cnstrucitMl .salViy trcuclM^s jiointcd np the IhIIm.mihI ovrr
ilni ('(l^fo iln' llnll' l»r(^('<| or Iiiili)iii coulfl riist IiIm |^un juid
tnk<^ .steady an < I .sun! nim. Our lire was always qtnul-
niplc nn licavy as tlicirs, Imt we firiMl at a jMtint of tlio
r,omj)HMS from which tliu killing luillcts carnti. They save*!
powder, oxcopt at the very oporiiii^r f ♦' l,ho ti;^dit,and when
thoy saw a white man tlwy tired, iK.t bcf'oro. 'I'he ri(h)
pits W(»re all ahm^' the deelivity, and not a f(m were at
the- bottom of tlie gully to tlu^ right. I''iirtli('r np tlio
stream liorseH, and tiiu! ones, lay so thick that we could
walk froin hody to body as if on stepping stonciH. I
counted iit'ty-two dead animals in the ravine, souk^ of
them (piite high upon the hill, others lying in tlio strciam,
but a larger sliari! at a spot along the creek. Many of
the aninuils had been tied to tre(\s by th<5 owners who
charg(Ml on toot in the open ground \n tlie early morning
of Friday. In the woods in the lear of this e(juiru! cem-
etery was th(^ main camp of the Jndian allies, and here
they had killed an ox; pieces of which, skewered and
stuck in the ground before the fire, we found where thoir
intended eaters had left them. On all sides th(u;o wore
evidences of a liurried retreat, and it now seems probable
that the tw<'nty-five jeering Half-biecds wlio showed
themselves late in the ev(.'nir>g were not in the ravine at
all, but among those who made so determined an attem{>t
to turn our right. Like enough from four p.m. onward
not a dozen of the enemy lay in the ravine, and these let't
as soon as darkn(;ss had f vllen. Fortunately for them
the rain fell heavily all that niglit, and the darkness was
intense so tliat their escape was ( asily effected. Although
their position as descril)ed wan almost impregnable, vot
they nuist have pa.ssed several evil Ijours. TJicy took
away all their wounded, and of their dead but four
remain ; one Teton Sioux was shot.

Before he could reach the shelter of the hollow, one
Cree, Beardy's son-in-law, was shot through the heart,

148

CANADA'S NORTH WERT HKnKLMON.

aiul hold by R tree trunk from fallin^j into the ravine, one
Croo on fciio cxtnuno left, and a Half-breiMl on the up|M<r
flank of the rigiit contro. Ah Htatoil above, Hl'^y-two
Jiors's wcTi^ killed. In throe of the riflo pits d<H!p pools
of blood reinain, and in others lighter marks of injnrv.
Since wo Iiave been in the ravine tlie general conelusidn
is that the rt'l)el force numbered nearly three hundn-d
(.some of tiuMii on the extrenu,' right) a?id that they had
ten to twelve killed and wounded. They were led by
Ga))riel Dumont, and liad thoy been provisioned with
annininition and arms art plentiful and good a.s our men,
our casualty list large as it was, would have been tn.'bled.
On our side, b<!foro the arrival of Masrjn's company of
Royal (jrenadiers from the other side of the river, there
were alioiit three Imndred in action. This includes the
Artillery, 00th Infantry, and Boulton's scouts. Probably
General Middleton was wise in not allowing a charge,
although we all felt tliat night as if we had been practi-
cally defeated. Cook and VVhcoler, whose di'ad bodies
we found yesterday in the brush, got to within a few feet
of the rebels and were killed instantly. We made a trip
through the house in plain sight throughout the figlit to
the east of the ravine. It is owned by a widow, Marie
Tourand, who has four Half-breed rebel sons. The house
had been deserted in short order, and soiled plates and
knives showed where a hurried breakfa<it had been taken.
A sewing maehine was standing near a chest of drawers,
wdiich a fu.se shell liad shattered into atoms. General
MJldliitoTi strictly forbade any looting on personal
account, but a good many provided themselves with oi.e
thing or anothei of interest as a trophy. Most of the
horses killed had their .saddles and bridles on, and this
shows the haste in retreat, iuce the Half-breeds value
such para])hernalia highly and would not have left them
except under strtiss. In seve/al of the unburned houses
of this longitudinal settlement known as that of St.
Antoine de Padua, stores taken from the merchandise at
Duck Lake were found, and in almost every tent in the

Tin: IJATTM-: OF I'ISU CHEKK.

14!)

cauip you can find a Fivncli love letter. Tlu) Jivi^inn on

tlio \v«!st Hu\o. <li<l rjotgt't tlM'ir irnpodiiiu'nts until latr last
ni;^ht, and tlu^ inonvfuicnco ahnost, auiounh'd to HutlJu'-
in^. VVii hadn't any hlankots or uh'hs I'aiilitit.s. Not a
chaiis^o of apparel and tlic rain pounul down all Fii<Iay
night. But complaint is not the order ol" the <hiy, nor is
it likely to be when a {^nmn from the operating taWle
mii,dit intercept a gn^wl, or the provont .stop the iLijrowIer
ere he came too near to tliost; sh.*ip»deH8 things under tlio
canva.s yonder. What are we to (h>? Now, f d<<n't pre-
tend to guess in dritail, but Mid«l!eton n'gards the action
a.s a victory, and is inclined to think we will have no more
serious aflairs. Many dill'er from him in both beliefs,
but it is gue H work on the part of everybody. As Kri-
dfiy's fight, if nothing else, ]»ut lliel, Dumont, and al! his
abettors beyond the pale of [iardon, they must li'^ht or
run. Dumont would nuich pref(;r the forner. In one
ritle-pit 1 picked up a Snider, a IVabody and a shot gun.
No. 12 shell. The whot gun cartridges had the shot
drawn and a cou})le of round halls forced in They did
much damage at bhort range and made the ugliest sort of
wounds.

MAJOR BUOHAN'S account.

The following is a description of the infantry move-
ments, written by Major Lawrence Buchan, of tiie UUth : —
Tlie Battle of Fish Creek was peculiar from many points
of view. One of the most .striking features of it was that
for the whole time of the engagemtivt the infantiy, or
rifles, as the 90th Battalion are called, fought with-
out support or reserve behind them, the whole of their
available force, save about a dozen or ho of a guard in the
reserve ammunition train, being extended in the fighting
line. So soon as the first shots were heard in the front
when the enemv opened fire on the scouts, the advance
guai'd, composed of F Company and a dozen men from
other companies of the DOth were puslied to the front and
extended in the bluffs jutting out, into the side of which

I .'SO

CANADAS NOUril-WK.sr UKUKLLIOW.

at from two to foiir huudnui yiiiils distance tlio ptillM of
Niuokc, followol liy tiku rU\'j or tlio pasNing ItiilU^tH, aloiiu
denotod the ptr.si'nco of tlio «MU;iuy who wero coruH'ah'd
from viow. A. roturn lire at tin- frin;^«! of Hinoko ptifl'M
on th»« outer mui';;in of t]i«« plains was at onot? op«'n«'<l l>y
tiie DOth men, anion-^' whom vv<'i«> a dozen and a-half of
sljarp.Mliootors armed with tin; MartiinH(!nry rille. I'ro-
Hcntly a company ol' the lM)th cjimo up in Mi.pport, hut
tho enemy H tire wa« so hot and eviih-ntly incrua.sinj^' in
Htrength to tlic left, that the ofH<'ci" in command of tho
advance Laiard at ono(j extended this c<'mpany to the
rif^dit and }>r<)ujjfht them into the fi^litiuj^ line. Mean-
while H and C l'om})anieH of the COth were extended in
thr(Mi;^d) the hru>h on the left and eauie to the front,
whilt! tho Iid'antry Scdiool was exteiuhsd in th(> nann) man-
ner to tho riglit, linally appearin*; at the ed^e of tho
plain on the ri;^ht of A ('ompany, and supported hy D
Uom|)any and j)ait of E Comi)any. Tlu^ enemy had hy
this time developed a very Htrong attack against our
right at a point wlic^re tho edge of the ravine in which
they were c^icealod and tlie blulfs in which the Infantry
School were extending came witliin about sixty yards of
each other. It became evident tliat tliey intended to get
possession of the bluff if possible. Hy so doing thoy
could readily enfihuhi our centre and completely outHank
us. To checkmate this, (jouipany 1), and the portion of
Company E which were in support, were at once brought
up into the blurt' to reinforce the Infantry School, as was'
also the left half of Company A, the remainder of which
was extended further to th(5 right, thus niaking the bluff
spoken of the centre of our right defence with flanking
parties on either side, the whole covering a front of about
three hundred and fifty yards. At this point a ve^ hot
fire was directed by tho enemy for about two hours, while
our men lay quietly in tho scrub, and as tho rebels, after
a deal of ki-yi-ing and whooping, would rush to the top of
the bank and deliver their fire, our men would return it
with interest. The enemy failing to dislodge us by their

M.nTLK OK KIHII « UKKK.

151

bullwU .s»*t the prairie ^rawH on firo at the br<iW of tl>o
hill, and u,> tli*^ wirnl was hlowin;^^ tuwanlM iim, the smoke
lilled our umw'h oyt'H, wliilci the uiuiuy had rUnr sight.
Pn!M<»ntly tlu' fini rcaclir I the Hcriih, ho that «)ur men Yuul
tojump th«5 tianuiH and lie down a^ain on the burnt, and
scorolung ^(round. Tlu) caHualtien in (mv force wer© very
heavy at thin j)oint ; three of the (M)th were sliot dead
and (/vor a «l()zen woiinded, as w» II an three men of the
Infantry School. The enemy, tin«li!inr that the etfortn
a;('iin.st UH were in vain, Hlaclo-ned their fire, when an
advance was ortlered along the line and cree)»inj( forward
to the brow of the ravine they were discovered in full
retreat to the east. A few j)artinj^ volleys were sent
after them, om our men followed theuj, ami their retreat
being reported to the (leneral, he ordered the artillery to
Hhell them, which was sliortly done, as they got behind a
liouse about two tliousarxl yards distant. The house wvs
firetl by the second shell, and the rebels scattered into
the wood to the east.

QENEUAL MIDDLETON ON THE SITLTA-TION,

" I think you criticize mo wrongly when you say I
exposed myself unwisely bust Friday," said ( leiu^ral Mid-
dleton apropiH of numerous strictures by ahnost every
one. "I couhln't (h) otherwise," he cofitinued, "I had
green troops, and, worse still, green otHcers — green in the
sense that they had never been under fire before. Thtjy
did well and bravely, but while you can drill a man into
a soldier in a few uonths, it takes years to e<lucate officers
in whom a general commimding can have implicit confi-
dence. If 1 had been in command of regulars, or, possibly,
if Lord Mclgund had been with me froni the first, I would
uave taken a position in rear of the line of battle, set up
my tiag, and sent my orders. 1 would have done this,
tliat is as soon as the troops had been inspired with con-
fidence. I value my life as much as any one can, and it
is not necessary to prove my bravery, at least in England
where I am known, but it was necessary that I shouldn't

ir>2

CANADA N NOKTH-WIMT RKItKM.IOIf.

dod^e.' Hv t}>»j wfty," pointing to Kin A.HtriirliAn cap with
a Ntnil(>, " if I lind hovn dii>'kiiku wlim tlwit t'«'llo\v hit me
ttiM bullot would liuv(> i^orw into t)h> top of my Itond and
my quietus laudo. If I lindn't (!Xpi»vd myHoit' you would
all have ininn BcalpiMl. I am in an cnd'anahsin;;, 1*ut not
a n(>v«l po.sitiori. VVo Iwivo tirivm oil' tlir •ni'iny, liut liy
thin (»nfoict'd wait wo arts loMJnjr hI| tlio fruits of victory,
whilo tlio unomy arc l)oastin;,' that wi« avo aft aid to movi»,
and an^ ^ivcn ample timn to mako furtlicr pirpiii-ations
for OMcapo or defonco. 1 know tin' oU'rct (d' <lol;iy is )>ad,
yet what can I <lo ? Hero I um with noaily forty
woun 1«m|, uikI tho long-oxnected hoat la not even within
hail from ono luitidnMl tniloN Houthwnrd. 1 can't move
tho wounded to Saskatoon, for that is two dayw' maroli
away, and th(! one day transport to ('lark'H Crossing by
wa^'^on and rou;,di roa<ls may, th«^ doetrirH say, reHult
fatally in several ca^es. Send them to Clark's (,'rossin;^,
and the wounded can't lie left without a ^'uard or without
ample medical assistance. I can spare neither from my
present force. I ran no lon^^er trust to tho bout, but
must order her nmnitions atid stores forward overland.
We havo a good (hial of ammunition, and oats onouLjh for
several day.s. I havo no com|)laints to make <»f the trans-
port service. It is very eM'cetive, and 1 shouM not wait
one day longer for oithtir. Tho horses couldn't atarve
before we attacked Batoche."

The folio win;jf fi-om a correspondent's letter gives an
idea of tho feelings with wliieh tho troops regarded the
enemies against wdiom they were figliting: —

"The feeling that tho Half-breeds havo boon wronged,
that tho Government has been criminally negligent in its
treatment of their claims, and that the ])oliticians should
bo held accountable for tho whole trouble, grows more
deeply rooted and more widely s|iread. The sight of
these comfortable homes and the coupled knowledge that
the men who reared them, suffered the rigours of frontier
life and fos*^^erod a lov«: for the very soil itself, cannot get
sufHcieut title to raise $10 by mortgage on one thousand

TIIK BATTLK Of riMN ORCfl.

163

»cre«. brint^ hoinu to »very man th« roalitv of tli« runi-
il^'iiU' grii'vniu'cM. fCo (.m. ili'fiiwU t}»«» bIIihikm) with tlio
IrxiiAim, nor do nny «lcTiy (Im- lolly of tlio inHurroetion
or couii^i"! 0">!n|>rnnii.s»? at thin nta^f ol" tli.- pioc.-rdinjfM,
l)iit l"i'fliu^;s iw'jirly akin to Hynipathv tiiid li»«I^Mnrrit iti
many «>f tin- hiuviMt hiraHts. lloHtility a^ninKt lli« I in
(iiits|H)k«?n, iM'cauHo it is hdirvi'd Imm liavo Iicm'h the
unvvist' and <luma^o;;ical cotin^tdH and nicaMiircn wliich
havr led to hardsiiip und hloodHlied. It Hoenm paradoxi-
cal, but it iH actimilv probabh' tiat tht; men won't fight>
any thii wor.so for tliin Mym)»ath\

It woidd .so«(rn from ihc^ foil win^ oxtract that mon
eompOHiitg the h-ft coltimn, wliich wa.H advancing down
tliu west Hid« of th«' riv'«?r, wun) in no v»«ry umialtU) humour
at havin||( b«><'n practically left out of th«( Finh (Veok
flj^ht. ri will bo seen that it vva.s no fault of thuirH thoy
worn not eaiiier on th<,» sr(»ne: —

"Tlw left column luis probably uttered more oatlis
thafi iv\y given body of mm of iMjual ntimbcr asHcunblcd
in the last <hicado,a/id rivals tlic army in KlandcrH. Tl^^y
had b«;en halted durinj; the morning to wait for oatH, the
teainsterH having r«!preHent<'(l to Coloncil Montizambrrt
that they could not move u!»leHM their horwen were fed.
Abo.it 0.30 tliny heard tho opening of the artillery. The
Hcouts hurried forward to report, if poH.sible, wliat \va*
going on beyond the dividing river, but soon they were
not needed, aa tho roar of guns aiul volley-firing were
plainly audible. The Winnipeg l«'ield BaUery wa.s quickly
«ent to the front, Lord Melgund and Colonel Monti./am-
bisrt at their hea<l, and after driving over plaee.s whicli in
cooler moments would have been regarded as im])assable,
tlie river bank was reached. Two gan.s were sj)otted and
held ready for the assistance of those on the o|)i)oaite
aide. They weio not tired, as a mounU'd pJiic hurryii.g to
tlie opposite bank yelled across that Middleton wanted
infantry to help him and not artillery. Tho scow which
had been used in the morning to transport oats from the
right to tho left column was hurried downward. Masou'a

*" ,••

154

CANADA S NOUTH-WKST UEHKLLION.

Com|mny omharked, wliile two coiApanieH were ordorcd
to follow as (jiiickly as possible. Lord Molgund pulltid
number one at the l)ow oar of this dtioply sunken scow,
sunken by roas( a of water in her hold, and the crossinj^
wa^-; effected in less than fifteen minutes. The Ijank on
the east side had an incline of about sixty degrees, but
horses and meji climbed it as if stairs had been inserted
therein, and soon started for the scene '^f the action on
the double. The advance eovnpany reached the ravine,
and took position on the ris^ht centre before two o'clock,
and did good service — not only morally, but actually.
The other two companies crossed as speedily as
possible, also the other two guns c " the Field Battery,
with the detachment of A Battery, of Quehec, and by six
o'clock all i)ut one company of the Grenadiers of the left
column and transport had reached this side of the
Saskatchewan. If General Middleton made a mistake in
dividing his force it was one into which anybody was
liable to fall. That the enemy would make so determined
a stand was something which neither he nor anyone else
not omniscient could ha^e even guessed at. The rebels
l\ave underrated the pluck of those they have been
pleased to term " militia soldiery." There is no question
whatever but that we will be at them eventually. The
men did not get anything to eat from 7 a in until 7 p.m.,
if a few pickled pieces of hard tack are excepted. Th'
telegraph operator did not cross to the west side last
night, and all the despatches had to be sent to Clark's
Crossing — twenty-two miles southward. Incited thereto
by their chief, Lieutenant L. Bedson, many of the trans-
port teamsters took a hand in the fight, and a {qw of the
good shots were in the fore front of the affair."

^•■rv:

THE BATTLE OF FISH CHEEK.

155

••IN MEMOIUAM."

Growing to full nmnhood now,
Witli the carfj lines on our brow^
Wo, the youngest of tho nations,
With no childish lanientations,
Weep, as only strong men weep,
For the no'ole hearts that sleep,
Pillowed where they fought and hied,
The loved and lost, our glorious dead.

Toil and sorrow come with age,
Manhood's rightful heritage,
Toil shall only make us stronger,
Sorrow make our hearts bear longer
All the sunderings of time ;
TTonour lays a wreath sublime, —
Deathless glory, — where they bled,
Our loved and lost, our glorious dead.

Wild the prairie grasses wave
O'er each hero's new made grave,
Time shall write such wrinkles o'er us,
But the future spreads before us,
Glorious in that sunset land ;
Nerving every heart and hand,
Gomes a brightness none can shed
But the dead, the glorious dead.

Lay them where they fought and fell,
Every heart shall ring their knell,
For the lessons they have taught us,
For the glory they have brought us,
Tho' our hearts are sad and bowed.
Nobleness still makes us proud,
Proud of light their names shall shed
In the roll call of our dead.

■ t ■'*'»■, •y^ifr , '^^r > **'"^' '"^f^ — » " r'"

156

CANADA'S NORTH-WKST RKIJELLION.

Growing to full manhood now,
With tho caro lineH on our brow,
We, the younj^est of the natiouH,
With no childish lamentations,
Weep, as only strong men weep,
for the noblo hearta that sleep,
Where the call of duty led,
Where the lonely prairies 8prea<l.
Where for us they fou^'ht and bled,
Oar loved, our lost, our glorious dead.

tl.

CHAPTER XVII.

BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK.

WHILE the Battle of Fish Creek was still an absorb-
ing topic from Halifax to Victoria, and while
>[i(ldIeton was preparing to advance on the enemy's posi-
tioii at Batoche, Colonel Otter was making ready for
taking the aggressive with his column. Though there is
no satisfactory evidence that Poundmaker had taken any
active part in the rising at Battleford up to this time, it
was known that there was a considerable body of Indians
besides his own band camped on his reserve, that they
had a large band of settlers' cattle feeding near their
camp, and that they were living on the fat of the land
generally, while Colonel Otter and his men were not
faring particularly well at Battleford.

What Colonel Otter expected to accomplish by attack-
ing the great Oree chief on his own reserve is not now,
and in all probability never will be, properly understood.
Be this as it may the re it was far from being satisfac-
tory. In spite of all the despatches to the contrary,
when the wnole truth became known, it was found that
with about three hundred men, one Gatling and two
scven-pounders, Colouel Otter surprise<l Poundmaker,

• .>,.:■

BATTLK OF CUT KNIFE CREEK.

157

who had about two hiindred and fifty poorly armed
Indians and Halt'- breeds, and that after a sharp contest
of some seven hours' duration lie was compiiUed to make
a hurried retreat, and that it was mainly ow ing to Pound-
maker's forbearance that the retreating; column was not
cut to pieces. Ot course every one who saw the fi;,^ht, or
thought he saw it, had a different story to toll ; but take
all the accounts from both sides and weiyh them fairly,
and the abov 3 will be found to be pretty nearly the only
conclusion that can be arriv<3d at.

It was not till after dinner on Friday, 1st May, that
it became known in the police barracks that Colonel
Otter intended moviuL^ out that day. The question as to
when the expedition would start had been the engrossing
subject of speculation ever since the arrival there on the
23rd April. On Tuesday the Colonel announced the corps
that had been selected to form the column to proceed to
Poundmaker's, but then it was not generally l)elieved
that an early start would be made. Scouts had already
bioiight in particulars of the position taken up by the
Indians, and Bresaylor, a Haif-breed who came to the
lines on Wednesday, and was arrested as a suspected
spy, gave furtlier information. He said he had been
taken prisoner by the Indians, and escaped. The force
at Poundmaker's, he said, was not more than three
hundred and fifty braves. On the following day, Thurs-
day, Mr. McArthur, a surveyor, of Edmonton, came in to
the camp and said that he too had just escaped from the
Indians at Poundmaker's. He had left Edmonton unaware
of the rising of the Indians, and had walked right into
their hands. For the most part he corroborated the
Half-breed's story, and the latter then gained more
credence. This was the whole of the information that
Colonel Otter possessed of the position and strength of
the enemy, and as the stories of scouts. Half-breed, and
surveyor agreed in the main, there was every reason to
believe that it was as nearly correct as possible.

158

CANADA'S NOIITH-WEST REBKLT.ION.

It was past three o'clock on Friflay afternoon when the
lon<Tcuhimn ot' teams, forty in numhur, with tlie Mounted
Police and Hcoiits uinler Superintendent Herchmer * and
Inspector Neale in advance, moved out of the camp on
south side of the Battle River in the direction of Pound-
maker's. Following the police came the artillery with

COLONEL HKRCHMHB.

the Gatling and two soven-ponnders, under Major Short
Captains Farley and Rutherford, and Lieutenants Pelletier

♦ Superintendent Herchmer, one of the most effective and dashing
officers of the North-West Mounted Police, is a native of Kingston, where
he had attained to the rank of a volunteer Colonel before leaving for the
North-West. As an oilioer of the N(_)rth-We8t Mounted Police he has
always been very highlj^ esteemed by his fellow-officers as well as the men
under his command. Kinci hearted, courteous and lirave even to rashness ;
he is just the sort of man for a leader of red-coated prairie troopers.

BATTLE OF C'l'T KNIFE CREEK

159

and Prower. After tliem came in succession C Com-
piiny Infantry School, iiii;lcr Li'utenant Wjidrnore and
Lieutenant OasHfilH (attacluMl from Q.O.R., during' the
expedition) ; Ottawa Foot Onan's, under Lieut(;nant
(Jray ; No, 1 Company, (^U'^on'.s Own, under Captain
Brown, Captain Hughes and Lieutenant Brock ; annnu-
nition teams, fora^'e and provision teams, and the Battio-
ford HiHes, under Captain Nash and Lieutenanta Marigold
and Balcer, brin^in^' up the rear.

As the column moved out the men who had been left
behind gave a partin*]; cheer, and in a few minutes thr
interveidn;^ woods shut out the sight of tlie camp ground.
Rain was dribbling, but the sky soon cleared. The trail
ran through an uneven country, with high liills covered
densely with poplar and underbrush on the lef'j and the
river on the right in a north-westerly directioi. It was
just such a tract as the Indian delights most to fight in.
Coulees or ravines were crossed in endless succession, and
the poplar and umlerln'ush that grew thickly up to the
trail in many j^laces was impenetrable for any consider-
able distance with the eye, and in it might lurk a
thousand redskins within fifty yards without being seen,
despite all the care and sharpness of the scouts, who
scoured the country, wherever it was possible, for half-a-
mile on either side. The distance to Poundmaker's was
thirty-five miles, and by seven o'clock the column had
made half the journey, and halted to await the rising of
the moon. The teams were corralled in an open piece of
ground surrounded with underbrush at a distance of
probably three hundred yards on all sides. Fires were lit,
and the men got twenty-four hours" rations of canned
corned beef, liard-tack and tea. About tlie lires they whiled
away the time till eleven o'clock, chatting about the
chances of surprising the Indians in the morning. They
were all unquestionai)ly eager for a brush with them, a
fact which was plainly evidenced by the impetuosity
with which they set upon the foe in the morning when
the engagement began. The clouds had cleared almost

ICO

CANADA'S NORTH-WKST REBKI,LTON.

entiroly from the sky when tho moon hegan to pcnp over
iho liorizon. Hut it ha<l yjrowii cliillv an<l tli(> tiros were
kopt blazing brightly t'ur tho wanutli tlioy gave. At
half-past cloven tho teams wore all harncHsod ajui shortly
atterward.s strung out in a long column, winding at a
quick wafk over tl»o trail to Pound niakiu-'s. The men
maile themselves an comfortable as p>)ssible in the wag-
gons, but the rugged nature of the trail made any
attem])t at sleep futile. Tho scouts still k('j)t well to
their work, for the moon, just beginning to wane in a
clear sky, rendered it almost as bright as day. A large
number of the men, in order to keep themselves warm,
walked alongside the waggons during the night. The
trail was running tt^rtjugh a more open country, at inter-
vals tlujre l)eing some long stretches of Hat, gr..ss-coverod
land with only here and there a clump of red willow.
The glow in the east was observable long before the
almanacs ascribed to the sun any intention ot* rising. At
length it ro.s'^' redly, and just as it tipped the horizon the
hollow was reached where the Indians had ])een encamped
according to the reports of the scouts, three days pre-
viously. The place gave every indication of having ))een
very recently vacated, and it was thouglit by many that,
learning ot our approach, they had hastily retreated.
There was strong disappointment expressed, for the boys
were anxious for a light.

The column advanced through this hollow, and the
trail then led them through a deep gully several hundred
yards wide, densidy wooded with poplar and willow
underl)rush, through which the (^Uit Knife Creek woinid
its tortuous course. The creek is probably eight or ten
yai'ds wide, two and a-half feet deep, with a swift cur-
rent. Into this gully thecolumn passed without hesitation.
The men knew they were in the heart of the enemy's
stronghold, and might expect to come in view of them at
any moment That was just what was wanted. There
was not long to wait. Immediately that the column got
into the gully the men could see to the left, on the slope

B/VITr.K OF CUT KNIFE CREKK.

101

the
I red
low
ound
ten
cur-
ition.
eiiiy's
111 at
.'here
n goG
slope

of ono of the liigh, rolling hills that led up from the gully,
two or three dozen head of iMttle ealiuly grazing. The
Indians wore known to havo driven away some huiwlieds
of them from the .settlers, and it was oven thought that
ill the haste of their flight they ha<l left these bohinJ.
The column, as it went throJigh the winding path in tho
gully, was somewhat straggling. The scouts went along
considerably in advance, up a long hut not precipitous
incline, whieli carried the trail to the head of tho Cut
Knife Hill, on the opposite side. While passing through
the gully a glimpse could be got of the tops of the Indians'
teepees, or wigwams, on the sun; nit of a high hill,
removed a considerable distance to the lelt. There was
now no doubt about the presence of the Indians, and the
word went along the column, "There they are." One or
two mounted Indians also now could be seen on the top
of a hill to the left. The creek which had been crossed
is called by tlie Indians Cut Knife Creek, and the hill
upon which Colonel Otter made his stand Cut Knife Hill,
in cotnmemoration of the defeat by the Crees of the
Bhu'kfoot chief Cut Knife and his i^raves, which took
place there.

When the scouts reached the summit of Cut Knife
Hill, over which the trail ran, they were seen to draw
back and take shelter behind some willows on the brow
of the hill. The Mounted Police, Colonel Herchmcr
leading, came up almost at once, followed by the artillery,
C Company, the Guards, and Queen's Own close behind,
but the rest of the teams were still well down the incline,
and the rear teams with the Battleford Ritles not 3^et
half-way over the gully. The scouts. Mounted Police,
and artillery advanced immediately.

In a moment the rattle of ritie shots was heard. The
fight had begun by the Indians firing on the police and
scouts. Those on the incline could not see the enemy,
but their presence was no longer in doubt. The artillery
pushed at once to the front, and brought their guns into
position. The bulk of tho enemy engaged was not more
10

■ ^^ j u iii ■w tnn • m I

Fl i ^ Pi

lfi2

TANADAS NOUTir-WEST IliaJKLI.FON.

tlmn ono Imrulretl and fifty yards away, sholtiin-d in Uie
unilcrbius'i of a vaaiIvm ou i\w li^ft hIojh; of tlio hill the
attacking torcu had ascended. The ^janison division of
li Battery, under CJaptain Farley and Lieutenants Pelle-
tiei and Prower, were instantly extended in Hkirniislun;^'
order on tlie l»ro\v of tlie hill, and Ix^^an to reply to the
enemy's lire, dr()j)ping flat on their faces, only their heads
appearing' over the crest as nmrn ■» for the enemy. 'J'he
polioe at once tcok up similar posilions, having dismounted
and placed tlwur horses in a slij^dit hollow on the incline
up which they lia«l come. They were no so<»ner extended
in this position than thirty or forty Indians made a rush
up the hill on to the guns. The <langer (»f the position
was tremendous. Had they gained that liill-top and
captured the guns, th»<y could have dealt certain destruc-
tion to the column advancing up the hill. Major Short
saw the danger instantly, and calle<l on the men about
him to repel the chfirge. They responded witliout a
moment's hesitation, Major Short, revolver in hand, lead-
ing the way. The Indians rattled into them as soon as
they appeared on the hill-top. The distance was thirty
yards, and some of the more daring Red-skins ha<l got to
within half that distance. One of these the Major shot
at once. The Indians kept the tire up for two or three
rounds, and then retreated pell-mell to their cover. The
Indians, as they rushed for the guns, would throw their
blankets high over their heads to draw our fire, then
dropping down would deliver a volley, and repeat the
same tactics every time. Besides the tire of the attacking
party, the bullets were whistling in scores from a cover
two hundred yards off. Before our men could get back
to cover again, Corporal Sleigh, of the Mounted Police,
lay dead on the field, Lieutenant Pelletier liad been shot
through the thigh, and Sergeant Gaflfiiey and Sergeant
Ward wounded. Major Short had a close call, with a
bullet-hole through his wedge cap. Immediately that the
firing was heard by those behind, they rushed up the hill.
The order was given to extend in skirmishing order. The

BATTLE OF (TT KNIFE rUGRK.

163

mon wore in lino in a inoinent Tin* QueeriH Own and
Ottawa Foot (iuanl.s wjint to thu left until the HUfMiy
canu) in vi^w. Droppin;^' <l<>wn tlitiy narrowly cscaptMl a
hot volloy from tli« (tnctny, sent in m soon as thry
ap^/fared. The main Itody of (v Company wen'. turn«;ii to
the rijjfht, to cut off tho Hrt« of tho Indians, wliich wiIh
l)ej,dnnin<^ to como in liotly from over a <leop ravine that
ran only ahoiit twenty yanls froni tlie trail, and, tor a
di.stanco, almost parallel with it. The Battleford UitloH
had jumped from tho t<'ams at oneo when the tiring Ix-ujan,
and .started on a run u}> the incline. Most of them wen^
ealled back to protect the rear teams ^oini^ up to the
sli<^dit hollow on the trail, when they were drawn up in a
bunch. No sooner hud the teams g<.t up than the IndianH
appeared on the trail in the gully below. 'J'hus, in tive
minutes after tlie first shot was tired, Colonel Otters force
was completely surrounded and being fired on from a"
sides. It waH evident he had run i?ito a trap. The situ-
ation began to look (les[)erate. On all sides the action
was hot. The intention of the enemy was to cut olf his
retreat, and if possible stampede the horses. The little
hollow on the face of the hill into which the teams were
drawn, afforded them some protection, but from the rear
they could easily ]>c readied if the enemy were advanc(^d
a little further than they were up the slope. The artillery
occupied the top of the hill furthest advanced. The
Oatling gun had opened fire on thf enemy first, at a
range of about two hundred yards, on the left slope of
the hill, intt) a cluster of brush. The Indians got out of
that cover and beat a hasty retreat round to the hill
on the other side of the hollow, where they again
got an underbrush cover. After the Mr.st rush it
was impossible to see more than two or three of the
Indians at once, so that the Gatling was not so destruc-
tive as it would have been under other circumstances.
But it was kept going for a time almost continuously, and
created a terrific din. The two seven-pounders were
placed on either side of the Gatling, at a distance of

104

OAKi.DA'B NORfU^WF^r ALB£LLION.

ueiliApH fifty yards lint first ihi ♦•<) ^\u>\\h w«r»> put Into the
teepecH on the hill to the rii^ht trout They wt^r* a<ltiiir'
ably aiiruMl, and cn'iitod (•onstorrmtion. 'J'ho toopecH were
rippJMl over and the potjple Hcatt«rred in every direction.
lit)th y^nuH soon wt-rv throwing Un*\v deadi}' shcllH into
the cover into which tlui Indian., had retreatetl after their
nish. The nmge was ahout o'le thcuiHand five hundred
yards. Wherever a Hh*;!! fell if < eMiet <;ould be seen by
a Mcatterin^jf of tlie enemy in all di.eetionh. Th*; firing on
UM grew liottei and (closer. Volley after volley fioni
friend and foe on all sides, the booTiiing of the cannon,
the rapid ratt'e of the (Jatling iind the rifloH, inin^h-d with
the wild whoopin;; of the Indians, niade u[) a furiouH
tumult, of which no do8cription can give an adej^uate
idea. Oflicers and moa were aw cool and <lotennined a^
if the da> wa.s alrcaily theirs. About an hour after the
engagement wan be;^un, tht order was passed from Colo-
nel Otter to (.^a[>taln Nash, of ihv Hatlleford Ritlcs, that
the rear must bo cleared. The mea of the ununi formed
company did not wait to hear the order twice. With a
loud cheer they dashed down the incline and into the
wood of the deep gully, over which the column had
crossed. The Indians under cover stood the attack a few
moments and tlien began to fall back. The Battleford
boys raced them up the gully to the right, firing whenever
an Indian head ajtp<'ared. It took half an liour to clear
the back, and then Lieutenant Alarigold turned his men
to clear the gully on the other side of the trail. The
Indians posted there also gave way and ran back to their
former position. It was a grand charge, valorously
oxeciited. The rear was entirely cleared of the enemy,
and Colonel Otter remained in command of the position.
But the Indians wore again coming down into the gully
into the position on the right side of the trail, from which
Captain Nash had previously dislodged them. Charlie
Ross, the famous Mounted Police scout, who had been all
over the field during the action, saw the position, and
it«pped into the breach. Calling for volunteeis, some of
the Queen's Own, C Company, and Ottawa Guards were

BATTLR or riTT KNIFK rilKKK.

105

at his side ill an instant,, Ami thoy Mtftrto*! t^ intorc*»pt the
IndiiitiH' advfinc"' TIm' ll«'ds cleared tMit at oneo up tho
gully and into r. mviiio, from tl»<< oovctiii sides of wliich
a nutninM' of thiMu luid licon tirinLj on ilio mm of (/ (Com-
pany, who wort' P^pl viri'' across tlio ravine near \.'h«>r'» tin;
tojnns wuro HtAti>>n«»«l. Iloss and lu« followerH purMUcd
th'Mu liotiy. 'ill" (luards could not inuiiTstand why tho
enemy tljoy iiad liem wat(duni:f nrross tin? ravino luui
HiUniccd tlu'ir- tin* mo fludd<'nly. liut tin* Clunrds <li(! not
know tlint Ross and his «larin«,'f(»llow«'r« had j^'ot round in
tho rear of tiun cnoiny and wore cnj^agod in liot ])ur.suit.
Ross imm(Mliat<'ly cleared up tho Hide of tlie ravine, and
the instant ho n-ached tlio sunindt, where the Indians had
previously been firing' from, the skirmishers of T' Com-
pany ujistook ]jim for one of tho enemy, and in nn instant
a dozen rlHes were hrou^^ht to hoar (tn him. Dot ho lm(l
tiod a white hankerehlof to tho inuz/le of his rifle and
waving it ahove liis head the rifles wore lowered. Ono
man standing among tho teams raised a rifle and tired at
Ross, tho bullet providentially going wide. Colonel Otter
saw the white tlag waved and, not recognizing Uoas,
standing as he was on tho ground only a few minutes
V)eforo occupicMl by the enemy, evidently mistook the flag
as a signal of truce fr<im tho Indians. Ke walked over
to the edge of the ravine as if to parley, but Ross was
recognized by this time, and in a moment the red coats
of his men came u]» from behind the hill riding the ponies
they had captured.

It was now half-past eight o'clock, and the tight had
lasted about three and a-half hours. The cannons and
Calling were belching incessantly, but the trail of one of
the seven-pounders shortly gave out ; the carriage, rotten
with age, fell to pieces, and the gun vvas silenced. A
number of C Company had come over to tho left flank,
and fell into the skirmishing line up to this time hcdd by
the Queen's Own, Gi'ards, Police, and Oarrison AiLilhny,
All were lying flat on thoir faces peeping over tlie .side of
tl hill and across a hollow into an underbru.sh on the
suiiimit of the opposite hill, where the enemy were keep-

ina

tanada'a vonrn-wrsT nFnFir.i.foii.

in'jf tip ft cnnj^tnnt, tln^ nt a mrj^^r of from nix hiin<irp<! to
Ht'viMi liufidn .| Hitd lil'ty yar<U. If ojio of tlu' nuMi
unluckily niH«t iiji into view »i »! izun |>u(Vh of MiiiokH vv.iuM
t'nm*i out of tho uinii'iltrusli au«I ho liiul to drop n^niii
iiiMiantly t<> got un<l«r nov(5r, wliilo tin- KulIntM would
wliistlij tiorc'dy Imt hariitloMsly ovor. Tlii^ portion wax
liidd with little clianj^'o f«»r an hour and a-half. The
fudiimN W' in ('onHtanily playiujx tlndr oM puno to draw
fi^^ Kp would f^o a hat on tho muz/,lo of a ritio, or
ft hlftnk»'t woidd !)«• tlirown up, nnd ft.« th(^ uiori took niut
at the (h'ooys th<» uiwuny wouM firo on their uncovcin d
hoads. Ottor'.s inon " got on to tho dodgo " at length, and
pla\ I'd siiuihu' ])iftnkM. Tho ononiy woro Hhooting with
rcmfirkfthlo accuracy, and it wft« holioved that many
Half hrcnh W(<ro ninon^j tlicir nuiahor. At ten o'clock
tlio guri'^ liftd ahout silenced the tire of tlio (^noniy direct !v
in fnmt, hut they had worked round to the leff, near the
gully, and wero beginning to pour in ft (hmgerons Hank
tire on tho HkirtnisherH on tho side of tlie hill. This hii 1
to ho 8to|)ped. Captain Kutherforil dii't'ct.»d a shell into
the gnlly. It hurst ahno.st uver the lirads of tho Battle-
ford Killes, who W('r(! hotly holding the position to which
(ht^V ha<l hof^ji or l(!red. The shelling of tin- gully caused
thein to fall hack, hut the word was soon .sent along
jhat no more hhells wouM he finMl there and thf^y
resumed tlieir position. Colonel Ott<?r or<lered (vaptain
Brown to send the left half of the Queen's Own to occupy
a small hill over which tho Hank tire was coming. The
onler was pasned to Ijieutenatit Ihoek, who was in charge
of tin? left hair. The object wa^ to drive thti Indians
faither back, and tho Battleford Hifhis going up the gully
wouhl ]>revent them again taking cover there. It was a
hazai<lous venture. About twenty men, .some of theui
(luards a«ul Police, responded to Lieutenant Brock's call
to charge for the hill. Away they went on a (piick nm,
ducking down to escape the bullets. Brock, revolver in
hand, was leading by half-a-dozen yards. The men in
tljo skirmisliing lino behind let out a loud cheer us
thoy saw the plucky fellows dashing up the hillside, right

HATTIR Of OUT KKIFR cnV.f.K.

into the linfl of the *iiomy'M hiillotM ovrr tho tof). Mwr tliitn
liail'tlM* tiivti «lri)|)|)(*<l Hut ju!st n.H tito ^iiiiuiiU WM roaohu*!.
Hrock iin*I t)io rtMniiiii<l<M- {nvNvnl ri^lit ovor out of view.
A thrill rati thioii^'h ovitry M|H'ctator. Tho iiifii jjot over
tho hill and Mtnttv.l »lowji in lull vi«»w of the Indians h
litth' oVJT a hiindiiid yards away. 'I'hw nu^n opimumI tiro,
Brock with his rdvolvor, hut it wan nHohns. Iho enemy

OOrOUR-HltnORANT (IKO. K. COOPKR.

sent up a witheritig fire, and tho men wore forced back
again over thot(»|> of the hill and dropjx^l into eov« r, five
ot tluMu having felt the hull" ts of the entMny. It was a
plucky charge. Lieutenant Brook and hiw bravo follow-
ers, Colour-Sergeant Cooper * and Privates Varey and

*Ool()\jr Serfifeant, Cteorgo K. rooju'r l« a nfttlvo i>f IMrmlnphain, Knpf-
Ifttul, and JM iil»«ii ■ tliirty-HPven y»'arH »h\. llo caino to Caiiailn al><>ut four-
t»!tMi yeaiH ai^'o, uud joiner! tho <^. O. f{. nbotit Hovon yeiir« a>ro. ll»! jm im
eiiKiavor by trmlo. Me Ih of uiiiDinally tine phyHiquo and ia one of the most
accompliHhed amateur leapnrH in (..'anuda..

-.-^-: y -l-^'

~r:r: .- :

108

CANADA S NORTH-WERT REBELLION.

Watts of the Queen's Own, and one of the Guards wero
more or loss scriouslv wounded, and ('ol(»ur-Ser£rear)t
McKiir.s foroliead was jri-a/od by a ball. Colonel Otter
forwardetl orders that tho liill should be held, and they
kept it until the final withdrawal, in order to [>rotect the
teams on tiie way out.

The Indinns were making a f^roat fiijht of it, and when
chased out of one position resumed the fire in another.
'I'heir tenaeity is, ])erhaps, unexampled in Indian fighting.
Their losses must have been severe. It looked as if they
intended keeping it up all day, and it would have beer
certain disaster to the force to have been left at night
fall in the position into which they had been entrapped,
without the assistance of the guns, one of which was now
pcn'fectly uselos* an<l the other almost so. The only
safety was in a retreat, and for this Colonel Otter began
to lay his ])huis. The Snouts, Battleford Rifles, and
Captain Ftutherford and Tiis men, with one of the seven-
pounders, were ordered tc) proceed thi'ough the gully and
occupy the Idgh banks on ^lie opposite side, through
which the trail ran. This position commanded the whole
line of retreat. The order was obeyed in splendid style.
In a quarter uf an hour they were all in position, the
rifles and artillery on a cut ]>ank forty or fifty feet high,
and the scouts on the top of a high sandhill. The trail
out of the gully passed right between these positions.
The teams were the first to doscen<l tlirough the gully,
and the Indians tli;n became aware that Otter in-
tended to withdraw. This was shortlv after twelve
o'clock. At that time the enemy had almost ceased firin<:r,
and it is the belief of many who know the Indians pretfoy
well, that they were just on the point of getting away
themselves when they saw him leaving. None of the men
left their positions on the Hv\d till every waggon and
horse had safely passed thrwugh the gully. Then came
the real danger of the situation. The men had to retire
down the long incline leading to the gully alwavs with
their faces towards the enemy, who 'vere following them

"r*""*^' "*"*'*

"¥»■ i>wi^«» w »«^'^»— *-»- ^ " >» ■■«r'»*-,.

'r>

BATTLE OF OUT KNIFE CTIEEK.

169

'i^^i,

up over the ground they had just loft. The firing from
both parties was liot, and appeared, from tlie position of
the party who wero occupying the hills to protect the
retreat, much more deadly than it afterwards turned out
to be. But it was a moment of supreme danger. A
large body of Indians poured down into the gully a con-
siderable distance up, with the object no doubt of coming
up with the men as they were crossing the gully, and
ciitting them off from the teams and the party on the
other side. If this could have been done, the chances
would have been in favour of the whole brigade being
slaughtered. But the foresight of Colonel Otter had pro-
vided against such a chance. From the gun on the bank
Captain Kutherford sent a couple of shells directly into
the horde of Red-skins, who were coming down the hill
over the field where the men had fought all day. When
the smoke cleared aw again, the Indians were turned
right about and going in the opposite direction. The
Indians who had got down into the gully further up came
on, but the scouts posted on the sand hill kept them in
check. After all Otter's men had got down to the bottom
land in the gully they were thoroughly covered by the
men posted on the bank and came right through leisurely
enough.

The whole column immediately took to the waggons
and returned to Battleford, arriving at 10 o'clock that
night. The Indians did not attc mpt to follow.

The Queen's Own Bifles ambulance corps worked
heroically during the whole day. When there was a call
for them to any ]^art of the field their courage carried
them even under the enemy's fire to rescue a wounded
man. No praise of their work is too great.

One incident of the fight cannot be left unrecorded,
rrivnte Acheson, of the Queen's Own, ran out from cover
at the time the withdrawal was being made, to recover
the body of Private Dodds, of the Battl- ford Rifles.
Private Lloyd, of the Queen's Own, was near him at the
time, and Acheson asked him to cover him while he went

''"V^'^i'"if^i' 'r'"f*i'7('i*.''' »■ f"'f "'. '?;'r.' "'ifi"

-.■i'Ti"; ;

170

CANADA'S NORTH-WKST UKIHll.LroN.

out. Lloy«l (lid so, anrl wc.nl out to assist AoVeson, who
ha<l sluHildcrod tlio dead man. When tln'.y wore reiiuii-
ing Lloy<l tVll, shot in tiic hick, lie was in a stoopinnr
])ositi(>u vviion striiok and tlie bullet, ent<M-iii,!j; tlie centre of
the biU'k, penetrated up to the sliouMer, under the hladc.
W!ien Acheson liad deposited the body under cover heat
OTico returned to brintr in Lloyd. Colour-Sor;,a'ant

nunr.Tai koulkks.*

AFcKell, of the Queen's Own, went out to assist him, and
between them they got Lloyd safely away from the enemy.

* Flerbert Fonlkes of "C" Coiapany who was killed in tho fight with
Poim<li'!nker"s btiiid came to this country from England about eight years
ago. He wovkoil cm farni^ until hist, Si'ptombev, when he went to Toronto
and toolv a situation at < );dv Hull, where he was a general favourite with the
employed. He has no relatives in this country.

^-^■-^*-v)^.Ct'-'f;flv;,"V»yf*>t,»>«H»-^^i.-:»M»r.^^...^>^^.>..... ., ^ ,^,^ .^. „ i „ ».^^,,..^,^..^^^.

BATTLK OF CUT KNIFE CRKEK.

171

It was a rcniarkalilci t^xhihition of lioroi.sin. The enemy
Wf're at nioderato'y closr'. ran^'o, and fninjif incossaiitly.

Poor Rodgers, of tlio Kooi. (Juai'ds, was killtsd instanUy
wbilo lyinjjf in the skirinisluiig line on the side of the liill.
Wo was speaking to (Japt. linghes, who was lying along-
side of Idin, only a inonu^it l>ofore. Tlie hall penetrated
his head, and he di<Ml without a groan. Following is the
list of killed and wounded ; —

KILLKD.

Brigade Rugler Foulkes, Toronto Infantry School, shot
in the breast.

Private Jolwi Rodgers, Ottawa Foot Guards, shot
through the head.

Private Arthur Dobbs, Rattleford Rifles, shot through
the breast.

Corporal Sleigh, Mounted Police, shot through the
mouth.

Corporal Lowry, Mounted Police, shot through the
abdomen (died while being taken l)ack in the waggon).

Buglet Burke, Mounted Police, shot through the body
(died on Sunday morning).

Teamster Winder, shot through the hea<l.

Private Osgoode, Ottawa Foot Guards, missing, but
known to be killed.

THE WOUNDED.

Sergeant Ward, Mounted Police, wounded in the left
paxt of the lower abdomen.

Sergeant Gaflhey, wounded in the left fore-arm.

Corporal Morton, B Battery, wounded in the groin.

Private Reynolds, B Battery, compound fracture of the
riglit arm near the shoulder.

Sergt. Winters, Foot Guards, shot in the cheek.

Lieut. Pelletier, B Battery, (attached from 9th Bat-
talion), shot in thigh near hip- -flesh wound.

Colour-Sergt. Cooper, Q.O.ll.. shot iu the hip — flesh
wound.

172

canada'8 north-wkst rebellion.

Private Lloyd, Q.O.R,, shot in back, bullet coming
out of the point of the shoulder.

Private McQuilkin, Foot Uuardn, shot in the left side,
Huporficial.

I'rivate C. Varey, Q.O.R., .shot in the shoulder.

Private Geo. Watts, Q.O.R., Hesh wo\ind in the left
leg above the knee, slight.

Bugler Gilbert, Battleford Rifles, shot through the
scalp at back of the head.

Brigade Sergeant- Major Spack man, flesh wound in the
right arm.

Private J. Fraacr, Q.O.R., bruised by a spent bullet in
the shin.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE FIOHT.

Half-an-hoi'T after we marched a den^e column of
smoke arose from tlie trail several miles in froiit. This
was answered by another column of smok(i further on,
and showed how clo.se the enemy had been watching
every movement. They were signal tires telling of our
approach. We camped about sunset on a fine piece of
open ]>rairie, ami men and horses received a feed —the
last, alas ! for some of the brave boys who marched out
with us. We waited for the moon to rise, and as soon as
it was up the column was again in motion. We 'ravelled
^11 night, passing over some very rough ground, the
cavalry ana scouts beating evt-ry bush for half-a-mile on
each side of the trail. At last the grey streaks of dawn
appeared on the eastern horizon, and shortly afterwards
the now deserted houses on the reserve. Directly in
front were hills in which, if the reports of the scouts were
to be relied on, were the Indians.

But all was quiet, bright and beautiful. The wild
fowl, frightened from their quiet morning nap, flew screech-
ing across the prairie towards some quieter resting place.
There was not the first sign of Indians. As we rounded
a small bluff on the trail we came upon their deserted
camp. The marks of a couple of hunired tepees could

BATTLK OF CUT KWIFK ( RKKK.

173

ba seen on ono suie. Tlu>y appeared to have been hastily
deaertc'l. as niari y of i\\v poles still stood as tlu-y had first
been plactMl. Wo hurried on. 'Dk! lndlaii>j were no douht
ifjnorant of our approach and did not ('X()ect us until the
afternoon. To ^et as close to thenj as })OHsil)Ie without
being discovered was our aim. Everyone was anxiouH
for the fray, and Colon<!l Hercluner, wlio had ehargt; of
the scouts and Mounted Police, ])us]ied on swiftly. Wo
wore soon at the foot of tlie hills, and there right in fmnt
of us, and not nior(» th n a nulc distant, wa.s a herd of tlie
stohin eattle (]uietly feeding on the hill side. But ('ut
Knife Creek flowed between steep banks at the foot of
these hills. Its sides were in pla(;e8 well wooded, while
8(Tub brush exten<led in ])atehes in every direction. The
scouts and police crossed the creek and then, extending
from the centre, moved up Cut Knife Hill, a sloping piece
of s^round of a few hundred yards in extent. I. was with
the amnninition waggon, and could see everything going
on in front. The guns and baggage waggons pushed on
after the cavalry. To cross the creek was a somewhat
difficult matter. The aides were steep and sandy, and
some of the teams stuck fast. The teamsters, in some
cases, insisted on watering their horses, and halted half-
way across the stream for that purpose. But they were
soon anxious enough to push on wlien the bullets began
singing about their ears, as they did a few minutes later.
Colonel Otter, Colonel Herchmer, Captam Sears and
Inspector Neale were amongst the first to follow the
scouts. The guns, under Major Short, were only a few
seconds behind when " ping " came a rifle bullet amongst
the scouts from the and)usiied foe.

The Indians had, therefore, tired the first shot, and all
we had to do was to open on them. The guns dashed
forward at a gallop, unlimbered and went into action.
A shell was thrown amongst the tepees, followed half-a-
niinute later by another and another. One could hear
the enemy scampering through the bushes on every side.
There seems to be little doubt that they did not expect

174

CANADA S NORTrr-WEST HFRKI.MON.

US SO Hoon, oLhorwise wo shouM never liave got. as far as
wo did without a volloy. At the lirst shot the iiUMnhrrH
ot* the ditferont corps sprang' I'ioim the wa^'gonH. fn fu(!fc
some of C Coinpany and tlic (^)ueen's Own wore out bui'oro
a shot was discliarged. They were cro.s.sin<^ tho creek on
a Hiiiall log that aHbr<led hut a slippery footing to one
man at a time. I ran down to tliis primitive liridge and
found about thirty of the Queen's Own waiting to cross.
They were cro»vdcd togethtT and nuist liave had the
enemy on two Hi<les of them. I^jut not a shot was tired.
A well-directed volley would have dropped out half of
them, but, as I said before, I believe the IndiauH hardly
expected us so soon. They may have been afi Jd to
open, not knowing how many were behind. I left this
grouj), for I saw there was little chance of an oppoitunity
to cross, and jumping on a waggon that was just entering
the water reached the opposite shore. There the men
were streaming up the hill like bees. Off to the left fnmt
and just above the cattle (set as a l)ait for us) was an
Indian circling his horse round and round. This signal
was taken up by another further along the hill, and even
before the first shot was fired the enemy were streaming
out of the tepees. Squaws, old nien, and boys, or rathei-
children (for boys of fourteen years tight beside their
fathers) started on a run for the rear and herded the cattle
together. We could see them later on upon a hill a mile
or so behind the scene of action, where they watched
every movement.

It takes a great deal longer to tell the story of those
first few minutes than to act them. The guns had scarcely
got into action when a body of Half-breeds rounded a
small hillock in front of the guns, and actually made an
attempt to carry them. The police and B Battery, how-
ever, had just got into position on the left of the guns,
and well it was that they were there an<l answered the
summons of Major Short with so much alacrity. The
breeds dashed up with a wild war whoop when Major
Short, springing to the iront, cried " Who'll toUow me ( '

BATiLE OF CUT KNIKK CliKKK.

175

and rushoil at, t'i.Ci advancinj:^ enemy. His appeal fell ui)un
williTi^' cars. The men .spranj.,' to their feet, tired a volley
into the hrot'ds, who tuiiied tail wluiii within twenty yards
of the guns and souj^dit cover. Here was an opportunity
that was not to be missed.

The men were anxious to follow the retreatin},; enemy,
but Short called them back. A few seconds suiliced to
get the Oatling at work. Its "growl" jus the bullets
stieamed out reminded one more of the explosion of a
huge bunch of tire-crackers than anything else. The
bushes were fairly mowed down, and how anything in
shape of Hesh and blood could have HvcmI through that
leaden hail is a mystery. A wail went up from the
s([uaws when they saw what had happened, while otf to
the right the Indians in the scrub gave utterance to that
indescribable cry of theirs which is only given when they
are in a tight corner. Leaving the Qatling when the
furtlu^r grinding out of bullets would have been of little
use, Major Short took liis post at the seven-pounders.
Shell after shell was sent shrieking through the air, and
shell after shell I'urst amidst the brush where the hnlians
were concealed. S|)lintered blanches were scattered
round, and the ground was ploughed and furrowed by
the iron fragments. The Indians appeared to be dis
mayed, for their tire slackened foi- a time, and we were
beginning to hope that they were having enough of it,
when they resuuKMl the attack. Our nuisketry tire was
at tirst wild, lut the men soon got down to actual work.
The Indians succeeded for a time in practising one of
their old dodges. A blanket rolled about a stick, or a hat
raised upon one would be cautiously lifted above the
brush. Our Taen, mistaking it for a man, would rise and
fire, and as they did so they made excellent targets for
the Indians, who were not slow to avail themselves of
this opportunity to pick oft a soldier. But the boys soon
saw through the ruse, and after one or two had been
struck very few shots were fired at dummies.

--!^^-,»„V--

176

CANADA a NCHtTll-WEST UfclMKLLION.

To tho left and ri;^'}it of the guns w»V8 the nkirmi.sli
Vnw, the racn lusin;^ on the roverse Hlopo of tho hill uiul
looking (Icnvu into tho coulees or ravincH tliat HCparutoii
them from another range of hills hey<irnl. Down by tlio
creek the Bm tlt'ord rille company was extended on each
siilo o b id. Here it was that some of tho h(!aviest
tightiii. >'■ (! day took place. TIh! teamsters, with their
usual a. ;o i-of to hurry too much, lagged hehin*!, and
some of thomvvoAi still in the creek when tho Indians
opened upon them. Their fire, however, was so promptly
met hy the liattleford boys that they wore more cautiouH,
and only single shots were fired until after the teams were
all well up the hill and under comparatively good cover.
Still the rear was somewhat exposed. A resolute' body
of men might have given an infinite amount of trouble
from the bru^^h along the creek there. But Indians are
not the best long-range shots in tho world, for beyond
the point-blank range of their ritlea thoir tiring is all
guess-work.

Once more were the Battleford boys called upon to
show what they could do. The brush had to be cleared
and bravely they did it. "Remember Smait," someone
shouted as they rose from their cover, and with a wild
cheer dashed ir.to the scrub at the ambushed enemy. A
volley was fired to " stir thfim up a bit,'' as one of tlie
men remarked, then they pushed on, each man getting
the best cover he could find. Tlie Indians did not wait.
The Half-breedy who were with them did better. One or
two turned to fire, but the boys in civilian clothes were
pressing them so closely that they did not have time to
diaw a bead. TJieir shots flew over the heads of our men,
cutting the branches of the brush or flying as spent
bullets info the front of our line. It was hot work while
it lasted, but a few minutes sufficed to clear the Indians
off from the neigliborhood of the crossing.

Ross, the sc* whom I have already mentioned^ was
there. He had a brother's death to avenge and anything
with a red akin received no mercy from him. He dealt

BAT\i.fl: OF CUT KNIFE (REEK.

177

was

with them in thoir own fashion. As he waa mshing
«l()vvn the ravine ho camo unon an Indian who seeing ht
WJiM discovered ffiifned diUitli. But Rmhh'h quick eye saw
tiiroiif^^h tliM dis;j;iii-.(». Anotlier man n>i;;ht have pjiHHod
on and rcccivrd a sliot in the back. But he did nothing
(>r the kind, and hh Im' ran past ho drew his revolver and
lik(!a tla.sii a i)ullet spejl into the red-nkiiiH hrain. Down
in the coulee and close to the heaviest part ol" the scrub
till" came upon four Indian f)onifs wld(d\ their owners
had loft in their ]iurry to get away from .'o " pale faces "
whose cheer yet rang in tlieir ears. Ti»' so t'< v^ ca})tured,
lloss recognizing one of them as b^t*. ^iiig to Little
Poplar. They mounted and wen- al uL ♦. - ride back to
the lines when a shower of bullet i w listled past in
uncomfortable proximity to thoir hr h. It is unneces-
sary to say they dismounteil. They (j.u it in a hurry and
wer»} by no means partieular as to which si<le they dis-
mo\mied from either. In their civilian <lress they had
been mistaken for Indians and had drawn our lire upon
thum. KosH, who had sensibly discarded the ''"atliers
from his hat, dashe<l oiit waving his handkerc' . "A
flag of truce," shouted some one. "Flag of ti;-co?" a
doi;en cried ; " look out, it's an amimsh, fire (m them."
" V/hy, it's Ross," s.ud a keen«'r-eyed skirmisher, and a
fuw seconds latcir tlie boys were back. To say tliat Ross
oxi)r(;'^sed himse'f assliglitly displeased at tie'ir being mis-
taken for enemies will hardly convey a correct idea of
his words.

Now iipme with me to anotlier part of the field. There
is no danger now. The bullets have (bund their billets,
and not so much as the smell of powder lemainsto mark
this as the one of the worst pi ices cm. that battle-field.
But something does remain. The empty car^^vidge cases
strew the ridges where the fringe of tire from our rifles
swept the grass away. And here and there you may see
a stain upon the ground — not much of course — you would
scarcely notice it even if strolling along, yet it is there
all the same. " What did it ?" do you ask. Well, that
11

■»:V^ *-«-*.,.,««•#<,

"'Tir

178

CANADAB NOUTM-WKHT UKMKM.ION.

woiuulod y" Well, tl)at \H a cnriojis (luostion to ask.
Do yon tliink an Fn»liat» from that rioj,") tlu're woiiM

ouostion \n oaHily answorcd A hullot found itH >)ill(it
ttn^re. Some liravu fellow oxpo,s<'(l liimwolf for an irmtunt,
liiit that, instant wan st.tlici^'nt to allow »iri infliim to cover
liiiii *vith liis s'lLjlit and t(ju<']» tlie tri;(;;er. " NVa.H lie

iriojis (luostion t
that rioj,") there
only W(Mind a man if ho /j;ot his .sijjfhts on him? No, he
didn't \v(Hind liim ; lie killed him. IIih conuadr, who was
lyin;; alon^'hide, asked him a (jiichtiou. "What's tliat ? "

lie ropiii'd, lai'^in;; his head, " WliJit's (hat you ?"

lie nev\*r linished it. Tlio hullot struck him in th<< fore-
head and jutssecl clean throu^^h his head, and Private John
Koger.s, of tin; (iuards, had answen-d his last roll-eall.
He died witlj ids face to the foe, as ilid every one of the
nohle fellows who fell on that hillside.

W»^ have reached th»^ rid;:^e I sjio'.e of. It is on the
left flank, or rather on the left rear of tht^ ^nna tluit have
Iteen ho st»!a<lily speak itij^ with iron voices to the enemy
])eyond. Here some hard work was d«)ne. Tlie Indians
aj^^ain and a<;ain tried to carry th:it ridi,'e. Had they
succeoded they would have got at the horses helonging to
tlie ba{,'^^age wa^jj;ons, which were conalUvl under cover
of tlie ridL,'e. At times the bullets fairly rained ucros.s it,
and whistled a deadly chorus aln>ut tin- ears of the team-
sters. One horse was struck, mh] v/ent down like a log,
only to plunijfe in the harness, however, and frighten the
animals standing around. He was (jnickly unhooked and
dragged out of the way. That ri Ige l»cyond was where
the Indians made what I wouM call their greatest "blanket
display." Every artifice WiXf; aaopted by thetn to draw
our tiro, an<l, as I have previously stated, it succeeded for
a time. But Ross came down the line and warned the
boys personally. Then our turn came. Let a white man
understand the situation and he can usually outwit an
Indian. It was so in this case. Five of the scouts, who
occupied a position on the ridge, put up what they called
a "job " on the Indians. Four of the live laid l.heir rlHe.-j
for the brow of the o2:)posite ridge, and waited. Then

BATTLE OF CUT KVIFK CHRRK.

179

^titllt,
covor

a.sk.

U), Im
i{) was
iuvir'

^ "

c fore-

)ll-fall.
of the

on tlio
nt hav(^

Indians
,.l they
.(fill"' to
r cover
cross it,
toam-
a log,
iteu the
ked and
whore
)lanket
,() draw
(led for
iicd the
littj man
twit an
its, who
!y called
4Mr ritic.-i
Then

the fifth uprftfii; to his feo.i, only to dnip like a flash.
B«it tlw riisi' Hucrri'dod. Four (hirk vihii^a'H wmi laiNtMJ
b«ddnd Jis many ril!«',s, with the amiahlc int<'ntion of Me»»«l-
iii^ iiH many liiilI*'tN throii'^di tlu) aiidacioiiN ritl«>man. liJK
four companionM, how«)Ver, wero just waitinj^ for this.
Th«< Indians wen? Hcarcwly ui» wlien tliey fired upon tlMMu.
Q(hi!k «iM tho fndianM wire, tli»>y wore not (jiuck (UKm}j;h
to escape the l«!adrn cM)mpiiiiM?nt.H tliat were sent over.
Whi'tlui- they were klUed or not it is injpos,sihlo to say,
hut for some ndn\it«s afU'i wards a man did not run much
risk hy looking over the ridLi;e. This waH tried twice to
!ny certain knowhvJi^'e, and how mneh oftenor of course
1 cannot .say.

And now there were .si^is of the enemy ciawling
down towards tlir creek again and on towards tlie gunH.
Tliey had to be dislodf^'ed, and somebody had to do it.
The work was particuhirly dangerous, for at tl»e tirst rush
oiir men wouhl have to expose themselvoH on the ridge
to the full firo of those in andtusli. " VVtw there any
ditliculty in getting volunteers ( " you ask. " Had the
men to bo ordered to go?" No, nothing of tlie kind.
Ross, who had beiin through there before, and knew just
where to go, shouted, " Come on boys," and with a bound
he disappeared over the ridge. He had no need to look
behind to see if they were following. The boys were there.
The way some of C Company and the Mounted Police
" went for" f'or that brush is deserving of every j)raise.
"How many had fallen by this time V you ask. I cannot
tell. Tliose who were dead had to He on the field. It
made no diH'eience to the poor fellows themselves. Tliey
wore then but clods of the valley, and it would have been
unjust to risk the lives of others to carry them in. '• Did
the wounded sutler much ? Were they allowed to lie
where they fell until after the action, when it would be
perfectly safe to carry them in ? " No, sir ! Veterans
could not have done better than the ambulance corps of
the Queen's Own. Fifteen minutes after the first shot
was fired a call of " AmbiJance," came from the front.

- ♦ -■— ~T ^--

IfiO

C'ANAUAH NnUTIf-WKHT HKhtUAOV,

It (]h\ not nr»o(l to bo rcpcfttinl. Rer^nant Ward, of the

MoiintiMl I'olifc, who waM hy tho j^uiim. was .stnn^k in tli«
aImIokh'II. Ho whm th«j first on th« Ion;,' lint of ni>iii.illit»M,
fiii<l as tho cry tor iiioti to carry him otl' imm; uliove the
iiMi>l\<'try rattlo tlio stretcliorlmanMs iluNht'tl forwarti. In
(loin;^ NO, ono of thcni got a bullet tlirou^h hin fora^u
cap, and another hiillot cut his Nhoiildei'-strap in two.
Tlify soon lia<l th« poor fellow on tho Mtn'tcher, an«l bor«
liiiii Malely throu^'h to tho ha;^'i;aj,(e waj^'^'ons, where Stir-
^'•'onM Strang;!! aii<l Ij«>.slie liad i.'Htal»lish«Ml a field Inmpital.
Kverythin^ that niediral hIvIU could do to alleviat*; hin
HufFerin^'s was <lone, and he was .soon as cunifortublo as it
wa.s possible to make him. Ha^M of oats were built up
to stop any Htray bullets (bat miyjhi come that way.

for the time l»eir»g, therefore, the wounded were safe.
Ai't'T that tlu) call for stn'tche* -bearers came ev(»ry now
and tlirn from all jMiiuts of tho fit;ld. Up })y tlu* ^uns,
down in tho scrub of the crec^k, off to the right, and oil'
to the left, one could see the Red (>ros8 men doubling
about, or slowly and cand'ully carrying a wounded com-
rade down to the jjospital. The Hurgfons wore hard at
work whib' the light lasted, and ho were the ntretcher-
lM;art'iH. Tbt re w<>rt' some wondorful escapes. R(!mcmbor
till' men h;id hud no ]>reakfast that nioniing. They Iiad
their last ineal ubuut nine o'clock on Friday night, and
went into action on an em()ty stomach. At 0.15 hard-
tack wa.s passed t.long tlio line by a couple of police, but
few took advantage of nuikiug a breakfast under lire.
Their timci was too fully occu[ued in looking after the
enemy, liy half- past nine the fire had slackened ort*
con^-iderably, and for a time it looked as though tho
enem> had (piietly slippe*! away. But we were mistaken.
Up on the liill, away to the left front, was an Indian who
had occui)ied the same position for hours. Ho was sur-
rour\(k'(l i)y a few companions, and seemed to be acting
as comma. :der-in-el\ief. On several occasions some of our
men hail tried a long shot at hi»n, hut their bullets all
dropped short. The fellow scorned to bo directing their

•1^

tt fj mfm "*

IIATTI.K or CUT KNirK rmi-K,

1»1

(!om-

i\\ at

cher-

libor

Iiad

an«l

mnl-

, l)ub

liro.

• tlie

d orif

the

inoviMiM^ntH \^y tin* aid of a snmll mirror, with whicli he
Ihwshrd ttio Miiidiglit first on oiio pnrt of th<« (iid I nitd (h<*n
on anotlii r. llfM'ould scf^ahiioMt tlu* whohMtfour |)u>ition,
ulld nuidi' tlui moHtof it. Tlio lildiiilH fou;^'ht di spi it fly.
lioyM of fourti"«ui your^ of am* wrro Ntu>n in ilu? hii^^li Ma/ing
away with "trttdo" ^iins, while othi'rs umimI I».i\\s and
arroWH In fact a ^reat many airows wwr timd, and
Homu of our men vvfro 8li;^ditly wonrwl«'«l hy th'tn.

At last it seemed a.s though Mio cmmiihitioii of the
Iiiilian.s was hiding oxhau.sttjd, aiid Colonel ()tt»sr (hcided
on maki:.j^ a nislj for tiio topeea and Ituinin;; the whole
encampment. There were just two <'i»urse,s open to him,
namely, either to withdraw hin tioop.s or maUt! a grand
rush for their camp. Hut here fate s'ttled tho (piestion.
The trail of one of tl»e stnrn-pounder.s hroke an the gun
was discharged, rendering it, of cours*', UMcless. The other
wa.s ('racked .som<" tiuio hofore, and had heen strengthened
by a piece of two-inch oak, which was bolted on the lower
Hide. JJut the con.stiint firing had loosened tliis, and every
time the gun wasdiMcluuged it jumptMl o<itof thettutmion
holes. In fact it was a race iietween tlie gun and the
gunnerH. The foruM-r jumpeil bai'k every time it was
discharged, and tht^ latter )m<l to follow it and carry it
hack to its place again. It would liave been folly to
attempt to d(!stroy tne tepe«!S without the guns, and so
Colonel Otter decided on withdrawing. At II a.m.,
therefore, tho toafusters received o'dtsrs to hook their
horses in and load tlnir waggons. And now (;ame the
(j stioB most important of all: How were we to get out
of >. ho box ? Wo were surroundtvl by thick scrub on every
hand and tlio idea of crossing the creek under a cross-fire
from the enemy could not be entertained. CohMxl Ott(!r
theiefore ordered Captain Nash to clear the ^/o »iis in the
rear, and this was beautifully accomplished by his oom-
pany and some of the police scouts, the mI i'juitous 1? ».;.;
l)oing, as usual, a prominent figure wheu'ver there w.'.s
anything particularly dangerous to he accomplished.
They did their work magnificently, cutting across tho

182

CANADA S NORTH-WEST UEBKLIJON.

I'uhfii to the ri<jlit of tlu; wa'ji'onM, juid ''oiiiL' ri<.lit down
into tho tootJi of the enoiny. Those tlioy drove down tlie
creek, vunniiii^ them nearly half-a-niilc through tlie co'ilee.
A couple ol" tho Iled-skiiiH were killed, and two others
were known to have Hecreted themselves aloni; the edcfo
of the eriiek, and coidd not be found. They then returned,
cro-«.sed the crcsek, and with tho scouts, drove the enemy
hack from that side also. '^I^he l»i^h sand bluff on the
right of the creek was occupied by some of these Battle-
ford men, while tlie remainder held possession of tlie
wooded lieig-hton the opposite side of the trail, the scouts
holding the woods further up the creek.

Tiien, and not till then, did tlie waggons receive orders
to move. The dead were carried in from every part of
the field, and that at considerable personal risk to
those engaged in the work. The wounded were made
as comfortable as possible in the waggons ; every bag of
oats taken on, and, covered by the tire of tlie troops lining
tlie lidges, they began to withdraw. The enemy had not
the slightest idea of what was taking place. The men
covering what was now the rear had orders to keep up a
smart musketry fire, and this they carried out to the
letter. Not till the Indians saw our teams drawing out
on the other side of the creek did it appear to dawn on
tliom that we were about leaving. I firmly believe that
when they saw the first teamrs in the creek they imagined
we were about to execute a flank movement to destroy
their tepees. But they soon discovered our object, and
began pressing our men savagely. The guns were with-
drawn, together with the Gatling, which covered the
retreat of the first line. These, in turn, were covered by
some of the Queen's Own, under Lieutenant Brock, who
had been doing good work down near the creek. At last
all were over, and one of the guns dashed up at a gallop
to the top of the sandbank. The Indians at once made
an attempt to cut off our retreat. They came galloping
down on both sides under cover of the bushes, but the
gun was not long in getting into action, and a well-

BAT'I'LE OF CUT KNIFE rUi:KK.

183

directed shell dioppcd in the very midst of them made
tlit'in hesitate. Another shell fell m^ar tlu; same pl;iee,and
tho Indians scani])ered un(h)r cover, and vv i saw no more
of them.

In the meantime the vvaicgons had drawn off to the
deserted canii'ing ground of tl»e Indians, tlirough which
we had passed seven long hours l)efor«'. Then the line
was formed, the men got into tlu; waggons, and the cobnnn
started on its way hack to Hattloford. The scouts were
the last to leave, but on doing so iired the prairie to pre-
vent the Indians fi'om following us. There was a stiff
bteeze hhjwing at the time, and the flames geti.i.,; into
the woods made a hugc^ blaze, and ke])t the enemy from
ht.'ading us otf in the woods, no matter liow well disposed
they might have been to lay another little surprise for
us. After travelling foi- an hour or so we camped and
fed the horses and men. Then the niaich was resumed,
and about ten o'clo>.'k on Saturday night wo reached
Battleford, having within thii'ty-one hours marched eighty-
miles and fought for seven hours on one meal and a
" hard- tack."

We did not succeed in destroying the Indian village
or carrying oii' the stolen cattle. Instead of two hundred
warriors we met between five and six hundred. There
are those who say that Big Bear's band was in the fight.
Ross claims that one of the ponies captured by him
belonged to Little Poplar, and if so Big Bear must have
been there. On the other hand, there are those who say
that had Big Bear and his l>and been on hand we should
not have g<^t away ; that, in fact, it would have been a
repetition of the Custer Massacre, and 1 think this is too
true. But, be this as it may, we certainly had our hands
quite full. Shortly after the fight liegan a huge column
of smoke rose above the woods across in the direction of
the Saskatchewan, and some thought it was a signal from
Big Bear to Foundmaker which meant " Hold out, old
man, and I'll be along to help you." If so, he did not get
in in time. On our wav back there were times when the

V- ■

"' v- .

184

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REKKLLTON.

prairie sootncd on fire in every ilireotion. On the flats
between tlio Saska(.rliow<an find IJattl*; Jlivcrs tlie wouds
were in a blaze, an<l as nii^lit Ciist its mantle over fortst
ami prairie tlie red <.'lare of the iin h eouUl l:»e seen for
miles on our left between tlie two rivers. On reaeliing
camp the wounded were tli'; first to be cared for, before
anythin<:f else was done, aii<l they were made as comfort-
able as circiuustaiices would a<lmit. Next morning (that
is Sunday) they were removed to a marfjuee tent across the
river.

On the way down, Lowry, of the Ab/unted Police, died
in the wau'tjons. He was a son of (.n^neral Lowi'v, and
had been in the force about tw^o years. He was expecting
to get a commission in it when his untimely death
put an end to his career. Bugler Burke, of the Police,
who was wounded in the stomach, died about ten o'clock
on Sunday mortang. He leaves a wife and six young
children.

Our losses were heavy. The ratio of killed to wounded
was far beycmd the usual proportion, 'riiei e ai-e generally
three or four wounded for each one killed, but with us
our dead numbered eight and the wounded only thirteen.
This shows what every one of us knows to be a fact, that
the Indians fired with the greatest deliberation, and never
threw a shot away if tlu-y coul«i possibly avoid it. During
the first few minutes of the engagement our men firecl
somewhat recklessly, as I have said before, and several
were wounded by unnecessarily exposing themselves.
But they very soon discovered their mistake, and after
that the practice was better.

Altogether the batt'e at Cut Knife Creek can har<11y
be regarded as other tlian disastrous to the loyal cause.
The attack was ill-judge'd and wholly unnecessary.
Battleford was safe and Poundmaker was staying quietly
on his reserve. There v/as no evidence that Poundmaker
and his band had up to this time committed or even con-
templated any acts of violence, but when he was attacked
on his own reserve and hia lodges containing his women

BATTLE OP OUT KNIFE CREEIT.

185

and children shellod, no one could wonder at his taking
up arms to defend tlieui, and it nnist be admitted that
when he and his peo}ile weio force* 1 to fijL(ht they fought
gamely from first to last. TluiL Colonel Otter and his
column owe their escape from Cut Knife to Poundinaker's
forbearance there is now no room to doubt, but J\)und-
maker and his version of the fijrht at Cut Knife Creek
will form the subject of another chapter.

POUNDMAKKB.

CHAPTER XVIII.

PCUNDMAKEIl.

A GENTLEMAN who spent some two years in the
North- West, and who know Poundmaker intimately,
furrashes the following sketch of the great TVee warrior
and statesman : —

When I learned in the winter of 1883-4 that Pound-
maker was making tro'ible at Battleford I was greatly
surprised, for at that time it looked as though the grcit
Oree Chief had been actuated by something like personal
animosity, and knowing him as I did I thought it impos-
sible that he ^ould be so much moved >)y such a motive.
WlicTi I learned of his connection with the present laro.-n-
table outbreak in the North-West I was not at all sur-
pris^^d, for I knew him to be a patriotic lover of his own

POUNDMAKER.

187

raoe"'an(l people, rea<ly at any tinio to lay down Iuh life
ill their Horvico. Thouf,'h tho (itfort was a mad one that
couhl only end in di,sa.4tor to tho.se concornod In it, 1 can
rcsadily undcratand how Poundmaker may have been
drawn into it. Thoii^^di a man of mud) more than or<li-
nary intellectual force and kienness of perception, even
to ])reMcienco, it must l)e remembered that Poiindmaker
has had no opportunities for learuinLj what is going on in
tlie busy world south of i\w. Milk River Ividge, east of the
South Saskatchewan, and west of the iloeky Mountains.
Concerning it his idi^as are very hazy. Like others of his
race he has a good oi»inion of liuman nature generally,
and is especially adverse to lying in all its forms. If it be
true that Riel told the Iniliaiis that he ex|i(M;ted plenty
of help from the Fenians and American Half-breeds in
carrying his rebellion to a successful issue, Por.id maker
would lae just the man to believe it. Weary with waiting
for Mr. Dewdney, as the representative of Canadian
authority, to carry out the extravagatit promises he has
been making to the NoJ'th Crees, Poundmaker was brought
to the conclusion that these promises never would be ful-
filled, and that the Gov<u'nment were quite prepared to
see the Indians perish from the torments of cold and
starvation. Believing this, it was eas' for a brave arid
resolute leader to decide that it was 1 er to die fighting
than to starve like a coward, and see s race supplanted
by a people whom no promise bound uid whom no moral
obliofation affected in the smallest d( ^lee.

When Lord Lome and his part^^ were travelling from
Battleford to Calgary, in Sej)teL «. r, 1881, the train
which left Battleford was decidedly a large and imposing
one. A long stage of the journey ./as before us and a
formidable supply of stores for the men and forage for
the horses had to be carried. This necessitated an unus-
ually large number of horses, and the presence of each
additional horse ren<lered necessary il; ) carrying of more
grain, so that alt )gether the train was an enormously
large one when the number of actual passengers it carried

188

Canada's nuiith-west uebellion.

is taken into account. There wore ninny Indians and
Half l)reo(is aeeonipanying uh, and it took nie soino days
to loam the names and occupations ol' tlie more important
of these. 1 know that the guide was Jolmny Saskatche-
wan, a swarthy, squaro-sliouldered, lur-diimi-sized man,
wearing' a heavy black board, and looking vary mucli like
a B'rench Half-breed, but who did not speak Frcncli, and
who used to stoutly aver that there waw not a drop of
French blood in his veins.

We had not been long upon the route to Calgary when
the belief became very general that Johnny Saskatchewan
had too big a contract on his hands. 'I'lie train was a big
one, and he tried to make as much use of the firewood to
be readied en route as j)ossible. For a considerable por-
tion of the way there was no trail, and in thus turning
a,uide (for wood and water) from the general direction he
wished to take, Johnny Saskatchewan M'as evidently
becoming somewhat conf' "ed. Many a time could we
see him rein in hia blacky-brown "cayuso" on the cro^t
of a great yellow ridge a mile ahead of us, and standing
there in sharp relief against tlie hazy l»]ue of tlie horizon,
horse and rider looked like an equestrian statue of bronza.
Whenever Johnnv Saskatchewan would thus draw rein a
tall, slender figure in a close-fitting black frock coat, and
mounted on a shnder-looking roan cayuse of something
of the same pattern as his rider, would soon hurry out of
the train to him. The tall, slender rider of the leggy roan
pony would talk and gesticulate with the broad-should-
ered guide who rode the brown pony, and at length
Johnny would resume his journey, while his prompter
would drop back into the train. 1 soon learned that this
tail horseman v/ho was thus "guiding the guide " was no
other than the great Cree chief, Poundrnaker, and that he
was t*ken with us for the purpose of translating Black-
foot into Cree, which was in turn to be translated from
Cree into English by our Cree Half-breed, interpreter. I
had heard of him as a prominent figure among the Noi-th
Crees, and indead among all the Crees, but further than

POUNDMAKER.

189

pter

tlUH

s no
,t he
ack-
'rom

■r. I

ortli
than

this T knew notliin^' of U\o man. I soon found that in
our ni^'ht camps his tent was iisually ])itcho<l in tlio samt'
KuNility as my own, ari^l 1 was not lonj^ in making his
at'ipmintamM-' through Prtei- Uountois, my own gui'lo and
intr'ipivtor I was n<)t h>ng in leatriing that, tlioiigh
singularly solemn and dignified in his nuiniK^r, Pound-
maker was very communicative in all matt<'rH pertaining
to his own people. Knowing in a general way thitt my
business was that oi' writing for the public, ho a[)pGared
to think tliat nnieh was to bo gained by having the char-
acteristics of the Indians in general, and those of the
Croes in particuhir, discussed in my letters.

Ho told stories of his people, of their traditional loy-
alty to the Ihitish tlag ; their genth^ness to tiie poor, tho
sutfering. and the unprotected ; and tlieirlove of the pur-
suits of peace as opposed to thr>se of war and pillage.
Like Piapot and other Oree chip's i*oundmaker was very
proud to say that the Ciees harl ne\i.r shed the blood of
the white man. He was never given to boasting or "count-
ing coo," ail' I always spoko of war and of the old feuds
between the Orees and Blaekfeet with a perceptible aver-
sion, as though their ■-•ecolleetions made him shudder.

Though Poundmaker's views regarding his own race
and people were warped by superstition and Cree or
Black foot legends and romances, they were surprisingly
well balanced, an<l betrayed a breadth of intellectual
grasp that seemed to me incredible as coming from a
pagan Indian with no preten.sions to intellectual culture
oi: an}' kind save mental intros|)ection. He always
appeared to me to be move anxious to .shine as a .statesman
than as a warrior ; but though he never spoke boastfully
of his own exploits, J could easily gather, from little facts
that cropped up as if by accident in the narration of events
in his own career, that he v/as a man who in the fray must
have been absolutely in'litferent to personal danger. In
speaking of lighting he neve • upeared to recognize the
element of personal dd,ngcr. !>!'ath in battle appeared
to him to be a matter of course, a danger always present,

190

CANADA'S Nr)I{TH-Wr:ST HKBKF.LION.

but, thoui(h f^voit immiin'nt, novor to be conaiflored or
rej^anlcd.

Hilt talkiiij^ of wars and bloodshed was not what
Poumhuakor likod best. He would nd'or to these blh
things of the |>a.st which he earnestly h(>ped wouhl never
be revived. He was j)roiid ofhavin;,' luinhj peace between
the Croe8 and Black ft (»t, prouder of that than of the
many incursions lie had made into the l>la(!kfoot country,
killing their people and taking away their horses. In
the latter, though he niight liave brought glory and
wealth to his own people, he still brought misery and
want to another people of his own race. Indians should
all Ije as brothins, brothers with those of their own race,
and brothers with their friends tlu' white men. War
must bring misery and sorrow to some, while peace and
industry nnist bring happiness and enjoyment to all. He
would show a .sort of contempt for what h ; woidd term
military greatness. Men who could fight the HIackfeet
best in the old time> were not all of them " any good "
except when at war. "They took no care of their
families; they saved nothing, and did not care to work
or do anything except tight and steal horses." For such
men Pouudmakor entertained the greatest contempt.
They wouKl never help the Crcjes to become a wealthy
and p*'osperous people like the white men. Turning to
another and to him a much more agreeable .subject Pound-
maker would ratnble on in a soft, low voice, speaking
very deliberately and often with closed or half-closed
eyes, and pausing at regular intervals, often in the mid-
dle of a sentence, to allow the interpreter to translate
what he sai<l.

I can alnio.st see him now% while I write, as he used to
li(; close beside a little handfid of glowing emljers that
could hardly be called a tire, but which was all we cured
to indulge in on the e^reat treeless stretches where wc
hauled our fuel from lirty to fifty miles and flanked
our tiny iii*ys with dry buffalo chips. The picture was
one not easy to forget. The camp all quiet, the snowy

POUNDMAKrn.

101

cones of th<i bell toDts batluMl iij liri^'lit moonHj;ht, tho
vi'llow prairie tjraM.s .spaiUIin^' witli )»oar froKt, and our
little ;jfroup ^'atluircd about the tire listening to, the inel-
low voice of Poundmalvor as he lay st retched along the
^'rasH, his bhu-k Mankt't wrajipcd around him below the
shoulderM, his riujht tdhow rcstin*:; on the j2jround and his
liu^ht hand Jiroppinju; up his ln^ud, his tine, claHsically cut
lace turniMl partially toward the sky and thrown a little
hack from his breast, av;io,ss which one of his two lon^
.shininf^d)raid,s of hair hurijy liko a gri'at black rope, and
trailed upon the grass. Jti timt rnollow musical voice he
Wfuild tell us how, after wasimg yeai's of his boyhood
and youth in raiding the lUaekfoot country, killing their
people and stealing their pouios, it was proposed thUi- the
Crees should make a treaty with their )»rothors, the white
men. He saw that peac»' wias good, and he saw, too, th;>t
his people eould not wellaidopt the pursuits ol peace, as a
treaty witli the whiros implied, and at the same time
carry on a successful warfare against the l^lackfeet. He did
not wish to see his own peojde turning to farming, when
the i31ackfet;t ndght attach them and destroy their homes.
He thought that u, ''whole peace" woidd be good for the
Crees and goo«l for the Blackfeet, an<l he thought it best
that they should make peace between themselves, and
then iiW make a treaty with tlje Government. To accom-
plish this end Poundmaker set himself at work, and
though he passed through jierils in the Blackfeet camp
while on this peaceful mission, the thoughts of which (to
use his own expi'ession), "still made his body shrink," he
ni'ver falterejd in liis purpose till the work had been
completed.

On this portion of his career Poundmaker used to
delight to dwell, but some of the legends of his own peo-
ple, especially those having a pretty or sympathetic turn,
wei-e favourite themes with him. One day we passed an
alkali lake with a small island in the centre. That night
he told us that it was Child's Lake that we had passed,
and that it received its name many years ago. A good

IDS

CANADA'S NOnTn-WK«ST UEnKLLlOlf.

chiof lm<l l)Of'n killed in battlo with the Blaokfeot, anil nil
his hiinily sluiiLfhtpn'*! oxcept throo littlo chiMtvn. A
^o()<l spirit in th« foiiii of a ^n'nt hiack dotj savtMl tho
chiiciron, an<i took n't'ii^^o with th«»m on this littlo islant!,
Tlioy wore boyond the luach of thoir oiiomies there, and
btworid all harm, daii^jor, and (hmMi. Tlicy novor grt'vv
old, but rcniairiod tho saino for all time. To tlds dny
thoy were soniotiines socn phiyin^to;.n'f lior on this island,
and tlio (ihildron never ^rew ariy iarjL(<'r for their little
faces co'iid just lie stMui p(if)|tin<^ over the bi;; do;;'s back
as he stood in front of th<ii to protect them from darij^^^er.
Child's Lake is between Hattleford and Soundin;jj liake.

Lord Lorno would at times have Foundmak»'r in Ids
mess tent after dinner and listen for hours to his CrcM
legends as well as to his story of how he made peacf.
between the (Jrees atid the IJIaekftiot. When he had con-
cluded tht> hitter history, liord Lome, bavini; listr'ruMl
with the closest jittenticn. an<l with evident interest from
beginnint,' to end, s{)oki' in the kindliest and most eneoiir-
agin«^ manner to him, t( llin;^ liini that his ambition for
the pro;(ress of his people in enliijjhtenment an<l material
prosperity way one well worthy of a j^reat chief, and ti\ut
no hoped ho would continue to bo in tho future as he liad
been in the past, a peacemaker.

FCnowiii*^' Poundmaker as T do, T shall watch with
consideral)le interest the development of the story of liis
C(mne( tion with the ri'.in;j[ in the Battleford district. 1
shall be particularly anxi')us to know to what extent he
acted on the ollensive before his reserve was invade»l.

Tiie reader is not yet done with Poundmaker, but it
will be }}referable to let the events I'elated in this history
bring his true character to light in their own time than to
make unsupportjid assertions con'.'erning it just now. Wo
may here state, however, that the story of the liattle
of Cut Knife Creek is but half-told. We have heard
Colon(d Otter's side of tho story, but at a later period
Poundmakor will have an oppf)rtunity of giving his
version of tho affair. It may be advled here, however, that

TIIK HATTI.K r>r nATOrflK'H rKllRY.

lo;j

wliil« till) firnt tt;lrj;nij)}.ic, loporiM I'Mtiiimtctl Poimdinakor'ft
forco at six hiiii'ii'cl <iii<l his \*tss ut tVoiii HJxty to on^,
liuruln'd ami tuTnty-fivo, tlir factM were that his force
w»s littlu if any <»V( r two huiwhi'il hii«I til'ty atnl hi?* loss
wa** Mix or fiovt-n killed a?ui Jihout as many wuiin<loJ.

CIIAl'TKH XIX.

TT!K UAITI.K OF HATdCIIK's FI'HIIV.

WE now comfi to tho dfciyivo hattio of the rohollion,
tho enga;^'eiuont wluoh cruslu'«l tho hint hope of (he
Ifalf-brceds and Heni. out their loaders Diiniont and Kiel
08 hunted fu^dtivos arid outeastH.

Tho events whieh took place on tho South Saskatche-
wan between the Battles of Fish Cn-ek and liatoche can
be briefly H Mnnied up. Tho wounded reniaitUMl to bo
cared for and put in a p .ice of safety before the column
could move on down the river, but besides this there were
other causes why General Mi<l(lleton could not move on.
The steamer Norihcote, with the Miillanders, with sup-
plies and with the invaluable Gatlin*,', made very slow
{>rogress. Tho journey was a lon^j one, the boat was
leavily laden and the water was low. Day after day tho
boys remained in the neighbourhood of Fish Creek,
where, as they afte> wards learned, a, mere handful of one
hundred and twenty-five badly armed rebels had wrought
such havoc upon a vastly more numoroUwS force fully
supplied with small arms audanunuintion,aa well ay a fair
complement of artillery.

During this tedious delay General Middlcton gave all
sorts of excuses for his inaction. ( )ne day it was want
of sup])lieH, then he had not a suflicient medical stall" to
take with liim after leaving a suitable force to look after
the wounded. Then the excuse was that the wounded
could neither be left where they were nor removed up the
12

^fT^^^^

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

1.25

li^ 12B |2.5

u liii

AO 12.0

— 6"

1.4 IIIIII.6

w^"w

Photographic

Sdences

Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.V. 14580

(716) 872-4503

194i

CANADAS NOUTII-WKST HKUKf-LION.

river to Saskatoon. Tho trutli was that he was afraid
to a<lviinco on tho rebol.s* jx^sition at Ijatoclie until he
had been materially ro-inforeod. lie had rcceive<l a
lesson at Fish Creek with roj^ard to the fiirhtin^' cai)acity
of the Half- breeds, which ho was notdis[)osed to disregard.
Ho might talk as he |tleased, but there was no possible
cliance of his risking another reverse such as he had
experienced on the 24th of April, ilo would have the
Midland Battalion and the Oatling gun before again
attacking the rebels.

Again an<l again reports were sent out that General
Middleton would certainly move at once, but the canu}'
old soldier had no notion of bringinuj on another ti<rht
until he had overwhelming od(Js on his side.

And it is not quite fair to accuse him of cowardice
because he adopted this course. He had a superior force
available and would have been to l)lame had he not used
it. What he was blamed for, however, was for not
exercising more nerve at Fish Creek, many thinking that
prompt and resolute action on his part at the critical
moment on that fatal dcty would have turned the tide
and won the day for the loyal troops. Had that battle
been won and the rebels routed there would have been
no battle at Batoche's Ferry.

On the 5th of May, the Xorfhcote arrived at Clark's
Crossing, and on the 7th (two days later) General Middle
ton moved out of his cimp at Fish Creek.

In the meantime the connnander had conceived the
rather ludicrous idea of converting the NortJicote into a
gunboat. She was furnished with clumsy barricades,
which were to serve as bulwarks, and, as she had no
cannon to contend against, the tnsk of rendering these
barricades bullet-proof was not a difficult one. The utter
folly of equipping and arming her in the manner
described, was seen when she passed down the river and
began the light of May !). Those on board of her not
only failed to accomplish anything, but after barely
escaping being caught by the ferry rope and held till

'""Ik

MAP OF THE SCBNKg 01 THB BATTLES OF DUCK LAKS, I'SH CUKKK,

AND BATOCHK.

1-v.

196

CANADA'S NOUTH-WEST REHELLION.

every one on board could have been niasHacred or cap-
tured, .she drifted helplessly down stieain where tliu.se
aboard of her could not even see, to say nothing; of taking
part in, the battle.

The battle at Batoche's Ferry was scattered over so
much ground and covered so much time that it would be
extremely difficult to present anything like a complete
picture as from one point of view. A better plan will be
to give the story of the fight in the words of those who
witnessed it. The following is the story of the first day's
fighting : —

On leaving the Fish Creek camp on Thursday after-
noon we followed the river up to Gabriel Dumont's cross-
ing, which we reache<l at G p.m., camping for the night.
Our scouts under Lord Melguiid had repeatedly pene-
trated to Gabriel's, and knew that the woods were clear.
Early on Friday morning Dumont's house (on the line
between Sections 17 and 20, Township 42, Range 1, west
of the third meridian) was visited and found deserted.
The troops took out a billiard table and a washing
machine and put them on boju-d the Novthcote, and then
fired the house. The scouts then went on to the houses
of Vandal and Poitras on Section 20, right by the river,
and fired them. They also attempted to get to Maxime
Debois' house. Section 32, but this was unknown ground
and they were recalled. Meanwhile the ^orthcoie, fitted
up as a gunboat, patrolled the river, keeping a sharp look-
out on the west bank, "\\'here a few rebels had been seen
on Thursday. On Friday afternoon the entire force
marched from the camp at Gabriel's, following an old
road running almost due east. The scouts had reported
this route to be safe. It took us out of the dense under-
brush fringing the river. It was slow marching. The
path was narrow and broken, and on each side lay clumps
of poplar and willow, with here and there a swamp. The
road brought us to the old trail to Pritchard's Crossing
en-. Prince Albert, which further north skirts the base of
the Birch Hills. After turnincj north on this trail for

TUK BATTLE OP lUTOCTIKS FKTIRY.

107

two milos, we campi'd for tlu> niprht near one of the
niiiiH'tous alk.*ilin«^ ponds, rtnd lu^t I'ar I'roni the? crosH trail
leading' into tlu- (/'arrot llivor s.'ttN'inr'nt. Wo were tlu;u
ei"lit miles cast aiul a liltKr s(Mitli of Batoc^c'.s.

The ^\nfheofe, under (.aptain Shoots, had Iteen ordered
to move slowly down the river. Our plan was to move
on Hatoehe's from the east, while tlie hoat took care of
tlie river to the south of the settlement. The reV)el pits
he<;jm three hundred yards to the east of the ehureli and
ran in zig-zag form east and north. There; were thirty
or forty rows of them, one row^ partly covering the other
and extending in a huge irregidar threo-(juarter ciri le,
embracing in all probaldy five sections of land, or tlireo
thousand two hundred acres, and running at least two
miles north-east of Batoche's. The pits, placed from ten
to fifty yards from one another, were five ieet long, two
and a-half feet wide and eighteen inches deep, with a
breastwork of earth, rock and boughs a foot high at each
end. A man could scoop out one of them in a few
minutes. There were from five to twenty- five pits in a
row, according to the nature of the ground. Retreat or
advance from one row to another was readily accomplished
through the scrub and along the rivulet bottoms. The
rebels had also prepared excellent cover in the innumer-
able small blurts by throwing up breastworks of rock
and poplar trees. A number of bluffs and ravines, lying
far out, protected the main circle of pits, wdiich was also
well guarded in the rear.

One week's sojourn at Fish Creek had enabled
General Middleton to procure a great deal of information
regarding the lie of the land ; and it was a lucky thing,
for the whole district was full of pits and ambuscades.
Duniont had turned it into a perfect rabbit-warren.

Friday night was fine but cold. Double pickets
were posted, and the scouts were on the alert on every
side. The men knew what was before them and few of
them slept. We lay formed in a zareba. A Battery and
the Gatling men under Lieutenant How^ard (of the State

■t.'.

108 tanada's nouth-west rebellion.

National Guard of Connecticut, and agent for the Oatling
factory there), were at tl»oir postH all night K)ng.
(Jenoral Middlcton insued a g«'neral order at H \>m\.,
instructin;^'^ the troDps to he on parade at 4 a.m., to break-
fuHt at 4.15, and to ho ready to inarch at 5 sharp, each
nian carrying' 100 rounds of annnunition. The ha/j^j^'age
and the armed teamsters were to remain in the zarol>a
camp, and also the few invalided and used-up men, most
of then', sutlering from rheumatism, which of late had
played the mischief with our entire force.

At 4 am, in this northern latitude there is a good
dawn. Tlie men fell in sharf) on time, the parade being
oondiiett'd with as little noise as po.ssibhi. Ihe rebel
scouts had kept track of us, however, from the time we
left Fish Creek , and liad even fired at our men as we
were leaving Dumont's.

At 5. .SO we started, going two miles north and east,
and then striking the old trail that runs to Batoche's, the
junction of the two roads being about nine miles from
the settlement. Captain Secretan, of the Transport Corps,
was left in charge of the camp, which, as I have said, was
left standing. Our march duo west was made in the
following order : —

Boulton's Scouts 75

Catling (Captain Howard) 4

Roval Grenadiers 202

90t*h Battalion 275

Midland Battalion ] IG

A Battery (two guns) 1)5

Winnipeg Field Battery (2 guns) 00

French's Scouts (on flanks) 30

Hospital and ammunition waggons.

Total 917

Nos. 1 and 2 Com]i{mies of the Royal Grena-
diers headed that regiment. The country on the east
Bide of Batoche's is broken and full of clumps, and

THK RATI I. K OF HAlorUK's FKUUY.

199

jfreat cnntion was (ixcrnisod. NVlwii ultO'it four milea
from })atoclM''s, at 7 am., wo heard the Snrthcote
whistliiij^' a .si^^'nal tluit hn-l li»«oti au'nT.l iipfiti, hikI wli at
onco atiswnvl h«'r with a hhmU sliot tVorii a iiim -nouruler.
iJatiK'lio'.s li(;8 on hoth sides {>[' tlie river, and tmj niaiii
villajjffi is in a basin shaiM'ii thprossion, with stores on the
east side uf tho river. When ahout a mile {'vnu\ the east
Uiuk, wo came in view of th" outskirts of Uio settle-
ment, and the Oatlinj^' linMJ at the first hou.se, but there
was nobody there. It was a briudit, clear n»orniii<:^, and
we could watcli opei-ation.s quitti (listinctly at first; but
later in the day dense clouds of smoke hunjr over the
wliole basin. Our scouts now fell hack, and A IJattery,
pushing on ahead, sent a sliell through the second house.
Some rel>els immediately ran out of a ravine behind tho
house into the bush. The two liouses took fire and were
soon in a.shes. Threi; hundred yards further on stands
the Church of St. Antoine do Padua. A snuiU school
house stands near the church, both buildings being about
two hundred yards from the higli l)ank of the river. In
the rear is a thick wood of poplar, hazel and willow,
tlirough which a deep ravine runs. The river makes a long
fewet^p westwai'd and then eastward, leaving Batoche's in
a broad peninsula. We moved slowly on, and soon
heard heavy tiring along tho, liver, the report of the big
gun on the IS'ortkcote being easily distinguishable. The
Oatling advanced to within a hundred yards of the
school house and church, when a priest opened the door
of the latter and waved a handkerchief. General
Middleton at once rode up and found five priests and six
men who had taken shelter there. They were taken
care of, an(J were extremely tliankful for their rescue.
The Half-breeds had thn'atened to kill them all, and
would have done so wiihout doubt liad not Garnot, one
of the rebel leaders, insisted that the church shouhl not
be desecrated l)y murder. No sooner had the priests
been sav(id than the Gatling let fly at the .school hou.se
from our high elevation, but there was no response. A

200

canada'b .V >|{th wist ukprlmom.

Battery now cnuw up. ami Ix'^'iui .shelling t)i« hoiisos on
both siib's of l\n' rivrr. A «ln/i'ti W()im»n ami cliildn'ii
wt«re mn'.n rnshitt;^' out, iunl our mm ci'usrd tiring' for an
instant, Oenfnal Miildlrlon havirivf jjfivmHtrict injunctions
to the force to sparo iion-coml»atants as far a.s possihle.

While W(! were watching those r.eoplo run ofF, tho
rebels suddenly rose from tho ravine n<^dit in front of us,
and opened fire. Thf Lj'ins were c li'rtMl to tho rear, and
the (iatlinj^, which Howard had I r »n wt>rkin^ so w»'ll,
rained down a fusiladf, hut our position was too hiyh,
and tho bullets Hiw over tho ravine, ami did no harm.
This was a ticklish nioint'iit, and our iiwu were thrown
into so!n<j rlisordcT. Howard, however, worked like a
Trojan in the thick of It, and kept tho rebels from
chai^dn-; us. We should have lost many lives, and
probably our ^'uns, but for the Oatlin;^^ Meanwhile the
first two com}»anitis of the (ilrenadiers advanced to the
edge of the wood in rear of the .school house, and a little
to the right of tho spot where we first felt tho rebel fire.
The rebels detected the uioveniont, and desperate efforts
were made to turn our left flank by their men in tho
bush under the high river bank and on the slope, who
fired with great vigour; but they had nothinu: but shot
guns, and their fire toll short. Some rebels with rifles on
the otiior side of tlie river also took a hand in, but the
Gatling silenced thoni.

It was now 9.45 o'clock. The aharpshooter.s of the
90th, armed witli ^lartini-Henry rifles.and the dismounted
men of A Battery were here brought up and ordered to
lie down and fire over tho crest of tlie rising ground into
the ravine and the bush on the river. Tho main body of
tho 90th was deployed to protect our right centre, which
was threatened by another row of rebel riflemen in a
ravine, and to support our left centre and left. The
heaviest firing was now being done at these points. The
Gatling, having done excellent work on tho left of the first
ravune, was forthwith brought to the rear of the left
centre, and was just opening out, when the underbrush

TUR Hxrn.E or iiatochkh fkuut,

201

In ftiU'tlwT ravino hcliin*) \\h took lire ami spread fi»'rcely.
For a tiino we wt^n" sunoiunlotl l>y Hrrs frniii tlio sloughs,
i)u^ Hrnoku of wliich mil*''! aion^' tlii) f^roiind like A deiisd
fotf. It wan a ti^')»l pliico, Imt the troops n«vur for a
moment Hinchod. Thoy simply looked to tl»eir officers,
who in turn patiently Nviiit'd for ordrrs from the chief.

At 1 1 '{0 M.m. the or<l«!r eanie. It was for the force to
mov(! hack a little. Our wounded lind hem place*! in the
church, hut as it wa.«» wtdl within tlie rohel ranjro and tlie
hush tire seeim-d likely to rcacli it, they were taken out
and carried to the n.'ar near the ammunition wa^'^ons.
By the time this ]m<l been dom; the rehels luid o[)ened at our
left Hank, and also in rear of our rij^hl Hank, al! the time
maintaining their steady fusilade upon our centre and left
centre. Hero it was th iun;ht hy some officers that we
woreahout to he surrounded, an<l tln'V certainly swarmed
on all silks, shoutin<^ aiul cheering, as though they
thought they had us in a trap. Tlie Winnii)eg Battery
however, succeechMl in planting foui shells right in front
among their pi oh, and this kept thorn off. Evidently,
from their expeiience at Fish Creek, the rehels were well
aware wlien shell w/is fired. They detected either the
report or more prohahly the word of (ujmmand, and en-
sconced themselves in their pits, lying flat on their faces,
until the shell hurst and the danger was past.

At 1 p.m. we caught sight of a small body of rebels
gliding up a ravine on our loft, and it was supposed they
were moving away. Five minutes later they popped up
their heads within one hundred yards of our men and
fired a volley with Winchesters. Gunner Phillips of A
Battery was killed, and two of the same corps wounded,
and the battery with the scouts was compelled to fall
back. The fire now slackened until 2 p.m., when half
the Midland i3attalion was sent up to the ravine last
mentioned, with a stretcher in charge of Di-. Codd, of
Winnipeg, to get out Phillips' body. They were met with
a hot tire, but the Winchester men on the rebel side had
gone away to another part of the field, and the rest had

202

TAMADAS NOinil-WIST M KIIKI.I.IoM.

only shot jjniH. TIh' 1»«mIv w»ws siMnnMl, nonoor i!io Mi«l-
1x11*1 incii lN<ir»^ inJuitMl mi thr i!i|i.

lAuir M'oiits wi-n* soul l»a»',k at tliis tinn« (.*i p in.) in
onli'f up HoMH' tj»ntM an*l waLf;4<tns. TIn' liiinv^ alimmt
(VAMOil fur A (iino now, and oin nirn lay down \^l)ili< I.Im^
HOoMtsM ii>ro!»ht)it.nMl. At Mix «M'lock lln^ rolirln ln-i^'an
a^Miin.and at. 7 p ni. (lio tirin.; was ^'oin^r on, imi it was at
li»n^ ran^'t' iind ni> daniiif^o wms Itrinj^ il(>n(\

It wivn painliilly <'viili«nt thai w«' hail n(>tin(»n onoii^'h.
(^win^ to 1 lirir position, one itIm'I wum jis j^nod as ton volun-
tool's, just as it was at l''i.s|i Cicok. Tho tiring' on our
pMit luid to bo dono at tlio pull's t»f suiokt* iVoin thoirguns,
or lit tho spots wlion» wo supposed tlioonoiny to Uv 'I'ho
toiril»ly l»n>kon jj^rouud rcndiTo*! it ditlicult IV.r tlu^ l»ijr
^uns to got into aclioti.und whon tlu^y did opon tlioy could
do littlo with an onoiuy Ivinj^ in pits and protoctod hy
troos aiui a hoavy undoil»iusli. (JoiuMal Middloton said
tho inon had dono roinnrkahly woll timt day all things
considorcd. Captain Howard was loudly cheorod that
ovoning. His (Catling savo«| ns from s<'rious disastor.
At .') p.m. our soouts capturod Wm. IJrush.a brood, who
waslu)\oring noar our roar. Hi» said ho osoapod from
Riol tliroe days boforo. Ho piacocl tho robol forco at four
hundri'd inon, i>alf of whom wt»ro Indinns. Two IniiKliiid
of thom wore on this side and two hundro<l on tl\e otlior
sido of tho rivor. Tho ]>riosts coulirmod tliis. They
said the Nortlwntf ran down the i"i\or that morning under
a heavy tire. At S.3() a.m. our men saw that her smok(5-
stack had been knocked down. Bullets had probably
smashed the wire bracing. We saw no more of her but
ai>out noon she was heard whistling, and th(»n appeared
to be troinj/ down tlw^ stream in the direction of Prince
Albert. At () o'clock she began whistling as though from
up the stream.

Such is tlie account of the fii-st day's fighting at
Batoche, written the same night and in the hurry and
excitement of a camp, not only under a dropping fire at
long range, but in momentary expectation ot an attack

TIIK MAT 11. K MK IIAT«h||K'M KKHIlY.

io:i

froii) Alt <*xiilt;il)t f(M^ Tlic fiilliiwili^r iiiort) rlctHilf^t)
aiMMUMit, wnltiii iin<l«T inon- fAvvMiniMf^ oirciiin.slAiic«'H,
will In< roiitKl iiitcrfNtiri;; fin>l vnliiiiMr:

It in lUM'illcHs to Miiy i\\t) M'snlt ct" Satunlav's i\^])i Ijrh
not Utm »<atisfHclory t«» «'itln'r si«|iv mu\ tliiit t)i«' <'ri«'my
tiii«i '.IkmiihoIvo.h iiiiiirr tin- in t,li<Mi- Itut stron^lioM isalxnit
tlio ^K'utrHi satlMlaotiofi wn can [fr\. out of tin* Hituation.
TIh' «lay C(nnnn»n(v«| at I'ojir o'clock, aiwl l>y nix w<< wt^ro
fin rouff ; i]\t^ ivMuMrvH, iiipltr'I'rim »j>ort OlTiror Sccrctan,
U'iu^r left to ^Miar<l th<' chiii|», cvi^ry tent Htan<liri^' and all
tli« i)aj^'|^a>ijo uxcrpt l»a\ rrsacks Itrliind. 'I'ln' road waw
miry in niuny places, and several ufninnnition wa;^^ons
Htickin^' funt diiayiMJ rapid ;idvancc. When >\itliin four
niilcH of liatodic and witliin .site of t)ic opptt.sitc liank of
the river, the whistle ot" the X»n-fk,;,(t' was }iear<l, a:ul on«
«)i" tin' \Vinnipe;;^Mnis lir<'d a hlank cjirfritj^tc as an answJT-
in^ 'Si;^nal. There Hecnis litth' douht that tliis wa.H a inin-
taku and hoiui; otiier ini*ar)s of coinrnnnication should
)mve h(5en adopted. The n?|»ort Ljave notice to thn en(!niy
of our approJicli, and .so far as we know wa-s re|^ard(5d jih
an ordt3i' to a<lvanr«j hy tlie 1 oat. Two miles furtlier on,
after passing a lialf-hrced cemetery, wo reached t)>e first
evidences of a rc;^ulai setthwiient, tliou^^'h isolatiMJ liousos
and (Jrec cal>ins (our daily trail lay thn)ii).(]i oncj As.sori.s
reserve) wore always in sitrht. All tlie liouses and harns
alon;:j the road hut one were l»urne<i as our infantry
reached them.

At (Mj^ht o'clock one of tho A ^Qu(d)Cc) Battery
{.juns fired a sIhiII through tlie ui)p<T slon^y of ahouBo on
the right of tl)e road and several rehels hurriedly Hkedad-
dled. Very little furtlier on, the Boulton Infantry with
[Toward and his Gatling heinu: i'^ advance, we camo in
full view of thf! nuich-talUcd-of Chun;h of Antoine de
Padua, a weather- boarded, unpainted structure sixty by
thirty or thereabouts, with a two and a-half storey
school house similar in materials, fifty feet distant and
toward the river. Between the scliool-houae and the
church wa.s a camp of Indians, and the scouts retiring,

204

CANADA M Norrril WK8T RF«P:M.f(»N,

Howard np<»rw<l with his Oatlinj?, xcattorinj^' the ^nemy,
who rati nnrwnnl, h'uvinj^ thoir hn'iiklaxtH on thn Jiro.
Thirty Mh«»fH wi'h- lircii hi^'h in thf Mrhotil houni', in which
w«r« Mcv«*nil liiiU' \)iv.vA wompn niul cliililn»n. 'I'ht'.so
wav»»<l 11 fhii,' of tnic«». A <|iiHrh'r ol im hour pasMr*! in
parh5y wilh thr pri'-Us, rnuii >vh<»tn it w/im ifmrnMl tluit
the oruMiiy ruuiilnnMl jihdiit t Ao-hiin«h-«Ml MnintnuMls uuti
M many In<lians, i><|uaily <livi(icil hy tho rivor; th^y
wero iibsohit^ily without Mour, sti^'ar, and tea, (the latter
airnoHt a luTOMsity to tiictn) short of Aininufutiun,
es|MM'ially i(;a<l, nn<l ruany of thciiii (lisMHtislifd with Hi«l.
From th») jirit'sts we IrarntMJ that, at HMO the l>oat HaiUMl
j)a.st hatoelio's b'rrry, the sFnoke-stack «lown , athi wliilo
the talk |)rot(r<!Hs<»(l Wf hean! hvv wliistlt; from ImjIow tlie
Ferry, Heemin^Hy aeoujih; of miles away liy wnlrr. Tlio
Ntreain makes a semi ciniilar *Mirve an<i thus leavinjj
Hatochc's an<l i\u^ churcli, in a rouiuUil promontory in
rear of the ojiposite huidiri;;-, at. which thi» ferry hcow waa
moored, was a i; roup of tepe'es, some of thiMu hrilliantiy
painted. At th(»He and one or two houses heyomJ, A
Battery first fired ami tlien we saw the enemy. Tlioy
scurried over tho hills north M;astsvard and southward in
great haste, women and children l)ein;^ in the majority.
Several Hindis were next lired at tho liouses beyond
Batoche's dwellinj^, and we were all standin;^ watching tho
ctfect as if the enemy had retreated. In movinij one of
the ^uns after it was shotted the shell was jammed and
several times missed Kre. As if the snap ot the primer
had been a si^j^nal, fiendish whoops came from the ravine
beneath our feet ; the rush of men through the scrub
below wtis heard, and a sh()we'r of bullets rushed over
our heads. Tho heavy jrims were ordere<l to retire
instanter, and one of them catching in a tree, was held
fast for a few minutes. A semi-panic seized most of the
onlookers, and they ran backward into a coulee behind.
How we all escaped from <leath or wounds at the first
fire no one can tell. But that we all got out eventunlly
all right is.due to Captain Howard (the American oliicer)

) ♦

TflK nATTI.K OP IlATOOIifl FBRRT.

t05

and WiH OaiUnLr Invtcad of retiring, lii> fi'lvnnctMl mu\
|H)iiri5il in a withiTinj^ tlnv ihw of tlw ^<un»M'ii wlk^ hIioI
tlir<)ii;;h Ixith It'x**. ''^^ H«»\Mi.'i nt^vrr tlinrluMl li«? wan
a tar^t)t for onuiraliMl inatksmun, l»ut lt«) tiiinod tho
cnuik OH coolly iw if ^iviiij( an cxliil/ition. Whilo the
artilltry l»a«l U'cn |»layir»j,' fioiu tlio crost, A antia<lii!rH, tlit* advance of tlit^ column,
had coni« lM>yorj<l th«» irliuroh. niovin;^ in from tin ri^'ht.
When tho attack was \uiu\) from tho lavino tht^y wore
advanced rapidly into the hrnsh and, (extended an
•jkirmishcfH, took pOHition within one hn»idr»'tl ard fifty
yard >» of the rifle pits. The sharpshooft rs of tho !)Oth,
armed with Martini- lleniys, wun^ sent forward to tho
crest to support the datlin^', two companies (»f the DOth
to the left flank and alonir the river hank, the dismoiint<Ml
detachment <>( A Hattery and French's seoiits heing
Hcnt down tfie, small ravine into which wc retreated from
the crest. Tlie rest of tho (ircnadiers forincd the (jentre.
Tho Midlatuls woro in roserve near the church, near
which the (ieneral and stall' took a position, while the
remaining companieH of the lM)th, aided hy the Witmipej;
Field Hattery anddi.smount<»d detachments, were deplo\ (hI
on tho right centre, right, and ti;.(iit flank. Before vc/y
long tho enemy cauKj around from tho mouth of the
main ravine and attacked A Mattery an<l the .scouts.
Both sid<\s fought persisti'utly, and hero l^hillips lost
his life and (.'ook was wounded. The scouts l)eing
farther down were in a bad place, hut Howard disc»'rning
it moved his gun farther along the crest and «liverte<l the
enemy until the scoiits and battcrymcn got into better
position. Tho rebels had a great deal more ammunition
than thcv wore credited with. For hours the falling
shots kept up, and about noon tho enemy had crawled
around, and were trying to turn our left. This they did
not succeed in doing, troops being sent to a small ceme-
tery which was on a point of the blufl" on our left Hank.
On the right centre the enemy kept an individual tire,
and about one o'clock got on our right tlauk, Boulton's

' .,l~* Xjiim wim

200

CANADA'fl NORTir-WEST RKnFfJ.TON.

scouts an<l th<'! Winiiipp|r artillf^rioH h^l<l ihein r.ff ; b\it as
by tliis tiin« w<^ could Imur tho (Uicniy on aliuoHtnll wich.s,
the foar of a surrouinl ^n>\v into proniineiico in ninny
hearts. Wo liad not hfard anytliin^' tVom tlie Htcanicr
for liourn, l>ut hotwcon one and two her whistlc! H()un(l<Ml
sovtjral miles further down stream. 'J'hat the enemy had
not deserted her vicinity wa.s shown by several volleys
which followed the sound of the whistle. Aj^ain the
Indians resorted to their ol<l tactics and iirod the brush
and ^'rass in front of our right, trusting to the wind to
blow the Hames into our centre and left. For a time it
looked as if the plan would prove succ<^ssful and the
outlying skirmishers bad a smoky time of it. The
church had been turne<l into a b.ospital ; but as it was
exposed to tire from the eniMuy and from the burning
brush, the wounded weie hurriedly made comfortal)le in
waggons, and moved to a place of comparative safety in
the rear. About two o'clock one company of the
Midlands under Col, A/'illiams v/as s»uit into the smalhT
ravine and down the blutf to gf^t the body of Phillips.
When tirst wounded ho was able to s})eak, and it was
lioped lie might be rescueil alive. Dr. Alfred (Jodd, of
Winnipeg, gallantly otfert^d to accompany the troops and
did 80. They got Phillips amid a t(n'rific lire — terrific in
continuancy, but fortunately too high. The Gatling
again served to distract the enemy. The poor fellow had
been tirst shot (and not mortally) through the shoulder,
but when he tried to move it is suppos ^d the enemy
made him a target. Tfe was shot through the head.
At the same time Phillips was tirst shot the scouts wore
having it hot and heavy, and when about to retje;it
Cook was hit. He called out, " Captain French, my leg is
broken. For God's sake, don't leave me here." Under
a rattling rain of balls, French stooped, put Cook on his
back, and staggered through the brush and up the hill to
safety amid the applause of comrades. The act was
worth a V. C. Toward three o'clock the fire slackened
somewhat, though ahead show > by either party was f*-

•4

TIIR BATTTE OP IUTOCIIK's FFRRV.

207

\c^ is

tari^'f't for a Hcoro of ItiilN'ts. Al)()tit this t'wno Oonrral
Middleton coiif'.liuUMl to r(itiii'. to our picHrut po.sition,
wliich in iM'twtM'ii iivi; and six huiidrccl yards di.statit
from tho clmrch.and iiiiiiKrdiatoly H^nt Iiuultf)ri's rnountcul
men l)a(;k to thu camp t<» hrin^ u[» tlio transport. I To
and Mel^und had a Inirriod coiiHidtation and tlic latter
Htartod, aH w« HUpposrd, i'(jr tlu.* old camp, hut really for
Ottawa v/Vt llnmholdt I'y O.MO all th(5 troops, except
those actually enj^atr(;d, were in and about tlie ground,
and an advance scout from f^oulton reported tlie transport
Kal'c and en route on tlie trot. Iluriied breastworks witli
«'Mrth and pojjjar trees W(!re tlirown upon our rear (th«>n
thou^dit to be tlie most (!Xj)os(m1 portion) and as soon as
tl»is was done fires were li^dited, and the [)reparation of
suj)per — HU(^h sort as could b«! lnnii<'(lly prepared —
started. The Gatlin;^' opene<l to cover the i-etreat of our
advance lines toward camp. Idijndly the transport was
driven into a zareba shape, except tliat tlie lines formed
were double, and the rear was open. The (iatling kt^pfc
(iriM^ quickly (about J^.OOO rounds were used durin<T
the day), and volleys from both sides turned our atten-
tion to the church from which our advanced lines were
retreating, coverin<if and ))ein;jj cov«!red by the American
jriui. Here, as elsewliere, the woiidt-r is that our loss was
not heavy. The ordy r(>as(»nal)le explanations are poor
ammunition, poor and liurriiul maiksmanship, greater
caution on the part of our force -i, and a kind Providcmce.
Athi«stthe men withdrew^ tii'ed,liun<3M-y and angry that the
day's work liad not proved more successful, and hopeful
of at least a short rest. Tlmy were doomed to disappoint-
ment; the cartridge boxes had scarcely been laid down
when they had to be refilled and donned. The rebels,
well aware of our retirement, took advantage of tlieir
safe route under the brow of the cliff, and rising over
the brow tired into the zareba. The DOth and the Grena-
diers were sent outside on the run and gallantly repelled
the attack, but not before Moor had been killed (he
wad in the zareba at the time) and five men wounded,

J-

208

CANADA S NORTH -WKST IlEHMLrjON.

NijLjht came at Iciiirth, hut tiiv<l an wo wero it was .scarcely
welcome. We were coojted up, ami had the; extreme Katis-
faction of iuriiishiiif^ n *^i)o*[ mark for potsliootern. In
the corral were more tluvu si\ huinlre<l mules and horseH,
and ei«j;hty cattle. Men wore l>usy throwing up liasty
entrencliments ; teamsters, nervouH and fri<;}iti!ned, were
yell in»jj at equally nervous anirnals ; around th(! lnospital
tents the doctors were husy in dressini,' wounds, }>i'ohiu{T
forhullets, etc. Tlie bullets were whi/./ini^' and pin^Mnjj;
overhead, and occasionally .sirikin;; inside. Pleasant
prospect for the ni;^dit, esp«H'ially when one remembered
that a favourite trick amon^jf the reds is to stampodii tho
cattle and horses of the eneuiy. Hoofs wouhl bo apt to
deal worse wounds tlian balls, and a^jainst alfVighted
animals, cooped up within a small space, we had abso-
lutely no defence. The anticipations of a mean ni<,dit
were largely realized, though thus far we have escaped a
stampede. Yew, if any, slept five hours consecutively,
and the firing was kept up almost all night. At daylight
on Sunday morning our lines woio again advanced
beyond the night's position, and tho scattered sliooting
recommenced. We had l)otter luck yesterday, and several
dead enemies lay in sight of those who shot them.
Martin was wounded early in the morning, but no one
else nntil evening. By a.m. the usual question was,
" What are we to do i Stay here, advance and take
Batoche, or retreat to our cam]) of Friday last ? " Of
course General Middlcton was the only one who could
answer these questions, and he wouldn't for some time.
He evidently hadn't made up his mind, and was at lirst
in favour of retiring to the camp nine miles away.
Afterwards, however, he decided to remain and fortify,
remarking : " I can make this place impregnable, and we
can keep pegging away at them. I haven't enough men
to charge their position." Teamsters and everybody who
could wield pick or shovel were put to work, and by
evening the fortificaticms were in excellent shape. A
plan was laid by wldch, when the Grenadiers retired

THR BATTLF, OF BATOCHF/S FERRY.

209

from the front, they wero to do so in a seeming hurry
ami eiit/i»'<; tlie cnoiny to show over tlio hank, whern thry
wore to afford ^'oo<l iarrrets for the 00th Hharp-
HliootcrH, who were to rt'Iicvo the (Jronadiers. The plan
was <'arri(Mi out, oxcopt in one important particular.
The !H)th opentMl too noon and gave the ^am»» away
to the enemy, who did not show ovtjr the banlc, hut lirr,d
h'om the posillon hold throufrhout the day and from
numerous points across tli(^ river.

The story of the s<'Cond day's fif^hting is told in the
following, which takes up the history on Sunday

morning

After the light at the southern skirt of the rifle pits
on Saturday, we camped for the night in a large cleared
space two liundred yards west of the Church of St.
Antoine. The rebels on the west side of the river, some
two hundred strong, fired one or two volleys across, 'mt
their bullets fell short. It was a fine night though some-
what chilly. There is twilight now in these i\orthern
latitudes until 9 p.m., and <lawn breaks at DMO a.m.
General Middleton issued an order at 8 p.m. thanking the
troops for th<;ir efforts during the day, and warning them
that there was still a great deal of heavy work before
them. Double pickets were posted. The artillery and
Gatling men stood beside their guns. The troops were
firing off and on for several hours. The smoke from the
iinderbrush fires kindled .luring the afternoon still hung
about the place, and rolled down tiie river. Now and
then we could liear tlie ki-yi-ki-yi-yi of the Indians in
front; on towards midniglit many shots were tired; and
on the whole we p-j-ssed a very hard night. Captain
Secretan, who had been left behind with armed teamsters
in charge of our waggons, seven miles to the east on the
Hoodoo trail, sent word at midnight that everything was
safe there. This was welcome news, for if Dumont had
captured our supply train it would have been all up with
us. Secretan's mounted m^'ssengers were mistaken by
the pickets for Mounted Police, and word werit through

V/'^P''"'

V- ST •

210

CANADAS N0HTH-WE8T UEIIKLLION.

tlic camp that Tolonel Irvine had come in with a force
from Prince Allnirt. J^iit there was no such hick.

The troops stood to arms sharp at 4 o'clock this (Sun-
day) niorninj^. There whs a iilni of ice on the water-
jjriils, and the men were weary, stiff", and sore from
t'atif,nic, want of sleep, and rheumatisoi. The rebels had
heeii movinf^ ahoiit all ni;j^ht, and the moment we bei^an
to stir their advance fired a few shots, and gave a loud
cheer, apparently by way of a challenge. The troops
were quite cool and collected, though the prospect of
another prolonged conflict with this wily enemy was by
no means a cheering one. General Middleton had let it
be nnderstood, however, that most of the work would be
left to the artillery ; and at the parade the officers cau-
tioned the men against exposing themselves. A hurried
breakfast was made of ' ard-tack, bacon, and tea, and
then a brief delay occurred, the (General waiting to hear
from the scouts who had gone forward to the outskirts of
the bush.

It was a Sunday morning which we are not likely to
forget. Dr. Orton and his assistants, aided by a fatigue
party, had put up a field hospital in the roar, where Satur-
day's wounded were lying, soon to be joined by many
other gallant sufferers. I walked down thore at 5 o'clock.
A party had just been detailed to bury Gunner Phillips,
of A Battery, killed on the previous afternoon. The grave
was being dug, but I learn that he was not buried until
this evening, the men having been called into action.
The doctors, anticipating another ghastly day's work,
were busy in their main tent, getting ready lint bandages
and making rude camp beds out of all sorts of material.
Dr. Orton said the rebels were now using slugs in their
shot guns and even duck sliot.

Our artillery moved forward at 5.20, and opened on
the ravines where the fighting was done yesterday. Two
guns were diri^cted against the houses in the basin-shaped
depression along the river. A few rebels lay behind three
log .shanties just below the river bank, and the artillery

"7"""^°"*^"^ ;**^ "^p^"^^

fT^

THK BATTLK OF BATOCHE'S FKRRY.

211

soou drove them out. The enemy did not attempt to
answer our artillery fire exrept at times, between sliots,
when they let fly at the artillery men, who were pretty
well covered, however, by .skirmishers. Notlung w.as
seen of the ISorthcote. At 8 a.m. skirmi.shers from the
Royal Grenadiers anrl the OOth were sent a little ahead
towards the groves of spruce aiid poplar north of our
position. Howard, with the Oatling, acoon)pafue<l them,
and kept up a rattling fusilade for half-an-hoiir. The
rebels did not fire back, but lay low in their rifle [)its.
Occasionally two or three of them wouhl jump up and
lire and then run, apparently with the view of drawing
uur men after them ; but strict orders had been issued
»"rainst following them. This game of hide-and-seek
lasted a long while, no damage being done on either
side. We could not, for prudential rea-sons, attempt to
Ciiarge the pits ; and, for similar reasons, the rebels
refrained from running up against our big guns and
Gcitling.

The rebel .shanties along the river were knocked into
splinters by 8.*]() a.m., and troops were ordered up to
make a dash for the principal houses behind the bluff's.
But the men had no sooner formed on the slope than the
rebels on the west l)ank of the river popped up, and began
firino", many with Winchesters, at long range. Six or
seven volunteers were wounded here, and the men were
at once ordered back. This was repeated two or three
times during the day.

The fighting during the rest of the day does not admit
of detailed description. Our artillery would blaze away
for an hour, and then the skirmishers would advance,
only to fall back as the rebels, who kept well under cover
while shells were flying, suddenly ro.se in rows in their
pits. Neither side gained the slightest advantage. Had
Colonel Irvine appeared in the rebel rear we should have
had them in a trap. It was rumoured early in the day,
two couriers from Prince Albert having come in on
Saturday night, that he was on the way ; but this was
not ti ue.

212

CANADA'S NOIITII-WEST RKDELLION.

The bi;,' nrun firing, advuiicing, and witlulrawing grow
(Hiite iiiDnotonous, espocially as the rebels were a long
way off, antl out of sight ; but it was the only safe game
to play. Their pits covered aa onornioui lot of ground,
and being placed at every possible angle, one partly
covering another, with easy means of access between
them, a charge would expose us to an enfilading anrl crosn
fire. Besides this, the ground is rough and broken, with
sloughs and ravines ami dense underbrush. Under sueh
conditions a bayonet cliarge would be sheei* murder for
us. If we had mortars, no doubt we could drive tlieni
out of the pits, but the nine-pounders simply wreck the
trees over head, while the rebel lies snug in his hole.

Therebel position as well as we can make out is this :-^
Behind their rows of pits which lie to the front of us, to
our right, and then away north in a half-moon, trenches
ten or twelve feet wide have been dug, which they will
use as their "last ditch." These trenches run north-cast
and then north-west, a breast work being formed on the
inside of each gully with fallen timber and underbrush.
Should they be driven out of their advance pits, the rebels
will, of course, retreat upon the first row, from that to
the second, from there to the third, and so on till the
trenches are reached. The priests say they are short of
ammunition and have only a few cattle. To-day they
certainly practised great economy in firing. Our scouts
at first thought that the Half-breeds in the Qu'Appello
valley were supplying them from the west side of the river,
but this was a mistake. They appear to be entirely
cut off from supplies.

At this hour (6 p.m.) our big guns are firing occasional
shots, to which no response is being made by the rebels.
Practically, we stand just where we did this raornincr.
The houses north of the church have long since been ren-
dered uninhabitable, and it is evidently the General's
intention to send the troops quietly along the river, so as
to get on the rebel flank, provided this can be accom-
plished in the face of the rebels on the west bank. Our

THR MATTLE OF DATOCTIK's FHURY.

2in

cfisimUiea linvo not boon very serious, llow the rcbolH
lijivo i'mvA we do not know.

(jt'iioral Aliddletcm will not renew the fi;,'ht in the morn-
ing unless attacked, his aim heinjUf to starve; tlici rebels out.

Tlic troops behaved nplendidly. The General nays
they are fast becoming veterans. "Mont, of thi? injured
to-day were bit with slugH, which cause jnyged andpaini'ul
llcsh-wounds.

OAPT, JAUKE MASON, ROTAL GRENADIERS.

Lord Melgund has gone to Ottawa on private business.
He came hero at first as a spectator, and had arranged
to start for England with his family this month. He has
rendered us invaluable service.

Reinforcements are expected to-morrow night with a
quantity of supplies from the Minnow.

Captain Mason's wound is a painful one, but by no
means serious. He led his company with great dash.
The wounded are doing well.

1214

CANADA N NnUTII-WK^T UKIIKM.ION.

(ItMliTIi) Mi<l<llrti»M'N l)«Wli|<|U(ir((M'M in ||i^r||t art) ill t1t«l

r))ui'(')i. Wo liuxo iiNtt'oi)^ position lioroaiwi mo (|iii(.oMjtl'o
ill niMo of mIIhcU.

Tlio A'« »;•///( •«»/*• IiiiM not Im'om lioftnl of niiiro yoHtorday.
Slio liao 11 miiimImm- of* nion on lioanl. ainoii;^' tnriM Lion-
(riiaiH liii;^')) J. Miioiloiialil, of Mio ilOtli (Moiiol'llir iVrinici).

Oil Sniidav iii|L;ht alioiit liall' past ton tiio wh^^'od i
raino up ami l«)nii(Ml acIoM<^ C()inil rnfloHin^ml>iMit tvvolvo
iuM'cH with vva^jjfoiiM on all .sidcH ox(M»pt oiio al>oiit oiio
IhiiuIumI yartis oa^t of thoclmrrli. N(» tnit.swi'ro pilclu*!
oxci'pt two rt)r hospital UNO. 'I'Ihm'miup was not foriiird
wlion tliiMMiiMMY atiarkcil in (lir front and on hotli fliinl<M,
A lioavy NkinniMh liiu? was M(»nt out and ropuh d tlio
atttu'k, Ixit not Ixd'onOnindiods of sh«>tM Irll in tliooncloM-
iiro. 'riioiMJis M«)or, (M\nMj)any, (Ji'<'Madiors, was shot
throui:!! tl\o lioad and killod. I*riva(«» St(Mid, A (^)in-
pany, lJivnadi(»rs, was shot tluoii^Ii the arm, hoth whilo in
ho corral. During tlu^ r<'tirin;jj of tho advanco lin(> of
skinnishors from tho ra\ iiu^ on Saturday ni;j;ht, Privates
Soovol, A Company, and (vantwoll, M C^Jompany, tho
lirst in tho arm, tho soc«>nd in tho thi;i;h and shonMor,
woro sovoroly woiin<lod. Privato T. Komp, A (.ompany,
ODih, sovoroly wt)und(Hl in th(» loft oyo at tho saim^ timo.
On Sniulay morniiijjf Private Mjirtin, Koyal Orona<liors,
\vhiloonloft front was sovoroly woimhKmI in tho shouidor.
Tho totaloasnaltiosto this dato wor(^ twokillodand olovon
woundoil. hut tho list would havo hooii much lar^or if tho
eiiomy had had more ammunition.

A corrospontlont writing from Hatocho on May 11
tolls his portion of tho story thus i—Tlu^ rohols lot us alone
hust night. A fow scattorinuj shots w(;ro fh*od ahout day-
broak. Shortly aftor seven wo hoyaii to make a rcoon-
naissance in force. Wo had boon makin*j; roconnaissancos
over ami over again since Saturtlay, advancing and then
withdrawing timeaftor timo, not much damage boingdono on
either side. General Middleton had half-led us to think
tliat he intended to remain in our strong positions with-
out carrying on aggressive hostilities until the Half -breeds

TIIK M VI ILK (>» MAHm IIk'h KKKKY.

flTi

HU«'(Miinl»''«l U) liu'k of Mii|»|irhM. AlMiiit, 10 II III, lioWMV«ir,
it lMi(*nni«^ «>^'ifl(*:)t tliai, suiiM-Miiii'f miup' tliaii a iiiHn'
riM'onnaiHMHnrn wiin oti loot 'Du) artJIIfTv wi-n* oi«I<t«'«I to
fini vigorously, aip| tin- A iimn woikfil fur nil tln'V wi-n;
worl.li. 'I'lm V\ inf»i|H';4 liat trry.poMtcil on tln'toiMit* I Ih'hIo)k',
HiMit mIhOIm into tlm Iiojiscm iioitli of* tlip cliiircli <iimI a«TOMH
fclio rivor, wlmn' a <"nw ln<liuriM Iih«I ).^lt lit-r*'*] tlm atcn-
ifi^ly 'n ♦''»<' fonruMiii tli*' Uniuulif rn, DOlli mihI Mi<ll»in<l
W'K' li^'litinj,' irj a Imii;^ 'iiu', pn's.sin;^' itiiii»()U tli*- n-lM-loiU
that |»rot<i"l,<Ml Mm Iiowhih I..Iow tliM (iIhiicIi. 'I'Ih- nl.i'h
rnplijMJ to our liro with i^n'at ('iwij^'y at (iiMt, l»ut at. I I
a.iM., thoy l»a<I almost (M-aMiMJ (iiiii^j, itioltaMy from want
of annniinitii)M. ^inncral Mi(MI(!t,on Ii.hI worisc I roiiiid on
thn roliol roar, ami at iwion our (Nirinoiifi<liri;., incjMiaHi!*!.
Some tiiiM' Im'Ioio this a in<'HMa;jjJ' lia<l Iwrn l»roM;^lit to Itim
iindi-r a tla^^ of ti u«(?. Tin* i«d»c| cliitf tlir<'at(iH'<| to
inunlc.r his whit*' prisorn'rH ii'tlio troopM lir«!«l on th<' llalf-
bnuxl womon .'m<l chil'lnn. Tim (Jcm-rul n-pru'l that
th« woinrn ami rliiMn-.n hIioiiM hi: pluc''! in oim' of" th«^
hoii.Hi;s and that, il' thin wore dorw tli<! troops would Hav(?
the hoii.so. Itiid Mont hack a vaj^m- arisw(;r, his (dtifirt
ovi<hMitly hcin;^' to hrin^ ahoiit delay and ^i^i tin; troops
to stop lirin|j; lor a whih^ At tho tiwH- ha sent Dut lirst
iiioHsa^'o the. women and childn'n, as we ut'te.rwHrd.s
learned, v/c.W) Hafe, .some on the other h1<I(! of the river and
some ten miles up north.

The nrlil!(5ry fire f^'n'w liotter and hotter np to 2 p.m.,
wlien preparations were hej<»in for a <'har^'e iiT)on tlie fir.st
row of rifle pits covorin;^' thf; houses. The Oatlni'^' ( Howard
in charge) (h>liver(!d a rakinj^'^ tin; upon tli<', pits, drivinfr
the rebels hack. The moment tlieir line of .sharj)s}iootr;rH
bo^an to waver, (Jeneral Middleton onlered Colon(d Van
Straubcn/i<5 to lead tin; troops forward, and a rush was inade
all alon^' th(3 line. The, rebels stoutly contested every pit,
but ultimately broke and fled north-«!ast into tlieir other
pits, where they now are. The buildings north of the
church were at once occupie(l by the tror>p.s and the
prisoners saved. The men behaved magnilicently, getting

2L0

CANAIU'k NOirni-WKMT IlKMKl.r.lnN.

ovor tho hrokcMi ^ronml aiiii<l U»<< rniii nf InirkNhot, nIiij^h,
liixi luillrt^^ in NpliMiilitl Ntyl<>. ('hi't'rin;^' ti< tliry clwiiyp'i.

Tho following IN till ulliciul de.spatcli I'loui Uciioial
Middleton :

Ifon. A. l\ Carou,(HUtuu\

lUnn iik's IhnTsF. Muy 11, \
via Okaiik'h C'liossiNd, Nliiy 12. S

Havt' just mjulo a p'tu'i il alt ick ninl raitiotl Urn wliolo
Hottlciuont 'l'lu» iiK'ii l»('li;ivtMl .spli'ii.litlly. Tlio it'luLs
hro in lull tli^^lit. Sniry to sny liavo ni>t ^Mt Kill. Wliiln
! WMH nM'oiinoitorin^ tilis mioiiiIiit, William Astlfy, oiio ot
tho pristnuM-s, ^allopiMl with a lla;^ of truco ami haiuiod
iiK* a hatiT from llirl, whiili lead -

"If you massacre our lamilieH I shall iiiassatTo tlu»
prisonorH."

I sent answer <lmt if ho would put Ids wi»men and
children in one place and let mc know wh< le it was, not
a shot should )»e lired on them. 1 then reti rned to can>p
and pusheii on my a<lvjince parties, vvlu) wore hi'ivily
tiled on. i ho })res.stsl on until I saw my oluimo and
ordered a general a<lvane(3. Tlit! men res|)o)iiled nohly,
Hph-ndidly led by their othcers and Col. Van Strauhenzio;
drove tho enemy out of rifle-pit after ritle-pit ; forced
their way acmsH tho plain and .seized the horses; and we
are now mastt^rs of the place, and most of my force will
hivouac there. Ri}.,'ht in the h^at of the action Mr. Astloy
canu» l)uck with another missive from lliel, us follows:

"Gknehai,, — Your prompt answer to my note shows
that I wa.s no;ht mentionin^r to you the cause of humanity.
We will gather our families in one place and as soon as
it is done we will let you know. I have, etc.

"Louis David (sic) Rikl."

On the envelope he had written as follows:

" I do not like war, and if you do not retreat an<l refuse

an interview, the question remains the same coucerning

the prisoners."

TIIK HATTI.r OK IIA TorilK'H fKUnT.

217

Our loHH, \ ftin Rfrui*!, in l»«'avy. l»ut not w) heavy m
ini^lit ln» «<x|»(<('t«Ml, as yt'i. Tlir piiHoiPTM an* all ri'lpaMnl
and nafr in u\y ciiinp Ainnri^ tliriu is .lackHoti, a wliito
tiuiii, who wan Uiul tiHu(;rctiiry, but w)io in mad ami tallicr
(langoruutt.

Major Cicnoral.

The following; acconntH will he found iiioro coinpn?-
honHivti than tho t^)r('^oill^^ an thf> writorn )uid an oppor-
tunity to put tho oventH to;(< tli«?r in soinrtliing likf; tho
()nh;i ill whirh tht»v orcnru'd.

One (lornsponch'ut thus trlls tlio Htofy aftor rrarhinj^
Frinco Alhort:- Ahoiit five o'chick on tlio morning' i»t*th«
!)th invit. th«' »»ntiro foro'- ui\di!r tho (hinTal l*'ft their camp
of tho previous ni^dit and tnov«>d on hutoo^ie, about eight
mih»N distant. The (;anip vvus hdt stamlifij^, that no im-
pediments mi^dit interfere witli tlio h«'st Jij^d.tinj^ h«Mng
doiHi hy every avaihihhi man. The trail led throu^di an
open country until the Indiiin houses were leached, whm
it became bluffy, witli fre<[»ient sloui^dis, and afforded a
safe coverin;.^ for the eru'iiiy IVom which to pe[)p< r our
men as tliey advanced to thfir four days' fi^lit. Major
Houlton's scouts 1<mI the advance, arel about ei<.^ht oN-locU
th(i NorthcoU'!» whistle was heard and aiisweicd with
volleys of blank cartrid^'<' from tlie VVinnipe«; Field
Battery. In ariother nunute the battle of Hatoche was
begun. No. I Com|iany, Iloyal (Jrenadiers, was onleied to
the front, followed by the remainder of tho battalion, and
the whole extended in skiiiuishing order under the fire
of the rebels coming from behind tho protection of their
rifle pits. While this was being done tho guns and Gat-
ling were ordered to tho front, and tho orders were ol>eyed
at a gallop and with cheering. Howard, witli his "pet,"
as cool as a right-down-eastt.*.r, reached the onen at tho
church and opened his rain-fall of lead upon the Indians
with a "Take that, and that, and that, you devils, " as if
he were sportingly tiring into a covey of birds. W^ith each

2!S

CANAIMM NOUTM-WKHT KBiRI.Mosf.

turn of t1n» rmnk ho wotiM r«»|)«»at Iuh «»•♦ phnwo. until Mir
ioono l>(*rAhii« hiiiiiot'ons, unil tho ln*liAnM hrnftonMl Itrfoit^
tln» hailstorm of IuiIN'Im. Thr kfuns th«i» ciinic up iiixl
(><^Miiiio«l fipohition upon tho plutoiiu oVKrlookin^ tlu* river
luvl nii(o<*lu>, an<l shotlixi (lii> huusrs to th«> front. 1*hcn
it wn.M(h(Vt poor Mnmin wils sliot. u liltUt «list/inro to tlx*
ri^ht of th(M*hurrh, (in«i Major hawson ruHhni luu'k f<ji'
th«' Hurjjoon. thi» hullctH wlnstlin;^' witli ft i\n\\ iis ]\v U»rt
hin place for tho ntomrnt. Tln^ ^iuim upon th«* platouii
woro notio(M| to \w in dnnpT, ami an Imlian rusfi upon
thiun wan only avortnl hy th«» (Jailing lw»in^' run in to
thoir front, aixl pouring upon ilu' ail\iin(*o tho «l«>a«llv
iniNHivo with lloward'H armnipriiiiinont tof^vory turn of
thcHrank " Tako that, an<l that, ami that." Tin* infantry
at this piMiod o< (Mipi«>«l a position somewhat irn'^nilar in
shapo fron> its following' (Ih» lin«» of hush in front<»fthr
(MUMuyM pits, and tlH» nioti lay down and opened lire. 'Vlw
ri^ht of tho rolunin was sonu'what thrown hack, part of
tin* !M)th ('ov(»rinjij it . ri^ht tlank. Tlu* (Ironadiors oecu-
pi»Ml tlu» ctintro, with on<» compajiy of tho Midland on
tluurloft. This was tho position tho foroos maintained
for tho nMuaindiT of tho day. under a woll diroctod tiro
from tho »Mioniy, with a more or loss irrojMilar tiro from
our men. At tour oVK>ok Lord Mol^und loft tho ti(»Id,
arriving' .at Ilumholdt uii<lor tho ^Mii<lanoo of two scouts tho
next niorniuL,' at six. A n»ultitu<lo of causos liavo hoen
a.ssi^nod for his suddeti dtparturo at such a critical
moment in tho history of alhiirs. Camp ijo.ssip h.is it this
autl thataini the other thin^. Sonm wdiispor that ht has had
a disagreement with the Cronoral. Others, a«:jain, alloi^e
that his erraiul away was «)ne for "K< ;j:ulars," .so dosjK)n«lent
had tho Oenerr.i become at th»s «letermineil resistance of the
rel>els. There is litth* question of the doubtful position
of affairs in the General's mind bein^ the true reason, anil
the entire matter possesses imj^ortant su«:^^estions of the
alxsolute need of mutual knowled<:eaud confi<lenco between
otlicers and men, so tliat tho former may not incorrectly
assume against the latter until thoy have been given a

THR MArn.K or MATociir.s KUlIlT,

211)

trial. Pliiokv »H wtn our llro, it Mo«»iiitM| to Ih« eiitinly
iiii^tr«»rtiinl. rhi' rnltoln M<*|(loin, if rvrr, sliowiul iin. Imuiij(
«>m|»lot«'ly hIioIij'umI in thi»lr |»itM. AlM»«it two o'dock tliM
onier oaiho to rotire, hut tho inovniii(<iit wits iiiiinrdi-
ftt45lv i)or««MviM| hy t)i« i^tinmy, hm indinitod l>y th«» hrihk
fiiMiliui«> o|m»ium| upon our uum, itKliriitiii^ fi;;iiifi tliat our
oppoiHUitN worr tiuitn alivn to ovory luoviMiuMit of tlio
(i(>i)i*rAl Am ipiicKly nw it wiim ^iv«'u,tlii<nifnn», th»! onl««r
WiLS(*outit(n-inaiiii<'*l, arnl our {iitfirk n>HUiii«>ii, ami knpt up
iitK'i'aHiri^'ly tiiitil dark It having luM'tt <l(>i'idi>d not to
ahandoii our ponition, an «vsrort waMN«>nt Iwuk and a /jii« lia
foruuMl about 700 or HOO yards to Mio i< ar «»!' nur lirm of
iikiruiiNluMs, upon wlurli tlu« nun fill Imrk with thu niont
p«»rf«M't ordor and j^rt»at st(5adin<^-..s worthy of thr !>oMt form
of tlu' oldest <'ainpai|^ni'rH. harkiwMH overtook tin* uwn
hcforo thoy w«^rc» tol«l oil' for their poHitioUM uf tho ni^ht,
hut tho niotal was there, and though under enntinuous firo
no tiuie wiiM lost in forininj^' an outer line of^let'encn with
fenco railH, \ui^H of oatM, hales of hay, and wlwitovor othnr
protection hands could lu) laid on. All tin* whilo njhel
hulh^ts canio show«u'iti^ into tho /art-ha woimdin^ hotli
mat) and boast, making the position most unplua.sant, tho
in(»ro HO aH tho ^lunv ol '* tit for tat" was imposHihIo and
u.sele.sH, for not a lolwd could ho HO«n. In thin dina'^reo-
fthlo and dangerous state of allaiis our men had to Htuiteh
their tea — not tea, for tiroH wore not permitted— of hard
tack and potted mc^at, and tlu'n their sleep, and truly it
wtu* the sleep of tho weary, for ever}' man wa.s <lone up
after hi.s all -day li;;ht.

Tlie nit^ht passed slowly enoup;h ; hut too fpiickly,
thou<:jh, for the men ordered out rusxt morning at liv(> to
occupy the position of th(; pre.vious day. The attem[)t to
do this was made, and nuide in a truly soldierly spirit,
hut it failed, for we did not succeed in giitting within two
hundred yards of our position of the (hiy before. From
five in the early morning until sunset tlu* men f(;ug]it, and
fought bravely, lying upon their faces and keeping up a
desultory dropping tire upon the enemy's piLs, but nothing

,^^ jif"^**^;

►.M»l«-« ' -"^W

220

Canada's nohtii-west uebellion.

was gained, and our nu»n wero brroniing diMpiritcl at tlic
result and longing for the word to cliarge, wliioh did ncit
come. The Midland copied tlio tactics of the entMuy, and
on the left, overlooking the river, dug out ritle pits, aiul
saved a succofisful Hank attack from the enemy in tliat
direction. Thus t]\e day passed wearily enough iiuli ed,
and hard-tack and potted meat was again eaten willi the
relish of exhausted and hungry men. Sleep was less
interrupted this night, for the enemy's fire cea'-ed with
darkness coming on, perhaps because they faileil to come
within the same range of our camp as that of the night
before. Another day — the third day — and still tlie same;
no advantage seemed to be gained, exce})t that the OOth
forced their advance as far as the church, and the Mid-
land, under Colonel Williams, advanced far enough along
the river bank on the left side to allow two guns of the
Winnipeg Battery to throw a few shells into Batoche, a
mile or yo distant. Again the men lay down, and fought,
being peppered at all the while, and presenting an open
tarizet for the ;ebels. The coolness and inditfevence of
our men was most praiseworthy. Their self-restraint
under the unerring fire of the enemy is the surest
evidence of the truest discipline in the men. Their one
desire was to charge, and the word to charge would not
come, so the^'' did their duty as it was givm them to do,
but with a mental resentment at being made a target for
bullets with no means of retaliation. Perhaps it was as
well, for their passive submission to the state of affairs
goaded the men into fierceness, and when the moment
came each man was possessed with the ferocity of rage
and revenge. Colonel Van Straubenzie, Colonel Williams,
Colonel Grasett, and Captain Hague knew the pulse of
the men, and saw that .something must be done, and
decided upon a charge, weal or woe. Captain Hague
pointed out the point of attack, and the next day was
settled upon to end this dispiriting fight of three days.
On Tuesday the General left the camp about nine in tlie
morning with the Intelligence Corps under Captain

'-■VJ'?^*""'

r^'V 'V r*^"'fx''-

THE UA'HLE OF [IATOCIIE'S FEURY.

221

Dennis, and one gun of A Battery and the Gatlinpr.proin
bv tlu5 ()M ttail on to the open plateau. His instructions
to (Jolunel Van Straulx-nzie won? that if ho en<,^age<l the
enemy tlie (jienadierH and .Midland should advance at
the douhle. No .sound came from the General's direction,
and so his orders were not earried eut. On liis return
the troops knew tlu ir wishes were to be fulfilhid, and the
word to double would be given. Dinner and then t(j
work was tlie order. The key of the position was again
jiointed out, and a further consultation was held between
Van>Straubenzie, Williams, Grasett, and Hague. Theattack
should be made on thci left if practicable, and the men lunl
barely reached the position lield on the first day when the
long-looked-for coramaTid : " Break into double, double,"
came, and was answered with thrilling cheers of satisfac-
tion from the men. Th(ur turn had come — they knew
it — they felt it, and with a rush and a cheer they
were down on the rebels with the fierceness of Bashi-
Bazouks, the Midland on the left, and the Grenadiers
in the centre, and the DOth on the light. The advance
came sweeping round until but a few minutes saw the line
of direction at right angles to the original line of attack.
The cheering was that of satisfied and contented men, and
the enthusiasm was intense. Nothing could have withstood
the pace, the force, and the dogged determination of the
men. The cheering attracted the General, and, taking in
tlie situation at a glance, he came on with the Winnipeg
Artillery, Gatling, and three co»)ipanies of the 90th. The
guns posted on the plateau shelled the houses, destroying
them as if they had been houses of cards. The 90th
joined the Grenadiers and prolonged their line of attack
upon the right, while the Intelligence Corps and Boulton's
scouts were on the extreme right of the 90th. Colonel
Williams gained the rifle pits on the left, and took them,
following up his success by pushing ahead, having to
traverse the greater distance made by the course of the
river. The Wix^aipeg Field Battery played upon the
houses across the river, from whence an irregular fire,
more or less damaging, had been kvjpt up upon our men

(Hfftj^ll.V^'-^ftf^' i\>'>' -♦!«> H fl»iy,'**'»TMt:«ij»»---».«r»>f ■■ r^f-^»<^f>f--

222

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.

from first to last. Captain Ruttan, of the 90th, cam© »p
witli two companies ami reinforced Williams in hi-s hot
position, extending froui water's edge to plateau. Here
two or three men were wounded, but the charge was
irresistible, and a!iy resistaiice ineflectual. The tw(>
Helliwells were badly hit when within about two hundred
yards of the houses from which the enemy were firin«j^;
but their iw^ seemed less stead}', as if tho) lelt the result

LIKUT.-OOL. VAN 8TRAUBKNZIE. •

of such an advance as was coming on them. Captain
Stewart, No. 2 Company, 90th, was sent back by Colonel
Williams to the General, to say that he was determined to
charge the houses, and charge them he did. All the while
Colonel Van Straubenzie was leading on the column,

*No better otfioer than Colonel Straubenzie could have been chosen to
fill 8o important a position. An olil soldier of much and varied experience,
he entered the army at an early age, and was appointed to an ensigncy in

' t"?' '"*¥*?^"»fT

THE BATTLE OF BATOCHES I'KRRY.

223

hat in hand, wavin*,' it and cheering as he went along.
The excitement was intense, and notliing could have
withstood the eutliusiasni of the men. On they eame,
and in fifteen minutes aft-T tlio .Nfidland were reinforced
they reached the top bank, and were down upon the
houses. The first one to couk^ over to us was the small
one on tho bardc, from wldeli the tiring v/as pretty hot,
then the log stable opjwsite to the white store, in the
latter of which were Kiel's prisoners, pal 3, srnny, and
emaciated with eighteen daysot* darkness and starvation;
then two other stores to the north, and away flew the
rebels, fighting as they retreated. Major Hughes, the
while, forced round the left fiard< of the rebels on the
sloping bank of the river, and Captain V'oung. Captain
French, and Captain Dennis, with a mixed body of men
from the Midland, 90th, and (jrrenadiers.cliarged and took
Batoclie's store and house. Here po(jr French was killed
by a ball from a rebel rifle on the river slope, shot at him
as ho looked through the upper window. Part of the
90th, Grenadiers, and Midland advanced with Captain
Young on past the stores already taken past the prison-
cellar, on to Kiel's Council House, at the extreme east of

the famous old 32nd Light Infantry. Not long after his appointment he
was called upon to Bee active service, and, in the ever-memorable Sikh
campaign of Lord Gough, our well-known citizen highly diHtinguished him-
self. J)uring those trying timeB for England, Lieutenant Van Strauhenzie
led the forlorn hope at the seige of Mooltan, and for his nliick and gallantry
was specially mentioned in the home despatches. At that time there was
no .sucli thing as a Victoria Oross, but had there i)een the Colonel would no
doubt have worn that much-coveted reward on his breast to-day. His
woimds were serious, and he was obliged tc- return to England and serve
with the dei)ot of his regiment, where he gradually recovered. Before very
long, however, the " war-cry " again sounded, and as a Captain he pro-
ceeded to the ('rimea on the staff of hia brother, Sir Charles Van Strau-
benzie, who commanded the "Light Brigade." Again the subject of our
illustration was favourably mentioned in home despatches. After peace
was proclaimed with Russia, the Colonel was once more destined to smell
powaer, and, from the knowledge the authorities had of his varied and
useful services, ho was given an important position on the Staff of Sir Hope
Grant when the Chinese War broke ov,t. He was at the taking of the
Summer Palace, and on that occa.sion his name was again mentioned in
despatches. Colonel Van Stvaubenzie is much respected, and, looking at
his fine soldier-like bearing, there are not many who would imagine that
even to-day he is still suffering from his severe wounds of 1849.

*-*i'^«jri«'«r'ff!*f(r^ *%.f: Tf?' \> ■ '''"'^'

224

CANADA 8 NOKTH-WEST KEBBLLION.

Hitoche, and Mcciirecl Riel'.s papers, and released Jackson,
MoConnoll, and Monkman, who bad been imprisoned hy
Kiel for inHubordination. The rebels in the meantime
had been driven past the lino of houses, and pursued
by part of the Grenadiers under Grasett, and their
CiUitre was driven back wil^h tlie irresistible force of tlic
Grenadiers, the 90th, and the Mounted Scouts. At four
o'clock the charge had proved a grand success, the settle-
ment was captured, and the end had come, the nihols
belni^ completely routed. Tlie pursuit was kept up, how-
ever, and at 7.30 the ]",st shot was fired. Thus ended a
grand and successful charge, begun after dinner, and
winning the day, and ending the rebellion at four o'clock
in the afternoon.

But during this three days' fighting, where was Gen-
eral Middleton's " navy," the steamer ^ortheote. Let one
who was on board tell the story of the "Middleton Navy"
before we give any further particulars of the more etl'ee-
tive operations of the army on shore.

xiccording to General Mi<]dleton's preconcerted plan
the Norlhcoie,yfiih. two heavy laden barges, left Gabriel's
at 6 a.m. to-day, and after anchoring a short time so
as not to anticipate the arranged time of arrival
at Kiel's headquarters, reached within one and a-half
miles of our destination, where we were to remain until
the bombardment of the rebel stronghold by General
Middletou was heard, he starting at daybreak, from the
camping ground reached on the previous day, nine miles
east of Batoche's. The rebels, however, materially inter-
fer(!d with the carrying out of these plans by opening tire
on the steamer at ten minutes past eight, just after she
had got under headway. The lirst bidlet passed through
the pilot house. The rebel spies had watched the steamer
the previous night on the opposite bank from Gabriel's,
and the sentry could hear them shouting, one boastfully
singing out to us as he departed : " Now come on, you — !"

This first shot was evidently the signal to the rebels
of our boat's approach, and as we rounded the bend a

THE BATTLR OF BATOCHK'.S FF.KllY.

MM*'

moment or so later we were raked foro ami aft by n fierce
storm of bullets comin^j from both banks. From almost
every l)U.sli rosc^ puMs of snidke, an<l from every bouse
ant] tree on the top of tlie banks canui l»ullet8 buzziiiL,'.
The fire was stea-UIy retu!ne<l l)y tht; troops on boanl,
consisting (»f C Company School of infantry; and not-
withstanding that the rebels were })rotected ])y the brush
and timber which covers the banks, apparently some
injury was inilictcd upon them. Volley after volley was
fired, and several of the lurking enemy were seen to drop
headlong down the sloping banks.

So the fight went on, tierce and hut, as we approached
Batoehe's.

The pretty little church of St. Antoine de Padua
lifted its croHS-crowned steeple higli alcove the otlxu-
buildings on the eastern bank. A horrifying spectacle
met our gaze on tlie o})posite bank. A man, presumably
one of Kiel's prisoners, was dangling by the neck from a
branch of an almost limbless tree — a victim of rebel rage
and vindictiveness. Near at hand the rebels, who lined
both banks for a couple of miles, were running swiftly
and keeping pace with our progress. Several mounted
men, evidently leaders, were directing their movements.
A few volleys quickly dispersed them to their hiding
places, where they fought the customary busli fight.
They completely riddled the steamer with bullets, but it
was strongly bulwarked on the boiler deck where the
soldiers were standing and our casualties were conse-
quently very light.

Just above Batoehe's the rapids commence, and a big
rock covered with sand juts out into the stream, leaving
a narrow channel Immediately on the western side, the
head of wliich is at a sharp bend, to round which the
boat had to run her nozzle almost on to the bank. It was
here the firing became terrihcally hot from a favoiu-ably
located ravine directly in our front in which the rebels
were hidden. The rapids were passed safely, notwith-
standing that the pilots were totally unacquainted with
14

.fi-n^'^

226

CANA-DA'S NOttTU-Wl<:S'f REliKLMON.

the river anil that tho two hoavy bar^^'OH haiKJicapptul
them in liaiidlin;,' tho istoanun*. Fortiinatoly there was no
wind to leuder their duties still more arduous in control^
lin«^ the boat's inoveinents.

In a few moments tlio crossinfr was reached, and in
passing it tho ferry cable causjjlitthe smokestacks, which
came crashing down on the hurricane deck, tearin*,^ witli
them s})ars and masts. Our mistortune excited loud
cheers from the Metis, mingl<;d with tiendisli war-whoops
from the Indians. The cabh', which is strung from tiie
upi)er banks, was h)wered just as wo a])pioached it, the
intention ot* tho rebels being to corral the steamer and,iu
th(^ confusion expected to ensue, to capture the boat and
massacre its liuman freight. Very fortunately for uh
this scheme failed, but only by the merest chance, for had
tho cable caught in the pilotdiouse, which it barely
missed, the wheelsman, exposed to the enemy's fire, would
have been shot down and the st(!amer rendered utterly
helpless. It was successful, however, in cutting off our
communication with General Middleton by our code of
whistling signals previously arranged upon, tho whistle
being carried away with the pipes.

Just then the steamer, to avoid two large boulders
<lirectly in her course, was allowed to swing around, and
floated down stream stern foremost for a while. One
barge barely grazed the bank, and the boat would havt;
been boarded by the rebels but for the steady volleys our
men poured at them. A. witheiing fire was still main-
tained from some rifle pits which the enemy had dug at
different places, and this was hotly returned until 1)
o'clock, when the rebel tiring ceased, savo a stray shot or
two. \Ve had run the gauntlet of their fi.'-e for five miles.
Many of the enemy's bullets fell short of the mark when
we were midstream, shot-guns with common balls being
their weapons, although without doubt some had Win-
chesters and Snider-Enfields. So fast and furious was
their fire that it was evident the whole rebel force had
gathered here to make a determined stand. As some of

'?- ,♦■^'4.

3 t

1 iK HATTLE OF BATOCIIE's FKRRY.

227

ilie red coats vviiie v<«on Pfuninir up in skii inisliii\;^ onlor
ill the (listant^o, our Hinall force gavo tlirtji" lusty cheerH.
This was the only ^dinipso we liad of tlui tiuops.

Dropping Inflow Batodu^'s nearly thr(»o nrles, anchor
vvaH cast in midstream, hut the steamer, almost unnotico-
ably, drifted anotluT mile before theanclior lirndy eau^ht.
The work of repairing damage was begun, and in a shoit
time the smoke stacks, which were reduced iu length,
were re-erected: but scaryiily liad tiiis been acc()m[)lished
before tiring disturbed the workmen, who were working
behind a barricade of boxes. Aftisrwards tluj whistle
was lepaired — a dangerous task which two men could
only be induced to undertake on the promise of a reward
of fifty dollars each. The men were driven from this
also. Our signals to (ieneral Middleton, which had been
interrupted altogether since ])assing Batoche's, were
resumed ; but altliougli wo could distinctly hear the sound
of cannonading no answer to our shrill whistle was given.
The scouts evidetitly could not reach us owing to the
presence of ambushed rebels secreted in the blulfs between
us and the General's headipiarters.

Captain Bedson, Major Smith of Company, and
Captain Wise, A.D.C., held a consultation and decided to
return up the river, but tlic captain peremptorily refused
to do so, claiming that not only was it certain death to
the pilots, but contrary to the written orders given him
by the General. Private William Eccles, of E Company,
iiOth, who had had some experience in steamboaLing, volun-
teered to pilot the steamer up, but after another consulta-
tion it was decided not advisable under the circumstances
to take advantage of his manly ofier. Hence we remain
now out of the fight. A number of hostiles are skulking
down north. One gave a parting shot to the steamer,
hitting McDonald, the ship-carpenter, in the heel, but not
inflicting a serious wound. Near by are about fifty
Indian ponies quietly grazing, the owners having profited
by the experience at Fisli Creek, where their horses were
slaughcered. Captains Seager and Streets, who piloted

-^^''^^^''-■r^.v-

Y ^y, ^.y*^- i=^if*i^^i^^

228

CANADA .S NOnrri WF.ST HKHRII^IOW.

t)io Hteainwr, remaiiH'ii tlin)»i^'lioutiii their postN. an<l wiHi
ihom vviiM TallMtt, (he purser, who k«*pt up a Htcutly liir
from <h(< piloi-houMo, W'lii<'h was iiuuU* a spccijil t,jir;^rt of
by tho it»ht^l inarksimMi. thoy hciiij^' l"lly awam ;»f tlu)
ciiHaNtor which tmist ovortakc us if wn won' <lisa)>hMl in
this vuhiorahic point. HozofiM of ImlU^ts had pirrcod th«'
vvh«M>M\ouse. St»a^»ir rocoivod ono in liin mat hIihwi', an I
inlhocaliin in whicli I am writing a scont^ «»f wild di.s-
onhir prevails. Thii skyhj^rhts ain .smashed, and tho IlimMy
niatonal o( wdiich tho unpoi workn w<>ni constructed
olForod no rcvsistanco to the t-ncmy ''t tin*, an<l arc pimc-
turcd ]\ero luui th<5ro with huHetH. Later in the run,
howover, mattn^MscH and ))ol.stcrH were pihMl around the
Hides of tlie int(U'ioi, and tlui [)lace made fully secure.

Captain Wise, who liad heen nnahle to take jiart in
the laiwi en^a^ement owin^r to tho wound he roeeiv(Hl at
Fish Creek, nMuained witli Chief Transport OlVieer He<lson,
who was in clmr*,^* of the boat, in the cabin, and both
]\ad sovoral very narn)\v e.scapos, the latt(5r luivin*' a bullet
graze his thit];h. If is state-room was pierced l>y seven
balls, which ho returned with interest. Owen E. Hu^^hes
and John Vineii were in a small barricade b«diind tho
smoke stacks, whicli fell over thcMU. Jioth managed by
the skin of their teeth to escape, but after Vinen had
entered the cabin and was helpinsf to l)arricade it, ho
received a bullet in the thigh. Major Smith, of C (yoni-
pany, wjus in conunand oi" the military, having with him
Lieutenant Scott, of the same corps, and Lieutenants
Elliott and Gibson, of the Rcyal Grenadiers. The troops
on board implicitly obeyed instructiou.s, while the few
civilians rendered excellent service in replenishing cart-
ritiges in boxes, and also in liandling rifles. Lieutenant
Hugh J. Macdonald, although ill with erysipelas in the
face, left his bed and took his place in the ranks ritie in
hand. Tlie conduct of the men throughout was cool and
gallant ; though they weie not exposed to such constant
daniror as at Fish Creek, still the bullets whizzed about
them in great style, coming through the interstices in the
barricade and the openings forward.

^T . • Tf

THE HATTI^K OF IIAHH IIKH KKllUY.

220

Tho rc?}>«I .strouj^th is not known, \)\\i fmrn tlif^ fury

witli wliirli t)\vy lircd. iluMr fore*" nnist Iwivm rrarhrd

|iroI)aMy four hun<lr<M| or livn hnn<lr('l. Iii'lians pro-

(lominritin^r, «xr(»|)t at hatoclic's, wlu^ro tlio IIair-l»rc«M|H

IukI ct>n^'i<'j^'a(«Ml. ()n<? man in pricHf/s j^'arl) was scon nrar

Hatoclio's wavinj^ liis Ii.uhIs hh if in «IrMpair, mxl afipji-

rcntly (iinl«iavoni in;^ to kf'p the Itincds from firin;^ at iih,

liwt tlu'ir !)iill('t,» poiu'fd ari»uni| liiiu and lui disa[»p«'arrd.

Sonio wonwn wm; also thi-n;. In our «'n;,'a;,'<'ni«rit tliis

mornin;^ ('i^Jl^t rebels arc rcport<!<l to havo liccn killed and

then! nni.st liavo \»'v,n a lar^u nuinlwr woun<l('d. Our

casunltir^s are ttivial. Two hcHidcs Macvlonald wt-rn

slijL^ditly woundod, Priii;^do (a 8ou of Jud^« l'rin;;!e, of

Cornwall, and a nicndM'r of tln^ ainl»ulanco Htafl"), rcceiv-

mjf a llcsh wound in tlio sliouhhir, and Vinen, of tin;

transport .scrvico, a HJniilar injury in tlio thigh, both early

in tlift fiay.

May 11,7 n,m.

Tho Hun h(3ral(h;d anotlier nia^'nificont day yo.str'rday.
The inon W(;n» up the ^rohUiv part ot tlie ni<(ht,and hrenk-
fasted at 4 a.m. Tlu? lioih^r luoke duriru' tho niidit.
lietwecn one and two o'clock an alarm sounded, a Hontry
leportinf; that lie luid seen an hulian crawl into one of
the har^^'es. The whole boat was aroused hut .search
failed to reveal anythin;L,'. Almost instantaneously tho
rebels opened lire on us from tho west bank, but tho
troops, aetin<^ under orders, did not answer it. After
discharnjing many shots tho enemy dispersed. Sunday
pnssed slowly. Wo were anxiously awaiting news from
Middleton, whose guns could bo heard once in a whih;,
but with whom wo still Imd no communication. Several
small bands of the enemy were seen during the day mov-
ing about on both banks, and one band patiently watclied
the boat. Shots were exchanged several times, but no
damage was done on either side. Another consultation
of oflicors was held an hour ago, and it was decided to
render tho pilot-house bulh^c-proof and return up the

2no

canada'h nouth-wkst nrfiRTXiow.

r'w'or n oarer Bntoclie'H. This orcawionod ii dj^Iay of several
lioiifH, tli(5 inon iM'iii^' intcrrwptiMl liy tlrinj^ from the hnnk,
Tlit'ii ono cii^itienr nfnsod to n-iiiain at his post, aixl
Moiijo of tho crow of tht' ))0!it, wliu hud .spent most "f th<«
tiiiK) hkulkiiig in tlio hold, acted in a ni08t cowunlly
rnnnnor. Tlu're woro two or tliree exceptions, and these,
with Captain Andrews (who witli Pri\ates Ecclrs, Smith,
and Willvrs, of the DOth, hn'l heen put in ehnr^'e t»l the
Mupplies on the har^<i),an<l Joe Lahelle, t'-h'^naph r<'paiii'r,
rendered cxeeMent service. V\'e lay inactive all day. and
fuel runniiiLj sliort and it hein^f impossilth* to go up tlie
stream with tlio hargus, it was deciih^d to run ch)wti
twenty miles to a wood ])ile, and then go fifteen mih's
farther down to tlie Hudson's liay ft riy, where the
HtiMimer Marquis is reported to ho in waiting, and then
return to General Middleton's assistance.

A start; was made at O.HO p.m., but scarcely liad the
.st<!amcr commenced to move than the rehelM, who liad
been liiding. ]K)in*ed in a broadside, the sohliers returning
it by volley iiring. Tlicy followed us for some distance
until cut otr by the densr woods. W'c made nine miles,
passing many deserted houses, and anchored for the
niglit. Although still in the hostiles' country tlu'y Imd
evidently gone south to join Kiel at his heathpiavters and
we were not molested. At (!.')0 tliis morning anotliei
start was ma<hj, but abuost immediately the boat ran on a
sand bar, and four lumis were h)st in getting lier oil".
Maximo Lepine's ferry boat, which wc hacl intendf.tl
destroying, nad been taken away in obedience to U'iv.Vh
orders directing all boats to centre at Hatoche's. Obtain
ing fuel en route, we passed Hoodoo and several local
IJalF-breed settlements which were deserted, and reached
the Idudson's Bay ferry, twenty-two miles below
Batoehe's, at 3 p.m., where we were received with loud
cheers.

From thir it will bo seen that General Middleton's
navy i)rojcct did little morci than impei'ii many valuable
lives and withdrew from his forces a considerable

TQR BATTLE 01* UATOCIlkH KLlUiT.

231

TiumWr of HHM vvlio wore l>a<!ly nooded on Satunlay,
SuinlrtV »ii»'l MnMilay.

Tliekill»Ml and woiitultMl at nutoclie wore om follow:—

KILLED ON HATIIIIDAY.

A Battery— Ounnor IMiillips, hhot through the head.

WOUNDKI) OS SATUIIDAY.

A Batt«ry — Nnpoloon C'liarpeuticr, Hlmt through >>oth
lefi[H ; Michael Twohey, tlii;;h ; W. FuirhaiikH, thigh ;
Tln)n»iiH J. Sioiit, ri)>s broken, run ov(;r l»y a gun.

French'H Scoiits — Cook, Id't leg hroken by ball bolow
thokne(»; AIUmi, shot in tliekntx;.

Greuaditjrs — Capt. AJa^son, flesh wound in the thigh.

Kfl.LKD ON SUNDAY.

(Grenadiers — Private Thonuts Mcxtr, «h<>t through the
head.

90th Battalion — I'rivate llardisty, shot through the
lungs.

WOCNDKD ON SUNDAY.

Grenadiers — Adjutant Manly, .solt; of foot; Private
Roovell, No. li Company, tlorth wound; l^rivate Cantwell,
No. 2 Company.

9()th Battalion — Private John Keinp, shot through
the eye ; Private Eriekson, in the aim; l*rivate Ralph
Banon, in the forearm; Private Stead, No. 2 Company,
tle.^h wound.

KILLED ON MONDAY.

French's Scouts — Captain John French, shot dead
while leading his men.

Boulton's iScouts — Captnin Brown, shot through the
heart.

Grenadiers — Lieutenant Fitch.

Dennis's (Surveyors) Corps — A. W. Kippen.

^,--?.-->.*ie-s-*-*^!^

. ^^i^-_ T^t.

2.12 CANADA'S NOUTII-W>;hT UKIIKILION.

DOlh Battiilion— Private FuvNor, PiivAto Whoelcr.

WoirNDKI) ON MONDAY.

Ornnfidiorn — Mrijor D.iw.son, Nli^jlitly in the ankl»>;
PrivAti) U. (y\)ok, in th»^ nrm ; Hii;^lor M. (Iaii;,'liftii, flt-nh
woinvl Ifi Iho lmn»l; Piiviito ('. IJarlMMir, ^li^ilit woiiinl in
t)n' Im'.kI ; PrIvnt<J .1 W. ^^hIkIov, IK^sIi wound in tluj
Ann, PrivHto J. Manhnll, \\rs\\ wonml in tho calt";
PiivAtf \V. Wilson, sli^'ht \V(»nn<l Im liin.l slionMi-i'.

Mi<llan«l Hiittalii>n -liiiMil.'nant (l 10 Lai<llaw, I; M.O.,
attAcluMl,Ml|<(htly ; Iii«'Ut<'nant.F. Ih'llivtll, l.Hli HattAlion,
Mhouldi-r; I'rivAtr liarton, thigh and groin, Moriously ;
('or|><»niI lit lliwcll, faco and arm.

90th PattnJion Sri-grantMnjor WatMon, sH;,ditly in

ihranklo; Siirg«'ant F. 11. .lakrs, in tin* hand; Piivato
Ah^x. VoiiTig, tlosh vvoniid in tho thigli ; < 'i^rporal J.
Oilli<'.H, in tht> l«\g.

Dennis's S'onts Iii"utt'nant (iardon.

Total kill.-d, {I, total \vonndi:d, ;K).

Tho I'oUowirig .sketches cannot fail to ho ot* interest : —

A. W. KII'PKN.

Amontj tho arrivals in tlio citv from tho Nortli-
West w<Mo Hoveral nicinhcM's ol' If Dotninion Snr-
voyors' Intollii?oncc (.-orp.^, wlio aro alv->"nt from thosfciio
of tho recent tlistnrliauoc for a short time on leave. The
party is composed of Messrs. Walter IJeatty, C. Wolll", J.
Mi^ioan, B. J. Saundurs, of the Snrvpyors; Capt. ('hincs,
Q\iartennnster of tlui Midland Battalion, and Assislant-
Siirgeon Kinloch. Mr. P>. J. Saundeis was oidy a sliort
distance from the s])ot where his eomra<le, Mr. A. W.
l\ippen, met his u»'timely «I«ath. Tin; Saiveyors' Corps
took an active part .:\ tlie battle of Batoeho. Tho corps,
und(;r command of C'apt. J. S. Dtuuns, of whom Mr,
Saniiders speaks in tho highest terms of praiao, joined
the loyal forces on the afternoon of tho second day of tho
Batoclie light. Desidtory firing was still going on. Tho
corps at once took its place in the trenches, and almo.st

fSI liATTI.R or HATorilK'K rRKUT.

tf^:\

imiMcItat«^Iy t'nit thr ntin^ of tho enotny'n 1«*ai1, Private
A. W. VVlu'clor riMU-iviM;; u hall in IiIm lift mIuiuM.t. From
ihiit tiiiK^ till tlii' o/iptnii* of iht» vilk^i* iiu«l the iittrr
font of tlio rclw'ls, tin* (Ndps nharotl with tlw hoys all tho
Work ami tln' «lnn;^'«'r of th«' cohtoHt, iiml in no doiiht fully
entitled to a ftill .sliurM of thu ^lory uiid honour that li»i»
h»»on and will Im» ii((!or<l<M| to our nohlo citizen MoMiorM.
On tho Tu«'M'l(iy niorniii;;, tho day of victory, tho Sur-
voyorM.HCtronipiinicMl hy H<)ulton'M noouIx, tho (mtlin;^ j(un,
and tho nino pounder, prooordod to opon tho atttiok that
led to Muoh u Hucoossrul isHuo. Tho nintspoimdor folt tho
enoiny, nn<l tho Survoyors d<jployod an Mkirnii^hors, Mr.
A. W. Kippon heiuij in tho front. 'IMu^y had just taken
up th<Mr position, not nion* than ono hundrod yards from
tho rohid rith- pits arnl just np«»ri a woll-inark»'d Hur-
voyor's lin(?, whon f,h(> fatal hulN't fi)und its nuirk, and
Mr. Kippon fell, shot t]irou<^V tho lu'ad. Death wan
instantanootiH. Dr. Kalston, tho .sur>;oon, and Assist/mt
Surgoon Kinloch, quickly Hocurod iho l»r)dy, hut tho hrave
Rurvoyor wa.s hoyond the roach of thoir skill. Mr. Saun-
doFH spoaks of Mr. Kippon as a man of groat energy, atul
hrave almost to rashness W*' had from tl»o i>ut.sot mani-
fested an intense desire to take an activ<; part in
tho struggle, eager to servo his comitry, and had per-
formed every duty dev(;lving upon him with a will
undaunted in the fae<' of gravest dangers, Tho death-
blow canui almost in the hour when victory crowned the
eflorts of the loyal forces.

A. W. Kippen, son of Mr. Kippon, of Perth, Ont., had
been for many years ono of tho most trusted surveyors in
tho employ of the Hudson Hay CVmipany, and great
value was [>ut on his Her vices l>y Mr. C. J. Brydges, He
came to Toronto this winter and entered upon a course
of study at tho School of Practical Science for tho pur-
pose of qualifying himself for a liigher position as (lov-
crnment surveyor. While in this city his attractive
social qualities and geniality of disposition won him
numerous friends. Ho was extremely fond of athletics,

234

canadaVs north-west rebellion.

and was one of the most popular members of the Toronto
Fencing; Ohih. Shortly before the war broke out he went
to Ottawa, and upon hearing of the rebellion volunteeied
his services as a scout. His knowledge of the North-
West was known to be so extensive that his ofl'er was
gladly acr»epted and ho was enrolled among Dennis's
scouts. It is said ho only reached Middleton's camp on
Sunday, so that lie met his death in the lirst engagement
in which he took part. In his native place, Perth, Mr.
Kii)pen was a grt'at favourite and his loss will bo sin-
creley mourned.

LIEUTENANT FITCH.

Lieut. W. 0. Filch was the only son of Mr. J. C. Fitcli,
of Fit(;h &J Davidson, -wholesale giocers, Yongi Street,
Toronto, of which firm deceased was the junior partner.
He was born and educated in this city, receiving his
primary military training in the Governor-Genernl's
Body Guards, A little over a year ago he was appointed
lieutenant in the Grenadiers. He immediately after-
wards took a course in the Infantry School, obtaining a
second-class certificate, upon which he received his com-
mission. Since then he has taken a deep interest in
everything' pertaining to the welfare of the regiment.
He was a membei- of the Toronto Fencing Club, Royal
Canadian Yacht Club, and other athletic organizations of
the city, and universally populai- among all those who
were acquainted with him. No greater tribute could be
paid to him than that contained in a letter from Private
Hatch, of No. 3 Company, Grenadiers : " Another whom
I cannot help mentioning is our commanding officer,
Lieutenant Fitch, who, with the amount of work, has a
heavy task, but by his kindness and ready help to all
members of his company he has the good will of all, and
by this alone he has brought the company to what it is —
and that is the one which is always there, with every-
thing ready and in good order. I think if we ever
return to Toronto he will be a man not soon forgotten by

>*,

THE RATTI.E OF nATOCHE's FERRY.

235

a Hingle member of No. 3 Company." Lieut. Fitch was
a (toiisin of .Mr. J. Scrivor, Mr. for Huutingdon, I'.'^.,
and a brother of Mrs. Senator Clomow, of Ottawa. Prin-
cipal King, of Manitol)a College, writes of Lieutenant
Fitcli : "It is twenty-two year.s since I first saw him,
tlion a winning child of foiir years of age, the joy and
]>ride of his father and mother. He attended for many
years the Gould Street Presbyterian Church; and was a

LIRUTENANT FITOH.

pupil in its Sabbath school. He was all through a
gentle and affectionate youth, seldom meeting one with-
out a smile. It is not singular that he was greatly
beloved by a wide circle of friends, and that he was an
object of sp<^.cial fondness to his parents, who saw in him
not only an only son, but one in every way dutiful and
affectionate. There have been already many mournful

-••V-«j^i*J»i*^»r*» •<»«-^*«

236

CANAPAS NOnrn-WFST REBELLION.

losses in this deplorable and, one can scarcely avoid say-
in;jj, most unn(3ce.ssary conflict; there cannot have V)eori
many, if indeed any, which will occasion wider and more
ten<ler sorrow than this. His parents, old and respected
citizens of Toronto, will receive from all who know them
tlie deepest s^nnpathy ; but how little can even such
sympathy do to relieve the life-long sorrow which must
bo theirs." Tlie Minister of Militia gave instructions to
liavo the remains of the deceased forwarded to Toronto
for interment.

CAPTAIN K. T. BUOWN.

Captain K. T. i^rown, of Boulton's Horse, who was
killed at J3atoche's on Monday, was a native of Peterboro'.
He was a son of the late Edward Brown, and grandson of
Thos. Alex. Stewart, who came to Canada in 1820 arnl
was sul)sequently a member of the Privy Council of
Upper Canada. Captain Brown went to the North-West
in 187y with a surveying party. After the survey was
completed he remained in that country. When Boulton's
scouts were raised he joined as a sergeant and after th(3
fight at Fish Creek he was promoted to i captaincy. He
was about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old and
unmarried. His mothor and brother, Mr. Stewart Brown,
reside at Goodwood, the family residence, a few miles
from Peterboro'.

PRIVATE THOMAS MOOR.

Private Thomas Moor, of No. 3 Company, Grenarh'ers
who was killed on Sunday night, was a son of Mr. Thomas
Mour, the well-known representative artisan of 42 Oxford
Street, Toronto, and was just eighteen years old the day
tiC left. Pie was educated in the Public Schools of the
city, and had followed the trado of a tinsmith, having
been in the employ of Mr. Sawdon, Queen Street, for a
number of years. He was a frank, good-natured boy,
much loved by all his companions, and an obedient son.
When the call was made for volunteers he was very

fn»

THE DATTLE OF BATOCHES FERRT.

237

anxious to go, and when ho found that he would be
allowed tc do so clapped his hands and dancec' with
delijjjht.

His parents received the following letter from him on
the day before he was ki!ied, dated at Middieton's camp
on the 2Gth of April . —

"Dkar Father and M aiiER. — I received your letter
last night and was very glad to hear from home. We

PBIVATE THOMAS MOOR.

left Clark's Crossing on Thursday morning. T was on
picket duty Thursday evening, and one of the officers
tried to play sharp on me, and he hid in some bushes on
my beat. As 80on as I saw him I rushed at him with
my bayonet and scared him instead of him scaring me.
At Clark's Crossing the 10th Royals, Ijhe Winnipeg
Battery, and Captain French, with fifty scouts, crossed

!'^i;; J, ) '.'pi ■ 'v ■ V.

2;j8

CANADA S NORTH-WEST flFRKLLTON.

tlii^ river and went down one side, antl the lK)th and A
Battery wHth Major Bonlton's .scouts went down the otlirr
side. On Friday morning the UOtli attacked tlie enetny
on the other side. Some of our fellows were down tli'o
river a mile getting the mail across and were not armed,
so that twelve men, including me, went to their relief.
We got the mail across and came back. The 10th Iwel
moved on to the scene of action, and we had to hring the
waggons along. Two of us were on each waggon with
loaded rifles. At last we got up to the lOth and were
told to join our uipective companies. The battle Mas
raging on the other side. Nos. 1, 2 and 4 Companies
were ordered across while No. 3 and the scouts wen; to
stay here and shoot any of the breeds that tried to cross.
The breeds were entrenched in the gully. The battle
lasted six hours. We were on this side and could hear
the shots but could not get across though we would
dearly love to have got there. During the battle the
General had a shot through his hat, and one of Major
Boulton's scouts had his ear shot through and his coat
riddled with buckshot. He got through hero yesterday,
and I saw him. Kiel is strongly entrenched, but we will
lick him in time. I believe tlie Fenians are helping him.
It was a sad sight to see our men burying the dead yester-
day. I cannot tell you half in writing, but will tell you
all when I get home.

" Your affectionate Son,

"Tom."
captain french.

Captain John French, who was killed at Batoche's,
was an Irishman, formerly a Captain in the Dublin
Militia, and a brother of Col. 1^ rench, the first commis-
sioner of the Mounted Police. In the winter of 1873, the
deceased was in Toronto, and having secured a position
as inspector on the police went out with the force to the
North-Wp'^t. He served with the force for ten years,
when he retired, aad turned his attention to farming,

"'■' ■/

:- p ^.' ^- y^ r f y.^-.>,.,^

THK BATTLE OP BATOCHES FERRY.

239

tiikin^ up land near Qu'Appelle. When tho robt3lliou
broktj out he organized a corps kiiuvviias French's Scouts,
which he commanded, and whose services were of great
l)unefit to General Middloton. He leaves a widow and
several young children, the eldest being a girl of ten.
Tht? ileceased was a bold and dashing oflicer, as evinced
on Saturday, when amid a shower of bullets ho carried
away a wounded soldier. His dash into the ravine at
Batoche's and his daring attempt to relieve the prisoners
when he was shot will keep his memory green. Tho
nearest connection of the deceased in this country since
Colonel French's removal to Australia is Mrs. Kenneth
Mackenzie, widow of the late senior judge of York
County, who is a sister of Colonel French's wife.

H. A. FRASFilR.

H. A. Eraser was a son of Contractor Fraser, of
Winnipeg. He was about twenty-seven years old and
married some six months to Miss Speirs, daughter of
Alexander Speirs, of that city.

A. o. whp:elek.

A. 0. Wheeler was a brother of George Wheeler, killed
in the Fish Creek battle, and son of C. H. Wheeler, archi-
tect, of Winnipeg.

The wounded are as follow : —

MAJOR DAWSON.

Major G. D. Dawson, of the 10th Royals, who w^as
wounded at Batoche, is an old army officer and experienced
soldier. He is an Irishman by birth, having been born in
County Carlow, Ireland, in the year 1839. When only
sixteen years of age he commenced his military career as
an ensign of the 4*7 th Regiment. He was ordered to the
Crimea with his regiment, but when his troopship reached
Malta news of peace was received and the 47th returned
home. Major Dawson continued with his regiment for
thirteen years, but left it at Halifax, in 1807, retiring

r:V'^VV''.|i';iif.,-IVi..

III., -■v|!tf«!i(''''li(tl'li'.'lv<,'lii v\.

yiiij.'\;« .«.<»■ -h, ■

^;w-

240

CANADA 8 NOUTM-WFST Rl^llFf.UOX.

with tho lank of Lieutenant. Ht; Mettled down to luisi-
ticHH in tl JH city and is now ch'u'.i' partner in the well.
known firm of O, D. Dawson &l Co, 4.*J Colhomo Stivct,
Toronto. When tlio lOtli lloyals were re-organizi;d by
Col. Grasett, Lieutenant J)awH(m took an aetive part in
assisting. He was ap})<iinted Majorat that time, and lius
ever since taken an active interest in the battalion.

PHI VAT E SCOVELL.

Private Alfred Scovell, when in Toronto resided with
his mother at l\7 Alma Avenue. He has been employed
for Some time in the law othce of Messrs. Cameron k> Cas-
well. Being fond of military life he took a thice months'
course in the School of Infantry, at the same time retain-
ing his connection with the 10th. His father is at present
in Australia.

BUGLER OAUGHAN.

Bugler Gaughnn^ shoii in the hand at Batoche, is a
native of Guelph, his parents residing there at present.
He was a member of the Wellington Field Battery for
some time, and holds a Schoo' of Gunnery certihcate. In
Toronto he has been following his occupation as black-
smith, and when tho 10th Royals were called out was one
of the first to volunteer for active service.

PRIVATE QUIGLEY.

Private Quigley joined the Grenadiers three years ago,
but some months before the outbreak of the rebellion ho
handed his uniform in. He was among the first to turn
up, however, when the call to arms was sounded. Quigley
is a stout young fellow of twenty-four years of age. He
was employed during the summer working on a farm.
He is a single man, but is in reality the only support of
his mother, his step-father being in wretched health.

PRIVATE MARSHALL.

Private John Marshall, who is reported as wounded
in the calf, was a watch-case maker with R. J. Quigley,

..t^ ft

TIJK BATTIK OF BATOCHE'h FEttRY,

iwn to Itiisi-
n the wclU
oino Street,
['guuiziMl by
live part in
mo, and Ims
.alion.

■esided with
n employed
er'on ij Cas-
ucc months'
time retain-
is at present

iatoche, is a
at present.
Battery for
rtiticate. In
)n as ])lack-
oiit was one

}e years ago,
rebellion lie
first to turn
ed. Quiglcy
of age. He

on a farm,
y support of

health.

as wounded
J. Quigley,

57 Adehiide Street, Toronto. Marshall has been about a
yi'ar with the Grenadiers. Flis mother lives at 121 Jarvis
Street. He in eighteen yeara of ajje, and a strong hardy
youth.

BUOLEB OAUaHAJf.

LIEUTENANT LAIDLAW.

Lieutenant George E. Laidlaw, attached to the Midland
Battalion, who is reported slightly wounded, is a'son of
Mr. George Laidlaw, of 26 Spadiiia Avenue, Toronto. He
is about twenty 'ive years of age, having been b(Tn in
Toronto, and educUed at Upper Canada College. He
passed tWough the Royal Military College at Kingston,
graduating in June, 1882. He ai'ter wards proceeded to
British Columbia, where he spent some time on a survey-
ing expedition. When the rebellion broke out he
immediately tendered his services to the Government,
which were accepted, and he was appointed to a Company
under Col. Williams' command.
16

242

CANADA'S NORTH -WKST UEBELLIOM.

PHIVATK WATSON.

Private Alexander Watson, F. Co., i>Ot.h (VVinni^teff)
Battalion, who was wounded on tho last day of the hgiit
at Batoche, and died tho following Saturday, was born in
Toronto in 18.')8, luit lived in St. Catlmrincs th»3 greater
part of hiM life till about four years before the nibollion,
when ho removed to Winnipeu. While in Winnipc;^' ho
was in the employ of a contractor and builder, he having

nilVATK WATSON.

been b"ought up to that business in St. Catharines. He
was the eldest son, but had an elder si.ster. Personally
he was a generous, kind-hearted yourg man and a great
favourite with every one. He was unmarried, but was
shortly to have led to the altar a very estimable young
lady of Winnipeg.

THE UATTLK OF BATOCHEH FEUIIY.

243

IMUVATF COOK.

Private Uichavd Cook is tho Hon of Mr. Win. Cook,
1,'J7 IIo|)« Str»'ot, Toronto. He isal>()ut nin«»to«>n yoars of
Rirr, anu iH a Hlioomaktjr \>y trade. Ilu hati beeu a private
in the Urouadiers lor aliout a year.

STAFF SKIKiKANT MITCH FXL.

Staff-SerjTpant Thouuis Mitcliell is woll-known in
militia circles througlioiit Canada. He is perhaps tlio
most famous shot in the Dominion. He has live times
represented his country amon;^ the crack shots of tlie
world on tlie Wiml)ledon C >in!non. Sergeant Mitchell
was slighMv wounded in tlni left eye. He is a member
of the firm of Dickie & Mitchell, 142J King Street
West, Tor(»nto. He is a native of Dundee, Scotland. He
joined the Grenadiers soon after his arrival in Toronto,
live years ago. Hesides being a statl-sergeant he i^ also
musketry instructor to the regiment. He has brothers
who are also famous as marksmen. One of them, Coulson,
is on the field with the DOth Battalion of Winnipeg. Mr.
Mitchell is married, and is about thirty-two years of age.

ADJUTANT MANLV,

Adjutant Manly was injured on the sole of the
foot. Captain Manly is mathematical master in the
Collegiate Institute, Toronto. He is a graduate of Uni-
versity College, and took high honors there. Ho is an
enthusiastic soldier, and has devoted manv an hour to the
advancement of the Grenadiers. No ofhcer has worked
hanler or longer for the interests of his crops than has
Frederick F. Manly. He is one of the most popular
young men about town.

LIEUTENANT HELLIWELL.

Lieut. J. E. Helliwell, wounded at Batoche, belongs to
the 15th Battalion, Argyle Light Infantry, of Belleville.
His father is rector of Ameliasburg, Ont. Lieutenant
Helliwell lives at Belleville, w^here he is employed in the

244

CANADA'S N(>UTH-WK»T UKMKLLION.

law film of RoIm rUon & Thomas, lie ^ru<lual«u fnun
Trinity IJoIloj^o throe yuarM ago.

Oorjxnul K. Holliwcll, hrothor of M<ut«*nani IFelliwll
and wlio was also wouiplcd at Hatoche, ih a law HtiulcTit
from Mat loo.

HKIKJKANT JArKKS.

Scrgoant Franklin .luckos, ot* thu OOth, in woll-known
in I'uronto, having hoon for Home time book-kuepor for

BKKOKANT .J.vrKKS.

Mesflrs. Oordon &l Co. While in Toronto he waa a mem-
l)cr of 1 Coiiipaiiy, Queen's Own. About threw years
ago he removeci to Winnipeg, where he has .since heen
en^mtred in the hardware business. Friends of his reside

at Eglinton.

From the foregoing accounts it will be seen that while
no one saw the whole of the fighting at Hatoche, each
man who writes saw something worth recording. The
loss on our own side is of course well known as stated

.\.*»»« -t

TI?K HArn.K OF uatochk/s t'l kky.

S4A

alr«a<ly, Vmt i\\\' rv\\A loss is not now, an<l iimy neviir Ihj
known. Our people rlaimiMl tluit there woro ndiiio Hixtv
or sc^veiity killtd, but tho n;lM)Is thiMusolvuH put tlioir
UiIKmI ut only nine or tiai. fn tho Haiiiu way ( 'olonol
Oticr, iiftor liis retreat IVuni C-ut Knife, thou;;lit h« lia<l
fou;j^}kt against nIx }iun<Iii><l men and that lio h;i<i killed
fVoiH HJxty to one hundrt-d and twt;nty-Hvo of them.
When the truth einne to he known, however, it wa.s found
that }io had heon defeated hy oidy two hundred iind fifty
men, and that of these he had killed only bix, or at
most .seven.

The in.stanceH of indivitlual heroi.snj wero nninerouH,
but there wa.s no more ;j;allant a<;lion than that performed
by poor Captain French on Saturday, which hou been
already related.

jaEUTENANT IIOWAIU).

Lioutonant Howard, who had connnand of the Oatling
jjun, distin/^uished himself on more than om^ o«<!a,siori
and made himsrlf one of the lions of the day. Whattjver
his countrymen may think of him as an American Hj^ht-
ing aj^ainst mon wlio wne su[)pose<l to he .stru^';^r|ing for
their ri<:;htH and in helialf of a foreii^n power, it is certain
that CariadianH have Ix^en very glad to avail themselvea
of his scrviccH and those of his "patent murdering
machine." Had it not been for his plucky conduct and
tlie elKciency of his machine on the first flay at Ratoclio,
it is not improbable that General Middleton miglit liave
found his artillery turned against his own forces, and the
slight repulse he received that day turned into a dis-
astrous defeat.

To judge from the "poetic" effusions that have been
called forth by this rebellion, Canada must be very easily
satisfied as to the (pjality of her piu'try, though she may
bo more exacting as to quantity. Here is some about
Lieutenant Howard that is certainly not any worse than
the average : —

240

C'ANAPA'h NouTII-WKsT IlKHKLUOM.

tIKL'TKNANT HOWARD.

THK MAN WITH lUK GATUNG GUN.

Full many a lino o! oxproseionfl fine

And of Hentiuients Hweet and grand
Ilav been penned of " our boys " who, from home's dear

JoySf
Sot out for the North-West land.

We've been told how they've fought for the glory Hought,

We've heard of the tlceds they've done ;
But it's quite high tinjo for some praise in rhyme

For the man with the Gatling gun.

Music hath charms, even midst war's alanu.s,
To toothe the savage breast ;

TIIK HArrLE OK IIATUCJJli;'H KERRr. 2*7

NoiK* ran hold u oaikIIh to thai " iiiUNio l»y ilniiUlo "

Thiit luiUa Kiid'N '* hrmMlN" to nmi,
And th»y hU> •lix'p,

From whidt Mhall iiwak«<ii iionn ;
And tho ItilUMi^H tlmt < lowod th>Mr i^ytm

W«rv MUiig hy tlio Uftttiiig guit.

All honour'* dao and thf*y havu it, too-^

To thf (irHnii. an<l Q. O. II.
Th«<y kiMiw no f»'ar Imt, with Riitinh ch««r,

Vhvy I'liiir^dd and diHp<>rH)d Hfar
Th« ndxd crrw ; hut twixt in« aud you

When all in Haid and don'*,
A dirtV'font M<!«m« tht^rn iniyht havn \H)im

But for Howard an<l Iuh (iutlin^ ^iin.

Batocho will '^iig bo rom«)inh»'r(Ml with a shvKMiM- in
cOO many OHiwi-iiaii lioii.st^ioMH. It hroki^ iUa Itack of
tlio n'bollion, Inif too numy l>iave huaits uro now cold
aril Htill that boat bi^'h with valour, hope and noble
ambition as tlio Northcote^H wliihtlo gavo the signal that tlie
fight had '.tf^Min.

Though the Indians un«li*r Big Hoar continiiod to offer
ft. stubborn reHintanco for a timo, tho nalt'-brcod robollion
as .sm;]i was crushed, and the liopo of the Half- broods was
extinguishod when some of tlnir brav»5st and best lay in
the rirte nits that fatal Mor.d.iy afternoon Hoake<l in their
own life l)lood. We nuiv halo Iviel, \\n\ may abhor rebel-
lion ; but when time shall have elapsed sulHoient to enable
us to look at tho events of tlds sa*! affair with unpre-
judiced eyes, then^ is not a Canadian worthy of f.iie name
who will not remember witli sincere respL^ct and admira-
tion Gabriel Dumont and Ins valiant little band of com-
patriots who fought so gallantly in their hopeless cause.

m^m \ j i i^pjm i t \

"'#

iH|llJI||l|ll«|fi^"*l'<

248

CANADA S NOUTU-WKST IIEHIJLLION.

BATOOriK.

"shot tiiroucsh tiik hkaut."

God guard my darling boy to-night,

And keop him Hafe from harm ;
Watch ovor him in tliiH droud light,

Give to his life a charm.
Let overy l)un('!t spoed him past,

And turn each blow away ;
From him, my well loved only son,

Who meota the £00 to-day.

A bravo and noble lad is he,

This one dear son of mine ,
Witli loyal heart so kind and true

And full of love divine.
I know he's ready sliould'st Thou call.

But spare him. God, I pray,
Let hira return to me again,

My boy not far away !

*' O, mother dear," a sad voice speaks,

And by her aide there stands
A girlish form, with tear dimmed eyes,

And close looked, restless hands.
'*Well, daughter mine, why come you now,

With face so wist and sad ?
Your loving smiles should cheer and make

My lone heart warm and glad.

** What say you, child, more news has come,

A grand victorious fight ;
The Royal Grenadiers this time

The rebels put to flight.
Thank God for that my praycT was heard.

And I shall sleep to-night.
With grateful heart and peaceful rest,

Till comos the morning light.

c i'

THE BA'ITLE OF BATOCHE's FKHUY.

249

*♦ But why these tearH 1 Why thiH diRtresH 1

I have not heard aright?
What is it, thr^n ? Come, dear, be brave ;

Your brotluT loads the fight.
•Shot through tho biart ! ' Oh, God ! My lad,

For whom I prayed to Thee j
My only son, my bonnie boy.

Will come no more to mo 1

** * Shot through tho lieart/ e'en while I prayed

His form lay «till in death.
Not ono fond messaj/e could he send,

None caught hia dying breath.
The cannon's roar, the clash of arms,

Tho crash of ball an ^ sholl,
A strangely wild, mad requiem, made

Where ho for country fell !

** Dead, cold and dead, the lonely grave

Now hides him from my sight ;
Oh ! pitying God, my heart will break 1

Why send on mo this blight?
Why is my home made desolate 1

My life of joy hereof 1 1
He was my dearest, only son ;

I have no other left !

" Forgive me. Lord ! Thy will be done !

Peace send this aching heart,
That doth rebel o'^r this one gone.

Who was my life's best part.
At rest with Thee ! Oh, blessed light,

That finds my soul at last !
It brings me patience, comfort now,

The darkest hour has past."

VICTORY AT BATOCHE.

Victorv ! Glorious news comes down
As sudden flash of light from failing star ;

To God the glory — the renown
To our brave soldiers on the field afar.

..«..w«^-- --' iii w y '"•ir**"'1<f^'f ^'*"1*

' 7 r "

=■ -1^ "' "-^ ^^

2.>0

CANADA S NORTH- VVKST ttEnELI.ION".

Who knowing that with them the breath
Of captives failed, should tardy action b«,

Chargi'd bayonets in the face of death —
Into the pit of hell — and aet them free I

While rebel hord<\s flew, as the dust
Ih onward driven by the strong wind's will,

Batoohe has fall'n, is ours ! Our trust,
Our prayers are answered ! God is with us still I

The great heart of the nation heaves
With pride in work her sons have done so well,

And with a smile and sigh sho weaves
A wreath of bays and one of immortelle /

Baptized with fire, they stood the test ;
And earth, in turn, baptized with blood they shed ;

Canada triumphs, but her best
Are not all here — she mourns her gallant dead.

A glorious death was theirs, a bright
Unsullied ending to a cloudless day :

They sank, as sinks the sun in sea of light ;
And in their country's memory live for aye 1

But flush of victory pales in pain;
Tears fall for darkened homes where glad tones ceas

Whose loved that left, come not again —
Heaven give the mourners and the nation — Peace 1

LDEUT. A. M. IRVINO.

CHAPTER XX.

RECOLLECTIONS OF BATOCHE S FERRY — AFTER THE RATTLE

ONE of the surveyors thus gives his experiences at
Batoche : — Here we are at Batoche, which has, as you
know, fallen before us, and we all, from the General
to the " grub-rustlers/' pose as conquering heroes decked
out in our war paint, which in this instance is principally-
composed of dirt, that has become so much part and parcel
of our being that the idea of soap and water is as dis-
tasteful as it would be to the dusky braves we have just
been shooting at. If you will excuse the dirt, I will try
to give you an idea of the movements of the Survey
Corps to date.

You will remember that our fifty men were strung out
in a line of pickets from Swift Current Creek to Long
Lake, a distance of one hundred and thirty miles, to inter-

.-}

-t,- r^*"** *^ -* -*•*? * ^iiM-^-f*-. * * ■

252

CANTADA S NORril-WIlST REBKLLION.

cept fugitives from Ricl's scnitored nrmy to more con-
goiiial dimes. With ^n cat loretliouglit vvuh this disposition
of our little forco madt by the General in command befori;
the battle at Fish (hvek ; but alter that oncountor witi)
the rebels we were ordered to the front, and on Sunday
morning, 3rd May, the messenger reached our h<'ad-
quarters at the Elbow of the South Branch of th*^ Saskat-
chewan with orders to that eHect. To gather in our
pickets and supplies was our next move. This being
done on Wednesday at noon we " pulled out," as the
saying is, and started for here. Our trip was a ra])id one,
for the orders said " at once," and we reported to the
General on Sunday, the 10th, at 'J p.m., having covcutd
the intervening one hundred and ibrty miles in exactly
four days, although encumbered with fifteen days' forage
and provisions. We found the little army about haU'-a-
mile east of the church, and rather more than twice that
distance from Batoche's Ferry, entrenched within a few
yards of the top of the hill which descends steeply to the
Saskatchewan, and of all places for entrenchments -i
ploughed field had been chosen, so you can imagine how
nice and clean everything was and is.

The entrenchment in which the troops were placed
was made by throwing up sods about four or five feet
high, and inside of this, about fifteen or sixteen feet from
the breastwork, a second square was made of the transport
waggons, placed in such a position that the tongue of one
w^aggon was inside the next one to it, all the baggage and
provisions being left in the waggons. Towards the centre
of this square another earthwork was thrown up to })ro-
tect the hospital tents. There were within the encamp-
ment ohe 90th, the 10th Royals, the Midland Battalion,
and four nine-poundeis, besides horses, mules, cayuses,
and horned beasts of all ages, and lastly an instrument
known as " Capt. Howard's hurdy-gurdy," otherwise the
Gatling gun, which had already played its part and saved
two of the nine-poundera from being captured by the
enemy. What had been done before our arrival you will

'-\'m

U) more con-
i«<lisp(»sition
iiiiiand bet on;
K'oiintor witi)
kI on .Siniday
\ our hcad-
i'th«i Saskut-
atlier in our
This being
out," as the
^ a rapid one,
orted to the
ving covered
38 in exactly
days* fbraire
ibont half-a-
n twice that
vicliin a few
ieeply to the
inchmenis -i
niagiae how

were phiced
or five feet
en feet from
^he transport
)ngue of one
jaggage and
s the centre
a up to pro-
/he eneanip-
i Battalion,
es, cayuses,
instrument
hierwise the
t and saved
red by tho
al you will

AFfER TIIK BATTLE.

253

read of in tlie papers before yo»i receive this ; but we
found that the tnxjps were extended in skinnisliing order
under cov(;r towards th(} church exchanging shots with
the rebels and gnulually driving them back. 'J'he enemy
were, of course, in ptjssessiou of Batoobe's, and of the
slopes surrounding it.

Jmmediat(dy below tlie camp the river flows north-
westerly for about three quarters of a . lile, when turning
sharplv it runs almost directly north. At the turn the
bard^s on the easterly side are l)old and steep, and clothed
with poplar, timber and brush, getting gradually lower
as they a))proach tho ferry an(i vi!la'i:e, and again rising
and re<^(Miing as they extend down the river. Tho
approaches to the village were defemled l)y a line of rifie
pits along the edge of this bank, as was also the relreat
of the rebels across the river should such have beei ro-
quiivM.l (as was the ease). These pits extended down the
river for nearly a mile and a-half north of the ferry, and
were strongly constructed and placed at short intervals.
Here at the foot of the bank were afterwards found the
remains of a Half-ltreed and Indian encampment in a
state of the greatest disorder, showing that they had not
looked to the order of their going, but had gone quickly.
It was, doubtless, in this camp tliat tlie women and
children had been placed to be out of tbe way of stray
bullets. A close inspection show^od that holes had been
scooped out of the hill side and covered over, into which
they could crawl and so escape the bursting shells.

The main position of tlie rebels extended along the
edge of a range of hills running northerly from the
cemetery and parallel to the river, forndng the eastern
border of the valle}'. The sides of these hills are covered
with poplar and brush, and broken by ravines. They
descend gently to the valley's bottom, leaving an open
flat around the village. It was while crossing this open
that the greatest number of wounds were received, and
it was here Gordon, one of our corps, who had got separ-
ated from the main body, and was gallantly charging

■ 1

t^K" 1«»1» '"r I' •—* ***• •• » iW^ i r^

254

CANADAS NORTH-WEST REHELLION.

alonj^ with tho OOth, was severely woiiiiJed iu tlie
shoulder. On tho rinrht of tlie village the ground is also
open, <;ra<lnally risiii;,' towards the north, while near the
hills, and some seven hundnMJ yards in an easterly diioo-
tion is a rise covenMJ with tinihor, from which the Gatling
did some very effective service.

Independently of the main, line of riHo pits along tho
brow of the hill, pits were dug at every point on the face
of the hill that could by any chance become a command-
ing position. This was especially the case in one ravine
immediately behind the eminence spoken of as being
occupied by the Gatling, and here after tho tight, wore
found no less than six dead breeds, all of whom were
riddled with bullets. Their pits were admirably con-
structed, and from them a constant fire could be directed
upon our men whilst the enemy were completely pro-
tected from our riHes. An after ins})ection showed them
to be three or four feet deep with breastworks of earth
and logs channelled <br the I'iflea of their defenders, who
could sit hidden from view and coolly pot any of our men
who showed too much of themselves. Their tactics had
in some sort been adopted by the volunteers, but our
hastily constructed defences were simply a few sods piled
one on top of another, behind which the men lay and fired
whenever they could catch sight of the enemy, and very
often when they couldn't.

Our survey life as you know accustoms us to various
extremes, and after the first half-hour in camp we sat
and smoked our pipes and listened to the tales of the
older hands, broken every now and then by the crack of
r, rifie near the church, while an occasional bullet sung
over the camp from the enemy's lines. Shortly after our
arrival we were uncomfortably awakened to the fact that
it was no sham battle going on around us, for Wheeler,
one of our corps, sitting in a rifle pit on the river bank,
showed rather more of himself than was advisable above
the parapet and got a bullet through the shoulder.
Fortunately it w^as only a flesh wound. Towards sundown

AFTER THE BATTLl.

256

led in tlie
"Jnd [h also
1<3 near the
ierly dirod-
lie Uatling

alongf the
>n the face
command,
one ravine

as bein^'
if,Hit, were
liom were
ably con-

e directed
etely pj-^.

wed them
^ of earth
dcrs, who
f our men
actios had
, but onr
5ods piled
and fired
and very

various
3 we sat
Js of the
crack of
let sung
after our
fact that
WJieeler,
2r bank,
le above
shoulder.
Jundown

the firing <^ew pretty frecjuont, and we had two horses
wounded inside the .sipiare and some eattle were also hit,
but fortuimtely no inf»ro of uur men.

That night all hands slept in the trenches, the lut^ky
ones gettinj^ a berth under tlu; wa;j:^'ons and carts. The
novelty of the position did not interfere very nrich with
our rest, and wo slept the sleep of the just, only growling
and grumblin;^ a little wlicn we were awakened to take
( ",]• turn of "sentry go," two men of the Surveyors being
detail' J to do this work for an hour at a time.

-ext morning we breakfasted somewhere between
four and tive o'clock, and afterwards got orders to saddle
up and go out with the Gatling, Boulton's and French's
troops being also told off for the same service. We made
a detour to the north and liad a skirmisli with the
enemy on that side of their entrenchments, but the
General withdrew us about noon without any loss on our
side excepting amnumition. In the afternoon sonu^ of the
Winnipeg Field Battery went down below the church to
shell some houses on the opposite side of the river. The
rruns were placed side by side about one hundred and
tjfty yards from tlie cemetery fence. The liouse aimed
at was about one thousan:! five hundred yards distant
across the Saskatehew^an. We always had a sort of an
idea that an artilleryman could hit his mark witli much
greater accuracy than we eould with our rifliis, for the
muzzle of a nine-pounder is not so likely to describe
tii^ures in the air as a we»apon whose holder feels a strong
inclination to duck his head at the whizz of a passing
ball. But from what we saw that day we think
we could do better. How many shots were fired I
do not like to say, but they went all round that house
and apparently any where but through it, until we got
rather tired of the order : " Common shell, percussion fuse
— load." There were a lot of us grouped around the
guns all interested in the practice, when a couple of
figures were seen to cross the trail some fiv(i hundred
yards distant in tlie enemy's lines, and there was an

256

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.

in.stnntamiouH scnttoratioti. We who wer« notencumbor«rl
witli the «li^nit-y of an '>rticcr'H rank <lruji{)('(l()n our fact's

aiK

1 H biillot whistled over uh. Ha<I thi; fellnwM i\

n'(

before they showed theni.solves they might have bagged
a man or two d any grade from the (Sleneral (h)wn.

Tlie Oeneral .sauntered »ip and down with his cane
under his arm Hhowing his portly figure mo.st uncori-
oernodly, but many of the otHcers werci not too dignilLd
to Htarul in lino, jne behind the other, behind a vtrv
smalljpoplar, not large enough to shelter the foremowt onr.

Then began a rattle of musketry from our .side, hut
what they tired at Heaven only knowt», for one couldn t
see any signs of the enemy, and the old General as he
Htrutt(Ml down to the trail in full view of the hidden
marksmen, shoute<i out: "Keep your tire! What on
earth are you tiring at?" and then added sotto voce:

" D d fools," and walked back to camp, whither the

guns follow, and we are loft to be fiotted at if we like.

ft was towanls sunset when the 90th, who had been
out all day, were withdrawn from the pits for the night.
As they gradually retired the rebels tollowed them up.
The firing was very heavy, an(i poor Hardisty was killed.

One or two of our boys, wlio went down to the pits
with them "just to get a whack at the rebels," found it
was rather tlie other way round, as the sun was direcily
in our eyes and we could not see any of the rebels, whilst
they were having nice pot shots at us ; but we all got
safely back to camp to pn^ss another night in the trendies.

On Tuesday morning we were off again with the
Gatling and a gun from the Winnipeg Field Battery to
attack the rebels in the same place that we did the day
before. We dismounted and leaving our horses under
cover of a hlnft, moved forward in a skirmishing order
up a slight rise in the prairie and through some small
poplars. The rebels evidently expected us, for w^e had
only advanced a tew yards when they must have caught
sight of some of us over the rise, and a volley was tired
into our ranks, at the report of which we dropped on our

■ i n i ^ n w iii I mum I

AFTER THE BArn.tt.

257

I our fuc»'H

InWH tin!(|

iwn.

his cane
j.st uiicon-
) (lignili''(l

nd a very
eiiiOHt orn'.
r .side, Ifiit
le couldn't
oral aH he
lie hiildcti

What on
8oUo Voce:
luiher the
wo like.

had been
• the night.
1 them up.
was killed.

o the pits
found it
as direcily

els, whilst
all Lfot

e trenches,
with the

battery to
tlie day

ses under
ing order
Dme small
we had

vo caught

was fired

)ed on our

fftoea in the brush, one of us n«vor to riHe again, for poor
KIppen fell d«nid with a riHo bullet in his brain. This
wan the first man of our corns killed, and wo realized
more fully that it wa« no child s play we were in for, but
really a hght in which a Mian's liftj counts but a very
.small item. Kippen had not luen known to many of us
Ixd'ore the atiair began, but short though our accpiain-
tance had been, we found him a plea.satit and gonial
companion. We used to chatf him and call him the
•' lliatorian^' Httlo thinking tbat his people at home,
instead of listening to his amusing afcnunts of the cam-
paign, would be shocked and saddem.' I by a bri*jf tele-
gram announcing that altliough no .soldit-r, he had fallen
as a soldier shouKj, boldly tacirig the enemy. 1 am sure
the whole corps, from whose raidcs he is missed, can
sympathize with his relatives in their far greater sorrow.

The rebels kept a steady lire u[nm us, and after
shelling some bluffs and firing several rounds from the
Oatling, we were orden^d to retire and re,turn to camp, the
enemy putting some bullets very close to us as we mounted.

Just as we had finished munching the bullet-proof
discs of that indescribai'lo compound known as Govern-
ment biscuit that formed our lunch, one of the Midland
men on the slope of the hill near the cemetery was hit
by a volley from tlie west side of the river, and the
ambulance men going to his relief were also fired upon.
This seemed to infuriate the men, and their otlicers s^aw
that there was no holding them longer. Colonel Williams
therefore decided upon charging, and with only two
companies of the Midland, he led tlie way, counting on
the 00th and Grenadiers for support. This is what
actually took place, but at the time the first inkling we
had was hearing the dropping shots of the skirmishers
come thicker and thicker: then a cheer rise? and a
mounted officer davshes into camp. "Fall in, men" is
heard everywhere, and the red coats of the 10th, and
the black of the 90th move rapidly down the trail, while
the rattle of shots has become a steady fii-e. Everyone
16

258

CANADA H Nouru-WIHT UKUKr.IJON.

in in oxciit ii.orit. Another Midi- (I/ihIjoh up, an«I out of the
enclosure at tuH Hp('0<i conio the four hoiH«\s with the
Oatlinijf ;^Min, whils*. h «l()z»»n yanls in I'lont, liin (hirk face
boatiiifii, witli (Iclii^htaihl tht; ta.sM«l of IjIm touf|U<! .stivaui-
in^ bcliiri'l hiin, licU'N tho Aiiu'iican ('aptaiu Hovvaivl,
just Mpoiliui,' for a (ii^'lit. W(^ ;^nvo him a lusty (Iuht,
nri<l in a few inonu'iits our trooj) is onlcnul to support
I'lHiltoji's nii<l Fieiu^h'.s inon on tho riglit, and w« advance
at the (loul)l(' on foot.

Did you over run a race in top I )nfcs and .spurH, with
a cailiicinro hidt and hi'avy revolver )•» it, and cla<« in a
ch)Ht) leatljor jacket and ti<,dit ridin;jj hrofchcH i Add to
these a liot <lay aiid you can inuiufino liow we were handi-
capped ; but we niana/j^ed to get down and take our phice
in the line with the H'louts on tho slope of the hill near
tho cluirch. Whc^ther we wrro to sujiport. the advance
of tlio unil'onns or not we W(.'re not sure, l)ut as the denyo
brus!> pteventotl us from se«Mno- our otlicers^ or what tlie
infantry were doin^' in tin- valley, we just (included that
we'd clear all the lobels out of the slopes of the hills,
and in extended line we Htart«'d in to do it. Keepinj^
up a heavy tire into the thickets as we advance at the
run; catching- our sf)urs jind falling headlong; streaudug
with perspiration ; panting with exertion, and swearing
with but icant breath, we rush along the hill sides from
one ravine to another, our cheers doing more to dislodge
the enemy from their j)its than the occuracy of our aim.
Now and again the boom of a field gun echoes above? tho
rifle shots, while frequently a skii"- -r-r, like the rattle
of an alarm clock, tells us that Cai)taln Howard is turn-
ing the cranl< of his "hurdy-gurdy," and in our mind's
eye we can see him kneeling behind the (Jailing doing
two mens work in managing it, and sending a hail of
rifle balls over the Held, so deadly that one's soul is moved
to pity for the unfortunate enemy, and we pump the
lever of our Winchester and take a pot at a disappearing
Half-breed or so, just to keep him from coming within

*■ ! ■'

AFTrn niK hattle.

IftO

ran^u of ihu infuiiia) niiuhinu t}iat is rnttlin^ out diAth
sentoncoH in ho roinoisoIcHM a «*vl«'. N<»\v a nhout of
laugliter riH<*s as you tnlv»> a h^adur into i\\v '>ru.Hh, ami

tli«n you hoar a yell of " Don't slioot, that man, your

ey<^s, don't Nhoot that man, h(>.s ont> of our Nidi*,' aM .somo
dozen rill(j8 cover a Hcout who.s«! anlour has oanliMl Iiini
on in advanco of the rest, whih) thu ivhel l»ulU'th wliistlu
around us, and <h()|»pin;^' hram-hrs cut l»y tliism makouM
wondiT tliat HO f»n\ of us an- hit. Hut \v Im is hit no one?
knows, for in this wild racv a man cduM not tind his own
!)rot}K»r, and ho wi; nresn on Hushed witli success pa^it pit
aftor nit, and tin* sh«)ts of opposin;^^ vWUih ^mow thirktu-
and tfion gradually slackt'n and die away, vnu\ wo lie on
the Hlopos j.5aspin{^^ for hroath, knowing that our sliuro of
the work is ovrr, and watch tho unifoinnd men swooping
the roluiU before them acroNs the; Hat at our feet, aiding
th(Mu as we best can by a iirv on the liMe pits that lino its
further edge- some eight hun<bed yards away. A groat
doal has been naid <;f the uruidvisability of charging with
raw recruits, but anyone, wh«> saw t.h(5 a<lvance of our
men acroHs the open could not doubt their vim and
anxiety to got at the onemy. Of course wo were too
busy and too well liidden doing our own work to .sco tho
beginning of tho attack, but wo waw enough to convince
us that MidUmds, Oremidiers, and DOth all struggled for
first place in the rush upon the rebels at iJatoche's, tho
rush that drove them from their position, and has struck
a blow at the insurrection from which Kiel, with all his
influenco, will never bo able to recover.

And then tho retire is sounded, and we .stroll back to
camp, knowing that we can sle -p without In^aring tho
now familiar crack of rifle or whizz of a ball, for the rebels
are beaten from tlicir stronghold, and JBatocho is won.

In endeavouring t(j settle the much disputed point as
to who led tho charge, George Ham furnishes the following:

I have received no less than seven telegrams asking
me to say which battalion led the famous ciiarge at

200

Canada's north •wi;st RKBRUJoif.

Hfttf>che*H. My annwor ii, thri;<a.lo. I'he ' onlorH "
of Uio Mi' Hand ls«u()«l tho day aftor the capture of
IJatochoH n'jul a.* foUowM:

"Tho d«)o<lM ye.st«'nlay pnrfonnoil by tho Midlan.l
during the battle o\' Hatocljo hav« boon Huch as to cull

LIEOT.-COL. A. T. H. WIM.IAMH,

HATTAMON.

from all encomiums of tho hi<rheat order. That Hank

* Lieut. -Ot'l. A. T. H. Williiunrf, of IVnryn l*ivrk, Port Hope, wm born
In T^ <7, mlucftted at Upper ( 'iin.'ulii rollf^j.^ ntul VA'inhurnh UniverHity. He
waH tirnt rettjriied to r.irliaiin iit at the treii'TiiI vl-cti )ti of lHtl7, when he
waH Hcnt to the Ontario Le^'i-tliiture. lit; wim le-electjiil by nccilutriation at
the Kentral ele(;tion in IK71. tin. I wa« fiiHt elooteil to tho (\>rninon« in the
1875^ general election, and he wan re-oh-ded at tiie last KtM»eral election.
He is n «on of Jolin Tucker Williaui.-*, Ksq , a connnander in the Hoy al
Navy, who sat for Ouihain in tho <'iiiuvdi.in Assernbly from IHIOto 1848.
Coh»nel VVilliama diitingui«hed hiinaelf at l^atoche in HUch a mannrr as
will can.xe him to bo remembered lontf uftcT liis own and many micceedinjr
geutiratiuud Mhall have passed away. He died near Battletord, July 4, 1885,

-• -*m %» • — *£<•

AfTRR TIIK MAITLR.

tOl

tlank

[as born

|y. He
'hen he

III! on at
in the

llection.
Ivoyal
to 15*48.
i\nrt as
:>ee(linir
1 4, 1885.

inovi»!n«»nt «»ntniBtc(l to wh wa.«i ho mpirlly And dtieniiin-
edly iua<l<* tliat it i^ itilmitt^il iluit )»y it tho tide of victory
wa*i turnnl. Amid a Mliow«»r of l«!n' from tlio front nrid
left tliink, tho rvd line of tln> Midland |»roHMod Htrudily on
with liiitinh rliomuul |»l«ick, tlirou;;li tlioiMitnii^lod brush
on tlu< liviT slopo, until tlio i>rop»T timo arrived for thi»
rush acroHH tho o|mui prairie front to tlw hour's, t h»" capital
of the rt Im'N, a distance of about tivf liuudnMl yardi.
Tho rofiponH" to this wan a noi»l« on«\ and would liave
done credit t*) the tuo^t «»xperi«'nc<'d soldiorM, an aiuid a
Hliowwr of hullcts tho (*har;j:<! wuh niadc and the rhcorH
w«jnt up. Th«> Midhtud had tin* honour of haviri;^' ho^n
in front of tho advaru'o, and thn gratitude of tho prisomtrs
who wore hcdd by tlu» ndx Is. a.s th'-y emorj^ed troui t)io
cellars of those housos, HiHMUod to b<^ a reward for tho
noblo etlbrt of tho d«iy, which was ours.

"Tho Ijioutonant-(\>lon(d eointuanding has issued
commendatory ordors to tho battalion before thi«, for
pluck shown* in ondur'ng Iwvrdshlps, for ji;ood order and
disoipline, and rt)r otforts put forth on tho lino of march,
and now words wouM fail to convoy tho deep sense of
what is due to tlio Midhind f()r thoir steadiness undei the
fire of a detcrininod mid w*;]! ontronched enemy. Nobly
have the oflicors don»; thoir duty, and the response of the
rank and tile to thoir oommand uiidor the most trying
circtnnstaucos has o.lways boor) a n.-ady and reliable one,
as day after day and nii,dit alter ni^dit the tViud of the
onenjy's ritle bullets Hounded about our advanced ritle
pits. The Lieutenant-Colonel commandinrj desires to
place on record the pride he feels in having had tho honour
of commanding such soldiers, an<l to express his thanks
to the officers and men for the ready response given under
such circumstances to his orders,

"The action yesterday, which has virtually broken
the rebellion, will call forth the thanks and gratitude of
tho country, and r^mo will bo more deserving of this than
the Midland. \, nile we rejoice over the victory, we
cannot forget our wounded comrades whom we leave

;t(,"' '•■r, •

262

Canada's noutii-west iiebelj.ion.

l)cliiiid us as wo push further on. Let us express our
deepest souse of gratitude that none have been danger-
ously wounded.

"(Signed) Arthur T. H. Wilt.ums,

" Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding
"Midland Battalion."

The Grenadiers and the 00th followed the Midlan.ters
hot-t'oot at the iirst dash, and before the first row of tlie

COLONEL GRAbKTT, ROYAL GRENADIERS.

rebels had been reached the men of the three corps wore
pretty evenly mixed up along the line, so it is impossible
to say which regiment was actually first into the village.
The General divides the honours equally among the three.
The following is an extract from a letter from Colonel
Grasett, of the Grenadiers, to a friend : —

AFTER THE BATTLK.

263

In considering the question of tlii.s chirp^e it ia well to
note the numbers and positions of the regiments engaged
as well as their names. Tlie Midlands were on the left
among the undeihrush on the river hank, the Grenadiers
occupied the centre opposite the lines of ritle pits in the
open ; the 00th, when they came up, together with
Houlton's scouts, completed tVie line out towards the right.
At the opening of the atta,ck the whole regiment of the
Gretiadiers, two humlred and fifty men, and Hfty men of
the Midlands, under Colonel Williams, were the only
troops in line, all the remainder of the force being in the
zareba. When the charge begaTi, the left of the line, with
the two Midland companies at its extremity, swung for-
ward more rapidly than the centre, tlie charge of the
latter being against the pits and key of the position.
These carried by a rush, the enemy was thrown into com-
plete disorder, and the whole line, with the reinforce-
ments from the zareba who came up about half-an-hour
after the ball had opened, swept forward together into
the village, so that representatives of all regiments were

side by side.

Apart from their position the Grenadiers were five to
one of the Midlands, and upon the greater nund)er fell the
greater weight of the cliarge.

A correspondent furnishes the following admirable
story of the fight and the scenes which followed it, and
althouf^h some of the same sentences occur in this vn hich
are o-iven in preceding accounts, for the sake of complete-
ness and continuity, the letter is given as nearly as
possible intact :

On Saturday the steamer opened the ball, and called
away the attention of the rebels until we were almost
upon them. The Grenadiers bore the brunt of the fight,
with the 90th in support and the Midlands in reserve,
the two batteries of course doing their share. On Sun-
day we did nothing but lie there, the Midlands on the
rio-ht, and the Grenadiers on the centre and left. The
opposing forces never approached within six hun«lred

"if

j^„^,„^ ..-_.Mn<~-w - ~»— • ii«iiin»n^"innip«*ft|Jfl |i<" iii|il, mi

»j,y-.^= V-

204

CANADA'S NORTH- WEST REBELLtOX.

yards of oach other, unless at Kiinrlown, when, retirinpr to
camp witli tlio .sun's rays in our oycH, the icbely would
crawl u)> and pick men off. This was of niohtly occur-
rence. Monday was a repetition o^ the previous day,
except that tiie !)Oth went out wlnle the Grenadiers
stayed in camp. On the last day c;ime the j^^allant charge
and tlie victoiy. Ours was the most ilismal of all camps.
The plc^ughed earth had turned to dust, to which the
earthworks added their clouds. Hundreds of horses and
cattle superimposed (llthincss ; water M'as scarce and not
fit to diink ; and the area was so linnted that it was next
to impossible foi* the troops, unless in the trenches, to lose
si<:jht of the dead around the hospital, or to get out of ear-
shot ol" the groans of the wounded. This camp had been
undiir lire for sixty hours. Bullets were not constant
visitors, of course, as our lines were extended during the
day, but we were within range all the time, and no one
knew the billet of the next stray bullet. Poor Dick
Hardisty was dead, and the 90th were mad. So were
the Grenadiers, tlie Midlands and the Artilhuy. I don't
mean to say they were mutinous, but they had nearly
reached the limit of su fieri ng. The officers were even
more angered t1ian the men since they knew the mettle of
the troops. It was tacitly agr.:ed among the hehl officers
(at least each reached the sav; 3 conclusion) tljat at the
next opportunity the rebels should be charged and driven
back no matter what the orders to the contrary from tlie
General commanding might bo. Howard (the Connecti-
cut State Guard officer) had begged to take his Gatling
forward, to take it apart and put it in the church, to do
anything or everything, in sliort, to secure a victory.

On Tuesday morning all the mounted force except
French's scouts, led by General Middleton and siipported
by Howard and his Gatling, and Drury, with one of the
Quebec guns, moved out to the platea\i on the east front
of Batoche's for a reconnaissance similar to that made the
day before. They struck the secluded and protected
enemy as usual, and while Drury was throwing shrapnel

AFTER THE BATTLE.

266

r'mff to
would
oCL'ur-
s day,
laiiier.s
charge
camps,
ch the
ics and
nd not
IS next
to lose
of ear-
,d been
)nstant
Ing the
no one
r Dick

were

1 don't
nearly
t) even
ettle of
officers
at the
driven
)m tlie
nnecti-

atliiig

, to do

exce])t
ported
of the
front
idc the
)tectod
rapnel

into the brush ahead of him, poor Kippen, of Dennis's
Hc 'tits, was killed only a few feet from the gun. Pres-
ently, and while tlic skirmisliing was going on, a white
flag was waved from a house on the flank and John
Astley, one of Riel's prisoners, followed hy T. W. Jack.son,
another, came to General Middleton with a note which
has appeared in an earlier portion of this volume.

Soon after dinner the Midlands, under Colonel Wil-
liams, who had been holding the left on our skirmish line,
were reinforced, the Grenadiers, under Grasett, being
pushed oat on the centre towards the church, and part of
the 90th under McKeand sent out on tlie right, one com-
pany being held to assist tlio larger portion of A Battery
and the teamsters in holding the camp, and the rest in
readiness to support their comrades if needed. General
Middleton, who had ridden forward to the church (our
skirmish line having driven the enemy from that vicinity
and into the ravine where the trotible commenced on Sat-
urday), then gave the order for a reconnoissance in force,
and the men were pushed forward. Soon it was evident
tliat the men and their ofHcers were determined to have
more than a reconnoissance. They did not stop nor
cfase firing though General Middleton cried, "Why in
the name of God don't you cease firing?" but kept right
on, and in ten minutes the whole line, advancing to the tune
of a ringing cheer led by Van Straubenzie and the other
colonels, was on the keen run into the ravine. The men
had taken the bit in their teeth. Before they gofc into
the bottom of this ravine Astley appeared with another
white flag and a message from Riei, in which he said he
did not like war, was glad that his former note had
received such prompt attention, and asking that the
troops cease firing in order that the women and children
might be coUecteil. This was altogether " too thin," and
General Middleton replied to Kiel that he would cease
flrinix when the enemy did, and not before. The roar of
the artillery, which had come up at a gallop, leaving one
9-pounder in camp as a protection, was now added to the

•#n-

»*»•«•- <Wf^» .«#«•

•> si > " m f f n| i»iii»» i! i n ny i m i nn iii

^'Hiy**-^

2G6

CANADAS NORTH-WEST IIEIUILMON.

rattle of the SniMors, Winchesters, and Martinis — the
Winnipef^ Field Battery oponinj^ on tlie house in which
the rel)els had hidden, riddlino^ it with shells. A Battery's
nine-poundor was also doin^' ^ood work, while on the
right centre the rackety-crash of the Gatlin«^ showed that
the 9()th had Howard's machine-propelled bullets working
for them.

In half-an-hour or so the troops liad won the key of
the position and could take short rests in one or other of
the numerous gullies which traverse the place. Then
came that saddest of all hails, " Stretcher here !" " Ambu-
lance, quick !" and tlie hospital badges showed in various
portions of the field. Tlieie was room for running since
our front covered more than a mile and a-(|uarter, and the
advance, on the run, through brush and brake, had winded
many a brave fellow, the hot sun adding to the toils of
war.

Th*» din now became furious and on went the advance.
Panic had seized the enemy now, and it was a case of
nauve qui 'peut. One of the Grenadiers bayoneted an
Indian who w^as trying his hardest to get out of a rifle
pit. Many of the dead rebels were in their stocking feet,
having left tlieir posts so hurriedly that they had not
time to don moccasin or shoe, neither of which they wear
when on duty in the pits for any lengtli of time. The
Village Tf Batoche's proper, consisting of five houses, ai d
its su^ js of two, were now in plain view and distant
but a tV hundred yards. Those of the enemy who had
not i<-a away were firing from the row of outhouses on
the east trail, from a gully in rear of Batoche's handsome
two-storey building, and fi-om the hills and brush on the
right. One of the Winnipeg guns under Captain Coutlee
rushed to the right and shelled the bush in advance, and
later Ohampaigne's house in the rear. It took but a few
moments to make the rush to Batoche's new store, and
then to Batoche's old store and house ; and then the day
was won 1 Not a man was killed while in the open,
although several were wounded.

AFTKR THK BATTLE.

2G7

is — tho
I which
attery'.s
on the
eil that
working

I key of
L)ther of
Then
' Ambu-
various
v^ since
and tho
winded
toils of

bdvanco.
case of
leted an
f a rifle
ing feet,
lad not
ey wear
,e. The
ises, a; d
distant
vho had
Duses on
mdsome
1 on the
Coutlee
nee, and
it a few
ore, and
the day
he open,

But one of the saddest losses was at Batoehe's house.
Captain Jack Prci'ch, tall of form, and his Celtic hloodat
boiling heat, rushed to its front door facing the south-
west, and with a "Come on, boys," ran in and up to tho
upi>er storey. He had hardly reacdicd the door when a
bullet from the gully toward th<; ferry pierced his breast
below the heart, and he lived long (Uiough only to say,
" Don't forget, boys, that lied you here." On Saturday
he saved Cook by his personal bravery, snatching liim
from the very jaws of death. It was a brave act worthy
of the Victoria Cross. On Tuesday he led his gallant
little band on to his own do.ith.

Colonel Williams, of the Midlands, was close behind
French anrl, with one of the !)Oth or (Ircuadiors, kicked
in the d(jor of Batoche's, beneath which, in a gloomy hole
called a cellar, were the white prisoners. They had
broken the fastenings of the trap door which penned
them in, but could not lift the stones piled on it, and the
troops did this, letting the imi)risoned ones free. By this
time the Kght was practically over, though to our front
and across the river came scattering shots. 'J^he Indian
and Half-breed camp liad been carried by a few of the
Grenadiers without loss and the inmates had gone in such
a hurry that they left their la'-es and penatesand all their
para|)hernalia of semi-civilized and semi -nomadic lite.
The !)()th was now having about all the fighting there
was, and they kept up their well-earned reputation.
Major McKeand sprained a tendon while chaiginof, but
stayed with his men and suppor*-od the Gatling in its
deadly work.

As the shadows deepened the steamer Northcote,
towing and being towed by the Marquis, came up stream,
and its arrival was received by three rousing cheers,
which, re-echoed by the naval brigade, startled the beaten
and demoralized Metis who lined the crest of the western
bank. Tho dead were gathered, the wounded cared for,
while the helpless women and children flecked in under
a white flair and bivouacked in rear of the blacksmith's

268

CANADA'S NORTn-WEST REBELLTON.

shop. Entronchments were thrown np around the houses
flud the Oatliu^ placctl in position frontinjLj down tho
river, while the re.st of the artillery were sent to the
cam}) to protect it a^'ainst a ] 0HsiV)le, but not probable,
ni},'ht attack. Quite a number of priHoners were taken,
and the rest began to surrender, in hatches. The victory
waH all but coniph te — Kiel and Dumont were not among
the slain or caj)ti;red.

In the morning looting began, and as the Genciral'is
orders previously issued against it could not be enforced,
no interference was made. Some of the men needed
articles of underwear, V>lacking, combs, etc., and these
were hurriedly snatched. Guards were of course put on
the stores, but the ill-assorted stores somehow or other
disappt'ared. Trunks were ransacked and trophies of tie
war secured. Tho rebel state papers were found in the
rebel council room, George Fisher's house, an unpreten-
tious log shack, no attempt liaving been made to secrete
them in the hurly-burly of the excitement. An account
book was opened showing the transactions of the " Gov-
ernment," and that Dumont was in charge of one wing,
and Monkman of the other. The minutes were all in
French, of course, and many were moved by Kiel himself.
One resolution was to the elfect that the movement on
Duck Lake should be made, showing that the affair was
a premeditated one. Other resolutions were in regard to
the movement of tlie rebel forces, which was influenced
by the movements of Middleton's force, whose strength,
daily advance, supplies and forage, etc., were accurately
known. Numerous excerpts from Eastern Canada news-
papers, clippings of paragraphs about Riel, the rebels, the
Government's course, the strength of the Canadian forces,
etc., were also found. French Canadian papers, up to as
late a date as May 4, were also found, as were copies of
Canadian papers, with articles pointing out the weak-
nesses of Middleton's forces. One resolution passed on
Saturday night, and carried unanimously, was that they
jshould go down stream and complete the destruction of

APTEIl THE BATTLE,

269

10 houses
luvvn the
it to the
probable,
re taken,
lO victory
ot a!nonf;

CieiK^rarR
enforced,
n needed
md these
se pub on

or other
dea of ti.e
ind in the
unpreten-
to secrete
.n account
the " Gov-
one wint^,
ere all in
1 himself,
/ement on
affair was

ref^ard to
influenced

strength,
accurately
ada news-
rebels, the
ian forces,
8, up to as
B copies of
the weak-
passed on

that they

ruction of

the steamer Northcote. A letter of welcome from Monk-
man to lliel, written to that indivitUial when iu Montana,
was also discovered.

Batoche's, buth on the east and west V)anka (Batoche
proper, on the oast, beiii;^ the most enterprising place
north of Fort Qu'Appelle), is a veritable village of rifle
pits, strategically located, commanding every available
position, and showing that great energy and labour, as
well as »^kill, must have been expended upon tliem. Ah a
prominent military man remarked, an engineer could pro-
ritably take lessons from these untaught Metis of the
West The rebel position (it could not be called lines,
for the pits run in all places and in all directions), demon-
strated that the plans of di^fence were admirably con-
ceived and excellently executed. It seemed as if they
expected the troops to come along the river bank, and
had prepared a ravine, a short distance up stream, to give
us a warm reception. Weeks must have been spent in
fortifying the place, since every conceivable point of
vanta<T^e for a radius of a couple of miles was utilized.
All their pits were deep, with narrow entrances, which
widened at the bottom, thus giving perfect protection.
Notched logs, the notches turned downwards, forme<i a
parapet, earth being piled on top, and the notches cleared
for loop holes. Lines of sight for the rebel marksmen
were cleared in the brush. There were trenches of com-
munication between the pits, arranged en echelon on the
main road from Humboldt, but fortunately we did not
come that way. Not alone in the field had the enemy
prepared for a determined stand, but the houses in the
village were also ready for an emergency. Even the tents
in which some of the rebel warriors lived were not with-
out protection. Almost every one had a rifle pit, and
under the cart or waggon — for some of these people have
discarded the old-fashioned Red River cart — a parapeted
hole was dug for defence. If they had prepared for us at
Fish Creek, they had a thousand times more so at
Batoche's. It was their last ditch. No trail, no path-

"#»^« Kf^ I A ^f ^WW

270

CANADA S NOUTIl-WKST IlKBEM.ION,

way,ljow('V(^r iriHi<,'iii(icarit, was lot't uii<,'uar<ltj<l ; uo raviijo,
no i^wlly that waH not matlo a point of attack or «lt5f«!nce.

Poiiitin;,' out to inu on tho map tho rebel lineH •^Miard-
ing the main Humi'oldt trail, (ien. Middh'tijn r(3marke(l
hint niglit, "Thf3yare a veritable Sebastof)ol." Middle-
ton's detour to the east lui<i evidently led them to believe
that he vvfus comin<jj that way but, the steamer cotaini^-
lirst, their p^tentic i vas attivfted to the rivei-, as I have
de.scrilied p4 'h ly Mid tlie force slipped in Ijy anotlier
detour to til > ^.) .'h, and we had almost reached tho
church bi^forb ' Ij^y j-'jurd us, so intent were they on
destroying the boat.

liut, as it was, tl»ey managed to k(;e|) our superior
force — su[)erior in numbers, in arms, in artillery, in every-
thing — at bay for nearly four days, and tluMi it was only
that rousing, ringing' cheer and charge that {lrov«3 th(Mn
out. It might not have been that alono. Superstition
may have had something to do with it. I was tohJ by
half-a-dozen IlaU-broed women that on Tuesday morning
Kiel had irono over to the west bank, wliere, after sliakijig
bar Is witli all the peo])le, ho told them that the battle
world be decided that day. Posing as a prophet (he had
previously foretold the darkening of the sun just before
the last eclipse, being almanacally informed), he said to
them that if the sky darkened they would be beaten. Then
the sun was shining bright and clear, in the afternoon
dark clouds rolled up, a few drops of rain fell, and the
evil omen, influencing the mind of the savage and the
semi-savage braves, doubtless helped us materially. This
ends my officer friend's account of the battle.

.*<»■)■ ■wwllf ■■

»o raviiio,
r tlcf«;rico.
OH ^iianl-
[oniaiked

Mi.l.llo-
t/O beliovo
!!• C()i.\in}jf
as 1 liavo
y aiiotlior
clied tlui

thoy on

• superior
ill every-
WUH only
:ovo them
pei'stition
IS told l)y
y morning
}rsliaki?ig
tluj battle
!t (b(; bad
1st bel'oro
10 said to
ten. Tbcn
afternoon
1, and the
e and the
Uy. This

CHAPTER XXI.

THK PUISONKUM AND TIJIC VAN(^UISHR1>.

ITT AD tlie honour, if it be an honour, of being the first
person to place foot on tlie wt.'st bank of the crosHing.
Ivirly in the morning Alex. Fisher, ferryman, Rccelver-
(jonoral and Acting-<j)iiarte?nia>ier of the relxd army
and now a prisoner, canx; over in the ferry >vv, under a
flag of truce, and surrernhinid. On tb-^j ti f was a
picture of our Saviour (for a travesty of ''m!i^.. hi srcnns
to have permeated everything on Tli.'is Mi' paint«Mi on
paper wliich was sewed on the cloth. Tl was accom-
panied by two men. None of thi': o^ course, had
voluntarily gone into tlie fight; but the, had been forced
into it. Fisher was alloNved to go on his par<»le until
G.*}Op.iii., when he was put under guard, .\ccompanied
l>y Geo. Kerr, whoso nam(,' you have luiard before, and
Captain Andrews, T crossed the river. ll<'achi' the
otluT si(h3 a Malf-breed was seen crouching V.K^liin high
slielved bank on the side of tlie terry trail. Wo hailed
him, but he refusL'd to couk; out. One of us then ap(»ke
in b'rench to him, and a half scared man walked out. He
was Fiaiicois l^oueher, and after a cordial sliake of the
hand lie said he caine from tlie Mackenzie lliver. He
had been dragged into the trouble.

•' Where was Riel ? "

" Don't know."

" Which way did he go ? "

" Don't know. He was on the other side of the
river.

" When did vou see him last ?"

" Yesterday (Tuesday). Then he went away."

Ticaving the old mori, we climbed the steep, winding
ascent, viewing the admirably-constructed riile pita

;??;*.

».k';;

272

OAVADAS NOH'H-WKST nKHKr.rjO>i.

which coininan*! th« rivor, pits in tho l)ruMh. pit-n on the
Htoiiy lowcM* bank of th«» rivor, whrrtj the wator almost
lavos th Mn ; stoiiPH piliMJ up in Honiioiicnlar form. iM-hind
which thoy c.niM crouch an«l (l»'jil«)ut "KiaLh an«l «h^stnic-
tion. To tho ri^'ht is a hill, filled with the inevitable
pitH, and on tho top is a white lla.,'. cnibbMu of the hwv.
render. Over tho ferryman's house and store to tho left
flioH another white Uji^, but in tho bushos there still
float two red tlatjs of the redskins.

In the l)ack ;^'round was tlie log building tbrinorly
occupied by Walters «fc Baker as a stoie, but latterly
used a.s head(puirters of tho " northern division" of the
rebel army. It is an utter wreck, testifying to the
destructivoness of the heavy gu.i.s which played on it
during tho fl^'ht.

To tho loft are seen several women and children,

tidying up their tents in tlio woods, and sorrowfully

gathering together their scattered goods, and packing

them in carts. Caves ha I boon dug —ten, fifteen, twenty

feet long —Hve or six wide, and four or five deep — and

these were carefully covered with trees and brush and

earth. In these, (luting the four days' struggle, the

families lived, and ate, and slept if they could. After

ihe customaiy hand-sliaking, and being assured of our

friendliness, they readily answered questions. Two of

them were looking in vain for their husbands who were

across the river, they did not know whether dead or

alive, but hoped for the best; and laughed with joy at

the prospect of peace, and an early rotur'n home. Some

could only speak Indian, others only French, others

again Indian, French, and English. None of them

had a good word for Kiel. By-and-bye Half-breed men

whose suspicions were allayed came riding in unarmed

and extended their hands towards us, and cordially

grasped ours. All of them were sick of the " troubles " ;

all of them denounced Riel and Dumont ; all of them

wanted peace and home. It was curious, though, ho v

unanimous they were in declaring they had been pr68se<l

TITK PUlHoNinS AND TTIK VANQIMSHFD.

273

n on the

r uliiiuNt
), tirhiiul

i(^vi table

tho Mur-

> the loft

KTO Htill

['orniorly

latUrly

of tho

\f to the

■^d on it

chihlron,
Towfully

packing
I, twenty
pep — and
rusli and
jghi, the
i After
d of our

Two of
ho were

dead or
joy at
Some
others
r>f them
'eed nuni
unarmed
sordially
)ubles " ;
of them

gh, ho V

pressed

into service. Of over twenty with whom I oonvofHod,

n<»t one iwid join(»d Riel willingly. To one he had
thri;atened arrest ; to another <lt ath ; to a third the
niassacre of Win wife and ehildren, if i»e faih'd to join tho
iiisur^'eiit I asked, '* Well, if y«m were all made to
servo, why on earth didn't you rehel a^'ain.st tho H'Mh i"
liHt I clid not j^et any Nati.sfnt'tory answer. If what they
^aid was true, and I am ineliiied to believe iimny of them,
it only s'aows that lvi< Is o?i;aid7.<Mi few t«Trori/,ed tho
iinor!;'aniz.'«l many. But douhtless Honie of them lie.

In the iiftirnoon many others eanie in on ponie.s, hut
all iinjirmed, Tlwjre were forty or fifty of th«'m, with
their familie.s, camped a mile out in the hnsh. One of
them toM me his story — sevt ral of tliem did for that
matter, ijiit thi.s was a particularly hard one. He said, in
answer to my qiiery, that ho had no j^niovance whatever;
he lived on an Indifiu reserve. Kiel liad taken his cattle,
an'l hy threats i'oiccl liini to join lli> stayeil two di\.yn
in the woods during' the tiu:ht witli nothing to eat, and
only water to drink. " And now," he said, as \ut cursed
lliel with a good r»)und oath, " hero I am, without my
cattle, without my horse, not even my gun. No land
ready; no seed: nothing l)Ut starvation ahead of me. I
have no tobacco, no tea, and my family is starving." T
suggested that he could ))e nwide rich by citeliirjg Kiel
and delivering him up to the authorities, and he told mo
tluH they had already been di.scussing that question on
the west bank.

Another's was quite as sad a case. He was a young
man, with a crij»ple<l Av'^'e, who lay sick, terror-stricken,
and alone in )ier gloomy cave while the bullets' ping and
the shrapnels' whi// almost deafened her. A briglit lad
of eighteen, Francois Boucher, the younger, gave me the
best descri lotion of tho tight. He said in English : —

"I \va.s hiding in the bush, and I was pretty scared.

I don't like tliis fighting. When the ship (tanu; down the

river one man sliot hard at it. When it stuck on the

ferry rope our men thought everything was smasluw?

f^ JM * < JML ii -I ■ a I ■ miJ p BUi | L j

^•mrj-w

274

CANADA'H NOHTH-WI-iJT IIRBKUJUN.

and tlir» MoUri' all kill« .1 tli.v rnll the troops nollro}. One
iiiiui Miiil that )i« linil H(M>ii twHiiiy police fjiil over hoard
(lead, nnd ii'ul vviiH cortniii the hoat would Im his whon
h<' wa?it«Mi it. Hi» tl.oiij^ht it whm Htiick on a Hand bar
tlowii tho rlviT and you were all doad on it. On Stinday
ni;j;ht. Iw sonl hmmo nn-n down to loot it, Imt wh«n thoy
got iluH'i) tlu^ l»unt wivM ;;ono. Thoy canio htmk and t!u»

MAJOR n H. AT.r.AN, Q.O. lU

Indians said that tlif! devil had litte<l tlie big iron (the
anclior) up and the lioat iiad gono away."

Thon he told me the story of Rid'.s visit to the west
bank the previous evening, his hand-shaking witli the
people, and liis warning about the blackening sky ; and
about Riel being a second Messiah, and how he imposed
u[)on the people and himself.

THR PniHONK.HM AND TIIF VANQIMSIIFI).

27ft

b). One
er hoRril
\h wh«»M

Smulay
hon thoy

iron (tlio

tlie west
witli the

sky ; and

A nuin^wr laid th of the trouhhv^ upon
Chiirley Nolin, wlio. ihoy alloj{<», was tht; |)rinu» in^ti^'ut^r
of tho iipiiMln^, And th^MHUj ri'snon.siblc Utr MwVh udvmt
anion^f^t thoin , hut, th«<y ftdtUMl, ho out conn(*etion with
thoin wlion loud-mouthiMl A;;itati(»n ^avn v \y to tho
ririo and tlu) shotj^'un. Ho, hoWfVtT luid handc I around
tho little pap«;r had;.j('H whirh thoy wore on thf hipp' 'm
ot' their coatH, l)ad^r,s with roli^ious di'viccM.

Tlio men wtui' p«'nit<M»t ''vcn I'ur thoironforcorl partici-
pation in (i« ryiuK' ^'»*^ Queen, atid only wanted to
hunendor. A p'ii'st <*an»e over, ai\d thoy MtMit in their
j(unji, nearly one hundred in tunnhcr. St)inr of tliesu
were fine \V ineht^stcr.s, a Snider or two, a Queens Own
rirte, a 8prinj;tield carbine, MUpposcd io have heen taken
from tho Custer battletieM, and shot ^uns of every
description, sin^de and dfiiMt luirrelled and oM Hint locks,
sonu5 almost entirely usdrss. It seemed almost iucredihle
that, pooily armed as th^^se imm were, they n)!uia.,'ed to
pour in such a hot tiro on .is as they did. hut the Metis
know how to us«^ a t^un, and they always make tho best
of the weapon they have.

I'assing a grove, on tho way l)aek to the boat, some-
thing white suspended to a tree attivicted attention. It
was a picture of tlie " Sacrrd Heart of Jesus," neatly
diape<l with pure white muslin, attached to the canl
hoard by those common little tin tags which tobncco
smokers know so well. The place was a little sylvan
shrine where tho terror-stricken women knelt and prayed
to God in the very midst of the swirl of life and death.

1 asked several who the manias thatthevhad hannrcd
on the ' aturday previous. They all denied any knv)wledge
of it. v" )me said the Indians had put uj) some feathers
in tho trcrs as a decoy for the shots of tho polite, hut I
told them feathers did not wear coat and pants, ^^till
they vehenu^ntly averred that no one was hanged there.
A dozen men in the steamer are prepar(ui to swear
that they saw a man dangling in tlie air. U is strau""-
if bo many could have been mistaken.

*^-.— ^^». ^ . m y^ •.-♦*^. •--

■■*■■ fm * , * f } n Hi i j/ i<T>n m

270

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST HEBELLION.

At Bfltoche's propor, the village had ehannred from a
battle field to a busy camp. On the right of what Wi^md
be the main .street were the women and children, safely
and comfortably living in tents. From these I learned
that they at least were glad the war was over. It was
the old story : Kiel had made their men come. Mrs.
Tourand, who lives at Fish Creek, told me that of
her husband's six brothers two had been killed, two
wounded and one made prisoner. A married sister-in-
law sat be.^itle her, venting her grief in tears and lamen-
tations. They had been all hungry, and for over tw(inty-
four hours during the tight had had nothiugto eat. None
of them were hurt, although a spent ball eufc otF a piece
of one woman's hair, and two innocent little babies were
so closely grazed by bullets that a scratch was left on
their dr.sky skins. I asked the women where Riel was.
They didn't know. When was he last seen ? One con-
temptuously sneers at the fallen leader: "Bah!" she
says, "he is a woman. He stayed all day yesterday
with the wonuju and children, and he told the others to
go and fight. He calls us women because we can't fight ;
but he is a woman himself/'

As the prisoners were brought up in a waggon, pre-
paratoi y to being transferred to the steamer, a heart-
rending scene ensued. Imagining that they were to be
hanged or sent away for ever, wives rushed up and fondly
embraced their husbands, and then held up the prattling
babes for the father to take a farewell kiss. The little
ones laughed and crowed as babies will, but their childish
glee was in strange contrast to the tear-stained faces of
the women, whose anguish could not be oncealed. One
touch of nature makes the whole world kin ; and those
signs of grief from helpless women caused many a battle-
stained soldier to turn arude and wipe away a tear. The
women were comforted as well as words could comfort,
Lud assurances were given that their husljands would not
be harmed unless they were leaders. With grief partly
assuaged, the women turned to their tents, their faces

THE PRISON f'RS AND THE VANQUISIIRD.

277

from

it wu 1 1 id
1, sat'uly
learned
It was
10. Mrs.
that of
le(i, two
lister- in-
i lanicii-
twenty-
it. None
F a piece
jies wore
IS lei't oil .
R,iol was.
)ne con-
li!" she
'esterday
others to
ii't fight ;

gon, pre-

heart-

re to bo

id fondly

^rattling

he little

r childish

1 faces of

ed. One

nd those

a battle-

ar. The

comfort,

vould not

ef partly

leir faces

111 1 in tlicir haiidkorchi^rst. Lot n=« 1 'avo thcni with
tin'ir 'Oirovv. The fortunes of war are to them a dread-
ful burden.

Let mo tc1l the plan disclosed in the state papers of
the rebels. Wlieu we were encanipt'd at M<dnt wh's, the
night before the Fish Creek tlgiit, (J 0>rio^ Duniont's
designs were to make an attack upon Middh^ton. In the
dead of night, while the camp in faneiiul security was
seeking well-earned repose, the rebel force, five hundred
strong, was to steal up, as only these phiiusinen can creep
upon a foe, overpower the pickets and sentries, and before
the men could be aroused, to sweep thiough the camp
like a whirl-wind. In the darkness and confusion suc-
cess might have followed the daring deed. Our command
was divided, as Dumont well knew, by the wide Sas-
katchewan; communication was cut off between the two
columns, the scow being in an inaccessible place ; and if
the orders given had not been misinterpreted by some
stupid brave, the rebels might have Ijoasted of a victory.
Fortunately for us, there was a misunderstanding amongst
tlie different divisions of the rebels, some of their strength
did not reach the rendezvous in time, some did not come
at all, and the surpiise was postponed. Tiittle did we
know how near to death's door many of us lay that night.

The prisoners released from Batoche's house all bear
the deep imprint of the hardships they have undergone
durincf their long imprisonment, their pale, pinched faces
and emaciated forms furni.shing indisputable proof of
sufferings, both bodily and mental. They are easily
picked out from among the many civilians about the
camp, and it is moving to see the eagerness with which
they grasp the hands of some acquaintance one or another
may chance to meet. One of them is so overjoyed at
beino- released that he shakes hands with overybody he
approaches. Short rations, the close continement, and
^he terrible suspense under which they lay, not knowing
what moment might be their last, have done their woi'k ;
and it will take weeks of care before their systems again

•••H^^T' T'Ni^-f— r^- — -"gwyi^i w«i^ w i ^m> ' .»

•"TT^T"**^'^*^^^*** ■*'**" *^*' -*—«n»" "^f, ^-

278

CANADA'S NollTlI-WES'l' UKHKLLION.

recover their wonted vioroui'. ^)iie and all af(roe tlmt Imt
a short time longer and reason niuHt have given way
beneath the terrible strain. Tiu; prisoners redcned W(;re
as follow: —

J, Ji. Lash, Indian Agent for Carleton district; Wni.
Toinkins, agency inter) )ivt(;r ; Peter Tonikins, a cousin of
the former, and John \V. AIcK.enn. telegraph repairers ;
Harold Ross, deputy slierif!' of Prince Albett, and Win.
Asth\y, D.L.S., who were arrested on a scouting exijedi-
tion ; Edward Woodcock, who had charge of Leesin »^'
Scott's mail station at Hoodoo; A. W. McOonnell, one of
General Middleton's scouts, and T. E. Jackson, druggist,
of Prince Albert, brother of "Crank " Jackson. ''Crank"
Jackson himself, and Albert Monk man, whose name has
obtained uuj)leasant pronjinence during the rising, were
also found in continenient.

From the j)risoners I have gleaned the following pjir-
ticulars of their capture and continemont ; Mr. Lash, the
agerjt, accompanied by Mr, Tomkins, liis interpreter, were
on their way from Carleton to One Arrow's reserve, about
five miles from Batoche's. on agency business, on the
afternoon of the 18th March. When they were near
Batoche's church they were surrounded by a mob of
between fifty and sixty armed nien, under the leadership
of Riel and Gabi iel Dumont. Some of the crowd at once
unhitched the horses, and Kiel informed Mr. Lash that
the rebellion had begun, and that he was obliged to
detain liim and Tom kins as prisoners. They were taken
to Batoche's church an^l kept there until eveniug when
they were taken to Walters &l Baker's store on the north
side of the river and ))rought back again the next day.
At midnight on the LSth the teh^graph wires were cut,
the line going " wide open " in tlio very middle of a tele-
gram of the greatest importance. Peter Tomkins. a
consin of the telegraph operator', undertook to go out and
repair the break on the condition that he should be
accompanied by a companion. Several men having been
asked to go and having declined, J. W. McKIeen, the

THE PRISONERS AND TUE VAN(^l' ISIIED.

270

miller in charge of l^t'aupr^'H mill at St()l>art, or Du<;k
Lake, volunteered. They set out shortly al'ti-r 1 a.m. on
snowshoes, drawing their tools on u flat aleii^h, following;
the line through the bush until nrar the cnjssiui^, where
they found the line cut and bevoral poles chopjud down.
Without a moment's delay they set about re[>airing tlie
damage, and had just completer I their labours, luiving
made three splices, and were gathering up tlu^ir tools
preparatory to the homeward journey, when thoy were
surrounded by between twenty and thirty men who
demanded their surrender. One man tapped MeKeen on
the shoulder and informed him that he was a prisoner.
Havin<T no arms thev made no resistance, but accom-
panied their ca[)tors to Walters & Baker's .store where
they were kept over nij^dit, Kiel was i>ne of the party
and was what the Half-breeds called the talking chief,
while the redoubtable Dumont was tlu' cliief fighting man.
Another couple of the prisone7-s, Harold E. Ross and
W. Astley, were captured on a scouting expedition on the
morning of the 2Gth of iMarch, the day of the battle at
Duck Lake. They left Fort Carleton between 11 and 12
o'clock on the night of the 2.jth, with the view of gaining
the high ground in tlie vicinity of the St. Latirent mis-
sion by daylight, in order that they might ascertain if
any steps had been taken by the rebels to intercept Com-
missioner Irvine, who was momentarily e.Kpected to arrive
at Carleton. A short distance out from the last-named
place they met Jerry Mcd\ay, who had Ijeen scouting on
Beardy's reserve, and he told them to be very careful, as
that chief did not like people travelling acro.ss his reserve.
McKay, however, a.ssured them that the journey to Duck
liake was quite safe, Beardy being the only ugly feature
of it. This they did not consider of a sutKciently alarming
nature to cause them to turn back, and they resunied
their journey travelling leisurely in order that they might
arrive at St. Laurent at t'

app<

cam.

over the last hill near Duck Lake they were, as
they subsequently learned, perceived by the pick* t from

280

CANADA 8 NOUTII-WKST UKHKM.ION.

tlio [iidlans* 1iou«os near Mio trail. Sljorlly lioforo thi.s,
ArtlK'V chIKmI Ross's atinitioii lo wliat lie tli()ii,u;lit was a
man li-^fhtinj;' liis i)iiH', I'ub as t!io latliT lia<l not noticed
it tlicy paid no iurtlior « Mention to tlio matter. A.st^oy
proceeded down die iiill tlu^ Hal I- breeds rode out and
down in their rear, the ^o^t snow, wliicli liad heer\ Tallin;^
all evenin;^', completely nniMlinLj' the I'oolstep.s of then*
pursuers' liorses until they weie 'piite ujion them.

Uearin*?; a noise bcddnd liim, Itoss hu^Ucd hack and
saw J)umont at tlie head of ahout twenty mei , with a
ritle in his liand. (jiahriel at once cried out, "^'urrendcr,
youVe scouts." Astle.y did not h 'ar the call, whereupon
Ross tapped him on the slu>ulder and said, " 'I'hey're
on top of us," and wdieeled his liorse aroiuid. l)unu)nt
ilium (liately seized him by the foot and orderetl liim to
dismount, which Ross refused to i\o. The rehel Adjiitant-
Oeneral. as he .stvled himself in liis olKcial dt)cnments,
then attempted to [)ull Ross oil' upon which tin; latter
cnileavoured to draw his revolver. Two Indians i(ot on
each side of liim, and those on the rii^ht pulled his foot
from the stirrup, and Dumont succeeded in unhorsin;^'
him, and in doiu<j^ u) discovered tlio revolver, whidi ho
demanded. Ross drew it at once, not to f.jive it up, how-
ever, hut lor the p^irpose of administering a leaden pill
to an Indian wlio liad covered nim with a gun, at the
same time .seizing Dumont by tlic throat with his
disengaged hand, to prevent his intevference. Feeling
sometliing touch his head b(>hind, Ross looked around,
and found himself covered by two more ginis, seeing
which he surrendered. Astley, in the meantime, liad
endeavoured to escape, hut perceiving his comrade was
not ioUow^ing, turned back to hi-^ assi?jtance, when ho also
was surrounded and taken. The two unfortunate scouts
were couductt.HJ to Duck Lake, where they were joined
the next morning by their companion.s in misery.

A nuniber of others were also in confinement, but the
majority were only iinprisoned for a short time. Those
97 uo wcarephcod in Wallers »S: Baker's store ior safe-keep-

-> was a

fioticod

A.s Oiuy

)ut and

I I'.'ill'mg

jF till; I r

•

,cl( arul
with a

They're
Diiiuont
him to
Ijiitant-
iiinontH,
latter
<X,^t on
his foot
liorsiiv'
hidi Jio
), how-
en pill
at the
th his

around,
.seeing

ne, had
ie was

he also
seonts
joined

but the
Thuse
\eep-

THE miSoNliUS AND TUK VANQUiSllfcJ).

281

in|jf were OTdy kej)t tlicH' duiinu' tlui ni'^ht of tlu^ istli,
and w^ore removed to Ijatocho'.s chureh the next muining,
and tlio next i\[\y were remove'il to tlie residence of
Philippe (iarnot, StM-ietary of tlie I'm visional Gov.-in-
nient. Amonj;; the otiier prisoners were ^JeoM^'e Ness,
Louis Marion, and Cliarles Nolin, liall-hrneds, wIjo had
refusi'd to take up arms ; VVallcis, of Walter'* k i)ak(;r,
and J. I>. Hanafin, a eleik in their employment ; Edward
Woudccek, already referrtid toas eaptuieil at lioodoc>,and
'i'hoiiuiH SandeiKon, of Carrot Uiver, who liapiKUwd to
liave camped at that place the ni;_;ht it was plundere<l.
The evening they were removed to Uarnot's hf)use a
couiuul was held, alter whieli Kiel infoiTued thcpiisonerH
that Charles Nolin was sentenced to ileath, and wouhn)e
shot that night if ho did not suhmit. Ui(d also tohl them
that tlie rehidlion was i;ainin^ strength, and would carry
everythinn' hefore it, and that it was the intention of the
Council of Saskatehowan to maicl; on to Carleton in such
force that the jMjIice Avould sunender without a shot
heing fii'cd, and Carleton once <lisposod of Prince Albert
could easily be captured, as there was but a mere handful
who did not sympathize with the movement. Marion
was also told that he wuuld be "attended to " if he did
not submit. Both Nolin and Marion gave in their
adherence, but the latter deserted th(i next day, and Nolin
on the day of the Duck Lake engageme- fc. Ness sto<,"l
>iut to the last, but was released I'orsoni' ason urd<nowi)
'/) his fello^' -prisoners, while flanatin a* \^'altel•s were
also permitted to go a few days lat< as the council
decided they would only detain nien w o were servants
of the Dominion Government. On Mie evening of the
25th March Duck Lake was taken b\ liC rebel ai my, and
the next morning the prisoners wme moved over, the
upper storey of Mr. MitchelTs house btwig put into service
as a piison. Up to this time thoy had been reasonably
well fed, as their captors had plenty of plunder, and were
also freely supplied with tobaeco ; but they were kept
under close surveillance an<l allowed to i d,lk to no one.

282

CANADA S NuinH-V\ liST REIJEIXION.

Aft<3r till' fi;ifhtat Duck I/ikt;, (labriol Dimiont enteif*d
i\\c prison and <>iiU:iiMl the |)ri.soners to be taken out and
sliot, but the men in e}iiir;,'(! refused to obviy tne order.
The Indiana were pajticiihirly anxious to have revenge,
but were restrainecf nuiinly tlirouj^'h the instruiiiontality
of Monkman. The Provi.sional Government held a council
meetiuir whicli lasted tliroiiLdi tlie afternoon of the 2Gth
and the early m(»rninjj: of the 'J7th, during which tliey
considered the adsijability of sending one or two prison-
ers over to Ciirleton to see if some terms of settlement
could not be agreed upon, and al^o to invito the police to
come over for the dead. It was, however, decided to
liberate Sanderson and send Idin with the message to
]\lajor Crozier conceiniiig the removal of the bodies, and
this was done, the messenger being furnished with a
horse and jumper, and an escort through the lines. After
Sanderson left Ricl came, when Ross asked for permission
for one or two of the prisoners to visit the field of battle
and put tlio bodies in a safe place to protect them from
dogs and wolves, to which reqitest consent was given.
Wm. Tomkius and Ross went out that evening under a
strong e^icort of Half-breeds and Indians, and placed the
dead in a vacant house near by. Wldle this was being
done, the Indians said : " We'll shoot the white doirs."
" This is a les.'v M for yo ," and similar comforting expres-
sions. On Sunday aftornoon, March 28, T. E. Jackson,
Thos. Sanderson, and Wm. Drain arrived with teams for
the dead and left the same night, although Drain was
made prisoner for a time and his case was brought before
the council ; but he wa.s released on explaining that he
was present at the light against his will. Riel learned
from them that Carleton had been evacuated, but refused
to belie\'e it until he 1 ad sent over scouts to reconnoitre*.
Having satisfied himyelf on this score the prisoners were
moved over on the 31st March to Carleton, under a
detachment in charge of Monkman. The accidental fire
on the night of the evacuation had only destroyed the
hospital and guard room, warehouse, and orderly room.

THE PRiaONEns AND TllK VANQUIHIIED.

28.1

enttM>»d
out aiul
e order,
revenge,
entality
I council
the 2Gth
ch tliey
) priaon-
btlement
police to
cideJ to
sssage to
lies, and
1 with a
. After
ruiission
of battle
em froiQ
s given,
under a
,ced the
IS being
dogs."
expres-
ackson,
jams for
bin was
It before
that he
learned
refused
Innoitrf'.
srs were
indev a
btal iire.
ed the
room*

The ITulsori's Bay Oomprtny's clerk's quarters wore fittojl
up lor a guartlroom and the prisoners pluoivl in the upper
Htoiey, witii a strong guard, Moidtman assigning tliern a
man and wonjan to <'ook and wait upoti them TIk- after-
noon they ariived at ('aileton two teams in charge of
Charles L'HcureuX; of Battleford, werijcapturod on tlieir
way from Prince Albert to the 'atter plucr;. At midnight
of the 2nd of April the ;4M!irds wakened tlwiin and ordered
them to roll tlu;ir bli.nkcts and [ir<!pare to le.ive. This
was done, and all th'„^ buildings were set on lire, the
evacuating pjirty arriving at Duck Lake ut 10 a.m. on the
3rd. The prisoners vv:re at firyt eon)]>(dled to walk, but
a "kick " was instituted after five miles ol' the road had
been traversed, and they were ])eiuiitt(Mi to ride on
Rlei«rhR for the remainder of the road. At l)uek Lake
the buildings were gutted and lired and the march
resumed to Batoche's, wliere they foimd the ice breaking
up and the water running on th;- iile.

The open water was crossed iii i»onts, an<l Uu) pi-i-^on-
ers placed in Uapbiste Boyer's house, being guai-<ied by
numerous seniries, who were ordered to tire on anyone
attempting to escape without calling on him to halt.
They were fed on bannocks, !)oiled beef and t'.'ii. The
lower storey was occupied by Sioux Indians, who kc,ttup
a continuous drumming, thus preventing shep at night.
On 19th April they w^cre put in a (cellar and kept all day,
the hatch being closed and braced down with an upright
post wedged in tightly against the ceiling. In the after-
noon the Sioux h id a big dance, and made a demand for
A. W. McConnell, of Qu'Appelle, who had been captured
while carrying despatches to Prince Albert for General
Middleton, avtM'iing tliat a man who carried news had no
ri;i"ht to live. When the guards refused to give him up,
they wanted to go into the i-oom below the one occupied
by the victim of their dislike and tire throu Ji tlie ceiling,
and it required twenty men to prevent it. Sev eral shots
were tired outside, which the ]K)or fellows in the cellar
imajrined were directed ai^ainst McConnell, and the effect

284

Canada's nortii-wkst rkih?llion.

on tlioir foelin^s can better bo imaf^intMl than despvll d
ALjaiu wlji'U word cjiino that the iroopH were on the way,
tlie men were contlnod \n tlie collar for two (lays, Ijcinjr
fell twice a day on hoilcd heef and cold water, tlioir gaol-
ers assLTtin^ that there was neither Hour nor tea. Again
on the 2.'hd April, at 10 a.m., they were ordered down
cellar, and the two Toird<insos wen^ tied han<l and t'o tt,
the remainder having tlieir hands tied liehind their lmcI\H
by order of Delorme, who threatetied to slioot any wlio
HhouM get loose. ^I'hey were not allowed out under any
pretext whatever, and did not receive anything to eat
until 4 p.m. on the 24th (the day of the liattle of I'ish
Cr<ek.) On Saturday, the 25th. Monkman l)rought tlnin
out an<l plaecd them in their old quart ci.s, where tliey
were allowed to remain until the 4tli of May, when they
were again put down cellar and kept tliere until relea.sed
by the troupH on the 12th, with the exception o* a few
hour.s on the 7th.

JJuring the four days* fighting stone.s were piled on
the hatcliway in lieu of extra guards, &h men were re-
quired in the rifle pits. They could hear the firing every
4ay, arrl one day a .shell pa-ssed through the building.
)n the 12th lliel opened the hatch and called out, " Astley,
Astley, come quick and stop the tirin<^ : for if thf^y kill
any of our women and children we will massacre all the
prisoners." Astley was sent out three times with a flag
of truce, the last time getting three bullets through the
flag, and another cutting the stick in two on which it was
borne. The hole in which the prisoners were confined
was only about sixteen feet square and nine feet deep,
wita neither tiuors nor walls, and utterly devoid of any
me ns of lighting or ventilation, and in these crampcMl
and unhealthy qiiarters they were obliged to eat and
sJieep and take such exercise as its narrow limits would
permit. So strict were the restrictions imposed upon
theni that they were not allowed outside to answer tLe
calls of nature.

THK IMJISONKUS AND THE VANQL'ISIIED.

283

^hc way,
,'«, V)ein<^
eir gaol-
Again
h\ down
nd fo )t,
sir I lacks
\]iv wlio
xAvv any
g to eat

of t'ish
[ht th( m
pro tlioy
ion they

released
0* a lew

piled on

were re-

ig every

juildifig.

' Astley,

bf^y kill

i) all the

1 a flag

ugh tho

li it was

bontinod

)t deep,

of any

[ramped

jat and

would

u upon

lai tLe

When they heard tho trampling of feet overhead tho
most conMicting hojies and Icars filU'd Uieir minds, and
the few Neeonds wliiih elapsed while the stones wero
being cleared away from the |)ri,sori di'tjrs, weio niomenls
of the severest ,siisp(-Tis(' — hopes that the t,inic of rescue
had come, fears that lliel i>r some of Ijis followers had ro-
turncil to carry out i\u\ threat of tin.' morning, and wioak
Hummary veng«'ance u]»oii them. Imaginrif you can the
delight and relief which tilled their minds when they
found that realization had met t^eir hopes instead of tlmir
fears. Some of them coidd scarcely contain themselves
for joy, and ''ag*'rly shot>k hands with their reseuers and
then shook hands all around again. But the niilitaryhad
other work to do, and an escort was told oil" by General
Middletun to conduct them to tliecamp, where they weie
made as comfortable as cuuld bo, and after lIk^ ti<d>t were
congratulate*! by nearly every man in the force, many of
whom felt that an important portion of their duty had
been discharged.

Dumont occupied the grand dwelling house of M.
L'Etendre dit Bat^elie, who is away from home. TI\o
building is pretty badly demoralized, and doubtless the
thiit'ty anil discreet Batoche will push a heavy claim
a:;ainst t!ie Government for damages. Kiel occupied less
pretentious (juarters, sometimes in one building, at other
times in another, and i": (njuently remaining in camp. Both
are married, Dumont boiugnhildless, and Riel having two
little ones, whom he took with him inhistlight. Dumont
is said to have lost every dollar and Kiel has not a cent
at stake in the country, owns not a foot of land, has not
even a horse, and possesses only wliat little money his
dupes gave hiin. The people of Batoche's, however, were
not mere men of straw, in one place was found a lat
pocket-book with $40 in cash in it, and in another there
was JJ15 of etpially good and lawful money.

As has been p* wiously stated, Kiel has been posinf as
the founder of a new religion, the frincipal feature of
which is that he claims to be the tliaa referred to by

286

CANADA'S NOinH-WKMT RKHKr.r.TON.

Jpsufl Oiri.st, as he who must first C(im« to changfl all
thiii<:^H. H<' <*alls himsi'lf l)avi<l, and .si^'n.s his i, uuotlius:
Louis " ])uvi<l" Rif'l. Tho lirst olian^^o ho iiitro lucod wtw
r('h( llioii a<;i\in.st tlie nri^^ts, which liu formally did .shortly
V)»'t'oro tho l-iiiltlo of I)iiok Iwiko; utid as it was a part of
h'lH ndiirious tcachinjxH tluit «'ac'}i chniijjfo Hhould uo fol-
h)wed hy u victory for the rohel arms, it was with a
doidtlo {jf ratification t)»at he poinhMJ to tho advantaj,'o
trained at Durk Lake*, as the first instaliTiont of the fiijlil-
meiit oT his |troj)hecy. Al)oiit a fortiii;^ht aijo hu chani;i'd
tlio Sunday to Saturday, and c'onttMn[)lat('d dianorin^' the
UMJiKs of all the days of tho wee'" had uot the (Joruph'te
extinction of tho reUoUion interfer'nl with his phiyiij;^' tho
roU of Klias any Ion;:>or. He was very lond of proplicsy-
inj?, hut was clover enou.i^h to coufh his prognostications
in the va^^uest possible terms. For example, he told hia
followers that the .steamhoat should drink water, an ex-
pression winch may 1)0 taken to moan nuiny thini^.s. He
also told them that troops were oomiuf,' from the United
States to assist tlieni, hut wlien they failed to api)ear ho
explained that the Almi[:(hty had elianged His mind and
had ordere<l liim not to seek outside aid as it would I'c-
dound nioi-e to His glory to gain a victory with a small
force. f)ut it is needless to go further, as a hook could he
filled with similar prophecies and explanations for their
non-fiilfihuent or ingenious interj)rotations to fit passing
events. The rebel leader was fond of religious dovoti«jn,
and s[)ent hours in prayer.

Besides endeavouring to delude his credulous 1\)1 lowers
into the belief that he was a heaven-born saint sent for
their particular benefit, lliol deceived them by keeping
information from them. They never knew that General
Middleton had issued a proclamation telling them that if
they laid down their arms and returned to their homes
they would be protected, but their loaders would have to
suffer. He carefully kept that back. He also told them
that the Americans, fifteen thousand strong, were coming
to his assistance ; but when some of the Indian prisoners

ianp;e all

mo thus :

ic«m1 wtus

(1 HJutrtly

a part of

I bo JoU

< with a

Ivanfcjii^'o

ho fiiKil.

chllilL;iMl

i^ii)^' the

i;oMi|>loto

,yiii;^' the

roplusv-

iticatioMs

) to!<l liis

!r, an ex-

lOfs. lie

Unitoil

|^])C'ar ho

lind and

ouhl rc-

a small

could he

for their

passiiiL,'

cvotioii,

fol lowers
sent tor
Icocping

(i(Miei'al
1 that it'
jr homes

liave to
lid tliem

coming
Irisonera

THK nilH(»XKIta AND THK VANgn.SHKO.

287

found out IrtNt ni;,dit from ourscouts thatit wawati Am^Ti-
can who work»'d thi- mivnotoii, as th»*y call* d tho (Jatlirnj,
tht7 lost faith in ttieir loader cntiif'ly. Spoakijifl; of thin
iinw thoy Mai(i it rainod htdlotsso fjwtthatthoy ooidd n<»t
p .|» thoir liortd.M (jut oftho ritle pits t« npo wIuto to Htioot ;
that is, if they wor« '^n\n^ to shoot, which most of them
content led they were noi,.

CAl'T. J. M. L»h. .\MKIlK, lJ.(t.U.

As near as can be asc'itainod, the robel strergth
acrt^egated f<Hir hundred and fifty men, of whom two
hundred and fifty are l]aU-l>roeds. Mr. Lash, one of
riiol's prisoners, calculates thoniimhor as about fourliun-
dred, his impression of the division of the races being two
hundred and fifty Metis and (tne hun<lred and fifty
Indians. There were, women and children included, over
one thousand in camp. The Intlians were three bands of

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

i.l

- 1^

tiS.

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

1-25 1.4 1.6

■9 6"

►

'<fc^

33 WEST MAIN STREET

WErSTER.N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

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II pi|i>ii<i ^^|i^ ^iivHii fip p^i I ijxai«f( •

288

CANADA'S NORTH- WKST REBETJJON.

■ I

S I

I I

Croofl, tliose of One Arrow, Beardy, ard Okaiii'^sis ; and
the band of White Cap, a Sioux, rcne.ride.s of the Minne-
sota and Custer niassacre.s, living around Prince Albert.
Their provisions were not exhausted, and a large ((uantit '
of stores was captured at Hatoche's. Beel' was plentifij'
and considerable aniniunition was discovered, the powder
beiiicj of Curtis' Enijjlish manufacture. Wheie the Gat-
ling gun had been playing, the trees had been cut by the
rebels and Howard's bullets extracted at night and util-
ized in the next day's fight. The men kept to their pits
during the four days' siege of Batocho, night and day,
scarcely going in for provisions, and the extremity to
which some of them were reduced was evidenced by the
mutilated remains of horses and of the dog "Colonel," of the
90th, from which steaks had been cut and eaten. Rein-
forcements were expected, and an Indian band, some fifty
strong, were coming in the day after the fight to help
Riel; but were intercepted by the subdued Half- breeds
ten miles away and told to go homo for the war was over.

The following is a translation of the rules and regula-
tions of the rebel array, posted on a house, evidently
nsed aa a guard room, on the we.stern side. Common
foolscap paper is used. The " artny " had not indulged
in the expensive luxury of printing, but one of the
A. J). C.'s had written out the regulations with a blue
pencil : —

Reixulations which the soldiers should observe to the
letter: —

1. The soldiers will rise at 6 a.m.

2. The roll-call will be made at 7.30.

3. They should be resp netful to their captains and
tho.s ■ other persons who are charged with their supervi-
sion and control.

4. They shouM be obedient and submissive to those
who have the authority to command them.

5 They should be active, watchful and careful,
f). T'K^v should keep their houses clean and tidy, as
also their arma.

» T« -» i j l^wr i f «.;* - -y H )"W,» ^ 1 1 •T^'iTS^'^^'

'f^^ltpt'

TUK rUlSONERS AND TUK VlNgillSHED.

289

u'^sis ; and
the Minne-
nco Albert,
e (jufintil 7
IS plentiful
tlui po\V"lor
•e the Gat-
cut by the
it and utll-
) their pits
,t and (lay,
ctremity to
iced i)y tho
onel," of the
ten. llein-
ijSOine tifty
yorht to help
HaU'-breetls
ir was over,
and regula-
k evidently
(. Comiaon
ot indulged
one of the
vith a blue

■ierve

to the

iptains and
leir supervi-

|ve to those

reful.

ind tidy, as

7. Kvery morning their ann.s should be inspected at 9
o'clock.

8. No soldier will bt^ allowed to leave his company
without the permission ot* his captain.

9. Each captain should look after his company, see to
its needs and treat the men impartially.

10. Each soldier siiould keep tho guard wliich lie ia
called upon to do conscientiously, on a(M;ount ot" the very
great responsibility which rests upon him.

13y order,

Gabriki. Dumont, Adjutant-General.

St. Antoinc, May 2, 1885.

When Walters was released Riel addressed him at
some length, telling him that he had been very useful to
the movement in supplying goods, which had, of course,
been taken without Mr. Walters' consent. " We havo
taken your goods," said Riel, " but you will not lo.se by it.
We shall till your store full of goods from the Company,"
meaning that when the Hudson's Bay Company's stores
were robbed they would repay Walters.

Dumont became enragetl at one of the priests the other
day because the priest refused to carry out some of his
commands, and, springing at him, atT^emptiid to kill him.
A Sioux interfered and saved the priest's life.

The following is a copy ot* a letter addiessed to Mr.
Thomas Scott, one of the white agitators at Prince Albert,
by the rebel council. It is not dat jd : —

"To Th. Scott, Esq.

"SiH, — We do not want you to take up arms, if you
do not wish to do so. But you could at all events send
us delegates to meet ours, in order to consider the condi •
tions upon which it would suit the people to enter the
new confederation as a province. Leave the police to
fight its own battles ; with the help of God we will make
them surrender. We will keep them as hostages until
18

» "f i i i . WW y^ y i nyHHH|j i lJ P H ■!! I I W" "—'^ ■» H |i« i i MH i mi I I »■ >i|> nH [i | im j |i |»n

200

Canada's nokth-wesi" rehklt.ion.

we liavo a fair tmaly with the Domini* 'ii. In joining iis,
on the f^aound that tlio polico has nia<lo it a matter of
necessity lor you, and in U'.avini^ the p<jlice to ii.s strii;;i;les,
you will determine the Canadian Governmeut to come
and treat witli as; and by following that course, we will
celebrate in peace and in iia])pine.ss the 24th ol' May,
otherwise the struj^'gle will continue. The Governi.ient
^vill send uh reinforcements of police and we will have to
call out all the nel^diboiiring Indians and early this spring
men will cross the international line, and the final result
will perhaps lead us to celebrate the 4th of July instead
of the Lst of the aame July."

As I write scouts are going out in pursuit of Riel and
Durnont, but the latter is not likely to be caught. Gen-
eral Middleton sent and received messages of congratula-
tion to and fi'oni Mr. Caron.the Minister of Militia, to-day.
In the general orders this morning, after quoting Mr.
Oaron's message, the General says: —

" With regard to the above message the Major-General
has already by word of mouth informed the troops of his
appreciation and thanks for their conduct on the 12th
instant ; but he wishes to put them on record in gr^neral
orders, ami to add that he feels very little, if any, thardcs
are due to him, as he considers that he owes all the suc-
cess of that day to the pluck and dash of the officers and
the men."

Private Cook was only a few feet from Lieutenant
Fitch when, that officer fell in the decisive charge of Tues-
day, 12th of May, at Batoche's. Cook was himself imme-
diately afterwards struck in the right arm and disabled.
The ball entered the muscle above the elbow, and passed
upwards, lodging under the skin, where it was easily
extracted. His account of the Batoche's skirmishes and
final victory and his statements fully bear out the pre-
vious accounts of the fixed deternunation of the Tenth
to dislodge the rebels by a charge. In an interview
Cook said : —

-... ,

THK PRISONERS AND THE VANQlTfSIIKD.

291

joining u»,
matter of
s stru<:L;le3,
ifc to conic
se, we will
,h ol' May,
iovorni.ient
^ill have to
this spring
tinal result
uly instead

of Riel and
ight. Gon-
congratulu-
litia, to-day.
quoting Mr.

^jor-General

troops of his

n the 12th

d in g(^neral

any, thanks

all the suc-

officens and

Lieutenant
trge of Tues-
msolf im me-
nd disabled,
and passed
was easily
-mishes and
ut the pre-
if the Tenth
,n interview

"On Saturday, Suii.lay, Monday, antl Tues«Iay we
encamped near Bato'd)e's. On Satunlay and Sunday the
00th Battalion were in front, and on Monday and Tues-
day we were in the front I'ne. In the morning we would
advance and extend in skii-mi.sliing lino and lie down and
watch for a chance at the rebels, and return to our
original position at night. Wo had a kiaal formed of
about owo hundred waggons around which we rcvsted, the
front rank keeping watch wdiile the rear lines slept. An
embankment was thrown up by the teamsters."

" Did the rebels Hre on you at night i "

" Yes, they fired on us every night, and many of our
men were hit."

" Did you have blankets ? "

" Yes, they allowed us two blankets each. Wo ha<l
no tents. In the morning we would advance and wateh
for a chance at the enemy, and retire in the evening.
During the day we would get a couple of hard tack
biscuits, and sometimes we had a cup of hot tea. We
had no hot food in the evenings, because they did not
want to light fires. Each day was like the other, advance
in the morning and retire in the evening, until the men
were maddened. The rebels were in their rifle pits, and
could fire at us without being exposed. All we could see
was the putr of smoke. Whenever it would get too hot
for them they could retire to a gully "

" Would they be exposed in retiring ?"

" No, they could crawl around like cats."

" Had you your great coats on ? "

" No, only our tunics."

" You were a good mark to fire at ? "

" Yes, we were good targets."

'• That was not a comfortable thought ? "

" Well, we thought no more of it than sitting here.
We had no shelter on the level ground, while the enemy
were sheltered. They were so placed, too, that our big
guns could not get at them. The shells could not be
dropped among tnem. On Tuesday morning we went out

*^ W9f^ * * i '^'iyfr-.V^»%' * ' W< '% (» '>» ' > •^■'♦ jppj gli'-

292

CANADA 8 NORTH-WEST HKUKLMON.

i,t

a<i^aln. The General told us to take our old positions,
instead of that wo took the ♦Tiomy's position bel'oro the
day was out. During' the nuuniug Colonel Van Strau-
Imn/iie said ho would like to go forward. An irregular
tiro was kept up until afternoon, 'i'l.e Tenth and the
JMidlands were in the front, and the !)()th Battalion behind
ua. In front was opt^n giound, and further on the husli,
in which the rebels had their ritie pits. We did not want
to stay lying there any longer seeing onr coujradtjs. struck
down one at a time while we could not strike back. The
whole line started forward with a cheer."

•* Were you ordeied by the Ot;neral to charge ?"
•* No ; the General did not know wo were going to
charge. The enemy poured in a Iiotfire when w(! started,
hut I don't think any of our men were hit until we got
into the bush. Mere many of the men were struck,"
" Were you near Lieutenant Fitch when ho fell ? "
*' Yes, 1 was not three paces from him. We were
pushing our way through the bush, which was ))retty
close, and jumping over the rifle pits, when he was struck
in the breast and in the corner of the eye. He fell with
a groan, and died immediately without speaking a vs'urd.
I think he had his revolver in his hand, but not his
sword. My heart jumped into my mouth when 1 .saw
him fall. I was then struck in the right arm, but did
not fall. I was disabled and dropped down, becnuse the
bullets were flying thick, and remained there until the
men had gone on ahead, when I walked to the rear and
had my wound dressed. There wete others hit in the
bush about the same time. The Ambulance Corps can ied
Lieutenant Fitch olF immediately, and followed the bat-
talion up closely. They picked up and carried away
every man as soon as he fell. They wanted to take mo
off, but I told them to attend to others more severely
wound f>d first. Sergeant Hazleton was in charge of the
Ambulance '^

Corpf=

ley

jry^

splendidly. The big guns did not begin firing untd we
got into the bush. When our men came to the riD" pita

'fT^lT^'

(1 positions,
before tho
Van S trail -
In irrej^ular
ith and the
alion bohiiitl
>n tho ))us}i,
did not want
iradcH striK k
J back. The

THK PIUSONKHS AND TIIK VANQIMSJIKD.

203

arge

re going to
n vv(; started,
intil we got
; atruck."
ho fell ? "

We were
1 was ])iM!tty
lie was Htriick
He fell with
king a word,
but not his
when 1 saw
vu\, bat did
, because the
n-e until the
Ithe rear and
■3 hit in the
|Corps carried
wed the bat-
,irrie<l away
to take luo
[lore severely
harge of the
re and nctcd
injT^ unt-d we
the rilV' pita

thfly f'Mind rebels who had not had time to get away iu
soino of thoni."

" Did they offer to MurrciKler?"

" Surrender would not be a bit of U5«e in tliat crowd.
They wore bayonetod."

" When diil the nien halt?"

"They <lid not stop until the villflf^e was onpturod.
Colonel Van Straubenzie and Colonel Orasitt were with
us. and went everywhere."

" What did tin; General say of the movement ? "

" Oh, lie addresscvl the men in the cvenincf. and told
them that they had m;idehim the happiest, man in Cr. nada
that niglit. Ffe is a lino man and a gentleman, and could
not use us V)etter."

Private Cook Rpoke in terms of <leep regret of the
death of Lieutenant Fitch, Humming up his expression of
gratitude for the kind treatment they had received from
the deceased ofHcer in the words, " He could not do enonirh
for us." He shows with much pride the bullet taken
from his arm. It is a heavy mi.ssile, one and a quarter
ounces in weight, and as round as a marble. He intends
keeping it.

On the morning of Tuesday, the 12th, some wounded
wore sent to Saskatoon, and on the next evening he and
manv others were sent on. After stavini; there eiirht or
nine days they went to Moose Jaw, one hundred miles
by boat, and eighty-five by waggon. The latter part of
the journey was pretty hard on th(; wounded. They
then went to Winnipeg, where they remained a day and a
night. Of their treatment at this place he does not speak
with praise. He speaks very warmly, however, of the
conduct of the officers of the steamer on their trip from
Port Arthur down. Nothing was too good for them. At
Sault Ste. Marie, where they stopjied an hour, tho Ameri-
can soldiers were very kind to them.

Private William Hughes, No. 3 Company, .9()th Bat-
talion, writes the following from Lepine's Crossing under
date of 17th May: —

tm - wi

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'.'t

204 CANADA'S NOUTII-WKST RKUKF.F.ION.

Ahout r^At<ichn'H. Wc pfttiipcd about six milosout on
Fiitliiy niK^ti, an«l at 4 on Saturtlay iiiorniii;,' aroso, ate a
ImHty hri'-ukfast, and at o'clock rcHiiimHl our march on
HntoclioH. Tho Hteanior Nort/tcofe had hern fitted up with
hulh't proof hulwark.s.and it was so planne<l tliat we were
to reach lUtoehe's at the sani'* timo.hut she was there ah(.tjt
lialf-an liour ahead of time, antl had to run for it, as tho
tiro was too lieavy for ^ or to stand lon^'. At last wo
entered into a very hot <^dit, lusting all day ; hut very
little advantapje was gttii..<l on either side. We retiictl
about four hundred yards and thriiW uj» fortifications,
behind winch all lay luimoleated utitil morning. Shortly
after daybreak we a;^ain went out, or rather I should say
tho 10th Royals did, and it was they who were in a<lvanco
on Saturday, too. The General is said to have remark<'d
that the !)Oth Battalion had done all tho fi^htin<y at Fish
Creek and hence had done our share, so ho put tho 10th
ahead on Saturday and Sunday. That day passed off as
the others had done, and again wo retired behind our
fortifications for the nipfht, lying on a blanket with
nothing save the canopy of heaven over us.

On Monday morning we (the 00th) wore sent out with
tho two Midland companies, and drove the rebels back
farther than ever and gained i)os.session of their first row
of pits and trenches. Colonel Williams asked for ])er-
mission to let us charge the whole of them, but the Gen-
eral refused, as he thor.ght we could not succeed ; so
another night and Tuesday forenoon were spent in the
trenches ; but the boys were almost out of patience and
all were terribly angry at losing our nearest and best
friends, so we were just in tho humour to eat alive any-
thing in the shape of an Indian or Half-breed. Well,
abo\it 1 o'clock on Tuesday, tho 10th Royals and the
Midlands were sent forward as usual to skirmish and had
no orders to charge or to do anything else in particular,
while the 90th were supporting them. Soon we heard
the Midland companies cheering tremendously, and were
at once extended into skirmishing line and .sent fcvward

TIIK PUlhONKIlM AND TIIK VANgilSHKD.

205

rnilos out on

nrosi», ate a

ir march ofi

ttod u]) will J

bat we wcio

I tlu^rc ah(.ut

or it, as tlio

At last wo

/ ; l)ut very

VV(^ rctin'il

ortilicatioiiH,

liij. Sljortly

1 alum 1(1 say

in a<lvaru!e
va r«inark<'(|
tin<y at Fisli
mt the 10th
mssed off as

behind om*
lankot with

ent out with
rebels back
eir first row
ted for ])er-
;)ut the (Jen-
succeed ; so
spent in the
latience and
est and best
t alivo any-
Teed. Well,
^als and the
lish and had

1 particular,
[)n we heard
ly, and were
sent fc^rward

on the doubh^to support tor lOth. Tluy woro then just
a little ahead of um, lyin;; down, tiring at the red drvils,
and with a ciirc that was ennu;;h to Htriko t«*rr()r to a
braver man tbati a llalf-brctd or an Indian, wo all rushed
forward on thr linn of er.trenehments an<l in the face of
a fire that no orie n(»t there ran ima^dnt» how s«were it
waM. C^he(»r after cheer went up and fairly nml the air.
ICvcry on»' was wild to j^i't at the devils, but when we
^ot within ten or tiftren ])ae('s of the pits the breeds and
Indiajis jum[)(!d «)Ut and ran for their lives, many being
shot down, for five lay dead wliere our company crossed.
The fi^ditin*^ line was nu)re than a mile lon^', and though
I could not see any other part but ours it is true that the
others did their work w»dl too. 1 tried to watch Jack's
company but could not s(;e for sure, altltou;.^h they are said
to have had the hardest of tin? ti<;ht at tirst, but we were
Htill s(^vera! hundaMl yards off the village, so on rushed
the wh(jh^ line, the Midland, the 10th, and the lK)th, red
and black coats mixed, all firing and cheering tremen-
dously. At last when about tliK.'e hundre<l or four hun-
dred yards from the vilJHge we were ordered to lialt and
cea.se liring l)ecause Kiel was .sending a man with a flag
of truce 1 He came to say something about Riels want-
ing to hold a parley; but the (t(;n(;ral said if M. Kiel
wanted to talk he must come himself. So again the
whole line rushecl cheerim^and firing as before. One part
of the line soon came out into the open ground and the
firinix encountered here was terrible. The bullets flew
everywhere, for wo wore not more than fifty yards in
front of some houses, whil' as the rest of our main lino
on our imnicdiate right and left had not yet come through
the brushwood the rebels blazed at us from three sides.
Being fully two hundred yards ahead of our fellows on
our right we lay for a few moments puffing and gasping
for breath, at the same time picking out as well as we
dared the definite location of the enemy in front. While
lying here we counted our numbers, and lying side l)y
side were twelve 90th men and one redcoat. He said ho

>« tr'^ '»<'*^ <■!■! » Ill

210

CANADA H NC)UTII-WK.ST UKUKM.ION.

!•■

\vM a Ml.llnndrr, \,\\t waa several ruils away, no I could
iiot rcc<);4nizo liim.

As Mooii as tho rest of our lino boijafi th cotno otit of
tlio HCi'ub our }^ai»;L? nuulo a <lji>h fof a lo;^ Ntal»lo in front
and Hnr\in'd it. Mmmi for a lar;^'<? Imildirj^ us(mI n-s a store.
Ono of our boys was at th(< door Ixdoro nie, but I wits
flocond into tin) house, althoui^di all the ii'sk of our crowfl
were \n ri;:ht id'ter wards, ati<l (Jolon^d Wiijianis of the
Midland liattalion was ainon;,' them. This wjia tlie tlist
lu)use ent'rnl in Hatooho's. Here hencath the Htore wo
fountl six prisoners in a dungeon, which was reached hy
moans of a ti*ap door. On (hat trap door was a pole
stan<iin;jj uprii:fht and cut so as to fit tij^ht from ecilinrj to
floor, besidt's about fifteen or twenty larf^o stones. VVo
were not lon;^' in knoekinu' them down and in lifting that
trap, and I toll you it was the happiest motnent of my
life when we pidltMi those poor fellows out and were
thanked and euibrac(Ml by tli'Mu for th(!ir lil>eration. Some
of them bad not seen daylii,dit for nearly two months,
and really the poor fellows lookr'd more like i^hosts than
living beings. Colonel Williams was the first officer to
eome up to our part of the village, lie then led us from
one house to another, but we were not surprised to find
them empty.

In the last house wc found the body of a nice little
girl, about fourteen years old. She had been killed by a
shell, and was dressed f<)r burial. So I lifted tho poor
little thing into the cofTln and covered it u|) and put it
away to one side to keep it from being km»okc(l around.
As I was doing so Colonel Williams lushed ov(?r to me,
sliouting, "Here is one! ll(!re is one ! (Jive mo your
rifle!" Mine was leaning against the wall where I put
it before lifting the little girl. So he grabbed it up and
aimed at a Half-breed's head. Tho breed was aimintr at
our fellows about fifty yards off, but my riilo was sighted
for four hundred, so tho (^ohmel missed him. The riHe
was again loaded up and the sights let down. The breed
rolled down the bank. The ball struck him under the

.J\

t ,'1

TLJ RRIRONrnR AKD TIU VANQri«I!FD.

«o T conl.l

iii»^ out of

ill froTit
lus a store.

but I WllM

)ur (:r«)\V(l
lis of tho
^ tlift first

Htoro wo
'ach(Ml l»v
as a polo
coilifinr to
ncs. Wo
fting that
snt of my
arnl were
on. Sonio
) months,
losts than

ofliciT to

1 lis from
mI to find

ICO little
<mI hy a
the pour
• 1 put it
around,
r to mo,
no youi"
re 1 put
> up and
imintr ''it
sigflited
IThe riHe
le breed
luor the

|.>ft Arm and pAM'^d cl«^an through him.cominjf out under
tho rififht Rfni. I tjot liin ^\\\\ and |K)W<h»r hom« Wc ar«
uot allowed toktM'j,) tlu» ;;unH, but I havo tlio powder horn
all covered with his l»lood. Colonol VVilliam.<i th<»n h'ft
mo in charge (»f a small party in one of the hou.so^, and I
at oncf! }M»jfan loop-hnliii|^ it on tho pidos facing the river
and the rebrds. nut the bree<ls did not «tan<l anylonvjor.
They ran in all diroetions. However, wo went to wntk
at once, and by rlark had the place stron^^ly fortified ; hut
no attack wa.s expected, a<« tho victory wa« no complete
that it will be a miraclo if the breed.s ever attempt to
rebel j>|j;ain.

We spent the next day in takincj supplioM, etc., from
the relw-ls' houses ; and in removinj.^ our dead and wound«'d
to the boat which had returned uo tfm river about throe
hours after the tijjjht was over. Iwo other companies of
tho Nfidland — the ( •ampbeiltord and the Liffoul ami Mill-
brook. ones — arrived the day after tho fight was over, so
were too late for glory.

i '.

J ?

W fl

3
t

U (AITICR XXII.

Tin: UATI.INfl fiTN.

As tho (Jftflinij i*\m, as woll iis Lifiit* nant Il(<wanl,
th«' ;,'ftll«int nniciT who co.jiinamltMi it, |»liiy<'<I a vory
iiiiportaiit part, in DiIh cainpai^ n, no apology in m^roAHary
lor furnish ini( a full «loHr,ripti()ii of thin womh'ifnl fr'atun*
of niodorn w.'irf 1«'

It nMjtiins no jjiftof proplu^cy to predict thatnmrhino
^iins an» di'stinol topl/iy an inipirtant part intuturo warH.

'rh<*y hold thn .iiiui'- rrlation to othrr arms that
th<5 jail way Iw^ars to tin- Mta^^ci-cuach ; the nuipor to tho
«lclvl«? ; tho Hcwinjjf m u'hini' to the nrtid'e, ««tc.

Of this flass of arn»s, thoro is non ' that oxrnJH tho
Oatlin^' Ljurj in orij^'inality of dosi;,'n, rapidity of tiro, and
ca})ahiliti»'s us a woai)on of warfare.

Tho main features of t]\o ^un may be .surntned up as
follows : —

It has, ustially, ton barrols, and ten corrospondin^
locks. In working tho L,Min tlui liarrolsand loolis revolve
to;^'ethor; but, irronpoctive of this motion, the U/ckn have
a forwanl an<l backward inotion of their own Tho
forward motion placos tho cartri<l;;es in the ohami-ers of
tlie barrels, and closivs the breecl» at the time of each
disoliarjre, while tho backward motion extiaeta the empty
cartridge caHca after firing.

The gun is loaded and fired only when the barrels
are in motion from le^t to right ; that is, while tho handle,
or crank, is worked forward. When the gun is in action
there are always tivo cartridges going through the procesH
of loading, aivl five cnrtridgo cases in different stages of
beingextracted, and these several operations are continuou.<i
while the gun is being worked. Thus, as long as the
gun is fed with cartridges, the several operations of load-
ing, firing, and extracting are carried on automatically,
uniformly, and continuously.

noo

CANAHAS NOTrriT WKST RFnKT.T.TON.

Tho onrli:>r modol (i.iHiivjf Ljiins hnd caitridLjos ftvl to
ihcui l>y incniVM ol" t'lH'd cn.>^<s, or l>y a dnini, l>ut recently
a now n)('<li(Hl tor supply in^,' tin* cartridji^'tvs to thoj^un has
b«(Mi (lovisoil, wliirh is ponifirr. and certain in Uh nc.l'utn.
In (ho old niothods of supplying annniinition to tho ^nm
it was possihjo for tlio cartrid;^»'M to jam in feedinrr down
from th(^ food casoH into ti»o carrior or r^coivor, hut in
this nowly iirquH)Vod food, the nwolianism nover loses
control of tl e cartrid^'os from t}i(^ tirrui they leave tlui
feed nia;L;a/ino, until they enter the ehamhers, nro londcd,
tired, and tlie empty cases extracted. With this new feed,
it is impossihie for tlio p;un to fail in its o|)(?ration, even
wlien it is worked by men unaecpiairited with its use.
Tliis new im[)rovem(>nt not only jj^reatly increases the
rapidity and certainty of tiro, but onaliles the jj^iin to l^o
tired at tho rate of over one thousarul two hundred sliots
per miuut<\ and at all <le;xnu7s of elevation or depression,
which is sometliinsf no other nuicliine \*\\\\ can do. liy
firing the gun at proper elevations, ascertained by menus
of a (|uadrant, t.\e bullets discharfred from it can be made
to fall upon men bohin<l breastworks, or entrenchments,
at all distances, from two hand red to three thousand tive
hundred yards from the m\r\. This "hiofh anirle," or
" mortar " fire, adds greatly to the ett'ectiveneKS of the
gun, and will no doubt, [)rove of inestimable value in
future warfare.

Kxi>eriment3 have proved that nmsket-size balls, Hred
from a Gatling gun at high angles, strike the ground witli
sufficient force to penetrate from two to three inches of
tiiubcr. About one thousand two liundrcd shots per
minute can be tired from the gun, raining down a hail-
storm of bullets on the heads of men behind entrench-
ments, thus making snch positions, in a short space of
time, untenable. Open breast-works or uncovered
entrenchments, would furnish little or no protection to
troops, against the fire of this formidable weapon. Trials
were made with a Gatling gun, having this improved feed,
at Sandy Look, N. J., by the United States Ordnance Board.

IT"^

■jTtr-

reocjitly
j^im lias
•s action.
tho *^im
nnr down
r, l)nt ill
vcr loscM
leave tlui

l<»n(l(*(l,
low fee«l,
ion, cvoii

1 iU use.
'RMcs the
nin to bo
\\h\ sliots
'press ion,

do. r>y
)y inonns
1 1)0 made
chments,
^and five

igle," or
is ot* tlio
value in

lis. Hrcd
nd with

ehes of
ots per

a hail-
ntrench-
pace of
icovered
ction to
. Trials
•red feed,
e Board.

THK OATLING GUN.

301

IIM

The following extracts aro tnk^n from their r('|)ort
of the trials :

•• The o])jectH of the expeTijuontfi were twofold. FirHt
to tent the new feed ma^^a/.iiu? ; secondly, to ascertain the
cllbet oil tar^'ets pla('<',<l horizontally on the {^ruTiud, at

distances from two liundred to three thousand yards
as ref^irds penetiiition and accuracy." _

In speaking of this new feed, the Board say m their
report: **Tbe° action is, as chiimed in the inventor's

' "H^. i .n^w ' Mm i - t MW I I H. I HIM". '* " .n "«>i ''ywii iy ■ i ^y wi »w i» Mj -<g<i wi ' . jr wTf ii'' * '' <fj^, yf*^

.{02

Canada's NonTir wkst rebfllion.

.lo.s(ui|)t:on, posifcivo and continuous an lonj^ as the gun is
worked. Tlio sul».stitution of a positivo aotion for one
depondinj^ upon the carriage of the projoctilos to the
grooves of the carrier block by means of gravitation
modified Sy friction, is a great iniprovciaent. The gun
works as well when the feed * niajjcazine ' is horizontal as
it does in an inclined or a vertical position. No jamnung
or intcTferonco of any kind occurred during tlic trials,
and the rate of discharge varied uniformly with the revo-
lution of the crank necessarily."

" The penetration from .*},000 to 1,000 yards was through
two inches of spruce plank, aj)d from three to five inches
into the sand, the projectiles striking point foremost."

The gun used in the trials was 45-inch caliber, witli
barrels 24 inches in length, and the anuuunition used
contained a charge of 85 grains of powder, and a bullet
weighing 480 grains.

In firing at high elevations, to have the bullets strike
the ground at various distances, the following elevations
were given the gun : At 200 yards range, the gun was
tired at an elevation of 88.^, the bullets so fired re-
mained up in the air 57 seconds from the time ihoy
were discharged, until they struck the ground.

At 500 yards range, the gun was given an elevation
of 75^

At 1,000 yards range, the gun was given an elevation
of 77°.

At 2,000 yards rang*^, the gun was given an elevation
of66^

At 2,500 yards range, the gun was given an elevation
of 56°.

At 3,000 yards range, the gun was given an elevation
of 24° 40'.

At ail ranges, when the gun was fired at and below
85° of elevation, the bullets struck point foremost, and
retained their rotary motion, as was proven by spiral
scratches on them, caused by friction in their passing
through the boards.

TfTWC*'

-Tl t' ' p-^ '» -O^^

t \ ' —

' V ^ KM'*

> W - » . ' .w in.- . i . Wn » ■;>r^'

l)he gun 18
ri ior Olio
OS to tlie
lavitation

The ^m\
'izontal as
> jamming
tlic trials,

the rovo-

is through
ive inches
3most."
iber, with
ition used
d a bullet

lets strike
elevations
gun was
fired re-
in e iboy

elevation

nd below
lost, and
)y spiral
passing

THE GATLING GUN.

303

It is evident th;u .ui awurate vertical Hro f om (»at-
lin<' guns, delivcnng a stoiin of bullets dcsccndi ig under
a slight angle of arrival, would by grazing the superior
crest of parallels erected by bcj^iegers approaching a I'orti-
fication, or those of ordinary rifle pits or entrenchments,
destroy their occui»ants much more certainly and rapidly
ohan can be don<i by the shells oi- case shot tired from
mortars or field guns. This *' high angle " or mortar fire
from a machine gun, (j| muus up a now tield in the science
of gunnery, and is well worthy of the highest considera-
tion of military and naval men of all nations.

A table of distances and elevations being estab-
lished for the service of the Oatling gun, all that would
b'.. required of the men using it would be to first ascertain
the distance at which the enemy was entrenched, and
then give the gun the required elevation (by the use of the
quadrant) to have the bullets fall within the line of
entrenchments of the enemy. The Gatlings could be
protected from the direct lire of the enemy by entrench-
ments or by digging a pit for each gun, so that not even
its muzzle wouUl be exposed.

Among the prominent advantages claimed for the
Gatling gun, may be enumerated the following : Its
adaptation to the purposes of flank defence at both long
and short ranges ; its peculiar power for the defence of
field entrenchments and villages ; for protecting roads,
defiles, and bridges ; for covering the crossing of streams ;
for silencing field-batteries, or batteries of position ; for
increasing the infantry lire at the critical moment of a
battle ; for supporting field batteries, and protecting them
ao-ainst cavalry or infantry charges ; for covering the
retreat of a repulsed column ; and generally the accuracy,
continuity, and intensity of its fire, and its economy in
men for serving, and animals for transporting it.

It is conceded that small calibre Gatlitig guns, which
use the service musket ammunition, will prove invaluable
in naval service when used from top-gallant, forecastle,
poop-deck, and tops of ships of war Por firing on an

■•ff

tflS''"'

30i

CANADA S NOUTH-WEST UEBEI.LIUN.

enemy's deck at oHieerH arid men exposed to view ; for
lirin;^ down from tops upon the root of turrets ; firinc;
into an enemy's [xjrts ; and in boat operatioas against an
enemy, either in passinjj open laiia-works, or clearing
breaches aud other exposed places for landing from
boata, etc.

'>v

The above represents ft small-nf/ied OatHng (Jnn, monnted on a tripoil I
it; can also be mounted on the gunwale of a ship or iu the bow of a hmall
launch, etc. It ia a very light aud eifective arm and is recommended for the
suppression of riota, etc.

Exhaustive official trials of the gun have bnen made in
many countries, under the supervision of officers of high

to view ; for

Ls against an

or clearing

nding from

ed on a tripo<I ;
bow of a small
meuiied for the

^en made in
;erd of high

THE GATLINO QUN.

806

Rtandinj^, who have strongly recommended their use,
hoth For laml and naval service. The reports of 8ii(;h
trials are too extended for a paper of this kind.

Gatling guns have heen sold, in greater or less nura
hers, to most of the goviiininonts of the world.

No arms in the world ;iro C([iih1 to (Jatliniif guns foi
night service. They can ho placed in a position in the
daytime so as to cover any point desired, and as they
have no recoil to destroy the accuracy of their aim, an
incessant fire can bo kept up during the night with the
same precision as in daytime.

Loid Charles Berest'ord, one of the pluckiest officers in
the British Army, as he proved himself i)eforo Alexandria,
wrote as follows of machine guns in the London Army
and Navy Gazette :

In my opinion, machine-guns, if properly worked,
would ilecide the fate of a campaign, and would he ccpially
usefid ashore or a(h)at. When the Gatling guns were
landed at Alexandria, after the bombardment, the effect
of their fire upon the wild mob oF fanatic incendiaries
and looters was ([uite extraonJinary. These guns were
not fired at the people, but a little over their heads, as a
massacre would have been the result, had the guns been
steadily trained on the mob. The rain of bullets, which
they heard scr'eaudng over their heads, produced a moral
effect not easily described. I asked an Egyptian othcer,
soir.e weeks afterwards, how on earth it was that Arabi,
and his nine thousand regular troops, who were within
five miles, did not march down upon the town in the fiist
four days after the bombardment, when Arabi knew that
Captain Fisher's Naval BriL,'ade, which held the lines,
nmnbered less than four hundred men. The Egy[)tian
officer replied, "That he knew no army which could face
machines which 'pumped lead,' and that as all the gates
were defended by such machines, as well as having tor-
pedoes under the bridges, such defences could not be
faced." This certainly was the case. I believe the Egyp-
tian ofScer spoke the truth, and that the moral effect pro-
19

806

Canada's north-wkst rebellion.

'•I

(luced by t)ie OatlinjijH on the people in fche HrHt landing'
provented tho ariny from attacking the diminutive force
which held the lines aftcrwardH.

Then? are weveral valuable features of tlie Gatlinj^'
gun which shouM not be overlooked ; for instance, a t«n-
barrel Gatlinyf gun fires ten times in one rovol.ition of
the group of the barrels. The action of -^.ch part is
therefore quite deliberate, while collectively the dis-
charges are fre(iuent. Another valuable feature in the
Oatling is, that the cartridges are fed into the carri«;r at
the top, and are carried arouiid to the under side of the
gun before they are loaded and tired. Thus, it will be
seen, the point where the cartridges are fired is far removed
from the supply of cartridges used in feeding the gun,
so there is no liability of the escape of gas, which may
occur by the bursting of tlie head of a cartridge, and
which might communicate with the magazine, causing a
dangerous explosion. Most other maehine-gui\s have
their magazine, UF>ed for feeding cartridges to them,
placed in close contact with the tiring point, hence the
liability of premature and dangerous explosions. Several
accidents of this kind have occurred, resulting in death
to the operators of such guns.

The Gatling gun is only dangerous to those in its

front.

Lord Wolseley, in discussing the subject of machine-
guns, has expressed his conviction that the General who,
in the next big war, utilizes machine-guns to the best
advantage, will have an immense opportunity to gain
great fame.

Intelligent men, w^ho have carefully watche^^. and
noticed the march of improvement, and the steady
development of new ideas, will perceive and acknowledge
that the day is not far distant when machine-guns will
be extensively employed in warfare ; and the nation
w^hich is best supplied with therii, and which best under-
stands their tactical use, will best preserve the lives of its
soldiers and be in the best condition to make favouraljle
treaties, aud to preserve the integr.ty of its own dominions.

*<pfi f <> :.

tm^r-wrw^.

ive force

GatUn;^'
[»<', a U'U-
i'ltioii of

part is
Iho di.s-
rc in tlio
3arri*!r at
le of the

will bo
f romovcd
the ^un,
lich may
idge, and
causini; a
un.s have
to them,
lonce the

Sciveral
; in death

ose in its

machine-
neral who,
D the best
ty to gain

tche'^. and
he steady
knowledj]fe
ft-guns will
the nation
3est under-
lives of its
favourable
dominions.

CHAPTER XX III.

PUITNDMAKER AGAIN HKAHIi FROM -RIRI, OAPTUUKD.

BAT()(JHE wa.s wcm and the rebellion was practicalU
over, for it only remain.Ml t„r ({cueral .Strange tc
catch Big Hear and for (Jeneral Middleton to relieve
Colonel Otter's beaie^'ed force at Hattlelbrd. This would
not take lon<,', but in tlie meantime Poundmaker, haviu"
been forced by the hasty and ill-judged a,:^^gres.siveness (?i
Colonel Otter to go upon tlie war path, appeared deter-
mined to make liis intention known. To this end he
left his reserve with a considerable retinue of men, wom(»n
and childr n, together with a laige herd (if live stock
and marched east into Eagle Hills. On tlio verv day
that Batoche was captured Poundmaker's followers
seized upon a large train of supplies, which were being
forwarded to Colonel Otter, making prisoners of twenty-
one out of some thirty teamsters.

J. Killough, who was employed carrying despatches
came into BattleJord about noon with information that a
wa;»gon train, numbering twenty-one ox teams and about
eiglit horse teams, had been captured by Indians
ten miles from here, close by the edge of the woods.
Killough met several teamsters galloping towards
Swift Current. They told him that early in the morning
just as the train was startiiig from camp, they were
attacked by Indians. The teamsters cut the horses loose
and escaped. Those who remained were all captured, the
onslaught was so sudden. They wanted Killough to
return, but he said that the information must be carried
to Battleford. Exchanging his pony for a good horse and
avoiding the trail, he started. At the place where the
attack took place he found two waggons and over a hill
two miles distant, he saw the last of the Indians

'y^l V*|fJH*9'^'''*MW^'*'^

808

CiVada'h nohth wkst krhklmon.

di^fippeanng with tlm other wagj;on«. He saw no (Uad
b(i»licH. Uo bclievcH the icinaiixler of the teanistcn*, ten
in number, are jiriwoners. With the team.storH there
wore eleven Snider and Hvo other riHes, with ammunition,
'i'his train also carried the n»ail for Hattleford wliich had
been waiting two months at Swift Current.

Shortly after Killouojir.s arrival six Mounted Police
Bcoutfl, including a Half-()reed guide named McAllister,
under Sergeant (jiordon, late of the Queen's Own, came in.
They had been scouting, and on rounding a liill wore
fired into at twenty yards by a large party of mounted
Indians and breeds. (./'onstal)lo Elliot, lato of the
American army, f<'ll at the first fire and staggered into tlio
bushes. Constable Spencer wa,s sli<.;htl\ wounded. The
force retreated, the wounded man riding into the ferry
where an ambulance canu? for him a few minutes lator.
Elliot's horse camo in. The Indians pursued the police
two miles.

One of the teamster.'^, after being released by Pound-
maker, tuhl the following story: It was Indians who
attacked the train. They saw the breeds while driving
along the trail, and corralled themselves so as to be in a
better position to fight. Shortly afterwards Indians
appeared all round, but whenever the teamsters pointed
their ritles at them they sought cover. At last Nolin, a
JIalf-breed, rode up and began to parley with them. Uo
Baid tliat there were lots of ludiatis there, and that tliey
were going to have the train. They did not want to kill
the teamsters, but if tlie latter fired a shot they woidd
butcher every one of them. On the other hand, if they
gave up their arms and the train tliey would be allowed
to go on to Battleford without further molestation. To
this the teamsters consented. But no sooner had they
started to walk along the trail towards Battleford than
they were pursued hy the Indians, who brought them
back. On two or three occasions the Indians came
howling around their tents, and they expected every
minute to be murdered. But as the days wore on and

VOUNDMAKGA AGAIN UEAKD KUoM.

301)

lw no Mead
anistcnt, ten
rislorH there
iinmunition.
1 which had

mtod Police

McAllister,

wn, CAino in.

a liill wnt'

of mounted

late of the

ered into the

unded. Tlie

to the ferry

inutes later.

id the police

i by Pound-
Indians who
rhilc driving
,8 to be in a
irds Indians
sl^rs pointed
ant Nolin, a
[1 them. Uo
1 that they
want to kill
they would
|and, if they
be allowed
tation. To
r had they
Itlcford than
ought them
diana came
•ected every
ore on and

their live.s were spored they took heart again. One of
the \icHy w'w a pa^aljly gf^ixl violinist, and wliile in camp
in the evening lu) would phiy the tiddle wliile tlie other.i
danced to the music. This aH'ordtd great aiuusoment to
the Indians, who crowded round to see the sport. Then,
again, the IIalf-l)reed prisoners u.sed to invite them into
th«;ir tents of an evening. They had an organ with them,
and it was no \in usual thini,' for them to spend two or
three hours sin;^M?" ( togetln r.

A Half-breed who came in with the released biamatera
said :

" It was done by the Indians. 1 tell you those team-
sttTs have the priest and Pountlniaker to thank lor their
lives being spared. If tlu^y hadn't heen tliere the
Stoneys would have killetl the whole outfit."

" Do you know anything regarding Elliot's death?"
"I think ho m\>st have fallen from his horse. IIegt)t
into the woods. Three Cre«ia tried to make him prisoner,
and told him if he came out they would not hurt him.
But he seemed dazed, and only replied by firing at the
man who spoke to him. He kept retreating from blutf
to blurt*, tiring as he went. As he came close to the
waggon train, which had been captured a short time before,
he was tired on from behind by some Stoneys and killed.
I wa.s sorry, and so were we all, for had he given himself
up he would have been here now along with the teamsters.
Delormo and Poundmaker buried him. That night wo
camped close by the Stoney reserve. There wa.s a council
that night. Poundmaker still wanted to go to the Black-
feet or even to the Rocky Mountains. The St<. neys would
not hear of this, and took the council tent. Then Pound-
maker went to one side and would have nothing more to
say to them. There was nearly a fight that night between
the Stoneys and the Crees. But at last Poundmaker
consented to go right on to Duck Lake. Tfe said his
children were dying for want of food, and if thi^y could
get it from Riel it would be well, as they had given up
all hope o£ getting anything from the Indian Agent. I

fpF

:uo

CANADA 8 NOKTH-WKHT HKMKM.ION.

I I!

,'i.

(lon't luliovo lN)uii(Iiiiakoi' woiiM have coino out ha<l it
not Ihmjii tor tin? StonoyH. He tlioii^'ht h« ini^'lit as well
help liimst'U' to whatever wu.s^'oin^.aH well a.s tlujStoiu vs."
. On Friday (May 15) following; tho taking of I^atouht!
(Momlay, May II), Louis Kiol was cupturod by tliriM;
Hcouts, naiiicfl Arntstron^. l)i«lil, and Ilowrio, four inilos
iiorth of Jiatoclio's. Scouts had Ummi out in tho niornini^'
to Hcour till' country, hut thosn threo s-nad out fr^ni flic
main hody, and just a.s tlujy W(»re coming out of .some
brush on an uidVoquontod trail hjadin;^ to Batoch^i's, they
9j>i«5d Kiel with throe com nan ions, lie was unarnn'il, hut
thoy carried shot-^^uns. Thoy at once recof^nized Ki(jl,
anil, a<lvan('in<^ towanls him, hailed him l)y name. They
were then standinj^ near a fence. No eflort was inad«;o?i
his part to escape, and after a brief conversation in which
they expressed surprise at Hndin;^ him there, Kiel (h^clared
that he intended to give himself up. His only fear was
that he would be shot by the troops, but lie was promis(3(l
safe escort to the Genciral's quarters. His wife and
children were not with him, and he said they were on the
West side of the river.

To avoid the main bodv of the scouts Riel was taken
to a coulee near by and hidden, while Diehl went off to
corral a horse for him, the other scouts bein<( left with
the prisoner. When Diehl returned Kiel and Diehl's com-
panions had disappeared, evidently to avoid other scouts.
Diehl says Riel was not in the least a<;itated wlien
arrested, and was willingly made captive. He was
assured of a fair trial, which was all he seemed to want.

When he .saw the Gatling go down with the scouts at
Batoche's, Riel was much alarmed on account of his t'amil}'.

A correspondent adds the following ; —

Riol appears careworn and haggard. He has let his
hair and beard grow long. He is dressed in a poorer
fashion than most of the breeds captured. While talkinj,'
to General Middleton, as could be seen from the outside
of the tent, his eyes rolled from side to side with the look
of a hunted man. He is evidently the most thoroughly

rOUNHMAKKU ACIAIN IIKAIll) FUOM.

:ni

out lia<l it
^\\i as w»'ll

hoStoiM'VH."
of Hafocln)
id by tliroo
, four miK^s
iho in()n»iii<,'
ut (r )iii tliij
lut of Noinu
iocht^'s, tlit'V
iiarinrtl, l)ut
^riizecl Ri»!l,
aine. They
A^as !na<l«'- on
ion in which
licl (h^chired
ily four was
^as proiniscil
8 wife and
were on tlio

il was taken

went oif to

ivr left with

Dichi'scoiii-

[)ther scouts.

tated when

0. He was

eJ to want,

ho .scouts at

)f his faniil} .

has let his

in a poorer

''bile talkin;,'

the outside

ith the look

thoroughly

frijrh^ofuMl man in (!Anip, and in constant foar of violi»?\co
at thu hands of th«i soldirrs. ThiT*' is no dan^^ur of MU«'h
vioh'nee. Kitd .s!H»nt nearly all day on Mi^nday in tho
wtKxlH. At the close of the H^ht hu and Duniont, witli
tlieir wives and Kiel's two children, skipp»'(l out on fot.t,
going ill a nt)rth-west«»rly «lirecti(»n. S«)nie of tJu; rehrl.H
wore very hitter ai^'aitist both for liMidin^' them into tlio
trouble uTid tluMi l«'avinu' them in tlie lurrh aft<!r tho
HLdit. The fu^dtivos liad no food, and no rlothes «;x<vpt
wnat th«y stood in. Duniont did not want to go, but
Kiel persuaded him. Dumont fought lik«' a tig^r all day
Monday. Tho Half-})nMMl prisoners .say he had not .slejit
for a week, working niglit and <lay.

Dumont had ananged for Big liear to strike uh in the
rear a week ago, i)ut sonw of the mesMfngrrs d«\serted ;
and tlie scheme ndsearritd. Two of the prisoners say
Dumont was woumled once on Saturday and twice
(slight !y) on Monday.

A scout told me last night that lie had seen a Half-
breed looking for his wife. The brcM'd started to run,
when the scouts threatened to shoot, lie stopped, and
the scout asked him to go to Dumont and tell him to
come out unarmed and the scout would meet him, also
unarmed, on which the rebel replied : " Dumont .says ho
will neVvT be taken alive." The scout promised protec-
tion to Kiel until he wa.s handed over to the General, and
finally the man consented to thi.s. He said both Kiel
and Dumont were in a bluff not very far from where they
were talking and warned the scout to lie down or ho
miffht be shot. The breed left for the bluff and tlie scout
heard them disc issing matters. After waiting two and
a-half hours and no one coming, the scout returned to the
camp. General Middlcton took no stock in his story, and
said Kiel and Dumont were miles away, but it i.s now
evident the story was correct, at least so far as Kiel was
concerned.

The Half-breeds on the west bank delivered seventy-
five stand of arms to-day. Amongst them were several

•V^7«pi<MP«MKi

912

CANADA « NOHTU-WKHT HCUKLLION.

WlncljcHUrM. Sni«l«'rM,Queen'i Own rifli)« froui iJuttlifoiiJ.
Aiid one SpringficM. U.S. CArlino. 1H73.

Tho pHp^ra lnl«>n^'inj( to the iuIm-I Oovcrntni'nt w.,ro
Marcheil to^lay. Tho uiinutcM Hhow that the huck L; ke
flght wn.s a pn'tiieditutcil Atiiiir, and that i\\o ichclfi worn
thoroughly cognizant of 0<;nniil Mi MIcton'i iiiowwonta
from tlie time we If ft (^ti'Appullo ntiition.

Kiel expressed }iimMi»lf to thin I'llict: "I do not think
ih'ia trouhh' will ho without n'jmll, mm tho coniphiintH of
fiirmora will bo n';;ard('d with .sonm dt'ijn'e of atttntion. "
VV^hon told that his hooks and pripcrs had hron captmod
hi> uaid : " I am glad of this, the paptTM will show that 1
am not the actual leader of tlic rohidlion. 1 had heon
enroura^od by ])eoj»lo of ^'ood htandinj^ at an<l arouiul
Prince Alhort, who invited mo over from Montana." lie
exproHse3 great anxiety fw to whether ho will bo tried by
civil law or court-martial. IIo seems to havo turncul out
a craven covvvrd, as ho sptMids hia time alternately pray-
ing and embracing a cnieilix.

Tho truculent Cn^.o chief.H P. inly and Okamosis were
alao interviewed by General Miil lleLon after tho li.itofjlie
victory. The followins? is an intereating account of the
interview by Mr. (Jeo. H. Ham.

The name of Beardy, the tronl)lcHome Indian chief,
whoH(^ res(;rve is near Duck Lake, has become familiar to
Eastern people, not only from the prominent part he hus
taken in the present trouble, but for hi« chronic cus.scdneH.1
and continual "kicking" for years past, and general
desire to emulate tho mule. Beardy, consequently, has
gained a reputation for ferocity antl boldness, that is,
amongst those who don't know him. Those who are
acquainted with him, however, say that he is a craven
frau<l Be tliat as it may, hv, was submissive and cowed
cnoudi when he appeared before General Mid<lleton this
morning in response to a peremptory demand to come in
at once. Beardy 's an insignificant looking fellow, with
a scattered grayish beard, from which ho takes Ids name,
and his chief a.v3n are not the typical braves of whom

-« *-

'^^•w w

POUNDMAKkll AU4IN HICAUD FUOM.

318

Liuttlifortl,

twnt Wo 10
)uck !.■ ke
i'Ih'U with
iioviuicntM

not Oiink
iplaiiiU of
iitUntion."
i capturod
mw that 1

hud l)»M'n
n<l arniuKi
ana." He
)o tri(»«l Ijy
;nrivoil out
tely pray-

nosis were

liatocho
lit of tho

ian chief,
ami liar to
art ho has
iMis.scdiies.'j

1 goneral
eiitly, lias
s.that is,

who an3
a craven
nd cowed
leton this
o come ill
(low, with
his name,
of whom

Kffiiinort CooiMT wht«tt. Th«y all M<|Mattod on t!ndr
haunches, and looked hm uhjcet HpceiimiiH of hiiiiianity a^
on« woiihl nee in a hiofith'M joiirntjy. lUar'iy opened the
amfab }>y Hayinj^ l\e lirMt ni«'ant to 8t>eak the truth Ho
WAN ^jfhid to He« HO many arountl iiim. If hin chihhi'n,
who canu^ with liitn. had dom- anything amiss he hoped
it woidd he overhioked. He was hoi ry foi what nad
been done in joining the r<<ii(dH. A^* trui* an he stood
there at the pn^sent tinu-, he wished to live in pea<:e. Ho
Would like to ^'o home and tell his people then* was pi>aet».
Then ho lield out hi8 hand and took the (JentMars, shak-
iri}( it heartily, and said Iio did so with all his heart, and
ho axked tho (h-neral to speak his mind. Continuing,
Ik^ardy said he had h< Idout for.somo time, but his pe(ipm
forced him into the trouble. Ho liad oidy al>out forty
men in his hand.

(Jeneral Middhton asked, througli the interpreter, why
bin braves joined in th»^ I'i^bt against the whites.

Beardy — All chiMicn are cowardb, and iny children
were fVighteiUMl int > it.

The (leneral — Did you join yourhclf f

beardy — No ; 1 sat still, and told my men to sit atili.
All my talk was to keep (piiet. They niastoroil mo.

Tho (iencral — Were your intoutions good towards the
whites?

Heardy (emphati<'ally) — Yea.

"'he General — When the police marclied to Duck Lake,
and you knew tho Indians and Half-breeds wore lyin<^ in
ambush, why ditl you not tell them, if you were friendly ^

Beardy — I thought I wasstopj)ing them enough wlien
1 prayed my people to keep still, and telling my head
men not to take any white man's life.

The General — Why did you go over to Batoche's ?

B(;ardy — Ot" course, as I said before, wlion children are
young they are cowards. 1 was afraid and had to go.

The General — It's very lucky you came here, for if
you hadn't I shouhl have s<'nt troops to your reserve and
burned every thing that's there.

314 Canada's north-west rebellion.

Beanly bovvofl his liead iiy-on hearincr this, auj hypo-
critiruilly snilflt'd : — I suppose it va,s God who put it in
my lieart to obey.

The General — If you are not able to command your
young braves you are not fit to be chief, and I shall
recommend that you be no lon^jer acknowledged as one.
It is a matter for consideration if your r<' 'e is not
taken away ; it all depends upon how you beiiave your-
self. Where is the telegraph wire broken ?

Boardy — I cannot say.

The General — Well, I am going to send down a party
to repair it, and if one man is fired at I will send a Force
and destroy everything — not shot merely, but if a man is
even fired at.

Beardy bowed assent.

The General then asked if Little Chief, who was one
of the first to join the rebels, wanted to say anything.

Beardy whined that they were forced into the trouble;
but Okamesis was here and could speak for himself, which
he did at some length, first uncovering his head. He said
that when staying at his own house word of trouble
came, and he hitched his horse and went towards Duck
Lake, but his horse became played out. His brother was
wi^h him. He saw the priest and the fiirm instructor
('1 111 pk ins), who asked him if he was going to go. He
rcjtlied that he was, but that his horse was played out
and he was unable to go. The instructor said it was
better for him to go, and lent him a horse, asking him to
find out whether his (Tompkins') son had been taken
prisoner or not. He consented to go with the horse,
and on arriving saw that the Half-breeds had taken the
Duck Lake stores. He saw three Half-breeds and they
told him he couldn't go home without seeing their leaders.
He said, " Never mind " ; but to let his brother go home
with the horse, and he would see the rebel leaders. They
c( nsented, and he went down where the head men were,
and saw that Tompkins was a prisoner. The rebels told
him that no one was allowed to go back, and that they

,jd hypo-
put it in

Mid your
I 1 shall
id as one.
e is not
kve your-

n a party
id a force
' a man is

was one
thin^^.
e trouble;
jelt', which
. He said
if trouble
rds Duck
•other was
instructor
He
)layed out
lid it was
ng him to
taken

--t,.-,-

een
the horse,
,aken the
and they
ir leaders.
2fo home
They
men were,
ebels told
that they

?rs.

POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM.

315

would shoot anyone leaving without their knowledge.
" I was a coward," he said, as if it wore an extenuating
fact. " The wholo crowd left and went to Duck Lake.
I was with them, and we had on a tire and were cooking,
when I heard the police were coming. While I was eat-
ing I heard shots Hred, but I ate on. The shots went on.
and I ran to see what was going on. When I got up tlie
ridge the bullets were coming pretty close, so 1 withdrew
and went round by another way. The trail crossed the
ridge, and I went there, and heard a shout : ' They are
running back !' At the pbtce on the ridge I went to I
saw the body of a man ; it was my own brother lying
dead. I was afraid. From there I saw people lying dead
all around. The Half-breeds told me to fetch my family
in. 1 Ihen took horses and went. I brought some fami-
lies in, and was told to live in the farm instructor's house,
which we did. While living at Duck Lake a party went
toCarleton. I was not with the first party, but was sent
out with the second. We got word from lliel to come
back to Duck Lake. Then all broke camp, and went to
Batoche's, camping on the river about two miles up on the
west side. Word was sent to come, and camp closer. We
came a mile nearer. They (the rebels) were not then
satisfied, and told us to come nearer still, when we again
moved camp, but still they were not satisfied, and ordered
us to come right at Crossing (Batoche's). While living
here, I heard that a party had gone up the country, and
all at once heard big guns, after which the party came
back. The next .\ e heard was that there were soldiers
coming. W^hen lighting connuenced (at Batoche's) I
went up to the top of the hill. My sons were with me,
watching everything while they vi^ere fighting. Every
day I did that while the shooting was going on. I had a
gun too, but not to kill anyone with, because I am too
big a cowaid to kill anyone. I carried it just for fear.
Not for any evil did I do what I did. My intentions
were to make a living for my wife and children.

' y tt^" ! *'. 'i :' ' 't *' .' *' / '*^ . ' ;!' '' ' ' f^ * i « ; rj«nnp -..i.'- T T * "

J4-Ii - jf. jjjiLta.f

.--U- i . J-lJj H I .

,ax-^.iL i .! l gUX-

316

CANADA 8 NORTH-WEST REBKLLION.

The Oenoral — That's enough. It is t^vidont you are
not fit for a chief either, armed as you are. You can all
go now, but you must give up your medals; they are
meant for good men oidy. There are no presents for you,
no tobacco, no tea or meat, no flour for those who are
fighting against us.

Beardy sullenly gave up his medals, but it wa.s evident
that the severest punishment was the withholding of
food. Several clergymen who were present spoke to the
General of the hungry condition of the band, but the
General was obdurate. The impression was that General
Middleton was even too lenient as it was, and that if he
had strung Mr. Beardy up by the thumbs he would have
been only metingout justice to this wretched old humbug.

A correspondent furnishes the following particulars
of Kiel's capture and the scenes immediately follow-

ing

it:-

Boulton's men were sent out to scour the country, as
reports from different sources came in that the fu-^itive
rebel chieftain was lurking in a bush only a few miles
away. Following the scouts were the couriers, viz:
Thomas Hourie, Robert Armstrong, and William Diehl,
who started out on a similar errand. They soon over-
took and passed Boulton's men, and diverging from the
trail when nearing Batoche's, came upon four men stand-
ing near a fence. One they recognised as Kiel — coatless,
hatless, and unarmed. His companions were young men
and they carried shot guns. The two rode up, and one
called Riel by name, and he answered the salutation.
They expressed surprise at his being there, and in reply
he handed Armstrong a slip of paper — the note wh'^h
General Middleton had sent him, that if he would give
himself up he would be protected and given a fair trial.
At the same time he said : " I want to give myself up ;
but 1 fear the troops may hurt me." Assurances were
given that he would not be harmed, and as Riel had no
horse, and the scouts at any moment might come upon
thorn, it was deemed advisable to secrete him in a gully

POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM.

ni7

you are
1 (mil all
they are
} for you,
who are

3 evident
)i<liiig of
ke to the
but the
b General
mt if he
)uld have
humbug,
irticulars
' follow-

untry, as

I fu^^itive

ew miles

iers, viz :

m Diehl,

on over-

from the

en stand-

-coatlesH,

)ung men

, and one

dutation.

in reply

e wh'^i)

uld give

fair trial.

'self up ;

ices were

el had no

me upon

a gully

a short distance away, while Diehl corralled an animal
for him. While waiting for ] )iehl to return, the scouts
passed near by, and Armstrong and Hourie, fearing they
might otter violence to their jirisoner, hustletl him
through the brush, up into a poplar blutt", and on towards
camp. In the meantime Deale came back to the spot,
but found his companions and their prize had gone. He
followed their trail for a while, but surmisincr that their
purpose in makmg a detour was to avoid the scouts,
started for camp, where ho reported the gratifying news
to the General It was to be kept a profound secret until
Kiel had been smuggled in, but sonuhow or other it
leaked out, and in less than five minutes the news went
the rounds of the whole camp. Orders were issued to
keep the men as busily engaged as possible, so that the
arrival of the distinguished personage might not be
noticed and any demonstration made. Although keen
glances were constantly cast towards the tr^ail it was
expected he would reach camp by, at half -past three,
before the men were aware of the fact, Hourie and
Armstrong had slowly ridden in with a very shabbily
dressed Half- breed, who at once dismounted and entered
the General's tent.

Kiel was safe from harm, if ever harm was intended
by the troops. General Middleton held a prolonged con-
versation with him, and then the seven correspondents
sought the opportunity of interviewing the fallen chief.
General Middleton shook his head at first and refused,
very properly, to allow his piisoner to be catechised by a
newspaper man unless Kiel was willing. As Riel flatly
declined the correspondents missed a sensation.

In the meantime Maxime Lepiue, whom I knew well
in other times, had come into camp and surrendered, and
I visited him. I had known him in other and happier
days, and we had a handshake. He asked me if I had
seen his brother Ambrose at St. Boniface lately, and I
told him I had. Maxime, however, was evidently averse
to being interviewed, and asked me to ask the other

318

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.

correspondents not to torture him with (juestionH. TTo
was quit*' broken down. Wo had a brief cliat, hut it was
on his family affaira, and of no interest or concern to
the public.

Lepine was subsequently taken down to the boat, but
on appearing in public one of the released prisoners
attempted " to put a head on him," but was frustrated,
however, by the guard. Riel in the meantime was kept
carefully guarded in the tent adjoining the (jteneral's.

Of late on all documents of the rebel council or rebel
chieftain has been the word "exovide." When asked
what its meaning was he wrote the following: —

" Exovide — From Latin words ex ovule : from two
Latin words, eXy which means from, and ovide, ablative
of Hock. That word 1 made use of to convey that 1 was
assuming no authority at all, and the advisers of the
movement also took that title instead of councillors or
representatives, and their purpose in doing so was
exactly the same as mine, viz., no assumption of authowty.
We consider ourselves a part of society, and near us
another part of the same society attempted to rule over
us improperly, and by false representations and through
bad management of public affairs even injuring us greatly.
At the same time they were obtaining the ear of the
Government ; they were turning all the press against us.
The situation was leading us simply to aTmihilatiuii.
Without assuming any other authority than that which
exists by itself in the condition of our nature, they recurred
to the right of self-preservation, and those who agreed to
act together in the protection of their existence, threat-
ened in many diiferent ways, took the name of exovides,
so that having their distinctive titles for the time being,
and being known as the men of the movement, when
the crisis would be over the reaction would be las slight as
possible, for the reason that what would have been under-
taken and accomplished under the sound authority of
good sense could have no other results than good ones,
and consequently the movement prove to be less a distur-

POUNDMAKKR AGAIN HKAHD TROM.

319

mn. TTo
it it was
ncorn to

loat, but
prisoners
ustiated,
rvas kept
■al's.
or rebel
m asked

from two

ablative

at I way

■s of the
cillors or
so was
lUthowtv.
near us
ule over
through
i greatly.
|r of the
ainst us.
liilatiou.
it whicli
recurred
greed to
, threat-
xovides,
e being,
t, when
slight as
under-
lority of
lod ones,
la distur-

bance than a remedy to some things which were previously
going too far in the wrong,

•• Several tiines, it is true, we made use of the words
' representatives,' ' nieinl)ers of the council/ etc., b. * we
had to do it, until the word exovldes was understood,
and until it would begin to become usual amongst even
the men of the movement. So the council itself, not a
council but being composed of exovidea, we have called
the exovidate.

" I have a mission. So has every bod v. For me, I
understand my mission in this way : — To bring out
practical results."

In Kiel's tent last night an officer slept. To him and
to others with whom he talked (but he did not talk
freely) he expressed high a[)preeiation of the personal
qualities of his adjutant-general, Duinont. Kiel, hov
ever, laya claim to the credit of not only directing the
movements of his rabble, but of having conceived the
plan of the campaign, and of having designed the rifle
pits. He was, according to his own story, the actual as
well as the nominal leader of the movement. He said he
invariably kept his outer line of pits fully manned and
the inner ones sufficiently guarded ; but he was always
prepared to reinforce the outer pits, if <leemed necessary,
and to protect and defend any particular point assailed.
In Saturday's fight, he admitted, the steamer NortJicote
attracted their attention, and the few remaining in the
pits did not wish to commence the attack until the
conflict on the river was tinislied. He denied remaining
with the women during the fight on Tuesday as charged
by them, and asseverated that when Donald Ross, who
killed poor Jack French, was shot, he was behind him,
and heard his dying request to have his children brought
to him before he passed away to the unknown world.
After that he went to the centre, and saw another of his
councillors, Ouimet, an old warrior of seventy-five years,
lyin^- dead. Thence going to the right centre he saw a
nuinber of his followers either dead or wounded, and

"■ my

m p *

••'"'•■(lw^fff»H«pr"

I w|i- ii j iii i myi i n I I II J lip . . 11 .

S20

CANADA 8 NORTH-WEST REBELLION.

I f

then, ho says, he saw tho day \vas lont. Taking his wife
and two (lanjrhkcrs he lied to a bhitF not tliree miles from
Batcicho's, and close to the plaeo where he was captured
or, as he insists, where ho surrendered.

Of Gabriel Duinont's whereabouts he claims to know
nothing. When asked as to the number of his force, at
one time he said seven liundred, and at another five
hundred, of whom three hundred and forty were Half-
breeds. Both statements are obvioiisly incorrect. Mo
|)robaV)ly had five hinidred men, but he understates the
str.'n^^th of his Indian allies. At Fish Oreok he savs he
had but one hundred and fifty-four nuii, and hi.s lo.s.ses
were seven killed, of whom three were Indians. Kiel
also says that while most of the Indians have gone to
their reservations, there are still sonic unsubdued Half-
breeds, rendered desperate by tlie loss of home, or wife,
or family, who may waylay travellers ; and he warns
people not to go too far from camp unprotected. Indians,
too, whose brief career on the war-patli has not satiated
their taste for blood, will likely make the country a
dangerous one to travel through for some time.

After seeing Kiel, and conversing with those who
have talked with him, 1 cannot believe that he i.s
altogether sane; he is certainly a "crank," and a cunning
crank withal ; and it appears to me that, knowing well
the impressionable and superstitious uat\ire of the Metis,
he has taken advantage of their weakness, and by
blasphemously feigning sanctity, has worked upon them
in a manner which has made the more ignorant of them
his abject slaves.

A courier coming in to-day reports that the Half-
breeds are flocking into Batoche's, wdiere their names are
taken down by the parish priest, upon which they
deliver up their arms and return to their homes. A large
number were still there when ho passed. In conversa-
tion with them they all denounced Riel for leading thom
into the trouble. They said that they thought they could
whip the "police" until that fatal Tuesday afternoon

■=4,

POUNDMAKKIl AOAIN HF.ARD UtOM.

.121

cf his wife
iiiles from
\ captured

s to know
iH forco, at
lolher fivo
wore Half-
)rrect. Ho
irstatea tlic
he aavH l^e
I his losses
liana. Kiel
,ve gone to
dued Half-
\e, or wife,
I he warns
I. Indians,
10 1 satiated
1 country a

\e.
those who
that he is
1 a cunning
)vving well
the Metis,
ss, and by
upon them
int of thtMii

t the Half-
r names are
which they
es. A large

n conversa-
^.ading them

t they could
after noon

when the charu'e wa^ made. The chargu (U>moralized
them, and they Ininii'diy loft for the ^jrotecting banks of
tho Saskatchewan, <lown which they lied helter-skelter,
and fojind temporary safety in blutlls a few miles away.
They said that (Jarnot, the secretary of tho \l'w\ govern-
ment, had amongst others delivered himself up, and wa.s
strutting about the town. A large number of arms were
piled up — weapons of all descriptions, amongst them
some Spencer ritles and a bagful of aniuuuiitioa, old and
useless weapons, of course, predominating. They all
admitted that they bad l3een thoroughly beaten, and all
they were anxious for was peace. They had heard of cho
capture of Ri<d, and only regretted that Dumont was not
a captive with him. Of Middletou's leniency they spoko
in high tfci'ins, it being the very reverse of what Uiel had
led them to believe.

Kiel was allowed out of his tent thia afternoon for a
few minutes, of course escorted by a guard. He had
scarcely left the tent when the ubicpiitous Captain Peters,
of A Battery, who is an ai.iateur photographer of no
mean order, had liim " taken." Riel looked askance at
the " instantaneous " camera, perhaps fearing that it was
an infernal machine, but as it didn't go off, he walked
back into his tented prison apparently well plejused.
Captain Peters, it may be mentioned, is an entlnisiast in
the photographic art, and has the negatives of i)oth the
battles of Fish Creek and Batoche's; the first, it is
claimed, ever taken of an action.

The rebel adjutant-general is doubtless .safe away in
the fastnesses of tho Birch hills. He was seen yesterday
about thirteen miles from camp, and Boul ton's men got
within half-a-mile of him, but their horses were pumped
out, while he rode Parenteau's fast horse, the fleetest in
the North- West, and easily outfooted his pursuers. He
carried his trusty rifle, but had no blankets. One person
who conversed with him, a Half-breed, who came in to
deliver himself up, reports that Dumont told him he
merely wanted to see Riel and then he would go away
20

-jr*

822

canada'b nouth-wkht rehkm.iow.

for ever. Wliilu Hcoutinjx for Dtiinont the hcouU
discovennl that Ri<'l yijMtenhiy had break fastt'd at
Girard's place, and tlwit he Hci'iind a chii-kcii to take to
liis family for dinner, and would probably havo returned
for .supper had not tlio couriers interfererl with hi.s plana.
It ai)poars from what can bo learned, that the recal-
citrants were .lot afraid of defeat until Tuesday's f^allant
char;^e was made. They imaj^inud they could kt cp the
j)olice at bay, but when the rousinf( che«'r rang out
and echoed throu^fh the ravines and plains of the bullet-
swept battle ground, they became demoralized and fled
precipitously, waiting neither for coat nor siioes, and in
some instances not even for arms and ammunition. Riel,
however, was long before convinced that tlie day was lost,
and early in the morning opened negotiations with (jen
eral Middleton, through Astley, one of his prisoners, who
had frequently warned Kiel that he would be beaten
when the soldiers came, and had otft-reil liis services two
weeks previously as a mediator, if (»ne were needed. Rid
came to the cellar-prison, and called out to Astley at 8
a.m. liis first message to the General regarding the
safety of the women and children, and the threat against
the prisoners, was merely a pretext to open negotiations.
Ho was then conscious of certain defeat, and }>aralyzod
with fear, and wanted to make the best terms he could.
Of these preliminary negotiations his fighting braves were
in total ignorance, anil they, not knowing what was going
on, opened fire while the flag of truce was being borne by
Astley. When the answer came back, Dumont was sent
for, and he came whore Riel was, and what was regarded
as a sign of submission was his grasping Astley cordially
by the hand and shaking it, the first time lie had ever
made demonstrations of friendship to any prisoner. Then
a hurried consultation was secretly held, and the negotia-
tions were continued to gain time ; in the meanwhile a
steady fire was being maintained by both forces. The
rebel council was convened for the la.st time, and shortly
after that gallant, resistless charge, and that wild cheer I

.y~.«-»<».'»».iiw^ s ii 'm , 'm w tj if y wpyjiryfijpi iM Jii 'M * - ' Wim

POUNOMAKFR \aAIN HEARD FIIOM.

82n

faHted at
to take to
f; returncil
his ])lans.
the rocal-
y'H gallant
f keep tli«'
YW.\\^ out
tbf l)ull(jt-
d and Hed
loes, and in
bion. Riel,
ay wa^< lost,
I with («en
soners, who
\ be beaton
icr vices two
eeded. Kid
Astley at 8
gauling tlie
r(;at against
legotiations.
U jtaralyzt'tl
Ins he could.
l)raves were
it was going
iig borne by
nt was sent
as regarded
ey cordially
ihe had ever
,oner. Then
the negotia-
Imeanwhile a
forces. The
, and shortly
wild cheer 1

have spoken of, rendered further coinmunicatioTi by letter
between rebel and loyalist unnecesHary. As tlie boya
canic bravely on, disniiiy lillod Half-ljreod and Keti-Hkin,
and they tle<l to the sludtoring banks of the Saskatchewan,
and then in snuill bands disp(rr;Heii to the north-taNt. At
dusk Kiel, wlio had rmuiined all day in fear and trein-
blinf^ with the wonion, slipped away and was lost in th«
blacKiiess of the night. Dntnont, too, defeated and
despondent, hastened away, and in the Hecludon of a blutf
a few miles away passed the long night with some still
faithful adherents.

▲ CHANGK OK POSITIONS,

It was on the I9th of February, 1869, that Colonel
Boulton (who the other day was out scouring the country
for Riel) was a prisoner in that person's power, chained
and manacled, contined in a cold comfortless cell with
nothing to eat but pcnnmican tuid water, and under sen-
tence of death- Time has brought around its revenges
and the gallant Colonel finds himself now hunting Riel
instead of being hunted by him. But ho can see, if he
looks at the miserable fellow, that he is treated with far
more consideration than he accotded his prisoner. No
irons manacle his legs, no handcuffs prevent the free u.se
of his arms. Riol is .saved that disgrace which many a poor
culprit aurter.s. The Colonel has not yet seen Riel, nor
has he any desire to.

As an instance of how serious the rebel losses have
been, a little .settlement u]) the river tells a terrible tale.
Of six houses, where six f;unilies resided, there is now
only one man left. Five widows mourn the loss of the
bread winner.s, and thirty little ones are left fatherles.s.

1 learn that the houses at Fish Creek belonging to
the Touronds have been destroyed by fire. Gabriel's has
been destroyed, and at Batoche's five houses went up in
flames. Those latter belonged to Solomon Veurres,
Joseph Caron, S. Gareau, P. Parenteau, and Moise Paren-
teau. None of the finer buildings were fired, although
some were wrecked by shells.

S24

CANADA 8 NOUTII WKST UKUfclLLlUN.

Two iiiorchant« hav« ftrrivt»d i)» rninp, and opened up
** «t«)ioH.'* TliM Hton-H are iiuToly tim wu^'^'ouh in whirl)
the ^'(KmU wore froi^'htcfl, with tho Hky Cora roof and th«!
earth for a hasi'niont. l*rioo« aro not vory uiin'ii.sonal»h>.
T. iV- B. tobac'o snll.H at *)5c a phi;? ; cannfMl oyHters, r>()c.,
Bvrup, $2 por;^'allon ; canned poaclioM, 7.')C. ; jan»,$l 7^) f)«>r
can; HtockinjLjH, poor (piulity, 5')c. piT pair; and otlmr
articleH in proportion. A lair tra«l(* in done, hut not ho
larj^o as anticipatud, many of tho hoys having sui)pH»'d
thoma»dves free of cost at Hatochj's, after tho ndx'N left.

" What arc your f;(ri«van(v.sr 1 asked an Indian named
Big St ir, t}iroti<,'h an iniorpreter.

•' J)nn't know."

" Havo you any ?"

•• No."

•* Why did you fight t

** Hi cause."

"Because what?" •

•• Well, thoy tohi us wo had tu. Tlifty said the police
witli l)ig guns wore coming up to kill our wives and
ch'ldren, and to take away our lands from us; that Man-
itou woidd protect us; that the Atuerioans would help
us, and tlien we would have everything good."

*' And what will v<>u do now ?"

" Go homo if they let mo."

"Whatahout Kiel?"

" He is a had man — very bad."

It seemea that at tlie Fish Creek figlit the whole nOtel
force was engaged, although many left for home early in
the day. Wlien they returned at night Uumont boasted
that ihey had defeated the " police," but said they had
lost nearly all their i)onies. But he added that while he
had been victorious in every war he was engaged in he
was not so certain about this one. The loss of the ponies
was severely felt. They did not expect to fight us at
Fish Creek, but were surprised at our sudden arrival.
Kiel had always maintained that the first encounter
would be at Batoche's, and he pointed out the exact trail

POlfNPMAKFn AOAIW HFARP FUOlf.

n25

ned up

in<l th«*

rs, 5()c.;

I otnur
i not HO
iUi)pli«'<l

M'U It'l't.

I named

\e police
ves jukI
at Man-
ia help

olo rol)C3l
early in
lM)a.ste«i
,hcy had
while ho
oil in lie
e ponies
ht us at
arrival.
I counter
:act trail

that thft tronp^ wouM come. " Rut," ho n«M«> l,"our (IrMl
nhot will kill tilty n»«»n. "

That Ki«'l pn^sessnl a won«lerful influcnm, an intiu-
ouoty almost incomm't'limNilth', ovor tljM Mitis cat i»'»t bo
tleni'ul. lie is a thient .s|M»nl%<»r, almost a horn orator,
Miiavc, always polite, an«l very plausible. II«* Ih also a*
b«>rn agitator — t)»o son of bin father, an<l wh«'n the «!i>4«
contenie<l here H^nt to Montana for him he rame a.s if
conferrinj;; a creat favour upon th«m. At this time, how-
ever, the fndiari blood in the hall'-eaHtes had not been
worked up. There were som<? wihl, turbulent spirits, but
the mas.ses had not l)eon aroused. I low to raise their
cnthusiaHm, and secure their earnest sympathy and co-
operation, was a problem which Rifl's tertile brain soon
Holvcd. He aimouiieed that "a man " wan to be ba[>tized
in the ehureh— a c<^uvert, of course — but that the, Onm^e*
men of Priuce AlbiMl were determiruMl to prevent the rite
beini( performed. Th»i nuin was no otlmr than Jnck^on,
a younjif Ontario fellow who had hi en prominent amoni;st
the leaclers, and who afterwards blossome<l out as Hifl's
private secretary. This presumed interference miturally
f'ave oin;neo to nmny, and at the appointed day there w; a
a large gatherinic at the church of St. Antoirie de- Pat'ua,
where Jackson joined Kiel's new reli;^don, the authority of
the Catholic Church havinj; even at this early per o 1
been ro[)udi ited by the rebel lender. After the cernu ny
of Jackson's so-called conver>ion, Kiel addressed the niob,
denouncing the priests for " playing into the hands of the
Government," and setting himself upas the temporal and
spiritual leader of the Metis. Of course, no Orang(Mnnn
interfered. They had no idea of interfering, nor di(l they
care whether Jackson was baptized or confirmed or

buried.

After this there was no lethargy amongst the naturally
easy-going Half-breeds. Their red blood was np. They
were eager to attend meetings, and Kiel was easily enabled
to hold them in his power, lead them at his will, and
make them do his bidding. Riel gradually claimed

(• I I ny <frm m ■

320

CANADA'S NOUTHWr^T RrBKT.I.IOM.

i: ,

rllvine ftutboriiy anrl mirftouloun f^fin, until by urtme of
tho In'liftiiH l»<^ wiiH fiiirly worHliipi»i>«l as u itjmI. TIw»
movornoiit wan thuH cotiooivft'l indnplifiiy. fiilH«'l»«)iMl, ati'l
l>laspfioiny ; find it in no wonder itcanu) to HUcha.HU'Mun
and disAstroM.H tornuriAtion.

A corruMpoidoiit writing from Middloton> canin below
Datoclii' on Muy IN, MuyH :—

1 wont up to Hatocho'M yesterday with Major F^odson,
cbiof of tho transn )rtHorvic<v who tooksupniios alon^' for
tho iHtarving fainilioM of th<' homrlosH rorftlcitnint.H. <>n
thr> way up, hn saw tho ruins of Hov<Mal houses, l»uii«lin<^'H
belonging to proininont rcbolM, whicli had boon burnod
by the pas.sin)^' troops a tow days f>nn'iously. As Fktocho'rt
was noared, tho bodii^s of dtwvl <'attlo and dead ponii^a
wi>ro seen «trowin>( th<^ phiins, while from every iiou.m*
and ovory cart Ho;it«'d tlie w}iit<' embloin of peace and
Huhinission. Past the inj^enious rilln pits, past points of
vantage prepared for defence, sliowing weeks of labour in
preparations, we rovle and roac!\ed Batoelie'H in the early
afternoon. Here white flags tly in every direction. Men
carry them, they arc tied to carts, even little children
thiunt little ones in their tiny haudfl. Asking one of them
what is meant, the lad replied :

" It's a sign of peace."

"What ])eacer' "Oh, bore's been war, and my
father was sliot. Hut it's all over : ow. This fhig means
peace. No more shooting."

" Are you glad ? " " Oh, 1 don't know, but my
motlier is. '

Even Datoclie's line residence, where tlje rebel com-
ni.'inderin-chief h.ad his quarters, flies its white flag. We
visited the school, adjoining tlie bullet-riddled church of
St. Antoi de Padua, where the women and children
are congregated. Of the large numbers who were camped
here during tht battle (for Kiel had ordered that every-
body, men, wom'^n and children, dogs and ponies and
cattle, should rendezvous at Batoch(^'s), some had gone
home, but there were a score or so remaining. They had

fOUNOMAKKR AiiMS lir.AIlD FROM.

S27

f urtme of

luxxi, All't
) iiH\i<lil«;ii

mp below

aUtii^ for
iintn. On

luiildiii'^M
m l»uri\«Ml

Ratoclio'n
»ad ponii^fl
/cry hoMH*'
poaco arnl
t, points of
f labour in
1 t\jt) early

ion. M«'n
e chiMrnn

lo of them

', and my
liig moans

Vmt my

robel com-
Hag. Wo
1 clnirch of
1(1 cliiUlron
f rt; camped
ill at every-
poniCvS and
! had gone
They had

tidied the plaee up, and tlwMr littU pnpooMe«», •nii^fly
i»nseone«»»i in the cotiifortablr uimsh bni(M, W' n- d"'rkt«d out
in clean linen, and elinokltMl and erowcd in their molhem'
arn»?4. It wiw a far dilh»rrnt hcoi\** from the Snnday
before. Then the bidletii whi/./.e<l, the (iutlintf rattleu,
and tlie artillery roared, while the mothern and crhiMren
crouchrd in eaven and tepees, fearing <leath at every
moment. 'Po-'lay, peace rei;,'n.^, and freed fn)m the
tyranny oi' tlu^ apostate Kiel, in whom, true ('atholie.s a^
they are, tliey never beli«jve<l and never trusted, they
lioie their sufleiin^M tinnmr!ntnin.,dy, only ajikinj; safety
for their duped d«»ar ones, a litth; to Mtop the cramp of
hon^^'er, and a safe r»»tiirn home. Assijrunce wa.s given
that none but the pnilty leaders would bo punisheil, and
that they couM yo lujine. The wa^'^'on loads of flour and
bacon and t<>a told thcnt that the much-abhornd troops
which were to nmssacre them weiu, after all, kind and
genenm.s and Innnanc. The little <!hiiroh wan used for a
.storehouse. Jt had been utilizetl for far baser an«l more
»acrile;;iou.s purposes lurin;^ the last month or so. The
relief was ^nltellllly receiveil by the poor women. Some
of tluuu must have Huffeied tcrubly. One woman told
me Irer family had had nothin;^' to eat for four days. Her
husband was still in the woods hidin;^. Another woman
was homeless, Imsbandle.ss and hunj^ry.

The priest, Kev. Fatlier Ve;;reville, was busily en ;:aj]fod
receiving the anus of the submissive rebels, and tukitig
down the names of those .surrenderijig. He had in all
eighty names and forty- four weapons. He explained to
me that the rebel loss was not so liir^^o as at lirst esti-
mated. It was only sixteen killed, with between twenty
and thirty wounded. Previously several persons had
reported lifty-one killed and one hundred and seventy-
three wounded. When asked to explain the great dis-
crepancy in the figures, the priest said the larger figures
bad been based upon information obtained by volunteers
and others who were not adepts at speaking or under-
standing the French language, He showed me his official

f :

■'r^«i»r^?fi

t ■!■■" 'V: . 'n, ^

328

CANADA'S NOUTH-VVEST RK.UKLMON.

Tli

iist, and surocunon^h it totalled up sixtoen killed, i iiomg
have; bciMi Imried in the littlo ccinotery overlooking tlie
river just o])|)o.sito the elnirch.

I asked Fafclier Lcvoque ])0W Riel came to wield Ruch
an inthieiice over his Hock. He could not tell, hut the
people wore carried away by his oratory. Ho himself
was made prisoner, and when he liad defied Riel and
loudly ])rote.sted against his desecrating the church, he
found some to openly support him. There were some
who were still true to tlio C/hurch, hut they dared not, at
least they did not, resist Riel's commands. Riel was
clever enou^^di to see that V)ot'ore ho could hope to lead
the people into rebellion, he would have to depose the
priests who 'vere vehemently d< nouncinjf^ the use of force ;
and he accompli.shod tlds by setting himselt' up as an
a^jent of Heaven. Father Leveque says nobody attended
Mass except the women and children, and after a time
many of these were compelled to become Hitdites. This
priest, who is from Old France, went boldly to many of
the rebel meetings and denouiujod Riel at the peril of his
life. He warned them that the rising could have only
one termination, that the soldiers would overwhelm and
disperse them, and that their leader was ruining them ;
but his words fell on heedless ears, and, sore at heart, he
was compelled to leave them to pursue the course they
had determined to take. J gathered this from the Half-
breed women. Father Levecpie himself does not care to
talk ; he is broken-hearted. He told me, however, that
Kiel was a coward, and that hr:j had nlaced him and the
other priests and the five sisters from the St. Lam-ent
convent, and some children in that expo.sed little school-
house, midway between the fires of the two opposing
forces. It was a diabolical act.

In conversation with Mr. Ness, J.P., who was a pri-
soner, I learned that Riel told the men not to kill when
they could capture people. He was ])articularly anxious
that General Middleton should not be harmed, claiming
that he was an old friend and school-mate of his. Mr.

-*pr^- "T^f --r-'-^/-

POTTNDMAKER AGAIN HKART) FROM.

829

[. ThoHo
)kiiig tlio

i«'ld such
I, but tlio
?. bimsolf
Riol and
hurch, be
ere some
m\ not, at;
Riol was
>o to lead
cposo t]\o
) of force ;
up as an
' attended
er a time
bes. This
) HI any of
eril of his
have only
helm and
g them ;
leart, he
lurse they
,he llali'-
t care to
ever, that
m and the
Laurent
e school-
opposing

ras a pri-
kill when
" anxious
claiming
his. Mr.

Ness further reports that nt Fish ('reck the reh^'ls said
they had six kiilcMl • four llalf-hreeds and two Iflians —
and twelve wounded. Rirl always held that they .should
defend Batoche's to the hitter end, and warned them if it
were ca]>tured the.ir cau.se was lo-st. Hence it was that
such a determined stand was made here, and such elabor-
ate plans of defence conceived and (executed. When the
troops did not follow (the nsbels liad been waiting for
them in suspense) Riel inspired new spii-it into them by
telling them that t;ho i)oli"«^ were too frightened toconu!,
and that one whole battalion had been kille<l, so many
that it occui)ied two (hiys to bury the dead. Thus
encouraged, day after day passing and no " police " appear-
ing, they felt certain of victory on their own battle-
ground. That implicit confidence remained until the
charge was made. Then they sought safety in flight.

Mr. Ness could net learn whether Kiel directed the
movements of the men at Batoche's or not. He says Kiel
was not at Fish Creek, although he started for that place
with one or two men, but some of the .scouts coming in
and reporting that {thirty or forty " police " were api)r(jach-
ing in another direction, a me.ssenger was sent after him
and he returned. Mr. Nc^ss says that Kiel was invariably
the pink of politeness to him and to everyone, and wielded
an influence over the people that set th** power of the
priests at naught.

Mr. Ness is a Catholic, and has alwa3^s remained true
to his Cliurch and to Canada. He was made a prisoner,
but after forty-eight hours' confinement was relea.sed,
after being tried betore the council for having given infor-
mation to the police. He was found guilty, and as a
punishment his horse and cutter were confiscated. The
Half-breeds were not unfriendly to him, and a sort of
communistic rule prevailing amongst them, frequently
came into his house and made thcTuselves at home. He
says that at first Riel had about five hundred men, but
that nearly one hundred or so must have deserted him,
which number was probably made up by recruits from

mftf^-^mfi''^'*^?

^""■'Tfp'^'T'jfT*?'^

330

CANADAS NORTH-WEST RFBELLION.

n i

the Indian reserves. Mr. Ness was on parole. Ho
conid ^o as far as the church but not to the villajjje. Many
opportunities offered for an escajie, but hani]K'red with a
wife and family, he would not undertake the long trip
to the south, preferring to trust his family's lives in
rebel hands to facing the hitter winds and terrible storms
they mightencounte.ina winter's journey across the j)lains.

On tlie way ho.ae we saw two men bearing a white
flag coming from a bush. They were unarmed anil gave
themselves up. One of them was Pierre Vandal, one of
the mo.st active men in the rebel ranks ; the other
Adolphus Nolin, son of Charles Nolin, who is held a
prisoner at Prince Albert. They were taken to camp.
From what I could glean from them, Vandal had been
sent to the Battleford Indians to secure their co-opera-
tion in the fight expected to take place at Batoche's.
Nolin, who lives at Krog jjake, and claims to have been
a prisoner among the Indians, says the object of Riel was
to have the Ilalf-breed "prisoners" there relea.sed and
brought to headquarters. Nolin claims to have escaped.
Nolin left the Indians a few miles this side of their
reserve in the Eagle Hills, and says he thought they
would come to Batoche's. To f'':;ht? Well, he admitted
that he was coming to help his people. Nolin was
engaged in. g<'tting out logs at Frog Lake, and was
present at the massacre, the details of which have long
afO been made public.

Mrs. Delaney and Mrs. Gowanlock. he said, were safe
and sound at Johnny Pritchard's, atFrog Lake, he having
secured Mrs. Gowaidock's release by giving an Indian
two ponies, while Pritchard effected the other lady's by
giving one pony.* Nolin says the women were unharmed,
although tliey were naturally very frightened, and
remained all one day in the tepee sobbing and crying,
not knowing what horrible fate awaited them. At night
several Indians came to their place of confinement and

• This report afterwards proved to be correct.

— T " **' '

role. Ilo
,cTo. Many
'ed with a
long trip
s lives in
hie storms
tliei»lains.
ng a wliite

and gave
dal, one ol'
the other

is held a
1 to camp.

had been
v co-opera-

Batoche's.
> have been
)f Riel was
il eased and
Lve esca])ed.
lie of their
ought they
be admitted

Nolin was
e, and was

have long

d, were safe

e, he having
r an Indian

r lady's by
e unharmed,
htened, and

and crying,
n. At night
nenient and

}t.

POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD PROM.

331

(.lemanded an entrance, intending to Hteal trie womon's
cl )tlios ; hut they did not accomplish their purpose.
7'lieir freedom once purcliased, Nolin says, they were not
molested, and when lie otFerod th».'m the choice of going
to Battleford or remaining with Pritchard at Frog Lake,
they decided upon remaining.

Nolin was present at the battle between the Queen's
Own and Poundnmker. He says the troops were whipped
ai\ I compellod to retreat to Battleford, and that they
v 'iild have been annihilated but for Major Short and
Colonel Herchmer, wlio kept cool throughout. The Indians
surprised Colonel Otter at daybreak, and the battle lasted
till between one and two o'clock. The Indian loss was
four k'lled and six wounded. The Indians claimed a big
victory, and celebrated the event as such. The Indians
were about three hundred .strong, and had in the ranks
some striplings, who were armed with hows and arrows.

Nolin gives an a^nusing description of the capture of
the Battleford supply train, at which he was also
present. About two hundred Indians suddenly came
upon the train of twenty-nine waggons, when eight of
the teamsters " skedaddled," leaving tlieir arms and
wajjgons behind. The other twentj^-one surrendered
without a shot being fired. The Indians inilulL;ed in a
regular b.nv-out, the canned corned beef being a luxury
to the half-starved braves. The captured teamsters were
not harmed, the Indians with full stomachs becoming
good natured. When Nolin last saw them, they were
enjoying a dance, one of the teamsters supplying the
muric with an old fiddle he had with him. Mirth and
merriment prevailed, and the dance went on with joy
nnconfined. As long as the provisions hold out, doubtless
the festivities will continue, and after that the teamsters
will likely be allowed their freedom. From Nolin's
account, it appears that the ramifications of the rebels
were more far-reaching than we anticipated, and had
they been successful at Batoche's an Indian war, envelop-
ing the whole North- West, would have followed. Defeat,

.-W^T^?^

S32

CANADA S N^RTH-WEST RRRKILION.

J M

however, has averted such a calamity, and as Nolin
ter.sely put it : " Riel bij:^ dam fool."

I dropped into 'one of the rooniH in which Ri«'l had his
prisoners confiiiod. It was in the upper storey of Batoche's
old store, and comfortable quarters enough. The Im-
prisonment does not seem to have weighed down the
prisoners, or interfered with tlioii love of fun. Thii clean
planed wooden partitions bear witness to this. They arc
covered with caricatures in pencil, and poetry and bills of
fare of which is facetiously called " Riol's hotel." One
menu embraces "bannocks, cowhide, bull's feet, and
slough water discoloured with tea ; " others are oore
elaborate a not mare tempting. A caricature of Kiel's
last recruit embellishes the door — an extremely small
boy, with an enormous hat and a gun almost as large as
himself. Then there were dates, and the signatures of
the prisoners, and plain intimations to Monsieur Riel,
which indicated that his captives were not in mortal fear
of him. In the other prison house, the cellar, the quarters
wei e not so extensive, nor were there any facilities for
expressing opinions by pen or pencil.

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

We have cause indeed to glory o'er the fight our hoys have won,
O'er the work they have accomplished, o'er deeds that have
been done.

Though in peace they have been nurtured, yet, when heard

rebellion's cry,
How they rushed to arms determined to conquer or to die.

Canada ! such men shall make thee, what we fondly hoped for

thee —
A nation great and glorious stretching far from sea to sea !

« I

I as Nolin

Ri<'l had his
jH Batocho's
The im-
l down tho
Tho clean
. They are
and bills of
otcl." One
s feel, and
H arc -lore
lire of Riel'a
omely su\all
t as larnre as
ignaturea of
)nsieur Kiel,
L mortal fear
, the quarters
facilities for

"^%*'f.'r —T *»*•* >wt i «w I i'i ^" '*»»* / '>»»«>^'»yw«-'»)--»i>7-'* j r y >y*-* > "i' ''t i '' . ' . ■ ■ ^>W Mf ^'-^' y w# '* f '<l'''

oya have won,
ds that have

when heard
or to die.
dly hoped for
ea to sea !

OUR VOLUNTEERS.

333

XjO^ TnethinkH the future opona and my words are more than

tru»',
OiuHt'ring cities in thoir splendour riso where once but forests

grew;

Vessels heavy with their freightage o'er our boundless waters

glide;
Railroadb netted o'er the country join each mighty ocean's tide;

Prairies long unclaimed, unknown, now are tilled by willing

liundH ;
And our sons are nought and honoured by the great of foreign

lauds.

And are those who battled bravely for their country when

'twa.'j young,
Then to be forgotten by her 1 No ! such names are ever sung I

Names that still are loved and cherished by the loyal and the

brave ;
O'er our fallen shall flowers blossom and dark maples shade

each grave.

Heroes in the Far West sleeping, brave as those who followed

Brock,
Galb'ut as the brave that perished at Quebec's embattled rock ;

In a magic maple garland we shall weave each honoured name,
And the future years shall bri;;hLeu — never dim — your death-
less fame.

And may He who orders wisely, soothe the bitter grief of

those
Whose brave boys in death have fallen where they charged the

hidden foes.

When the rest come marching homeward, who have fought our

land to save,
We shall have a fitting welcome to the gallant and the brave.

,jr«-

■••>'

^*-'<"* * W'<

CHAPiKR XXTV.

TO PUINOU: ALDKRT AND BATTLKFORD.

]1]{01V1 Hatuc'lio General MirMleton made liiy w<

Ij^iu^ivi imiu(Mio uenerai iviiadieion made niy way
. Prince Albert. A. correspondent writes from that
village avS fbllows on the lOth oi May : —

At last we reach civilization, and pee people who don't
fire at iis trom behuid trees or out of ritli) pits. The
arrival oF the troops was a great event in the history of
Prince Albert, and tlie 19th of May will, for many years,
be marked as a red letter day. Our reception was an
enthusi.istic one, the local volunteers, with the citizens
and their wives and daughters turning out en vhanm to
welcome the boys. The nnlitaiy and local bands played
a|)propriate music, and amidst cheer upon cheer the tr()oj>s
marched in. (Jolonel Sproat presented the inevitable
address of welcome, congratulating the General on his
victorious progress through the country, and thanking
him for coming to their relief. General Middleton replied
briefly, acknowledging the compliment, but mod«.'st)y
accorded all the credit to his officers and men, who, he
said, were equal to regulars on the march and on the
battlefield. This is a thriving town, the only place of
any pretensions we have yet passed through since leaving
Fort Qu'Appelle, and, unaccustomed as we were to seeing
anything more than a small group of houses in the other
"eitie-^," in one's eyes it was magnified till it looked almost
as big as Toronto. Of course it isn't, but it contains, with
a population of over one thousand, some very fine build-
ings. There are numerous stores, and the private resi-
dences of several of the wealthier residents show signs of
culture, taste, and wealth. The town is very prettily
situated on the east bank of the North Branch of the Sas-
katchewan — straggling a length of about five miles. As

> 3 i-

TO PKINCK ALUKHT AND HATrLKFOHD.

335

ID.

hiy way to
sa i'roiu that

[)\e who don't
d pits. The
e history of
• many yc-ars,
)tic)n was an
I the citizens
t en rriaHse to
bands played
eer the troops
he inevitable
loneral on his
md tlianking
dleton replied
jut modt'stly
men, who, he
1 and oti tlie
only place of
since leaving
were to seeing
3 in the other
ooked almost
contains, wi til
ry fine build-
private resi-
sliovv signs of
very prettily
ich 01 the Sas-
ve miles. As

one genius puts it, "it's seven miles lon^ nnd flfti'cn
inches wi<le. ' Some ot the buildinjr.s are brick, but the
majority are constructed of wood. Another siijjht brinj^s
back remembrr.nces of home — haiulsomely attired youn^'
ladies. Th(;ir style of dress may not be aceordirijr to the
latest Paris fashions (you must remember they have been
cut ort* from communication with the outer world fort'vo
months), but in ncnitness and taste the costumes are tit
lor the suiniy .side of King Street in Toronto.

The town possesses all the conveniences of Eastern
cities, and were it not for the .iricaded church and
manse, whose con] wood defences make it resemble a
piofantio wood-yard, the few rifle pits which had evidently
been nuide by c^ophers, the numerous red-coated police
strolling about, and the port-holes in different buildings
one would imagine that ho was in a peaceful Ontario
town. The place was w(ill garrisoned, and with the
means of defence and favourable location, could have
withstood any attack that might have been made upon
it. There was no lack of provisions, .90 one naturally
wonders what on earth all the scare here was about. 1
tried to find out, but failed. The several persons I ques-
tioned would give me not even the shadow of a reason.
One man, wdio claimed to have been on guard sixteen
nights, said that he had not seen the ghost of a reV)ellious
Half-breed or hostile Indian during his term of service,
and he had been all through the " siege." Further he did
not believe there was an unfriendly [)erson within twenty
miles. Time and a rigid investigation, however, will
probably bring out facta which cannot now be ascertained.
Instead of showing hostility, two chiefs, iron Bull and
Star Blanket (no relation to a namesake in the File Hills),
interviewed the General to-day, and professed not only
the greatest friendship, but asseverated that the}' had
withstood the blandishments of Riel and the tobacco of
other tribes, and remained truly loyal to the Great White
Mother, and friendly to the whites. They were glad to
see the General, and to be allowed the opportunity of

Canada's north-wkst ukukimon.

cxprossir^g their ple«Huro at meeting' him, and th«'y tiustfMl
thoir friendHhip would nover bo broken. Iron Piull,
whose Indian Fiauw^ is Mis-ta-waH-si.M, is the second " bi^grst
Injun " of tlie (-ret's in the whole North- We.^t, and wieldH
consi(K'rabIe inHuence with the Red men. His companion,
Ah-tah-kah-kooj) (Star Blanket), is also a chief of home
power. They both cam.; t'roni near Carleton.

The (Jeneral's exact plan is not yet completed, but
from what can be learned the four steamers — North-WcHt,
Alberta, Marquis, an<l liaroncsn — will probably take the
troops up, and await their visit to the reserve, ami then
return with them to the mouth of the Saskatchewan,
where, after crossing Lake Winnipeg in oth« r steamers,
tln'v will take the Canadian Pacilic Railway to Port
Arthur, and ^'o down tlu; lakes. Should no serious trouble
occur at Hattleford, in three weeks or a month Toronto
should get ready to welcome its gallant volunteers — if not
all, at least a large proportion of them. When it docs,
your citizens will not see band-box soldiers, spick and
span, but travel-stained and bronzed veterans, with
toggery the worse of wear. As a matter of fact, the
Grenadiers are beginning to feel tht^ necessity of a new
outfit at once. Many of the'r unmentionables have seen
their best days, and their tunics are soiled and torn.
Their headgear alijo needs replenishing. Fur caps, with
which alone many of them are provided, are unmt^ason-
able at this time of the year ; and their stock of under-
clothing is also worn out. You will see a pretty ragged
regiment walking down King Street some fine day. The
health of the whole force is remarkably good. The hard-
ships of a long and tedious march and the bivouac in the
batUe field, in this clear North-Western air, have not
afiected them. Were it not for the few wounded we have
with us the medical staff would have but little to occupy
their time with. Dr. Ryersf a tells me he has no sick
list now-a-days at all. He speaks in the highest terms
of the ambulance corps of the battalion, formed of the
buglers and others, which rendered signal service at

To PIUNrK AT.nKUT AND TlATTLirORD.

337

li»'y trust<'<l
Iron hnW,
11(1 •' Wigi^fst
, and vvicldH
conijiaiiion,
lef ol boino

ipleted, but
i^orth'WfHf,
Ay take tho
e, and tlu'n
;kaU:he\van,
er Htojuiiors,
ay to Port
ions trouble
tith Torontft
,eors — if not
lien it do<'s,
, spick and
eranM, with
of fact, the
jY of a new
s have seen
I and torn.

caps, with
iinst^ason-
k of under-
■etty ra<jjtjjed
B day. The

The hard-
^ouac in the
r, have not
ed we have
e to occupy
IRS no sick
ghest terms
med of the

service at

Bafoche'H, lirinpintf in many of the wounded at the peril
of their own lives. Ol ('(Hirse the amlMilance corps ot tho
90th and the Midlands were equally as rHicient, and are
deserviu;^ of all praise. Tlicre was one rase of hiToism
which (hiserves mmtion. One of the Orenadiers was
seriously wouiuled at Hatoche's and woidd have bled to
death had he been left for any len^'th of time. Colour-
Ser^'oant Ourzon, undc^r a showt-r of rebel bullets, at
once knelt down an<l st(»|»p('d the h}oinorrha)^'e, and carried
his woun(i»Ml comiade to a placr of safety, marching coolly
away to tho music providi^l by the ufuns of the enemy.

Now that tho march throus^di tlu^ fertile country —
extending' from beh)W Fish Crook (m tho south to seven
mih's boyon<l Lopino'a on the north, a distance of ab(»ut
fifty miles— is hap|)ily comploted, we learn (d' the narrow
escapes and wo bo<,'in to thiidc of the " what mij^dit have
been." The rebels have " ^ivon away " their plans, and it
is learned thi't the intention of (iabricl DuTnont at Fish
Creek was to allow the (;olumn to pass that terrible
ravine, and when descending the slope on the further side
to suddenly attack it. Another of the narrow escapey
was the intend<Ml night attack on tho camp at Mcintosh's
the inght belbro the Fish Crook Battle, when a MU(Men
scoop was to have l)een made in the early hours of
the morning. The rebels, mounted on their fleet little
ponies, were to snoak u}), and passing the picket, to rush
ui)un the sleeping force, not tiring a shot till the tents
were readied ; and then in tho confusion to pour volley
after volley into the half-arousrd and unprepared soldiery.
A third surprise also missed tiro. It was to have been
made the ni<jfht before the battle of Batoche's. The
steamer Northcnte, then lying at Gabriel's, was to have
beon set on lire at night, and those cm board shot down
as they atteuiptod to escape from the flames. This would
have been no difficult job, as there Avere only forty
soldiers on board, an<l the camp sixteen miles away.
Fortunately the merest chance prevented all these dis-
asters. In tho first one, there was a misdirection of
21

m m^< wm mmiitMf'^i»^tt>ifym* »»» n »w'> n i n i»»i " «|i ; iifwr

3.18

CANADA H NOIITH WE81 UKUCLLION.

orders, aixl all tlio vit\yf\ force tu take part in It JM not
turn up till too lati» in the ni^lit : tlmn our nonut.s Mur-
priHed tin tii at Y\h\\ CVeuk, aiui thu IiwlianN, di.soboyini^
onlors, tinMl upon tlufn ; and (h«' Mtean»«r wius Havod
tlirou^l) tho stupidity of a Hcout, who roportotl tlmt itn
destruction couM be more thorou^dily Hr(roui[>lishcd on the
iollowinp nijL,d\t. It was a ^«)od thing lor us that wo luid
the hick on our Mi<h». The rehels were no fooU. If they
had been an wel! armed as we, and in e<pial strentfth, oin-
victory would not have been «o complete. I douot very
much if we should have lunl a victory at all. They are
devils ineurnate to fight, even with common old shot-
gviiiH, some of tln'ui flintdocks.

There will be niaiiy mouths to feed on tlie South
Saskatchewan ff>r the in^xt year or so. Fro»n Saskatoon
to Pritcluird's, some ninety or one hundn'd miles, there, is
little if atjy grain sown this year, and it is too late to put
in anything, except perhaps a little barh\v and potatoes.
There is no seed grain. A large proportion of tiuj cattle
have been driven ol!', and the settlers have lost their most
invaluable assistants, their ponies. Hero and there a
household has lost the provider or one of the main-stays;
many houses are entirely destroyed ; and there is little
food or provender in the country. Something must also
be done fc»' those loyalists wh(j, owing to the troubles,
have been compelled to leave home and nt^glect their
farms ; for the merchants and traders whose goods were
seized, and who have been brought thus to the verge of
ruin. Take the Kerr Brothers, for instance. Tliey were
doing well at Duck Lake, wlien the rebels seized their
store and helped themselves to (heir stock. Since then
the firm have been unable to do anything to recover their
losses. One of them, George, accomparned the troops and
nob only furnished important information, but shouldered
a rifle and helped to smash Riel. For many a day the
terrible effects of this short-lived uprising will be severely
felt. The case of those people living in the disaffected
district near Prince Albert is a particularly hard one.

■i^''\ ,'.

in it JmI not
r HfiontM Mur-
H, di.Hoboyini;»
> wan n&veil
rtod that itM
ilisheil im the
that wc hii<l

luU. If t\wy
strmffth, ()\u'
1 (l<)ui»t very
11. They art'
lon old ahot-

)i\ the South
iin Sa.skat()on
[iiih'H, thoro is
,00 late to put
an«i i)otat()»it*.
, ot* the cattle
ost their most
au<l thurt' a
e main- stays ;
there is little
i\^ must also
the troubles,
lu^glect their
ic ^'ooda were
the verge of
They were
s seized their
Since then
recover their

10 troops and
ui shouldered
riy a day the

11 be severely
he disaiVected
,rly hard one.

TO PHINCK AI,nKUT AND UAnLtroRD.

33D

They are only now pirinitt«'<l to return to their homos,
ttn«l aM v,i) iwiMsi'ij ih rough to-day wo Haw many houseM
Mtill dt^scrtcMi and t'artns untouchetl, ahl»oii;/h they neti-
tioiu'il to U^ allowed to >fo out from the l*ri ice Albtut
city of refuge and «1() their npring work.

On tha 2 1st of May the same correHpon lent writoR »ih
follows :

It is evident that Oeneral Mid<lleto!i will not waste
1 any time in this plae«\ hut will push on to Hattleford hh

soon aM the means of transportation will perndt. The
river will bo utilizt^d, and, thank goodness, tne navigation
of the North IJranch of the Sfuskatclunvan Im not ho
uncertain as that of the South Hratuih. The trip should
be made in a little less than tbreo days, ho that if we
leave hero to-m(Mrow, as " ordors " now Htat»\ we should
be able to join Otter by Monday at latest, 'i'he steamer
^'ortk'WeHt, it is iu)w arranged, will lead the van, and the
MiiffJiitH and other boats will follow iuuue.liaUdy after
their arrival here. The supply waggons will b)llovv the
trail, being escorted by Dennis's Intelligence Corps, yud
being light will be able to move rapidly. The North-
West, aa I write, is being barricaded, and Captain Sheets
is attending to the work, himself, not having that confi-
dence in military engineers which one would naturally
expect. He had enough of that on the Norllicote, and
proposes to make the North-Weat as idgh bulle't-proof a.s
it is possible to nudce her with the material at band. All
the troops will go up the rivor, except the Winnipeg
B'ield Battery, which will (?arrison Prince Albnt, and
with the Mounted Police and volunteers protect the
place against any raid of the Indians, .should the lled-skins
take it into their head to make one. It i.^ said that the
insurgents hereabouts are still .saucy. The General's
desire is to smash Poundmaker and give his followers a
well-deserved dndibing. With the force at hand he
should have no d'fficulty in accomplishing his purpose,
provided the turbulent chief can be found or does not
surrender. It is said that he has three hun<lred and thirty

640

CANADA'S NORTH-wraT nmnxpif.

.'»

brftvoM, annttr to
Hutocho's to ht'l{) Kiel, hut nx h«) hftM hn'l iiu woni ol (liut
ln<livi.|iiJir.s overthrow, doiihth^MM he will chun^i' his
tn(;tic8 and point in .ioim* other (linction. Kit^lVt runn'TM,
who took him tho iiows »»f tho <l<'IViit, wt«r« to t«<ll him
ho conlil not li^^ht tho white men with thoir Outlin^if
immeton iiml iiul-coiits Rn«i " Muck ili»viU/* an tiie 'K)tl» nu)
o«lli«l by th<5 In<lians. It M 8alo, thrrct'on', to |in*<liot an
oarly closing of th«i ''nm[)ai^'n, althon^h posHihIy hotliitn
of troops may be Htationed at diHerunt points I'or nomo
tlnto to comt^

'I'h*^ n«'c»'S8ity for tmops 'm unnnostionod, for I foar
the prasti^e '>f tho M<Muitc<l I'nlice is lost. Kvery Half-
breod and Indian spraks in contomptuous terniH of tho
force, ami has no more drea«l of it than thoy hav»? of
<rf)pli«;rs. 1 am not sayinn; that the force is not oomposod
of l>ravo and gallant yo«m;;j men, and I know it is at :«!!
times prepared to do its duty; but tho revp "se at Duck
Lake, the retreat to I*rince Albert, and the two months'
tnasterly inactivity there, the evacuation of Fort Pitt,
all have combined to lower the tor(?o in the eves of the
sava'jfes, with whom presuijre is everything,'. Some of the
me,ml)ers of the force unwillingly admit th's, while others
luiwail the unfortunat(* position in which events have
|)hiced them. Whether their prestige and inHuence can
bo regained, J will not pretend to say ; if it cannot tho
uset'ulness of the force is gone. TIds is said with tlie fidl
knowlc<lge of the beneHcial icsiilts which liave followed
the organization of the poli<t«, and the invaluable service
it has renflered, and is still rrnd(iring, to the country

1 interviewed Colonel Irvine tins morning as to his
reasons for not venturing out to fight the Indians. When
1 told him of the reports of his "funking," ho ex|)resse(l
the great(!st Hnr])rise. He had no idea that his conduct
would be so misconstrued. He had, he said, given expla-
nations to Genj^'al Middleton, and ]hi believecl ihey were
perfe<!tly satld'actory. The Colonel did not care about
being interviewed, in fact he prefL-rred not to be; but

• '.^1

^n mutr to
wonl ol tlmt

[An I uniP'i-H,
to it^ll liiiii
hoir Oatlin^
\ t\w. OOth iiro
to predict an
sNihIy bo«ru!i4
iitH t'or Hotnt)

mI. for I f«>ar
Kvory Half-
tonns of tlio
th»'y havt? of
not <!oinj)Oso«!
w it is at :ill
!» -se at Diu'ic
two inoiitlis'
of B\)rt Pitt,
oyo8 of tho
Some of tlio
wliilo otlu^rs
events liJivH
mrtiuMice can
t cannot tlie
vvitl» tlu5 full
avo followed
luablo sorvico
^ country.
linL,' as to his
\dians. WIk'H
ho exprcsseil
ids conihict
, j,dvon cxptii-
vfd ihcy were
ot care about
c)t to be; but

TO PRJNCK Al.MK.KT AND nATTI.I KtiUD.

linftllv hi' i^'Avo uu^ a fi«w nnnutoH <»f Id'* tiin«». H»» nnid
fliat ho and hin omfrnrH wcru thnrou^d ly p<»^trd as to
the ••ountry. aiMl th«» stn'n^'th, location, and plans of tho
Insur^jcntH, and he know that tin ir j^n'at uini whm to
induce him to conu) out townrdn HatoclioH, wboro, am-
hii.slu'd in tho fuH -a lon^^ Htntch of thick tlnibi-rn — thoy
could with thtdr far sup' rior f«)rco, have jinidldlatiMl IdiM
and court'd amis jitid anunuintion, just \vlwit tlwy nioMt

n ltd, and iinnpdiat<'ly havo movrd down on Prime

Albort, which would have lM't.»n almost d« IViu'cIi'hs, as all
th«! arms h(5 coulil }»av«j left there wore tldrty-rtve Win-
chosterH and forty sliot-^Muis. At the time ho heard that
(ieneral Middh-tno was eimun^ with only thr»e hundred
and fifty nen, Ik^ had deterndned to ^o to his a.sHititanco,
althou^fh i^ iui;;I't result in his force hoin^ cut to pieces.
H(»wever, vhen a larjjer t\)rce came ( )ver one thousand
strong', and he hid heard it was one tiiousan<l live hun-
dred), he knew it would be folly for him to^'<M)iit leavinj'
the cnly important settlement in the, North almost totally
undofendeil ; besidiH, he Had no orders to go.

" Why," sai<l the colonel, " vvheneviir it was hinted
tliat the police were goin)^ out, women and children raiHe<l
a terrible cry at the prospects of being left helpless.
Altiiou^^h no Indians were seen around, 1 had no (loid)t
that they were always within striking,' distance, and that
as soon as the police had j,jon" th«y would have raided
the town. Yf>u must remember— you can see for your-
self — that this long straggling place would require a
strong force to defend it, anti it i('([uired all our strength
to j)atrol the place and scout the country. We })a<l to
send forty-two men to guard the stores at Hudson's Bay
Crossing on the South Branch, and we kept scouts always
out in the direction of the enemy's country. 1 feel that
I have done all that could have been done in the best
interests of the country, and I feel certain that General
Middleton approved of my course."

B^om others it was learned that some of the people
of Priiice Albert were not so truly loyal as they are

yi g ^i imm i > ,l^ |if If 1^11) 1 » »j » n | n »

y ' i"p i i ' f ' Mt ' ■ " iw fn ' .iny. ' .w. ' ^jy. 'tT' iv.f 'Wi i* mw ' . ' H" ' . '' 'vvwwy ii' H ;'.'

OANAD»'S NOUTH-VVEST REBKJ.LION.

to-day. Many of theD\ were loud-mouthed Hynipathizers
with Ri(?l at tlie inception of the troubles, and took
a prominent part in his meetings, only cutting the con-
nection when the Metis resorted to arms. One Prince
Albert man, wL ise name for obvious reasons it is better
not to make known, told me that he had no doubt that
if the troops had suflered a reverse at Batoche's, the
number of rebels in the North-Wcst, and particularly in
this place, would have wonderfully i' -creased, while the
strength of the loyalists would have correspondingly
decreased. Immediately across the river, too, is the camp-
ing ground of the renegade Sioux, those ui'screants who
participated in the Minnesota massacre of 18G2; and
these had suddenly disappeared, leaving only their
squaws and old men behind, Some of them had returned
two days after the fight at Batoche's. This tribe con-
tributed forty warriors to lliel's strength, and being kept
thoroughly informed on the movements of the police
would have taken advantage of their absence and
returned not with the most friendly intentions. So,
after all, perhaps Colonel Irvine has been misjudged and
liis motives misunderstood or misrepresented. But all
the same; mortal injury has been inflicted upon the
reputation and usefulness of the police force.

In my Inst I endeavoured to describe Beardy, the
Duck Lake Chief. I have since learned that he emulates
Rie] in assuming a sanctified personality, and indulges in
wonderful dreams which he interprets to his ignorant
ibllowers as circumstances may require. He also talks in
parables, and up to the other day, aped Louis " David "
Kiel in every conceiv?.ble way. That Beardy is a bad 'un
is universally admitted, a cowardly, treacherous, bluster-
ing bully, unfriendly to the whites, by whom he had
been fed, and ready at all times to keep the country in a
disturbed state while he discreetly looks after his own
safety. There are, of course, some loyal Indians in the
North -West. Several bands of Crees, such as Iron
Bull's, and Star Blanket's, who firmly declined all

;*'T;.??''>?it'7'

sympathizers
[;s, and took
iig the con-
One Prince
s it is better
) doubt that
latoche's, the
irticulaily in
id, while the
respondin^^ly
, is the camp-
jcreants who
:' 18G2; and
only their
had returned
lis tribe con-
d being kept
of the police
absence and
ntions. So,
isjudged and
ed. But all
id upon the

Beardy, the
;he emulati'S
I indulges in
his ignorant

also talks in
ais "David"
Y issi bad 'un
ous, bluster-
'hom he had
country in a
fter his own
idians in the
uch as Iron

declined all

TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLB:F0IID.

343

advanceH from Kiel ; but from wliat can be learned had
the rebels gained a decided victory, only these and
possibly a few more would have remained stauijch.
Mis-ta-was-sis (Big Child), as has been already stated, is a
chief of great influence, and in the old days of inter-
tribal warfare was a renowned warrior, by some called
the terror of the plains. He is getting old now but he
keeps his ago well. Of small stature, he has fine clear
cut Teatures, speaks fluently, ami has demonstrated that,
having left the war-path years ago, he has become a good
Indian.

In the foregoing letter the correspondent has fallen
into an error very common to those who visit the North-
West for the first ti no in their lives. People who have
sLilIered for breaking the law (especially whiskey
traders) do all they can to prejudice straugers against the
Mounted Police. Deserters and "scallawags" of every
sort tell heart-rending stories to credulous Eastern editors,
but i;hose who have spent any lei^^rth of time in the
North- West, and who have carefully and intellig* ntly
studied its institutions will know better than to make
any reflections on this admirable force or its oflicers.
Colonel Irvine does not need any certiiicate of char 'cter
from newspaper correspondents to induce those who
know him best to believe that he is a brave and intrepid
soldier, as he has again and again proved himself such
since he assumed command of the North-West Mounted
Police. As to the reflections upon the force they are too
absurd to be worthy of notice. Surely the men could
not go to Batoche's without orders, but that they could
and would flght when it w^as their cue to do so Fort Pitt,
Cut Knife and Two Lakes amply prove.

A well-informed correspondtnt writing from Fort
McLeod thus referred to the Mounted Police:

In Montana every man travels armed as a measure of
personal protection ; liquor is sold freely to the Indians,
and carried over Indian reservations with impunity.
Gambling goes on openly, and the law is everywhere set

t-Kt^tk'HricJrr-f

""-■'•-V--TT-

7«»" r >■■

1 ^-'

344

CANADA 8 NOU rH - W EST REI*. KLLION.

at naiiglit. Hc^ro, tliouj^li thoro is only a liainirul of about
three hiindrcd Mounted Police to preserve onU'-r in a ter-
ritory over nine hundred nulen lon^ by more than five
huTidred miles wide, coDtaiidng a wild, warlike, and sdini-
starving population of twenty-five thousand Indians and
about six thousand scattered settlers and ranchers, of
whom a lari^'e proportion in the southern district are
ex-whiskey traders and refugees from the American laws,
the best order prevails. 1 liave travelhnl over tw.lve
hundred miles through the North- West 'i'erritorv witli
liorses and waggon ; I have camped sometimes alone, and
Bometimes close to the police camp; I have had no means
of locking up anything, and my whole outfit has always
been exposed to the depredations of any persons who
might be disposed to meddle with it, and yet, with the
exception of one blanket, notliing has been stolen from
me in the whole journey. Though T have travelled hun-
dred of ndles with only m}'' lialf-breed guide for com-
pany, I have never carried a revolver, and have never
kept my shot-gun loaded in my tent. To sup])ose tliat
such a state of affairs could exist here without the
presence of an adnrirably organized and thoroughly elH-
cient police force would be the wildest nonsense. What-
ever may have been the state of the force in the past I do
not know from any personal knowledge, but as to its

firesent state under the connnissionership of Colonel
rvine, 1 am certainly in a position to know something,
and so far as I am able to judge, I cheeri'ully testify, not
only to the excellent cnaractor and soldierly conduct of
the ofticers and men, but to the thorough efficiency of the
force, and the invaluable service it is now rendering the
Dominion in this territorj^ I have heard complaints
against the force here and elsewhere throughout the ter-
ritory, but all these comp^ ints have reached me through
the medium of deserters, nien who have been turned out
of the force for bad conduct, and ex-w^hiskey traders who
have suffered in pocket through the suppression of th?
whiskey traffic by the force. I have talked a good deal,

. ,.. V-. -'f ^^,■■ -I- :

. " ^ y<j »»t«*» T^'TH'f "ifwr r"""

..,> -v*?

TO PRINv'K ALBERT AND HATTLEFORD.

345

and very freely, with the constables and non-comm*n-
.sioned otti'^ers of the force, and witlunit exception 1 have
foun;! them intellij^'ent, thoroughly W(!ll-di8pused young
gentlemen, proud of the standing and cliaracter of the
force, strongly attached to the Oomnu.s.sioner and the
officers in connnand of their respective posts, and pleased
with the country and the mode of life they are called
upon to lead. The only send;)lance of fan It- finding that I
heard was of the low rate of remuneration (40c. per fliem
for recruits) and the character of some of the unilbrujs
served out to them, and in these respects I must say that
I think there is room for improvement. As to the work
the Mounted Police force is performing in the North-
West, no one not intimately ac(|uainted with the country
can be in a position to jndge. The officers and men have,
to a very great extent, secured the confidence and good
will of the Indians. The Red men are not only afraid to
come into forcible contact with the red-coats, but they
feel that their lest inti-.rest lies in assisting the police in
the discharge of their dutios. They have confidence in
the justice of the administration of the police and feel
that the Indian rights will be protected as v/ell as those
of the white men. Instead of seeking re^lress for wrongs
in the usual Indian wav bv force or strateijv, they com-
plain to the constituted authorities and in all respects
recognize the fact that the white man's way of adminis-
tering justice is better than their own.

Colonel DeWinton speaks of them as a " really won-
derful body of men. They always appear to know just
what to do in any emergency and proceed at once to do
it." Captain Chater, after speaking very highly of the
creditable appearance the men were able to make on the
shortest notice and the admirable marching ajid campaign-
ing qualities they had shown, alluded particularly to the
feat they had performed in crossing the South Saskatch-
ewan (at Batoche's, with Lord Lome and escort) in five
hours, remarking that he had not known of a regiment
in the British army capable of turning out a detachment

»apw

-*!?•

-j5»=?

.^tM,.XL^^^,, . .^ 1^ ^,

.T^^'

CANAHAS NORTH-WEST HKHKLLION.

able to porfonn a similar feat in the Hamo length of tinie.
lie also ailmlcMl in the most com)^limcntary terms to the
^ooci conduct of the men. Bad language wan not heard
in the ranks, and when anything waa to l»o done it was
done promptly and quietly without any noiioor Hliouting.
He thought that the conduct and management of the
num reflof'tod the highest cnMlit upon Colonel Herchmcr
and the non-connnissioned officers in charge. Captain
Percival, who, like Captain Cluitci-, has sefn a good deal
of active service within the past few years, also spoke in
the highest terms of the orticers and men of the Mounted
Police, summing up with the remark ; "a most wonderful
force ; they combine all the handiness of sailors with the
Bniartness of soldiers."

The following stanzas, written some years ago by a
member of the North-West Mounted Police, truthfully
and graphically describes the mounted policeman and his
mission ; —

THE RIDERS OF THE PLAINS

■ 1

So wake the prairie eohoeH with

The ever welcome houiuI ;
Ring out th« " boot and lAddle " till

Its stirring notes rosound.
Our chargers toss their bridled heads,

And chafe against the reins.
Ring out I nng out the march! n.,' call

For the Riders of the Plaina

O'er many a league of prairie wild

Our trackless path must be,
And round it rove the fiercest tribes

Of Blackfeet and of Cree.
But danger from their savage bands

A dauntless heart disdains —
Tis the heart that bears the helmet up,

Of the Riders of the Plains.

Tf*'"' 'M t'y. f "'^'' i^t^-

TBK HIDKIta OF THE PLAINS.

TItc prairlft ■torrns swoop o'er our way,

Hut onward Ntill wo go,
To Hcalo thp woary mountain range,

Deiicond tho valley low.
We face th« broad SaNkatolicwan,

Mad») fu-roo with heavy rainH.
With all hJH nii^ht h« cannot check

The Kider* of the Plains.

We tread (ho dreadful oactuH land,

When', loHt to wliiU- um\\'n kc i,
Wo startle iho.rr tiio cn^aturcH wild

With th(i wight of arinr-d ni( n.
For wh(>roHo'or our leadnr bidn

"I'he bugki Houndrt itn Htrainn ;
Forward in H<!CtionK marching go

Tho Kidera of the I'laina.

The fire king Htalks the prairie,

And f< ivrfui 'tin to sne
The rushing wall of flame and Hfnokt

Girdling round ur rapidly.
'Tis then we Khout <]cfi{uice

And mock hi8 ii(Ty chains ;
For safe (lie ch^ared circle guarda

The KiderH of the Plains.

For US no cheerful howtolries

Their welcome gatcH unfold ;
No generous board, no downy couch

Await our troopers bold.
Beneath the itar-lit canopy

At eve, when daylight wanes,
There lie theHe hardy wanderers —

The Riders of the Plains.

y47

In want of rest, in want of food,
Our courage does not fail,

As day and night we follow hard,
The desperado's trail.

348 Canada's north-wkst rehellioji,

II JH throatpn»»fl rifle stays uh not,
lit* liiitlH no hope remuinH,

Aii«l yields at IhhI a captivo to
'J'ho Killers of the Plains.

We've ta'en the haughty feathered Chief,

Whoso hands were red with blood,
E'en in the very (Jouncil Lodge

We 8<ized him as he stood.
Three fearless hearts faced forty braves,

And bore the Chief in chains,
Full sixty miles to whore were camped

The Riders of the Plains.

But tliat which tries the courage sore,

Of horseman and of steed,
Is want of blessed water,

Blessed water in our need.
We'll face like men whate'er befalls,

Of penis, hardships, pains ;
Oh G( J ! deny not water to

The Riders of the Plains.

And death who comes alike to all

Has visited us hore,
Filling our hearts >nth bitter grief,

Our eyes with many a tear.
Five times he drew his fatal bow,

His hand no prayer restrains ;
Five times his arrows sped among

The Riders of the Plains.

Hard by the Old Man River,

Where freshest breezes blow,
Five gn 8!=»y mounds lie side by side,

Five ri lers sleep below.
Neat palings closed the sacred ground,

No stranger's step profanes
Their deep repose, and they sleep well

These Riders of the Plains.

^tfirr i-m-fT^^-ft!^/., T^-'

THR nrOERS OP THF. PLAINS.

VAd

TlnTe \h no niarblo column,

Tht^re is no ),'ravnn hIouo
To blazon to a turious world

The d<!vi(l8 thry nnght have done.
But tlui prairio flower blown iL^htly there,

And on^opinj;; wild rose trains
ItH wn-uth of HunniuT beauty o'er

The lUdera of the Plains.

yieep on, sleep on, proud Hlumberere

Who died in this Far West,
No prancing steed will feel your hand,

No trumpet l>reak your rest.
Sh'f']) on, till the great Archangel

Shall burst death's uiortal chains,
And you hoar the great *' Reveilld "

Ye Riders of the Plains.

We bear no lifted banners.

The soldier's care and pride,
No fluttering flag waves onward

Our horsemen as they ride.
Our only guide is " duty's" call.

And well its strength subtains
The dauntless spirits of our men,

Bold Riders of the Plains.

In England's mighty Empire

Each man most take his stand ;
Some guard the honours 1 tlug at sea,

Sonie bear it well by land ;
'Tis not our part to fight its foes —

Then what to us remains ?
What duty does our Sovereign give

Her Riders of the Plains 1

Our mission is to plant the rr'ign
Of British freedom here.

Restrain the lawless savage,
And protect the pioneer

I '

jr^

,.f <Hii^*"' HUfNUl Tf ■l"'* ii H|Myf l lW iW tU f ' t' ** ," ' '^''^ --wwr^^^—--

360 CANADA'8 NOJlTll-WEST UEHKLLION

Anil 'IIh a proud amJ daring trust

To hold thvHo vast domains
With hut thnu) hundred iuount(>d m«n —

Tho KiderH of thn IMainn.

And thouj^li wn w'n no praise or fame

In ihci Htrug^lo hor« alond —
To carry out good British law

And plant old England'H throne ;
Ycst whnn our task has been performed,

And law with ord«<r r^i^nH,
The poaooful snttlor long N>ili blt'ss

Tho Ride B of the Plainn.

KIEL AND THE PliNfANS.

Riel ttvsserts that all the talk about Fenian help was
merely a blind, but if a letter addressed t») him from New
York, and intercepted the otht-r day by the police, is not
a fictitious one he is open to tho char<,'e (jf mendacity, in
tho delayed Prince Albert mail were several letters
addressed to Riel ab Carleton. This particular one was
addressed to "General Louis Riel, Carleton," and bore tho
New York postnmrk, and was dated 28th March last,
shortly after the Duck Lake lii^jht. It was evidently in
response to one written by Riel, who had made an off«ir
of some kind or other. The writer was thoroughly posted
on North- West affairs and the location of places, and spoke
of Humboldt, Clark's Crossing, Carleton, Saskatoon, and
other points, and advised Riel to defend Batoche's. Refer-
ence was made to sending five hundred men, with guns,
ammunition, and hand grenades, which were being manu-
factured. Allusion was made to ditlerent persons, hcti-
tious names, such as " Rock" " Leary," " Sec." being used.
The signature was this : —

The identity of the writer has, of course, not been
established, but he evidently was a c(mfidante of Riel's,
and his addressing the letter to Carleton indicates a
thorough xcquaintance with the rebel plans, as it was

. . mm I'm-* I I> r i1

■ iii >« < i i '"""^ifpy^tif^

TO PIIINCK ALDKllT AND BATTLEFUHO.

3:;i

I help was

I from New

:)licje, is not

idacity. [ri

Rral letters

ar one was

ntl bore the

March last,

vidently in

db an offer

ghly posted

and spoke

atoon, and

e'a. Refer-

with guns,

oing raanu-

raona, ticti-

:)eing used.

not been
e of Riel's,
ndicates a

as it was

th«Mr intention tu capture that phico iu their lirut flush
of victory.

" Are the people of Princ** Albert resptmslble in any
way for this rebellion ?" was Uu' qiu'stion 1 uskod of a
lea<ling resilient of that town, just before the steninor
Htartod for tlio west.

•' Thoy are this far," was th« reply. " When Riel first
eanift to tbo Nortb-West, and was holdinLj meetings
tbroughout the country, they asked birr to h(»ld one here.
A largidy-signed le.quisition to that effect was presented
hini, and when ho came a largo crowd attended and
listened to his speech, lie wa.s very moderate, of course,
and I believe his rcmark.s were ap})lau«led, but 1 don't
know, as, being entirely opposed to the moveuic. o, I did
not attend. However, many white settb^rs here led Ricl
to believe that tbey were heart and soul with him, and
he in turn led his people to beli»;vo the same thing. I
don't suppose these anticipated for one moment that the
a<^itation they then fanned would result in a "^sort to
arms and bloodshed, as it did ; but their countenancing it
without doubt led Kiel to greater lengths than ho other-
wise woubl have gone. He counted upon their support."
"And did no one oppose him at the meeting?" 1 asked.
"Yes, a Mr. Deacon, one of the Wolseley expedition
men, rose in the meeting and called Riol a nuirderer. This
somewhat frightened the rebel leader, and he did not
hold another meeting here. It also partly deterred some
of the white sympathizers with Riel from further follow-
in<y him. It was lliel's boast t'lat tht; (jovernment owe<l
him money, and that he would make it cost them hundreds
of thousands of dollars."

" So you say that Prince Albert is not altogether
blameless in the matter ?"

"Not blameless in the way I have mentioned. Had
the white agitators among us not encouraged Riel by their
petitions to him and attendance at his meetings and by
supplying him with money, thus misleading him into the
belief that the whole white population was at his back,

"tf****!""* • •*'*»Tl-**»-"l»-<

■" im^'tft^r' m * ' i r ^«w p ^m^

352

OANADA'H NOIlTHWKttT UEUKLLION.

his MuhMequent acti<»n tnii;ht havo l)e«n coiifirnul to coii.Hfi-
tutioi'fil niot)i()«iN. TIm' a«(itatoi'N litun oncdiiru^MMl his
caiii|iai;';ii aiiion^ tlut IIali'-)>iHeilN hy «vt<ry moans in
tlioir power."

'I'his Ih tho view of a loalin^' OonsiMvatlvi^ reHirhut
of Prifico All>erL, ai»«l a loadin^r Kuronuor oml(»r.s»'M it as
cont'ct.

Tht< journey to Battlofonl from PriiHM» AHiert is iliiis
tlescrihod. Tho «lo{>arl ire \va.s uiado on May 2'i . -

Amid loud choers tV' ni tho assoml»l»'d soldiory ami
townspeople, who lii od tli« hanks, the ^ood ship Norlh-
WeM, tiie fl(«'l(»Ht in iNortli-Wrsteni waters, whinh i.s not
sayin*.^ miuili, steauujd out tVom I'rinc(i Allujrt yesterday
morning' for liatthford. On honrd ;tre (huural Middlet»n
and his statK. the Midland Battalion, under the gallant
Colonel Williams, with twrnty-tlinui ollieers and two
hundre«l and thirty -three men ; one t^'un of A i'attery,
under Captain Drury, with live ofHc(;rs and lifty m«'n ;
and Colonel Hoiilton's Mounted lid'uiitry, five ollieers and
sixty men — a total force of three hundred and eighty
two men and eighty-six horse .s.

Tlie niornin^^ was pleas.mt and full of Hummor, hut in
tho afternoon tlie hreeze from the west iuid grown into
a strong' liead-wind, which with the numerous sfindhars
forming thf river's bottom, mattu-ially iin[)eded our pro-
gress ; HO nnich ho that CarUston, whicli it was expected
would have heon reached before dark, was eight niiN s
ahead of ua when tlie boat went to tlie bank for the in-sld.
The channel in the Sa.skatchewan changt^s yearly, and as
there is only one pilot on board, who is also captain, and
only one engineer, we cannot run at night. However, as
it is, only six or seven houis ai'o lost daily. An early
start is mnde at dawn, and {wq have long days in these
high latitudes) we keep speeding along till darkness pre-
vents further progress, say about nine o'clock at night.
This imposes a serious task on Captain Sheets and Louis,
the engineer — seventeen or eighteen hours a day — but the
(•aptain says that having experienced it almost ever since

ft — -^-w •

\vA to coriMti-
\'y moans in

ndorseH it hm

Llltert Im tin Is

sohlifi'V ami

Hhi|) Norlh-

wliwrh is not

jrt ycMti'iduy

ral \ti(l(||('t M

r tlio yjalhiuf

•rs aijil two

)!' A I'attcry,

id titty men ;

« olllcors and

and eighty

miiHM', but in
d thrown into
'Diis sandharw

lod om* pro-
xy an oxptM'tt.'d
s ei^lit miic's
for the ni;^dit.
really, and a.^
) captain, and

However, as
ly. An early
daywS in these
darivness pi-o-
lock at night.
L'ts and Louis,

lay — but the
lost ever since

TO PUINCF Af.liKKT AND UATTI.ErrmO.

35,^

loavlng Swift Current, on t.)ie 8th ult. he haa bf»come
arcMstomed to the lonj( hoini and the hard work of dodg-
inj,' throuj^h thf! intricate channels and .ivoidinjj tlie shift-
ing Hhoal.s of the treaehorous stnam. At Sturg.son Fliver,
the wreck of the steamer ManitolHt \h Hoen, with cabin
gone, and hull sunk over hor Ixaler dock. Here it wa«
that she had laid up in winter <pmrt«'rH. but there not
hoin^ Huflicient water .s)ie froze to the bottom, and when
th»; ice l»roke up itt tl»e spring itMmash«'(| h»'r all to pieces.
The Manitoba, which fornuirly plie«l on the Ke<l Iliv»?r,
was built ten years ago. and on her Hceond return trip
between Moorhead and Winnipeg was sunk by tlie
o^)position Hteamer Infernational. She was raisefl and
atterwards passed into the han«is of th»' Winnipeg and
We.stern line, which, a.s the railway 8U(K;rse«ied the river
as a niean.s of communication with the Ea.st, nent her to
tlie Saskatchewan, wh«;re she has since been plying till
now, in a lonely and unfrecpienterLsbot, .slje lies a derelict.
This morning Oarleton was reach(;d bright and early,
and boyon<l the ruins of the burned fort the fo niH of
m(;n and horses were Meen. A couple of longbooted red-
coats allow UH that the place i.s occupied by Mounted
Police, and not hostiles, and a few minutes iater a young
Indian, a nephew of Poundmakur, and son of one of the
biggest scoundrels on the plains, came on boan) followed
by a well-dro.ssed, middle-aged Half-bre«Hl named Alex-
andre (Jadian,a gentleman who some years ago was the
chief of the Indian tribe at Muskeg Lake, but who of late
has been a resident of Duck Lake. With them was Mr.
Jefferson, a former farm instructor at Poundmaker'a
reserve, whose time expired on the 1st April, and who
claims he has since been a prisoner of that doughty chief,
although it is not clear that he was an involuntary one.
Poundmaker's nephew, who.so Indian name signifies Blue
Horn, was an envoy toden'Tal Middleton, and the bearer
of the following crafty- worded letter, in Jetlcrson's hand-
writing :—
22

r ' M

•O^*^— * l l» I WI l>,y» *v.».i,»«^.

■* ^**f " "•*• -HP^*^'

354

CANADA'h NnUTII-Wi:**T RKB^;M.!ON.

Eaolr Hiixh, May 10. 1b85.

Sin, — T Km eampefl with my people ut tli« «aHt ond of
tlio Ku^lfi Hills, whrro I am m<:t l>y the ihuvh of ihr sur-
r«*n<h'r of Ki»*l. No l»tl«M <:iiine with tin* ijmwh, mo that I
curin«tt till how fur it miiv I"' trim. J mcikI moiiio of inv
nieii to ^'ou to Inirri the tiiitli nn<l tho turim of peaco, Hti«l
hope you will (li>ul kiii<ily with theni. I and my people
wish you to Heinl uh the teriiiH of p'-ace in wiitiiijf mo that
there may be no miHiinderstainliii;,', from whi<h mo muoli
troohh' arisen. We have twenty-one priiomTH, whom we
have trieil to treat well in ev»;»y respect. With j^reeting,

PoUNhMAKKK, -f

nuuk.
To Oeneral Mid«lleton, Duck Lake.

To this the General sent tlto followinc; reply by the
bearers, with whom Jetlefson al.-to returnod :

Stkamku *' Noimi-WKST," May 2.S. 1«8.V

PouNPMVKKli, — I have utterly <lefeat(Ml the Half
breodi and Imlians at Ratoche's, and liave made prisoners
of iliel and most of his council. 1 have ma»le no trrms
with him, nfitlur will I make terms with you. 1 have
moil enouj^h to destroy you and your people, or at least
to drive you away to starve, and will do so unless you
brin^ in the. teams you took,an<l yourself and your coun-
cillors to meet me with your arms at iiattlef'ord on
Tuesday, 20th. 1 am i;lad to hear that you treated the
prisonei*a well, and have released them.

FuED. Middletj-V, Major-General.

The story, as learned from the interpreter, was as
follows: — Kiel had sent his emissary, Alexandre Cadian,
with others, to Poundmaker to ask his assistance at
Batocho's, sliould the (jrovornment forces nu et him there.
The day ai'tcr his arrival, news of tho disaster to Riel's
meu reached Poundmaker, tlirough a £riondly Half*breud,

' "." '^ff ** '

'•*V**l*^'

TO PRINC'K AI.BKIIT AND HATTLBrOKD.

955

of Un^ *<nr-
rn, MO tliiit I

I my p«'o|)l»5
tin^ H<J tliut
ich MO mu<.')i
H, whom wo
ith ^'rcetinj;,

it. +
mark.

t'l»iy ^^y ^''«

123, 1885.

rl the Hair
luUi prisonorH
iivlo nu trrms
^ou. 1 have
, or at least
) unU^sa you
id y^'^i' comi-
iattlcfonl on
treated the

r-General.

reter, was an
.ndro CVlian,
twsiHtance at
(^fc him there.
!i.st(;r to Kiel's
ly Ualt'-brecd.

with the a.lvii'.» that h*- shouhl lay «Iowm hin armn if h«
winhtuj to avoitl having liin pcoplw IciIUmI. Poumlmaker
(lid not helievo the uicHwrn^or, and ('adiaii aitd othrn*
Htart«<l for Hat»)che'H tt» awcertain the truth ; but afl.T
their departure the news wits conlirme<l >»y oourierj* Hont
by He.irdy. PouTuImakerH nopliow luid in the meantinio
hern duMpatched with the h-tter ^iven ahovo to l*iinco
Albert, wh«T»« it wa.s tliou;<ht UtMH'ral Middl ton wan

camped, but hmling tluit hf had ^onc toCarhiton folh)WiHl
ami overtook him, as Mtated. ( Whan waw captur» d by the
Mounted Police, near iJuek Lak*;, and brouj^ht to ('aile-
ton also. Am wired you, he wiw one of the most prondm-nt
in tho rebel ranks. Hi.s former chi»?ftain.ship stood him
in good stead, and he easily intluenced his old braves at
Muskej^ Lake to go on the warpath. In other wayn,
especially with tlie savagi'.s, wa.s he an invaluable aid to
Riol and tht? reb«l cause, lie was s(M\t to Prince Albert,
where ho will be incarcerated with the otlu-r prisoners.

At Carlet')n we also learned that (Jabriel l)umont,
witli three trusty li{Mit<»narit.s, had been lur!\inf.( in tho
birch Mills, and that bjit very few of the leaders '>t' tho
rebellion are now uncaptured. C'arleton itself is very
prettily located on tho bottom land, and immediately in
rear ri.sos tho tree-covered bench land which almost
overlooks it. In front runs the muddy Saskatchewan.
There are no buildings except one or two sheds ; a neatly
painted picket feneti, wliich surrounds tho ruins of Law-
rence Clarke's house, and tho blackened <h'brin of tho
fort it«»olt* being all that n^mains of this former flourish-
iuif post. It is so located that it could scarcely be defended
against any largo number of hostiles, and its destruction
was a prudent .step. Now tliat we know that Pound-
maker is anxious to submit, further [»recautions in the
way of barricading the boat are abandoruMl ; extra
auununition is put out of si;^lit, and everyone feels that
the cai' paign is nearin^ its end.

Omy Big Bear now rijmains unsubdued, and,a.s Colonel
Strange is after him, it is thought by persous who are

-il.#^^-

856

CANADA s nohtfc-west reurllion.

coiTippt<'at to form an opinion that upon the receipt of
the news of U'm'^Vh ovortlirow and capture ho will follow
the example of his more artful fcllow-maraudor, Pound-
maker, and sue for peace. Big F^.ar has not the
influence nor tlie eunninor of Poundrnaker, who is
credited with having deceived every white man with
whom he has come in contact, and that in the most
approved fashion. There are, besides Little Poplar,
wlio boasted last fall that the land would be running with
blood before long, and who but recently returned frotn a
visit to tribes across the line, and Breaking-through-the-
Ice, I^ucky Man, lately deposed chief ; Curly Head, the
Twin Wolverine (Big Bear's eldest son), and the well-
named Miserable Being, who threatencul Quinn and killed
seven of the Frog Lake victims. All of them belong to
Big Bears party. They, with Poundrnaker liiniself, his
brother, Yellow Mud, Peachoo, Lean Man, and Grizzly
Bear's Head (the two latter Stoneys), will j)robably be
sent as prisoners to Rcgina when they come in and
surrender. They are all bt' ' Indians, and any leniency
shown to tliem would be worse than mistaken kindness,
it would be a blunder. With them out of the way the
remaining indians would not be likely to create another
disturbance for many a year to come. But if they are
not punished, and punished severely, there is every reason
to believe that the couiitry will be continually disturbed.

On the Steamer '* North- West," May 24.

After Carleton is left not a solitary house on either
bank is seen, not even an Indian tepee, not a vestige of
life is seen, except a few wild fowl, not a sign of civiliza-
tion. We realize at last, to the full extent, that this is
the Great Lone Land. All is eternal silence, broken only
by the puffing and wheezing of the steamer. The steep,
heavily-timbered banks, on which the dark emerald of
the fir contrasts prettily with the lighter green tint of
the poplar, become the barriers of a bare, open, rolling
prairie, boundless as space itself, whose extent to the

V," 'jX

TO PRINCE AT.BKHT AND RATTLEFORD.

867

eceiT)t of
ill follow
r, Poun<l-

not the
who is
nan with
iho most
i Poplar,
r)ing with
(1 frotn a
)U;^h-the-
iead, the
the woll-
md killed
belong to
riself, his
) Grizzly
)l)ably be
le in and
' leniency
kindness,

way the
J another

they are
jry reasi)n
listurbcd.

lay 24.

on either
vestige of
f civiliza-
ic this is
)ken only
lie steep,
nerald of
u tint of
n, rolling
it to the

vision is only limited by the horizon. Again the timber
appears on thci banks, poplar only, small-sized, with bud-
ding leaves. 'J'he river is still tortuous, the islands more
numerous, the sandbars more annoying. And so we ereep
on. Church parade is held in the morning, the General
reading the service. Appropriate hymns are rendered,
and after the Doxology is sung, " God Save the Queen "
rings through the air from a hundred voices. It is the
Queen's Birthday. Ours is not a very grand celeV)ration
of the event, for it is the Sabbath, but tlie General tells
us we shall right royally celebrate the day to-morrow at
Battleford. But in honour of Her Majesty the men tidy
up a bit ; officers, whose uniforms are tnivel-stained and
begrimed with powder, don their other clothes, the
General setting the example. Captain Howard appeals
in all the pomp and lustre that the regulation blue and
gold of the Conr cticut State Guard, with red-plumed
helmet, can shed. It is a quiet, unostentatious way of
observing the day, not what Canadians, at all events, are
accustomed to ; but however undemonstrative it may be
it is none the less loyally observed. A blinding rain-
storm sets in earl)'' in the morning, the skies only clearing
long enough to permit divine service to be held in the
sunshine ; then the clouds gather again, and it seems as
if Jupiter Pluvius had turned on the water and forgotten
the combination. Later a strong head-wind, retarding
our progress about two miles an hour, drives away the
clouds, the sun shines brightly again, and we go on
cautiously picking our way past san-lbar and shoal.

A canoe bearing a white flag comes down the river,
and hails the steamer. It is quickly drawn up alongside,
and its occupants climb on board. They are Samuel
Ballendine and two other messengers from Colonel
Otter, at Battleford, bearing the mes.sage which Pound-
maker had sent him, a similar one to that sent the General
himself. The couriers report having seen a couple of
L.,iians, evidently watching for the boat, a short way up
stream, and that they had disappeared as soon as they

'W""~y^ ilfr-Tt ■'v*''i|E '■'i'"*'' '

,>■•.

■•:*"•

f i

.: ■ *l

358

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.

saw the canoe cominj^. Pound maker was camped ten
miles hack from the Saskatohowan, on the east side, about
forty miles from Battleford, and the^se men say that he
has about eight hundred ponies and a number of head of
cattle ; that he has only about a month's provisions, and,
with Indian prodigality, is slaufr^tering twenty-five,
thirty, and forty head a day, while the untouched carcases
of fat beeves lie scattered on the plain, killed in sheer
wantonmiss. They also tell us that Pounduiaker expects
to be able to make another treaty, with all the past
forgiven, and that he will be allowed to return to his
reserve with even more liberal terms and privileges than
he previously enjoyed. He and his men have pillaged the
country, driven oii' the cattle, recklessly destroyed what
they could not steal, burned hundreds of houses, massacred
unoffending settlers, hopelessly ruined hundreds of people,
and now that he sees retribution about to overtake him,
this child-like and bland Indian would really like to
know, you know, on what terms the little unpleasantness
he has created can be condoned. The Stoneys with him,
one hundred and sixt}^ strong, and every brave a fierce
fighter, will not surrender, but are determined to remain
on the war-path.

Baliendine also tells of an Indian named William
Lightfoot, who lives near Battleford. He has fifty acres
broken, owns numerous ponies and cattle, has a well-
furnished house, and is in comfortable circumstances.
Noticing his industry and thrifty habits the Indian agents
have endeavoured to encourage him in every possible
way, and been more than kind to him. Notwithstanding
this, he was one of the first to go on the war-path, and
one of the most fierce amongst the cruel savages.

This is only one of many instances where the policy
of kindness and paternal care which the Canadian Gov-
ernment has exercised in dealing with the Indiins has
proved to be a failure. It is evident that some new and
more ri«^o: nis system must be adopted by which the
Indians can be more easily and cheaply controlled. Not-
withstanding the tens of thousands of dollars annually

TO PRTNCR ALBKUT AND nATTLEFORD.

a59

imped ten
Hide, about
ly that he
of head of
siona, and,
s^enty-five,
3d carcases
1 in sheer
er expects
I the past
ini to his
leges than
illaged the
>ye(l what
massacred
i of people,
take him,
ly like to
3asantness
with him,
e a fierce
to remain

I William
fifty acres
IS a well-
imstances.
ian agents
^ possible
hstandinof
path, and

iS.

he pohcy
dian Gov-
diins has

new and
7hich the
3d. Not-

annually

spent in fooding those wards of the nation, notwithstand-
ing the elVorts unceasingly put foith to give them homes
aM<l to clothe tluni, over a tliousand of them, witliout
reason, except the insatiable desire for blood and plunder
which seen)s to po'^scss most of them, luive gone on the
war-path. In lact, one in four of the available Indians
north of the tiwk went out fighting against us. So soon as
their Half-breed leader is beaten they criugingly suppli-
cate foi peace. If it is granted without severe punish-
ment being inflicted, that mistaken leniency will only
embolden them to eontiiuic their goodtor-nothingmaraud-
ing habits. " What should be done with them ?" I asked
a gentleman who has spent many years among them, and
who, having had considerable experience with them, is
fully acquainted with their traits. His prompt reply was :
"First, I sliould punish the leading Half-breed and Indian
rebels, commencing with Kiel. Then I should reorganize
the whole tribal system, aboli.ihing all chiefs and coun-
cillors, which has been found to work fairly well where
it has been tested already. No more treaty money
should be paid to any one found in arms or known to
have participated in the recent troubles. All these
Indians should be disarmed and their ponies taken away.
Force every Indian, whether good or bad, to work ; but
continue to act faithfully and honestly up to the terms
of the treaty with all Indians who Avere loyal, and did
not join Iliel. By following the.se suggestions, my exper-
ience of many years teaclies me that a better state of
affairs will immediately result. The status of the Indian
will be raised, and tiuding himself com])elled to either
work or starve, fond of grub as he is, he will choose the
former. The expense of the service would grow much
less annually, and so many being disarmed a feeling of
safety from d«^predations would soon spring up among
the settlers. This is a radical cliange, 1 know, but after
their conduct during the past two months something very
radical is needed. Had Kiel been victorious at Batoche's, a
general Indian uprising would have followed, and although
some tribes would perhaps have had no wish to go on the

..■^p-pfjr-

360

CANADA S NOUTTI-WEST REBELLION.

war-path thoy would have been forced into it. Tn tli.ifc
case yoM well know the terrihle eonsequences that would
liave followed. I shudder to think of them."

My own personal experience, with all the information
that can be learned from those well informed on Indian
nature and characteristics, leads me to ad()j)t a similar
view to that expressed above, and to hope that it will
not be many days before it is inaugurated. The senti-
ment of the people here is pretty well voiced in the
following extract from the Saskatchewan Herald of
May 25 :—

" Five years of pampering and petting have failed to
make the Indians see that it was for their good the
enormous expenditure was being made. The law of force
must be applied to them until they acknowledge its
power; for then, ami only then, will they become manage-
able. All treaties have been annulled by this uprising,
and in making new conditions the tribal relationship
between band and chief should be weakened if not alto-
gether severed, and every Indian made to stand or fall on
his individual merits. Whether put on large or small
reserves they must be placed there simply as Indians and
kept on their limits; and in making them work for their
living it will be criminal in the extromo to furnish them
with expensive machinery as has hitherto been done, and
with the destruction rather than the use of which they
^ave become familiar. They must be made to labour
th the plough and the hoe ; those were the only things
ith which thousands of their betters had to begin the
'./orld, and that, too, without the addition of rations and
free clothing."

Just as the sun begins to sink in the West the steamer
draws up to the landing at Battleford. Groups of soldiers
and civilians collected along the bank for a mile down
stream to greet our coming with cheers, and at the land-
ing there is a large crowd of enthusiastic people whose
welcomes are given with a will and as enthusiastically
responded to.

Tn ili'it
.hat would

ifonnation
on Indian
< a similar
hat it will
The sonti-
3od in the
Herald of

> failed to

good the

LW of force

tvledge its

e niaiiage-

I uprising,

jlationship

not alto-

1 or fall on

I or small

idians and

for their

sh them

done, and

lich they

to labour

ly things

K^giu the

bions and

e steamer
)f soldiers
lie down
he land-
e whose
iastically

CHAl'TKR XXV.

AT BATTLKFORD.

AT Battleford General Middleton atid his men were
warmly welcomed. The Royal Grenadiers, though to a
certain extent occupying a more humble position in public
estimation than the Queen's Own when they left Toronto
were now the h''**oes of the hour. Turn it over as they
liked there was nothing but utter defeat and " a retreat
on sufferance" to be got out of recollections of the Cut
Knife fight, while the Grenadiers were " the heroes of
Batoche." More than one of the Queen's Own felt that
the disastrous luck of the regiment was following it
when they saw the evident pride with which General
Middleton regarded " my little devils " as he termed the
Greradiers when tliey were landing. 01 course any one
who follows the events of the war knows that only forty
of the Queen's Own were at Cut Knife, but the fact that
that battle was the only one that brought any of their
men under fire during the whole campaign, coupled with
the other fact, that Colonel Otter who commanded at Cut
Knife had formerly been the commandant of the Queen's
Own served to thoroughly identify the regiment with the
most disastrous failure of the whole campaign. The
following letter from a Battleford correspondent though
evidently intended to excuse Colonel Otter, unmis-
takably shows that the writer was of opinion that he
was " rather too light fc.r the place." He begins by giving
the following account c^ the capture of the teamsters : —
About the time we iiad the engagement at Cut Knife
Creek, arms and ammunition were supplied to the teams-
ters. ColoL.el Otter also sent an escort to meet the trains
on the outskirts of the wood south of here. In the case
I am now referring to, however, the police escort had nob

'.^■"-rvf^-^^d

■rr"

'••^^►■■f ^ *'*' <

»-'r'»r " «'»' «

no2

CANADA'S iJOUTH WFST FUiinEMJON.

, .1

roncliod the train. Tho Tii<]ian camp wain on tlio move
onstwarda, its front and lianks covrrod with a swarm of
mountod hrav's who sccmrod every cinleo ah)n^ the line
of march. F'oinMhiiaker must l\avo thorou^^hly und<ir-
stood our position an<i our lack of Hcouts, for 1x3 actually
campo<l with all hi.s women and cliildren within twelve
miles of here, and raptured the wat^^on train within ai)()ut
eii^lit. Unfortunately for tho teamsters they camped in
the woods thepre\ious nif^lit; as they were startinjr lu'.xt
morning they were discovered l-y the Indians. Tl\e latter
were not loui; in arram^'in^ their plan of attack. A lore^'
slough thro\ig)i which tho train had to pass was selected
for tiie surpri.se. It was lieavily wooded on < ach side of
tho trail, and ofTennl excellent covf^r. As the teamsters
were urging theij- horses through the quagmire the Indians
jumped on them with a yell. Tho horses h(!came un-
manageahle, and before the unfortunate drivers could
even grasp their rifles the Indians had capture<l tho out-
fit. The whole thing was over in a few seconds, and
before a single shot could be fired by tlie whites: in fad
they were taken in a trap, and the discharge of a rifle on
their j)art would have meant tlie mas.sacre of every one
of them. As it was they tlirew up their hands, and we
have every reason to believe their lives were spared, the
object, of course, being to make better t,erms with us in
case they are cornered at some future time. This is the
opinion of Constable Ro.ss and other scouts who have been
at the scene of the encounter.

Later on the police escort intended for this train was
fired on by the Indians, one man (Elliot) being killed
and another wounded. The encounter was a surprise to
both parties. The police under Sergeant Gordon noticed
a small hill a short distance of?' the trail which afforded a
good position for viewing the surrounding country. The
Indian scouts on the opposite side noticed it at the same
time, and both rode up. The heads of each appeared
above the hill top at the same instant, but the Indians
seemed to grasp the situation quicker. They dropped

)N.

AT BATTI.KF011D.

863

on tlio move
1 a swarm of
lon*^ the line
i}j;lily un<l«ir-
r Ihj actiijilly
'ithin twelve
witliin ahoufc
^y canipf'd in
=«tarfinjif nrxt
. The latter
ick. A lotii^
was selected
rach 8i<le of
Jie ten Misters

tl\e Indians
became un-

1 rivers e.ould
jred the out-
secon<ls, and
lites: in fact
5 of a rillo on
of every one
ands, and we
•e spared, the
lis with ns in

This is the
ho have been

his train was
beinij; killed
a surprise to
)rdon noticed
ch afforded a
>untry. The
t at the same
ich appeared
the Indiims
'hey dropped

from their horses as if shot, and before t)ie police coiiM
even turn rouml poured in a volley at less than twenty
yards. How anyone escaped is a mystery. The police
turned and fled. Elliot -was thrown from his horse nnfl
sou^dit cover in the hushoft. A turn in the trail, torjother
with a heavy chimp of hushes, saved the poliee from tho
second volley that wa« sent after them, and they escaped.
When the police went out a day or two later to look for
Elliot's body they found the bushes riddled with bullets.
The body was found by them some three or four miles
from the place where the attack was made. It is sup-
posed he fitrucr^ded alonjj and hid liimself in the bushes.
Then when the Indian.) left he started off, and aeeinf' the
waggon train made for it in the expectation of meeting
friends. It was in the hands of the enemy, however, ana
they ruthlessly murdered him. lie was shot throu^^di the
spine and hea<l, either of which would have proved
instantly fatal. Perhaps it was the teamsters or the
Catholic priest who is known to be with the Indians who
buried him. Be this as it may, our men found the body
wrapped in a waggon cover, the hands crossed upon the
breast, and buried beneath an inch or two of land.

There is no doubt that Colonel Otter is heavily
handicapped for want of scouts. General Middleton lias
over sixty, General Strange about one hundred and iifty,
and Colonel Otter seven. It has unfortunately been im-
possible to send scouts to him, and therefore the reconnoiter-
ing service — by which the commander feels the pulse, so
to speak, of his enemy, learns of his movements, and from
this draws his conclusions and forms plans to checkmate
them — is witb us sadly defective. As I said before,
Poundmaker must know this, or he never would have
ventured within twelve miles of our camp with all his
women and children. There are those here who tliink we
missed a golden opportunity to recnpture our waggon
train and at the same time punish the Indians while they
were passing eastward. But here again the question
arises, what would we do without a sufficient mounted

n"?

•■-"■f^r-^

' \ ^--'<^ *^ -

'#*Tr'

364

CANADA'S NOriTH-WK8T HnnFrXIO'T.

force to watch their movoments and ^aiard a^'ainst our
fallii);^ into a Hiiiiilar trap to that laid for uh at (hit Rnifo
HiIIh / No one will deny that whatever advantage we may
have gained from time to time during that engagement
was in tlie end of no value to uh, simply becauHO we could
not follow it up. The samo might have happened — in
it i Wfl" qu te likely to happen--nad wo followed Pound
iri'sh^^ - no his braves a second time. It would have been
belt r j;r. I we never gone out to Poundmaker* s camp, for
now lO li ' •'.ns think that wo are aH glad to withdraw
from th« encounter as they wore. There is little doubt
but that since then the Indians have been reinforced, and
wo v/ould find a more stubborn resistance from them.

To UH, however the encounter has proved beneiicial in
two ways — first, we have come to the conclusion that in
bush-lighting an Indian is better than a white man ; and,
secondly, that the best way to fight him is to adopt his
own tactics. I think I may safely say that, taking every-
thing into consideration, we will not attempt to chastise
Poundmaker until after the arrival of the General with
reinforcements.

Some wonderful stories are told of the skill displayed
by the Indians in what for want of a better term 1 shall
call war-craft. Born and reared on the prairie, their whole
traininfi: throuirh life is craft of one kind or another; to steal
unperceived upon the antelope or other animal, and shoot it
down in its tracks, is an everyday occurrence with them,
and when on the war path the same stealthy cat-like
movement stands them in good stead. They are adepts in
the art of finding cover and concealing themselves, and
can pass almost noiselessly through underbrush that
would baffle a white man. Let me here relate an instance
that occurred a few days ago.

A man named Dennison, who came into camp saying
he had escaped from the Indians, but whose story was not
at the time ' ieved, related the following : He said that
while in the Indian camp he heard them constantly
talking of what wab going on round the fort here. A day

AT BAlTLKr<»UD.

360

i against our
4 at (hit Kiiifo
intage we may
,t eiigagoinent
au.se we could
ha|jpeno(l — in
lowed Pound
luld have been
:er's camp, for

to withdraw
I little douht
•einforced, and
Tom them,
d benelicial in
lusion that in
lite man ; and,
I to adopt his
taking every-
ipt to chastise

General with

cill diHT)layed

r term 1 shall

io, their whole

other; to steal

I, and shoot it

ce with them,

ilthy cat-like

are adepts in

un selves, and

orbrush that

e an instance

camp saying
story was not
He said that
In constantly
here. A day

or two )"'f«)ro he escaped from Poundmaker's an Tndie
whoiri \\v kr 'WM told how ho liad just returned fron; i>
examination 01 'ur .Hto<!kade«, Ho hail crawled up,.?
said, to within thirty yards of the sentty at the north-
eastern angle of tho stockade and watched luin for over
an hour. He saw the sentry light his pipe, and walk up
ami down in a listless sort of way, liy-and-byu tlie
gentries starting with number (me called out " All's well,"
hut numl»or rive (the man he was watching) did not. He
evidently did not hear the call. In a few minutes two
men with a hintern came out of the .ov kade and visited
number live to see what was wrng. 'Had they nf)t
come out when they did," said the i,» 11a.'., " I'd have si^nt
an arrow through him." He y,.^ a raid, however, that
they were going to examine tlie neigi.boiiring bushe.s, and
he very sensibly left. The tr'il ■T'T this story was con-
firmed by looking up the guard report for the night in
question, when it was discovered that Private Rose, of the
Home Guards, who was number live, did not call out
when his turn came. The report further showed that
a non-commissioned officer and man took lantern and
went down to his post to see what was w*. g. This, no
doubt, saved his life.

In this same connection a gentleman n^sident in Battle-
ford writes under date May 11, as follows: —

Life in Battleford is, to say the least of it, becoming
monotonous. Here we are to all intents and purposes
jifisoners. The farmer cannot venture out to his fields
through fear of the lurking foe. No one cares to venture
far from the barracks even in daytinie, and as soon a.s the
shades of night set in the only persons any distance from
the fort are the pickets. These are stationed at various
points, some of them being a mile or mora from camp. It
is not a pleasant duty. Twohours aloneon the prairie, with
every probability of being watched by an enemy who only
requires a favourable opportunity to murder you, is not
ari inducement to the ordinary mortal to do picket duty.
Still it has to be done, and the boys as tliey go out to

..r«*"^<Hii»r^«i>ir«, •• -■m^m •^> y i f% ¥ n. 9ii «yy m iy^ nn ww'

».i

»('rt.

896

OANiOAH NORTU-WKHT REBKt.UO^.

their lonrly ixwts t!»liik of tho hrij^ht firesidca tlioy hav«
left in tiii-ofi Ontario; kft'p u Hliarp look otit, anti aru
well HHtisHed wluTi their two hours urn <!()in|)h?t<3(i. TIjm
ononiy Iiom aln»a<ly bej^uii his iinual practice of trying to
shoot HentrieM. A cout>lc of nights ago a pioktii drntry
W(w tlr('<i on near the terry by soineone on th« oppoHito
Hitle of the river. Of* course he returne«l the iire, but the
chance.-) of hitting a man with a riile bulhit at night are
very slitu, and the would be assa.ssin escape<l. It was
naiil by some tliat the man who (ired the nhot wiu a
teamster, wlio mistook the sentry for an enemy. If so,
perhaps it was the saine uian who waa seen by another
picket at wliat is called " the point" last night. Bctwecm
midnight and one o'clock this morning a rille shot was
hoard at the point, foIlow«Ml an instant later by two orthrce
shots in the line west of the bai racks. The guard turue,d
out : the bugles sounded the assembly, and in a minute
everyone was astir. For some re«i.son or other, however,
the men wlio sliould have manned the eastern side of the
stockade and the bastion at the south-eastern angle were
not in barrackw, and it was several minutes before there
was a soul in either place. What a determined enemy
might have accomplished in that time I will not venture
to say. Of course they woidd ultimately have been
wiped out, but once in tho fort they could have done
an iiumense amount of damage before the troops outsiilo
would have known the first thing about it. This was
not the caso under our Coloners (Colonel Morris) regime.
Every man knew his pi ice, and the mintite the assendjjy
sounded everyone was at his post. The troops have
relieved us, that is, have jrlieved our minds to a certain
extent, but so far as tho fort itself is concerned, it is
actually weaker. Tho sandbags have been taken down,
and nothing has ever been done to replace them. But to
return to the alarm last night. Everyone turned out,
and after a time tho bastions and the palisades were
manned. For an hour we waited for orders to turn in.
At last they came, and wo were allowed to sleep in quiot

AT BATTI.KrORD.

8(57

iei they bnv«

out, and an>

»()loto<l. Tlw

of trying to

pickel dontry

the oppo.sit'^
e tire, but tho

at rti^^ht aro
pod. It was
e Hliot wiL-j a
lemy. It' ho,
[I by another
lit. Between
itlc shot wuH
)y two r)rthr(!(5

guard turtitMl

in a mitiute
iher, however,
rn HJdo of the
111 angle were
before there
mined enoniy
I not venturu
y have be^u
Id have done

roops outside

;. This was
orris) regime.,
the assembly

troops have

s to a ccrtciiii
nee rued, it is

taken down,
hem. But to
) turned out,
ilisades were
to turn in.
sleep in quiot

flu»in;( the remaintler of the ni^'ht. Thii tnomlt'i? the
pr»Mt.^ of innecHsiii.Ml fiM-t were dineovered on tht* hdlside
wlwre the ])irUet said h«' saw two nnui tfu^ night boforo,
and tired on theui. All are antiou.s for the arrival of the
(ieneral or reinforcements, ami the wiping out t)f tho
Indiaris. Had w»i had a htindi-^l more mn\, or had our guna
not given out, we would nevfr have ha«l to retire troin
our position. We were c^utainly very fortunate to get
o.it ,iH we did. The Indians were too far off to di,Hcov«!r
what we were doing until it was tt)o lute for tln-m to
preveut it. Mad thi^y succeeded in g»'tting into the brush
at the crei'k in time we would have lost a great many
men — some Hay it notild have been a second Custer
massacre.

A correspondent writing from llattleford on May
l.'l, tho day upon which Pounduiaker captured the WHggt)n
train, thus writes:

Since the rebellion broke out Kiel has been veiy
anxit)U.s to have the public believe that he has had
notliing to do with tlie Indian out'u'eak. H« re nre a few
fji(;ts as related to me by Mr. .MeKay, who has charge of
the Hudson Bay Comi)a?iy'8 business here. It a[)pears
tha* during March last 1-em e-ecase, or The Awkward,
Jiig Boar's son, called on Mr. MeKuy and told him that
Kiel had made a private arrangem«»nt with his (Awk-
ward's) father at Prino»» AH-eit lest fall to join in a
rising ag'iinst the whites. They had talked the matter
over wh»le in Montana. Kiel then arranged with Big
Bear that should the former begin a rebellion in Canada
the latter was to come over and assist him. l-em-e-cease
said that Wandering Spirit, one of Big Bt^ar's councillors
and the man who is said to have murdered Quinn at
Frog Lake, knows all about the arrangement; also that
tho Indians w'est of here had been s<.'en and were readv
to rise when Kiel gavtj the word. {vi(?l told his father in
his presence that he had made U[) his mind to come to
Canada, and if ho did not get what he wanted ho would
spill Canadian blood — a promise which he hafc* kept lo the

•fVli "Vl • f\

SOS

oanada'a kortii wrsT RKBrrrroM.

loiter. Rie) appen'ii ^o havi* ha«(><l to join him.

Some tini«^ after his liwt interview with Hi^ Hear,
Riol sent a letter wiittoti in Oee to the In<lians at Frr>;(
Lake. TIun Irtter Ntat<'<| that he would hiive a ntron^
force ahout tho time tliii ^ra.H.H would he lon^ enou^^h to
afford ^o()<l piiMturii^'e for thtdr horneH. l-um>e-coaMe
offered to ^«»t h copy of the letter and show it to Mr.
McKay, provided he would say nothing al>out it to the
Indians, and a day f»r two lat««r I-em e-cea«e came to Mr.
McKay, and suid that t)ie ni^'ht previous a Hiilf-lireed
viHited their tent, an<l alter a.skin;;;^ if lie wa.s lii^' Henr's
Hon, told him to ^o back to hin fathcr'H camp and tell him
that the trouble had commenced. The wire between
Hattleford and Kdmonton })u<i been cut, and that to
Clark's Crossing would be down in a few days. All this,
it in needless to say, was onl) too true. This Half-bn-ed
wa.s very anxious to start up country himself, sayinj^
that all the F^alf-brecds had joined Kiel, and he was
going to tell them that the first blood liad been slied.

So much, therefore, for Kiel's nrotcMtations of inno-
cence regarding the depredations or the Indians.

This is what a correspondent lias to say about Battle-
ford as it app ared on General Midoletona arrival:

One can sc rcely realize that wj are in the midst oi
an Indian war, a war that can have but one result, but
which will cost a wealth of blood and treasure. The
Indian is not brave from a white man's point of view.
His bravery consists in taking a maximum numV)or of
lives with a minimum of risk to himself. In fact thoy
will not attack unless the chances are all in their favour.
Poor Smart, as fine a fellow as ever drew breath, was
shot in the back ; Fremont, the Belgian settler, was shut
in the back; Payne was shot in the back, and so on
through the long death list. Wherever the victims were
taken by surprise it was a bullet from behind that killed

n Dy

them. It would make the heart of a saint ache to visit

i\\fl\r\\]iy In
ot until aftor
to join him.
th Hi^ Hoar,
lians At Vrn<r
.vo a Htr«»ri;r
i\a enough to

i-«in-e-ci'ft«u
10 w it to Mr.
out it to tho

cHtiu* to Mr.
a H/iIf )in'«(l

an«l toll him
ire ht^tween
and that to
ys. Ail this,
is Fiali'-hned
nself. .saying
and he waa
rn nhed.
:)»« of inno-
ariH.

.lH)ut Battlo-

r rival:

the midst of

e result, but

Misure. The

int of vi(»w.

nuinb(T of

ri fact they

heir favour.

broath, was

er, was shot

, and so on

ictims were

I that killed

iche to visit

AT HAratroiui.

so;

■rnne of th»^ hons<»« »ackcd by the Indinim. Tn Mi.« h<>iiH«
in Old Hiitth'tord which brh»ni;iid to Itktlian A^'«'nt Kai^
but now oocupii'd by th« otlhfii of thn QucfUM Own. I
iaw i»nou;^h to Mot out for t*vor any friondly fotdin^ I
may liavo had for the " nobh« l^'d-man." 'I h«? .hivilish
in^<»nuity with whifh they d«»Mtroyi'd ovcrythin^' they
could nut carry away or did not want, woul.. |»ut tho
i»lacki!st NihiliHt to tho blush. Kxplode a chnrj^'j' of
dynamite in a ^'eatl««nian's parlour an(i the cliAiiccH aro
tluit Hom«ithiny N\ill cMcapo.

Turn loose a |)arry of TVeen or Stonoyn in the same
:)lac«i and dynamite will be double <lisoountod. In tho
jioust^ I Hpoke of tht'y lipped Mm fnather b^ids open an<l
Maturated thrit contents with coal oil. Tho Hafe contam-
\n^ books ami [japeiN was literally liaminered to pieces;
th(! shelvin;; and drawers taken otit and broken, tho
papers strewn amonjjjst the leathers. Pictures on tho
wall were taken down, torn up, and the frames broken.
Windows and w'mdow saslics were smashed ; crockery,
vases, stoves, furniture, everythin^f inside and out pulled
to pieces. One man, in describing,' tho ruin, said: — "It
was just like takinj^ a lady's trunk, jtacked ready for
Saratoga, and nullin.,' both ends two miles apart, with all
between th(Mn. ' Not satisfied with break in«ir the furni-
ture they tore tho uplu)lsterin>,' to pieees. Carpets were
taken from the stores, spread upon the streets, and up
an«l down these the bucks and s(piaws paraded, in si^rht
almost of the fort on the other side of the river. What
tlour they did not want was destroyed. In the Oovern-
mont stores they emptied it on the floor, rolled in it, and
then, killinpr do<rs, pij^rs, and eliiekens, mixed all up
together. One man had over i?l,()()0 in bills conceahMl in
a niche between tlie lo^'s of his house Kvon this was
discovered. It shows with what completoric-ss every nook
and cornier was ransacked.

In cartin<4 away what provisions tl'oy thou^l t leces-
sary every man, woman and child, toi,'ether with Jiorses,
dogs, and even the captured cattle, had to do their share
23

r-' f^

"^*^^?''(|WR ■ ** ^■fS^^.i'*;**!*

*»>*f^< ai a> »» i B i^«i

f'**''"V"" 'ip'^ **■"#■" m»"pw^^««f lyfil W PI i^»V

370

CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBEMJON.

always, excepting the braves, who consider tliemselvea
too good to work Bags of Hour were strapjted on the
backs of tlio cattle, the do^fs carried smaller packages,
while the nqtiaws, after decking themselves ont in what-
ever finery they could lay their hands on, shouldered sides
of bacon or bags of flour, and fell into line. Where they
have carted the spoils has not yet been discovered.

Old Battleford on the soutli side of Battle River, and
New Battleford on the north side presented two very
different pictures when the troops marched in. Save that
the dead animals have been removed from the streets,
the appearance is but little changed, even now. On
the south side of the river every house is more or less
broken up. Those occupied by the troops have been
cleaned out and made habitable, but the remainder are
about in the conditi(m in which they were left by the last
visitors. The Indians did not dare to cross the river.
They have a wholesome dread of the Mounted Police, and
a perfect hoiror of the little seven-pounder that has
already sent some of their companions to the happy
hunting grounds. New Battleford, therefore, was not
molested, but the settlers moved into barracks along with
those from across the river, taking as much of their stock
and household goods with them as possible. Upwards of
five hundred and thirty souls have been sheltered in the
barracks during the past month, receiving rati<ms. The
scene to me was a strange one. Not a month away from
the peace and quiet of Ontario, where the settler, no
matter how far removed from his neiglibour, lies down to
rest without the slightest apj)rehension of danger, the
change to the bustle of a military camp is, to say the
least, a novel experience. Every man's waist encircled
with a belt bristling with cartridges, a rifle in his hand,
and a revolver by his side, tells the story. Battleford,
that is, the old towm, is situated on the south side of the
Battle River (see map of Battleford, p. 100), and consisted
before its partial destruction by the Indians of about
three hundred hou.ses. Government House, which had

r t]ieins«»lve8
il)])ed oil the
er packages,
out in what-
ul<if3red sides
Where they
covered,
lo River, and
:ed two very
n. Save that
i the streets,
n now. On
more or less
»s have been
emainder are
ft by the last
)ss the river.
)d Police, and
der that has
»o the happy
ore, was not
cs along with
if their stock
Upwards of
sitered in the
rations. The
h away from
le settler, no
lies down to
danger, the
., to say the
list encircled
in his hand,
Battleford,
h side of the
and consisted
ins of about
), which had

kl BATILEronD.

37t

recently been turned into an industrial school for Indian
children, cccii|.ie8 a commanding ]H)sili'>n on tlie plateau
above the river. Jt is a lar<,^3 and coum.' 'lions tlireo-
fltorey wooden building, and was selecte<l by Culunel

STAFr-SKRGBANT WALKER, (J.O.B.

Otter as being beat situated for his head(juarters. This
building has been placed in a state of defence botli inside
and out. An entrenchment wiih the necessary tianking
del'ences has been thrown up round it, while inside the
windows and doors have been eftectively barricaded, It

I )

•• r\^ ^Jtfn-.'f • "»' fUf

.'l.l'""'

'fX'"*'

■ ;.•«' I* 'f ^ M" '* ^. I'- yi^'i ") ' f f f tnt"- - ^^^ ■i^yfy - •■M*B. •HMtW'Vlrir ■"

372

Canada's noiith-west rebellion.

is really too bad that tho Indians have no intonti )n ot
attackin^^ it. If they wo\ild only drop down the iiver
some bri^^ht moonlight nifjht and rush upon the defences,
what a fine thinning out old Poundmaker's braves
would get ! But there is no hope of their coming, and so
the boys muflt needs go and look for them. The Indians
will not attack at night unless they are certain none of
their number will be killed. They have a superstition
tliat the man who is killed at night is blind when he goes
to the happy hunting grounds, and therefore make their
attack either just before dark or at dawn of day. Judge
Rouleau's house stood within a stone's throw of Govern-
ment House, and was a comparatively handsome and well-
furnished building. All that remains of it now is a ruined
chimney and a few blackened poles ind beams. North
of a line drawn from Judge Rouleau's to Government
House is the camp occupied by the troops, their white
tents standing out in bold relief against the dark back-
ground of the wood a mile or more in the rear. On the
plateau at the north side of the camp is the artillery,
their guns commanding the brush and opposite bank of
the river. Directly opposite on the north side of Battle
River is the fort, distant about fifteen hundred yards from
the volunteer camp. A natural glacis slopes up from the
river to the palisades, along which it would be almost
impossible for a rat to find cover, much less an Indian.
A trench has been excavated inside the palisades, which
are loop-holed for purposes of defence. Then there is a
bastion at the south-eastern angle for a gun which Danks
the southern and eastern faces to a certain extent. This
is defended, or rather strengthened, by a dry ditch.
Inside the palisades the buildings have been placed v\ :th
a view to flanking each other. They are all buiJet-proof,
and even if an enemy succeeded in getHng inside the pali-
sades he would find himself in a warnv^r corner than out-
side. But the barracks are safe. The " untutored savage "
of the missionary society is sufficiently tutored to keep at
a respectful distance from our defences. He knows

"ir^" ''wt^^lt.■wzrr "

**=-l^

AT BATTI.EFORD.

373

tenti )n ot

the nver

J defences,

r's btitves

tig, and .<o

\e Indians

in none of

ipcrstition

?,n he goes

oake their

y. Judge

if Oovern-

». and well-

3 a ruined

IS. North

3vernment

heir white

lark back-

:. On the

f. artillery,

e bank of

of Battle

ards from

from the

3e almost

in Indian.

es, which

theie is a

ich Hanks

nt. This

Iry ditch,

aced with

llet-proof,

3 the pali-

than out-

i vsavage "

;o keep at

e knows

enough not to risk his life in a vain attempt to storm
them. Could he manage to capture the ])lace by treachery
or steal upon tlie garrison unaware, he would do so. But
his chances of success in eitliur way are so slim that he is
not likely to attempt it.

Outside the palisades are several houses within close
rifle range of the barracks. These would under certain
conditions be a source of weakness, as an tnemy once in
them coulvl find excellent cover. They are at present
occupied, but in case of necessity would be deserted, when,
if the Indians ventured in, a few rounds from one of the
guns would bring the logs about their ears, and they
would only be too glad to get out. Between eight hun-
dred and a thousand yards west of the barracks is the town
of New Battleford. It consists of about forty houses.
There is the Roman Catholic Church, two hotels (western
ones, however), a brilliant saloon, two stores, Government
telegraph, stores, offices, and stables, post-office, and houses
of settlers. All, or nearly all, are substantially built of
logs, and could stand a siege from such enemies as Indians.
The settlers began to move back into them yesterday,
feeling confident that the troops stationed here will be
amply sufficient for their protection. Already some of
the settlers' tents have been struck, and their owners are
once more in their old homes. There are at present about
thirty tents of all sizes and shapes pitched within the
palisades. Many are heated with camp stoves, and on
the whole their occupants are as comfortable as present
circumstances will admit. This morning as I strolled
through the camp I made a mental memo, of all that came
under my notice. At the door of our tent a Half-breed
woman was busy washing, while outside the one directly
opposite a couple of sun-burnt urchins were pummelling
each other over some trifling ditierence. There are big
tents, little tents, medium-sized tents, standing side by side.
In some the occupants were ^ reparing the morning meal,
while in others they were still in the arms of Morpheus.
The police were all active. Some were grooming horses,

f^*'"»f**.**Vt"«<ll' '■» <|»''VW-Vwy|>i->'<'»-y)«iir».i| ^ i| | ri | r | i i,. .,,^ |) ,>^^,|([,i , ,ii^,..,yii j ,i^,>K,,..

• 7; ■""" ■ -» (ft

374

CANADA 8 NOETil-WEST REBELLION.

(•

others otj guard, while others Hoemed to have nothing to
do but wait for the hroiikfa.st bugle to sound.

One ver_y important building is the Indian Depart-
ment wari'liouse. Tliis is now occupied by the Hornw
Guard as a barrack and mess room. It is about sixty
feet long by tliirty broad and built of logs. A huge stove
at each end is kept burning all day. This is to do the
cooking for the Home ( Juanl, wlu) are quartered there. A
long table extends nearly the whole Iti^^th of the centre
of tlie building, at which tlie men. eat tbeir meals. The
walla are loop-lioled for musketry fire, while on pegs and
beams above hang rities, saddles, blankets, buffalo skins,
spades, axes, hoes, carpenters' tools, and a hundred and
one articles that I cannot recollect. Captain Wild, late of
Dundas, Ont., is in command. Mr. W, 11. Smart, of Que-
bec, bi'other of the murdered man, is fii-st lieutenant ; J.
M. McFarlane, of Quebec, and one of the principal stock
raisers here, is second lieutenant ; Ronald Macdonald,
from near Ottawa, is quarter-master sergeant. This com-
pany numbers one hundred and forty men all told. The
volunteer company or Battleford Rifles numbers fifty-one
officers and men. Captain E. A. Nash, late of the Queen's
Own, is in command; Fred. Merigold is first lieutenant,
and one of the best known and most popular men in this
country. Ue hails from Woodtitock, Avhere he was con-
nected with the militia; L. C. Baker is second lieutenant.
He has had considerable experience, having served during
the " late m pleasantness " between the Noi-th and South
and also in western Indian warfare. The police number
ooventy-one, including the men who were stationed at
Fort Pitt. They are under command of Inspector
Dickens, a son of the great novelist. Dickens has the
name of being one of the bravest men in the coun-
try. At Fort Pitt he manned a loophole during the
Indian attack and blazed away at them while coolh'
smoking his pipe. Inspector N orris was in command of
the police before the arrival of Dicktms, who a^iumi.J
command, being the superior officer. The arrival of Mr

AT BATTT.EPOBD.

875

Diokeiia \va» hailed with delight by everyone within the
palisades.

Prior to General Middleton's arrival in Battleford,
Poundmaker released his prisoners and sent them to
Battleford with a niessajjje similar to that which he sent
to the (General. A correspondent at Batticlord thuii tuila
the story in a letter dated May 21st •

libut'-col. O'l
(In command of York a

IL.V, M.P.

Smcoe Buitahon. )

Scarcely anything with" the range of the possible
could have caused a more geuiiine sensation than the
arrival in camp at dusk last evening oi Father Cochin
and the prisoners from PoupJmaker's camp, bearing a
flas: of truce and a letter from the redoubtable chieltain,
asking on what terms his surrender would be accej^ted.
Such a surprise was it that many of the ofKcers here
believed it to be a ruse to thiow us oif our guard, and

ji- H|r;)*Mi "I* jif •• ■r'»f**T f»» •

f^v«»'i ••• • """*^'"T»*» ' T'T"" ^'t*''f'!

.S76

CANADA8 NOUTFf WRST HFBELLION.

with this belief special inst'uctions wore laid <>n pickets,
sentrioa, and utliei'H.on whose vi^^ilauce \vt» liave to (]o|U!n<)
to prevent tlie Indians .stealing a maich on us in the daik
hours, to bo partieuhirly watchful that night As
it appears nr>w, wo liad rightly sunuiseil that roundmnker
was moving eastward to join Kiel, it wavS known that
a backboard and several horsemen had, a day or two
previous to Poundnuvker's start from the memorable Out
Knife Hill, driven into the Indian camp from the direction
of Duck Lake. It was believed by the scouts wlio discov-
ered this trail that they had come from Kiel's camp, atid
that their errand was to invite the Indians to go to the
Half-breeds' aid.

All this was readily enough put down as facts, and
the surmises even as to details have been veritied in a
most singular manner.

The party from Poundmnkor's camp, besides Father
Cochin, was composed of (Jharles and Alexander Bremner
and daughter, Jose])h and John Sayer and daughter, of
tJressaylor settlement; Jc: Fontaine, the Half-breed scout;
L. Uoplett, and the following team.^ters who were caf)tured
in Eagle Hills last week: — Thomas J. McNeice, George
MoNeice, William McKeown, George Broder, Neil Brodio^
Henry Barnes, Joseph Hollands, John Shearer, James
Pattee. VV. H. F.-sh, George F. Motion, Charles Sheriff, G,
Cooney, Frank Cox, Thomas Hind, Daniel McLean, Frr.nk
Westaway, William Parkin, A. W. Freeborn, D. V^igeant.
The teamsters all hailed from Regina.

It will be easy to understand the sensation in camp
when these people, with the reverend father leading,
appeared over the brow of the hill and, advancing to the
sentry, asked to be shown to the office of the commandant.
The news of their arrival spread with tremendous rapidity
throughout the camp, fort, and town, and in a short space
of time a large throng had gathered near the otHcers'
quarters to learn what news the strangers broui?ht. The
priest and Half-breeds were taken in and their message
received by Colonel Otter. The letter brought by Father

AT B ATP r,F, FORD.

377

on pickets,

in till) (lark
nii,4it As
'ouTi'lniakcr
<nowri that
day or two
loralilo Out
he direction
kvlio dl.scov-
canip, and
I go to the

facts, and
ji'itied in a

de.s Father
er Bremner
aughter, of
jreed .scout;
re caf)tured
ice, George
^eil Brodio,
,rer, James
Sheriff, 0.
(Can, Frr.Tik
.). Vigeant.

n in eaifip
cir lea<iing,
jing to the
nniandant.
us rapidity

hort .space
li(^ officer.s'
ifrht. The
ir message

by Father

Cochin v\a.s not permitted to be seen by your correspon-
dent. One of the teamsters, however, claimis to have
read th«; hjtter, and gives the following as heing as nearly
as po.ssible the words of the connnunication ;

" To THE Commandant of the Foht at Battlefoud :

•' Sir, — I and my men are at the foot of the Eagle
Hills. Having heard of Ri(«]'s surrender, I f»end yuu in
twenty-one white j)ri.s(jn('rs, whom 1 have treated well.
I await terms of peace. IMf.-ase soml in writing su there
may be no mistake.

•' (Signed) His

** POUNDMAKKR, -f

mark."

The letter was written by Jefferson, the schoolmaster
on Poundmaker's reserve He is a connection of the
chief's, being married to .ho sister of one of his wives.
Most people will admit the letti-r to be very business-like,
and it is quite characteristic of Foundtnaker, who has
the reputation of l>"ing remarkal)ly level-headed for an
Indian of the savage kind. He is a oorn diplomat, I am
told by those who know him well, capable of seeing as
far into a millstone as most men, and the very embodi-
m(?nt of native dignity. Standing over six feet high,
straight as a reed, with a somewhat slender figure and
grave aquiline features, he is at once the handsomest and
most powerful of the aborigines of the Canadian North-
West, and a sample of the very highest type of the
North American Indian.

After receiving the letter, Colonel Otter engaged the
priest and Half-breeds in conversation for several hours,
in order to elicit as much information as possil)le regard-
ing the Indians' condition, strength, and intentions. The
press was not admitted to this informal investigation. The
scribes sought out the teamsters w^ho were let loose, and
immediately pounced upon by the crowd eager to learn of

y-yi^f

"f ■If

378

OANADA'H NORTH-WEST IIF.BELLIOM.

their ad veutu res. 1 "corralled" oiic of the most iutelll-
^rent of them, aud ho gave me quite a vivid picture of hiH
experience since the time of hia capture.

He said there were thirty-one teams in all, twenty-
one ok' which were ox-teams, in the outfit. They were
freig}\ting up general provisions and oats. On Wednes-
day, 13th instant, they caniped at one of the temporary
military stations, about thirty miles down the Swift Cur-
rent. Tliere had been an alarm early in the evening,
caused by one of the teamstera declaring he had seen a
nuuibor of mounted Indians ride over a neighbouring hill.
No attack, however, was made during the night, and they
started on the way to Baltleford at gray dawn on Thurs-
day, 14th. By U o'clock they had got into Eagle Hilla.
When passing through Red Pheasant's reserve (Stoney)
the Indians were tii.st seen. Only two or three put in an
appearance, and t.ie teamsters, who were armed with
eighteen Snider rifles and carbines, felt safe onough if that
wore all the enemy they had to face. They proceeded
unmolasted till within ten miles of Battleford, when they
suddenly found themselves being surrounded. The men
who were driving horses at once cut their teams loose,
ai d mounting started back on tlie trail as fast as the ani-
mals would carry them. Nothing like pursuit of them,
except in one case, seems to have been attempted, but the
enemy quickly closed around the ox-teams, which had
been drawn up into a corral for defensive purposes. Not
a shot was tired, and one, a Half-breed, shortly emerged
without arms from the wood, and told them if they gave
up their loads and arms no harm would be done them,
and they would be escorted safely into Battleford. The
teamsters were only too glad of such an offer, and imme-
diately threw up their thumbs. About thirty Half -breeds
came out of the woods, and, after relieving the men of
whatever money and other valuables they had, proceeded
to carry out their promises of seeing the teamsters into
Battleford. Before they had gone very far, however,
about a hundred mounted Stoney Indians came up,

AT BAITLKFOUO.

379

o«t intelll-
urt5 of lUH

I, twentj-
^hey were

beinpoiary
5wiftOur~
3 evening,
lad «oen a
•uring hill.
t^, and thev
on Thunj-
agle Uilla.
I (Stoney)

put in an
med with
jgh if that
proceeded
when they

The men
ims loose,
Mi tlie ani-

o£ them,
jd, but the
rhich had
•sea. Not

emerged
they gave
me them,

rd. The
nd imme-
iilf-breeds
le men of

proceeded

tera into

however,
l^ame up>

When they naw tl»e ]>rize they liowlerl with delight, and
were for shooting the poor ttamMlers there and then.
The Half-breeds pnitested, Haying the Stoueys w<juld have
to Hhoot them too. Tlien the savnu^oi* clavuoured agairt.st
Bending the prisoners to liattlffonl, and the captors were
forced to let the Intlians have their way. It looked bad
for the teamsters. The Indians were oontinually raising
their guns to their shouUh/rH nnd px>inting tlieni ut the
captiveM as if to shoot, and the t<>ani,st''rs say it required
the constant intercessions and tiireatenings of the Half-
breeds to prevent their doing so. They would vide up to
the prisoners, liowever, ani prod them to the quic': with
any sharp instiun\ent they had, spit in their facen. etc.,
whilo curvetting around and uttering the most hideous
whoo|)S and screeclies. The men were put on their wag-
gons and forced to drive their ox-teams to the Indian
encampment, about fo-ar miles distant, on the edge of the
open prairie. On th«ir arrival there was a general out-
burst of joy. 'J'be pri^oitiers were led before the ciiief,
who shortly retired with his council to a teepee a little
apart from the general en<;ampment. It was an anxio'is
time for the trembling captives, for they knew that the
result of that confabulation was either life or <leath to
them. The Stoney element in the council clamoured
strongly for instant death, but Poundmaker and his Crees,
as the teamsters say they ai'ter wards learned, were for
holding the men as hostages, and this element finally pre-
vailed. Poundmaker came to the men and said they had
nothing to fear. If they renipined quiet and went along
with them all would go well. But if one of them
attempted to escape, he said, the whole of them wordd bo
shot. " My young men," he said through an interpreter,
'• want to kill you. If you give them a chance they will
doit. I have had great trouble in sto]>ping them. I
could scarcely stof* them. Thank God for your life ; not
me." For this message the men were thankful. They
were ordeitd to drive the teams, for the Indians had
broken up camp at once. They were afraid the "police,"

■^^

380

CANADA H NORTH-WF.ST REIUa.MON.

an they call all Mi« .'<oI(iier», would coin« out at once and
attack them. Thoy thought the polici' were aware of the
capture, hocause hy this time news liad come into thoir
camp of the attack, and the shootinj^ of ('onstable Elliot a
short time previously, and the escape of his comnanicms.
The Indians could not move rapidly, however. Thoy had
a drove of three or four hundred head of cattle, which
had to be driven along. By ni<^htfall they had not tnade
more than ten or twelve miles, and pitched their camp
ai^ain a short distance east of the point where the Swift
Current trail entersi the hills. They fully expected aii
attack that ni^ht. and sop 'ht out the strongest position
they could tind, dii^ging riile pits in a coulee in front of
then* camp, an(l sending a large number of scouts to warn
them of the approach of the " police." The teamsters
were praying that the "police" would not come, for in
case of the Indians being routed they believed they would
be surely murdered. The night was spent in a teepee set
apart for them. Thoy were not, to all appearance, very
closely watched, but could not think ol attempting an
escape on account of the threat made that all would be
killed if such an attempt should be thwarted. In the
morning a son of Poundmakor called Big Belly, on account
of his rf markable obesity, came and asked the men if
they were comfortable, or if they wanted anything. One
of them intimated they had not enough blankets to keep
them warm. The chief's son took off his own blanket
(an article of wearing apparel which the Indian always
carries with him) and threw it to the complaining team-
ster, with the remark that he would got them some more.
That day the Indians moved eastward about 15 miles, and
camped again in a strong position. They regarded an
attack from the " police" as a certainty, and threw out
about one hundred pickets, .some of them four or five
miles from the camp. The men had received good treat-
ment. They had plenty to eat. The Indians now had
any amount of "grub," and threw it about in their cus-
tomary improvident fashion. They killed about twenty

AT HATTLrrOHD.

881

ut once nnd
iware of the
e into tlu'ir
^l»Io Elli(»t a
com pan ions.
. 'I nny had
attl«3, which
id not made
thoir camp
e the Swift
expected an
cHt poHitiun
in front of
mts to v:arn
le tnamstcrs
some, for m
! they would
a toepee set
irance, very
tempting an
11 wo\dd he
id. in the
on account
he men if
liner. One
:ets to keep
wn blanket
ian alwavs
iiing team-
some more.
') miles, and
egarded an
threw out
Dur or five
good treat-
now had
1 their cus-
)ut twenty

head of cattU} each day, UMinj^only those p«rf« mo.it prized
bvthoni,th« tongue, ll.u»k, et(\.a?id hjuving the remainder
of tlj»» careft8e« to rot on the prairie. Their whole track
was littered with food which ha<l hoen thrown away—
biscuits, tlour, canned meat, dried appN-s, tea, and tlw like.
To the best of tlnir reckoning the whole party numbiied
about eight hundred souls. They had Momcrthing over
three hund'ed annrd and moimted men. The lialf-breeda
numbered a)>out forty-liv<», and they fainpod logrther, a
little apart from the Indians. Their arms were print i-
pally Winchesters of the old mod. 1, Sniders, and Snider
Carbines. Poumlmaker's interpret! r had alrea<ly told the
teauhsterB that they were going up to reinfruee Kiel. Kiel
had sent do'vn some runncir.s who had told tluun that the
rebels hatl killed four hundred soldiers and if they coidd
get Poundmakers help they could drive the white man
out of the country altogothor. This atory was untrue of
course, but the teamsters had no means of knowing that
and their fears were consequently increased. The treat-
ment they received 'ontinued good, and although they
wore forced to drive the teams, they were otherwise
unmolested. Councils were bein<^ continuidly lield, how-
ever, and they knew at each of tliem a warm fight wa«
going on regarding tlie matter of killing the prisoners.
The young bucks of the Stoney tribe were dtitermined to
have their scalps, and the chief hail almost more; than he
could do to prevent it At night the turbulent Indians
would come about their tent and keep up a very uncom-
fortable yelling and w^hooping, meantime going tliron-^h
in mimic fashion, the process of shooting and scalping
the unfortunate white men. On Sunday Father Cochin,
himself a prisoner, celebrated mass for the benefit of the
Half-breeds and those of the Indians in the faith. The
teamsters were nearly all Protestants, and the good father,
not to see them lacking for .spiritual comforts, under such
trying circuntstances, produced a number of Episcopal
llynm Books, which were on the captured tram, and
while the teamsters joined in singing some of the more

"f*."?.

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

4<^^A

1.0

I.I

Ui f "^ |2.5

lAo mil 2.0

1.8

1.25 1.4

1.6

.4 6" —

►

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

-A

'<««^>.

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4^03

«'

,.<>

! I

K*-

382

CANADA 8 NORTH-WEST REBELLION,

QABRIKL DUMONT.*

familiar of them, he played an excellent accompaniment
for them on the harmonium. Amongst the captured goods

* The military leader ni the South Branch rising wan bom forty five
years ago at Edmonton, where his father was employed as a buflfalo hunter

f ' t^v:^";?prM--^njr

-•t !!«••»••-•• ♦■ ■■ »»>' •■,-• !»ii»-. ■»■(■.■■»»■ ^ »p » iii mi» n <^.n» m | f_ yfp^ fr^^

AT BATTLKFORD.

383

were a number of letterH for Batilofoid people, and the
files of Toronto papers, f(>r which the troops had been
waiting so long and so impatiently. AVith the papers the
gquaws amused themselves making head-decorations.
Amongst the letters the teamsters say there were a couple
from Ottawa to ceitain Indian Department ofticiais.
They were couched in terms denouncing the conduct of
the Dejiartment here. The communications were made
known b; the int/crpreter to Poundmaker, and the wily
old chief Tell into such convulsions of laughter thereat as
threatened quite to destroy his reputation for stoical
dignity.

Short marches were made on Monday and Tuesday.
On the evening of Tuesday several Half-breeds came
into camp, and told of Kiel's defeat and capture. At
once a council was held, and it was finally decided to take
the course of sending in the prisoners, and asking for
terms of peace.

by the Hudson Bay Company. He in % French Half-breed, well-known for
a resolute man ana a leader in Indian fighting or buffalo hunting. In the
fall of 188U the family r»}m<>v«d to the South Branch, wher« thuy t<x)l< up
claims near together— the father and three sons- the permanent Rcttlemont
there having? been started the same season by French Half-breed refugees
from lied liiver. There Dumont's father, now blind, still lives, ad well as
Gabriel's family, Gabriel put a ferry srow on the South Branch, at his
place, which is known as "Gabriel's Crossing." This ferry brought him in
a very comfortable revenue, and at the opening of the outbreak he was
reported to be well-off. When the fightinp^ commenc* d he was naturally
chosen to be the leader of the rebels, a position for which he proved himself
well fitted. In person he is stout anil muscular, of middle height and of
great strength. His mouth is rather coarse, but the rest nf his features are
not displeasing. His whiskers are scanty, and his c(mi|ilexion dark. He was
alwi^ys esteemed among his friends as a res^jectable and honest, as well aa
bravo, man.

t/^

CHAPTER XXVL

I ;

I :

I !'

POUNDMAKEH AND MIDDLETON

ON the 26th of May Poumlmaker and several of the
chiefs who were supposed to he pjoverned by his
council marched into Battleford and formally surrendered
themselves. This scene and the interview between Pound-
maker and General Middleton which followed constitute
one of the niunt important chapters in the history of
Canadian rule in the North- West.

General Middleton sat on a chair with his officers in a
little group around him and squatting before him in a
long row were the chiefs, with Poundmaker in the centre,
and behind gathered the band. Face to face they were,
the bearded, firm-faced representatives of the conquering
race, and the leaders of the vanishing dark-skinned abor-
igines. Through his Interpreter the General asked, Is it
usual for Indians to go about, pilfering like rats ?

Poundmaker — I felt that I had a rope about my neck,
and something drawing me all the time.

Middleton — Who raided all the settlers?

Poun<l maker — I never collected a party or advised
any of the young men to commit robbery.

Middleton — Has a great chief no power f

Poundmaker — I am not sure that I am a chief.

Middleton — Who murdered Payne and Fremont ?

Poundmaker — 1 cannot name them, and I would not
tell the great chief a lie.

Middleton — Who raided this place and burned the
stores ?

Poundmaker — I suppose it might have been other
than the Crees. (Poundmaker is Chief of the Crees.)

Middleton — Did you never fight the troops ?

Poundmaker — I never thought to fight the white man
and all people around Battle River and the Indian Agent
(pointing to Reid) can't say different. I always wanted

veral of the
rned by his
surrendered
veen Pound-
id conHtitute
) history of

; ofTicers in a
ro liim in a
n the centre,
;e they were,
e conquering
kinned abor-
1 asked, is it
rats?
mt my neck,

or advised

chief,
eraont ?
'. would not

burned the

been other
Crees.)

|)S?

white man
idian Agent
kraya wanted

POUNDMAKEH AND MIDDLETON.

S85

to try and raise from the pround enoiiijh to kopj) my
peoplw alive. 1 said I was no chief, because when I asked
for food for u\y pe()})le in my charge it was not given to mo.

Middleton — Why did ycu receive Kiel, and promise
him two hundred men, as i^iel himself told me ?

Poundinaker — I never promisid to help him. If I
had promised I would have sent the men.

Middleton — Tell him (turning directly to the Inter-
preter) that he's telling a lie. Kiel told me that Pound-
maker was coming there.

Poundmaker — I can't d«ny what the General, a great
man, says, but I never promised.

Middleton — When Kiel told Poundmaker that he had
defeated me, Poundmaker consented to come.

Poundmaker — It is very bad that there are no people
here to say what I said then. Samuel Trotter, Urbel
Delorme, and four others were there, but they have gone
home. What I said was : " I don't want to go, because
Kiel has too little powder and cartridge." That's why I
stopped at Out Knife Creek. When I came this way I
was going to Little Devil's Lake, not to Kiel.

Middleton — Why did you attack the police and
waggons ?

Poundmaker — When sleeping quietly they came and
fired a cannon on me into my camp ; I jumped up and had
to defend myself. It frightened me and my children.

Middleton — Poundmaker would never have been
attacked if he had not raided and murdeied. If the
Indians do that they will always be attacked.

Poundmaker remained silent, returning no answer.

Middleton — Poundraaker's men fired first.

Poundmaker — I don't know anything at all about it.
I only returned the fire when the camp was fired on by
the cannons.

Colonel Otter — The cannons were not up till ten
minutes after the firmer began.

Poundmaker turned and asked the other Indians if
that was so.
24

ns6

CANADA S NOKTfl-WE8T UKUKLLION.

, !

Ooneral Mid'lleton — Poun«hnaker fired first becauHe
be had a had cunsciiTico. He knew he had dune wrong,
aiid did not want t,<) ho punished. He had heen treated
ver^' well. Ho had heen jL^reatly honouretl )>y the Queen's
dau«^hter (Princess Louise;, yet the only reason he gives
for not ^oini; to help Kiel fi;;^ht the Queen was tliat he
was afraid, hceause Kiel had not much powder. He told
Kiel he would join hini ; then, like a squaw, was afraid.

Poundinaker (who was sniokinjj;^) — J am sorry (pufiing
smoke), I feel in my heart that 1 am such a person as I am.

Middleton — Poundmaker opposed the treaty and did
al) he could to prevent it.

Poundmaker— If 1 had known then that T was such
a great man I would liave made them recognizti me as
such. It wa.s Delormo went for the lialf-breed i»isoners,
and when he went they also went. I'm sorry to have to
say so much. 1 thought when the ine.ssage came from
you we were going to make peace, so 1 tried hard to comes
on time. I have given n)y.>.elf up entirely and brought
all tlie guns I had. If I saw any wrong 1 had done I
would not have come.

Middleton — You have been on the war-path since the
troubles began, and you and your men have committed
murders and kept the country in alarm.

Poundmaker — I have sent word to Big Bear to say
that I am giving up my arms to the General.

Middleton — Why did you only come in when Kiel
was defeated ? H' you had not done wrong, why did you
not come in before ?

To the Interpreter — I've t(»ld him I did not intend to
do any harm. Why mention tli.it so often ?

Middleton — His ears are closed, but mine are open.
Ask him if he knows about the murders of Payne and
Fremont, or any one of the name of Lean Mhh.

Poundmaker — I know the man ; he is an Assiniboine.

Middleton — Did you know that he and his men killed
Payne ?

Poundmaker — Will I ask him ?

<t becaufle
no wrong,
^n treateil
he Queen's
I he givcH
ELS that }ie
'. He toM
VJis afraid,
•ry (puHing
4<maH I am.
t;y and <lid

T was such
nizo me as
d prisoners,
J to have to
came from
iard to como
.nd broui^ht
had done F

,th since the
committed

3ear to say

when Kiel
hy did you

ot intend to

le are open.
Payne an<l

In.

Assiniboine.
i men killed

POUNDMAKKR AND MIDDLETON.

387

Poundmaker h<n' turned to one of the men Vu'slde him,
whtt liatl on a black felt hat with a broad green l»and
around it. who was (piietlv smoking.

I jean Man, who was tf\us made to speak for himself,
said that he knew nothing about it himself.

Do Indians never talk to one another ? asked the Gen-
eral.

Poundmakor — I didn't hear the name of anyone who
murdered.

Middleton — He hasn't answered my question.

Lean Man then made a reply in Stoney, whicli Pound-
maker translated into Croe as : 1 don't know the person
who killed Payne.

An Indian with cedar twigs around his head asked
the (hiueral to allow him to have a bit of talk. (Uimotieed.)

Middleton — I'he man who killeil Payne I consider a
murderer. If attacked, men can tight, but I nmst have
the men who committed these two nuirders.

Poundmaker — That's right, certainly.

Middleton— IS ow, I'll li-sten.

An elderly Indian, naked to the waist, with a number
of small blue tattoo marks on his hody and a circle of
yellow paint around his eyes, came forward and asked to
shake hands with General Middleton.

Middleton — I do not want to shake hands with a bad

man.

Reid, the Interpreter, said that the man who wanted
to shake hands was geneially a good Intlian.

Elderly Indian — God Almighty hears me ; this is my
country. So when the General come to my country, I
want to say a little to him. I don't know anything of
anything bad. I vowed to God if anything was wrong
I would try to make peace, I wronged nobody.

The General then ordered the ritles to be taken out of
the waggons and that they should be diiven oti*

Elderly Indian (continuing) — I know the great man
is strong and can pub everything right. I beg of him to
put everything right here in our country. Once he has

388

OANADA'R KOUTHWKirr RKRKI.UON

I . '

Hottlod thiii^ I v^ill pjo back. I wofl asbarnod to go back
t(» bnn» (uith, wliiMo I wwi (lucaMiri^ tlic n»«ervc'H wlii( h
ba<) b(M>n Ntrip{)(><l dtiriii^ tbn rtning). 1 wanUul to go
north, but tho a;^oiit wuoM not Ud mo.

Midtlb'ton — 11 you were ho fond of" pcai'c, why did you
go on tlio \fnT path ?

'J'hcro was im answer, and bore an obi nqnaw tried to
(pru'tly intor(M'(bi with tlio (lunfTal for tbo priHonnrrt.

A thin Indian caino foi'vanl to vvlmrc Poundnmk.r,
Old Mostpiito, and a f«w ( 'uth sat, and said ; I'm tho
.samo as wlion tln< wliit*' ma. first oaino to tlu.s country,
nioaninjj; that he luid made; no treaty yet.

Tho IntiTprettM' broke in on the orator, saying', Couift
riglit to tho point, and the thin man went an :

There Is a Ood wlio made u.s all. W<' borrow tins
earth from God. Wlien white man and Indian first met
they shook hands; no blood on them until now. f sup-
po.se the rea.son we were put here was to h(dp each ()tlnT.
When I was at Buffalo Lake T luiard tliat Kiel had ma<le
peace tluon^^li the country, and the whole country was
to be .sittlcd. A letter was sent up saying' a general was
coming up with soldiers to settle everything. This is tlio
reason wliv I wanted to come and see what settlement
they had come to. That was the time they tired at each
other. Next night I camped wliere ]k ople were. When
I came to the camp, Dtdorme, Trottier and others .said
that Kiel was making peace and the countr}' was to bo
settled up all right. They wantcid us to go to Duck
Lake, and managed to get us along witb them, tliough
we didn't want to go. All went, and found young men
bad captured freighters. We said, "Don't do them any
harm, "and one man gave me a little tea and sugar belong-
ing to the freighters. That was all. So will you let mo
shake hands as I have never <lone any wrong to you ?

General Middleton (to Interpreter) — If he has done
wrong to any vvliite man be has done it to me. Besides,
be was very ti'oublesome, and tried last year to prevent
the Indians from taking treaty money.

" y p "

■•*"

■»ffi'"

POirNDMAKFR AND MfDnrKTON

389

ho p[o ^a^k

•VL'H Wl»i(l>

II tod to go

»y did you

tw tried to
onorrt.
undmak»T,
i. I'm tho
i.s country,

iii^', Com©

orrow thifl
II first in (it
w. f sup-
L'ach otlior.

had ma<io
(uutry wjuM
nneral was
TluH is Uio
settlciiipnt
•ed at each
H'e. When

thcrs .said

was to bo
to Duck

m, thonfijh
nnmg men

them any

ar beh>n<;-
you let mo

o you ?
has done
Besides,

jO prevent

Thin fiidian — I \my^ that the ^Toat mati will do wlial
ho can h«» we can livr iln im the only whilo man I'll
have to dftpmrl on. I hav« put df^wn arm« and «very-
thini,', and I want Idm (the (irn^ral) t»» tell us how we
aro to jfct a living You ar« a ^reat man, and if wo are
to depend on you, let us know aA we can toll our people.

Middloton-ls that all/

Mrcaking-tl»rouprh-ih»'-Ice -I wiwh my mother to «peak
now. The Indian point<?d out hin mother, an old woman
with a hluo handkerchief on hor head.

MiddU^ton — \Vr» don't, liMtrn to wotncn.

Thin Indian What's the reason the Queen nends hor
word horo ?

Mid«lleton— She has councillors who aro men.

Thunder Child — May I say a f<«w word.s ?

Middleton — Yes, if you cut it short.

Thunder Child — 1 was away at the time the trouble
began and diiin'tknow anything wa.s ^oin^on. I am so
sorry for it all. The reason we were m^t here before was
that lant fi^dit nuide women and children all ufVaid. Did
not know that any of my peo|)lft made tr(;uble around
here. J have never raised a gur» aj!;airista white man yet
only here, and 1 got so al'raid that 1 didn't use it. I had
made a vow not to, and 1 put the gun down a« soon as I
remembered it. Wo are at loss alto^'ether at the question
he (the General) puts to us. That's all I have to .say, and
if he's willing I will shake hands.

Middleton — If 1 believed you I "wouM, but I will not
shake hands with any ono who fired on our men.

Thunder Cloud — I didn't tire.

Middleton— Who did then ?

Thunder Child —If any one saw me fire let him say so.

Another Indian — Cut Lip — then came forward and
squealed out : I would like to say a few words. May I ?

Middleton — Yes, but let it be the last.

Cut Lip — Let him — the General — tell us how we are
to make a living this summer.

Middleton ( standing up) — Tell them they'd better
listen to what I am going to say now : After many years

900

OANADiH NonTH-wrsT nr.nFi.i.iow.

I I

of noare hfit-woon tho wliite ami tlie rM nion. wh^n «on»e
Imtl iiM'M, Haif-l>riMM|H anM othurs, oliost* to rrl>el a^iiiiiMt
the (lovornmnnt, the In<iiaiis forgot tlmt |M»a(u» oxi^ttnl so
lonj;, arul a largo Ixxly iosm and joined tlw>Mo other mon.
Tho IiidianN, oven Poundinaker, who liad liceti ho well
treated, rose and rohhed heeiuiKt^ th'-y thouj^lit the whites
wore in diMicnltioM All aronnrl you attackfd MtoroH and
killed men a!id women. You thouj^ht tlmt you were
goinpf to liave it ali your own way, and, iuHteail of ^^ayin^j
" this iH the time for HJiovvin^ ourMelveH grateful to the
white peonle," you turned on theui whenever you got a
chanee. 'I his very hand (|>()inting to Poundmaker'H)
deliherately went out to join the enemy, and, if they had
beaten us, would have gone on pluncJering, and would
have committed more murders ; and now, when they find
the hc&d rebel Iliel, and the Half-breeds, whom they
thought great warriors, beaten, they come in because they
are afraid, and tell all sorts of lies and bog for peace.
They thought the Ooverniiiont hadn't more men, and
thouj^dit that tho reb<jls were better fighters, and could lie
in andmsli in the blufls and shoot our men down. Now
we liave shown them that it is no use theii- lying in pits
and behind bluffs, because we can drive them out and kill
them, and they are afraid.

Poundmaker — True.

Middleton (continuing) — Up to this time you Indians
had l)een in tho habit of going to tlie settlers' houses,
saying you were hungry, bogging food, and frightening
women into giving you food. And occasionally you have
even killed men when you have got one alone. Let all
Indians understand that if one white man is killed ton
Indians will suffer for it, and if any disturbance takes
place and the young men think they can go and plunder
they will find themselves much mistaken, for the whole
tribe will bo made to suffer. I have more soldiers land-
ing (Poundmaker groans), and more coming up, and if
you (Poundmaker) had not come in I would have hunted
the band down until I had killed everyone if possible,

|H)lTNr>MAK>;K AND MIDlUl^ToN.

no I

)ol a;jfiiiiNt

«xistt'il so

othiT iiion.

mi HO well

th« w)>it('H

NtoroH iiiid

yon wiiro

I of vayiiivj

I't'ul to ilu^

you ^ot a

rvlmakd'H)

f tlu'v lia<l

ft'

an<l w«iuM
n tln'V tiixl
'hom they
3cause tlu\y

for peaco.

men, and
m1 could lio
wn. Now
iujiij in pits
>ut and kill

ou Indians
srs' houses,
^•i^htenin''
y you have
Let all

killed ton
ance takes
id plunder

the whole
diers land-
up, and if
ave hunted
if possible,

and if wo w\h\\ to llvo at p#»aci', whitr nn*n with n-d mrii,
w«» can't hav«' flu; n-d iu«ii risin' t'viTV tin»« trouhU
orcui'M and killin;r Ninall paitii>M, and the sooner you
undtrstnud that the Uitter. Thoy askiMl me liow tlii«y
wero v^o\n'^ to live. Tell th<»tn Mo tlm Intcrprt-lor) that I
only a buidier and do not knov\ Lie iutoution «)f thu

•O*^^

Bin. JOHN A. MAnnONALD.

(Leader oi tht 0*/vemnunt,)

Government; but I believe that if they hehave well and
stay on the reservation they will receive food, will be
taught to cultivate tlie ground, and will he shown how to
earn a living. Tell them also that if P.ig Bear does not
come in and'^do as they have done 1 will take my tn.ops
and go off and attack liim. I have received orders from
the Government to detain Foundmaker, Yellow Mud,

CANADA 8 NonTIf Wr5nr flEHKM.IOIf,

i \

BUnkot Bn'rtk!n;jt1ir«»Mt?b-tbe-Tc«, and Lean Man oa
prisuni'M. TIjp rt'>»t hml b«tt«M* g») to tlio ri'MtrN ^b, iukI (or
jour own nnkrH you )iai{ l>cttor give up the mon who
niun It-rot I I'aviu' uii'l Fr»»m()iit.

roiin<lmak«r — Y«>u wiil find out that. I know iioth-
inpf ahout thcin luynijlf.

Loan Man ciiiin! forward and Mai«i; — God knows I mwer
«aw anytliin^ to tell. When one wan killed 1 only heard
ab<nit it while sittinj; in my tont. Oi course when wo
hoar a thin^ on«* cannot nay it's a thcl (rnfaninp it would
be tncro lictarsay ovidtnc*)). In th" morning I hoard.
"There's a whiio nmn killed." Payne (tho nmrdorotl
man) wanted to tako tlu> j^un from this man. 1 heard it
wa.s Itka, or "Uue-who-turns-a-blauket-inside-out," that
did it

Urnoral Middleton — Toll thorn they must give up all
the flour and (joods they have stohm, and they will have
rations. They must go to a reserve till the CJovernmoni
decides furthjT.

Another Indian, with an old blanket and a bandaged

head, then came forward. It was Itka himself. He

said : — I said to Payne, *' 1 want to go hunt, and want

grub." Payne naid, " 1 can't give you any." I said: " I

am askincf (piietly; can't you give me any?" "No,"

Payne said, " 1 don't want to give you any." " It's only

a little for my family while I'm olF hunting," I told him,

"try and bo quick and let mo have some so I can go off.

You don't seem to listen." Payne said : " J can't let you

have any for ten days. I won't give yo\i any." I was

talking quietly. He laid hold of me, saying : " Don't you

hear me ? " He took my gun from me and said he would

shoot me. I said, " I don't want my grandchihl to die."

He said, " We'll both die here." At last by wrestling

with him I got my gun back and shot. I have come to

give mysftlf up. If you want to cut me up in pieces do

so. But I beg you to consider my children.

General Middleton — His statement shall be iubmitted
to the judges at his trial.

POUNhMAKKK ANI» MiDULKTuN.

Sd3

1 Man M

et, au«l (or
I mun wIjo

now noih-

w« I nover

i»nl y hoard
when wo
f* it would
f I hoiinl,
m»ird«3roil
1 heard ii
-out," that

▼ive up all

will have

jvcrnmont

, bandaged
iHolf tfe
and want

said : " I
r "No,"
" Tfa only

told him,
an po off.
I't let yoii
I was
Don't you
1 lie would
Id to die."

wrestling
e come to

pieces do

lubmitted

Wa Wanich. a yonn^; Indian ilud«'. whonf dn»MH wa« all
covered with jolouu'd b«a«lM and Indiuri limTy, and with
a woniann Mack straw hat Hui'ti)ouiitc«l liy a hriKht^retoi
pluiua for a h»'ad <hr^%, i»t^j»jM«d forward, antl with hin
armn fold«*l, threw hiii lelf on the j;ronnd before the
(hmeral, ^ayinff : — 1 tola niy |MN»plo I W(»uld jjivo mynelf
up to iave them. Kive of u« «arn«' awav from th^
Stoni^yn' reserve, and \no came to tln< man Kromont who
was prea/tinj? hi« waj^^on. I had a Ik)w and arrow, and
the othern 8ai'i : " You «hoot him." One Tntlian from
Qii'Apptdle naid : " You must not do that ; wliy kill a man
lor no'hinj^ ?" They ftaid thrn any one that chooMCH
to tire can. Well, id' course, in the fall pritsM withers—
(Th»^ dtido her* drpjenerate*! into paralilcM.)

General Middleion (iuterniptin^ parable impatiently)
— -Ih this the mtn that killed Fremont?

Wa-Wanich — Yes, it wjw m»\ Of course earth
romnins die «ame fcu-ever, continued the dude, takin;/ up
the panil'le (which was ftirain interruptetl.) YeH, it was
me; I must have taken the jjtm from some other mati.

The old woman with a blue kerehief who had l)epjk;ed
a hearing, came u[) and said —Why not listen to me.

We don't have women in our councils. Women's
tongues are generally long.

Wife of a Stonoy Indian— The A.lmigbty se^r ; our
children and country have been taken.

Poundmaker and the rest of the rhiefs round General
Middleton, with the two self-confessed murderers, wore
then led away to prison.

General Middleton — Tell Poundmaker I'll mention ho
treated the prisoners well.

'•'jte***-

H ' r

■■\

-tt^'i

/T.K ZJ

UnNKRAU HTriANaH.

CllAFrKR XXVIT.

GKNKKAL HTUANdK/s t!Ol>UMN.

WTTILE tlui ovonts dcHcrilxMl in tho proc(Mli?iir olmpU'ra
wtTo tnkinu^ ])laco in Ujo oastorn aiul central por-
tion of tlio Ttu-ritory, a tliird colnnm was a<lvancinf,'
ai^ainst the rebolliou.s rn<]ian3 in -ho oxtronie wcistern
portion. Cioncral Straniije, with tho Ooth Battalion
(Montroal) under Col. Oniniot, tho f)2nd (VVitnii])o^') un-
der (Jol. (\sborne Smitli, a detachment of Mounted Police
and sconts under Major Steele, had advanced on lOdnion-
ton, and was now eni^ja.^ed in the pursuit of Big Bear,
of wliovn we hist heard in coiniection with tho Frog Lako
niassacre and the fall of Fort Pitt.

The advance to Edmouton was not eventful, as there
wore no enemies to oppose nor oifenders to hunt down in

■f

J ? ¥

ling rluvpUTR
[ central por-
ts a<lvancing
oino W(!St(;rn
,h Hattaliuti
^innipog) ui\-
)unt(Ml Police
fl on Eduion-
of Big Boar,
l\o Frog Lalcti

itfnl, as tlicre
lunt down in

•^ V^'^n^ W-VH* *^t'

'; '**■ "rv'y»'"''*;ii- •* -^ A**!"

MrNK.nAI, HTUASrJK'H C'nr,^?^TM.

flor,

that ro^jf inn. At, I'Mtiinntan, (}«!».. ral St.r:«ng(« found t,liat
he luid arrived noiip loo soon to piM, ilovvn a vory j;r«in('ral
ri.Hingani<r»s^' llu> lri<lin,r»M. wlio wt'»f iM-comiuj^r voiy r<"-tl«'HH,

B^'l'oir d'aling witli Mh» doi?ijrM oI (iprp-ral Sir»in'/<''H
column it may iid( ifst/ tJn' trad<T to l«'arfi Monnttiing ol'
tJic pronnncnt figurcM who will lic rj'ni«'n»lH>n»d um con-
nccXod, diroctlv <•> indin»cf,ly, with this porli< r» of tlic
Jnst.ory of tlic trouhh'H in th(« North- Wrst.

Kir.st, tlM'H, coriM'H OcuKMal Strn?igc, whom' pf>rtinit
appf'Jirs nt the hrgimiing of this chaphT. 'i'lic Army iJ»t
Hiiyn hv HtTVCMJ in India in lHr»7-r>H, and wan pnscnt in
tliiri(MMi cngagrmcntH, was iFirntioncd Tour iir.ws in dcH-
pJitcln'H, and wrniH a n)f'd;i,| and I'i.'i.sp. He n |»r«'-t(',ntH an
old military family ol' Scf»tch origin, n]\(\ iri t'lc rrudcrnal
jinr* of <l('sccni can h«' trac(;d from < 'luulcs Mjirtol and
CharliMnagnc thron».di a long liru^ of watriorH.

On the ova<Miation of Quebec in IS? I, <^ 'olonrd Sttiingo
wan romnnsMionc«l to fo?in and connn.ind tin; tir.st garri-
Hon of (.-anadian nrtilhiry. H<i oKtaMiHln'd, upon enduring
foundations, tlu^ Hchools (»f gunn«!ry in which ho many
havo l)con tiain(*d for s^rvico in ditl'm-nt caj)fK!itic«, and
tho ctVicicncy of tlu) l)attcric,s at the front was largely
owing to the fact that the (Jovcrrnncnt tian B,doptcd the
more important recommeridationH which tie, as an in.spec-
tor of artillery, lias seen fit to make. He in a man of
marked will power, a <liMcipliriarian, and yet one whose
commaiids arc not unkindly onlVnced.

The Major-Gonoral went to Kingston at tlie time the
hattericH wore transfened in Juno, 1880. In the spiing
of 1882 lie got l)i.s promotion, and .soon aftei- h^ft tlie ser-
vico. He was chief factor in the organization of the
Military Coloidzation Company, whoso ranch is about
tliirty-fivo miles from Calgary, His wife and the youti'^cr
nuemberw of the family did not leave for their new home,
" Nomoka," until last year. Hi children nunfV)ered six, of
whom four are living. Two sons accomr)anied him to t/he
North-West, Hi rry Bland Strange and Alexander V/ilrnot
Strange.

lais^s

n : n if ifwm't»» m^'\i u tif,' »«n *p w ii i>»i» ti -wy^r*^«>»««» % i><tt . '»«'iti»

'"T"'''

896

CANADAS NORTII-WKST RFRKIUO.V.

Tliou^h he took no prominent part in tho BiippreBsion
of thfi roltcllion in the >l()ith-WeNt, ('oIonclJ/irnrB McLc3(k1
\u\n lonj^ bfton a vory prominent man in tho Territory. A
sucoeKHtuI and popular ( 'omnn.ssioner of the North-We8t
Mounted l^olic«», liin rotir«mo?it to liin pronont j)(>8iti()n a.s
stipondiarjr magistrato was Hoverely ro^rotted by noarl y

i'-

OOLOl, '.L .lAMlB M 'LEOD.

or quite every officer and member of the North-West
Mounted Police. During his lengthy residence in the
North-West ho has become extremely popular with the
Indiana, who are always ready to rely implicitly on his
word in all matters, whether important or trifling. When
a third, or western, column was to be made up, many
were of opinion that Colonel McLeod would have com-
mand of it; but the Fateg or the Government willed

f <l

QENKIIAL HTRANOK's COLUMN.

897

siippreflRiou
nrn McLood
erritory. A
North-'West
)>(>Hiti<)n ;iM
1 \>y nottily

North-West
ence in the
lar with tho
icifcly on his
ling. When
le up, many
1 have com-
ment willed

diffbrontly, and ho was hft out of tlwir calrulationn.
There Ih no douht, liowever, tliat it waw lnrLr. Iv through
hitt inHiH'Ticc tliat the lilHckfoet w»Mfi kept fiom l>ren ing
out, and joining* thw relM'ls in tli»' North, wlio were d<. abt-
los.s coiintinjij on their h«'urty Cfj-operation.

Tlioto wa.s another whose iiiMtu^nce for^ood waslar^f^ly
felt by tho lUackleet and their relatives and allies, the

fATIIKB r.ECOMIJR.

Bh)ods, the Piegans, and Sarcee.s. This was the faithful
and earnest Obi at missionary, Father Lecomhe, who has
laboured tor Riany years patiently and faithfully among
the Indians and liail- breeds between the west end of
Lake Superior and the Rocky Mountains.

General Strange's column was made up as follows: —
Sixty-fifth Battalion, 232 ; Winnipeg Provisional Bat-
talion (92nd), 307 ; Strange's Rangers, 50 ; Mounted
Police, 67.

t' 'f

-ox;

898

CANADA S NORTH -WKST KEHKLUON

! I

On tbo 20kh of May he left Edmonton with the ()5th
by boat, tlio remainder of the counnaiid going by trail
eastward in search of Big Bear. On the 27tli of May,
wlien near Kort Pitt, General Strange had his first
engagement. He met the rebels in tlie immediate vicinity
of a large strip of swamp or muskeg. They retreated
across tliis into a strong position, where they were well
protected by rocks and under-growth. After engaging
them for some hours he was compelled to retreat to Fort
Pitt. Hi^' loss, however, was not serious, consisting of
three wounded. Two days later Major Steele with only
seventy nnjunted police and scouts engaged Big Bear at
Two Lakes. They came upon the Indians just as the
latter were leaving camp, and a sharp tight ensued. Major
Steele found that Big Bear,having some three luindred well
armed men, was too strong to be defeated in the first attack
which was made upo, his front. He executed a clever
flank movement however, and advancing upon the Indians
with extraordinary impetuosity, drove them out of their
position, causing them to retreat slowly up a thickly
wooded hill or butte. After fi^^hting from tree to tree
and gradually driving the Indians to the top of the hill,
Major Steele ordered a charge, and the seventy gallant
fellows drove the three hundied redskins from the top of
the hill, causing them to retreat in considerable disorder
into an almost impassable and impenetrable ravine on the
other side. Finding it impossible to pursue them further
Major Steele retired, taking his three wounded men witli
him. The men wounded were Sergeant- Major Fury and
the scouts Thomas Fisk and William West. Fury was
shot through the lungs ; Fisk was hit in the forearm, and
West in the knee. All three recovered. The loss of the
Indians in this engagement is supposed to have been
rather severe. Six dead bodies were found on the battle-
field, and it is supposed that others, mortally wounded,
were carried off as three more dead were found in Big
Bear's camp. Harassed as he was by the resolute and hot
pursuit of Major Steele, Big Bear was compelled to give

7 jj|i'"^li'*v*<wi*'^

»■<•" fflt»||»n yM | »)n

OENRllAl, STUANOF/s O^T.rMlf.

Sf)0

th the (>5th
ni: by trail
til of May,
cl his first
iito vicinity
y retreated
y were well
>r engaging
'cat to Fort
m.sisting of
e with only
Big Bear at
just as the
Lied. Major
undredweil
I first attack
;ed a clever
the Indians
out of their
p a thickly
tree to tree
of the hill,
mty gallant
n the top of
ble disorder
ivine on the
hem further
id men witlj
)r Fury and
Fury was
orearm, and
J loss of the
) have been
1 the battle-
[y wounded,
3und in Big
lute and hot
elled to give

ap hia prisoners though evidently very loth to do ho.

Cameron, a Hudson Bay agent, who brought the first
)artieulara of the Frog Lake massacre, was in t)m first
nit'-h of prisoners retaken. Not long alter this Mrs.

Gowanluck and Mrs. Dclunoyand two or throe Hall-breed

^Mm

^WL

,U 1

wi/f 1 1

BIG liEAB.

families fell ivito the hands of Major Steele an<l his men,
and lawst of all, the Ma cLean family and the remainder of
Big Bear's prisoners were brouglrt in by the Wood Crees.
It was decided to allow Big Bear to starve in the Far
North or surrender t > the Mounted Police and other
regulars to be left in the country. On July 4, he, with
his band, came into Carlcton and sunendere<] to Sergeant
mart of the police. He and his son were taken to Prince

^m^ f t^y^ if -^-K

' ^ •m "vy^ * v f*f V ff : ? i ' ' ; " " !?; '' *?' t?'.gif v^ *•' ^ "'fr*"

400

CANADA 8 NORTH WKST UFBKLLION.

Albert a« prisoners of war, and after ward?} removed to
Kegiiia for trial, liis band were di.sarmed and Hiip-
plied witli provisionH at Carleton. 'riii.s brought the
North- West llebellion to a cIomo. The vobinteers started
on their ictiirn liorne on tlie oth of July, and reached
Toronto, where tliey were received with great cnthusiawni,
on the li)th, 2 1st and 2!bd of the month. The troops
were under orders to return home the day Big Jear was
taken, but the news of his capture was almost forgotten
and unheeded by theni, for they were saddened l>y the
sudden and wholly unexpected loss of one of tlio bravest
and best of their othcer.-!, the gallant Colcnel A. T. H.
Williams, of tlie Midland Jiattalion, who died of brain
fever while passing down the river by steamer.

The following stories, told by Mrs. Delaney and Mm.
Oovvanlock, furnish a graphic history of tlie experiences
of I)ig Bear's prisoners, which is interesting to the verge of
the romantic: —

! ; I

J I

MRP. DELANEYS STORY.

Mrs. Delaney tells her pitiful story in the following
words : —

"My name is Theresa Delaney. I was married to my
husband, John Delaney, on the 27th July, 1882, at Ayl-
mer, in the Province of Quebec, where my mother is n(;w
living, and others of my relations. My husband resided,
before coming to this country, at Gloucester, in the County
of Carleton, Ont., where his father and mother are now
living. My husband and 1 left hoYne on the 1st of August,
1882, and went at once to Frog Lake, N.W.T., where my
husband held the position of Indian Instructor. When
ho first came up here he had five bands of Indians to look
after, until a year ago, when the Chippewans where taken
from his supervision and given to John Fitzpatrick. A
little later Mr. Fitzpatrick was transferred to another
jurisdiction, and the Chippewans again came under my
husband*M care. He then had to look after the Chippe-

■■■^'*'**W^^"

V~"'T^''irV3»''"

GKNEUAL STHAN(iK'H COLUMN.

401

removed to

j UTul Hll])-

jrouglkt the
etTH started
nd reached
ciithusiaMii,

The troops
i^ ikar was
iHt forgottcu
[jned l)y the

the hravest
lol A. T. H.
od of brain

ii;y and Mre.
exporienceH
the verge of

le following

arried to my
882, at Ayl-
other is now
Dand resided,
1 the County
ther are now
at of August,
r., where my
ctor. When
dians to look

where taken
zpatrick. A
j to another
ne under my

the Chippe-

wann, Onoepowhayaws, Misstous, Kooiu'awHlH, and F'uh-
keaclvjuiwins. and hut your Ik; had to ration \V\^f lirar's
trilxi. He was so en^^a;;,.,! when the ontltuMik took place.
AH these Indi'tns were pcacciihly iticline<l, and n»ost
friendly k) ms all. My hush;iTid was nuieh respected, and
really hidoved l»y all under his caiv, and they seemed to
he most attaclied to him. \Ve wcri' th«iicfoni irreatly
astonislu'd at tlu-ir Jietinn tnwjnds \is; hut, after all, it
wjw only hig Henr's follovvin;^ that showed tlu'ir enmitv
to us. They, too, pretended to he most fr'endly, atii
Ini.vo often tohl us thai- hut for my hushand they woid<l
have starved. The first W(j knew of the npri.sin:; was
on the 2nd of Aj)ril. At live, o'ch^ek in the morning,', tw<)
of Hi^ Bear's trihe eame into our house, and told us our
horses wer(3 stolen by the Ualf-breeils, and at the same
time it was they them.s«;lves who had stolen (l\o hor.scM
and hi<ldeii theni. Soon after the aiiival of the.se two
Indians some thirty more— all armcid, aiid most of tlusm
mounted — came to the house and forced their way in.
They took all the arms and amiinuution they could liud,
telling us thoy were shoit and wanted all. They retpiired
us to «^o with them, because, they said, thi^y wished to save
us from the J^ree.ds. We were taken lii'st to the A^'ent's
(Mr. Quinn), and the Indians also demanded his arnis and
ammunition, and had a lonj^ talk about all keeping
together to keep back the Breeds, when they came to
take t]»e provisions. I am satisfied now they were not
Bincere in this, and it was all to deceive us, for there were
no Breeds to come. From Quinn's we were taken to the
priests' house. The priests were named Father Fafard
and Father Marchaud, who were both subsequently
killed. We were n(jt at all ill-treated so fai', but there
was every outward appearance of friendly feeliu'^- towards
us. When we reached the priosts' house mass was going
on, the attendants bcirig some Ilalf-broeds who had pre-
viously been taken prisoners by the Indians and detained
with the priests, in the latters' residence. The Indians
would not let the priests finish mass, and ordered them
25

t'^ni-J-r'-Cy .-rfl'l '.''

/ .

* ' )

mr..%Jk'Ku m.

moonmi^

i T' MOOSE iott'to

MAP SHOWING FOKT PITT AND 80KNK OF PROO LAKK MASSACRR.

n m'0

"^-C*---x

TO V Li.

I MARSACRR.

OENKUAL HTRANOKM COLl'MN.

403

with the UhmuIm iuk! onrselvi-slmck a^'Jiin to tmr own housu.
Wo were all loft lor alujiit an liour, tho Indians siirroun*!-
ing thrt h()usl^ Thn prii'sts (li<l not anticipate any «lan"«'r.
suppoHinj^ that tho Indians int<ii.l,.,| to liavi^ a fViist ot'lho
cattle thai I^-^'l het'n j^ivcn ihtMii l>y Mi.Quinn.the Ap'nL
By this time it was alxmt !)..'H) in tlu» niorninj,'. Dnririj^
our last detention in our Iiouho \\\^ h«'Hr cani^ in and told
my huHl)and that he was frij^'htmrd soniu of his youni'
braves intended shooting the whites, hut that lu', my hus-
band, would be safe anyway. At this time tlie oidy
{)laco th(^y had plundtMcd was Mr. DIITh store, whieli they
lad gutted; but, v 'lilo waiting, the hidians told Mr.
Cameron, also a prisoner in our house, that tlu-y wanted
him to atcompany them to open the Hudson's Hay store,
ftnd Mr. Cameron dhl so, thus, in my opinion, saving his
life. After opening tho store, the ln<lians sent him to
their camp, about a mile and a half away. After securing
everything in tho latter store, they came to our house,
and ordered us all up to tlie lndiat\ camp. Wci d(!])artev],
my huabanil and I, as well as all others, only taking uith
us what we had on our barks, not supposing we wouM be
long away. At this time nothing of conseciuence had
been taken from our lionse. It was not very cold. Bo-
fore we had gone far from our house the Indians began
to shoot down the whites. Mr. Quinn was shot first,
though I did not see him shot. A.11 who were killed were
behind my husband and me, but E heard several shots
fired, and, until otherwise informed, supposed the firing-
was into the air. At this time, however, Mr. Dill was
killed, also Mr. Williscroft, Mr. Gouin, Mr. Gilchrist, and
Mr. Gowanlock, the latter of whom I saw fall. Mrs.
Gowanlock was beside her husband when he fell, and as
he dropped she leaned down over him, putting her face
to his, and as two shots had been tired at her husband
some supposed she had fallen from the second shot.
When I saw Mrs. Gowanlock fall, I saw also some hideous
object, an Indian got up in frightful costume, take aim at
my husband. Before 1 could speak, my husband staggered

^ ^ i wi iwii , m m »nf .n ' l 'i

m » iw if»» j i III fiPjf <yi«ifi- -«in|*r^<

404

CANADA'h north -WII..ST RKHKLUON.

J ' '

away, l»nt, canift ImuU arnl Mai<l to mo, ' F am Hhot.*
Ii«- It'll tluui, aii«l I cuIUmI tlu) iit'i<ml and toM l\u^ lattur
what }ia<l lutpjH'ntMJ. Whilo iu» wa.s praying with my
hushaiiil th(^ Haino hi<hM)ii.s Indian tirod a^'ain, and ]
thnu^'ht thin sliot was meant for nn\ and I laid my linad
down upon my liUNhand and waited. It s*>«^mod an a^n ;
hut it was tor my |)oor hushand, and he lujvor spoke
afterwards. AlmoH*, iuuiudialoly another Indian ran up,
and «)rd»Mrd me away. I wanted to stay, l»ut ho dragged
nie of!*, pnllinf,' uhi aloni,' hy (he arms throiiL,'h tho hrunli
and hriar an»l tlirou^di tlie i-rcek, where tlie wat^^r reaehed
to my waist. I was pid into an Indian tent, ami left
there until niLjhtiall^ wd-hout anythinj;j oHered nu' to eat,
thougli I could not have eaten anyway. T was not allowiMl
outwidoof the tent, and so liad no opportunity of rt^turning
to my dead hushand, an<l havo never seen him Hinco. At
night time, two Half hreeds, .hdui Tritchard and Adol-
pl\uH Nolan, canje an«l purehased our release hy giving
horHes to the Indians, the only two liorses they had.
ThcHO Breeds w»'re prisoners also, so that I wan virtually
still a prisoner with Hig Bear; hnt .jolm I'ritcliard and
all tlic Breeds were most kind, and T wish to .state that I
believe both Mrs. Gowaidock and I owe our escape from
terrible treatmtMit, and at last ma.sHaere,to John Tritchard
and oth(^r friendly Breeds, prisoners like ourselves. From
this time forward we were prisoners for two months all
but a day. Every other day we were moved with the
entire camp from one place to another. Big Bear's treat-
ment of us would have been cruel in tho extreme, but
Pritchard saved us from the agony and torture of forced
marches through sloughs, brush, and rough land. At
this time, accom})anying us were Mrs. Gowanlock,
and among the Indians were Mr, and Mrs. McEjean
and their family of five children, Mr. and Mrs. Maim
and their iamily of three children, Mr. and Mrs.
Quinne.y, John Fitzpatrick, and a Frenchman named
Pierre. 1 cannot say how any of these were treated,
a3 I only saw them casually when on the march, but

I HIM nhot.*

1^ with my
(ain, aii<l 1
bid my IkmkI
iumI an a^H ;
u3V()r Hpokc
iian ran up,
, h« (iiag^iMl
tho brunh
ator roat^hctl
>Tit., and Uii'i
(i me to oat,
( not all()W(Ml

)f rrturnin^
ni Nirico. At
1 and Adol-
>e by givinjjf
H tlioy had.
k'lirt virtually
'rito-liai'd and
) .state tliat I

escape IVoiu
hn Pritchiird
elves. From

months all
'cd with tho

Bear's treat-
ox trenie, but
Lire oi' forced
h land. At
Oowanlock,
^r.s. McLean

1 Mrs. Mann
r. and Mrs.
iman named
tvere treated,
3 march, bat

OKNK.HAT. STUANflK'H roUMV. 40.'»

think thoy w.'rn not morr ill-troatrd thun I wan rnvnclf
extjcpt that thfy had all to walk f.iiitinuallv. 'Xc.'pt .M

Mel

j«MUi af)(

1 Mrs M

Jinii, aii.l th.« vrry ^mall ohiMnn.

-J ....... «, iiiiiiii'ii,

OccM.sionally an Indian, uutn\ humauM thim tin- r.'Ht, would
oll'or a rido to tho.se who wnm n'.juired to w dk ; and
Bometimos John Prit<'}uird would incivuM, his nlnadv
ovorhidi'ii load by takin;j somo woary om- up. IVitcluird
and all tho Ureeds walked aiwavH, though by makiiiL' uh
walk tb<y ef)uld havr ridd'ii, His two littlo l»oyh, at'ed
thirteen and lil'tren, walkt^d, thou^di th»ir feet bveamu
vory Horn at tiiiu's. but tiny mrvnr coujplain»»d, brcauso
they kn«»w their walking' <Miabh'd us to ridt^ Tlwy wcro
nnblo little I'idlow.s. f was terribly Htiick«Mi tl«»un I
seemed diiUienUjd, and could hardly tell out- day what had
hap])onod the day boforo. I wont on and on as if in a
foarlul droaiii, but seeuH'd conscious all tho while of my
home at AyliUiU", and my lonj^jin^^ for it seemed alone to
keej> me up. 1 wixa afiaid to ask altrr my husband, but
tho Hre(Mls told me hit t on that they bad buried tlie only
four bodies they luid bi^'U ptrmittisl to, my husband's,
the two priests', and Mi*. < Jowanlock's und(U' the church,
but as th«; church was b\irned tlx; I odios von* (»xpos<'(|,
and then I a.ski',d to have them btu'icd and the JhciMlsdid
as 1 rc'iuested. I should have told you that as I was
being dragged away from my husband's body I .saw the
two priests drop, father I'afard fi'll Hrst and then
Father Marchand. The former was administering to my
husband wb*>'i he fidhand tho latte! "Iroppt.'d inuuediately
afterwartls, a.s if shot by the same Indian from tho second
barrel of a gun. J)uring our journey we had phjnty to
eat, cooking it ourselves. Our direction was back wants
and forwards to avoid the police catching us. We were
taken from Frog Lake towards j'itt, thou back again

north for about sixty miles. ()n a Thui-.sday a week

before we escaped — we liad a battle, that is, the battle
with Oeneral Strange. TliO women were all left m the
woods, but the Indians were entrenched in a ravine,
where they had dug riilo pits, as I was informed. This

'f ^^m l' *f« 9^ n n ■>» m i

■Ml*

•*r«

iiiW ' i^ i ii

*^ **"**f*9*N|i**i>«VM^

4on

CANAf>A*H NOKTH-WMT KKIiKI.I.IOM.

wivH tho first intiiiintton I ba'I of our troopn coming. Wo
roiiM plainly In^iir tin* lirin^ VVn couM oiiMily rooo^Miixo
Uu^ oainiofi The ti^lit U;^an nt Movt^n in ili<! iiionun^ir,
find liiMtod until ton. Wc c<»iili| not hvo any of it, iMit
could hear it. At ten, tln» polic*" tindin;^ tlujy w«mo not
HtroM^ vnon^li, rotnatod, and Uto Indians tlion All back
into th«^ Imsh wluipj wu won*, and from th»«n<»» Imck a^ain
farthoi into the hush, all of tis havin;,' to accompany thcrn.
T\u' HrfCtls at thiH time were tryiiij,? to cic/ipe, liul cnuid
not do HO, a.H they were watched too cloHcly. From
Thursday U'l^r hear'n men retrcatetl in <liff'ei*ent ban<lM,
and tlu' prisonefH got more or Iohh M«»parated, some goirnr
with one hand, some with atiother. \lrM. (lovvarilock and
I \v<'n; fortunate in yet li(!iing Kd't with l'rit«;luiid,althou^d»
we were all still with Hig Bear. Mr. and Mrs. Mcf )an
and Mr. and Mrs. Mann an<l their families were «till
with \Vi,x hiar. We ki'jit on moving from Thursday
until Monday, each day from early morning till late
at night, hut I had never to walk, nor had MrH.
Oowaidock. On S.inday night tlie rndianssawHCotits, who
they supposed Uilonged to tin' policrci, and thoy became
greatly excited, and m the (excitement and heavy fog of
Morulay morning wc got away. Oui party that escaped
consistiid of Mrs. Oowanlock, myself, and live llalf-hroed
famili(5s, in(du<ling tlohn l*ritchard and Andri^ Nowo, the
latter of whom had taken tlie place of Adolphus Nolan,
who, on the pretijnce of acting as .scout for the Indians, man-
aged to escape to Prince Albert in the hopes of getting
help and assistance We escaped in carts, and the tirst
day di«l not go more tlian two or throe milcH. We went
backwards and forwards through the bush, so as to avoid
our trail being discovered, and the next day continue*!
our escape, the men cutting roads through the bush, so aa
to get along with all our outfit. We travelled on until
Wednesday night, tending towards Battleford, and on
that night we were overtaken by the police scouts, who had
got on to our trail and followed it. They thought our
position was not a secure one, and they made us strike

OBNEKAL MTKANUK'm ('OLl'NN

4(»7

iiiornni;;,
t' it, l.ut
w»MO not
till Uck
ink a^uiii

illV thtMll.

tit Could

y. From

Ml 1>uii<1h,

)iii(» ^oin<;

Liilork iiiwl

.iilthou^'li

s. Mcf.^an

wore Mtill

TJuirsday

f till lato

hat I Mrs.

<coutM, who

loy V)c'caiiio

avy iV>^' of

I at osoapc'l

HmU'-IiixmhI

Nowo, tlio

Ills Nolan,

iliaiis.iiian-

of getting

tl the tirst

We went

as to avoid

continued

bush, so aa

d on until

rd, and on

ts.M'hohad

lought our

3 us strike

CAinp and ^o on to a Htii'vr placo. farth.-r away. a^H.ut tw

iiiil(*H or theroahoMtH. Ilfn« w*

r«»

twu|»««d tor thf nij^ht, tlu«

HCouU n-niaining with mh all thr tiiiM*. On 'DmrMday
inoriiihj; wo niovod j,n, rearliiiig IMtt on Friday alMnit ten
in tho morning, whrn' wv swrv nut hy Col. StraulNii/.io
and Ool. W illianih. All cnnif lorwurd to tuwl un, and at
once wo wen tak.n on hoard tin- Xurfh-WiMt, whon? wo
reniaintid all Saturday and until Snndav niorniitg, wdion
w«' Wi'if transr«»rred to tlu' lian>nt'Hf awA machrd liattlr
ford Sunday night. We M|M»nt sonio tinir visiting fritiulrt
at Rrgina ami Winnipeg, whtiv wt* Were treated very
kindly and asNiMttMl to niakf our journey home. Had a

tlfusant hut unevmtful tiip home, rejudiing 'roroiit4) on

ilv l.'lth. I d<

sire lo expp'.MM my ina?iKH lo Ahmghty
Go(l that He ^erit with us tlir(»ULrhiMit, sucli a kiml and
Con.sid(?rate protecrtor as .Jolm IVit<hard. and th«» other
Breeds who were with him. There is no telling wliat
abiHe we might have Imm'U .sul)j(U!ted to hut lor their
preseiKte. Kret(Uent Jitteiupts were made to leacih us hy
the Indians, hut the Ualf-hretrdw watched night after
night, armed aind retnly to keep dl' any uttenijit to ill-
treat us. Four dilltM'ent nights Indians a[)proa(!lied our
tents, hut the deti rmi.iation • i our pmteetois saved U8.
Terrible as it all was, liowevej I urn grateful that I eamo
through unmole.sted, and am [)eiiiiitte<l to return to my
home onee again unliarmed in hody and mintl"
Mrs. Oowanloek's story is as follows ; —
"My name is Mary 'IheK^sa (lowanlock. My father
and mother are botli living. They reside in Ontario,
near St. Catharines, where they farm. My hushatxl's
uame in bill \va.s John Alexander (fowardoek. Me
came from Parkdale. We were marriiul on the 1st of
October, 1;.S4, an(i arrived in i^attleford on the 22nd of
the same month, going on to Fort Pitt in the December
following. From there we went to Frog Lake, where my
husband began business as a miller. He had partly
erected a grist and saw mill when the rebellion broke
out. We knew nothing of the uprising until we got a

— a aiw i J II III

,^ ■try ■'^'■■wM^ ^j ww w twU fH * ^." '!'■■■ '^■ " *< ^ y'

*iii«<iifii||i^|i;i. -"finj-jy^ •jK^ -

■■ ) ' ' *

408

CANADA'S NORTH -WEST UERRIJJON.

lett<or from Mr. Quinn tolliiii; u.s to come to his place, and
to <^o with the others to Foit JNtt, as it was teareil Hii»
Heai's Indians would break out, and eoniniit massacres
and outrages. We at once loft our home, and reached
MrH, Delaney's house, when we were tohi there wna
nothing to he feared. We icacKcd Mis. J)elaney's house
on Tuesday, and on Thursday morning lier house was
surrounded. 1 have heard Mrs. Delaney's experience
given to you, and I cannot think of anything ditlering
from wha^ Kshe states."

OHAPTKR XXVIll.

MARTIAL ARDOUR IN MAKillME PROVINCES — RETURN 0>

THE T HOOFS.

THE support rendered the loyal cause in this laniental)le
.'•;.bruggle, though coming mainly from Ontario and
Manitoba, as being nearest the seat of trouble, was more
or less drawn from nearly every i^uarter of the Domini r>n.
Qxiebec contributed the Or)th of Montreal, besides "A"
battery from the City of Quebec, while Nova Scotia sent
the (jDtb, which, tliough i.ot called upon to pass under fire,
performed those duties which are intinitely more trying
to the discipline of volunteers in a manner which left no
room for a doubt as to their soldierly qualities.

New Brunswick too, answered promptly to the call
when it was made upon lic^r ; but her gallant sons had not
reached the field ere the causes which liad rendered
necessary the calling out of more troops had ceased to
exist, and though they had shown a most commendable
alacrity in responding to an appeal to their bravery and
loyalty, they had not the satisfaction of sharing in the
dangers and glories of the battle-field. On the 11th of
May they were receiving orders for the front, while on

KKTIJKN OF TUK TROOPS.

409

l.ice, and
are<.l Hii»
iiasHacr«.'s
reached
lore was
y^'s house
nuHv was

diflerinj,'

rruiiN o>

Linentable
tario and
was more
)oniinion.
ido.s "A"
cutia sent
inder fire,
)re trying
ch left no

3 the call

IS had not

rendered

ceased to

unendable

a very and

ing in the

tie nth of

while on

that very day Middh^ton was dealing a crushing blow to
the rebe cause at Batoclie. The f<.ll(nviug are the ofH-
cers ot the New Brunswiok Battalion which started for
the ront:— Lieutenant-Cciouol Mauusell, D.A.d. coni-
niandirig; Lieutenant-Colone] Hear and Lieutenant:'
LolonelHIaine. majors; tlie foriiuM- is liiajor of the left
hall and the latter of the right half (.f'the hattalion.
Chaplain, Rev. G. a HoherLs, Adjutant, Ckptai.i McUan,

MAJOU WELMl.

LIKUT.OOl,, BRKMNKR.

/^JEfa Ufa .>: BattaUo n. )

62nd Battalion ; Quarter- Master, Majoj- Devlin, 62nd
Battalion; Paymaster, Major McCuUy, 78rd Battalion;
Sergeant-Major, Sergeant Mackenzie, I.S.C. ; Quarter-
master Sergeant, Sergeant Daniel T.S C. ; Assistant Ser-
geant-Major, Staff Instructt)r Sergeant Billman, I.S.C. ;
Instructor's Staff, Instructors Billman and Sloane, I.S.C, ;
Orderly Room Clerk, Sergeant Mayne, I.S.C. ; Paymaster's
Clerk, Sergeant Taylor, 62nd Battalion ; Assistant Orderly
Room Clerk, Sergeant Shea, l.S.Cl

r (

^ !•'< «,^'"*"f. MfJfl^^^K^

".yyi'* 'iy, ,>'^*'"W'f f iHiiii(ij[H',u'.< ',.1^'iy

.T^^f^"

410

CANADA'S NOBTIT-WEST RKBELLTON.

There are f«!W more popular otticcrs in the Dominion
than Lieutenant (.'oloiiel Slaiinsell. He has been ovcsr
thirty years a soldier. In May, 1855, lie was gazetted an
ensign in Her Majesty's l')th Regiment. Colonel Maunsell
sailed for New Brunswick in January, 1804'. An opj)or-
tunity was offered him to see active service with the Army
of the Potomac during the whole of the s'pring campaign

CAPTAIN JAMES PETERS ( '* A " Battery).

of 1864, during which he was temporarily attached to
General Grant's staff. He was gazetted Adjutant-General
of Militia of New Brunswick on November 22, 18u5, In
1881 he was appointed Deputy Adjutant General for
Military District No. 4, with headquarters at Ottawa,
and in 1883 was made Commandant of the Infantry
School Corps at Fredericton.

dominion
•en over
zetted an
Maunscll
Lu opj)or-
bho Army
cann)aign

1:^

Itached to
iit-Qeneral
, 18u5. In
eneral for
it Ottawa,
Infantry

< >

BETURN OF THE TROOPS.

411

The Halifax Biittalion did ^rarrison and camp duty at
Calgary, while the New Hrunswiekfrs and P E IslundtTs
were not permittod to reach the Hcne of actio., but
though neither contingent was called upon to Hre a 'shot
the membora of both showed unmistakably h(,w thor-
oughly they were inspired with that loyalty and mnrtial
ardour which bore up the spirits of their gAllaiit country-

INSPKOTOR JOSEPH HOWE, N.-W.M.P.

men at "Batoche," "Fort Pitt," and "Two Lakes,'
and which it is hoped will always actuate Canadian
volunteers wherever they may be called upon to face
Canada's foes.

Though the volunteers from the Maritime Provinces
were not under fire during the struggle,some of the bravest
officers and men in the regular arm of the service hailed
from our Atlantic seaboard : Captain Peters of " A"

|;^^»^>.y■''^'^■■<^»^rl^ ^ '^| ^,l^J plt;;-^«yrwy^~■l^y■^^y■^^n[>«|yy«F.■»^^

•M-..

412

CANADA.S NORTH-WEST RKUELMON.

Battory comes from St. Jolin, N,H., while Captain Druiy
is also of St. .lolin. Inspector Joseph Howe, of tlie N. W.
M. P., who was Wounded at Duck Lake, is also a St. John
man, and a nephew of the late HwU. Joseph Howe He
was always known to he a hiave and gallant soldier,
nov(T flinching from diity no matter how perilous it
mi;;ht he. He is a man of whom any province mijyfht
feel proud. Inspector Howe received a painful thout^d)

■ \\vy
CAPTAIN C. W. DRURY, " A " BATTKRV.

not fatal flesh wound in the leg, wliile H^diting gallantly
at the Battle of Duck 1 ake ; Gunner Walter Woodman,
who is mentioned on page 136 among the wounded at
the Battle of Fish Creek, is from Digby, N.S.

THE RETURN OF THE TROOPS.

No description could convey an adequate idea of the
enthusiasm with which the volunteers were received on

M-, N. VV.
St. Jolm

AO Ho

. soldior,

nMlous it

■(' niiu^ht

I though

gallantly
/oodman,
unded at

ia of the
jeived on

'<<<

UKTURN OF TnE T1100P8.

41 n

thoir retuiTi fn,m the caiDpai^^n. They w.re dilT.nmt
lookin^r boys from the neatly-uiiitormed. clean-Iookini/
fellows who went away only a I'cw inonth« h.^fi,re Thev
w.ire sun-browned and hi-ardcl. thoir uniforms V,--"
faded, ra^rcr,.,! and dirty. 1'hey wore vorital.l.. veterans
and Canada had good reason to feel proud of th(Mn a-'
she did.

aUNNEK WALTER WOODMAN.

A grand review was held in Winnipeg in honour of
their return, In Toronto, London, Montreal and all the
principal cities and towns of the dominion, the streets
were fairly ablaze with bunting, while arches and fes-
toons of evergreens made many of the streets look like
forest paths through some of Canada's great pineries.

■* \\

414

CANADA 8 N0RTH-WK8T IIEBKI.LION.

RETURN OF TflE VOLUNTKEKS.

Toronto, July 23rd, I8So,

Ring out, O bc?ll8, yo cannot drown

The echoing glad hurro,
Fronj r.houRandu' Kwttlling thro'it.s tliat t«ll

Our boyH come homo to-day,

Thoy come from gory battle- fields,

Brave ladH and gallant they ;
The city's heart ia in the cry,

Our boys come home to-day.

Beneath the flag so bravely borne

In many a bloody fray,
Up through the old, familiar streets,

Our boys come home to-day.

And if through sudden tears our eyes

See not the glad array,
Each heart-beat tells the joyous tale.

Our boys come home to-day.

We thought to make a noble show,

A lordly pageant gay ;
But now wo only think and feel,

Our boys came home to-day.

(Not all. Our honoured, gallant dead,

Again have led the way,
Where rebel bullets sped, their souls

Went home to God that day.)

Then ring ; ye cannot drown, bells,

The echoiiig wild hurra,
From myriad swelling throats that tells^

Our boys come home to-day.

'. "TT*

r/, 18S5,

CHAPTER XXIX.

RIEl/s TRIAL— THOSE KNGAUED IN T.

LOUIS \i\¥Ai was hrou^^'lit to trial at R»'^ina, N.W.T.,
on July 20. At eleven o'clock the cOun«ol and
judge took their seats in the court-roeni, which was
already filled to the doorn. Hefore entering into the
particularH of the trial it will he of interest to take a
brief glance at the gentlemen who occupied prominont
positions in this, the greatest of trials that Canada has
ever witnessed.

THE JUDGE.

Lieut.-Colonel Hugh Richardson, Stipendiary Maf^is-
trate and legal adviser to the Governor of the North-
West Territories, was born in London, England, July,
1826, came to Canada with his parents in lvS8l, and
settled near Toronto, whore his fatner became first Man-
ager of the Btink of Upper Canada. Young Richardson
was called to the Bar at Osgoode Hall, Toronto, in Nov-
enjber, 1847, went to Woodstock to practise, and was
County Attorney of Oxford from 1857 to 18G2. In 1876
he was sent to the Novtli-West in the capacity of a
stipendiary magistraio, with headquarteis at Battleford.
After four years' service, on the occasion of the removal
of the seat of Government and the retirement of Justice
Ryan, Judge Richardson was transferred to R(!gina, where
he lias been stationed ever since. Lieut.-Col. Richaidson,
at Edmonton in 1879, heard the first case of capital
punishment ever tried in the Territories, and has alto-
gether tried three capital cases. The first, was that of an
Indian who had played the role of cannibal with regard
to his family. The second case was that of the Steven-
son brothers, the Regina Half-breeds, who were hanged

'.',*.■>'.'= •',».•'!.. A-, •'<!; iJ».'!'.'S«:i'i'?"**

,T'!fi^ ■■ y

41C

CANADA'8 NOHTII-WKST REDELI.IOfT.

for tlip iMM nlor of an imoffonding man nanio«l McCarthy.
His tliini ca.M«' was tliat of John Cofniors, vvho w>\m
hanjjfr.l Mhi otluT day at flcgina. Tliia was a conviction
which had boon contiinu'd on ap))eal.

corNSKi. Foil TiiK ('U()\v^f,

Christoplior llohlnson. Q.('. (senior coiinHel for the
Crown), in a brutlier of the present Lieut. -(Jo veruor of

0HR18T0PUKU ROIilNSON, <J, 0.

Ontario, and tho tl^ird son nf tlio ]i\i(\ Sir John Heverloy
Robinson, Oiiiot' Justice of lTj)per Canada. He i-s about
sixty years of ago, tliousfb he might, from his appearance,
be taken for a cunsideraldy yo\in«T^or man. Ho is one of
the loa<lingmembeVwS of the Bar' in Ontario and lias several
timoh refused olFers of an appointment on the Bench.

v*^

McCarthy.

who W»\M

i'onviction

K«l f(tr tlio
iovernur of

ftlKl/s T'tlAL— THOSE EN(iA(JKn IN IT.

417

D. L. SCOTT, Q.O.

Lietjt.-Colonol David L. Scott whs horn in Bnunpton,
Ont., in 1845. He was called t«) \\w lUr of Ontario in
1870, and practised his profession at Orauj^'twilK^ Ont.,
lUitil the year 1882, when he roin(»ved to the North-
West Territories ami coinin<>n<'t»d ]»rac;tic*! at Retina.

Mr. O. W. Hiirhid;^*', l)«!put y-.Minister of .liistico, was
born at Oornwallis, N.W., ia 1847. Ho was educated at

hn Beverley
He is about
appearance,

He is one of

1 lias several

B Bench,

0. W. bURDlDaB, DEPUTY-MINISTER OF J08TICB.

Mount Allison Wesloyan College, and was called to the
Bar of New Brunswick in 1872, afterwards practising his
profession for some years in St. John as a member of the
firm of Harrison and Burbidge. In 1882 Mr. Burbidge
was appointed Deputy- Minister of Justice. His salary
is $4,000 a year, besides which he receives S400 as soli-
citor to the Indian Department.
26

\-^^^w^-

■■T^TJT^Tl,/', Tf- -

418

OANADA'h WOUTU-Wh^T KhilKI.MON.

( r.

B. u. osi.m, g.c.

Mr. OHler, Hon of tlic \iv\ li Hath OmIoi. wam horn
BMr thn vilhi^'o of liond llriid, York (/oiinty, in ISK).
Ho took his 'aw ami Lli.H. courMcs Miiinjltiiiu»oiiHly, and
wan calh'd to fhe liar in 18(12. !!•' iwts roc-'ivtMl ti»o dis-
tinction of Q'HM'n'M C(jini,s»l. He is a man of h;,\rkrd
personality, and, as many a juryman knowH, is po«HCh.soiJ
of a fun«l of humour and shreuchit'ss.

coi;nsi-:l run tiik i»i:fi:n('k.

F. X. LBMIRUX, g.C. (8BNI0B C'ODNSBL FOB RTEL.)

Francis Xavier Lemieiix was born at Levis, P.Q., in
1851. He was ediicatLMl at the Levis Oollei^e and <^)uebec
Seminary, and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in July,
1872. He was married in 1874 to Miss Planiondon,
daughter ol J'ldge PJamondon, of the Superior Court for

Rirr. S THIAL-THOSIC rNQAOFU IN IT.

419

as bom

n ISK).

ly, urul

tlio 'lis-

s P.Q., in
L(i < Quebec
r in July,
anioiuion,
Court for

tb<^ District of Arthabiwka He msm a candidate for

iitxuiMMituro at ilwi Pioviiu'iiil < )• iii-ral Kloctionh aft«r the
Li«t«'llier coii/) d'etdt, lnit was <l»'f('utr«| by I. Tarti^, jvliti)?
of Lf CamulU-n. He ran a;;iiln for tlio ('oimnons in
Heau('« a^iiinMt HoMuc (^now S<'nati)r), at tin; (iom;ral Kl«c-
tioMH of IMHl, an<l was aj^ain <litVaU««l. hi IHHfJ, whon
Hon. T. f'a<pi(>t, Provincial Swnaaiy. was Jn»|n.into«i
Sheriff of Qm-hoc, LcMiiifUX wius sfliM'tnl a» th»i Li\»fral
can«li«lat(^ for f^nvis, an<l aft»«i ono of tho uiust (k'M|M'rat«
Btnig^k'.s ill I'rovincial history, was olrrtivl to ropiusffut
that county in th«^ i^uohcc AKsiMnl»ly h> % majority of
thirty-<'i^ht vot(^s owv his (Jons(»rviilivM opponont, .fos.
Hoy, M«litor of Lt Quoflilin). Mr. LfmicMix is a liisi-class
sjtoakor, and lias loiulu a n\inih(»r of r«'?iiarkahlt' orations
in the ijegi.slaturo. His ])o,sition at tin- IJar i.s a Icadinj^
one, and m a criminal lawyer he has been exceedingly

BlUJCe.Srtful.

ClfAHI.MS FIT/I'ATUK K.

Charles Fitzpatriek was born at Qu«'bec in Ih.lM. He
w.'is educated at Quebei; Scminaiy and j^raduat«'d at Laval
TTniverHity witli \]h' (h'.>rv(tv, of H.A.. ca^'ryinjL; off also the
Dufferin medal. He is now an M.A. He was admitted
to the Qiiel)ec Bar in IS70. He married Mis.s Caron,
daughter of the late IjieiittMiant-CJovernor ('aron.and sister
oftlie Militia Minister. He [jractiseil his profession for
8ome years a.s a member of tlie leading firm of Andrew.s,
Caron, AndrovvH ^ Fit>'.patri(rk. He acted as Crown
prosecutor at Three Rivers and Quebec under thti .foly
Government. He represented tlie Second Naticmul Hank
of Now York in the fino extradition ca.^(\ An ardent
Liberal in politics.

JAMES N. (HIKKNSIIIKLDS.

James N. Creenshields, of Montreal, counsel for Riel,
was born in Danville, Richmond County, Quebec, and is
now about thirty-two years of age. He was educated at
St. Francis College in Richmond, where he graduated with
the highest honors. He early showed a bent for the
law, and after his graduation attended a law course at

420

nASATik'n Nonrn wist nrjiKij.roif.

McOlll T'niv«rMlty.iit w)iic|» <'olli»(j« h« won tho Kli7!A)>«th
Torrarn'r (loM Mim|hI in Miirrh, lM7<i,^ivc»n for tin' liij^limt
ag)^n<;{ut«* of iii.'ii'kM. Ili> WAS iidiiiittni to the hill' in
Bfontn'al in .liimuirv, 1M77 \fr. (ini'MMliiuldM i.s alua.ly
rtt)ortt"l oiu' of tin' Hl»lr>.t lii\vyri-M in Montrciil, and in
btwitivod to hiivo a lirilliant fiituri* lM'fon« him.

AfhT HonH- (Toms filing' iunon^( tlio coiinNt'l as to tho
jurisdiction of tlw Court (tho ohjertionM ur^ed on ludmlf

of th« tl»5fi>nc« ht'ln^' ovorrulod) Ki«d plradotl "notj(uilty
to tlio char^'o uf treason. On h«»inj( askod if ho wnro
roady for trial an adjournment till ton tho noxt morning
wa» askod in or<ler that nocoshary allidavit-s niij^dit bo
proparod on w liirh to l)aNo a rhiim for furtlu-r adjourn-
inont. TI»iM wastrranti'd, »in<i on tlw niornin^' of'.fuly iilht
an adjouniuKnt of our month was oakod in order to
enjihlo the dol'onco to hrin;.^ witnesses from Montani and
from Ottawa. The rof|ueHt was not accodod to, hut an
ndjoinrnuontof ()n«^ week wa.s rrranted.

The trial was resunu'd on July 2Hth. Kij^dit witneHsei
were examined for the Oown. On July 29th, CharloH
Nolin was oxaminrd and swore that lliel's ohjoct in
raisin;.; the rebellion was to f^d an imlcmnity of J#3r>,000
from ihr» Oovernmtuit. Kiel's co inst;! put in a })lea of
insanity, but Ricl rep(»atedly as,- -ted his sanity and
refused to allow the plea to be earfi»<l on. On July 3lst,
Kiel addressed the Jury at some len^^h on the wrongH of
the ilalf-brecds, again denie<l that •.«• was insane atul
assorted his full confidence of an aeipiittal. On Augu.st
Ist, Judge HichardNon finished his charge to th(! jury,
who retired at 2.15 p.m. They roturmnl with a verdict
of guilty in about lial fan-hour. They recommended the
prisonfir to mercy. Kiel was praying fervently in the
box while the jury were returning tlie verdict. When
asked if he hada'^vthingtosay before the sentence should
1 .' ])as{ied upon hiiu he addressed tho Court for over an
liour, stating that h(i >vas the proj)het of tlie New World
and that lie would yet live to fulfil his mission. He was
then sentenced to be handed on the 1 8th r>f September,
1885. lie heard the sentence with a smile on his lips.

til«< Ill^llClt

tho har in
s i.M nliijuly
real, and im

d1 as to tho
d on ))i<)i)ilf
n()t(;(iiilty "
if ho woro
xt morning
H nii^ht bo
lor atljourn.
)fJul'v *2lht
n on lor to
ontaii'L an<l
I tO| but an

it witnessoH
)tlj, CharloH
H ohjoct in
of 1^35.000
n a j)lea <>i'
.sanity and
n July 31st,
(• wrongs of
insano arul
Ow Aiigust
;o the; jury,
\}\ a ver<liot
iMcndiMl the
ntly in the
lict. Whoii
'AmcQ sliould
for over an
New World
fn. He was
Septonibcr,
n his lips.

THK TU(»0|'M fN TflK KIKLD.

MftJor.O»»ner»l K. I>. MM-lUi.tii, CR, CriurnI Ct>iiiiiiAn<Unf ■ \,nn\
MuIkuiiiI, Hon. .M«iiria« Oiffuni, Hon. C, Kri'i<r, ('Apt. Wi«« m)«) LUut
A.i>.C.t NUjor huchftn, Aotinu Flrlil Ail)uUnt.

UKotMKNT or Canadian Artiu.kkv, "A" HutKHY

C'«v»lry, Huii^rnuniiTikry ; A<'tiii|i Sur>{»«nii, J A ({rtwit.

" D " Bikttrry, ntutinn*-! At KinuNton, H •itll< « in, 104 luitn, 'J kiuim, I a%t.
ling; MaJof Short ; CapUirm I'urley lluthTf. t<l IiiM\ilfiiiuit« ImUh,
Cblnlo, Tuwer, rellttitr, Attachf«l ; Hufply Ottloer LUut.Col. Foimit,

Toronto Kxi'icihtionakt Ktuci.

liUut. ('ol. W. I). (HtfT, ComuittUiling ; Iiiuit..Cot. K. IiAmnrit«gn»,
Supply OfHcar, |)«p. Adj. (Ivn. of the OttawA MilltAry Dintrict, No 4.

••(7" f'omfhinif Tomnto fn/untrp Srhonl. —S/> Mm I'lfi 4 Offltnt.

Major, K»»nry Smith; LioutH., J. W. S«jai» uml H. U. WA«linor») ; Sur.
g6(.n, K. VV. StranKe.

tnd ftattnUon, Q>iefn*$ Own Hiflf»,—tf>7 Men and IS vjjlceru.

10th Biittalivh, Roijal Gi'fnfuiitrt.—tW Men and 17 iHKrm.

Li«ut.-0()l., H. J. tlranptt; Major, (i. D, Dawson; Adjf., Caf.t. F. F.
Mrtnlf y ; I'rtymiwtwr and AistitiK (.^iiarteririUMter, Lieut. W. S. Lowo ; Stir-

Seoii, i>r. (f. H. KyorHon ; CaptH., F. A. I'liHtnn, Aha. MjiMon. O. L. Leiyh
j»encer, C. CJreville Iliirriton; I,leut«., D. M. Howurd and Irxintf, (}. 1*.
Kliot, Forl»e« Micliie, W. G. Fitch ; 2nd Lieut«., Juo. Morrow, J. I). }Uy,
A. C. (jibHon.

Oavemnr-OtnernVn Body Guard.— 80 Offlccn and Mm, an:' 74 ffortei.

Major Commanding', Lieut. -Col. (i. T. Deninon ; Mnior, Orlando Dunn ;
AotinK Adjt., W. H. M<iritt ; Acting t^u!irterniiiHt(u-, C^hun. Mair ; LioutH,,
F. A. Fleming and T. B. Browning; Capt., C. A. K, beninon ; Surgeon,
J. B. Baldwin.

Oovkknor-(Jknkhai,'s Foot Guaruo— 48 men, 3 officers ; Cupt. Todd;
LieutB. Gray and Todd.

" WiFHI. I,',

■y . ' , f .\ •

TTB.^-i:!7*^"7r

422

Canada's nohtfi-wkst hkhklijon.

Mfnt.ANi) Hattamon.--;W2 Mkn and 34 ()ffiof.h».

Lu'ut.-Col. A. T. If. VVillijitiiH, ComtiiiinflinK ; Majorn, }\. R. Smith
Rn«l Iii(Mit. •('«>!. Janien l.)t'Hr"n ; Adjt. I'l. IJ. I'onton ; rayniustor, ('nut. J.
linvHtdck liiMii ; QimrtiTinuHtur, T lent. J. V. Cleiiu'M ; StirKHnuH, llorHey
iviid ,h\.^. Mi;,'lit. I.")tli. - ( "apt. .md A'ljt., T. C. Lazier; LhsuIh., J. K,
H.'lliwt'll and (!. (3. K. Foniiey. 4r»tli. Cjipts., R. IT. HonnycaHtle and
liieut. .1. K. Oivan. 4i'itli.- -< 'ajtts., Jolm Hiij;heH and J. C (irufie. 40th. ~
<:a|)ts.. |{. DiriK'Wftll and ('. If. Winhlaw; f.iuutH., R. W. Smart and .1. V.
Proi^tim. 47tli. ('apt., '1 . Kelly; Jiit'iitn. SIkum) and Hnhhell. iKth. •
Capt., H. Harri.'^on ; fjievitH., If. A. VfeoniaJiH and \\. .1. 15ell. .'»7tli. (^aptn.,
.1. A. Howard an<l 'ri\»iH Hiirk*- ; fjients., K. K, Hrennau and J. h. W<>n«r.
fi.M.r. L'nd I.ieuts., 1{. .1. Cartwri^ht, O. E. CartwriKlit, G. E. haidlaw,
H. C. lV>nton, A. T. Tonilinson and 1). (•. F. BMhb.

YoHK Avp SiMooR B;VTTAMON.~342 ATkn ano M Offiokrs.

Lieiit.-<;<»1. W. K. O'Uricn. M. P., Comtuandiug ; MajorH, Lifut -Col. II.
Tyrwhitt and liieut. -d.l. A. Wyndham ; Adjt , Major .Tan. Ward ; Ray.
maHttM', t'apt. Wm. Hunter; Qtiarttinnastor, Lieut. fiif)nol Y. Sitiith ,
Supply Officer, Lieut, (i. I'. Bate. (i. (J. V. (J.; wSurxoon. John L. fJ. Mc-
(/arthy : Capti^., Maioi- VV. .f. (rrahivm, Pt>t^'r Bursu't, .VUison Lf^adhjy, R.
(I. C!aniphell, John *r. ■lhonii)aon, (ieo. K. C. Brooko and Jos. F. Smith;
LioutH. Oapt. Juo. Landri;.,'an, ThoH. K. Drinksvater, Hlias. S. F. Spry,
(»oo. N'euneli, .fni). T. SymondH, Tho.s. Booth, .In >. K. Tii»slie, S L. Shan-
non ; 2nd LioutH.. ThoH. H. Banting, K L. Burnet, I. T. Lennon, R. D.
Ramsey, Win. J. Flenry and Jno. A. W. Allan.

7th Battalion " Ftlsimkilh." Los'dox. -237 Mkn, 20 Okhckks.

Lieut. -Col., W. D. Williams : Majors, A. M. Smith and W. M. Gait-
shore ; Adjutant, Capt. Goo. M. lleid ; QuartormasttT, Gai>t. J. B. Smyth ;
Paymastor, Majtn- I). McMillan ; SurucnuH, J. M, Fra:ier and J. S. Niven ;
Ca"pt!»., Thos. Beattie, E. Maokenzi<N F. H. Butler, T. H. Tracey, R. Dilhm
and S. F. Pet(3r.s ; Lieuta., H. Bai^ty, C. B. Ba/.ea, A. G. Chi,sholin, W.
Grieg, C. F, Gnx, H. I'ayno, Jae. KeHketh, C. S. Jones and J. H. Pope.

6.5th Mount Royal Rtklks, Montreal. — 317 Men, 23 Opftceus.

Liout.-Col., J. A. O'alui'ft ; Major.s, G. A. Hughes and C, A. Dugas ;
Payn\aster, C. L. Boast! ; Adjutant, J, C. Robert ; Quartermaster, A. La
R()C(iue ; Surtfeon, L. A. PaK.5 ; Asst. -Surgeon. F. Simard ; Capts. O.'^tnll,
T)o-j Trois Liaisons, Bauset, Roy, Villeneuve, Giroux, Prevost, Kthier ;
LieutH. Plinquet. Ties Georges, Starnea, Villeneuve, Lafontaine, Robert,
Doherty and Normandiu.

Monthkal GAamsoN Artillery. --2~)0 Mkn and Offiobrs.

Lieut. -Col., W. R. Oswahl ; Majors, W. H. Laurie and E. A. Baynes ;
Paymaster, W. Macrae ; Adjutant, T. W. Atkinson ; Quarterniastor, J.
A. Finlayson ; Surgeon, C. E. Camenm ; Assist, -Surgeon, J. M. Elder;
Chaplain, Rev. J. Barclay ; Capts., W. C. Trotter. F. Ijiush, C. Laurie,

F. W, Colo, D. Stevenson, C. H. Levin ; Lieiits.,W. H. Ltilham, J. D. Roche,

G. 0. Patton, F. W. Chalmers, H. T. Wilgres, J. K. Bruce and B. Billings
(acting).

Cavalry School Coups, Quebec. -30 Men, 3 Officers, .'<3 Horses.
Commandant. Lieut.-Ool. Jas. F. Turnbnll ; Lieuts., E. H. T. Howard
ftnd F. L. Lessard.

THE TROOPS IN THE FIFXD.

423

K. H. Smith
■-'iir, < 'upt. J,

iltMjtH., .1. R,
iny<iaHt,I« and
•;u-B. 4t)t,h.—
iif. and .1. V.
.I..-11. -I'Jth.--
)7tli. (!uptH.,
.J. L. W«ll«r.
. E. Laidlaw,

KIOKRS.

KifMit -('(.1. II.
Ward ; I'ay-
ol F. Hndth,
.hn ]j. r,. ^fc-
M licadlfiy, li.
(js, v. Smith ;
.. S. F. Spry,
fi, S L. Shan-
l/ennon, H. 1).

\\ W. INI. Gait-
.. d. B. Smyth ;
id J. S. Niven ;
vcey, ]l. Dillon
Chisholin, W.
J. H. Pope.

QpFrcEus.

C, A, Dugas ;
master, A. La

Capts. Ostnll,
evost, Kthirr ;
taine, llobert,

FICKn3,

E. A. Baynes ;
irterniastor, J.
J. M. Elder ;
ish, C. Latirie,
n, J. Y). Roche,
und B. Billings

.^3 Houses.
H. T. Howard

9tu B.4TTALI0N lliFLKa, *' VoLTiiJRiJKs," QuEBKo, - 204 MsN, 28 Okkh KU.S.

Ijieut.-Col. Amyot ; MajorH, Roy and Evantiircl ; l'uyiiiaMt.«r, Majoi
Du>,'al ; (Quartermaster, A. Talbot ; Adjutant, (/»rtv:r:du Vidlotitir ; Supply
OHic«r, M. VVolHelj-y ; Surgeon, A. I)iil>loin; AnNt.SiirK'e<»n, .\I. VVat. i;
OantH. Frenette, C'liouiiund, Drolot, Oarnoau, Pennoe, KaL'eH, I'inaiiU, l-'inet
and TjavaHHi'iir ; LieiitH. Hantel, Baillair^'*^, I.ahrtinche, l)ei.tuM, ('aHgrain,
I>e St. Maurice, Diou, Shwliv, I'dletior, llouthi^T, Laiuo and Btritpit-.

Thk Halikax Provisional Battalion. —348 Mkn, .'(() Okkickiw.

Lieut. -(.'ol., J. .J. Breinner ; Majors, C J. MacdonaM iindT, ,f . Welsh ;
Paymaster, W. IL (rarrison ; Adjutant, E. G. Kenny; <4>uartoriuuMtHr,
Capt. J. G. Gorbin ; AHst-Sar^'oon, I). Harrington. No. 1 C'o,— ('apt. J.
10. Curren ; Lieut., .1. P. F<drba)d<H ; lind Lieut., A. Anderson. No. 2 ('o.

-Capt., iL McC^row ; l^ieut., W. L. Kane; 2nd Jaeut., It. H. SUiniiuiuKH.
No. .'{Co.— (!apt., B. A, WoHton ; Lieut., A. Whitman ; 2nd Lieut., IL A.
Henaloy. No. 4 Co. — Capt., R. iL h[umphroy ; Lieut., B. Bogi^H ; 2nd
Lieut., C E. (JartwriLjht. No. 5 ( !o. Capt., C. IL MacKinlav ; Lieut.,
J. A Bremner ; 2nil Lieut., J. McCarthy. No. G Co. Cajft., It. Ifechler ;
Liout., H. St. C. Silver ; 2nd r>ieut., T. C. James. No. 7 Co.— Capt., A.
G. Cunningham ; Ijieut., J. T. Twining ; 2nd Lieut., C. II. Fletclier. No.
8 Co.— (Japt,, J. Fortune ; Lieut., (J. J. McKio ; 2nd Ijieut., C. K. Fiske.

90th WiNNipRo Battalion ov Rifles. -834 Mkn and Offickus.

Lieut. -Col., Alfred MoKeand, Commanding ; Majors, ChaH. M. Boswell
nnd Lawrence Buchan ; Paymaster, A. H. Witcher ; Quartermaster, H.
Swinfurd ; Surgeon, (Jeo. T. Urton ; Asst. -Surgeon, J. W. Whiteford ;
CaptH., C. F. Forrertt, H. N. Ruttan, W. A. Wilkes, C. A. Wor.snop, R. G.
Whitla, Wm. Clark ; Lieuty., H. .1. Mucdonaid, C. \V. Stewart, IL Bolster,
Zach. Wcwdtt, E. (i. Picho, F. L. Campbell: 2nd Lieuts., K. li. Sewell,
J G. Healy, C. Swinford, H. M. Arnold, A. E. McPhiUipu and R. C.
Laurie.

9l8T Battalion, Winnipeg.

Lieut.-Col., Thos. Scott, M.P., (Commanding; Majors, 1). H. McMillan
and Stuart Mulvey ; Adjutant, (Japt. W. C. Coprdand : (Quartermaster, Capt.
W. H. Bruce; Surgecm, Maurice M. Seymour; Asst. -Surgeon, FiankKotdo;
Inspector of Musketry. A. W. Lawe ; Capts., J. A. McU. llowo, Thos.
Wastie, Wm. Shoppard, S. J. Jackson, J. H. Kennedy, J. C. Waugh, }l.
W. A. Rolph, Jno. Crawford ; Lieuts., F. I. Bamford, E. C. Sndth, K.
C. Brown, J. B, Kutherftu-d, Major A. Cotes, Geo. A. lilinn, A. .Monkman,
A. P. Cameron ; 2nd Lieuts., W. H. Saundi ts, R, Hunter, G. R. Beid, T.
Taisted, H. W. Chandne, H. McKay, F. R. Glover, T. B. Brondgeeht,
Ed. Ellis and F.V. Young.

92nd Winnipeg Light Infantry.

Lieut.-Col, W. Osborne Smith, C.M.G., in command ; Majors, John
Lewis and W. B. Thibadeau ; Adjutant, Capt. Chas. Constantine ; Pay-
master, E. P. Leacock ; Quartermaster, R La Touche Tupper; Surgeon,
J. P. Pennefather; As.st. -Surgeon, S. T. Macadam; Capts,, W. li. I'ils-
worth, W. B. Canavan, F. J, Clarke, Dudley Smithe, T. A. Wade, T. P.
Valiancy, T), V. Mcintosh; Liouts , D. G. Sutherland, G. B. Brooks,
T. G. Alexander, J. W. \, Carnthers, Augustus Mills, N. Caswell, T. Gray ;
2nd Tiieuts,, R. G. MacBeth, d. A. Thirkdl, W. lU Carrie, F. T. Currie,
Thos. Norquay, Thos. L>. Deegan.

424

CANADAS NORTH-WEST RhBKLLION.

WiNNiPBO FiKLn AiiTrr,r,KUY.

Major, E. W. .Tarvin ; Capt., L. W. Coutlee ; Lieut., G. H. Young;
2nd Lieut., G. H. Ogilvie.

WiNNIPEO TkoOP, CaVALRT.

Capt. 0. Knight ; 2nd Lieut. IL J. Sht-lton.

ThB NoIITH-WkST ModNTEI) POLTOB.

Commissioner A. G. Irvine in command; "A" Divirtion, officer! and
men, 47 ; "IV Division, oHicers and men, 132 ; " " Division, officers and
men, 73 ; " D " Division, officers and men, 199 ; " E " Di\i.«tion, officers and
men, 111.— Total, rS2.

Boulton's Scouts— 80 men, 5 officerb.

French's Scol'th -2J5men.

Dennis' Surveyors' Scouts— 50 men, 3 office -s.

Moose Mountain Scouts- 51 men, 3 officers.

Stuart's Hangers —150 men, 4 officers.

Aldkrta Mounted Infantry— 50 men, 3 officers.

Battlefori) Infantry— 40 men, 3 officers. ^

Reoina Home Guards— 40 men, 3 officers.

BiHTLE Home Guards— 40 men, 3 officer?.

CAiiGAFiY Home Guards— 50 men, 1 officer.

Yohktown Home Gi!ahi\s -50 men, 3 officers.

Qu'Appklle Home Guards— 40 men, 3 officers.

-^■'^ THE END. ^^^^^^^

(gW

'■4.^

f2SIi^:li..*;iiiiiC.:iM.ii!L;:,;

.^*^^lf.^^^^''-'1'"■.\^:nL>Av.^

j<i-''

G. H. Young ;

lion, officeri and
ision, oificers and
ialon, officers and

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