IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■M ■22 ^m <■ us IM 2.0 1.4 V] ^^ / Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 873-4503 1 m \ ;\ \ i ». "^^^ ^^ '«^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques r^v Technical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notat tachniquaa at bibliographiquaa Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy avallabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may b9 bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignif icantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chaclcad balow. D D D D D D Coloured covers/ Couvarture da couleur r~| Covers damaged/ Couverture endommag6a Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurAe et/ou pellicuiAe r~~| Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque I I Coloured maps/ Cartes gtegraphiquas en couleur □ Coloured inic (i.e. other than blue or blacic)/ Encra de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noirel Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou iSiuatrationa en couleur Bound with other material/ RellA avac d'autras documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serr^e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la diatortion la long da la marge IntArieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutAes lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas itt filmAes. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplAmantaires: Thet to th( L'inatitut a microfilm^ la meilleur exempiaire qu'il lui a At* possible de se procurer. Les dttaiia de cet exempiaire qui aont paut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographiqua, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mAthode normale de filmaga aont indiquAa ci-dassous. I I Coloured pages/ n D n D Pagea de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagAes Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages resteurAes et/ou pelliculAes Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dAcolorAes, tachetAes ou piquAes Pages detached/ Pages dAtachAes Showthrough/ Transparence Thei possi of th filmii Origi begii the It sion, othei first sion, or Mil r~n Quality of print varies/ QualitA InAgala de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplAmentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition diaponibia The I shall TINl whic IVIap diffe entir begii right requ metl Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been ref limed to ensure the besr possible image/ Les pagea totalement ou partialiement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont AtA filmAes A nouveau de fa^on A obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmA au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here hes been reproduced thenks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada L'exemplaire fiim6 fut reproduit grAce d la g4n6ro8it6 de: Bibliothdque nationale du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in Iceeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol ^^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. IVIaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont 6t4 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire fiimi, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimis sont fiimis en commengant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commengant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols -^ signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seui clich6, 11 est fiimi d partir de I'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 S 6 Om H ^^€/^ *V»< was 26 Years ^^0 , ^tttSm'- NATIONAL LIBRARY mBUOTRBQUE NATIONALE J NARRATIVE "(yP OF THE l^ED l^ivER Expedition 1870 BY ..«>• L cv CAPT. S. BRUCE tIARMAN (Late Q. O. R. and ist Ontario Rifles) (Reprinted from The Toronto mail and Empire) TORONTO 1896 ^' Ui- r.ivVf'i ..''.SS*"" FIELD MARSHAL R f. HON. VISCOUNT WOLSELEY, K. P.,G. C. B., G. C. M. G. V ..r- Twas 26 Years Ago N arrative OF THE Red River Expedition 1870 BY CAPT. S. BRUCE HARMAN (Late Q. O. R. and ist Ontario Rifles) TORONTO 1896 The Red River Expedition 1870 (Kfprintt'd Irom TiiK Toronto Mam. ,\sn Emimkk) " Students of the strategir branch of military HClence tank the litd hiver Fxpedilion an one 0/ the most notabi" fxam.p}t's 0/ an t.riicilitionnryjofcc sent ivin n i-traiiiie lonntyy far from Us bane of supplies. Inlhisreanrdit is classetl withthe landing <>/ Sir Halph Abercrombie at Alexandria, the , first Aahanti expedition, and Oentral Roberts' march to Cnndahar. In several important retpects it overshadows all r.rpeditions in Hritioh military history. 'J he line 0/ communication in strategy, or, as it is commonly called, iirnnd tactics, is ahfays con- sidered the most important feature in a viilitary campaifin. 1 he Jicd Jticer Expedition is unique in this regard, as a line of communication was established for hundrtds of miles through an unlx'iioini and hostile country, and maintained in Jlrst-class condition throughout. The preparation made for this work and, the manner in which it was carried out furnish a constant theme for the professors of tactics in the staff colleges of Euro fie. 1 his is not ginerally known, but it is one of the reasons why Lord Wolseiey takes such a high place as an organizer and strategist among great living captains, a reputation which he more fully rftabtifhtd in the Jiank movement from the lied Sea on Arabi's lines at Telel Kebir.'- Tf kc nto Mam. and EMriRK Field-Marshal Viscount Wolseiey hav- ing recently been appointed Commander- in-Chief of the British army, it may be of interest at the present time to recall to mind the Incidents of the Red River e>pedltlon in 1870. In which he took so prominent a part as Its commander, and which was carried out from first to last with such siRnal success. After the confederation of what had hitherto been known as the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada and the Maritime Provinces had become an ac complishcd fact, and the Dominion of Canada constituted, negotiations were entered into between the Dominion and the honourable the Hudson Bay Com- pany, with the object of acquiring the lands comprised in the North-West Tev rltorles. which terminated in an arrange- ment being arrived at for the transfer of the Territories to the Dominion for the sum of 30n,000 pounds sterling. t)ie transfer to take place on the 1st of December, 1869, The Hon. Wm. Mac- DouKall. C.B., was appointed Lieuten- ant-Governor of the Territories, and wfi" Instructed to proceed to Fort Garry In September, and there to assist In the formal transfer, and " be ready to as- sume the government " as soon as the transfer was completed. These nego- tiations took place wltho'it in any way consulting the Inhabitants of the Terri- tories about to be transferred, result- ing In dissatisfaction amongtt a certain portion of the Inhabitants, principally Ihe French half-breeds, who formi'd what was designated a Provisional Gov- ernment, electing John Bruce and Louis Riel. both French h.alf-breeds, respective- ly president and stcretary; but shortly afterwards Rlel. who was really the moving spirit In ihe matter, became th'-( president. One of the first acts decided on by thl,^ so-called Government was to oppose the entry of the Hon. Mr. MacDougall Into the Territories, and for this purpose an armed force was stationed at the Scratching river, about fifteen miles from Fort Garry, where a barricade was erected. Mr. MacDougall. who In the meantime had received no notification of what had transpired, arrived at the Hudson's Bay post at the boundary line, and on the 2nd of November an armed force from Fort Garry arrived there and notified Mr. M.icDougall of the decision of the Provisional Government, and Im- sistcd on his at once leaving the Ter- ritories, which Mr. MacDougall had no other course open to him but to comply with. A large proportion of the inhabitants who were loyal Joined together to op- nose the very extreme course which the Provisional Government had adopted. Of this party Major Boulton. late of her Majesty's 100th Regiment of Foot, and \ '/ one Thomas Scott, were the most prom- Jnent. They wore captured by Rlel on the ITth of February, court martlalled. and ordered to be dhot on the following day. Major Uoiilfon woa, however, sub- weoucntly rclcaHud, but the sentence on Bcott wan carried out, and he was shot outside of the fort walls. The news of thiH cold-bloodod murder produced the deepoHt IndlRnntlon throuRhout the whole of Cimada. At Toronto, and '.n other places, meetings were held at LiiiT. S. Brl'cr Harman, Ontario Kii-les TaUun in 1870 Which reyolutlons were passed calling on the Go\ ernment to take Immediate steps to put down these usurpers of author- ity, and punish the murderers of rfcott. ■vi'ho had lost his life through his staunch loyalty to his Queen and country. Tho result of public opinion thus expressed was that the Government decided to eend a military expedition to the coun- try, composed of two militia regiments enrolled for the occasion, who were to act in conjunction with the regular mili- tary troops. At the open-air public meeting held at Toronto in the Market square In front of tlu' City Hall, which was presided over by the Mayor, Samuel B. Har man. ten thousand persons at least were rirespiit. Dr. Schul,tz, Dr. Lynch. Mr. Charles Mair. and Mr. Setter, delegates from Winnipeg, were Introduced to the meeting;, and graphically told how they had, at Ihe urgent request of the loval Inhabitants of the Red River Settle- ment, undertaken a long and laborious journey to lay before the people of Canada the state of affalrH existing In the HcttlemctUt and asked for Immediate aHslHtaiice In protectlnfr their lives and property. Never was more Intensity of indignation manifested. It showed the deep horror that was felt by the public at this nwfiil tragedy. Eloquent speech- es were made by the Mayor, Hon. M C. Cameron, W. H. Howlanil, Col. Q. T. Denlson, and others, after which strong resolutions wore adopted, urging the Government tn take prompt and ener- getic measur>^s In suppressing the an arohy and rebellion and protecting the lives and property of all loyal subjects The Queen's Own RIflts. returning from a march out, halted In the square^ and their sKlendId band enlivened the proceed- ings with some patriotic airs. The following Is a copy of the general order Issued on the occasion. It ex- ulalns Itself :— :\ITLITTA GENERAL ORDERS. Headquarters Ottawa, 12th May. 1870. General Orders (17) No. 1. ACTIVE MILITIA. The formation to date from Ist In- stant of two Battalions of Riflemen from existing corps of Active Militia for ser- vice in the ■' North-VVest " is hereby au- thorized to be styled, respectively, the First (or Ontario) Battalion of Riflemen and the Second (or Quebec) Battalion of Riflemen, and the appointments thereto are as follows, viz. : 1st (or Ontario) Battalion of Riflemen. To be Lieutenant-Colonel : Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Peters Jar- vis. To be Malor : Major Griffiths Wainewright. To be Captains : Major Thomas Scott. Major Thomas Maoklem. Major William Macaulay Herchmer. Captain William Smith. Captain Alexander R. Macdonald. ("nptain and Adjutant Henry Cooke. Caijtain Daniel Hunter McMillan. To be Lloiilennnts : Captain and Adjutant Donald A. Mac- Donald. Caiitaiii David M. Walker. Captain and Adjutant William N. Kennedy. Captain Aiulrew McBride. Captain and Adjutant William J. Mc- Murtry. Captain Samuel Brure Harman. Lieutenant James Benson. To be Ensigns : Captain and Adjut.mt A. J. L. Peebles. Lieutenant Stewart Mulvey. Lieutenant Josiah Jones Bell. Lieutenant Samuel Hamilton. Lieutenant John Biggar. 6 \{ In |p III If LUiiifui.nt Wmiiim lltti Ninth, EiiHlKn iiiiKli John Muolonald. To bo I'liymiiHier : Cuutuln J. K. ii. Morrlce. To b<- Ailjiitiint with ihu rank of Ca[>- tuin : Ciiuiuln Wilhum JnmnM Liukcr Paraonit. To bt) QumterinaHtc-r : QuurttiinuHtcr Kdwant ArmittronB. To lie Uurguon : BuiKeon Alfrod Codrt. M.D. 2nd (or Qutibci) lliuiulloii uf Ultlemen. To be L/leiileiiaiU-(J()loiit'( : Llt'Utcnunt-Colotiel LouU Adolphe Ca- HUUlt. To be Major : Malor Ach»'8oii O. Irvine. To be CapLulnB : Lleutunant-Culontd L. C. A. L. de Belle- feullle. Major Allan Mncdormld. Major Jacque.s I^abiaiichL'. Cuutaln Samuel MacdtMJald. Captain Jtan HaptlHte Amyot. Captain John Frawer. Captain William John Uarrelt. To be Lieutenants : Captain Josephug W. Vaughn n. Captain John Price Fletcher. Captain Edward T H. F. Patterf-on. Captain Maurice E. B. Duchesnay. Captain Henri Boiitllllcr. Captain Leoiildas do Salaberry. l,,lt iitenant Oncnr PrevoHt. Capt S Bklie IIak.ma.v To be En^-'orn? : Captain lOil. S. Beinanl. • 'aptaln John Allan. Lieutenant Geoi'ge Simard. T-iPutenant Gabriel Louis Des Oeorge. BrrlKn Alphonae de Mont«tmch Henri D'KMfliambault. F^nHlvn William Wllmount Rohii, KuHlirn Alphoniie Tetu. To bo PaymaMttr : Lli'utt'twmt C. AuKUHta I^nrno. To be Arljutant with the rank of Cap- tain : Malor F. D. Oapnler. To be Quartormaxter : rtl.lln»r MaHtor F. VllllerM. To be SurReon ; F. U A. NollHon. Eaq. STAFF. The following Start appolntmentH In connection with the Militia Corpa for service in the North-Went are hereby made. viz. :— To be AsHlBtant Brljfado Major : Major James F. McLeod. To be Acslstant Control Officer: Captain A. PeebloB. To be Orderly Of".cer to the Officer In Command of lOx.podltlonary Forge : Lieutenant Freilorlck Charles Denlson. In a Subsequent Gazette :— Cht plain Ontario Battalion. Reverend K. Stewart Patterson (Strat- ford). Chaplain, Quebec Battalion. Reverend Fatrer Marie Joseph Royer (Ottawa). Qvarter-Master, Quebec Battalion. Lieutenant Thomas Howard, vice Lariie appointment, not confirmed. The expeditionary force as finally con- stituted numbered about 1,300, and was under the command of Lieuterant-Colonel (now Lord Wolseley), who was the De- puty Quarter-master-tjeneral In Canada. The force was c imposed of the First Battalion, 60th Royal Rifles, commanded by Col. Fielding. Strength, 350. De- tachrunt of Royai Artillery and Royal Engineers, 20 men < ich with a battery of four seven-poumlor brass mountain KTuns, and a proportion of tne army ser- vice and army hospital 'orps. Two battalions of rifles, one from <'ach province, raised for two years by voluntary enlistment. These two bat- talions were named respectively, the 1st or Ontario Rifles, 3M strong, commanded by Lieut. -Col. Sanruol Peters Jarvls, D.A. G., Military Dist-ict, No. 3, and the 2nd or Quebec Uillos, 3.")0 strong, commanded by Lieut. -Col. Ca.sault, D.A.G., Military District No. 7. Tl-e work of organizing and eaulpplng the l'< ''3 conimcnoed early In May, lS7fi, and as the men arrived from their dif- ferfnt places of enlistment before which they had to undergo a most rigid medi- cril pxamlnatton. under the supervision of the Ins.nector General of Hospitals, they were marched to the old " Crystal Palace," which was prepared for their ai commodatlon and which afforded very bultable quarters. This building was m situated immediately south of the Luna- tic Asylum, and was the scene of the brilliant ball given to H.B.H., the Prince of Wales on his visl. to Toronto in 1860. It was also occupied by the 13th Hus- it rs while stationed in Toronto In 1866 as their permanent barracks. There tJey v>ere told off into companies, and by the 24th. the Queen's birthday, they wore Inspected in heavy marchlngr order more than 90 pounds of baggage, to In- clude bedding, cooking, and mess uten- sils, which we considered ample as we had to do our own portaging. Extra- ordinary tield allowance for six months was Issued to all officers. All officers had to provide themselves with a copy ( f the ' Field Exercise," Queen's Regula- tions, and orders for tne army. Before the final departure at the " Cry- i c '5) •c o c 14 B o < H Oi C a, M B6 I, W ir > THE ARRIVAL AT MATAWIN-THERMOMETER P2°. From .-i contemporary print. H by Lieut. -Col. Fielding, commanrtinp the 6t'th Rifles, and acquitted themselves mcst creditably; a finer body of men it T. as felt by all would be hard to find. Besides the ordinary kit, each officer rnd man received a bandage and cholera It It, also one pair of linen trousers, and a pair of beef boots for water work and tracking. Officerj were not allowed ptal Palace," the battalions were drawn up in line and addressed by a deputa- tion from the Tapper Canada Bible So- ciety, con:sisting of the Rev. John Gem- ley, the secretary of the society: the Rev. A. Sanson, one of its vice presidents; J. G. Hodgins, L.L.B., deputy superinten- dfjt of edt cation, ar.d John Young, the soc'ety's depositary. Eloquent addresses were dellvtred by the three first named g> ntlemen, after whljh the Rev. Mr. G<»ml6y presorted each officer and man with a handsomely bound Bible. After the Inspection, the force received thalr marching orders, and left by de- tachments for Collingwood via Northern Railway, to embark by the various trans- P>rt3 engaged for this service, namely the Chlcora, Arctic, Algoma, and others, Lieut. W. J. McMurtry, Ontario Rifles From an 1870 photo. amii'st hand-shaking-, farewells, and good wirhes for the success of the brave fel- lows who bad not for the first time so cheerfully responded to the call to arms. >'ot'nlng of much consequence occurred after leaving Collingwood until the ar- rival at Sailt Ste. Marie, where a port- age had to be made, the troops landing on the Canadian side and marching round, the boats going through the canal. This caused no little delay, but was unavoidable, as the canal runs through American waters, and the Unit- ed States Government objected to an aimed force going through. At the Sault a garrison was formed consisting of four companies of the On- tario Hifles, under the ccmmand of Col. Boulton, R.A., the Deputy Assistant-Gen- eral to the force, for the purpose of su- perintending the passage of the troops and the transport of the stores across the Portage. A rather amusing thing oc- curred here. In consequence of a rumour that the Fenians would make an attempt to cross over from tiio American side and make a raid upon our arms, stores. etc., the sentries in addition to the or- ders Issued, were cautioned to keep a sharp look out for any strangers who might land, etc., and report anything of a suspicious nature. It happened that as the Chlcora touched at Garden River she took on a clergyman bound for Fort William, but In consequence of the steam- er being delayed for orders, the rev. gfntleman was not able to get any further on his .lourney. and consequent- ly landed at the camp, and was amusing himself by skatching the surroundings. On the occasion In question, he was bus- ily Intent en sketching the tents, etc., when he was discovered by the sentry who became greatly alarmed that a spy from the dreaded Fenian camp was actually before him. Now was the gol- den opportunity to make a name for himself, and save the camp, so quick as thought he cornered this Inoffensive htro of the pencil, gave an alarm which brought out nearly the entire camp, when the true state of affairs was dis- covered, much to the disgust of all con- cerned, the daring soldier in particular, who saw the much coveted promotion vanish before his eyes. The rev. gentle- man soon went his way 'together with his sketch, which had created sr- much excitement, and which I learned afUi- V ards made Its appearance in the Cana- dian Illustrated News. The work of embarkation over. Prince Arthur's Landing, named by Col. Wolse- ley. In honoir of his Royal Highness then in Canada, was made in a few days, where the force was landed and marched to their respective camping grounds, the m'litia occupying the extreme left. The Ontario Battalion was camped on the lake shore, about a quarter of a mile north of the landing. The situa- tion was well chosen, and reached by a road constructed entirely by the Ontario men. The Quebec battalion were to the north of us, a. small stream being the dividing line. After a few days the whole force had safely arrived and then came work, not In the sense of ordinary routine such as the men had been accustomed to when at home, bat downright hard work, the prin- cipal part of which was the building of the long portage between Prince Ar- thur's Land:rg and Lake Shobandowan, di:5tance some 48 miles, over which the boats and stores were to be carried be- fore the expedition could finally ad- vance on Its perilous joi.rney, and the gtockade for the protection of stores, etc. To make matters worse the season upon which we had entered proved to be the worst experienced there for some time past. Thunder storms accompanied by prolonged rain were the order of the day, and It tried the ingenuity of all concern- ed to keep a dry skin. ut the work had to go on. Time was precious. Rain •> m or no rain, fatigues were ordered all '>o same. o.i^ . " '^z events, and by no means a small ore, was the arrival of the steam- ers canylngr stores and the mall, the latter vnost welcome, the former, an un- dertaking of no small magnitude as they had to be landed by means of a scow b'lilt for that purpose, the water being too shallow to admit of the steamers larding at the wharf. During one of the numerous n.ln storms, the Algoma ar- rlvtd, heavily laden with stores, boats, and horses. The several fatigues de- tailed for the duty of unloading and landing this precious cargo, were order- ed cut, and then commenced the work which will, I have no doubt, be long remembered by those engaged In the undertaking. It was blowing a perfect gale, the sea running high and breaking over the wharf, but notwithstanding this the steamer had to be unloaded. The scow was loaded with some 16 horses, bar- rels of perk, flour, sugar, etc., and when about half way between the steamer and wharf, it became quite unmanageable, the sea breaking over the scow, horses Major W. J. MlMurtrv plunging, and barrels rolling about. Ex- citement ran high, and It was thought that the undertaking would prove dis- astrous, but good and strong hands, and heeds Wfre there, and a shout from these on shore heralded the news, that one of the most ti-ying undertakings had lesulted In success. INSPECTION. On the 30th Jure, the force was Anally inspected by Lieut.-General, the Hon. James Lindsay, commanding H.M. forces in Canada, accompanied by Captain Gascolgne, of the Scots Fusilier Quards, lately appointed to the command of the militia of the Dominion. Officers of all ranks carrying -hort Sniders and W rounds of ball car ridge instead of swords which were dispensed with until the ex- pedition should arrive at Fort Garry, thus materially increasing the strength of the force. / A most commendable measure adopted by Colonel Wolseley was that of prac- tising the men In rowing. This was adopted on two grounds. First, to ac- custom the men In handling the oar, which was to be their dally mode of propulsion, and seoond, to afford them sf me recreation. The men entered Into U with the greatest spirit, and the re- sult was several races took place which proved most interesting, and showed whnt stuft they were made of. Th» first race was between the men of "B" and " G " Companies of the Ontario Bat- tf lion. The challenge was Issued by th« n.f n of " G " company, hailing from Gananoque, to any company of the bat- talion, to row a mile in expedition boats, the crew to be composed of six men and coxwained by a captain. It was gal- lantly accepted by the men of " E " com- pany, from Kingston, which I am proud to say was my company. Th« race was to be rowed In the evening, and as the time approached, the great- est excitement prevailed, and certain It is, that the shores of Thunder Bay never presented before or since so gay and animated an appearance. The ladiea from Fort William graced the occasion by their presence, an honour I need bardlv say. duly appreciated. Colonel Wclfeley's gig was n-anned by officers of the 60th, and on the signal the crews got off well together. " E " led. and came in easy winners. This led to a challenge for $20, from the Engineers V ho had previously defeated the 60th Rifies, and this was at once accepted by o'lr n^en The excitement now was higher than ever, volunteers against re- gulars, and to the delight, and perhaps surprise of all, the regulars had to give way, our fellows pulling a great race and winning by three boat lengths. There w:.s great rejoicing amongst the Ontarl* contingent that night in camp, and con- gratulations showered upon the twice victorious. An amusing incident occu-red here. A rec uit belonging to the Ontario Bat- talion, was carrying two pails of water up to the camp when he espied hie Colonel approaching. Heir. At times things were pr-^ity lively (there is one thing certain, tho iiiosimltoeH were) ; the roar of the water- liill. the hum of the flies, and the strong hiiiKuage of tho occupants of the tenta Iroke the monotony of tho still night. This kind of thing could not be endurei forever, bo a plan was hit upon to rec- tify It, and U worked admirably. It wa.s this : A smudge, composed of damp Rrass and leaves, was lit in the tent, whif'h drove the greater numbtr of the flies out. The tent was then firmly closed and beaten with sticks on the out- side ; when a sufficient time had elapsed to allcw of the coast being clear tho fire was thrown out. and the men crawl- ed In. keeping the door closed, and by this means were able to get some rest. A new preventive against the attacks of the mosquitoes was discovered by one of the officers. In the middle of the night he got up, declaring that he could not Bleep a wink, and after groplag round found the bottle of mosquito oil. and after freelv anointing himself, was enabled to get some rest. In the morn- ing, when the party sat down to break- fast, a cry arose that someone had spilled tho bottle of " Harvey sauce," and that it was impossible to manago the pork without It. Then It was dis- covered that the mosqulto-afillcted In- dividual had used the preparation In duestion, ar.d that nothing remained but to eat Ihfc pork without the sauce, or use the mosquito oil as a substltue, which I need hardly say was no adopted. I must not omit tc mention the sand- fly. Althor.pth not so formidable In ap- pearance as his cnusins and his sisters and his aunts, being only about the size of a pin's hefld, was not to be despised 1 can assure you. I recollect seeing some of the men. who had just come In from working on thi. road, looking hot and dirty, strip off and take the water a short distance below the fall. How they did appear to enjoy it, to be sure, and then they came on shore and sat around, and then had another dio. It was great fun, but not altogether one- sided. Every time they came on shore the sand-flies laid low and " went " for them. They had not had a treat like this for some time, so they were not go- ing to lose this opportunity. After awMle the men got inside their clothes and returned to camp for tea. Then commenced the fun. They were in a perfect fever. I knew what It was like, as I had been there myself— tearing and scratching themselves like demons, and well they might, as they resembled lob- sters. Poor fellow.?, how they cursed that dip which a short time before they were extolling to the skies. But such Is life. Annoyances they truly were to those concerned, but they created no llt- 17 tie nrruMfmont to outHlders, bivI helped to break the monotony of the day's work. It certainly did with the bfithem. F.verythUiK was now Bolnjf on well. The roads were In good orJer again, ana the storcH were Kolnj? forward with Kroat rapidity, and men were pushed on to the lake (Shebandowan) forty-elRht niilea. Everyone could see that It would not be very lonif now ere we tojk to the boats and really commenced the ad- vance to Fort Oarry. For once In their lives their fond hopes endeavouring to rectify mistakes, and HTKMjth down difficulties. And then when everything was t^ /.i^ht to *t(i ready and the order given to push off. the cry would be heard, " Where's my knap- f.afk '' " I have not got my blaiikeis?" etc., and thei there was another delay and HO on. Such a scene ! But at last everything vas ready, and away we \/(nt, others »aklng our places, and go- ing through the same kind of thing, the men cheering as they imshed oft to Fort Garry. The arms and accoutrements ) IN CAMP. From an original sketch. ' !■ were realized. Detachment after dot.'ichment found themselves on the shores of the Shebandowan lake, or McNeil's Bay, called after Col. McNeil, V.C, now Sir John McNeil, Equery to her A*ajesty, making all preparation to embark. As the stores were landed at Shebandowan they were housed In sheds erected for that purpose. The boats which were both of carvel end clinker build were some 30 to 40 feet In leng-th, and capable of carrying from four to Ave tons. The force for the advance was divided up Into bri- gades—a brigade consisting of 50 men which was di.strlbuted in five boats, 10 n en In a boat, with two guides, a bow- man, and helmsman. After spending some days here in Inspecting and re- pfirlng any of the boats that had met V Uh accidents on the way up, and get- tini,' everything ready, the first oraer for the advance came. Such excitement as prcviiiled it would be difficult lo convey rn idea of. Here was a tiller missing from this boat, a rowlock that would rot fit another, a sprung o'er, etc., etc. Staff officers ran about In all directions, were packed In chests, a sufficient num- ber being left out for the use of the gmrd, which mounted nightly. The brigades were told off to their respective boats which they were to take through with them, and then came the loading of from 3 to 4 tons In each boat, consisting of pork in barrels and half barrels, biscuit and flour In barrels, tea In tins, ammunition, etc., and the arm chests, boat builder's tools, and all sorts of stuff for repairs, besides spare oars, sails, etc. All this was necessary, as we had to proceed through a country where nothing cculd be obtained, ex- ((ptlng wood and water, so every pos- sible and probable contingency had to be thought of and provided for, and with- out doubt, we were far better equipped and prepared for our work than any other e>pedition. When this was all loaded, and it was no easy matter, the brigades were Inspected, ordered to tpke their places, and then pushed off, others tak- ing their places and going throtigh the same routine. The captain In the lead- ing boat, ensign In the centre, and the lieutenant coming up in the rear, the 18 'n ry P- N.C.O.'g bfltiK ffiiinlly fl. •hiifed. The ( ars wcro inaiin<'(l by mx rtioti. The vork of rowliiK was uiiythlnK but i-aHy rit llrst, as the I)(>at8 wlth hulen down to the thwarts, thereby luavlnK no Bpace whatever for the men'n foot on the floor; they, therefore, had to stretch them out on the top of the load, and make foot- holds as best they conld. The first |>ortnKe made was Kashaboia; fome of the boats which left the Shoban- dowaii late In the afternoon were not able to reach this portage (which Is distant 3( me 24 miles) the same day, so were CDmpelled to camp on the way for the niffht. This portaBo la about H of a mile, and fairly ea«y ground. Then came thr work of iinloadlnj? and carrying over the stores and boats, which was on this wise :— Kach boat belnjr responsible for Its own carpro, unloaded, and de- posited Its stores separately, in a posi- tion near where they landed, after which the crew carried them across the poi-t- ane, and piled them in a like manner on the other side. thix iRh two pieces of rope with eyelet holes In each end. Upon this, barrels of pork anted of removing them after th-3 boats were across, and laylrg them again, but It was found that this oo- ci pled too much time, and therefore wa* abDndoned. When everything was ready, fe word would be given, " All hands at the boats," and then such a pulling and tugging. This was hard work, more es- pecially as It was not an uncommon oc- MAKING A CORDUROY ROAD, l-rom a contemporar> cut. The mode of carrying the stores was as follows :~Tump straps and portage poles were provided for this service. The former consisted of a tiroad piece of leather, about the width of one's hand, and some 12 inches in length; to this was attached, on each end. two long pieces of leather tapering off say to 6 feet each. These were securely tied round the load, the broad piece being left clear, so as to be placed across the fore- head, the lead being carried on the shoulders. The portage poles were about two In- cl es In circumference, which passed curence to have to haul them up a very steep Incline of nearly 100 feet; but they would be got over at last, and then commenced- the loading again. When thl« vts completed, the brigade would em- Laik for the next portage, provided of course that it was not too late, when tbey would camp for the night, leaving by daylight, this being the hour at which the move was dally made. By these hours you will readily understand f'at all hands were pretty well tired out, and glad to rest their aching limbs when night overtook them. For an example of the labour these men had to go through, 19 u 1 X o < X -A -] i; I > O H « o u, o Ci) < ■JMMH 7) 3 o z H f, X H >J < I > O « o o CD I »hy a portairo w.m a tulle acroHi (iionii' wero ■'( tulleii), and Hiiy ihiit each tiian hml to n nko 1) trlpN boforo all the kture* were ovtr»'d moMt hoalthy iiii'l by no niciinH to bt« d'MplKod. On thiH occuition »•) found no little dlfflciiliy In Ki'ltlng th(< tenlM to Mtand aa tho Uxiillly Itelnir Holld rock It wnn ImpoBnlblw, wen In the (•r»«vlc«*«, to pcjfs ho an to hold. \Vf ihoroforo hnd to mnkt- the kuv ropes fii«t to Hni.ill touldcrH, nhlch fiiitiy an- ^\M rod th(> iiurpone. OccnHlonally an ■^T-aSST". 'r'MNt'' m^m Nos. 4 AM) 5 ONTAKIO RIFLES LEAVING I'ORT ALEXANDER. 18th AL'GUST. 1870 The next portage made wa.s the Height of Land. This portage Is I,-Ou feat long fnd about 1,000 feet above Lake tsuperlor. Up to this time, this being the summit of the great water shed, we were working against the stream. We now commenced to dcFcend. On leaving this portage we entered Lac de MlUe Lac, the lake of the 1,000 lakes Prom this portage to the next— Barll Pcrtage— Is about 24 miles. The scenery through these lakes Is very fine. Ex- posures of white quartz were repreatedly seen on the Islands, and not unfrequent- ly were they taken for the sails of dis- tant boats. The name of sail rocks given to them by the Indians Is derived from ihls erroneous Impression. Deux Revlere Portage. At this port- age we were treated to a tremeraous storm of thunder and lightning, accom- \>i nied by heavy rain, so that tents were ritched * nd e/erythlng made as com- fortable as circamstanees would permit. You mrst know that the tents were never pitched In fine weather, as it In- volved no end of extra labour and time, and we had long ere this learnt to econo- i>tra severe gust would draw >-c vcial of the boulders away, and threat^-n to de- molish our canvas house, but tliey were qultkly replaced, and mo we went through this cruel night, sleeple.ss, wet, and cold, but niarnlng came at last. The whole burst of golden sunlight, of singing birds, of pearly de^vdropa, moving over the rushing, brimming river, and the morn- ing was .so bright, so glorious with its btauty and song, that we soon forgot our wetting and discomfort. Wood, such at It WIS, was collected, fires light- ed, and clothes dried, and a hot cup of the Chinese beverage went straight to the si>ot, making us feel jolly once more and ready again for work. And after fighting with the slippery "ocks, which made the foothold terribly hard, the stores are once more across. This with- out any exception was the most difficult portage we had to tackle. It la near- ly three miles In length, and is mostly composed of barren rock, with very deep and dangerous declines and steep ascents. Up one of these a sort of ladder had to ••e erected. In order that the boats co'ild OP hauled up, which even then wa.s 21 In TIM most arduous work, but 100 willing hands, anxious to sret on, proved too much for even this horror, as It was called. Leaving this portage we enter Sturgeon lake. This sheet of water for pictures- que scor.ery surpisses anything we had yet seen. The numerous daep bays, back- ed by high wooded hills or rocks, smooth or rugged, Its sudden contraction for a few yards Into a river breadth, between large Islands, and the equally abrupt breaking out into open stretches of water, offered a constant and most pleas- ing variety of scene. At the end of this lake are the Tanners Rapids, four In Stakf-Sergt. Douglas Brigade Major Jas. F. McLeod Major Griffiths Wainewrigiit Anj. Capt. W. J. B. Parsons (Ontario Rifles) From an 1870 photo. number; the first of these cascades has a fall of some five feet and is quickiy followed by the second, with a descent of seven feet, then follows a narrow reach of river of some three miles, end- ing at the third rapid, with a pitch of three feet, with another water stretch, and then comes the fourth and fifth ra- pid four miles distant from one another. On arriving at these rapids we found six Inaians waiting to take us down, our guides not being considered sufficiently conversant with the channel to under- take this duty. This being our first rapid, no little excitement prevailed as to the course to be pursued, as from Its appeffcnce we little thought that the undertaking would be accomplished with safety. We scon received our Instructions which were as follows :— All the men were to get out of the boats with the exception of four picked men, who were to take the oar, and the two guides, one at the bow, with his pole to direct the course, and the other at the stern, who was to steer by means of one of the sweeps shipped In a rowlock; this you can see gave him great leverage. The balance cf the men walked around the portage. When all was In readiness the wcid was given, and they pushed off, every man with a firm hold of h's oar, and his heart in his mouth, those on Fhore eagerly watching their comrades. As they near the broken water, the bow- man, who has the post of honour, and who has been latently watching the cur- rent, halls his chum ait the stern. Some words pass between them, at first quiet- ly, and then excitedly; the helmsman takes It up, a"d calls upon the men to pull. " Pull hard, Nitchey," " Hellgo per- mlscog. Nitchey " (pull hard, boys). Hell- go permiscojr shumoeishie (i)ull hard soldiers), and now they are in It; away they go tearing along, every man pulling for dear life, with his eyes starting out of his head. As they strike the roaring, seething waters the boat makes a bound, which fairly lifts them off their seats. Now they are In the middle of It, with the water dashing and foaming around them. Should they touch anything, a rock ahead, or a back eddy. Grod help (1 em. Is the thought which flashes through the minds of those on shore, but the guides know their work too well; they are now on the reach below, safe- ly over, and with a shout, which Is taken up by those on shore, land below the portage. I am certain there is not a man of the expedition who will ever forget this rapid. On landing we dis- covered a barrel stave stuck on a tree on which was written " No. 6. Company Ontario Rifles arrived here August 6, 1870, at S.30 a.m., all well." This was the manner In wh'ch we kept up the com- munication with one anochet'. We camp- ed here for the night. The fires were pcon kindled and the fragrant odour and the sizzling of the pork sharpened our already keen appetites, and It was not long ere we were attacking It in earnest. One would hardly realize how fond we grew of endless pig. At first we were very chary of eating the fat, taking care to pick out all the lean tut after a short time this was almost discarded, and to see a man taking a chunk of fat In his hand, and the man- ner in which It disappeared, was suffi- cient proof of his weakness In this respect. We discovered ere this that It could be utilized other than appeasing the appetite. On one occasion when the musqultoes were very troublesome and aa the oil appeared to have very little er- fect, we noticed the guides rubblns their faces and hands with the pork fat, and on enquiring: the reason for this perform- ance, leariit that they always adopted this method as a preventive apralnst llese pests. We accordingly tried the experiment, and were delighted to find that It acted like a charm. So the oil was discarded. After supper, it being a beautiful night, we em-ised ourselves sitting around the fires and smoking the "Calunret," the peace pipe, the votal genius of the party regaling us with pcme good songs, the guides sitting £ roi nd the while, and grunting their ap- proval. By degrees one by one rolled him- self up in his blanket, and making a pil- low of his knapsack, the camp was as qi let as It was full of life a short time 4Ulring what he was going to do with ^is strange decoction, you can well Ima- gine my horror when he paid, " Kon, bon, gcod; me drink," and suiting the action to the word took a pull, and fiom the way ho smacked his lips aiipearen, and wa^ Informed by the hcus^ekt eper that he was out. "How Is his health ? Is he feeling stronger ?" enquired the doctor. " Well, he seems pretty strong," was the reply, " but he acts v£-ry queer, doctor. I never saw him that way all the year.s I have been with him. I am sure he is losing his head." " Why. that is very strange," said the doctor. " 1-fe was certainly quite sane Surgeon Neilson, Quebec Rifi.es From an 1870 photo. when I prescribed for him. What are hl« symptoms ? What does he do ?" " Well, doctor, he is shaving all day long. He keeps calling for hot water early in the morning, and then after breakfast, and so on through the day. Oh, doctor, I am certain he is crazy." FORT FRANCIS. At Fort Francis where the 2nd section began, a garrison composed of "G" Company Ontario Rifles, i:nder the com- mand of Captain Scott, with Lieut. D. A. MacDorald and Ensign J. J. Bell aa sibaltems, was left for the protection of the hospital, bakery and depot of stores established there, and to insure our communication being kept ooen. On leaving Fort Francis we descended the Rainy river, which is about 65 miles in length with a current of three miles tin hour. After passing the Manitou and the Long Sault rapids, and in order to continue the journey at night and not tax the men too heavily, we tried the ))lan of drifting down the river, lashinjr the boats together by twos; watches were established, one man remaining up In each boat to tnke charge and steer, the others sleeping as best they could. This proved very satisfactory. LAKE OF THE WOODS. We next entered the Lake of the Woods, which is some 75 miles long, and about the same in width. The scenery among tl.e islands is of the most lovely de- scription, Island succeeding Island in (.'ountlcss numbers. This made the |)cs?age most cilffioult, many of the bri- gades losing their way. and with no little difficulty finding the right course again. About four miles from land the water became tinged with green, deriving Its colour from a minute vegetaile growth, wh^ch Ircreased as we progressed, until 1' gave the appearance to the lake of a vast expanse of dirty, green mud. ThiP. I believe;- Is caused by the extraordinary temperature of the water, which is about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It was impos- sible to drink }t without first boiling and filtering, and it was not too good at that. At the north-west portion of the lake, which Is known as the north-west angle, a portage of 100 miles leading to Fort Garry vas under construction by a Mr. Sncw, P.L.S. It was the original Inten- tion to abandon the boats here and make the march into Fort Garry, which would have avoided the necessity of the journey by the Winnipeg river, thereby minimis- ing the distance by some 150 miles, be- sides escaping the dangerous rapids and T aterfalls of this river. This idea, how- ever, had to be abandoned, owing to the road not being completed. We were theiefore compelled to continue the jour- ney by water, which was no small dis- appointment. Colonel Wolseley, neverthe- Irss, caused it to be impressed upon Riel that the advance would be made from this point, as he had been advised that Riel intended attacking the force on this road. This ruse we afterwards htard, was successful, as Riel was not aware, up to a short time before the march was made into Fort Garry, that we bad gone round by the Winnipeg river, and consequently was not are- pared for an attack from that quarter. I might mention here that the force from front to rear covered the route for 150 miles. 25 The numerous rapids and falls of the Winnipeg river, coming close one after the other, makes it most difficult of navigation, and renders the greatest caution necessary ; but with experienced guides, ably assisted by our Iroquois voyageurs, we managed to descend in safety. At Slave Falls we were over- taken by Colonel Wolseley, who had lost his way in the Lake of the Woods, and was in consequence detained two days. We were treated here to one of the finest bits of scenery on the route. These falls owe their name to a tragedy enact- ed there long years since by the Chlp- pawas. who had captured two Sioux, de Bonnet. Grand Bonnet, Roche de Bonnet. White Mud Falls^ first and sec- ond Silver Falls, and Pine Portage. Be- sides these numerous portages many rapids were run. Pine Portage being the last, the boats were loaded early in the day ready to start for Fort Alex- ander, with no portages Intervening. Only those who have been through this trip can properly appreciate the feeling of relief that came over us as we stood safe and sound on the west side of Pine Portage, and with a " Hlp hip hurrah !" we pushed off for Fort Alexander, whera we arrived on the 17th of August. Fort Alexander Is very prettily situ.tt- i I WRITING HOME, From a contemporary cut. their hereditary enemies, and after keep- ins them in slavery for many years, and havlns: no further use for them,, bound lliese poor wretches in a canoe, back to back, and sent them over the falls, where they were dashed to pieces. The following will give an idea of the num- ber of portages made descending this Kreat river • Rat Portage, Grand Dia- charse. Yellow Mud Falls, Pine Port- age, De Lisle, Chute-a-Jocho. Fln;t Point de Bols ; second,, ditto ; third, ditto : Slave Falls. Les Barrier. The si'ven Dortages. The work here was very arduous, as the boats were being con- tinually unloaded, taken out of the water, dragged a few yards, and put bf.ck again and reloaded. After these portages came the first and second Gala ed, standing on a high bank on the left side of the river, and some two miles from Lake Winni- peg. It Is a larger and more important DOSt than Fort Francis, and is far more imposing in appearance, Mr. Barney Ross., the chief factor of the 'post, most kindly entertained us at his house, and we all had the pleasure of enjoying the nrst meal of fresh meat sinc_e we left Prince Arthur's Landing. The remainder of the Jour.,ey was per- formed In a somewhat similar manner ; up at daylight and to bed tired out. Tents were never pitched, and often we were rudely awakened by a thunder- storm and drenched to the skin. On arriving at the Stone Fort, or Lower Fort Garry, distant some twe.."y m de miles from WlnnlpeK. the loyal Inhabi- tants received us with the greatest en- thusiasm, which extended all along the river, the people turning out en masse, cheering and waving handkerchiefs. They ran down to the rlver-slde grasp- ing our fellows by the hand, and with tears in their eyes exclaimed, " God bless vou, men ; God bless you," at the same time profTering all sorts of provisions and refreshments, which were gratefully partaken of. Flags were flying from every elevation, guns were fired, and the bells of the cathedral rang out a ioyous peal upon the morning air, a welcome evidence that after so many Order having been restored, and after the mllltla had been established in the Quarters assigned to them— the Ontario battalion at Fort Garry, and the Que- bec battalion at the Stone Fort or Lower Fort Garry— the Imperial troops made preparations for their return to Canada. and by the 3rd of September they had all taken their departure, returning by the water route, with the exception of Captain Bulier's company of the 6(Hh Rifles, which marched by the Snow road to the north-west angle of the Lake of the Woods, some ninety miles, where they took to the boats again. It was by no means easy work performing this '^■/■vf No. 5 COMPANY ONTARIO RIFLES SHOOTING TANNERS RAPIDS. MALINE RIVER. 6tlj AUGUST, 1870. From an original sketch. hundred miles of weary travel througl the wilderness 've had at last come in contact with civilization. Thus, after crossing forty-seven port- [>Kes and pulling and sailing some 600 miles, we arrived at Fort Garry on the 24th August., taking three months to make the journey which is now accom- plished in two and a half days. The eneniy having tied at our approach, there was nothing left to do but to formally lake poHKcssion of the fort. The flag of the Provisional Government which was then flying wa.s hauled down and the British ensign hoisted, a royal sa- lute fired, and three cheers given for the Quern, oheers such only as Britishers can give, which resounded tlirough the fort, proclaiming that the beneficent rule of her Majesty was now unquestioned, and that the country was once more un- der constitutional authority. niarcli. in consequence of the very im- uerrect state of the road, a portion of .whioh had only just been completed. As each brigade pushed off they were heartily cheered by the Ontario men, who lined the bank, while the band play- ed " Auld Lang Syne." Before Col. Wolseley's departure he issued the following valedictory, which was lead to the men on parade on Sun- day, the llth September :— COL. WOLSELEY'S VALEDICTORY. To the Soldiers of the Militia Regi- ments of the Red River Expedition- ary Force : " In saying ' good-bye ' I beg that each and all of you will accept my grateful recognition of your valuable services, and my best thanks for the zeal you have displayed in carrying out my orders. 27 3 1 "S. o 04 H Ctf O Qw H < OA < Id f a o o (d X [1. O (d < lii " I congratulate you upon the succecH of uur expedition, which has secured to this country a peaceable solution of its late troubles. The credit of this suc- cess is due to the gallant soldiers I had at my back ; upon you fell the labour of "arrylng the boats and heavy leads, a li our In which ofiloers and men vied with each other as to who should do the most. Nothing but that ' pluck' for which British soldiers, whither born li the colonies or In the Mother Country, are celebrated, could h'ave carried you so successfully through the nrduou^s ad- vance upon this place. Surgeon Conn, Ontario Rifles From an 1870 photo. " From Prince Arthur s I^andlng to Fort Garry is over 600 mllea through a wilderness of forest and water, where no supplies of any description are obtain- able. You had to carry on yrmr backs a vast amount of supplies over no less than forty-seven portages, making a total distance of seven miles, a feat un- paralleled In our military annals. You have descended a great river ef.teemed so dangerous from its rapids, falls, and whirlpools that none but exoerionced voyageurs attempt Its navigation. Your cheerful obedience to orders has enabled you. under the blessing of Divine Provi- dence, to accomplish your task without any accident. " Although the banditti who had been oppressing this people fled at your ap- proach, without giving you an opportun- ity of proving how men capable of such labour could fight, you have deserved as well your country as if you had won a battle. " Some evil-designing men have en- deavoured tQ multe a section of this peo- ple believe that they have much to dread at your hands. I beg of you to give them the lie to such a foul asper- sion upon yi>ur character as Canadian soldiers by comporting yourselves as you h ..ve hitherto done. " I desire to warn you especially against mixing yourselves up in party alTalrs here : to be present ut any poli- tical metilng, or to join in any political procession, is strictly against her Ma- jesty's regulations— a fact which I am sure you have only to know to be guid- ed by. '• 1 can say without tlaciery, that al- though 1 have served witn many armies in the tteld, I have never been associat- ed with a better set ot men. You have much yet to learn ot your profession but you have only to aiteiid as care- fully to the orders ot the oriicer to whose command 1 now hand you over as you have to mine to become shortly a force second to none in her Majesty's service. " My best thanks are due especially to Lileut.-Coionels Jarvls and Cassault for the punctuality with which they have executed their orders. " I bid you all good-bye with no feign- ed regret ; I shall ever look back with pleasure and pride to having commandej you, and although separated from you by thousands of miles, 1 shall never cease to take an earnest interest in your welfare." (Signed) G. J. WOLSEL.EY, Com'g Red River Expeditionary Force Fcrt Garry, Sept. 9, 1870. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cam- bridge also issued the following order :-- General order issued to the troops by his Royal Highness the Field-Marshal Commandlng-ln-Chlef :— " 1. The expedition to the Red river having completed the service on which it has been employed, His Royal High- ness the Field-Marshal Commanding-in- Chlef des-ires to express to Lleutenant- General the Hon. James Lind.say., whv> organized the force, and to Colonel Wolseley and the officers, non-commis- sioned officers, and men who composed It, his entire satisfaction at the manner in which thty have performed the ardu- ous duties which were entailed upon them by o. journey of above 600 miles ilirough a country destitute of supplies, and which necessitated the heavy labour of carrying boats, guns, ammunition, stores, and provisions over no less than forty-seven portages. " 2. Seldom have troops been called upon to endure more continuous labour and fatigue, and never have officers and 20 \ i,, ^ men behaved better or worked more cheerfully during Inclement weather and Its consequent hardships, and the suc- cessful rosult of the expedition shows the perfect discipline and spirit of all cnRURed In It. " 8. HIr Royal Hlphness, while thank- InR the regular troops for their exer- tions, wishes especially to place on re- cord his full appreciation of the services rendered by the mllltia of the Dominion of Canada who were associated with them throughout these trying duties. "(Signed) R. AIRET. "Adjutant-Oeneral. " Horse Guards, November. 1870." reason to be satisfied with the men who now represent them at Fort_Qarry. T can give them no higher praise than by Baying that the national honour Is safe in theli keeping. They possess In an eminenf degree a nobility of sentiment which will always prompt them to vdl- imteer for any service necessary for a vindication of that honour, and they In- herit from their ancestors the courare and endurance which will ever carry them through any expedition they un- dertake with credit to themselves and honour to their country." Colonel Wolseley was made a full cclonel and a Knight Commander of the ISLAND PORTAGE COLONEL WOLSELEY On Colonel Wolseley' s return he was tendered public banquets, both at To- ronto and Montreal, but was only able to accept the hospitality of the last- named city. The citizens of Toronto v.ere much disapnointed in not being able to show their great appreciation of the sTPJlant Colonel's services, but time would not permit his remaining over. A congratulatory address, however,, was forwarded to him at the dinner at Mont- real, which was a magnificent affair, and In his reply to the Toronto address he said, among other things :— " I shall ever look back with pride at havlnsr commanded the first military operation undertaken by the Dominion. The pro- vinces of Ontario and Quebec have every Order of St. Michael and St. George. Colonels Jarvis, Cas^ault, and Brigade- Major McLeod were made Companions of St. Michael and St. George, and each officer and man received a free grant of 160 acres of land. NOTES. In Fort Garry everything was done :o moke the battalion comfortable, the men occuT>ylng the large buildings and the of- ficers the centre stone building facing the main entrance. For the amusement of the men during the long winter a theatre was erected in an unused building, where many eood performances were held, bringing out the latent talent of the men, and which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. especially the settlers. 30 ■,.«». ■ " I- \ { iV An ofOcfli-s' meat waa soon eatabUtta- ed, though catering waa no eaay mat- ter, lor, with the exception of gama, lii'ovlalona weve very acarce. The mods of delivery of milk waa certainly a nov- elty, being In large froien oakea. and Bold by the pouna. The cold during the winter months waa Intenae, the thermometer register- ing at times 80 and 40 degreea below zero. The qQntrlen were provided with buffalo coata and legglnga. and during the extreme cold were relieved every hour. Early In the spring of 1S71 a reduotlou of the force took place, only two oom- panlea. compoaed of four oftlcers and eighty-five men, under the command et Major A. Q. Irvine (with Capte. Allan Macdonald and William M. Herobmer in comn and of the companies respectively), being retained for a further period of Bifvlce, and were stationed at Upper Fort Garry.. A nuir.ber took their discharge at Fort Oarry and settled in the province. The remainder returned to Ontario, leav- ing early in June, and arrived at To- ronto on the 14th of July, where they received their discharge, and with many hearty hand-shakings and good wishes returne'l to their respective homes. It may be interesting to know that Fort Oarry at several times in the past has been occupied by British troops. In 1846 a force of some 400 men, composed of detachments from the 6th Foot, Royal Artillery, and Engineers, under the oom- ir.and of Colonel Crofton, were sent out, returning to England in 1848. They were succeeded in the same year by pension- ers, under the command of Colonel Caldwell, who remained for some time as Oovemor. Again, In ISM, a force composed of the Royal Canadian Rifles once more occupied the fort until 1S6L It is a proof of the high estimation which Colonel Wolseley bad for the Canadian force, that on assuming the command pf the Nil^ expedition in US4- 5, he estai>lls.ied a corps of voyageurs composed entirely of Canadians, jnder the command of the late Lileut.-Colonel F. C. Denlson, and having as paymaster and quartermaster .the late Lleut.-CoL William N. Kennedy, commanding Wth Winnipeg Battt . jn of Rifles. The sad death of Colonel Kennedy shortly after his return to England, on his way home, precluded a formal recognition by her Majesty of his distinguished servloes, though every mark of respect was staowq by his being accorded a civil and mili- tary funeral, at which her Majesty and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales were re- presented. Colonel Denlson was duly honoured by being Invested with the Order of the Companion of St. Michael and St. George, the Egyptian medal, 1884-5, and the Khedive's bronze star. His Isr mented death and the respect paid to his memory at his impressive funeral will be fresh in the recollection of all read- ers. I understand that a medal for this ex- peilltion was recommended. Perhaps like the Peninsular War Medal. 1793-1814, and the Naval General Service Medal. 1793-1840. which were not issued until 1847, the members of the Red River Ex- peditionary Force may yet be honoured. during irected manv inglns 1, and jy all. (1 31 «'^.