THE
A. H. U. COLQUHOUN
LIBRARY
OF CANADIAN HISTORY
HANDBOUN
AT THE
UNIVERSITY
TORONTO PR
MAJOR-GENERAL F. MIDDLETON, K. C. H.,
Commander of Canadian Militia.
f
THE HISTORY
OP THE
NORTH-WEST REBELLION
OIF 885.
COMPBISINa A FTTBfc AND IMPABTIAL ACCOUNT OP THE
ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE WAR, OF THE VARIOUS ENGAGE-
MENTS WITH THE INDIANS AND HALF-BREEDS, OF THE
' HEROIC DEEDS PERFORMED BY OFFICERS AND
MEN, AND OF TOUCHING SCENES
IN THE
FIELD, THE CAMP, AND THE CABIN;
INCLUDING A HISTOBY OP THE
INDIAN TRIBES OF NORTH-WESTERN CANADA,
THEIR NUMBERS, MODES OP LIVING, HABITS, CUSTOMS, RELIGIOUS RITES AND
CEREMONIES, WITH THRILLING NARRATIVES OP CAPTURES, IMPRISON-
MENT, MASSACRES, AND HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPES OF WHITE
SETTLERS, ETC.
BY
CHARLES PELHAM MULVANEY, A.M., M.D.,
Formerly of No. 1 Company, Queen's Own Rifles, author of "History of the
County of Brant," " History of Liberalism," etc., assisted by a
well-known journalist. -/V
TWELFTH THOUSAND.
ILLUSTRATED
WITH PORTRAITS OP DISTINGUISHED OFFICERS AND MEN, MAPS, DIAGRAMS
AND ENGRAVINGS.
TORONTO, ONT.:
PUBLISHED BY A. H. HOVEY & CO., 10 KING STREET EAST.
1886.
Entered according to the Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year One
Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty-five, by AT.BBBT HENRY HOVEY, in
the Office of the Minister of Agriculture.
DeWcatfon.
TO THE
OFFICERS AND MEN
OP THE
CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED
BY THE
AUTHOR AND PUBLISHERS.
LIST OF 63 ILLUSTRATIONS.
Major-General F. D. Middleton, C.B... -pv rtT , f . .
Lieut-CoL A. A. MOler, Q. O.K .................. Frontispiece.
Louis Kiel ...... ................... 19
Fort Carleton.. .............................. 25
Major L. H. N. Crozier. " ...................... 30
Lieut-Col. A. G. Irvine, N.'-W.M.P ' '. ............ <?1
Lord Melgund ................ ...........
Maj or Laurence Buchan ".'.'.' ..................... 5
Lieut. -Col. W. D. Otter ------ ...................... 66
Map of Battleford ...... ' ....................... 10 <>
Francis J. Dickens, N.-W.M.P*" ................... }?f
Plan of Fort Pitt... ....................... ll6
Hon. Edgar Dewdney..'.' ....................... JJZ
Piapot Chief of the South Crees ..... ". \ ................... }JJ
Capt. Charles Swinford.. ...................... J?0
Col. W. M. Herchmer, N.-W.M.P.. '. .................. JS
Geo E. Cooer, Colour-Sergeant ...... i ...........
? III
Map of "Batoche," " Duck Lake " knd ' "Fish Creek'" .............. io
Capt. James Mason (Grenadiers) .......... . ............. '" Jf
Lieut. -Col. Van Straubenzie . . . ..... ' ......... '" 2S
Lieut. W.C. Fitch.. * .......................... 222
Thomas Moor. .. ............................ 235
Bugler Gaughan ...... ........................... 237
Alexander Watson. .. ............................. 241
Franklin Jackes ... '.'.'. ............ ................ 242
.
Lieut.-Col. A. T. H. Williams, M.P.'.'i ........................ H
Lieut.-Col. H. J. Grasett... ............... ..... 2b
Major D.H. Allan, Q.O.R. ..... \\\\\\ ...................... 262
Adjutant J. M. Delamere ......... .................... 274
Gatling Gun (four illustrations) ....... .' ' ' 907 ' oqo o
Staflf Sergeant Walker . . , .............. ^ 7 ' 298 ' 304
Lieut -Col. W. E. O'Brien, M. P.* !'.'.'" ..................... 1
Gabriel Dumont, ({ ull length portrait)! '.'. ..............
Sir John A. Macdonald
...........
General Strange .......... ...... '
Colonel James McLeod (Stipendiary* Magistrate)' '.'. ........ -
Fa^erLecombe... f ...... ^i:^::^ 397
Capt. James Peters ................. - ........... 409
Inspector Joseph Howe... .................... 41
Capt. C. W. Drury.. " ....................... 411
Col. Maunsell, 415 ; Col. Elaine,' 416";" Col'.' Morris" ! '. ........... ! H
Gunner Walter Woodman ..... ..... .... 417
Christopher Robinson, Q.C., Crown"CounseiinRiel ; s Trikl ........... joi
lr W. jjurbidge, " < ...... ^*
F. X. Lemieux, Q.C., Kiel's Counsel
M.A.,430j
PREFACE.
The building-up of a nation is not a mere effort of will on
the part of an individual or a people. A people or an indi-
vidual may have much to do with shaping the destinies of a
country, but when the events which constitute the salient points
in the history of that country come to be viewed from the
somewhat elevated standpoint which he who would write a
history must necessarily occupy in order that his vision may
have scope sufficient to include everything bearing on the situ-
ation, those actors who in the bustle of " history-making "
tower in magnitude and importance as primary causes, 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. But while
the acts of one agent fit into those of another in making a
history which so rises in importance and far-reaching effects as
to dwarf the men who made its integral parts, we must not
forget to hold each man morally responsible for his acts. An
over-ruling Power may so control the acts of individuals as to
cause good to result where only greed or selfish ambition
prompted, 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.
Tn-dfty Canada has just shaken herself free from the clutches
of Rebellion,jg&dudUDne time threatened to bring with her
W aiatera Anarchy and Revolution. 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. PREFACE.
facts as they are to be found, and leave to the people of Canada
the exercise of judicial functions in this matter. We shall tell
the truth regardless as to whom we shall hit and wholly indif-
ferent as to both the great political parties who jointly control
the destinies of this country.
When the arm of Rebellion had been raised and loyal citizens
and Mounted Police shot down for striving to vindicate Canadian
authority, it was not for us as Canadians to ask whether the
rebels had any right on their side or not. Our National integ-
rity had been assailed, our National honour had been threatened,
and it only remained for our citizen-soldiers to draw the sword
in their defence. How this has been done, and with what
glorious results, it is for these pages to tell. What our future
may be no one knows, but the immediate result of this rebellion
has been that Canada has proved herself abundantly able to
take care of herself. Her volunteers and her little handful of
regulars have been pitted against a foe, as brave, as adroit, and
as experienced in the hardships, perils and horrors of frontier
warfare as can be found under the sun, and after meeting with
a desperate and stubborn resistance our gallant fellows have,
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 mark this important stride that has just been made in our
National history.
THB AUTHOR,
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER. PAOB.
I. To Arms The Call and the Response 17
IL Prelude to the Insurrection The Hudson Bay
Company The Indians The Half-breeds The
Buffalo 20^
Louis Riel His first Insurrection His Bill of
Rights of 1870 and of 1885. .
IV. The Duck Lake Fight How the Police and Prince
Albert Volunteers Fought and Fell 27
V. After the Battle Retreating to Prince Albert-
Burying the Dead 44
VL The Indian Tribes of Manitoba and the North- West
Their Numbers, Condition, etc 50
VII. Sketches of the Lives of General Middleton and
Staff Lord Melgund and Major Buchan 63
VHL Canada's Soldiers to the Front "Our Boys in the
North- West Away." 68
IX. The War Cloud Bursts on Battleford 76
X. On Guard at Prince Albert The Grievances of
Settlers Description of Country 76
/ XL The Siege of Battleford The Murder of Payne-
Flight of Judge Rouleau and Applegarth Major
Walsh gives his Views 80
f XII. The Frog Lake Massacre 89
XTTT. Otter's March to Battleford Relief of the Besieged
Town Houses Burned and Sacked The Finding
of Payne'sBody 100
XIV. General Middleton's Advance Waiting for Supplies
and Reinforcements 114
XV. The Fall of Fort Pitt Gallant Defence by Inspector
Dickens Fort Pitt before its Fall Big' Bear
Dewdney Pi-a-pot Big Bear's Prisoners '115
1 XVL The Battle of Fish Creek The Killed and Wounded
After the Battle General Middleton's Letter-
In Memoriam 126
CONTENTS.
CHAPTEB.
XVH. Battle of Cut Knife Creek Origin of the Name
Who took Part in it Colonel Herchmer The
Balled and Wounded 156
XVIII. Poundmaker Lord Lome Visits him 186
XIX. Battle of Batoche's Ferry The Killed and Wounded
Some of the Heroes Thrilling Incidents The
Man with the Gatling Gnn " Shot Through the
Heart ""Victory at Batoche " 193
XX. Recollections of Batoche's Ferry After the Battle-
Colonel Williams of the Midland Who led the
Charge ? Description of the Rifle Pits 251
XXI. The Prisoners and the Vanquished Half-breed
Discipline Terror and Sufferings of the Rebels-
Touching Scenes 271
XXII. The Gatling Gun Described and Illustrated 299
XX ITT. Poundmaker Heard From General Middleton's
Interview with the Cree Chief Beardy Riel
Captured His Wonderful Influence Our Volun-
teers 307
XXIV. Prince Albert Colonel Irvine Explains A Tribute
to the Mounted Police " The Riders of the
Plains" A Letter from Poundmaker Journey
to Battleford 334
XXV. At Battleford with Middleton Life in the Town
during Rebellion Indian Cunning and War
Craft He is not Brave 3(31
XXVI. Poundmaker and Middleton An Interesting Inter-
view 334
XXVII. General Strange's Column Colonel McLeod Father
Lecombe Big Bear Surrenders The Stories of
Mrs. Delaney and Mrs. Gowanlock 394
XXVIII. Martial Ardour in the Maritime Provinces Return
of the Troops 493
XXIX. Riel's Trial Those Engaged in it, His Execution 423 *
"The Troops in the Field 437
THE
HISTORY OF THE NORTH-WEST REBELLION,
CHAPTER L
"TO ARMS!"
AT eleven o'clock' on the night of March the 27th
the citizens of every city in Canada, from Halifax
to Victoria, were startled by the tidings that armed
rebellion had broken out in the Prince Albert region
of the North-West, that the loyal forces under Major
Crozier had been fired upon by rebel Half-breeds, and that
two of the M^m fAri Pnll 'flfi ar>ri fftn Pn >^ Albert Volun-
teers had beeu killed, while eleven ir^orft gf thn Inynlhj^
had been wounded. ~
The response of every city in the Dominion was an
instantaneous call to arms. It was immediately and uni-
versally responded to by the armed youth and manhood
of our country. Emerson's noble verses received that
night a new illustration :
So near is grandeur to our dust,
So close is God to man,
When duty whispered low " thou must,"
The youth replied " I can,"
Early on the next morning the peaceful slumbers of
the inhabitants of Quebec, Kingston, and Toronto were
broken by bugle calls and the unwonted sound of mili-
tary preparation. At eleven o'clock the night before tele-
grams had been received from Ottawa to the effect that
the fight had taken place, and that the Quebec and
Kingston batteries of field artillery, and contingents from
18 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
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 that night in the usually
tranquil streets of the cities of Champlain and Frontenac !
Even in ever-busy Toronto, the streets were unusually
crowded by uniformed men hurrying to drill shed and
armoury, and by officers driving about all through the
night to seek out the members of the different companies
and warn them of the parade 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 arranging the
details and writing the orders and despatches necessary
for such a hasty call to arms. 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
against the enemies of Canada.
* With the morning of Saturday the 28th the gen-
eral public learned with astonishment the sudden news
of the rebellion against Canada. Some rumours then
had been afloat for a week previously in the newspa-
pers of disaffection and discontent among the Half-
! breeds and of meetings held by Kiel. But the Half-breeds
1 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
J> out, the first battle had been fought and lost by the loyal
forces, and that the scattered settlements were exposed
almost undefended to the horrors of Indian warfare,
"TO ARMS."
Such were the rumours which that Saturday the 28th
of March made the theme of conversation with excited
groups in every city and town, nay, in every backwoods
village in Canada. Happy were they who belonged to a
volunteer company, even although not at once called on
COLONEL MILLEB, Q.O.B.
for service ; happiest of all those on whom the lot had
fallen to belong to the contingent ordered to the tront 11
the North- West. ,.
In Toronto the volunteers met on parade m busbies,
great coats, and leggings, not an available man was
20 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
absent, all met in the spirit of what Colonel Miller had
said the night before : " I don't care who a man is, or what
he is doing, but I want every man in the regiment to be
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 Sabbath-keeping Toronto, Sunday editions of the
Mail, World, Nevjs, and Telegram were published with
what purported to be "intelligence" from the seat of
war. The churches assumed a martial aspect, the pews
ever and anon displa} 7 ing tKe scarlet uniform of the
Grenadiers, and the dark green of the rifle corps. In
many a household sad and 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 be 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
Half-breeds and Indians were dangerous foes ; already in
the first skirmish defeat had been sustained by a Cana-
dian force, and more life lost than had been lost by
Canada in the fighting of 1837, or the Fenian raids of
1866 and 1870.
CHAPTER II.
THE PRELUDE OF INSURRECTION.
real course of the events which gave rise to these
JL military preparations was as follows :
As far back as the summer of 1884, it was known to
the Ottawa Government and to those connected with the
North- West Territories, that grave dissatisfaction, nay
positive disaffection, existed among the Half-breeds,
THE PRELUDE OF INSURRECTION. 21
The Half-breed population had been in process of
growth ever since the Hudson's Bay Company received
its charter.
This nominally English company was, to a great ex-
tent, served by French coureurs de bois, officered by
Scotchmen. The solitary life of the trading-post in the
wilderness, with its sure provision for subsistence, 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 coureur de
bois, already half -Indian in blood and temperament, was
the best servant the Company could possibly have secured
for the fur trade of the sub- Arctic forests.
The Spaniards made the Indians slaves, the British
made them freemen, not as yet allowed the franchise, for
which savage races are unfit, but protected by 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
Cree had contributed to his descent on the mother's side."
(Butler's Wild North Land,?. 4,6.) 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
land for farms are French.
So long as the Hudson Bay Company only had to do
with the Indians of the Canadian North- West, they 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 Bla'ck-
f eet, as both bought ammunition at ruinous prices during
22 CANADA'S NOKTH-WEST REBELLION.
these wars, while these dissensions among the tribes
rendered anything like a successful attack upon tho Com-
pany's stores out of the question. Should the Biackfeet
threaten, the officers of the Hudson's Bay Company would
call to their assistance the Crees ; thus it was easy for
the great fur traders to retain the balance of power and the
friendship of the tribes with a comparatively 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 the Biackfeet hunters at a price of a
pint of whiskey for a buffalo robe ! When the Yankee
smuggler arrived in a Biackfeet camp the scene of
grotesque horror, and damage to life, probably surpassed
any spectacle of human degradation brought about
by Man's greatest enemy, the " enemy put in the mouth
to take away the reason " ! The smuggler'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 days. The braves, old and young, drank
greedily the undiluted 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 PRELUDE OF INSURRECTION. 23
hia strength and his wealth, suddenly left the territory ;
and then the condition of the Half-breed and the Indian
was changed for the worse.
In the old times millions of buffalo roamed the great
plains, not only between the North Saskatchewan and
the 49th parallel but away north of the great river. In
those times it was not a matter of unusual occurrence for
an outfit of carts to be compelled to camp for from half-a-
day to a day and a-half to allow a herd of buffalo to
troop past. At such times 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 could
reach, the prairie would be hidden by the vast, black,
moving mass. And when such a herd had passed no
running fire would leave the prairie more dry, dusty and
destitute of grass. It is no wonder that when following
the trails of such great bands Capt. Pallissier pronounced
many of the best portions 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- N
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 conditioi
and methods of land settlement imposed on them from
Ottawa. Thp.y flappf-jally dreaded beinpr compelled to
change the location of their farms which had been sur-
veyed on the old Jj'reiicli luetliuds uf 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 the clique of land-,
speculators which was so influential with those who con- /
trolled the allotment of lands. For these reasons they
24 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
were thoroughly saturated with disaffection to the Ottawa
government.
This was remarked by Colonel Houghton DAG
when, in June 1884, he visited the Saskatchewan settle!
Fo?f P m if r t0 /r Ve ^ ms and ^munition from
Fort Carleton and Prince Albert, a step the unwisdom of
which this experienced soldier clearly saw
The Half-breeds and Indians naturally looked to Louis
Kiel to secure for them the same privileges which they
believed him to have won for the Half-breeds of Manitoba!
They knew that Kiel had held his own against two suc-
cessive governments representing the two great parties of
Canada. An armed rebellion and a judicial murder had
been condoned in the teeth of exasperated public opinion ;
the French vote had supported Kiel through everything
the Half-breeds of Manitoba had received what they most
wished for : patents for their farms. Clearly, therefore,
Kiel was then- best leader; they invited him to visit
their settlements; during the long winter of 1884-1885
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 when at length came the news that Eng-
land was likely to be engaged in a Russian war, he openfy
preached rebellion. To comprehend the secret of Kiel's
all-powerful influence with his compatriots, it may be
well to take a brief survey of his career previous to the
rising inaugurated in March, 1885
LOUIS KIEL, FKOM A PORTRAIT OF FIVE TEABS AGO.
CHAPTER III.
SKETCH OF LOUIS KIEL
T GUIS KIEL was born at the town of St. Boniface, on
Jj the west branch of the Seine River. Riel's father
was a white, of pure Scandinavian origin, his mother a
Half-breed ; he was descended from a very mixed stock of
Indians, Half-breeds and Irish whites. He was born in a
small log-house, of the most primitive backwoods shanty
pattern. It was thatched with straw, 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 schoolmates, among whoaa
ha sought to gain influence by every means Libia power.
In order to effect tins" he was known frequently^ to
26 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
or give away his dinner to a poorer fellow-student. Like
all of French descent, young Kiel was deeply attached to
his parents. Once a boy, who had some quarrel with him,
challenged him to fight. Kiel refused unless his father
would sanction it. He was eight years old when he first
attended school at St. Boniface College, now St. Boniface
Town Hall, and at eleven was transferred to the Jesuit
College, Montreal. He bore the reputation of being an
apt scholar, and learned to read, write and speak English
remarkably well.
In 1866, Kiel returned to St. Vital, Manitoba, where
his parents lived, and where his mother now resides. At
St. Vital, Kiel lived as a farmer, and sought every means
of gaining influence among the Half-breeds of Manitoba,
whose minds he inflamed by dwelling on their grievances.
This is not the place to recount the events of the rebellion
of 1869, in which Kiel was chosen leader. In passing,
notice may be taken of the many recklessly-false tales set
forth as to Kiel's career by writers who get up what pur-
port to be " histories," on the plan of the dime novel. One
such writer informs his readers that the reason Kiel had
for the Scott murder was that both were in love with the
same girl. As a matter of fact, Kiel could never have
seen the young lady on whom Scott's affections were
placed, who lived, or still lives, in a city of Ontario never
visited by Kiel.
After the collapse of his first fiasco of revolt, Kiel
travelled a good deal, both in Canada and the United
States. He spent much time in Washington, and at
Woonsocket, Rhode Island, at the house of his aunt, Mrs.
Joyce, mother of Mr. Joyce, formerly chief of police at
St. Boniface. In 1879 he settled for a time in Montana, in
the Sun River settlement, where he married a French
Half-breed named Marguerite Bellimeure, of Fort El lice.
Kiel at this time acted as teacher in an Industrial School.
He was very poor, and eked out his means by buffalo-
hunting, at which he was expert.
When the North- West Half-breeds asked him to lead
them as * s had led them in Manitoba, he at first refused,
saying that he was an American citizen, and wished to
SKETCH OF LOUIS KIEL. 27
have no more to do with Canadian troubles, but their
entreaties prevailed on him to consent.
Kiel is a total abstainer, can speak French, English,
and four Indian languages. He speaks slowly, deliber-
ately, and with effect. He is strong, of fair stature, square-
Shouldered, with features of greater mobility and expres-
sion than most half-Indians.
At a meeting of the Half-breeds in September, 1884,
the following Bill of Rights was adopted, on Kiel's sug-
gestion :
BILL OF RIGHTS OF 1885.*
First, the sub-division into Provinces of the North-
West Territories.
* It may interest the reader to compare with this the Half-breed Bill of
Eights of 1870 :
L The right to elect our own Legislature.
2. The Legislature to have power to pass all laws local to the Territory
over the veto of the Executive, by a two-thirds vote.
3. No Act of the Dominion Parliament (local to the Territory) to b
binding on the people until sanctioned by their representatives.
4. All sheriffs, magistrates, constables, etc., etc., to be elected by the
people ; a free homestead pre-emption law.
5. A portion of the public lands to be appropriated to the benefit ot
schools, the building of roads, bridges, and parish buildings.
6. A guarantee to connect Winnipeg by rail with the nearest line of
railroad the land grant for such road or roads to be subject to the Legisla-
ture of the Territory.
7. For four years the public expenses of the Territory, civil, military
and municipal, to be paid out of the Dominion treasury.
8. The military to be composed of the people now existing in the Ter-
ritory.
9. The French and English languages to be common in the Legislature
and Council, and all public documents and Acts of the Legislature to be
published in both languages.
10. That the judge of the Superior Court speak French and English.
11. Treaties to be concluded and ratified between the Government and
several tribes of Indians of this Territory, calculated to insure peace in the
future.
12. That all privileges, customs and usages existing at the time of the
transfer be respected.
13. That these rights be guaranteed by Mr. Macdougall before he be
admitted into this Territory.
14. If he have not the power himself to grant them, he must get an Act
of Parliament passed expressly securing us these rights ; and until such Act
be obtained he must stay outside the Territory.
15. That we have a full and fair representation in the Dominion
Government.
28 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Second, the Half-breeds to receive the same grants and
other advantages as the Manitoba Half-breeds.
Third, patents to be issued at once to the Colonists in
possession.
Fourth, the sale of half-a-million acres of Dominion
lands, the proceeds to be applied to the establishment in
the Halt-breedjsettlements of schools, hospitals and such
like institutions, and to the equipment of the poorer Half-
breeds with seed grain and implements.
Fifth, the reservation of a hundred townships of
swamp land for distribution among the children of Half-
breeds during the next 120 years.
Sixth, a grant of at least $1,000 for the maintenance
of an institution to be conducted by the nuns in each
Half-breed settlement.
Seventh, better provision for the support of the Indians.
* "TS^rte^forwarded to Ottawa, and contemptuously
thrown aside. This was a fatal error in policy, which was
yet to cpjji our country a heavy price in blood and
treasure, f The Half-breeds were doubtless j us ti tied in
demanding patents for their farms, and it was iniquitous,
as well as impolitic, to refuse this simple act of justice.
Had the Half- breeds but 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 other demands were purely
political, and were introduced by Kiel himself in order to
found an exclusively French Province in the North- West.
To grant this would have been to repeat the lamentable
>r by which England at the Conquest perpetuated the
men language, law, and religion, and established an
id of medievalism and of alien race in the midst of
spread of English Canadian civilization.
CHAPTER IT.
THE DUCK LAKE DISASTER.
ALL through the first week of March, insurrectionary
movements took place. Stores belonging to the
Hudson Bay Company and to the Government were
seized, loyal settlers were compelled to surrender their
arms and ammunition. The Indians were tampered with,
and were observed to leave their reserves.
Kiel began the insurrection on March 17. He seized
arms and ammunition at the store of John Keer, a mer-
chant settled at " Batoche's Crossing," a small village on
the South Saskatchewan, a short distance from Fort
Carlton. He also imprisoned Trees, a magistrate, and
several loyal Canadians ; Keeley, a miller ; Nash, Tom-
kins, Ross, a freighter, and others, in the house of
one Cavan, at Batoche. He used the village church of
Batoche as a store-house, and afterwards as a prison.
The Half-breeds with Kiel formed a Council of Twelve, of
which Jackson, formerly a druggist from near Wingham,
was the only member of pure white race. This man be-
came a convert to Catholicism just before the rising.
The Council appointed captains of the Half-breed force,
and placed guards on the trail from Clark's Crossing to
Batoche, so as to intercept supplies.
The first reports of the insurrection were hardly cred-
ited in Ontario and Quebec. So entirely was this the
case that, when the Globe published an account of Riel's
first movements of rebellion, the story was openly ridi-
culed as a device of party tactics ! But on the afternoon
of March 23, Sir John Macdonald, in his place in Parlia-
ment, confirmed the news of the insurrection, and on
Wednesday, March 25, the 90th Regiment of Rifles, under
Colonel Naughton, with a portion of the Winnipeg Field
Battery, left Winnipeg for Qu'Appelle, en route for the
30
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
neighbourhood of Batoche, where Kiel's headquarters
were ; and where the Cree reserve, under a chief named
Beardy, was of doubtful fidelity. He was a small-sized
man, but crafty, and had given much trouble already to
the authorities.
But on Thursday, the 26th of March, Major Crozier,
with a hundred men, set out from Fort Carleton to a vil-
lage near Duck Lake, in order to secure some provisions
and supplies which lay at that place, and in danger, being
undefended, of falling into the hands of Kiel, Duck
FOKT OARLETON, THE HUDSON BAY POST ABANDONED BY COL. IRVINE AND
AFTERWARDS BURNT.
Lake, whose name has attained such a sinister import as
that of the spot where flowed the first blood shed in the
rebellion, is situated thirteen and a-half miles south-
east of Fort Carleton, and twelve miles from Gabriel's
Crossing, on the South Branch of the Saskatchewan.
The village near which the fight took place is called
Stobart, after the founder of its first settlement, a mem-
ber of the firm of Stobart & Eden, of Winnipeg. It
consists of nine long one-storey log buildings. It is
fronted by an ornamental fence, and at the sides has a
common snake fence. There is no stockade, nor any
means of defence whatever. It is sometimes called
Duck Lake Village, from a long, low, marshy sheet of
THE DUCK LAKE DISASTER.
31
water which extends to the west of it. The Half-breeds
had already visited Duck Lake Village, had seized some
of the provisions and arms, and threatened the loyal
inhabitants.
S Crozier had with him, besides his party of Mounted
Police, a number of volunteers from Carlton, some of
them mounted and others riding in waggons. When they
approached the village they saw a body of some fifty
MA JOB OROZIEB, N.-W. MOUNTED POLICE.
armed Half-breeds, apparently about to dispute their ad-
vance. A parley ensued with Gabriel Dumont, a Half-
breed much in Kiel's confidence, who was the daring and
fiery leader 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 thought the Half-breeds were about to sur-
round him. Some brisk firing ensued on both sides.
32 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
The Half-breeds, according to their custom, sought cover
behind a number of bushes. Crozier's men did the same,
and the combat was maintained for about forty minutes.
Crozier, seeing that his men were getting the worst of it,
and that the civilians in the sleighs were exposed to
danger, gave the order to withdraw. In their retreat the
loyalists suffered still more than d uring the fight. Gabriel
Dumont's deadly skill with the rifle encouraged his men.
The Half-breeds fired more than one volley, with what
good aim the number of the killed as compared with the
number wounded is a sufficient proof. The names of the
twelve who were killed are as follow: Captain Morton,
a farmer from Bruce, Ontario, and an efficient volunteer
officer ; Wm. 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 in 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 ; Wm. 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 part 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 rebel force numbered two hundred,
and their loss was six killed and three wounded,
THE DUCK LAKE DISASTER. 33
The party of Half-breeds which fought at Duck Lake was
in reality the advance guard of a much larger force with
which Kiel had intended to attack Fort Carlton. This
he did not do, as Colonel Irvine had arrived with a larger
force of Mounted Police and sleighs from Swift Current.
He had eluded the Half-breeds who had gone to intercept
him at the ford of the South Saskatchewan known as
Gabriel's Crossing where the shelving banks covered
with trees would have given great advantage to an
enemy by marching to Clark's Crossing instead, and
reached Fort Carleton with his force in good condition
just after the Duck Lake fight.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE DUCK LAKE FIGHT.
A gentleman from Prince Albert cognizant of the
circumstances preceding and attending the Duck Lake
fight, furnishes the following :
It will be recollected that the Half-breeds of Mani-
toba received a grant of land (240 acres to each), when
tfeB^Ncrth^West was taken over by the Dominion. A
number of Half-breeds were living outside of the present
boundary of Manitoba, in this and other parts of the
North- Wesir 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
representation in the Dominion Parliament, the number
of Government nominees in the 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 t
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.
34 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
In these circumstances the French Half-breeds sent to
Montana A deputation to invite Kiel, whose term Of out-"
la wry had expired, to visit Prince Albert settlement, and _
give to the French-speaking population his counsel and
IjicT in obtaining what they desired from the ftnYe.rnmftn;fc.
Rtel, on his arrival, was gladly received by the French,
and even by many of the Canadian settlers. The latter,
when taunted about the indecency of countenancing or
employing a man who had been frnrmnrafl aa a. bandit
and-arinin^fftr, vinHi^JAfl t.hftir mnrhifit by pointing to
the action O f f1 ^ Q 0,****. They said Riel had paid
penalty which was thought sufficient for his former
crime. Look how the Government neglect to give atten-
tion to our wants ! Petition after petition is pigeon-holed
/ m 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 oi' ihe distjontented
Indians came even from great distances to visit Riel and
his friends, and it was feared that he was tampering with
\ them. I A number of the settlers formed a union, and
j continued for months to act in concert with Riel, whose
1 agitation they regarded as quite loyal and constitutional. f
I 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 white 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 Government 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 DISASTEB, 35
banishment. It is almost certain that he began to put forth
claims such as the white settlers could have no sympathy
with, and the Dominion could not for a moment enter-
tain ; and unknown to the English-speaking part of the
commuDity a secret combination was formed to attempt
to enforce their demands by illegal and violent means.
Some say that Kiel began to use stronger language only
with the hope that he might be arrested on insufficient
grounds, and thus excite public sympathy on behalf of
himself and the movement of which ho was the leader.
The language used by him at some meetings came to the
knowledge of the police and others. The Ministers of
the Dominion were informed, it is said, that there 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 might be accomplished before assistance
could be obtained from below,/ Prince Albert is separated
from the G. P. R. by an almost unbroken and unsettled
prairie 250 miles wide. The journey cannot eLoily be
made in less than a week, and an armed force carrying
its own supplies would of course take longer time. Kiel
could in a few hours raise a force of several hundred
Half-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
word 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 Wednesday, 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 for
service when called on by the authorities. During the
very time when this meeting was held, Kiel, at a point
some 40 miles off, was proving that the situation was
36 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
quite as grave as any one could desire. He, followed by
a crowd of Half-breeds, seized the store of Walters &
Baker, at Batoche, and launched out on that insane and
reckless course which has already brought terrible disas-
ter to some, and must bring still more terrible disaster to
many more.
It may be well at this point, before sketching the
succeeding course of events, to give an idea of the country
and the 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 River. The North Branch from the
west approaches the South Branch flowing from the south
at a point called " the Elbow/' some 150 miles west of
the Forks ; then the rivers run parallel to each other, but
some twenty or thirty miles apart, first in a northerly and
then in an easterly direction, to their point of union.
About fifty miles from the Elbow, Carleton Fort is situ-
ated on the southern bank of the North Branch, 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 fifteen
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, which
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
THE DUCK LAKE DISASTER. 37
in force not a man would be allowed to snow his head
outside of the enclosure; and even inside the whole
square could be commanded from the hills, except the
part under shelter of the buildings on one side. Besides
the Police barracks the only building in the fort is the
Hudson's Bay store. Your readers may judge of the
wisdom which stationed the mass of the police force in
such a gravel pit, forty or fifty miles from the settlement
which it was meant to protect. Rumour has it that the
Dominion Government is guided in making its appoint-
ments and arrangements more by private influences than
by concern for the safety or benefit of the general
community. Passing such subjects, however, I now
return to the outbreak of Wednesday, 18th March, at the
Village of Batoche. On the afternoon of that day Kiel,
followed by two or three score of men, entered the shop
of Walters &; Baker and said : " Well, gentlemen, it has
commenced." " What has commenced ? " said Mr. Walters.
" Oh, this movement for the rights of the country." He
then asked for arms and ammunition, and urged that
they should be given up quietly, saying : " If we succeed
our government will pay you in full, and even if we are
defeated you will be indemnified by your own." Mr.
Walters refused to give up the powder in his store and
reached for a rifle hanging unloaded on the wall. He
was immediately seized by a number of men, and, along
with his clerk, was made prisoner. The store was then
plundered, the Half-breeds clothing themselves with
coats, boots, etc., from the store. All the freight as it
passed from day to day through Batoche from Troy, was
seized. Private parties obtained a receipt for the goods
taken from them, but all Government and Hudson's Bay
freight was at once confiscated.
Intelligence of the outbreak did not reach Prince
Albert until after midnight on Thursday. The 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
38 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST EEBELLION.
urged that as many as possible should be sent to his
assistance. He was able also to report that Colonel Irvine,
with one hundred men and sixty horses, had already
started from Troy for Prince Albert. At the public
meeting hastily summoned to hear these despatches,
it was strongly felt that it would be much better
for Crozier to abandon Carleton, burning what he could
not carry off, and concentrate all the forces in the district
at a point where they could protect the whites. Kiel
could also march from Batoche on Prince Albert long
before the force could reach it from Carleton, and could
plunder the place if he chose. It was determined, how-
ever, to comply with the request of the Government
officials, and Captain Moore, with forty-seven men, started
for Carleton after midday, and reached it by 10 o'clock
that night. An operator was sent across the prairie by a
circuitous route to Humboldt, seventy miles south of
Batoche, to telegraph to the East for assistance, and also
to urge Colonel Irvine to advance with all haste. On Satur-
day Walters and his clerk, having been liberated by Kiel,
came to Prince Albert. They reported that they had been
as well treated as could be expected amid the confusion
at Batoche, and that Kiel held a number of prisoners
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 give
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-
i 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 the next two or
three 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 and French Half-breeds in the different settle-
ments offering their services to Riel,and of his intentions
to attack Carleton and plunder Prince Albert. The arrival
vi Irvine with his force was daily expected, and it was
THE DUCK LAKE DISASTER 89
confidently hoped that when he and Crozier united, they,
with the aid of the volunteers, would scatter th rebels
at the first touch, and that Kiel and his leading followers
would take to flight across the prairie. On Tuesday
night Colonel Irvine with his troop, arrived quietly at 9
o'clock and was greeted with rousing cheers as he passed
through the town. The Colonel assured representatives
of the town who waited on him that he was more con-
cerned about the safety of the whites than about saving
the solitary store and rotten fort at Carleton ; and that
the great purpose of his mission would be kept in view
in all his movements.
On the next day he rested his force, as for several
days he had been making forced marches, and about
twenty of his men were snow blind.
On Thursday, 26th March, he left at 3 a.m. for
Carleton, taking with him eighty police and thirty more
volunteers 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 Government 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 this properly it
may be well to return to the departure of the first con-
tingent of volunteers on the previous Friday in compli-
ance with the entreaty of Major Crozier.
Thos. McKay, one of our most influential citizens, had
gone up with the company. 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 Lake, who had come, bearing a message from Kiel
to Major Crozier, requiring his surrender. On reaching
40 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Batoche Mr. McKay told every one that the complete
overthrow of their movement was only a question of a
short time, and that their only hope of safety was to be
found in their immediate dispersal, and the surrender of
the leaders of the movement, who must be dealt with and
punished by the law. Kiel, finding that some were con-
fessing that they had been forced reluctantly into the
movement, had Mr. McKay brought before his council,
charging him with endangering the success of their cause
by statements which he could prove to be false. Mr.
McKay had assured them that all the white settlers
were against them, and that the English Half-breeds
would, at the least, remain neutral. Riel proposed to
bring forward witnesses to prove the reverse. The
council, however, agreed to liberate Mr. McKay, and as
he departed an arrangement was made by Mr. Mitchell
by which two from Carle ton and two from Batoche
should meet near Duck Lake to consider the possibility
of a settlement. Captain Moore and Mr. McKay met the
representatives from Duck Lake, Nolan and Lepine, on
the following day. No terms could be made, as the
insurgents demanded the surrender of Carleton and of
all Crozier's forces, and McKay and Moore demanded the
dispersal of the French and that their leaders should be
given up.
On Thursday morning, when Col. Irvine was on the
way from Prince Albert to Carleton, it was thought
advisable to send a party of sixteen police and volunteers
with teams to Duck Lake to get supplies from the store,
which, as far as known, had not yet been seized by Riel.
Mr. McKay again led this party. On approaching a
point about two miles from Duck Lake he 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 they were alive. Then he was challenged to
i commence firing, his teams were knocked about, and
THE DUCK LAKE DISASTER. 41
several shots fired over their heads to provoke them.
Mr. McKay and his men remained cool, with rifles in
hand. At length he proposed that his party should
return as they came, and warned the insurgents not to
follow them as he could not answer for his men if
molested by pursuit. On getting clear of the rebels he
sent word by a patrol to Carleton of what had occurred
and followed leisurely with his teams. When the news
reached Carleton there was great excitement and indig-
nation. It was not supposed that a very large number
of Kiel's party could be at Duck Lake. It would even
seem that some of the Prince Albert party brought
pressure to bear upon the commanding officer not to bear
the indignity put upon them. Perhaps some thought
that the insurgents might be crushed at once, or at least
the stores secured with ease. Major Crozier, as we need
not wonder, seems to have hesitated to incur the respon-
sibility of attacking, when his commanding officer was, as
he well knew, approaching and within a few hours' march.
Volunteers, however, were called for, and on the point of
starting, when McKay and the teams reached the fort.
Again there was a slight hesitation, but finally sixty
police and twenty-five volunteers were commanded to
start. They took with them the only field-piece in their
possession 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 men
on foot constantly increasing in numbers as others came
from Duck Lake. Major Crozier halted his troops, and
the police spread out to the left and the volunteers to the
right of the road. One of the rebels was waving a
blanket, and Major Crozier, with the interpreter, went
forward to meet him 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 rebels
kept advancing and scattering across the front of our
42 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
men. The officer and interpreter insisted that they
should be kept back, but no heed was paid to the warn-
ing, Crozier then retired to his men and told them to
commence firing. The rebels had now mostly left the
road and were getting under cover among the bluffs or
groves in front of our men, and even around their flank.
A number made their way into an empty log building to
the right of our line, from which they poured a murder-
ous fire on the volunteers. The cannon tired three shots ;
then, by a sad mistake, a shell was put in before the
charge of powder, and the gun became useless until the
engagement was over. The rebels' fire was very severe.
Our men were in a hollow, while the enemy had good
cover and higher ground. The Indians and Half-breeds
fired with great coolness, dropping on their blankets and
taking sure aim. They were gradually working round
the flank of our force and about surrounding it, when
orders were given to retreat. A rush was made for the
road, the teams were hitched up, the wounded, with the
exception of one man, who was not noticed, had already
been put in the sleighs, and the force retreated, leaving
nine men, dead or dying on the field. Five horses, some
of them shot, had also to be abandoned. Had our men
remained but a little longer the whole force would have
been sacrificed. It was almost a miracle that the gunners
and their horses were not destroyed and the gun cap-
tured. It would seem to ordinary persons a fatal mistake
to have taken it so far to the front, where it was under
close rifle fire. About a quarter of a mile farther back
there was rising ground, from which the gun could have
poured its shot on the enemy, while our men could have
advanced under the cover of its fire. It does not seem
either to have occurred to the commanding officer after
retiring out of rifle range to renew the fire from his
cannon, and treat the rebels to a few shells to cover his
retreat, even if he 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
man much respected and loved, was shot in the breast.
THE DUCK LAKE DISASTEB. 43
He told those beside him who offered him aid that they
could do nothing for him, but asked them to care for his
wife and family. Poor Napier one of that gallant Scot-
tish family which has given so many heroes to fight for
their country was hit first on the breast, and diopped
to his knees. To the next man he said, " I am shot.
Tell my father and mother I died like a man." He was
afterwards shot through the neck and in the thigh. S.
C. Elliot, our most promising lawyer, immediately after
helping a wounded man into one of the sleighs, was shot
from behind, the bullet which killed him being found in
the front of his shirt after his body was brought home.
Arnold, one of the Mounted Police, got a bullet through
the upper part of his lungs, and said, " I'm shot, but good
for them yet." He stooped forward a little, and fired
several shots more, was shot again in the body, and then
received a third bullet, but was lifted into the sleigh and
reached Carleton, where he died next morning. Newith,
a volunteer, wounded in the leg, crept down towards the
road, but the sleighs had gone. An Indian came up, and
began to club him with his gun. He held up his hands
to cover his face and head, and was hit four times, and
had two of his fingers broken, when a Half-breed noticed
the Indian and compelled him to stop. He was carried
to Duck Lake two hours after, and his life again threat-
ened by two Indians. Again the Half-breeds protected
him. He was liberated on the following Monday, when
the dead bodies were brought home. Two of the men
were again shot through the head and one stabbed while
lying on the field. Both of them, it is believed, must
have been at the point of death, if not actually dead.
None ot the dead were scalped, although until they
were brought in, there was great fear that this had
been done.
Of the wounded Capt. Moore's leg is shattered below
the knee. Gilchrist, a policeman, with broken thigh, has
suffered intensely. Inspector Howe, Gordon, and McNab
had only flesh wounds. The last mentioned nearly had
the artery of his arm severed. In all twelve died, mne of
them (all volunteers) on the field, and seven were wounded.
CHAPTER V.
AFTER THE BATTLE.
IT was plain that the defences of Fort Carleton were
not such as to make the place tenable against the
Half-breeds now well supplied with provisions and ammu-
nition, and full of triumph from their late success.
Besides this, it was thought that Beardy, the Cree chief,
whose reserve was a few miles from Carleton, was in
league with Kiel. Carleton was only defended by an old
stockade ; it was situated close to a high hill which com-
pletely commanded it. On the next day, Friday, March
27, therefore, Colonel Irvine marched out of Fort Carle-
ton. Sacks of flour were emptied and scattered around
and soaked with coal oil The same day Sanderson, one
of the prisoners in Kiel's camp, was sent to Carleton with
an offer to surrender the bodies of the dead. He gave up
to Colonel Irvine also a letter from Kiel to one Scott, near
Prince Albert, who was suspected of sympathy with the
rising. For some reason he was at first put under arrest,
and the offer was not accepted lest it should prove to be
a ruse to draw a party into an ambuscade. On Friday
night, before the preparations for leaving were quite com-
pleted, a fire broke out accidentally in the fort. No ef-
fort was made to stay its progress, and on Saturday
morning the whole force started for Prince Albert, which
was reached at 3 p.m.
Great relief was felt on their arrival. The people of
Prince Albert received on Thursday night news of the
skirmish and the death of so many of those whom they
had sent off full of life, and confident of an easy if not
bloodless victory. It was expected that as soon as Irvine
and Crozier had united their forces, the movement would
collapse at once. Now a serious disaster had occurred,
and Kiel and his savage forces, flushed with victory, were
AFTER TEE BATTLE. 45
nearer to us than our own men. The citizens at once set
to work to build a barricade of cord wood around the
Presbyterian Church and manse grounds, in which the
women and children might obtain shelter. Almostcevery
man iu town, including three of the ministers, worked
with a will, and in less time than could have been sup-
posed, a strong stockade was completed, in most places
LIEUT. -COL. IEVINE, N.-W. MOUNTED POLICE.
eight feet high, and lined within by another pile of wood
on which the men could stand. Stores and ice cut from
the river were rapidly driven in. A large shed was run
up in the enclosure, and a two-storey house across the
street, which commanded the square, and would have
given protection to the enemy advancing, was pulled
down and levelled with the ground. All through Friday
46 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
no courier came from Colonel Irvine. In the afternoon one
of the scouts who had been as far as Carleton the previ-
ous night, and held communication with those in the
fort, though not with the officers, reported seven nuns
from the convent had the novel experience of spending
two nights under the roof of a Presbyterian clergyman ;
that sixteen men were dead and the seventeenth was
dying, and that Big Bear, one of the most dangerous of the
Indian Chiefs, had crossed the prairie from Battleford
with 100 braves on snowshoes, and was then with Kiel at
Duck Lake. 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 "The
Pines," where the Carleton trail passes for several milss
through thick woods, from which the Indians could easily
pick off our men 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 carried 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 Council,
and acted as one of the French representatives at the
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 the
river and enter the town from the north side. Major
Moffat, who was for giving Nolan his liberty, was induced
AFTER THE BATTLE, 47
to keep him under surveillance, and on Col. Irvine's re-
turn on the Saturday he was placed in safe-keeping.
Not till 1 p.m. on Saturday was intelligence received
of Irvine's march from Carleton. Two hours after the
wounded were driven in. It was with thankfulness
learned that only twelve were dead and that the wounded
had borne the journey very well. Captain Moore, though
the splints had been removed from his shattered leg, said
he " came down quite comfortably, and had smoked eleven
pipes by the way." The force had not been molested in
" The Pines," nor was the enemy anywhere seen. The
police and volunteers were greeted on their arrival with
ringing cheers the joy and gratitude shaded only by the
thought that nine of their 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 prey.
About 7 p.m., just as people were hoping 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 effect on the soul of the same sound in
different circumstances. The bell which had rung out joy
and gladness after a wedding, 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 !
Iron bells !
What a tale of terror now their turbulency tells-
In the silence of the night,
How we sh udder with affright
At the melancholy menace of their tone-
For every sound that floats
From the rust within their throats
Is a groan."
48 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Such a panic many pray to God that they may not
ever see again. Women arose from their sick beds and
rushed into the enclosure ; children snatched up in their
nightclothes were carried into the manse in blankets.
Another woman with a babe only a few hours old was
added to the number of those previously carried in. The
minister and others guarded the door, admitting women
and children only, and sternly refusing admittance to
selfish or timid men 'and boys. Some sad and one or two
amusing scenes might be described. Two or three of the
women fainted and the doctor was passed in to attend to
the sick. After the first rush was over all behaved very
well, keeping quiet as they sat on the floor, and receiving
as well as could be expected the assurance that there was
no sufficient cause for the alarm. Meanwhile the stock-
ade was lined with police and volunteers in arms ready
to receive the enemy. After a time it was discovered
that the scouts had 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 the Carleton Road,
and noticing the traces of the passage of the police force,
they returned to Kiel's camp.
On the Sabbath Sanderson and two others went with
sleighs 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 bodies
into the house from which so many had been shot. On
Monday at noon they returned, bringing along with the
corpses, Newith, the wounded prisoner, whom Kiel 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 the 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 went at the call of duty, and they
AFTEB THE BATTIA 49
died on " the field of honour." Loving and gentle hands
carried them to different places and prepared their bodies
for the burial. Well may the people of Prince Albert
cherish their memory with sorrowing affection and
solemn pride. Like Him in whom we trust for salvation,
though of course in a lower sense, they " laid down their
lives for their friends."
On Tuesday, at 2 p.m., the funeral procession started
for the Church of England cemetery, wher^e it was thought
best to lay the nine together in one common grave. The
Prince Albert band led the way playing a funeral march.
Then followed the volunteers, a body of police, and the.
ministers of the town. Next came the coffins, the
mourners, and the general public. The Bishop and two
of his clergy read the ordinary burial service. There
was no sermon nor address, nor allusion to the peculiar
circumstances. To some it seemed a pity that the order
of the Church should be so rigid as to prevent any more
honour being done to these brave men brought in from
the field of battle, than would be shown at the burial of
a newborn child. The Bishop of Saskatchewan, 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
of true heroes whose blood was poured out upon the
snow, not in the cause of freedom and the defence of
their hearths and homes, but in obedience to that stern
call of duty that forbids us to argue as to the justice of
the cause and only comYnands us to defend the honour of
the old flag, and ask no questions 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 unquenchable bravery on their lips ; but for
the present we can only shed bitter tears over the
untimely flight of spirits, the bravest of the brave.
As might have been expected, the result of the Duck
Lake skirmish aroused the Half-breeds to more active
3
50
CANADA S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
rebellion. Everywhere the telegraph wires were cut,
and the stores and ammunition plundered. The Mounted
Police and what volunteers could be armed held Prince
Albert, Battleford, Fort Pitt, Fort Saskatchewan, and
Edmonton in the North, h
CHAPTER VI
THE INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND THE NORTH-WEST.
I IT1HE great 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 following pretty accurate estimate of the
force and disposition of the Indians was made at this
time by a gentleman well-posted in matters pertaining to
the Indians and to the North- West generally. The
question has been answered. This estimate of the pro-
babilities is particularly interesting, as it serves to illus-
trate the nature and extent of our national peril at this
time :
ThereKwere in Manitoba and the North- West Territories
very nearly or quite 34,000 Indians who were under the
care of ajid to a certain extent dependent upon the Cana-
dian Government. They are divided into several great
nations, prominent among which are the " Ojibewas,"
" Crees," " Sioux," and " Blackfeet." Besides these, how-
ever, there are many sub-divisions indicating tribal and
sectional distinctions rather than those of race and na-
tionality; at least a general similarity of the languages
of the various groups would indicate this.
The Ojibewas, very often corrupted into " Chippewas,"
besides embracing nearly all of the " bush " Indians of
Manitoba, are closely allied .to the Saulteux of the more
ppen country west of Red River Valley. Their language
is in many respects similar to that of the Crees, and inter-
marriages with the latter are not infrequent. The
THE INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND NORTH-WEST. 51
Swampies, who occupy the country about the mouth of
Red River, and bordering on Lake Winnipeg, are also of
this same nation. In the event of any serious troubles
among the Indians, it was not probable that the Ojibewas
would take any very active part, as most of their bands
were located so as to be nearly or quite surrounded by
white settlements of considerable magnitude. They are,
as a rule, very peaceably inclined, and poorly armed,
most of them 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 Ojibewas proper to be found west of the Red River
Valley, and most of them occupy the bush country east of
Red River, though some bands might be found in portions
of Northern Manitoba. There were probably of the
Ojibewas proper in Manitoba and the extreme west of
Ontario about 4,000.
The Saulteux (pronounced " Sotos ") were so inter-
mingled with the Crees in the eastern portion of the
North- West Territory and the west of Manitoba that it
was not easy to ascertain their numbers. 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 th blood of the white man. In
times past they proved themselves capable fighting men,
however, in their struggles with the Sioux and Blackfeet,
52 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
and they think they are still as capable of fighting as
they ever were. There is no doubt, however, that they
are not nearly so warlike a people as the Blackfeet, and
nothing but a real sense of wrong would ever induce them
to take up arms against British authority. Of course it
is not saying that they are wronged to say that they have
experienced a sense of wrong, and it is just here that the
great danger lies so far as they are concerned. They
were for many generations accustomed to meeting no
white men except the agents of the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany, and whatever may be said against that great
corporation the offence of lying to the Indians can never
be laid to their charge. Aside from the moral aspect of
the case altogether, it was a part of their business policy
to conduct their traffic with the Indians in such a way
that the latter would never have the shadow of a cause
for doubting the word of any officer or agent of the Com-
pany. If an indiscreet trader made a promise to the
humblest member of a tribe, that promise was invariably
fulfilled, no matter what the cost might be. In the old
times an insignificant order of the value of two or three
shillings has been sent all the way to the Old Country,
via York Factory, merely because something 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 that 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 nothing of Indian
character, have been brought in contact with them
THE INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND NORTH-WEST. 53
through the agency of the Indian Department, and these
people, too often pressed by the exigencies of what they
deemed a trying situation, have made promises to them
which have not been fulfilled. Promises had been made
which could not with propriety be carried out, and too
often promises had been made which had been wholly
forgotten. These broken promises might seem little
things to the men who made and broke them, but they
were big things to these simple-minded children of the
wilds. Truthfulness was the one virtue which they
prized above all others, and knowing nothing of the
nature of the resources upon which the Indian Agent or
Fa*-m Instructor had to fall back, they supposed them to
be unlimited, and therefore regarded the plea of inability
no excuse for the non-fulfilment of any promise.
Big Bear, with a band of about five hundred, had
always been a troublesome and dangerous man, more fond
of hunting buffaloes, whether north or south of the line,
than of tilling the soil. His reserve was not definitely
located, and it was 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 Cree 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 from the line of
railway, was doubtless a good one. In the South they
were frequently getting into difficulty with the Indians
and Half-breeds south of the line, as well as with the
Bloods and Blackfeet of the South-West, and had they
remained there the danger of a collision with the railway
navvies was always to be feared.
-^JHad the insurgents had the opportunity of choosing
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 were 'always
worse off in the spring than at any other season of the
year. This was the season at which the Agency supplies
were most apt to fall short, and the advent of spring
54 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
weather would soon render transportation a matter of
very grave difficulty.
In the immediate vicinity of the outbreak it was to
be presumed that there was more to be feared from the
Half-breeds than from the Indians, as the majority of the
latter had always had the name of being peaceable and
well-inclined.
Mis-ta-was-sis (Big Child) was the most powerful chief
in the Carleton Agency, and his band only numbered two
hundred and twenty-six. He himself was a devout Pres-
byterian, as were many of his band, and while it was
easy to understand that they would not feel inclined to
rise in arms against people of their own race, and perhaps
in some instances their own relatives, it was not at all
probable they would take any part in the outbreak.
Ahtah-ka-koop had a band of one hundred 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.
Beardy, on whose reserve the first battle had taken
place, was not by any means an amiable Indian. His
band 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
the Carle ton Agency, they werejpjiga^is^^
instruction of any kind. They managed tcTTaTse some
. grain and roots, but not nearly enough to supply them
with the necessaries of life. It was extremely probable,
therefore, that Beardy would cast his fortunes in with the
rebels, if he had not already done so.
Altogether, however, it was not probable that 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
% j and clothing, than that of avenging real or fancied
$ wrongs. The condition of these unfortunate people was
| ! deplorable. Their staple food, muskrats, had become
scarce, their crops even on the very limited acreage broken
<on their reserves were bad, and as early as July, 1884, it
THE INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND NORTH-WEST. 55
was prophesied that their principal dependence for food
the following winter would be upon rabbits. The Crees
in the Carleton Agency numbered about one thousand six
hundred, and as they subsisted chiefly on the products of
the chase, they were doubtless fairly armed. They are
divided into about a dozen small bands, and were scattered
over a very considerable extent of country.
There were at the Battleford Agency, which lies west
of the Carleton Agency, upwards of two thousand Crees
and some three hundred Stoneys or Assiniboines, and these
were divided into about a dozen separate bands. There
was none of them in a particularly prosperous condition,
though most of their reserves were well located. The
most influential chief in this Agency, and perhaps the
most influential chief in the Northern Territory, was
Poundmaker, a Cree chief, whose individual following
w&y about uiie hundred and fifty. His reserve was on
Battle Kiver, a short distance west of Battleford. He is
a particularly fine-looking specimen of his race, being
considerably over six feet high, of rather slight build....,
and singularly erect He has an intelligent and ralKer
refined looking face, a high, prominent forehead, and a
nose of the purely Grecian type, while there is nothing
coarse or sensual about the lower portion of his face. His
hands are small and delicate in appearance, his fingers
being long and tapered. He is accounted an orator among
his own people, but has none of the noise and bluster
that too often characterize Indian oratory. Up 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 manner 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 enthusiast who was oppressed with
.the idea^that he had some great mission to accomplish.
ThoujpTa^agSS, ; tie^nangK)Te TEan once BeTrayecTa strong
inclination to embrace Catholicism. His father was a
Cree and his mother a half-sister to the great Blackfoot
I
56 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
chief, Crowfoot. His grandmother on the side of his
mother was said to have been a Stoney, and this is cor-
roborated by the great chiefs peculiar cast of countenance.
Poundmaker's career has been in many respects a remark-
able one. To use his own language, he often went among
the Blackfeet during his boyhood for the purpose of kill-
ing their people and stealing their ponies, but when he
grew to be a man he conceived the idea of making peace
between the Crees and Blackfeet. Crowfoot, his uncle,
was then all-powerful in the councils of the latter, but
often when he was absent from the camp Poundmaker
lay pretending to sleep while he heard the Blackfeet
debating whether to kill him or not. Many a night had
he lain hour after hour with his right hand grasping his
big Remington revolver at full cock under his pillow.
After a winter of terror, and several trips from Eagle
Hills to Blackfoot Crossing during the following summer,
his great object was accomplished, and peace was made
between the two great nations of the plains.
As the friend of Crowfoot, the great chief of the
Blackfeet, and as one of the most intelligent and influ-
ential of the Cree chiefs, Poundmaker could, if he chose,
become the most dangerous Indian in the North-West.
His influence with Crowfoot had always been extraordi-
nary, and he was universally looked up to and respected
by all the Crees of the North. He had trouble with the
Indian Department in the winter of 1883-84, and he was
not a man to quickly forget an indignity offered to himself
or his people. Inhere was not an Indian in the North-
West who knew the country better than Poundmaker.
In 1881, when Lord Lome went across the plains,
Poundmaker joined the party for the purpose of interpret-
ing the language of the Blackfeet into Cree, as the Cree
interpreter accompanying the party did not understand
Blackfoot. Johnny Saskatchewan was taken along to
act as guide, but between Battleford and the crossing of
the Red Deer the Half-breed lost himself, and for the last
two days Poundmaker was "guiding the guide." After
crossing the Red Deer, Poundmaker took the lead, and
THE INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND NORTH-WEST. 57
travelled in almost an air-line to the Blackfoot Crossing,
though there was no trail, and what was ev en more
remarkable, arranged his time-table so that he hit the
best grass and water to be had just about camping time
on every occasion. .
Little Pine had the large^ following of any chief in
tne Battleford district. His band numbered well toward
four hundred and fifty, and as he had but recently settled
on his reserve, too much dependence was not to be placed
upon his loyalty. He had b-en one of the South Crees,
and one of the last to settle on a Northern reserve. His
men were well-armed and well-mounted. Lucky Man
was an Indian of very much the same style as Little
Pine, he taking treaty and going North at the same time.
His band numbered about three hundred and fifty and
like those of Little Pine, his men were well-armed and
well-mounted. Like all buflalo hunters, they were experts
wift both pony and rifle. There were upwards ot two
thousand Crees in the Battleford Agency, besides some
three hundred Stoneys or Assinibomes.
In the Edmonton district there were about a dozen
small bands of Crees, and half-a-dozen bands of Assmi-
boines Altogether they numbered nearly three thousand.
They were, like the other Indians in the North in a
miserably destitute condition, and though disposed to be
pacific it was difficult to say what influence the prospect
of unlimited food and clothing might have had upon
their loyalty. . ,
The Fort Pitt Agency only embraced about seven
hundred people, though at one time, during the summer
of 1884, Big Bear and his band of five hundred were
located there. So far as the Crees properly belonging to
Fort Pitt were concerned, there was not much feared roi
them, or much expected of them. Like all the rest they
were 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 equipped ; but as they were for the most part
pretty well settled on their reserves, and many of them
58 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
fairly well off for Indians, they were not likely to take
part in any uprising unless it should have become general.
The only chief in this treaty who was at all likely to
become troublesome was Piapot, who with his band of
five hundred and fifty was located at Indian Head, near
Qu'Appelle. He was known to have no very friendly
feeling toward the Indian Department, and particularly
towards Lieutenant-Go vernor Dewdney. He was so near
the railway, and as it were almost in the heart of a fairly
settled district, it was thought that he would have some
difficulty in getting away unobserved. If there should
have come anything like a general uprising among the
Indians, however, Piapot would without doubt have taken
an active part on the side of the Crees, and unfortunately
should he have done so, and made anything like a success-
ful stand, it was only too probable that a large portion of
the seven thousand in Treaty Four would have joined him.
Those who knew anything of Indian affairs in the
North-West were now watching, with a great deal of
anxiety, the attitude of the Blackfeet nation in any
future crisis. Though not so numerous as the Crees, these
people, if roused, could not fail to become far more dan-
gerous. They numbered nearly six thousand, and instead
of being scattered about in small bands over a large
extent of country, they were compactly placed as follows,
according to their tribal distinctions :
Of the Blackfeet proper there were nearly two thou-
sand two hundred at Blackfoot Crossing, on Bow River,
some sixty miles from Calgary.
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 were over nine hundred on the Piegan reserve, on
Old Man's River, a few miles west of Fort McLeod.
Of the Sarcees there were over four hundred on their
reserve near Calgary. These people were not of the
Blackfeet tribe, but they had for years been under the
protection of and had formed a portion of the Blackfeet
nation. The legend concerning them is that they were
THfi INDIANS OF MANITOBA AND NORTH-WEST. 69
formerly a powerful and very warlike tribe, occupying a
portion of the Peace River country. Their turbulent
disposition involved them in one war after another, till
by their constant fighting, often against superior numbers,
they became so reduced that they were no longer able to
exist among the fierce and constantly warring tribes of
the North-West. Admiring their unquestionable bravery,
the Blackfeet nation took them under their protection,
since which time, though they have preserved their own
customs, language, and traditions, and though they have
to a great extent abstained from inter-marriage with the
Blackfeet, they have been to all intents and purposes a
portion of the Blackfeet nation.
Thus it will be seen that within a radius of some
sixty miles these four powerful branches of the Blackfeet
nation were concentrated. XThey were all of them much
more fond of war and pillage than of tilling the soil. Of
the four tribes forming this great nation the Bloods had
always been regarded as the most powerful and dangerous.
Besides being the most numerous they were the most
warlike, and were provided with Winchester rifles, re-
volvers, and abundance of ammunition. The Bloods had
again and again been accused, and often convicted, of
horse-stealing, and the unfortunate Police Constable
Greyburn was murdered by a Blood Indian. In fact, this
tribe had always enjoyed a most unenviable reputation
amongst the ranchmen of the vicinity. What made them
still more dangerous was their close proximity to the
cattle ranches, and to the extensive supplies of the Indian
Department, and those of the local traders at Fort
McLeod. They had no conscientious scruples against the
robbery of either the white men or of their own people.
Neither they nor any of the Blackfeet tribe had ever had
much to do with the Hudson Bay Company, and they
had, as a consequence, received nothing like the lesson of
honesty and good faith impressed upon those whose traffic
had been with the Hudson Bay Company. The Bloods
were particularly fond of " Counting Coo," and regarded
such a prosy and unromantic occupation as farming as
60 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
quite beneath the dignity of individuals calling them-
selves men. Nothing but the pressure of circumstances ever
compelled them to adopt farming as an occupation, and
should they have discovered that there had been a pros-
pect of a general Indian uprising, they would have been
very much disappointed if they had not been permitted
to play a part in it on one side or the other. They had
no affection for the Crees, nor indeed for any tribe outside
of the Blackfeet nation ; but, at the same time, as 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 Crees, it was not improbable that they might
have been induced to join the latter, in view of richer
plunder. The Bloods were probably the most accom-
plished horsemen in the North- West, they 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 Piegans. They were less numerous, less
warlike, than the Bloods ; but they were, for all that,
sufficiently numerous, powerful, and warlike to have given
ground for very serious apprehension in case of a general
uprising among the Indians. They, too, were well-armed,
and had in their band some four hundred 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
were the Bloods. They 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 than 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. They 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 NOBTH-WEST. 61
They had an unlimited range for their ponies, and thus
far had been very liberally rationed by the Government.
They had for a few years made very satisfactory progress
in farming, but it would not do to place too much de-
pendence on this circumstance. When Lord Lome was
crossing from Battleford to Blackfoot Crossing, Commis-
sioner Dewdney was fondly hoping that the BJackfeet at
the Crossing would have made a grand showing from an
agricultural point of view, 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 few buffaloes had crossed
the line and were coming northward ! This news sealed
the fate of the growing crops which the Commissioner
had hoped to show Lord Lome with so much pride, for
in order to get their ponies into condition for running
buffaloes as rapidly as possible, they had thrown down
their fences and turned the animals into the fields, and the
highly-prized crops presented a sorry picture by the
time His Excellency pitched 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. Should 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 fight ; and, taking all these things into consid-
eration, Crowfoot had evidently come to the conclusion
that, as there was nothing else for him to do, it only
remained for the Blackfeet to settle down and become
peaceable farmers. What influence the news of an
62 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
outbreak in the North-West might have upon him it was
hard to tell. It was not improbable that he and his people
might want to take part in it, and not impossible that
through Poundmaker'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 fine
appearance, had nothing like the intellectual ballast
possessed by Crowfoot. Should Crowfoot have heeded
his counsel, 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.
He was particularly fond of talking of the good old days
when the Blackfeet were nearly always on the warpath.
The Sarcees, though few in point of numbers, would
have counted for a good deal in case the Blackfeet had
gone to war. 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 formidable tribe in the more recent histories
of American wars, it was thought improbable that either
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 bands
all the way from Fort Ellice to the Kocky Mountains.
There were some few of them in nearly every agency,
and they were, as a rule, active and industrious. They
had little to do with either the Crees or the Blackfeet,
and were perhaps more remarkable for minding their own
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-WEST. 63
Woods, only a short distance south of Duck Lake. His
band consisted of about two hundred and fifty, and it
was not long before he allied himself to the rebel cause,
though such a course was not expected of him. He 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 protection in the event of defeat.
CHAPTER VII.
GENERAL MIDDLETON AND STAFF ON THE SCENE.
IT has been mentioned that the 90th Rifles had been
ordered from Winnipeg to Qu'Appelle, 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
e'arliest being placed in Fort Qu'Appelle, 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 with 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 first experiences of active service
were in South New Zealand, where the insurgent Maoris
carried on a 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
glorious, struggle of the few British soldiers who faced
the terrible storm pf the Hindoo Mutiny in 1857-58.
64 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Captain Middleton served as orderly officer to General
Franks at the battle of Sultanpore, and took part in the
advance on Lucknow. While thus engaged he was
A. D. C. to General Luard. He took part in the storming
of Bank-i-Houn and the Martiniere ; Major Middleton
was recommended by the general officer under whom he
served to Lord Clyde for the Victoria Cross on account
of twt) signal acts of valor in the field. At the Battle of
Azemghur, on April 15, 1858, he was ordered to take
command of a troop of the Military Train and to charge
a dense column of the rebels. Just as the troop, led by
Captain Middleton, had swept sword in hand into the
midst of the Sepoys, one of the officers, Lieut. Hamilton,
fell wounded from his horse. The wound had completely
disabled him, and a number of Sepoys rushed forward to
cut him to pieces with their tulwars. Captain Middleton
at once dismounted, lifted the wounded officer 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 by a wound, was saved in the same
way by Middleton. The Victoria Cross so well merited
by these gallant acts, was never actually bestowed , some
red-tapeism as to Captain Middleton's having been then
on the staff 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 General Luard last year given him
the rank of Major-General. 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 Gen.
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 Minta
GEN. MIDDLETON AND HIS STAFF ON THE SCENE. 65
Born in July, 1845, he was educated at Eton College,
at once one of the most aristocratic of the great public
schools of England, and one of the best training places
for boys to form a manly bearing and strength of char-
acter. From Eton he went to Trinity College, Cam-
bridge, where in 1866 he graduated as B.A. He entered
the army in 1867, when he received a commission in the
LORD MELOUND.
Scotch Fusilier Guards. From this regiment he retired
in 1870, holding the rank of captain. He 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
66
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
served during the war in Afghanistan in 1879, when he
served as a volunteer on the staff of Lieut-General Sir
Frederick Roberts, who is considered one of the best tac-
ticians in the British army. In 1881 he accompanied Sir
Frederick Roberts to Natal in South Africa as private
secretary. He subsequently took an active part in the
Egyptian war, and was wounded at Magwar. In 1883
he married Mary Caroline, daughter of the late Hon.
Charles Grey, and niece to Earl Grey, K.G.
MAJOR LAWBENOE BUOHAN.
Major Lawrence Buchan is descended from an ancient
Scottish family. He was born in Paris, County of Brant,
Ontario, and received his education at Upper Canada
College, where he evinced a taste for mathematics and
the study of military tactics; he studied then at the
Military College, where he received a certificate. He then
spent several years in New York city, where he engaged
in the commission business. Then returning to Toronto,
he became a partner in the stock-broking firm of Blake
GEN. MIDDLETON AND HIS STAFF ON THE SCENE. 67
and Alexander. For six years he held the position of resi-
dent secretary in Canada for the Scottish Commercial
Insurance Company. When he had carried out the wind-
ing-up of this Company's affairs in Canada, he went to
Brandon and displayed much energy and business talent
in promoting the progress and landed estate interests of
that city and the surrounding district. When the Mani-
toba Municipalities Act was introduced, he was appointed
Secretary-Treasurer of the Western Judicial District,
which position he still retains.
Major Buchan was connected with the Queen's Own
Rifles for a period of ten years ; he entered it as ensign,
and left with the rank of captain. He was much liked
in the regiment, being equally a favourite with both
officers and men ; of the colonel he has always been a
close friend. When the present Half-breed rebellion
broke out, Major Buchan telegraphed to Ottawa for leave
to enlist three companies in Brandon ; he proceeded to
Winnipeg where he was gazetted major, and served as
adjutant on General Middleton's staff. He is a valuable
aide, as he has travelled a good deal through the North-
West, and is thoroughly acquainted with the country and
the people.
General Middleton asked the Government for a force
of two thousand men, and Sir John Macdonald obtained
from Parliament an additional grant of a million dollars
f oythe expenses of the war.
a Meanwhile, the rebels and Indian sympathizers were
actively engaged in pillage of all stores, public and pri-
vate. Riel detained a number of settlers, among others
William Mitchel, prisoners in the little wooden church at
the village of Stobart, near the scene of the Duck Lake
skirmish. A leading settler named John Kerr was
arrested by Kiel's orders and brought before his executive
council of twelve, on a charge of counselling the escape
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.
I
CHAPTER Vltt.
OLD CANADA STRIPS FOR THE FIGHT.
MEANWHILE every effort for defence was made at
the towns and forts threatened by the insurgents.
At Battleford 200 volunteers were enlisted, and a home-
guard at Medicine Hat and Calgary, both of which had
to fear the Blackfeet Indians in case Kiel should succeed
in calling them to the war-path by the influence 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 Cree lodges, was well
defended by both divisions of the 90th Battalion of Win-
nipeg Rifles and by the Winnipeg Artillery.
The Canadian Pacific Railway Company resolved on
organizing a regiment from 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 was
likely to form a valuable aid to the main army.
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
proved 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 STRIPS FOR THE FIGHT. 69
Bowmanville, one company ; from the 47th Battalion,
Portsmouth, one company ; these troops to concentrate at
Kingston en route for Qu'Appelle, on March 31. At Port
Hope Colonel Williams, M.P., in command of the 46th
Battalion, made up a battalion for active service with
picked men selected from the 45th Battalion of West
Durham and Victoria, the 46th East Durham, and 40th
Northumberland. At Cobourg Col. Rogers, of the 40th,
had in readiness No. 1 Company, Captain H. J. Snelgrove ;
No. 2 Company, Captain G. Guilet; No. 3 Company,
Captain Bonycastle, of Campbellf ord.
At Toronto the departure of the troops was attended
with enthusiastic excitement of which the city has had
no experience for the last peaceable and easy-going half-
century.
On Friday night (March 27) the orderly sergeants
belonging to the Queen's Own and the Royal Grenadiers,
were busily engaged in summoning the men of the several
companies to the muster early next morning, at which
the 500 picked men for the war contingent were to be
chosen.
At eight on Saturday morning the streets leading to
the drill shed were packed with a dense multitude eager
to know who would be 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." Every-
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 war and the duties and responsi-
70 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
bilities it brought with it were preached in all tne
churches. In many a home bright eyes grew dim, and
anxious prayers were breathed, at the thought of those
loved ones who would depart on the morrow to the dis-
tant wilderness, to face the perils of savage warfare.
On Monday at noon the Toronto contingent left for
the seat of war. Through the densely crowded streets,
amid showers of bouquets from ladies in King Street bal-
conies, with all eclat of a triumph and the pomp of martial
music, Toronto's soldiers held their steady march to the
railway station. No mark of public sympathy was want-
ing. The city had bestowed a free grant of underclothing
on each soldier. The rank and intellect and beauty of
Toronto was conspicuous among the concourse of fifty
thousand who gathered to cheer them as the train moved
away.
Mr. C. YanHorn, Vice-President of the Canadian
Pacific Railway, had been in Toronto during March 28
and 29, making arrangements for providing comfortable
car accommodation for the soldiers. To that great
national railway thanks are due from everyone who is
loyal to Canada, since it is only owing to the exertions
made by that Company and its officers that sure, rapid
and healthful means of transit were provided for the troops.
On board the cars all was merry as a marriage bell.
Packs and heavy accoutrements were stowed away,
lunch was partaken of from the twenty-four hours' supply
of cooked provisions which each man had been directed
to provide. Then came the singing of patriotic songs
and such hymns as " Only an Armour-bearer," jokes
from the regimental wit who had been practising sleight-
of-hand all the week so as to juggle the rebel bullets,
The time passed merrily 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 and hardship had to be under-
gone 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 STRIPS FOR THE FIGHT. 71
railway to provide teams to carry the soldiers over the
gaps with as little delay as possible, and flat cars boarded
to the height of four feet and spread thickly with hay
were provided for the men during night journeys. But
the thermometer was 20 to 30 below zero, the roads
through the forests were terribly rough and broken by
pitch-holes, six feet or more deep, into which the horses
stumbled as into a trap. When the march was over there
was no shelter but the wind-flapped walls of a canvas
tent with floor of hardened snow. On this the men laid
down their blankets, but many preferred to sleep on the
snow outside near the huge fires which were blazing all
night. Few slept ; around them lit by the camp tires
were the silent aisles of the columned woods ; over all as
over the homes they had left was spread the steel-blue
vault with the diamond stars of a Canadian winter night.
With dawn came cheerful sunshine, fresh strength and
effort. The coldest and most trying part of the route was
crossing the frozen surface of Lake Superior, a terrible
ordeal to any but men of unusually strong constitution.
As it was many had their faces partially frozen.
However, on April 5, all arrived at Port Arthur in
safety, but such was the eager desire to reach the front
that Colonel Otter would not allow the Queen's Own to
halt even long enough to partake of a hot dinner, which
the people of Port Arthur had prepared. A little less
haste perhaps might have been good for the health and
efficiency of the troops. The Tenth Royals, however,
were allowed time to profit by the hospitality of Port
Arthur. The Toronto contingent arrived at Winnipeg on
the morning of April 7, and at Qu'Appelle, General Mid-
dleton's base of operations, on April 9.
In Toronto some of those interested in the fortunes of
the Queen's Own were inclined to wish that their ad-
vance by the railway to Winnipeg and Qu'Appelle had
been pursued with less relentless hurry. Happily, events
proved that in this matter Colonel Otter did not over-
estimate the powers of endurance of the men under his
command.
72 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
As the march proceeded the good-humour of the men
exposed to many privations was the more note- worthy as
most of them were accustomed to the refined luxury of a
home in which every comfort abounded. Their officers
from the first endeared themselves to the men, and made
hard tack and harder marching more cheerfully borne by
their own cheerful readiness to share equally with the
private soldiers every form of privation and exposure.
The officials of the Canadian Pacific Railway were unre-
mitting in their efforts to make the march through " the
gaps," or uncompleted portions of the road, as easy as pos-
sible. Mr. G. H. Middleton, Chief Engineer of the West-
ern Division, specially deserves the gratitude of Canada.
No better appointment could have been made by the
Directors of the Railway which at that critical time held
in its hands the fortunes of the war. Much of the sub-
sequent success of our army was due to his knowledge of
the country and sagacious disposition of the materials at
his disposal so as to get the troops over the ground in the
quickest possible time. Owing to his exertions and those
of Mr. Henry Abbott an ample stock of provisions was
provided at the gaps, where the men's strength would be
most heavily taxed. Mr. Abbott at his camp at Dog
Lake (where the first gap began) was in the habit of bak-
ing bread for a large number of railway employes. Our
men were well supplied with what the Roman poet
described as the best of sauces, active work, and the fresh
hot rolls turned out in abundance by Mr. Abbott's shanty
cook needed no pate de foie gras for a relish ! Noi
were slices of cold boiled pork wanting, broiled or fried in
shanty fashion. When possible, sleeping accommodation
was provided. Although it was not feasible to do all that
was wished to spare the brave boys from exposure and
discomfort, Colonel Otter and his officers 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 everything with
cheerful endurance. The wise counsel of their Colonel
here prevailed on them to avoid the materials for " Dutch
courage," strong drink forming no part of their equipment.
OLD CANADA STRIPS FOR THE FIGHT. 73
Songs heard often in the entr'acte at the Toronto Grand
Opera House re-echoed as they held their march over the
winter-stricken forest trail, or the dark-blue ice floor of
Lake Superior. Among them the lyrics of the Tyrtceus of
the Queen's Own, John A. Fraser, held a leading place
in cheering his former comrades.
Many were the curious incidents resulting from their
hasty departure from home. One man was telegraphed
for the combination of his bank safe. Another man had
left his gas burning, and another was paying three cents a
day for a Free Library btfok, which he had forgotten to
return when leaving Toronto.
Meanwhile the dear ones left behind waited in anx-
ious suspense. Captious critics haunted the newspaper
offices, and men who had no military experience or who^e
shoulders had never known the weight of a rifle were
loudly asserting that " the raw levies " must fail before
the experienced savage fighters of the wilderness. Of all
the Toronto newspapers the Globe and the World gave
accurate and unsensational intelligence, and the great
mass of our people waited in calm reliance on Providence,
not without fear of loss of beloved lives, not without
hope that the brave youths of Canada would be victorious.
The following poem, published in the Globe 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.
I saw the sudden tear-drop rise
In sweetest, purest of blue eyes,
When kneeling in the house of prayer
She heard good words of comfort there,
I knew the angels heard her pray
For one in the North- West a w^ay.
It was but noon of yesterday
He bade farewell, he marched away I
The rifle bright and bayonet seen
Above the Queen's Own garb of green,
With our five hundred's bold array
He marched for the North- West away.
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
As farther then, and farther still,
The dim march sounded down the hill,
As file on file, with steady pace,
Within the cars our boys took place,
As rose our farewell cheer to say
"God bless you," as they passed away.
They bore the foodless, dreary march,
The nights that chill, the days that parch,
Through drifted wilds their way they take,
Their pathway is the frozen lake,
Yet buoyant, bright, and bold are they,
Our boys in the North- West away 1
They did not fear that dark ravine
Where Half-breed hell-hounds yelped unseen,
With might 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 fear
When Otter led the charging cheer.
They charged the open, they laid low
With Gatling fire the Red skin foe,
They felt the rapture of the fray,
Our 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 !
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 No. 1 Company, Q.O.R.
CHAPTER IX.
THE WAR CLOUD BURSTS ON BATTLETORD.
ON the last day of March Winnipeg was horrified by
the news that the most dreaded calamity to be
feared 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 suffering, embittered with the recollections of
their former prosperity, these misguided people were only
too* willing to listen to any scheme, however absurd and
impossible, that promised to give them back the country
and the home which they 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 ten 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 the
barracks 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 Battleford barracks 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
76 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
for the assembling of a large body of armed men. Apple-
garth, who had filled the dangerous post of instructor to
Red Pheasant's band, narrowly escaped being murdered.
So began the siege of Battleford, destined to be
gallantly maintaineJ by the besieged and successfully
relieved. All the civilians capable of bearing arms volun-
teered for service. The Home Guard were on daily drill.
Sentries or scouts watched the movements of the skulking
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., Esquire, Clerk of the North-
West Council, barrister-at-law."
CHAPTER X.
N GUARD AT PRINCE ALBERT.
FT1HE town, or fortified post, known as Prince Albert, is
_L 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 thirty
miles from the Forks of the Saskatchewan, forty-nine
ON GUARD AT PRINCE ALBERT. 77
from Carleton, forty-five from the scene of the fight at
Duck Lake, and about fifty 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 north to south. The
country in the north-eastern part of this peninsula, ex-
tending from a point about twelve miles east of Prince
Albert, to a point about fifteen 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 who has learned to make his home in this
wilderness of wild -flowers, 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 Prince Albert a belt of heavily wooded hills
extends on either bank of the South Saskatchewan, which
renders its passage 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 the attempts
of the owners of land to " boom" property for purposes
of settlement, Prince Albert has grown in three distinct
centres or clusters of houses. The strongest of these for
purposes of military defence is that to the east, which
contains the Hudson 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-mill 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.
78 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Half-a-mile west of this is the' third and smallest por-
tion of Prince Albert, comprising McKay's mill, the post
and land offices, and several private residences, including
the lately founded Commercial College, and the dwelling
house of the Anglican bishop of Saskatchewan. The
country around this town is sufficiently open to prevent
an Indian attack.
The Saskatchewan where it flows by Prince Albert
has an average width of a hundred and fifty yards.
Thsre, since the retreat of Colonel Irvine from Fort
Carleton, about three hundred and fifty available fighting
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 ten years, and has not yet received 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. The Indian and police supplies have all
been given by private contract to the Hudson Bay Com-
pany; that means nearly all the money goes out of the coun-
try. It is put into 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 Bay 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 $1
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 GUARD AT PRINCE ALBERT. 79
further. If they take up arms I don't know how they
will equip and feed these men. I suppose the most of
them would have a gun of some kind. It is said that
Kiel could gather up 10,000 Indians on this side 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 extemporized
outworks, piles of rough cord wood ; but the wires were
cut by the rebels and little communication 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 two 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
parties 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 conflagration. 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 be known
as touchwood or tinder. In days before the lucifer match
was known, this hilly region was in great demand among
80 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
the Indians for supplies of this tinder with which, better
than the dry leaves described by Virgil, they could catch
the sparks latent in the flint-stone.
Beyond the Touchwood Hills extends the great Salt
Plain, stretching for thirty-five miles of dreary saline or
alkaline morass, where the melted snow was settling into
clayey slush mixed with the alkaline mud into which a
settler's waggon would sink hub-deep. Here the only
trees were willows, aspens, and the sad grey foliage of the
poplar. Here there were many points at which it would
have been difficult for the most effective scout to discover
a skilfully ambushed enemy, who could have hidden
behind cover in places rendered inaccessible to our men
by the surrounding morass. But here the General and
our Canadian army held their march unopposed.
CHAPTER XL
THE SIEGE OF BATTLEFORD CONTINUES. MAJOR WALSH
GIVES HIS VIEWS.
AS day after day passed the situation 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 irregular 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 then
threatened to sweep the country from the western bound-
ary of Manitoba to the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
Half the sufferings and. perils of the many isolated
settlers in the North Saskatchewan region during this
Indian Rising will never be toL3, but occasionally an
experience comes to the surface, which serves as a sample
of v > *J- they had to undergo. Here is one of them :
THE SIEGE OF BATTLEFORD CONTINUES. 81
George E. Applegarth was Farm Instructor to Red
Pheasant's band. On the night of Monday, March 30,
he was making up his returns with the intention of go-
ing to Battleford next day. The Indians of his reserve
had professed great friendliness for the whites. Like all
Indians, they said that since trouble had risen they might
fight, but they would fight on the side of the whites.
Applegarth went to bed about midnight. At 3 o'clock
in the morning he heard a tapping at the door. Getting
up he went to see what was the matter, when an Indian
quickly strode in and closed the door behind him. He
told Applegarth that the reserve was rising, and that
some of the bucks who had been to Battleford were after
him. Almost while he spoke the door burst open and
eighteen redskins 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 slipped 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 off, besides the clothes she wore,
was her wedding dress. About half-past three in the
morning the party of four set out on their race for life to
Swift Current, two hundred miles distant. They had got
five miles away when the whiffletree broke. Applegarth
had to walk two miles back to get a rail to make a new one
not of. Then they flew 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
had now struck the trail, which they left again to strike
into the coulees and elude their pursuers. They drove all
day, and towards nightfall caught sight of the Indians,
5
82 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
again. This time they thought it was all up with them.
The Indians were certainly following them, and were pos-
sibly waiting till nightfall to kill them. All Applegarth
could do was to tell his wife he would ask them to make
short work of the business. His wife and the little girl
cried a little, but kept up their courage well. They had
no arms with them. Before leaving the house Applegarth
had been searched by the squaws, and his arms and
money taken from him. The only defence the party had
against their pursuers was an axe.
At 2 o'clock in the morning of Wednesday, they rest-
ed for a couple of hours. The horses were nearly ex-
hausted. But a little before morning they were put
together again and driven on. When daylight came
there were no Indians in sight. They drove on all Wed-
nesday, and at nightfall took another rest. Applegarth
never closed his eyes, however. Sometime after mid-
night they went on, and on the forenoon of Thursday they
came up with Judge Rouleau, who had left Battleford
the previous Sunday with his wife and child, Mrs. Rae,
wife of the Indian agent, a hired man, the two Parkers,
of Battleford. and a man named Foster eight in all. This
brought up the party to twelve persons. When the judge
left Battleford there was no trouble, although trouble
was apprehended. Applegarth's rerjprt 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 Saturday, and was
the bearer of despatches to Colonel Herchmer. The
Battleford garrison believed Herchmer was within a day's
march of Battleford. Storer had pluckily volunteered
to go out and meet him and tell him of the events that
had transpired. On his way he met Smart, who was
coming in with goods, and the two journeyed south to-
gether. They arrived at Swift Current on Monday
morning.
The escape of Judge Rouleau and the party of Battle-
forcj refugees $,bpve alluded to, constitutes an interesting
THE SIEGE OF BATTLEFORD CONTINUES. 83
story especially as they were the last white people to see
the ill-fated Farm Instructor Payne, who was murdered
by his own Indians only a few moments after he had bade
them good-bye.
On Monday, March 30, Mr. Rae, the Indian agent,
sent a messenger up to one of the reserves to inquire as
to the truth of a rumoured uprising of the Indians.
Meanwhile some of the people began packing up such
articles as they wished to take with them ; but they had
not time to complete their preparations before the return
of the messenger, who reported to Mr. Rae that the
Indians were on their way, and were within eight or ten
miles of Battleford. Poundmaker, however, stated that
they intended no mischief, but only wanted to have a
talk with the Indian agent. On account of the shortness
of the time, the number of small children, and other diffi-
culties, most of the people gave up their intention of
leaving and concluded to go to the barracks, so that the
party which started consisted of Judge Rouleau, wife and
three small children ; Mrs. Dr. Rouleau and two servants ;
Mrs. Rae and servant ; two brothers named Parker, one
of whom was ill, and Mr. Berthiaume. The party bad
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, arriving at the Stoney reserve at 10.30 p.m.
Mr. Payne, the instructor, 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 bush forty miles
distant. In the morning, however, this Indian failed to
appear, and Mr. Payne sent his mother-in-law to insist
upon his going. The instructor, by the way, was married
to one of the daughters of the chief, a fine-looking and
intelligent woman. From Mr. Payne it was learned that
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 aud clothing with him. Mr. Berthiaume
84 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
left at a quarter to 10 o'clock, shaking hands with Mr
Payne in a friendly manner as he left, and fifteen minutes-
afterwards the latter gentleman was shot by his own
Indians. After leaving Mr. Payne the party travelled in
company with the Indian on the prairie until 11 o clock,
havm" no suspicion of what had been occurring in the
meantime at the reserve ; and the next day at about 3
o'clock they reached the bush, forty miles distant from
the reserve, from which point the Indian returned with
the rig. The horses being very tired, the party rested
there until the next morning. As they were then getting
ready to start, Mr. Applegarth arrived with his wife and
her sister. They had left at 3 o'clock in the morning
(Tuesday), having been informed by the brother ot trie
chief that he had just arrived from Battleford where he
had seen the Stoneys plundering the place It appeared
that, after killing Payne, they had started for Battletord,
and on their way had stopped at Barney Tremonts,
about half-way to Battleford; and that they had pro-
ceeded to take away his horses and cattle, and on his
resisting, had killed him in his own house, and then
helped themselves to all they wanted. Mr. Tremont was
an unmarried man, and he had been on very friendly
terms with the Stoneys. many of whom had worked tor
him from time to time. It was further learned that, on
the same Monday morning before the party left the
reserve, some of the Stoneys had gone to the Cree or Red
Pheasant reserve to tell them to go down to Battleford,
as the day for action had come. .
Amono- the details of the plundering of Battleford, is
the statement that some of the chief's squaws were
enabled to present quite a stylish appearance as they
promenaded in the silk dresses taken irom the homes of
L, Rouleau, Mrs. Rae, and other ladies. The wife of
Rev Mr Clarke, who was married last fall, lost her wed-
ding presents of silver, the savages smashing them in
front of the house. ,
Of course, as the news of the rismg spread greatly
exaggerated reports got abroad. It was reported that P.
THE SIEOE OP BATLLEFORD CONTINUES. 85
L. Clink, instructor to Moosomin's band, had been mur-
dered, and at one time the impression prevai, J that all
the instructors, including Mr. Jefferson on Poundmaker's
reserve, had been murdered. Subsequently, however, as
the facts came to be known, it was found that Moosomin
and his people had remained quietly on their reserve
during the trouble, while Poundmaker had never mani-
fested a disposition to take the life of a white man as
long as he was allowed to remain unmolested on his
reserve. * Indeed, from all that has as yet come to light
the attack on Poundmaker's camp at Cut Knife Hill
appears absolutely inexplicable. It is true that he came
down to Battleford, but he alleges that he was coming to
have a talk with the Indian agent. That he should have
fought after the lodges containing his women and
children had been fired on is in no way surprising. To
any one who knew the great Cree chief, the idea of his
permitting the murder of a defenceless white man on his
reserve was of course past belief.
During the few days' calm which followed the storm
of excitement, aroused by the news of the Indian rising
at Battleford, Major Walsh was interviewed with regard
to the rebellion, the causes leading up to it and the best
method of suppressing it. Among other things he said :
"When the first news of the Half-breed rising was
received my opinion was asked as. to its result. I replied
then that there would not be a shot fired. I was led to
this conclusion by two reasons. 1st. I did not believe
that the Half-breeds wanted to spill any blood. They
felt they had a grievance and desired to make some
demonstration which would attract the attention of the
Government and the people of Canada, with the hope
that it might 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 official of the
Government would be so lost to reason as to take the
responsibility of bringing on a war and driving the
86 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
country into such a state of excitement as now exists
until every resource in his possession or power was
exhausted.
" During the last twelve years there were two officials
on the plains who had many an opportunity, by taking
advantage of the simplicity of the Half-breeds and
Indians, of making a little notoriety for themselves if
they had been disposed to do so, at the expense of an
Indian war. But diplomacy was used instead of powder.
One of these men was Colonel McLeod. To show you
the tractable and peaceful disposition of these people, I
will, if you have time, relate a little experience I had
with them at Fort Walsh in 1876. There were at that
time about 2,000 families of Half-breeds and perhaps
3,000 families of Indians in the Cypress and Wood
Mountains. These people feeling dissatisfied with what
they called the ' Police Law ' the criminal law of Canada
which was introduced into that country by the police
in the spring of 1875, met in grand convention forty-five
miles east of Fort Walsh and decided that they must
appeal against the further enforcement of the law. They
appointed a delegation of fifty men to present their views
to me. I met the delegation. They claimed that the
law was inconsistent with the good government of a
people leading a wandering life, and interfered with their
domestic and social habits and comforts, and was to them
oppressive. And 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 protection
extended to every individual, and the safety given to life
and property as compared with the ordinances of the
THE SIEGE OF BATTLEFORD CONTINUES. 87
Prairie Government, which were tyrannical, and took
away the liberty not only of the individual, but of
families. For three days the discussion continued, and
at the end of the third the conference broke up without
my being able to convince the delegation that their
demands were unreasonable, and they withdrew, announc-
ing their determination to resist the law that up 4o that
day they had strictly but unwillingly obeyed. I went to
my quarters thoroughly discouraged and wishing for the
assistance of some one with more power of language and
more skilled in diplomacy. I felt the fault was mine,
and that I failed for want of ability to convince them.
Mind you, I was not afraid of any personal harm, but I
felt the seriousness of driving these people into hostility
and instituting a war on the people of the plains.
Besides I had for these people, whom by this time I had
got to know well, a ieeling of shall I call it sympathy?
it was more than sympathy, it was justice, and led me to
desire to conquer with words rather than with arms. I felt
that these people meant to do right and were only doing
wrong from my want of ability to enlighten them as to
what was right. I sent for my interpreter and instructed
him to go and call from among the Half-breeds five men
whom I had selected as the most intelligent and influen-
tial of the delegation. They arrived at midnight. One
of these, a namesake of my own, was 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 allow
them to depart without once more appealing to their
judgment. I told them that I had been sent among them
not to be a master, but a friend, and that my treatment
of them had proved this. The Government of Canada
had decided that one set of laws (those I had read to
them) should govern the whole country. To allow each
community to make its own laws would destroy any
State or country. I concluded by saying that the law
would have to be enforced, even if force had to be used,
and that while the Government of Canada wished to be
88 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
their friends, if they became enemies it would be the
fault of the Half-breeds. They retired, saying the dele-
gation would wait on me again. It did the following
day, and informed me that our law would be observed,
and that their council would be dismissed and their
Government abolished. From that day till I left there, a
little dVer a . year 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 Half-breeds,
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 dead 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 we are now having trouble with.
" I think a commission should 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 they have been neglected ? Don't forget that these
people 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, who
is the man in Canada who would cry out against sending
a commission Jc,o treat with them ? These people are
not rebels, they are but demanding justice."
CHAPTER XII
THE FROG LAKE MASSACRE.
NO matter what the cause, no matter what the wroDg
he may have suffered, he incurs an awful responsi-
bility who incites the Indians to acts of violence and
bloodshed. The demon of anarchy and rebellion becomes
tenfold more horrible when he possesses the breasts of
those rude tribes who have never learned to respect the
usages of civilized warfare. The murder of Payne on the
Assiniboine reserve near Battleford and that of the
ranchman Barney Tremont, were horrifying; but the
news of the Frog Lake massacre was by all odds the
most blood curdling that came 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 had been excited and restless, they had com-
plained that they were not being properly fed, and were
dissatisfied generally ; the crops were short, and as it was
not uncommon for them to grumble under almost any
circumstances, their uneasiness was not in all probability
deemed to furnish reasonable grounds for anything like
serious alarm. In view of the fact, however, that insur-j
rection was 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 trouble.
When the news of the Duck Lake fight reached them,
Big Bear's Indians were loud in their professions of
90 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
friendship, several times visiting the Indian sub-agency
at which Thomas T. Quinn was the officer in charge. On
April 2 they were in the village, having the usual jokes
of the day, and in the evening they visited Quinn's house,
still professing great friendship. They remained there
till late. An hour before daylight next morning (April 3)
they came in a body to Quinn's. 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 woman, and had one little girl. His
brother-in-law followed up-stairs, and prevented the crime
by stepping between Bad Child and Quinn's bed. Mean-
time the Indians below had taken three guns from Quinn's
office. Travelling Spirit called out Quinn's Indian name,
saying, " Man-Speaking-Sioux, come down." His brother-
in-law, Love-Man, told him not to go. Not taking his
advice, Quinn went down, and was at once seized and
taken over to Farm Instructor Delaney'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 ?"
" 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. Cameron 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
small quantity. A keg of powder and nearly all the ball
THE FROG LAKE MASSACRE. 91
cartridge had been sent to Fort Pitt from Frog Lake, on
the advice of Mr. Cameron and others, after the news of
the Duck Lake fight had been received. While Cameron
was getting out the stuff for the Indians, they watched
him narrowly with their loaded guns all ready.
Big Bear now appeared on the scene. Entering the
store he waved his arm round, saying to his braves:
" Don't touch anything here in the Company's place. If
there is 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
Spirit 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 ?"
Quiun 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 Indians, William Gladien, asked Big Bear's
party to leave him in charge of the store, " because," said
he, " you are always wanting to get something, and
there's no use taking Mr. Cameron there." They agreed
to this.
Shortly afterwards Travelling Spirit came up to Mr.
Cameron and said : " Why don't you go to church ? All
the 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 standing near the door and the
92 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
others were kneeling while the service was going on.
Travelling Spirit entered and remained half-kneeling in
the centre of the little church, with his rifle in his hand.
He had a war hat on and his face was daubed with yel-
low paint in mockery. The priests finished the service,
and Father Fafard at the close got up and warned the
Indians against committing excesses.
The people then went to Delaney's house, while Mr.
Cameron went to breakfast, Yellow Bear, a Frog Lake
Indian, keeping close to him all the time. After finishing
his breakfast Mr. Cameron went to his store. Travelling
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, " Come with me." Yellow Bear
said, " Bring it here."
Mr. Cameron replied, " Travelling Spirit has ordered
me to come here. If he sees me going back he might
shoot me."
The Indian s*aid, " Never mind ; I will go with you to
the store."
On the road they met Travelling Spirit, who asked
them where they were going. Yellow Bear said to the
store. They went to the store and Yellow Bear got a
hat. Miserable Man entered with an order from Quinn,
probably the tost writing he ever penned. Mr. Cameron
has preserved it. It read as follows :
11 Dear Cameron, Please give Miserable Man one
blanket. QUINN."
Mr. Cameron said, " I have no blankets."
Miserable Man looked hard at him but said nothing.
Yellow Bear spoke, " Don't you see he has no blankets.
What are you looking at him for ?" " Well," said Miser-
able Man, " I will take something else," and he tooS four
or five dollar's worth of odds and ends. Just as they
THE FROG LAKE MASSACRE, 93
finished trading they heard the first shot. Miserable
Man turned and rushed out. Cameron heard some one
calling " Stop ! stop !" This was Big Bear, who was in
the Hudson's Bay Company's house talking to Mrs. Simp-
son, the factor's wife. As Mr. Cameron went out of the
store he locked the door, and while he was doing this an
Indian ran up and said, " If you speak twice you are a
dead man. One man has spoken twice already, and he
is dead."
This man, as Mr. Cameron soon learned, was Quinn,
who had been standing with Charles Gouin, the Half-
breed carpenter, in front of Pritchard's house. Travelling
Spirit had said to Quinu, " You have a hard 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, quietly, " I will stay here."
Travelling Spirit then levelled his gun at Quinn's
head, saying, " I tell you go !" and shot him dead. Gouin,
who was an American Half-breed, was shot by the Worm
immediately after on the road to the Indian camp, a short
distance from Pritchard's house.
Mr. Cameron asked Yellow Bear what all this meant.
Yellow Bear caught him by the hand and said, " Come
this way." Then seeing Mrs. Simpson about to leave her
house, he said, " Go with her; don t leave her."
Mr. Cameron walked away with Mrs. Simpson. When
they had got a short distance from the house she stopped
and called Cameron's attention to the priests, who were
standing about a hundred yards away expostulating with
some Indians who were loading their guns. Delaney was
close by. Suddenly the Indians raised their guns and
rushed at Delaney. Father Fafard dashed up and placed
himself in front, menacing the Indians, but was over-
powered by numbers and thrown down, and Bare Neck
shot Delaney, and then, with the other barrel, tired at the
priest Father Fafatd and Delaney were badly wounded,
94 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
and, as they lay writhing, Man- Who- Wins walked up
and fired at them, killing both. Father Marchand (from
Onion Lake) was meanwhile attempting to keep the
Indians from going after the women. When he saw that
Father Fafard had been killed he attempted to push his
way through the crowd of Indians to reach the body, but
they resisted. He was a wiry man and fought hard.
Travelling 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 Go wan-
lock was killed by the Worm. Gilchrist and Dill were
together, and Little Bear who had previously killed
Williscraft fired on them. , Gilchrist fell immediately,
but Dill was not hurt and' started to run. The Indians
chased 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 could do nothing
to save them. He went up and caught Mrs. Simpson by
the arm, thinking she was going to fall from the shock.
They walked on. She kept saying " Go on faster," for
the Indians were all round ; but there was no use in try-
ing to run away. They afterwards learned that had this
been tried Mr. Cameron would have been shot. After
reaching the main camp, a Frog Lake chief named He-
Stands-Up-Before-Him and some head men 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 first news of
the trouble. The two women were walking to camp
with Mr. Gowanlock and Mr. Delaney, when the two
latter were shot. Gowanlock fell dying 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 FROG LAKE MASSACRE. 95
When Mr. Cameron left they broke open the store and
raided it. When the two women arrived in camp they
were bought by Half-breeds to save them from the
Indians. John Pritchard, the_interpreter z bought Mrs.
Delaney for a~~hDYge~ and $30. Pierre Blondin bought
MfS": Gowanlock for three horses. The two stayed with
Pritchard's family. Mr. Simpson, the Hudson's Bay
factor, was at Pitt when the massacre occurred, but
returning in the evening was taken prisoner. A day or
so after this the bodies of the killed were frightfully
mutilated and thrown into the empty houses, after hav-
ing been stripped of valuables. Dancing and feasting
went on for days.
When Pitt was attacked only the men went out,
returning after the garrison evacuated with the McLeans
and others. The intention of the Indians was to go to
Battleford and join Poundmaker and then attack the
police barracks, so the whole camp moved towards Pitt,
taking about ten days. However, they did not go to
Pitt, but moved down the river. Several camps were
made close together near the place of General Strange's
subsequent skirmish, and it was from east of there where
a large thirst dance lodge had been put up, that they
were hurried by the appearance of our scouts.
The majority of the Indians of Frog Lake, Long Lake,
and Onion Lake, and other bands of Wood Crees, were
compelled to join Big Bear, though 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 order to live. The Wood Crees did all they
could to save the whites, and did not know anything of
the intention of Big Bear's party to kill the people at
Frog Lake. Some Wood Crees even threatened to shoot
Big Bear's men when the murdering began, but they
were too few at the time, and would only have been
killed themselves. All the whites saved owe their lives
to the Half-breeds and Wood Crees.
During their captivity the prisoners were never hun-
gry nor were they closely confined, although everything
96 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
was taken from them. The two women remained with
Pritchard's family and there was absolutely no founda-
tion for the horrible stories about them which were cir-
culated at the time. The McLean family was not separ-
ated and although at first Big Bear's party had charge of
them, the Wood Crees took them over because they
thought they were not used well enough. A party of
Crees took Cameron and others and withdrew from Big
Bear's band just prior to Strange's skirmish of the 27th
of May, thinking that perhaps the Plain Crees would kill
the prisoners if any of their number were wounded or
killed. Big Bear's band had been wishing to kill the
prisoners all along, and were only prevented by the
watchfulness of the Metis and Wood Crees, while the
women owe their safety entirely to Blondiii, Pritchard,
and other Half-breeds.
The victims of this frightful massacre, so far as known
at present, are as follows :
T. T. Quinn, Sub-agent, Indian Department ; Father
Fafard, Father Marchand, John Delaney, Farm Instructor ;
J. A. Gowanlock, Charles Gouin, William Gilchrist, John
Williscraft, John Dill.
Besides these, Mrs. Gowanlock, Mrs. Delaney, James
K. Simpson, and several other settlers were made
prisoners.
It is, of course, impossible to describe the horror with
which this massacre inspired public sentiment throughout
Canada. Mr. T. T. Quinn, the Indian Agent, was known
as one of the most capable and competent of the
employe's in the Indian Department in the North- West.
He was born in the Red River valley, his father being an
Irish trader and his mother a Cree Half-breed. He
received a good education at the St. Boniface College.
When 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 horror an Indian who had
THE FROG LAKE MASSACRE. 97
taken a liking to young Tom Quinn's bright and hand-
some face hid him under the counter among some empty
salt sacks, and by that means he made his escape from
savages who were sparing neither women nor children,
no matter how helpless they were. As a young man Mr.
Quinn entered the service of the Hudson Bay Company,
in which he soon distinguished himself for courage, intel-
ligence, industry, and thorough honesty. He was placed
in charge of the Company's post at Malign Portage on
the Dawson Route, over which passengers were carried
for some three or four years between Port Arthur and
Winnipeg, and remained there till trade in that locality
was abandoned. He was always very popular with the
Indians wherever he went, thoroughly understanding
Indian character, and always conducting his business with
that frankness and honesty which the aborigines are sure
to respect. He spoke the English, French, Cree, Ojibewa,
Saulteux, Sioux, and Assiniboine languages with perfect
fluency, and could converse intelligently with the Black -
feet, though he did not profess to have mastered their
language. He had been in the employ of the Indian
Department for some four or five years, serving some
time in Battleford under the direction of Mr. Hayter
Reed, who was then in charge of that agency. He was
subsequently promoted to the Sub-agency at Fort Pitt,
and only made Frog Lake the headquarters of the Fort
Pitt Agency some time in June, 1884. Mr. Quinn was
probably one of the finest physical specimens of humanity
to be found in the North- West Territory. Standing six
feet two inches high and weighing about one hundred
and ninety pounds he had the peculiarly erect and!
graceful carriage often characteristic of men of unusual
strength and agility. Though no stranger would detect
evidences of Indian blood in his appearance or manner,
his face had just enough of it to make it unlike the face
one usually expects to see when a man is described as
tall, dark, handsome, and having black moustache, hair,
and eyes. He was a thorough frontiersman either for
98 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
bush or plain. An accomplished horseman and a skilled
canoeman, he was thoroughly at home on snowshoes, an
experienced traveller with dog trains, and an expert with
axe, rifle, shotgun, or revolver. Mr. Quinn, who was a
Catholic, laboured in a very quiet and modest, but effec-
tive way toward the conversion of the Indians from
paganism to Christianity, as from his boyhood he had
always taken a deep interest in anything that was calcu-
lated to ameliorate the condition of the Indian, no matter
to what tribe he might happen to belong. His death
was sincerely mourned by many an old frontiersman
between Lake Superior and the Rocky Mountains.
Mr. John A. Gowanlock, one of the victims of the Frog
Lake massacre, was a brother of Messrs. A. G. and James
Gowanlock, proprietors of the Parkdale Times. He was
a millwright by trade, and first visited the North-West
in 1879, when he went out to Rapid City and was engaged
in the erection of a grist mill. He afterwards went into
business as a storekeeper at Regina and Battleford. In
October of 1884 he came home, and while in Ontario
married Miss Johnson, daughter of a U. E. Loyalist of
that name living at Tin tern, Ontario, who accompanied
him on his return to the North- West. His friends were
unwilling for him to return to the North-West, as he fj
said when at home that he anticipated a disturbance//
among the Indians ; but having been engaged in tradin_
with them for a long time, and always being on the mosif
friendly terms with them, he had no fears. At the time
the troubles broke out he, in partnership with Mr. Laurie,
son of the editor of the Saskatchewan Herald, was
engaged in the construction of a grist-mill at Frog Lake,
where they had shortly before completed a saw-mill.
The Rev. Father Fafard was born in Berthier, P.Q.,
where his parents are still living. His earlier education
was carried on in Montreal, and completed at L'Assornp-
tion College in 1874. Immediately on finishing his col-
lege course he went to the North-West, where he was
attached to the Battleford Mission included in the diocese
THE FROG LAKE MASSACRE.
99
of Bishop Grandin, of St. Albert. His duties were those
of a Catholic priest, in addition to which he undertook
the education of the children of his flock, which consisted
of whites, Half-breeds and Indians.
Of the Rev. Father Marchand, comparatively little is
known ; he was a young priest who came out from France
in 1883, and was at once attached to Bishop Grandin's
mission, and at the time of his martyrdom was labouring
in connection with Father Fafard. Both of these mission-
aries were Oblat Fathers.
" TRAVELLING SPIRIT,"
The Leader in the Frog Lake Massacre.
LIEUT. -OOL. W. D. OTTBB.
CHAPTER XIII.
OTTER'S 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-five, 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 Otters 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 miles
OTTEK'S MARCH TO BATTLEFOKD. 101
(perhaps thirty-four), and this brought them to the ferry,
some distance west of the mouth of Swift Current Creek.
The country between the railway and the river is mainly
upland prairie, affording smooth, dry footing. The
approach to the river is down a steep bank, about four
hundred feet high, and at the foot of this spreads a strip
of bottom land a mile wide, stretching to the river's bank.
The river itself is about two hundred yards wide. Once
across the river there were no bottom lands to cross, but
the ascent of the north bank began at once. The slope
is a comparatively gradual one, and the bench land on
the north side is only about two hundred and fifty feet
above the water ; little or no difficulty or delay was en-
countered at that point. Next came a short march of six
or seven miles over a beautiful upland prairie which
brought the column to a small sweet water lake which
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 probably ninety miles or more
from the Saskatchewan, is destitute of anything in the
shape of timber.
After leaving the lake already alluded to, the trail
leads up a long gradual ascent made over gently undulat-
ing prairie uplands. Here, as well as in the short march
already mentioned, the footing was reasonably dry and
firm. Then comes a very sudden, but slight descent into
a strange looking valley, with a smooth, 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 pass. Above this
ridge the ascent continues as the march leads still north-
ward over slightly rolling prairie for some twenty miles,
102 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
after which high rolling hills are entered. Here the soil
is dry and gravelly, and alkali lakes are numerous, but
there are also pools and lakes of sweet water quite suf-
ficient to supply all possible requirements for camping.
Though the trail through these hills is always firm and
dry, it is very tortuous, while some of the hills rise well
towards the dignity of mountains. This 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 mentioned class of country, 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 Saskatch-
ewan, is reached. A long and rather steep hill leads
down into the valley of this creek from the south, and a
strip 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 f er day. It is not to be understood, however, that
OTTER'S MARCH TO BATTLEFOBD. 103
the men marched at that rate, for the fact is that after
Saskatchewan Crossing was reached part of the men were
able to secure a ride on the waggons for portions of the
remainder of the distance. Going over the prairie in this
fashion was not at all disagreeable. The weather during
the day was comfortably warm, and at night, although
the pools of water everywhere met with on the prairie
were found each morning covered with a fresh surface
of ice, the men got along very nicely under the canvas,
and accommodating themselves to their changed circum-
stances really seemed to be beginning to enjoy the vicis-
situdes of soldiering. The most trying time was on
picket or sentry. Those familiar with the country and
the Indian method of warfare had no fear that the column
would be attacked before reaching Battleford, except it
might be that stragglers from the camp might be picked
off or that a picket or sentry would be charged at night.
While the column was advancing Colonel Herchmer's
detachment of Mounted Police, numbering twenty-five,
together 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
oi 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 spring waters had carried
the bridge away, but materials for the construction of a
new one had been brought along, and sent on in advance
to prepare a crossing for the column, 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 placed in each.
Colonel Otter started out with only about ten days'
forage, and his provisions also were very much short of
104 CANADA'S NOKTH-WEST REBELLION.
the thirty days' rations he had expected to take with
him. The difficulty was that there were not sufficient
teams to get the whole under way at once. The method
adopted was to send back the teams for fresh loads as
soon as those they started out with were consumed.
They expected to meet other loads coming on from the
Crossing, pick them up and return, while the teams, thus
relieved, carried the empty waggons back to the Crossing.
Colonel Otter's column presented a very formidable
appearance as it wound along the crooked trail over the
prairies. Its two hundred teams stretched sometimes
over two or three miles, and looked at from any promin-
ent position, was such assuredly as would put dread into
the heart of the Indian. The Eagle Hills, where it was
expected the enemy would be encountered, if at any place
along the line, were reached on Thursday, the 23rd April,
about 11 a.m. A halt was made for dinner, and among
the men the probabilities of the next few hours were dis-
cussed with much interest. The day previous Charlie
Ross, one of the best-known and most daring of the
Mounted Police scouts, had come across a band of proba-
bly a dozen Indians in one of the prairie valleys. They
had a buckboard and cart, and were apparently engaged
in the very peaceful occupation of slaughtering and
dressing a calf. They were certainly surprised by the
appearance of the scout who advanced to speak to them.
When he was about two hundred yards distant they fired
a couple of shots in his direction. 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 filled with mud. The Indians
made off as fast as they could, and Ross returned and
reported the occurrence. A detachment was at once
ordered to be ready for pursuit, but the Indians were not
again seen. This occurrence aroused some apprehension
of trouble when the Hills were reached, although it had
been reported that the Indians had deserted their reserve
a day or two previously. All through these Hills there
OTTER'S MARCH TO BATTLEFORD. 105
was a considerable growth of poplar and underbrush. The
ravines were deep, and in some cases precipitous, and the
ground rises unevenly to a considerable length. By two
o'clock on Thursday afternoon, the column had reached
' the reserve of Chief Mosquito, of the Stoneys. The
scouts hunted it over thoroughly, but were unable to dis-
cover traces of a living Indian. All was in supreme dis-
order, and the log huts in which they had lodged gave
evidences of very hasty flight. In one of the tepees a
most ghastly spectacle met the eye. A couple of boxes,
such as are used for dry-goods, were piled one on top of
the other, and on the uppermost a smaller box which had
been used for packing soap. The latter was first taken
down and looked into. It contained the lifeless body of
an Indian child, probably two years of age, placed in a
sitting posture. Its little head had been knocked out of
shape, evidently by the back of an axe, and the eyes,
crushed nearly out of their sockets by the force of the
blows from behind, seemed to be glaring out in the wild-
est horror. It was a most revolting sight, and bore
terrible testimony to the fiendish nature of the warring
Indian. The second box was looked into, and another
object almost equally revolting was to be seen. The
corpse of a squaw, probably twenty years of age, with
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
the left hand was raised to the cheek, holding a handker-
chief smeared with blood. The boxes were restored to
the position in which they were found and the search
was continued. It was on this reserve that Indian
Instructor Payne was 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 column. Preparations in the way- of
106
CANADAS NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
ploughing and harrowing were already on foot on tht
reserves for putting in the season's crop, when the Indians
went on the war path. The trail through the hills was
about six miles in length, and as the column advanced
the scouts were kept busy scouring the country on all
sides. A number of white people had settled in this
fertile region, and were laying the foundation of comfort-
able homes with plenty of every necessary of life at their
doors. Their homes had all been deserted, and were
looted by the Indians. No traces of an Indian were
found. Seven or eight miles 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 low.i from view, great volumes of black
smoke shot up, and for a while it was thought the enemy
OTTER'S MARCH TO BATTLEFORD. 107
must have obtained possession of the town and probably
the fort as well and, seeing the advance of the forces
over the hill, were setting fire to the place previous to
deserting it. No news from Battleford had been received
by Colonel Otter for some days, and he was, therefore,
ignorant of the position of affairs. There was a quarter
of an hour of anxious suspense till the troops gained the
top of the intervening hill. It was then seen at a dis-
tance of probably five miles that a building on the south
side of Battle River in the old fcownwas on fire. That it
was the work of the Indians was apparent ; but it was a
relief to find that the fort and new town were still hold-
ing out. The column was halted on a plain about three
miles from the river, the teams corralled, and the tents
pitched for the night. Scarcely had the sun set, sinking
as it seemed into the great plain beyond Battleford, than
the sky was lit up by another building ablaze in the old
town. From a prominence near the camp, with the aid
of a good glass, the Indians could be seen dancing about
the fire in fiendish delight over the ruin they were mak-
ing. Charlie Ross, the police scout, accompanied by sev-
eral others, left the camp at sundown to reconnoitre the
position and numbers of the Indians. Just before he 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 intention.
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 to within a very
short distance of them. Ross 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
108 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
a few yards of him, and became aware of the presence of
an Indian. The latter no doubt took Ross to be one of
his own people, and Ross was not averse that he should
hold that opinion under such circumstances. Half-a-
dozen Indians presently rose up all around him and went
to their horses a short distance away. Ross also moved
away, and presently came across his companions near the
main trail. There they stationed themselves till a dozen
mounted Indians rode slowly along. When they^were
thirty yards past Ross sprang up and called, " Halt." The
Indians did not halt, however, but put spurs to their
ponies, and the scouts opened fire on them with their
revolvers, the only firearms they carried. This was the
firing they heard from the camp. The Indians in a few
minutes all seemed to have disappeared, as if by magic.
They were doubtless in ambush awaiting the advance of
those who had fired on them. The Mounted Police squad
presently came up and thought it wise that all should
return to camp.
The pickets thst night doubtless put in an anxious
time of it. It was the general impression in camp that
the Indians would make an effort to pick off some of the
farthest out, but it was otherwise. The sun rose brightly
over the scene of the Indians' bonfire, but no Indian
was then to be seen. The house that had been burned
the previous evening was Judge Rouleau's handsome
resi lence.
Immediately after breakfast the tents were struck
and the whole column advanced to the brow of the some-
what steep declivity running down to Battle River.
Here the tents were again pitched close beside the Indus-
trial School and only a short distance from the smoulder-
ing ruins of Judge Rouleau's residence. The Indians had
made a complete wreck of the old town and had exercised
almost devilish 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
OTTER'S MARCH TO BATTLEFORD. 109
unburned house in the old town presented a similar
appearance.
There were shut up in the fort something over five
hundred men, women, and children, composed of towns-
people and all the white people settled in the district.
The fort is about two hundred yards square, with a
stockade ten feet high. There was an abundance of pro-
visions enough, it was thought, to last three months.
This comprised both the police and Indian supplies. In
so small a space it will be readily understood that the
people were pretty well crowded, but not uncomfortably
so. Numerous tents were pitched in all parts of the
enclosure, and the beleaguered people contrived to make
themselves tolerably comfortable.
The fort is situated on an elevated plateau, and can
be approached only in the open. The new town lies west
of the fort, and the Indians had been kept from sacking
it by a wholesome dread of the shells which the seven-
pounder gun in the barracks was capable of throwing. Up
to the day before Colonel Otter's arrival Colonel Morris
was in command, with a detachment of twenty- five police.
His situation had been unquestionably a difficul one.
His first duty, of course, was to see that the fort and the
people within it were protected from the enemy ; his
second to protect as far as possible the property of citi-
zens and settlers in the neighbourhood. He had suc-
ceeded in preserving the fort as well as the property of
citizens in the new town, and in order to do this he had
to exercise constant vigilance. The property of settlers
in the outlying district of course easily fell a prey to the
Indians, who had sacked all the houses, and burned most
of them for twenty-five miles around that is throughout
the whole settlement. But Colonel Morris was very
roundly blamed by many of the 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
110 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
distant, plundering the stores and carrying off the goods
and provisions with the horses and vehicles they had
appropriated from the settlers ; it must indeed have been
a galling sight. About one hundred and fifty of the men
in the fort repeatedly requested Colonel Morris to be
allowed to go out and attempt to drive the enemy off and
secure the provisions. This request he refused persis-
tently, and the plundering went on unchecked, except on
two occasions when the gun was brought out about half
way to the river, and a number of shells thrown at the
enemy. Four of them were killed and the rest dispersed
into the woods. On the second day a dozen men of the
Home Guards crossed the river, when the Indians fled,
and captured a horse and buckboard, the latter loaded
with looted goods. It appears the horse was baulky and
would not move off with the Indians. In connection
with Colonel Morris' refusal to allow a rescue party to
leave the fort it must be kept in view that the com-
manding officer had about as great dread of the enemy
within the fort as that without. Many of them were
Half-breeds and their loyalty, to say the least of it, ques-
tionable. Had they been allowed to get out he did not
know what their freedom might have developed. His
position, if disaster had followed a compliance with the
men's request, would have been a most unenviable one.
Another reason for his refusal was that the ice in the
river was in such a condition that it might be expected
to break up at any moment, and if this had occurred
while the men were on the opposite shore, their return
would have been next to impossible, and the fort would
practically have been left at the mercy of the enemy.
On Wednesday, 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 most popular men of the
district, and one who seemed to possess the entire confi-
dence of the Indians. But it was a most notable circum-
stance during this uprising that those men who have
OTTER'S MARCH TO BATTLEFORD. Ill
been most kind and considerate to the Indians have been
those who have first been marked for death.
The situation all through this district was most
deplorable. The settlers, of course, had been robbed of
everything. Their cattle and horses had been driven
away, their houses either burned or sacked, and thus the
labour of years had been rendered vain. Those who had
toiled amid innumerable hardships to bring themselves
and their families into positions of comparative ease, were
left homeless and penniless, in an infinitely worse condi-
tion than when they first set foot in the country. The
seed for which the ground was just being prepared was
never sown.
The finding of the body of Payne, the Indian Instruc-
tor, on Mosquito's reserve caused something like a sensa-
tion in the camp and barracks. It was believed that the
Indians had cut it to pieces and disposed of it in that
way. Sergeant Langtry was in charge of the fatigue
party that made the discovery. The murdered man was
lying apparently just as he had fallen, on his face, with
his arms stretched out before him, and a number of deep
wounds on the back of his head told of the deadly and
cowardly nature of the attack. A quantity of straw had
been loosely thrown over the corpse, and the wind blow-
ing a portion of this away disclosed the form. In the
house which he occupied everything was in confusion.
His diary, containing entries up to the night before his
death, was discovered. There was no reference to an
expected rising, excepting in an entry made three days
previous to his death, which showed that Indian Agent
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 Judge Rouleau in deserting the place
immediately that the slightest danger showed itself, was
very severely commented on by nearly all those in the
fort. Ever since cause for fear had manifested itself by
the sullen manner of the Indians, Judge Rouleau, it is
said, persistently maintained that there was no reason for
112 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
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 affairs, but immediately that matters assumed
a gravity that could no longer be gainsaid, he took to
horse and u skinned " out of the country. A correspond-
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 flight, he had got
safely into the Citadel at Que-bec, and is now barricaded
from the arrows of the enemy by many thicknesses of
iron plate. Almost everybody, even his compatriots and
personal friends, are thus referring to him."
In referring to the volunteers the same correspondent
says:
" No 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 he
regiment is roundly disappointed and dissatisfied that an
opportunity has so long been 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 is tanned a glorious brown. Most of them
have perforce allowed their beards to grow, and as they
were seen at church 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
GENERAL MIDDLETON'S ADVANCE. 113
forward to the contrary. Since pitching camp here, fresh
beef has been occasionally served, and this change has
been hailed with great glee. Whenever a good fat steer
is found it is appropriated and slaughtered forthwith, and
if the owner is not near by he is settled with as soon as
he happens to turn up.
" While making the above remarks about the Queen's
Own, the other bodies composing the brigade must not
be lost sight of. Company C, of the Toronto Infantry
School, half of which are here under Captain Wadmore,
are admired by all for their soldierly bearing and hand-
some appearance in column. Captain Todd's Ottawa
Foot Guards are a thoroughly disciplined body of men,
and it is only necessary to mention B Battery to provoke
plaudits among Canadian militiamen."
Thus the siege of Battleford was raised, and it was
thought that the work of Colonel Otter'a column was
done. How little we know of what is before us. The
tragedy of Cut Knife Hill was still to be enacted.
CHAPTER XIV
GENERAL MIDDLETON'S ADVANCE WAITING FOR SUPPLIES
AND REINFORCEMENTS.
WHILE these events were taking place in the West,
matters in the eastern portion of the disturbed
district were by no means at a stand-still. Recognizing
the 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 efficient nor satisfactory. It too
often happens that in emergencies of this kind, people
selected in a hurry to fill positions of responsibility and
7
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
trust, are selected on account of personal popularity, or in
acknowledgment of political services rather than because
of any especial fitness for the place. The conduct of the
campaign 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 journey from Qu'Appelle 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 be freighted through.
In this way it will be seen that a large proportion of the
supplies hauled in were consumed by the 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 supplies ; 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 comfort to the rebel cause. Every day Gabriel
Dumont was strengthening his position at Batoche, and
still General Middletoii 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 Howard, an ex-
tensive store of supplies, and other necessities for the
THE FALL OF FOBT PITT 115
campaign were started from Saskatchewan Landing near
Swift Current to make the long journey down the river
by boat.
On the 18th of April, Lord Melgund, with Captain
French and Major Boulton with a party of scouts, made a
reconnoissance from Middleton's camp and captured three
Indians, whom they found hiding in a coulee. One of
these was a cousin and two were sons of the Sioux chief,
White Cap. Of course they told the old story of being
forced into the fight by Kiel and the rest of the Half-
breeds, but as White Cap and his band manifested a par-
ticular fondness for the 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 expedition.
On the 22nd a few of Major Boul ton'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 XVI.
THE FALL OF FORT PITT.
niHE events in this tragic history now began to tread
JL 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 the Great Saskatchewan, far beyond the reach of
116
CANADA S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
present assistance, a little band of red-coated prairie
troopers, every one of them with as brave a heart as ever
beat beneath the scarlet. Their leader was a well-tried
soldier whose modest worth, though blazoned by no hire-
ling chroniclers, was well-known to soldier comrades in
India, on the rugged mountain slopes of Montana, and in
INSPECTOB PBANOIS J. DICKENS.
every portion of the North -West, from Fort Pelly to
Kootenay, and from Edmonton to Wood Mountain. This
was Inspector Francis J. Dickens, son of the famous
novelist, and though one of the most modest and retir-
ing officers of the North- West Mounted Police, well-
known to be one of its coolest and most intrepid soldiers.
THE FALL OF FORT PITT. 117
Under Inspector Dickens, who held Fort Pitt, were
twenty-two of the Mounted Police, and it was their
charge to protect a little handful of white settlers, and
prevent a very considerable store of supplies, arms, and
ammunition from falling into the hands of the Indians.
Opposed to them was Big Bear, one of the most war-like
and powerful chiefs of the North- West. He had under
him a force which, in all probability, numbered not less than
PLAN OF "POBT PITT."
three hundred. Fort Pitt is situated on the north bank
of the North Saskatchewan, ninety-eight miles north-
west from Battleford, and two hundred and four miles
east from Edmonton, by the trail running along the north
side of the river. It is situated on a low, rich flat, which
lies from twelve to fifteen feet above the river level, and
which runs back about half-a-mile to where it meets
118 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
the high rolling country that stretches away on all sides
in the rear of the post. The fort consisted of several log
buildings arranged in a hollow square, and was formerly
enclosed by a stockade with bastions on the corners, but
as this had been removed some years before, it then lay
completely unprotected in the midst of some cultivated
fields surrounded by common rail fences.
Big Bear, who was besieging Fort Pitt, had been
induced by means of much coaxing and many presents
to remove from the South, where in his close vicinity to
the border line he was continually a cause of anxiety to
Fort Pitt, where in the midst of a number of hitherto
quiet and peaceful bands of his own nation, and hemmed
in on the South by the North Saskatchewan, it was sup-
posed he would settle down and give no further trouble.
Big Bear was the last to take treaty and when he did
one of his strongest objections to doing so was that he
did not like the idea of hanging as a punishment for
murder. It was late in 1882 when Big Bear signed his
adhesion to the treaty and expressed his willingness to go
on a reserve near Fort Pitt. Whether or not Big Bear
was sincere in his professions of loyalty at that time
remains to be seen. He had been down in Montana
hunting buffaloes all summer in the same region where Kiel
was at that time said to be doing his best to sow the
seeds of discontent and rebellion among both Half-breeds
and Indians from north of the border. Big .Bear had
originally come from Fort Pitt, but in the autumn of
1876 he went South hunting buffaloes, and from that time
till after he took treaty about the end of 1882 he
remained 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
THE FALL OF FORT PITT.
119
if Lieutenant-Governor Dewdney* had carried out his
agreements with the latter fairly and honestly, and if the
answer proved to be in the affirmative Piapot was to be
requested to signify to the Indian Department that Big
Bear was also anxious to take treaty to go upon a reserve.
These messengers, however, were met by Piapot before
aON. EDGAR DEWDNET, LIEUT. -OOV. 1T.W. TERRITORIES.
they reached Qu'Appelle, and the great chief of the South
* Hon. Edgar Dewdney is an Englishman by birth, but with many of
his adventurous countrymen found his way to British Columbia during the
earlier portion of the gold excitement. Like many others he made and lost
more than one handsome competency in that country, but was fortunate
enough to finally light on his feet financially. As a representative from
British Columbia in the Dominion Parliament he became a man of- some
importance politically, and on, or soon after, the accession of Sir John
Macdonald to power in 1878 he was appointed Indian Commissioner, and on
the expiry of Ex-Governor Laird's term in 1881, he was appointed Lieu-
benant-Governor of the Territory, still retaining his Indian Commissionship.
120
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Crees was in no humour to report favourably to Big
Bear's enquiry, as he was then fresh from his famous
interview with Lieutenant- Governor Dewdney at Fort
Qu'Appelle, in which the latter had been held up by
CHIEF PIAPOT OF THE SOUTH OEEBS.
Piapot to contempt and scorn. This of course for the
time put an end to Big Bear's negotiations with the
Indian Department, but as the hunting continued bad
Big Bear found his way to Fort Walsh late in the season,
THE FALL OF FORT PITT. 121
and signified his intention of becoming a "Treaty Indian."
At this time Mr. Dewdney expressed the opinion that
Big Bear had " borne unjustly a bad character,"
and that if he went North he would " make one of our
best chiefs." But after all it took the united efforts of
Colonel Irvine of the North-West Mounted Police, Colonel
McDonald, Indian Agent for Treaty Four, and Peter
Hourie, the Half-breed interpreter, backed by the urgent
requests of his own son and son-in-law, to induce Big
Bear to consent to take treaty and go North. Piapot and
Lucky Man were present when the bargain was finally
closed.
Shortly after his arrival at Fort Pitt he attempted to
seize the stores at that point, and in order to overawe the
small force of police who were stationed there to watch
his movements, he not only assumed a very threatening
attitude, but used some considerable amount of violence,
which fortunately proved of no effect. Subsequently he
sent tobacco at different times amongst all the bands in
his vicinity, summoning them to pow-wows for the pur-
pose of discussing his old and time-worn grievances,
and in short, 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 brain, any defi-
ciency 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, he 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 Great
Councils.
The annual dances in which the Indians are accus-
tomed to indulge had always been regarded as a means
122 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
of connecting them with their heathenish past, and
through the labours of the missionaries and Tom Quinn,
the Indian Agent, who were among the victims of the
Frog Lake massacre, these customs were fast falling into
disuse; but with the return of Big Bear the "Thirst Dance"
was revived with all its revolting features. These dances
take upon themselves the nature of religious ceremonies,
and the more enthusiastic of the devotees subject them-
selves to tortures of the most painful character as a part
of the regular programme. The "Thirst Dance" is nearly
or quite identical with the Sun Dance of the Sarcees in
which the young men make incisions in their backs and
passing a cord under the skin allow themselves to be
hung up by the loop thus formed, for such a length of
time that it would seem incredible 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 :
Big Bear, with a band of five hundred and twenty,
located nowhere in particular, but spending most of his
time roaming about between Fort Pitt and Battleford.
See-kas-kootch, with a band of one hundred and
seventy-six, located at Onion Lake.
Pay-moo-tay-a-soo, with a band of twenty-eight,
located at Onion Lake.
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 thirty- one, at Frog Lake.
Kee-hee-win, with one hundred and forty-six, at
Long Lake.
Chipewagan, with one hundred and twenty, at Cold
Lake.
In all about one thousand two hundred.
THE FALL OF FORT PITT. 123
The following is a detailed list of the Mounted Police
left to hold Fort Pitt and its valuable supplies and stores
against Big Bear :
Inspector Dickens, F. J., appointed inspector 4th
November, 1874.
Staff-Sergeant Rolph, J. W., engaged 16th September,
1884, at Regina.
Sergeant Martin, J. A., re-engaged 3rd November,
1884, at Battletord.
Corporal Sleigh, R. B., engaged 7th June, 1881, at
Fort Walsh.
Constables Anderson, Win., engaged 10th April, 1882,
at Toronto.
Carroll, J. W., engaged 7th June, 1881, at Fort
Walsh.
Edmons, H. A., engaged 15th April, 1882, at Toronto.
Hobbs, R, engaged 7th June, 1881, at Fort Walsh.
Ince, R., engaged 18th April, 1882, at Toronto.
Leduc, F., engaged 22nd April, 1882, at Toronto.
Lionais, G., engaged 9th May, 1882, at Winnipeg.
Loasby, C., engaged 12th July, 1883, at Winnipeg.
McDonald, J. A., engaged 29th April, 1882, at Toronto.
Philips, C., engaged 20th April, 1882, at Toronto.
Quigley, J., engaged 8th May, 1882, at Toronto.
Roby, F., re-engaged 9th June, 1884, at Battleford.
Rowley, Geo., engaged 16th October, 1881, at
Qu'Appelle.
Robertson, R. H., engaged 4th November, 1882, at
Regina.
Rutledge, R., engaged 3rd April, 1882, at Toronto.
Smith, Wm., engaged 29th November, 1882, at Regina.
Tector, John, engaged 10th April, 1882, at Toronto.
Warren, F. F., engaged 23rd July, 1883, at Maple
Creek.
Constable Cowan was engaged in Toronto in April,
1882.
The story of the engagement is soon told. Big Bear
and his overwhelming force approached a comparatively
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
defenceless fort on the 15th of April, and summoned the
whites to surrender. Chief Factor McLean, of the Hud-
son's Bay Company, went into his camp for the purpose
of persuading him, if possible, to abandon his intention of
attacking and capturing the fort. Instead of sending
him back with terms, however, Big Bear retained McLean
as prisoner, and instructed him to communicate with his
friends in the fort by letter. Awed by the overwhelming
disparity in the relative strength of the opposing parties,
Mr. McLean wrote to his family and the other white
settlers who were under the protection of the police to
surrender themselves to the Indians, and come into the
Indian camp, as Big Bear contemplated an almost immed-
iate attack on the fort. Yielding to the Hudson Bay
officer's persuasion and their own fears, the settlers,
unhappily for themselves, deserted the protection of
Inspector Dickens and his gallant little band, and left
them as they no doubt supposed to a fate similar to that
which had overtaken the unfortunate white settlers at
Frog Lake.
Big Bear, however, decided to give the police one
chance at least to save their lives at the cost of their
honour and what might have been a surrender most dis-
astrous to the loyal cause. The answer of Inspector Dick-
ens and his handful of Mounted Policemen was in keeping
with the character which the force has always maintained.
They flatly refused to surrender.
Big Bear then offered to allow them to escape pro-
vided they would leave their own arms and the arms and
supplies under their charge to fall into his hands. This
they refused to do, and the attack was made. The fight
while it lasted was a hot one. Constable Cowan was killed,
and Lansby wounded, and for a time it looked as though
the police must succumb, but indomitable British pluck
and coolness at last prevailed, and the 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
THE FALL OF FORT PITT. 125
with them, retreated to the river and loading what they
required into a York boat made their way down the
stream to Battleford. No more heroic fight or successful
defence in the face of overwhelming odds illumines the
pages of modern history.
The following is the list of the persons held prisoners
by Big Bear :
Mr. McLean, Factor, Hudson's Bay Company ; Mrs.
McLean, Miss McLean, Miss Margaret McLean and Miss
McLean, Master Papoman McLean, Master Willie McLean,
Master Angus McLean, Master Duncan McLean, Master
J. Rose McLean and infant, Mr. Stanley Simpson, Hud-
son's Bay clerk ; Mr. Hodson, Hudson Bay cook ; Henry
Dufresne, Hudson's Bay Company's servant; Rabisco
Smith, Hudson Bay servant, and family of six; Mr.
Mann, Instructor, Onion Lake, and family of five ; Rev.
Mr. and Mrs. Quinney, Episcopal missionary, Onion Lake ;
Na-co-tan and family, three friendly Indians; three
squaws, friendly; Malcolm McDonald, Hudson Bay Com-
pany's servant ; Penderun and family of six.
Prisoners taken at Frog Lake : Mrs. John Delaney,
Ottawa, instructor's wife ; Peter St. Luke, and family of
five ; Mrs. Gowanlock, Mr. James Simpson and family of
three, Hudson Bay agent ; Mr. Cameron, Hudson Bay
clerk ; Otto Dufresne, cook, Indian Department, origin-
ally from Montreal, fifty-seven years in employ of Hud-
son's Bay Company ; Pierre, a French-Canadian.
Before the Mounted Police evacuated Fort Pitt, Big
Bear sent a letter to Sergeant Martin, a copy of which is
as follows:
FORT PITT, April 14, 1885.
Sergeant Martin, N.W.M.P.:
MY DEAR FRIEND, Since I have met you long ago
we have always been good friends, and you have from
time to time given me things. That is the reason why
that I want to speak kindly to you, so please try to get
off from Fort Pitt as soon as you can, and tell your cap-
126 CANADA'S NOKTH-WEST REBELLION.
tain that I remember him well. For since the Canadian
Government have had me to starve in this country, he
sometimes gave me food. I do not forget the last time I
visited Pitt, he gave me a good blanket; that is the
reason that I want you all out without any bloodshed ;
we had a talk, I and my men, before we left camp, and
we thought the way we are doing now the best. That is
to let you off, if you would go, so try and get away before
the afternoon, as the young men 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 BATTLE OF FISH CREEK.
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
other. 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 BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 127
General Middleton had divided his force into two
columns and was advancing down both banks of the South
Saskatchewan, determined if possible to preclude the
possibility of escape should the rebels decide that it
would be better 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 :
French's Scouts 25
Winnipeg' Battery 52
Royal Grenadiers 250
Teamsters 80
Total 407
The right column on the east side of the river with
Lix-Col. Houghton as Chief of Staff was composed as
follows :
90th Battalion. Wi .T?r. ...... 304.
A Battery . . 120
C Infantry 40
Boulton's Mounted Corps 60
Teamsters 60
Total 584
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 through the upland prairie in something more
like a canon than a valley. It drains the country
128 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
through which it runs not by the watershed off slowly
sloping banks, but by means of creeks, ravines and
coulees, which gather the surface water into their deep
narrow channels and fall into the main stream at various
angles. Of course each creek or coulee makes a sudden
and very deep indentation or break in the river's bank,
but between these the banks are usually of about the
same level as the surrounding prairie, with only narrow
and irregular patches of bottom lands bordering the
stream itself. Many of these ravines and coulees which
were continually being crossed were lined with stunted
poplars, cotton woods and grey willows; and bluffs or grooves
were numerous on the level uplands.
Prior to the fight Dumont with one hundred
and twenty-five Half-breeds and Indians had been
retreating slowly before General Middleton's right
column on the east bank of the river, their
scouts keeping them 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 Middleton's 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 Fish Creek early on Friday morning, his men
being snugly stowed away behind boulders, or concealed
in the dense everglades of grey willow, birch, and poplar.
When Boulton's scouts first found the enemy, at 9.15
o'clock, they rode back 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, extending their 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, firing over a natural shelf or parapet
protected by big boulders. The column was divided 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 90th, A Battery, and C School of Infantry.
THE BATTLE OF PISH GREEK. 129
The left wing, F Company leading, came under fire first.
As the men were passing by him, General Middleton
shouted out :
" Men of the 90th, don't bend your heads. If I had
been bending my head I should have had my brains
knocked out," he added, touching his cap where a rebel's
bullet had pierced it but a moment before.
The men were bending down, partly to avoid the
shots and partly because they were running over the
uneven, scrubby ground. A,.C, and D Companies of the
90th, with A Battery and the School of Infantry, were on
the right, the whole force forming a huge half-moon
around the mouth of the coulee. The brush was densely
thick, and as rain was falling, the smoke hung in clouds
a few feet off the muzzles of the rifles.
Here the 90th lost heavily. Ferguson was the first
to fall. The bandsmen came up and carried off the
injured to the rear, where Dr. Whiteford and other sur-
geons had extemporized a small camp, the men being laid,
some on camp stretchers and some on rude beds of
branches and blankets. E company of the 90th, under
Captain Whitla, guarded the wounded and the ammuni-
tion. General Middleton appeared to be highly pleased
with the bearing of the 90th as they pushed on, and
repeatedly expressed his admiration. He seemed to
think, however, that 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 the 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
ISO CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Meanwhile the right wing had gone into action also.
Two guns of A Battery under Captain Peters dashed up
at 10.40 o'clock, and at once opened on the coulee. A
couple of old barns far back to the right were knocked
into splinters at the 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. Dumont had sent thirty men to a small bluff,
covered with boulders and scrub, within four hundred
and fifty yards of the battery, and these opened a sharp
fire. The battery could not fire into this bluff without
running the risk of killing some of the 90th, who had
worked their way up towards the right of it. Several
men of A were struck here. The rebels saw that their
sharpshooters were causing confusion in this quarter, and
about twenty of them ran clear from the back of the
ravine past the fire of C 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 screeched 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. The 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 this they rarely exposed
themselves, either creeping on all fours or else running
a few yards in the shelter of the thicket and then
throwing themselves flat on the ground again, bobbing
up only when they 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 BATTLE OF FISH CKEEK. 131
Middleton at once took advantage of it and ordered the
whole force to close in upon them, his object apparently
being to surround them. The rebel commander, how-
ever, was not to be caught in that way. Instead of
bunching all his force on the left away from the fire of
the artillery, he sent only a portion of it there to keep
our men busy while the rest tailed off to the north, retir-
ing slowly as our two wings closed on them. Dumont
was evidently on the look-out for the appearance of
Colonel Montizambert's force from the other side of the
river, and in adopting the movement just described, he
completely disposed of our chances of cutting him off.
The general advance began at 1 1.45 a.m., Major Buchan
of the 90th leading the right wing and Major JBoswell of
the same corps 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 from
the rebels doing much damage. 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 every 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 died away, though now and then their
132 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
front riflemen made a splurge, while the others made their
way back. Captain Forrest, of the 90th, headed the
advance at this point. Lieutenant Hugh J. Macdonald,
(*?on of Sir John Macdonald), of this company, who had
done excellent service all day, kept well up with Forrest,
the two being ahead of their men, and coming in for a
fair share of attention from the retreating rebels. Mac-
donald was first reported as killed and then as wounded,
but he was not injured, though struck on the shoulder by
spent buckshot. Forrest's hat was shot off.
Just before the general advance was ordered General
Middleton sent a signal officer to the river to bring over
the Grenadiers, wjio were with the left column, under
Colonel Montizambert and Lord Melgund. They had
heard the firing 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. They 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. The Grenadiers, however, were
pushed on, and soon joined the 90th and C, their arrival
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, behind 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 shouting and defiantly brand-
ishing their guns. This was at 2.30 o'clock.
The infantry could not, of course, follow mounted
men, and Boulton's scouts were not numerous enough to
I
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 133
attempt a pursuit. The whole force was, therefore,
ordered to halt, and at 3.30 it marched back a little to the
south of the ravine where the fight began, and close to
the river, where dinner was prepared, and the men
repaired damages after their hard day's work. The
Winnipeg Field Battery arrived from across the river,
and, with the Grenadiers, gave the best they had to their
gallant comrades of the 90th, A, and C. Camp was
pitched here for the night. Just below the camp was the
rough field hospital, in charge of Dr. Orton and others,
who were busy with the wounded. Nurses were drafted
and everything made comfortable for the 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 thunder, passed over the camp. Double
guards were put on, and pickets and vedettes posted
everywhere, the General taking the utmost care to protect
the troops in case the rebels returned. Nothing was seen
or heard 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
scouts saw him riding off after all was over. His direct-
ing 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 movements appeared to be
directed by long, low whistles. General Middleton said
it was like the piping of a boatswain. Occasionally they
could be heard shouting to each other to " Keep back,"
"Goon," "This way," "Fire lower," "Fire higher," etc.,
but during the serious part of the day they fought in grim
silence. The rapidity with 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, strengthening their line as circumstances
directed. General Middleton says they are finer skirmish-
ers and bush-fighters than he ever imagined them to be.
A correspondent writing the night after the fight says :
" The buckshot made very ugly and painful wounds.
134 CANADA'S NORTH- WEST REBELLION.
Old-style leaden balls were also fired with considerable
effect. Had the rebels been armed with Sniders they
would have wiped us out in short order from the shelter
which they occupied."
The following is General Middleton's official report of
the engagement :
To the Hon. A. P. Caron :
FROM FISH CREEK, twenty-five miles )
north of Clarke's Crossing, N.W.T., April 24. J
I have had an affair with the rebels at this spot, on
the east bank of the river. My advanced scouts were
fired upon from a bluff, but we managed to hold our own
till the main body arrived, when I took measures to repel
the attack, which was over about 2.30 p.m. We have
captured a lot of their 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 shots ; and as I am unwilling to lose
more men in trying to take them, I have surrounded 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 Winnipeg 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. I 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 :
KILLED.
Private Hutchinson, No. 1 Company 90th.
Private Ferguson, No. 1 Company 90th.
Private Ennis, No. 4 Company 90th,
Gunner Demanoilly, A Battery.
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 135
WOUNDED.
Captain Clarke and Lieutenant Swinford, 90th, seri-
ously.
Captain Wise, A.D.C., and Lieutenant Doucett, A.D.C.,
one in the leg and the other in the arm.
Mounted Infantry D'Arcy Baker and Lieutenant
Bruce, seriously ; Captain Gardner, two wounds, not very
serious ; C. F. King, H. P. Porin, J. Langf ord.
A Battery Gunner Asseltine, Gunner Erneye, Acting-
Bombardier Taylor, Sergeant- Major McWinney, Driver
Harrison, Private P. H. Wilson, E. G. Maunsell, Private
C. Ainswoi th, very seriously ; Walter Woodman.
C School of Infantry Arthur Watson, very seriously
(since dead), R. H. Dunn, H. Jones, Colour-Sergeant R.
Gumming, R. Jones.
90th Regiment Corporal Lefchbridge, C Company;
Private Kemp, A Company, very seriously ; Corporal B.
D. Code, C Company ; Private Hartop, F Company ;
Private A. Blackwood, C. Company ; Private Canniif, C
Company ; Private W. W. Mathews, A Company ; 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 position and mode of fighting it might well
be less than ours. I shall proceed to-morrow after bury-
ing the dead and sending the wounded back to Clarke's
Crossing. By moving on this side I lose the telegraph
line, but I 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) FRED. MIDDLETON,
Major-General commanding the North- West Field Force.
A corrected list of the killed and wounded in this
engagement stands as follows :
136 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
KILLED.
Lieutenant Swinford, 90th.
Private Hutchinson, No. 1 Company, 90th.
Private Ferguson, No. 1 Company, 90th.
Private Ennis, No. 4 Company, 90th.
Gunner Demanoilly, A Battery.
Arthur Watson, School of Infantry.
D'Arcy Baker, Mounted Infantry.
Gunner Cook, A Battery.
Wheeler, 90th.
Ainsworth, A Battery.
WOUNDED.
Captain Clarke, 90th.
Captain Wise, A.D.C.
Lieutenant Doucett, A.D.G.
Lieutenant Bruce, M.L
Captain Gardner, M.I.
Private C. F. King, M.L
Private H. P. Porin, M.I.
Private J. Langford, M.I.
Gunner Asseltine, A Battery.
Gunner Emeye, A Battery.
Bomhardier Taylor, A Battery.
Sergeant- Major Mawhinney, A Battery.
Driver Harrison.
Private H. P. Wilson.
Private E. Maunsell.
Private Walter Woodman.
Private R H. Dunn, School of Infantry.
Private H. Jones, School of Infantry.
Private R Jones, School of Infantry.
Colour-Sergeant Cummings, School of Infantry.
Corporal Lethbridge, 90th.
Private Kemp.
Corporal Code.
Private Hartop.
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 137
Private Blackwood.
Private CannifF.
Private W. W. Matthews.
Private Lovell.
Private Lane, 10th Royals.
Private Wheeling, 10th Royals, knee dislocated.
Private Hislop, 90th.
Private Chambers, 90th,
Corporal Thecker, 90th.
Private Bouchette, 90th.
Private Swan, 90th.
Corporal Brown.
Seen as it was from many points of view, the story of
the Battle of Fish Creek can best be brought out by a
patchwork of letters written by eye-witnesses from time
to time, after the fight. A correspondent who, far more
than any other correspondent with either Middleton or
Otter, manifested an ability to perform the functions of a
war correspondent, writes as follows :
BATTLEFIELD OF FISH CREEK, twenty miles north of
Clarke's Crossing, April 24. The telegraph has advised
you of our fight here, and with the present facilities and in
the confusion incident to the battle, with twenty wounded
men groaning within twenty feet, and as many more too
badly hit to groan as near by, with a scattering spray of
fire two hundred yards in front, and the Cree war-whoops
rising from the infernal ravine in which the Half-breeds
and Reds are hidden, one finds little opportunity for
finished composition. The fight commenced at 9.15 a.m.,
and in the settlement of only a few houses within five
miles of last night's camp, the Reds and Indians number-
ing, by guesswork, three hundred, opened fire on our
scouts from clumps of trees, the "mattes" of the Southern
plains. The ground is rolling down to the river bank.
The stream is a mile and a-half west, and here and there
are depressions, but the ravine through which Fish Creek
takes its winding course is more than a depression its.
138 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
depth is fully forty feet and the approaches precipitous.
On the abutting banks of the stream itself the rebels
have their rifle pits, and the timber in the valley, two
hundred yards wide; completely conceals them. Ahead
the vibrations of a war-whoop, the flash of a gun, or the
quivering of a willow are the only objects for the marks-
men. We hope many are killed, and as we can see fully
a score of horses dead in the stream or on its edge, proba-
bly our hopes are well-founded. But we killed more
before the whole body of rebels retired into the ravine
or fled incontinently. The heaviest loss to the loyal
troops was on our right wing, where a party of half and
full bloods at ten o'clock made a determined effort to turn
our flank. They were repulsed after a hot fire. The two
guns of A Battery got into position early, and got the
range of the ravine and of the ground in front of the
ravine, but the rebels were too well protected in the deep
rifle pits, as we now suppose, to be dislodged. They shoot
with great accuracy, and have the advantage of seeing
their mark. General Middle ton 4ms been on his horse and
along the entire line time and time again. He has been
a constant mark, and one bullet struck his cap, missing
the left, temporal bone by about a quarter of an inch.
Captain Doucet, Aide- de- Camp, and brother-in-law of the
General, had an ugly not dangerous flesh wound in the
right arm. Captain Wise, Senior Aide-de-Camp, had two
horses killed under him, and finally, while forward with
C Company on the edge of the ravine, was shot through
the right foot, the ball, a 44-calibre Winchester carbine,
flattening like putty against the bone. Everybody has
behaved with the greatest gallantry, and would long ago
have cleared the ravine at the point of the bayonet, had
General Middleton permitted. This, up to now he has
not done, declining to sacrifice more, lives than are abso-
lutely necessary. Some of the best shots among the rebels
are in the bush on our right flank, and thus far the east
end of the ravine is not covered by our artillery or skir-
mishers. Not a movement to escape, however, could be
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK.
139
made without a withering volley from our men. Since
the courier left for the telegraph station Captain Charley
Swinford, of C Company, Ninetieth Battalion, has been
mortally wounded, shot through the brain.* The French
Count DeManally, cook for our mess, had the top of his
head blown off by a charge of buckshot early in the
engagement. We all fear that when the battle is ended
OAPT. CHARLES BWlNFOBD.
we may find a good many more dead and wounded lying,
as DeManally does, where they fell, and in no good range
* Captain Swinford was a favourite with all who knew him. H
was thirty-four years of age, and in 1876 went to Winnipeg from Guelph,
Ontario, where he resided with his parents for upwards of twenty years.
His birthplace was at Greenwich, England. At the time of the breaking
out of the Rebellion he was Assistant Manager of the Freehold Loan and
Savings Company for Manitoba.
140 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
to be brought in. The troops on the west bank of the river
went nearly wild with excitement when the firing com-
menced, and when the scow came down sixty men of No.
2 Company, Royal Grenadiers, Captain Mason, made a
rush for the brush and down the bank. Lord Melgund
pulled once more on the bow oar and the crossing
was quickly effected. The advance was hurried by a call
from General Middleton 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 cover
a change of position nearer to our centre.
FISH CREEK, April 25. Doubtless there will be as
many accounts of this engagement, which may almost be
dignified as a battle, 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 prairie sod; the badly wounded are
bearing their pain quietly ; those but 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 many miles 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, with mistaken kindness, did not order
a charge through the ravine. Had he done so we would
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 141
probably have lost twice the number in killed, but the list
of wounded would have been smaller, and the result very
different. Ten miles to the north of us a far more difficult
field 4han that of yesterday's fight awaits our advance.
The moral effect upon the Indians of the North-West
cannot fail to be exceedingly bad. So much for 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 cap will bear evidence. The country in which
we fought : To the west runs the river, through the rough,
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 fight. 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
142 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
at the timber from which the first shots had been discov-
ered. Rapidly the fight became general. Our line
extended over fully a mije of frontage in less than
twenty minutes, the guns taking position first on the
left centre and later on the extreme right. A well-directed
shell fired the houses of the Half-breeds half-a-mile east
by north of the clump of bushes in which they were first
found, but beyond the destruction of property no harm
was done the enemy. Infantry companies supporting
the advance were rapidly deployed, and in a semi-circular
fashion surrounded the enemy.
It soon became evident to every one that the Half-
breeds and Indians (General Middleton numbers them
at one hundred and twenty-five), knowing their advan-
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 found 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 but natural with volunteer
troops, a slight nervousness was displayed at first. This
wore off as the shots increased in numbers, and lives were
hazarded as recklessly as if they amounted to naught.
Captain Peters, with a detachment of A Battery,
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 the 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 bluff caves. From that time until four o'clock in the
afternoon it was a case of pot shots. You have seen
THE BATTLE OF FISH GREEK. 143
men shoot at a turkey half buried in the ground, the
killer to own the bird. I can think of no better simile
for our fight. If good luck served, the marksmen could
see the heads and even the shoulders of their opponents,
but the best nine times out of ten a flash of the rifle or
<moke of the powder was the mark at which they had to
aim. Either through forgetfulness or because they had
a reserve supply, the rebels left a number of their ponies
on the bank of the creek. The fire from the right centre
soon disposed of twenty-five or thirty of them. How
many of the enemy were killed no one knows, probably
a dozen. When th. Royal Grenadiers came up from the
other side 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 devils. The
pair had evidently been sent out to see what chance of
escape to the east presented itself. Probably more were
sent out than the two who were killed, as at five o'clock
the firing from the enemy had almost entirely ceased and
there was every indication that not more than a dozen
remained in the ravine, the larger part of the force having
escaped to the eastward. One would naturally ask why they
were not completely surrounded. I cannot answer the
question any more than you can why. the thirty-five
mounted rebels who had a parley with Howie, the inter-
peter, were allowed to ride to the east out of their rifle
pits and jeer at our troops, who were ordered to retire to
the camp by the river bank. Neither can I explain why
the scouts reported 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 for the wounded were ample. Every comfort was
given to those who were hit, and the doctors were cool
and efficient. The dead whom we were able to bring
from the field were laid beside one of the hospital tents,
and were allowed to remain in plain view. The moral
effect of course was bad. Later a tent flag hid the
bullets' work. The character of the wounds was two-
144 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
fold. Where the forty-five calibre Winchester had been
used the orifice of the hurt was clean cut. At close quarters
their shot guns made very jagged and terrible injuries.
Duck shot, round ball, pieces of lead, irregular in shape,
had been used in loading the guns, and in many instances
the probe followed the track of one bullet, while the
mortal wound lay in a totally different direction. Almost
everybody as the action proceeded advanced to the edge
of the ravine, and took a pot shot at the rebels, and many
of the wounded have to thank their temerity for their
sufferings. Captain Wise, Middleton's aide, after losing
two horses, was struck by a ball, which evidently
ricochetted from a stone, though they say it was flattened
on the bone.
A VOLUNTEER'S LETTER.
Corporal Thos. McMullen, of No. 4 Company, Royal
Grenadiers, sent the following letter from Fish Creek
under date of April 28, to his father :
I now take advantage of the little time I have to
write, assuring you of my safety, as we fought a battle
with Kiel's Indians on Friday, and we came out all right.
But it was a dreadful fight, as five of the 90th were killed,
three of A Battery, Watson, of the School, and two of
Boulton's scouts ; poor Bob Dunn got shot three times in
the arm. We were on the other side of the river when
the fight started, and about four miles below the 90th's
position. As soon as we heard the cannon firing we fell
in and advanced in the following order : No. 1 Company
extended in skirmishing order, No. 2 as support, Nos. 3
and 4 reserve. When about opposite the scene of action
we got a command to cross the river, and they had to go
to the crossing for the scow. No. 1 crossed first, then No.
4, followed by No. 2 ; No. 3 being left behind with the
Winnipeg Field Battery to guard our supplies. When we
(No. 4) arrived at the field No. 1 Company was already
extended and advancing in splendid form. A% soon as
we arrived Tom Mitchell, Fred. Curzon, Joe and Will
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 145
Dent, McMurray, and myself were detailed off to join A
Battery and we slowly crept up until we came to
the edge of the bluff, where the enemy were
entrenched in an impregnable position. One of the
Battery boys was shot alongside of me, and I saw a
Half-breed raise himself to see the result of his shot, and
I took very good aim and fired at one hundred yards,
but it was hard to tell if he was hit, but no more shots
came from his rifle pit. Judge and Joe Dent were in the
gully with me, and they are responsible for killing two
Indians, but we could not dislodge them, and the whole
force retired four hundred yards and encamped with the
exception of ourselves, the 10th covering the retreat for
100 yards, where we halted and hid in a swamp, and had
to lie (soaking wet as we were, it having rained all the
time we were fighting) in three inches of water for one
hour, without our overcoats. As soon as it was dark we
rose up and had to patrol up and down until half-past
twelve at night, when the 90th came out to relieve us,
and we retired into the tents just vacated by them.
When we retired from the bluff the Half-breeds followed
us up, but as soon as we halted in the swamp they
stopped, and kept signalling to each other all night.
As soon as we commenced to patrol, it started to
freeze and snow for the rest of the night. Taking
it altogether it was a terrible night. The 90th, the
Battery, and particularly School had about forty-
five or fifty wounded, C having no less than fifteen,
having been in a regular trap, which accounts for their
heavy loss. The troops behaved in grand style, and I
think, although we were late in action, through no fault
of our own, that Toronto was not disgraced by her " crowd
of toughs." No. 4 Company alone offered to charge the
position with fixed bayonets, but General Middleton said
there were enough good men gone, and he also said to
our Colonel, "Well done, Grasett, I did not expect you
so soon." We crossed the river in very quick time. There
is one thing *bgut> our regiment, that our officers are good.
V
146 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
especially our Colonel, who since we started has asked
no man to do what he would not do himself, and he
allowed no officer to impose upon any man. Altogether
every man is proud to be under such a man. We don't
know when the next fight will take place, but I am sure
we shall see some more. The 90th and A Battery went
into the bluff on Sunday to recover the bodies of two of
their men, and found it deserted by all but the dead,
There were two dead Indians which the enemy were
afraid to carry off, on account of their proximity to our
pickets. The bluff is sloping on all sides and the Indians
were all hidden in formidable rifle pits which were swim-
ming in blood, telling us that many a Half-breed or Indian
had fallen. The pits rose one upon another and were very
neatly contrived, the Indians showing much ingenuity in
their construction. We are lying encamped at Fish
Creek and will remain here probably some time.
BACK TO THE FATAL RAVINE.
Mr. Johnston, the correspondent already quoted, fur-
nishes the following graphic picture of a visit to the ravine
two days after the battle, and finishes with some very
sensible conclusions regarding the fight as seen in the
light of cool after thoughts, and such facts as had come
to light since the fatal day. He says : Almost every
one was prepared to discover that the ravine was empty,
but there 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, the Gatling we expect on the steamer from
Swift Current would have let daylight through it), and
is more precipitous than a gable roof. Our fellows shud-
dered when they 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 wa^r 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 flash of a
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 147
shot gun or rifle. Their pits were three and sometimes
five in a row, forming the finest of coverts. These hastily
constructed safety trenches pointed up the hills, and over
the edge the Half-breed or Indian could rest his gun and
take steady and sure aim. Our tire was always quad-
ruple as heavy as theirs, but we fired at a point of the
compass from which the killing bullets came. They saved
powder, except at the very opening of the fight, and when
they saw a white man they tired, not before. The rifle
pits were all along the declivity, and not a few were at
the bottom of the gully to the right. Further up the
stream horses, and tine ones, lay so thick that we could
walk from body to body as if on stepping stones. I
counted fifty-two dead animals in the ravine, some of
them quite high upon the hill, others lying in the stream,
but a larger share at a spot along the creek. Many of
the animals had been tied to trees by the owners who
charged on foot in the open ground in the early morning
of Friday. In the woods in the rear of this equine cem-
etery was the main camp of the Indian allies, and here
they had killed an ox ; pieces of which, skewered and
stuck in the ground before the fire, we found where their
intended eaters had left them. On all sides there were
evidences of a hurried retreat, and it now seems probable
that the twenty-five jeering Half-breeds who showed
themselves late in the evening were not in the ravine at
all, but among those who made so determined an attempt
to turn our right. Like enough from four p.m. onward
not a dozen of the enemy lay in the ravine, and these left
as soon as darkness had fallen. Fortunately for them
the rain fell heavily all that night, and the darkness was
intense so that their escape was easily effected. Although
their position as described was almost impregnable, yet
they must have passed several evil hours. They 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 neart,
148 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
and held by a tree trunk from falling into the ravine, one
Cree on the extreme left, and a Half-breed on the upper
flank of the right centre. As stated above, fifty-two
horses were killed. In three of the rifle pits deep pools
of blood remain, and in others lighter marks of injury.
Since we have been in the ravine the general conclusion
is that the rebel force numbered nearly three hundred
(some of them on the extreme right) and that they had
ten to twelve killed and wounded. They were led by
Gabriel Dumont, and had they been provisioned with
ammunition and arms as plentiful and good as our men,
our casualty list, large as it was, would have been trebled.
On our side, before the arrival of Mason's company of
Royal Grenadiers from the other side of the river, there
were about three hundred in action. This includes the
Artillery, 90th Infantry, and Boulton's scouts. Probably
General Middleton was wise in not allowing a charge,
although we all felt that night as if we had been practi-
cally defeated. Cook and Wheeler, whose dead 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 fight 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 breakfast had been taken.
A sewing machine was standing near a chest of drawers,
which a fuse shell had shattered into atoms. General
Middleton strictly forbade any looting on personal
account, but a good many provided themselves with one
thing or another of interest as a trophy. Most of the
horses killed had their saddles and bridles on, and this
shows the haste in retreat, since the Half-breeds value
such paraphernalia highly, and would not have left them
except under stress. In several of the unburned houses
of this longitudinal settlement known as that of St.
Antoine de Padua, stores taken from the merchandise at
Puck Lake were found, $nd in almost every tent in $}
THE BATTLE OP FISH CREEK. 149
camp you can find a French love letter. The division on
the west side did not get their impediments until late last
night, and the inconvenience almost amounted to suffer-
ing. We hadn't any blankets or mess facilities. Not a
change of apparel and the rain poured down all Friday
night. But complaint is not the order of the day, nor is
it likely to be when a groan from the operating table
might intercept a growl, or the provost stop the growler
ere he came too near to those shapeless things under the
canvas yonder. What are we to do ? Now, I don't pre-
tend to guess in detail, but Middleton regards the action
as a victory, and is inclined to think we will have no more
serious affairs. Many differ from him in both beliefs,
but it is guess work on the part of everybody. As Fri-
day's fight, if nothing else, put Kiel, Dumont, and all his
abettors beyond the pale of pardon, they must fight or
run. Dumont would much prefer the former. In one
rifle-pit I picked up a Snider, a Peabody and a shot gun,
No. 12 shell. The shot gun cartridges had the shot
drawn and a couple of round balls forced in. They did
much damage at short range and made the ugliest sort of
wounds.
MAJOR BUCHAN'S ACCOUNT.
The following is a description of the infantry move-
ments, written by Major Lawrence Buchan, of the 90th :
The 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 engagement the infantry, 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 so 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 enemy opened fire on the scouts, the advance
guard, composed of F Company and a dozen men from
other companies of the 90th were pushed to the front and
extended in the bluffs jutting out, into the side of which
150 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
at from two to four hundred yards distance the puffs of
smoke, followed by the ring of the passing bullets, alone
denoted the presence of the enemy who were concealed
from view. A return fire at the fringe of smoke puffs
on the outer margin of the plains was at once opened by
the 90th men, among whom were a dozen and a-half of
sharpshooters armed with the Martini-Henry rifle. Pre-
sently a company of the 90th came up in support, but
the enemy's fire was so hot and evidently increasing in
strength to the left, that the officer in command of the
advance guard at once extended this company to the
right and brought them into the fighting line. Mean-
while B and C Companies of the COth were extended in
through the brush on the left and came to the front,
while the Infantry School was extended iu the same man-
ner to the right, finally appearing at the edge of the
plain on the right of A Company, and supported by D
Company and part of E Company. The enemy had by
this time developed a very strong attack against our
right at a point where the edge of the ravine in which
they were concealed and the bluffs in which the Infantry
School were extending came within about sixty yards of
each other. It became evident that they intended to get
possession of the bluff if possible. By so doing they
could readily enfilade our centre and completely outflank
us. To checkmate this, Company D, and the portion of
Company E which were in support, were at once brought
up into the bluff to" reinforce the Infantry School, as was
also the left half of Company A, the remainder of which
was extended further to the right, thus making 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 very hot
fire was directed by the enemy for about two hours, while
our men lay quietly in the scrub, and as the 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
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 151
bullets set the prairie grass on fire at the brow of the
hill, and as the wind was blowing towards us, the smoke
filled our men's eyes, while the enemy had clear sight.
Presently the fire reached the scrub, so that our men had
to jump the flames and lie down again on the burnt and
scorching ground. The casualties in our force were very
heavy at this point ; three of the 90th were shot dead
and over a dozen wounded, as well as three men of the
Infantry School The enemy, finding that the efforts
against us were in vain, slackened their fire, when an
advance was ordered along the line and creeping forward
to the brow of the ravine they were discovered in full
retreat to the east. A few parting volleys were sent
after them, as our men followed them, and their retreat
being reported to the General, he ordered the artillery to
shell them, which was shortly done, as they got behind a
house about two thousand yards distant. The house was
fired by the second shell, and the rebels scattered into
the wood to the east.
GENERAL MIDDLETON ON THE SITUATION.
" I think you criticize me wrongly when you say I
exposed myself unwisely last Friday/' said General Mid-
dleton apropos of numerous strictures by almost every
one. " I couldn't do otherwise," he continued, " I had
green troops, and, worse still, green officers green in the
sense that they had never been under fire before. They
did well and bravely, but while you can drill a man into
a soldier in a few months, it takes years to educate officers
in whom a general commanding can have implicit confi-
dence. If 1 had been in command of regulars, or, possibly,
if Lord Melgund had been with me from the first, I would
have taken a position in rear of the line of battle, set up
my flag, and sent my orders. I would have done this,
that 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
152 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
dodge. By the way," pointing to his Astrachan cap with
a smile, " if I had been ducking when that fellow hit me
the bullet would have gone into the top of my head and
my quietus made. If I hadn't exposed myself you would
all have been scalped. I am in an embarrassing, but not
a novel position. We have driven off the enemy, but by
this enforced wait we are losing all the fruits of victory,
while the enmy are boasting that we are afraid to move,
and are given ample time to make further preparations
for escape or defence. I know the effect of delay is bad,
yet what can I do ? Here I am with nearly forty
wounded, and the long-expected boat is not even within
hail from one hundred miles southward. I can't move
the wounded to Saskatoon, for that is two days' march
away, and the one day transport to Clark's Crossing by
waggon and rough roads may, the doctors say, result
fatally in several cases. Send them to Clark's Crossing,
and the wounded can't be left without a guard or without
ample medical assistance. I can spare neither from my
present force. I can no longer trust to the boat, but
must order her munitions and stores forward overland.
We have a good deal of ammunition, and oats enough for
several days. I have no complaints to make of the trans-
port service. It is very effective, and I should not wait
one day longer for either. The horses couldn't starve
before we attacked Batoche."
The following from a correspondent's letter gives an
idea of the feelings with which the troops regarded the
enemies against whom they were fighting:
"The feeling that the Half-breeds have been wronged,
that the Government has been criminally negligent in its
treatment of their claims, and that the politicians should
be held accountable for the whole trouble, grows more
deeply rooted and more widely spread. The sight of
these comfortable homes and the coupled knowledge that
the men who reared them, suffered the rigours of frontier
life and fostered a love for the very soil itself, cannot get
sufficient title to raise $10 by mortgage on one thousand
THE BATTLE OF FISH CHEEK. 153
acres, bring home to every man the reality of the resi-
dents' grievances. No one defends the alliance with the
Indians, nor do any deny the folly of the insurrection
or counsel compromise at this stage of the proceedings,
but feelings nearly akin to sympathy find lodgment in
many of the bravest breasts. JHostility against Kiel is
outspoken, because it is believed his have been the
unwise and demagogical counsels and measures which
have led to hardship and bloodshed. It seems paradoxi-
cal, but it is actually probable that the men won't fight
any the worse for this sympathy."
It would seem from the following extract that men
composing the left column, which was advancing down
the west side of the river, were in no very amiable humour
at having been practically left out of the Fish Creek
fight. It will be seen that it was no fault of theirs they
were not earlier on the scene :
"The left column has probably uttered more oaths
than any given body of men of equal number assembled
in the last decade, and rivals the army in Flanders. They
had been halted during the morning to wait for oats, the
teamsters having represented to Colonel Montizambert
that they could not move unless their horses were fed.
About 9.30 they heard the opening of the artillery. The
scouts hurried forward to report, if possible, what was
going on beyond the dividing river, but soon they were
not needed, as the roar of guns and volley-firing were
plainly audible. The Winnipeg Field Battery was quickly
sent to the front, Lord Melgund and Colonel Montizam-
bert at their head, and after driving over places which in
cooler moments would have been regarded as impassable,
the river bank was reached. Two guns were spotted and
held ready for the assistance of those on the opposite
side. They were not fired, as a mounted aide hurrying to
the opposite bank yelled across that Middleton wanted
infantry to help him and not artillery. The scow which
had been used in the morning to transport oats from the
right to tho left column was hurried downward. Mason'i
154 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Company embarked, while two companies were ordered
to follow as quickly as possible. Lord Melgund pulled
number one at the bow oar of this deeply sunken scow,
sunken by reason of water in her hold, and the crossing
was effected in less than fifteen minutes. The bank on
the east side had an incline of about sixty degrees, but
horses and men climbed it as if stairs had been inserted
therein, and soon started for the scene of the action on
the double. The advance company reached the ravine,
and took position on the right 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 of the Field Battery,
with the detachment of A Battery, of Quebec, and by six
o'clock all but 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 have even guessed at. The rel els
have 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.m until 7 p.m.,
if a few pickled pieces of hard tack are excepted. The
telegraph operator did not cross to the west side last
night, and ail 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 few of the
good shots were in the fore front of the affair."
THE BATTLE OF FISH CREEK. 155
"IN MEMORIAM."
Growing to full manhood now,
With the care lines on our brow^
We, the youngest of the nations,
With no childish lamentations,
Weep, as only strong men weep,
For the noble hearts that sleep,
Pillowed where they fought and bled,
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 ;
Honour 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,
Comes 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
156 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Growing to full manhood now,
With the care lines on our brow,
We, the youngest of the nations,
With no childish lamentations,
Weep, as only strong men weep,
For the noble hearts that sleep,
Where the call of duty led,
Where the lonely prairies spread.
Where for us they fought and bled,
Our loved, our lost, our glorious dead.
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
Middleton was preparing to advance on the enemy's posi-
tion 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 Cree chief on his own reserve is not now,
and in all probability never will be, properly understood.
Be this as it may the result was far from being satisfac-
tory. In spite of all the despatches to the contrary,
when the whole truth became known, it was found that
with about three hundred men, one Gatling and two
seven-pounders, Colonel Otter surprised Poundmaker,
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK. 157
who had about two hundred and fifty poorly armed
Indians and Half-breeds, and that after a sharp contest
of some seven hours' duration he was compelled to make
a hurried retreat, and that it was mainly owing to Pound-
maker's forbearance that the retreating column was not
cut to pieces. Of course every one who saw the fight, or
thought he saw it, had a different story to tell ; but take
all the accounts from both sides and weigh them fairly,
and the above will be found to be pretty nearly the only
conclusion that can be arrived at.
It was not till after dinner on Friday, 1st May, that
it became known in the police barracks that Colonel
Otter intended moving 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 believed
that an early start would be made. Scouts had already
brought in particulars of the position taken up by the
Indians, and Bresaylor, a Half-breed who came to the
lines on Wednesday, and was arrested as a suspected
spy, gave further 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 NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
It was past three o'clock on Friday afternoon when the
long column of teams, forty in number, with the Mounted
Police and scouts under 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 HEHCHMEB.
the Gatling and two seven-pounders, 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 officer of the North-West Mounted Police he has
always been very highly esteemed by his fellow-officers as well as the men
under his command. Kind hearted, courteous and brave even to rashness ;
be ia just the sort of man for a leader of red-coated prairie troopers.
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CRKEK. 159
and Prower. After them came in succession C Com-
pany Infantry School, under Lieutenant Wadmore and
Lieutenant Cassels (attached from Q.O.R., during the
expedition) ; Ottawa Foot Guards, under Lieutenant
Gray; No. 1 Company, Queen's Own, under Captain
Brown, Captain Hughes and Lieutenant Brock ; ammu-
nition teams, forage and provision teams, and the Battle-
ford Rifles, under Captain Nash and Lieutenants Marigold
and Baker, bringing up the rear.
As the column moved out the men who had been left
behind gave a parting cheer, and in a few minutes the
intervening woods shut out the sight of the camp ground.
Rain was dribbling, but the sky soon cleared. The trail
ran through an uneven country, with high hills covered
densely with poplar and underbrush on the left and the
river on the right in a north-westerly direction. 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 underbrush that grew thickly up to the
trail in many places 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, hard-tack and tea. About the fires they whiled
away the time till eleven o'clock, chatting about the
chances of surprising the Indians in the morning. They
were all unquestionably 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
160 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
entirely from the sky when the moon began to peep over
the horizon. But it had grown chilly and the fires were
kept blazing brightly for the warmth they gave. At
half -past eleven the teams were all harnessed and shortly
afterwards strung out in a long column, winding at a
quick walk over the trail to Poundmaker's. The men
made themselves as comfortable as possible in the wag-
gons, but the rugged nature of the trail made any
attempt at sleep futile. The scouts still kept 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 through a more open country, at inter-
vals there being some long stretches of flat, grass-covered
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 of rising. At
length it rose redly, and just as it tipped the horizon the
hollow was reached where the Indians had been encamped
according to the reports of the scouts, three days pre-
viously. The place gave every indication of having been
very recently vacated, and it was thought by many that,
learning ot our approach, they had hastily retreated.
There was strong disappointment expressed, for the boys
were anxious for a fight.
The column advanced through this hollow, and the
trail then led them through a deep gully several hundred
yards wide, densely wooded with poplar and willow
underbrush, through which the Cut Knife Creek wound
its tortuous course. The creek is probably eight or ten
yards wide, two and a-half feet deep, with a swift cur-
rent. Into this gully the column 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
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK. 161
of one of the high, rolling hills that led up from the gully,
two or three dozen head of cattle calmly grazing. The
Indians were known to have driven away some hundreds
of them from the settlers, and it was even thought that
in the haste of their flight they had left these behind.
The column, as it went through the winding path in the
gully, was somewhat straggling. The scouts went along
considerably in advance, up a long but not precipitous
incline, which carried the trail to the head of the 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 summit of a high hill,
removed a considerable distance to the left. 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 the Indians Cut Knife Creek, and the hill
upon which Colonel Otter made his stand Cut Knife Hill,
in commemoration of the defeat by the Crees of the
Blackfoot chief Cut Knife and his braves, 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 Herchmer
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 Rifles not }^et
half-way over the gully. The scouts, Mounted Police,
and artillery advanced immediately.
In a moment the rattle of rifle 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 ii.to
position. The bulk of the enemy engaged was not more
10
162 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
than one hundred and fifty yards away, sheltered in the
uhderbrus^ of a coulee on the left slope of the hill the
attacking lorce had ascended. The garrison division of
B Battery, under Captain Farley and Lieutenants Pelle-
tier and Prower, were instantly extended in skirmishing
order on the brow of the hill, and began to reply to the
enemy's fire, dropping flat on their faces, only their heads
appearing over the crest as marks for the enemy. The
police at once took up similar positions, having dismounted
and placed their horses in a slight hollow on the incline
up which they had come. They were no sooner extended
in this position than thirty or forty Indians made a rush
up the hill on to the guns. The danger of the position
was tremendous. Had they gained that hill-top and
captured the guns, they could have dealt certain destruc-
tion to the column advancing up the hill. Major Short
saw the danger instantly, and called on the men about
him to repel the charge. They responded without 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 had got to
within half that distance. One of these the Major shot
at once. The Indians kept the fire 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 fire 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 had been shot
through the thigh, and Sergeant Gaffney 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 CUT KNIFE CREEK. 163
men were in line in a moment. The Queen's Own and
Ottawa Foot Guards went to the left until the enemy
came in view. Dropping down they narrowly escaped a
hot volley from the enemy, sent in as soon as they
appeared. The main body of C Company were turned to
the right, to cut off the fire of the Indians, which was
beginning to come in hotly from over a deep ravine that
ran only about twenty yards from the trail, and, for a
distance, almost parallel with it. The Battleford Rifles
had jumped from the teams at once when the firing began,
and started on a run up the incline. Most of them were
called back to protect the rear teams going up to the
slight hollow on the trail, when they were drawn up in a
bunch. No sooner had the teams got up than the Indians
appeared on the trail in the gully below. Thus, in five
minutes after the first shot was fired, Colonel Otter's force
was completely surrounded and b'eing fired on from all
sides. It was evident he had run into a trap. The situ-
ation began to look desperate. On all sides the action
was hot. The intention of the enemy was to cut off 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 be reached if the enemy were advanced
a little further than they were up the slope. The artillery
occupied the top of the hill furthest advanced. The
Gatling gun had opened fire on the enemy first, at a
range of about two hundred yards, on the left slope of
the hill, into 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 first 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 CANADA'S NORTH- WEST REBELLION.
perhaps fifty yards. The first three shells were put into the
teepees on the hill to the right front. They were admir-
ably aimed, and created consternation. The teepees were
ripped over, and the people scattered in every direction.
Both guns soon were throwing their deadly shells into
the cover into which the Indians had retreated after their
rush. The range was about one thousand five hundred
yards. Wherever a shell fell its effect could be seen by
a scattering of the enemy in all directions. The firing on
us grew hotter and closer. Volley after volley from
friend and foe on all sides, the booming of the cannon,
the rapid rattle of the Gatling and the rifles, mingled with
the wild whooping of the Indians, made up a furious
tumult, of which no description can give an adequate
idea. Officers and men were as cool and determined as
if the day was already theirs. About an hour after the
engagement was begunj the order was passed from Colo-
nel Otter to Captain Nash, of the Battleford Rifles, that
the rear must be cleared. The men of the ununiformed
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 then began to fall back. The Battleford
boys raced them up the gully to the right, firing whenever
an Indian head appeared. It took half an hour to clear
the back, and then Lieutenant Marigold 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
executed. The rear was entirely cleared of the enemy,
and Colonel Otter remained in command of the position,
But the Indians were 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
stepped into the breach. Calling for volunteers, some of
the Queen's Own, Company, and Ottawa Guards were
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK. 165
at his side in an instant, and they started to intercept the
Indians' advance. The Reds cleared out at once up the
gully and into a ravine, from the covered sides of which
a number of them had been firing on the men of C Com-
pany, who were replying across the ravine near where the
teams were stationed. Ross and his followers pursued
them hotly. The Guards could not understand why the
enemy they had been watching across the ravine had
silenced their fire so suddenly. But the Guards did not
know that Ross and his daring followers had got round in
the rear of the enemy and were engaged in hot pursuit.
Ross immediately cleared up the side of the ravine, and
the instant he reached the summit, where the Indians had
previously been firing from, the skirmishers of C Com-
pany mistook him for one of the enemy, and in an instant
a dozen rifles were brought to bear on him. But he had
tied a white hankerchief to the muzzle of his rifle and
waving it above his head the rifles were lowered. One
man standing among the teams raised a rifle and fired at
Ross, the bullet providentially going wide. Colonel Otter
saw the white flag waved and, not recognizing Ross,
standing as he was on the ground only a few minutes
before occupied by the enemy, evidently mistook the flag
as a signal of truce from the Indians. He 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 up from behind the hill riding the ponies
they had captured.
It was now half-past eight o'clock, and the fight had
lasted about three and a-half hours. The cannons and
Gatling 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 was silenced. A
number of C Company had come over to the left flank,
and fell into the skirmishing line up to this time held by
the Queen's Own, Guards, Police, and Garrison Artillery.
All were lying flat on their faces peeping over the side of
the hill and across a hollow into an underbrush on the
summit of the opposite hill, where the enemy were keep-
166 CANADA'S NOETH-WEST REBELLION.
ing up a constant fire at a range of from six hundred to
seven hundred and fifty yards. If one of the men
unluckily rose up into view a dozen puffs of smoke would
come out of the underbrush and he had to drop again
instantly to get under cover, while the bullets would
whistle fiercely but harmlessly over. This position was
held with little change for an hour and a-half. The
Indians were constantly playing their old game to draw
fire. Up would go a hat on the muzzle of a rifle, or
a blanket would be thrown up, and as the men took aim
at the decoys the enemy would fire on their uncovered
heads. Otter's men " got on to the dodge " at length, and
played similar pranks. The enemy were shooting with
remarkable accuracy, and it was believed that many
Half-breeds were among their number. At ten o'clock
the guns had about silenced the fire of the enemy directly
in front, but they had worked round to the left near the
gully, and were beginning to pour in a dangerous flank
tire on the skirmishers on the side of the hill. This had
to be stopped. Captain Rutherford directed a shell into
the gully. It burst almost over the heads of the Battle-
ford Rifles, who were hotly holding the position to which
they had been ordered. The shelling of the gully caused
them to fall back, but the word was soon sent along
that no more shells would be fired there and they
resumed their position. Colonel Otter ordered Captain
Brown to send the left half of the Queen's Own to occupy
a small hill over which the flank fire was coming. The
order was passed to Lieutenant Brock, who was in charge
of the left half. The object was to drive the Indians
farther back, and the Battleford Rifles going up the gully
would prevent them again taking cover there. It was a
hazardous venture. About twenty men, some of them
Guards and Police, responded to Lieutenant Brock's call
to charge for the hill. Away they went on a quick run,
ducking down to escape the bullets. Brock, revolver in
hand, was leading by half-a-dozen yards. The men in
the skirmishing line behind let out a loud cheer as
they saw the plucky fellows dashing up the hillside, right
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK.
167
into the line of the enemy's bullets over the top. More than
half the men dropped flat just as the summit was reached.
Brock and the remainder passed right over out of view.
A thrill ran through every spectator. The men got over
the hill and started down in full view of the Indians a
little over a hundred yards away. The men opened fire,
Brock with his revolver, but it was useless. The enemy
COLOUR-SERGEANT GEO. E. COOPER.
sent up a withering fire, and the men were forced back
again over the top of the hill and dropped into cover, five
of them having felt the bullets of the enemy. It was a
plucky charge. Lieutenant Brock and his brave follow-
ers, Colour-Sergeant Cooper* and Privates Varey and
* Colour- Sergeant George E. Cooper is a native of Birmingham, Eng-
land, and is about thirty-seven years old. He came to Canada about four-
teen years ago, and Joined the Q. O. R. about seven years ago. He is an
engraver by trade. He is of unusually fine physique and is one of the most
accomplished amateur leapers in Canada.
168 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Watts of the Queen's Own, and one of the Guards were
more or less seriously wounded, and Colour-Sergeant
McKill's forehead was grazed by a ball. Colonel Otter
forwarded orders that the hill should be held, and they
kept it until the final withdrawal, in order to protect the
teams on the way out.
The Indians were making a great fight of it, and when
chased out of one position resumed the fire in another.
Their tenacity is, perhaps, 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 beep
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
perfectly useless and the other almost so. The only
safety was in a retreat, and for this Colonel Otter began
to lay his plans. The Scouts, Battleford Rifles, and
Captain Rutherford and his men, with one of the seven-
pounders, were ordered to proceed through the gully and
occupy the high banks on the 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 of an hour they were all in position, the
rifles and artillery on a cut bank 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 descend through the gully,
and the Indians then became aware that Otter in-
tended to withdraw. This was shortly after twelve
o'clock. At that time the enemy had almost ceased firing,
and it is the belief of many who know the Indians pretty
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 Md till every waggon and
horse had safely passed though the gully. Then came
the real danger of the situation. The men had to retire
down the long incline leading to the gully always with
their faces towards the enemy, who were following them
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREJ3K. 169
up over the ground they had just left. The firing from
both parties was hot, and appeared, from the position of
the party who were 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
cutting 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 Rutherford 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 away 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 attempt to follow.
The Queen's Own Rifles ambulance corps worked
heroically during the whole day. When there was a call
for them to any part 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.
Private 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 Bat-tl 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
170
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
out. Lloyd did so, and went out to assist Acheson, who
had shouldered the dead man. When they were return-
ing Lloyd fell, shot in the back. He was in a stooping
position when struck and the bullet, entering the centre of
the back, penetrated up to the shoulder, under the blade.
When Acheson had deposited the body under cover he at
once returned to bring in Lloyd. Colour-Sergeant
BUGLES FOULKES.*
McKell, of the Queen's Own, went out to assist him, and
between them they got Lloyd safely away from the enemy.
* Herbert Foulkes of "C" Company who was killed in the fight with
Poundmaker's band came to this country from England about eight years
ago. He worked on farms until last September, when he went to Toronto
and took a situation at Oak Hall, where he was a general favourite with the
employes. He has no relatives in this country.
BATTLE OP CUT KNIFE CREEK. 171
It was a remarkable exhibition of heroism. The enemy
were at moderately close range, and firing incessantly.
Poor Rodgers, of the Foot Guards, was killed instantly
while lying in the skirmishing line on the side of the hill.
He was speaking to Capt. Hughes, who was lying along-
side of him, only a moment before. The ball penetrated
his head, and he died without a groan. Following is the
list of killed and wounded :
KILLED.
Brigade Bugler Foulkes, Toronto Infantry School, shot
in the breast.
Private John Rodgers, Ottawa Foot Guards, shot
through the head.
Private Arthur Dobbs, Battleford Rifles, shot through
the breW.
Corporal Sleigh, Mounted Police, shot through the
mouth.
Corporal Lowry, Mounted Police, shot through the
abdomen (died while being taken back in the waggon).
Buglei Burke, Mounted Police, shot through the body
(died on Sunday morning).
Teamster Winder, shot through the head.
Private Osgoode, Ottawa Foot Guards, missing, but
known to be killed.
THE WOUNDED.
Sergeant Ward, Mounted Police, wounded in the left
part of the lower abdomen.
Sergeant Gaffney, wounded in the left fore-arm.
Corporal Morton, B Battery, wounded in the groin.
Private Reynolds, B Battery, compound fracture of the
right 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.R.. shot in the hip flesh
wound.
172 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Private Lloyd, Q.O.R, shot in back, bullet coming
out of the point of the shoulder.
Private McQuilkin, Foot Guards, shot in the left side,
superficial.
Private C. Varey, Q.O.R, shot in the shoulder.
Private Geo. Watts, Q.O.R, flesh wound in the left
leg above the knee, slight.
Bugler Gilbert, Battleford Rifles, shot through the
scalp at back of the head.
Brigade Sergeant-Major Spackman, flesh wound in the
right arm.
Private J. Fraser, Q.O.R, bruised by a spent bullet in
the shin.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE FIGHT.
Half-an-hour after we marched a dense column of
smoke arose from the trail several miles in front. This
was answered by another column of smoke further on,
and showed how close the enemy had been watching
every movement. They were signal fires telling of our
approach. We camped about sunset on a fine piece of
open prairie, and 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 travelled
all night, passing over some very rough ground, the
cavalry and scouts beating every 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 hundred tepees could
BATTLE OP CUT KNIFE CREEK. 173
be seen on one side. They appeared to have been hastily
deserted, as many of the poles still stood as they had first
been placed. We hurried on. The Indians were no doubt
ignorant of our approach and did not expect us until the
afternoon. To get as close to them as possible without
being discovered was our aim. Everyone was anxious
for the fray, and Colonel Herchmer, who had charge of
the scouts and Mounted Police, pushed on swiftly. We
were soon at the foot of the hills, and there ri<rht in front
of us, and not more than a mile distant, was a herd of the
stolen cattle quietly feeding on the hill side. But Cut
Knife Creek flowed between steep banks at the foot of
these hills. Its sides were in places well wooded, while
scrub brush extended in patches 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 ground of a few hundred yards in extent. I was with
the ammunition 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 sides 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 when" the bullets began
singing about their ears, as they did a few minutes later.
Colonel Otter, Colonel Herchmer, Captain 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 ambushed foe.
The Indians had, therefore, fired the first shot, and all
we had to do was to open on them. The guns dashed
forward at a gallop, unlirnbered and went into action,
A shell was thrown amongst the tepees, followed half-a-
minute 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 NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
us so soon, otherwise we should never have got as far as
we did without a volley. At the first shot the members
of the different corps sprang from the waggons. In fact
some of C Company and the Queen's Own were out before
a shot was discharged. They were crossing the creek on
a small log that afforded but a slippery footing to one
man at a time. I ran down to this primitive bridge and
found about thirty of the Queen's Own waiting to cross.
They were crowded together and must have had the
enemy on two sides of them. But not a shot was fired.
A well-directed volley would have dropped out half of
them, but, as I said before, I believe the Indians hardly
expected us so soon. They may have been afraid to
open, not knowing how many were behind. I left this
group, for I saw there was little chance of an opportunity
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 front
and just above the cattle (set as a bait 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 men, and boys, or rather
children (for boys of fourteen years fight beside^tkeir
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 and 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 front, cried "Who'll follow me?"
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK. 175
and rushed at the advancing enemy. His appeal fell upon
willing ears. The men sprang to their feet, fired a volley
into the breeds, who turned tail when within twenty yards
of the guns and sought cover. Here was an opportunity
that was not to be missed.
The men were anxious to follow the retreating enemy,
but Short called them back. A few seconds sufficed to
get the Gatling at work. Its "growl" as the bullets
streamed out reminded one -more of the explosion of a
huge bunch of fire-crackers than anything else. The
bushes were fairly mowed down, and how anything in
shape of flesh and blood could have lived through that
leaden hail is a mystery. A wail went up from the
squaws when they saw what had happened, while off 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 Gatling when the
further grinding out of bullets would have been of little
use, Major Short took his post at the seven-pounders.
Shell after shell was sent shrieking through the air, and
shell after shell burst amidst the brush where the Indians
were concealed. Splintered branches were scattered
round, and the ground was ploughed and furrowed by
the iron fragments. The Indians appeared to be dis-
mayed, for their fire slackened for a time, and we were
beginning to hope that they were having enough of it,
when they resumed the attack. Our musketry tire was
at first wild, but 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 men, 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.
176 CANADA'S NOJRTH-WEST REBELLION.
To the left and right of the guns was the skirmish
line, the men being on the reverse slope of the hill and
looking down into the coulees or ravines that separated
them from another range of hills beyond. Down by the
creek the Battleford rifle company was extended on each
side of the hill. Here it was that some of the heaviest
fighting of the day took place. The teamsters, with their
usual desire not to hurry too much, lagged behind, and
some of them were still in- the creek when the Indians
opened upon them. Their fire, however, was so promptly
met by the Battleford boys that they were more cautious,
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. jBut Indians are
not the best long- range shots in the world, for beyond
the point-blank range of their rifles their firing 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 Smart," someone
shouted as they rose from their cover, and with a wild
cheer dashed into the scrub at the ambushed enemy. A
volley was fired to " stir them up a bit," as one of the
men remarked, then they pushed on, each man getting
the best cover he could find. The Indians did not wait.
The Half-breeds 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
draw a bead. Their shots flew over the heads of our men,
cutting the branches of the brush or flying as spent
bullets into the front of our line. It was hot work while
it lasted, but a few minutes sufficed to clear the Indians
off from the neighborhood of the crossing.
Boss, the scout whom I have already mentioned, was
there. He had a brother's death to avenge and anything
with a red skin received no mercy from him. He dealt
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK. 177
with them in their own fashion. As he was rushing
down the ravine he came upon an Indian who seeing he
was discovered feigned death. But Ross's quick eye saw
through the disguise. Another man might have passed
on and received a shot in the back. But he did nothing
of the kind, and as he ran past he drew his revolver and
like a flash a bullet sped into the red-skin's brain. Down
in the coulee and close to the heaviest part of the scrub
they came upon four Indian ponies which their owners
had left in their hurry to get away from the " pale faces "
whose cheer yet rang in their ears. These they captured,
Ross recognizing one of them as belonging to Little
Poplar. They mounted and were about to ride back to
the lines when a shower of bullets whistled past in
uncomfortable proximity to their heads. It is unneces-
sary to say they dismounted. They did it in a hurry and
were by no means particular as to which side they dis-
mounted from either. In their civilian dress they had
been mistaken for Indians and had drawn our fire upon
them. Ross, who had sensibly discarded the feathers
from his hat, dashed out waving his handkerchief. " A
flag of truce," shouted some one. " Flag of truce ? " a
dozen cried ; " look out, it's an ambush, fire on them."
" Why, it's Ross," said a keener-eyed skirmisher, and a
few seconds later the boys were back. To say that Ross
expressed himself as slightly displeased at their being mis-
taken for enemies will hardly convey a correct idea of
his words.
Now come with me to another part of the field. There
is no danger now. The bullets have found their billets,
and not so much as the smell of powder remains to mark
this as the one of the worst places on that battle-field.
But something does remain. The empty cartridge cases
strew the ridges where the frj^ge of fire 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
178 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
question is easily answered. A bullet found its billet
there. Some brave fellow exposed himself for an instant,
but that instant was sufficient to allow an Indian to cover
him with his sight and touch the trigger. " Was he
wounded?" Well, that is a curious question to ask.
Do you think an Indian from that ridge there would
only wound a man if he got his sights on him ? No, he
didn't wound him ; Jie killed him. His comrade, who was
lying alongside, asked him a question. " What's that ? "
he replied, raising his head. " What's that you ? "
He never finished it. The bullet struck him in the fore-
head and passed clean through his head, and Private John
Rogers, of the Guards, had answered his last roll-call.
He died with his face to the foe, as did every one of the
noble fellows who fell on that hill-side.
We have reached the ridge I spoke of. It is on the
left flank, or rather on the left rear of the guns that have
been so steadily speaking with iron voices to the enemy
beyond. Here some hard work was done. The Indians
again and again tried to carry that ridge. Had they
succeeded they would have got at the horses belonging to
the baggage waggons, which were corralled under cover
of the ridge. At times the bullets fairly rained across it,
and whistled a deadly chorus about the ears of the team-
sters. One horse was struck, and went down like a log,
only to plunge in the harness, however, and frighten the
animals standing around. He was quickly unhooked and
dragged out of the way. That ridge beyond was where
the Indians made what I would call their greatest "blanket
display." Every artifice was adopted by them to draw
our fire, and, 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 five laid their rifles
Cor tjhe brow of the opposite ridge, and wai^d. Then
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK. 179
the fifth sprang to his feet, only to drop like a flash.
But the ruse succeeded. Four dark visages were raised
behind as many rifles, with the amiable intention of send-
ing as many bullets through the audacious rifleman. His
four companions, however, were just waiting for this.
The Indians were scarcely up when they fired upon them.
Quick as the Indians were, they were not quick enough
to escape the leaden compliments that were sent over.
Whether they were killed or not it is impossible to say,
but for some minutes afterwards a man did not run much
risk by looking over the ridge. This was tried twice* to
my certain knowledge, and how much oftener of course
I cannot say.
And now there were signs of the enemy crawling
down towards the creek again and on towards the guns.
They had to be dislodged, and somebody had to do it.
The work was particularly dangerous, for at the first rush
our men would have to expose themselves on the ridge
to the full fire of those in ambush. "Was there any.
difficulty in getting volunteers ? " you ask. " Had the
men to be ordered to go?" No, nothing of the kind.
Ross, who had been 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" for that brush is deserving of every praise.
"How many had fallen by this time ?" you ask. I cannot
tell. _ Those who were dead had to lie on the field. It
made no difference to the poor fellows themselves. They
were 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 suffer 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 " Ambiance," came from the front,
180 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
It did not need to be repeated. Sergeant Ward, of the
Mounted Police, who was by the guns, was struck in the
abdomen. He was the first on the long list of casualties,
and as the cry for men to carry him off rose above the
musketry rattle the stretcher-bearers dashed forward. In
doing so, one of them got a bullet through his forage
cap, and another bullet cut his shoulder-strap in two.
They soon had the poor fellow on the stretcher, and bore
him safely through to the baggage waggons, where Sur-
geons Strange and Leslie had established a field hospital.
Everything that medical skill could do to alleviate his
sufferings was done, and he was soon as comfortable as it
was possible to make him. Bags of oats were built up
to stop any stray bullets that might come that way.
For the time being, therefore, the wounded were safe.
After that the call for stretcher-bearers came every now
and then from all points of the field. Up by the guns,
down in the scrub of the creek, off to the right, and off
to the left, one . could see the Red Cross men doubling
about, or slowly and carefully carrying a wounded com-
rade down to the hospital. The surgeons were hard at
work while the fight lasted, and so were the stretcher-
bearers. There were some wonderful escapes. Remember
the men had had no breakfast that morning. They had
their last meal about nine o'clock on Friday night, and
went into action on an empty stomach. At 9.15 hard-
tack was passed along the line by a couple of police, but
few took advantage of making a breakfast under fire.
Their time was too fully occupied in looking after the
enemy. By half-past nine the fire had slackened off
considerably, and for a time it looked as though the
enemy had quietly slipped away. But we were mistaken.
Up on the hill, away to the left front, was an Indian who
had occupied the same position for hours. He was sur-
rounded by a few companions, and seemed to be acting
as commander-in-chief . On several occasions some of our
men had tried a long shot at him, but their bullets all
dropped short. The fellow scorned to be directing their
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK. 181
movements by the aid of a small mirror, with which he
flashed the sunlight first on one part of the field and then
on another. He could see almost the whole of our position,
and made the most of it. The Indians fought desperately.
Boys of fourteen years of age were seen in the bush blazing
away with " trade " guns, while others used bows and
arrows. In fact a great many arrows were fired, and
some of our men were slightly wounded by them.
At last it seemed as though the ammunition of the
Indians was being exhausted, and Colonel Otter decided
on making a rush for the tepees and burning the whole
encampment. There were just two courses open to him,
namely, either to withdraw his troops or make a grand
rush for their camp. But here fate settled the question.
The trail of one of the seven-pounders broke as the gun
was discharged, rendering it, of course, useless. The other
was cracked some time before, and had been strengthened
by a piece of two-inch oak, which was bolted on the lower
side. But the constant firing had loosened this, and every
time the gun was discharged it jumped out of the trunnion
holes. In fact it was a race between the gun and the
gunners. The former jumped back every time it was
discharged, and the latter had to follow it and carry it
back to its place again. It would have been folly to
attempt to destroy the tepees without the guns, and so
Colonel Otter decided on withdrawing. At 11 a. m.,
therefore, the teamsters received orders to hook their
horses in and load their waggons. And now came the
question most important of all : How were we to get out
of the box ? We were surrounded by thick scrub on every
hand, and the idea of crossing the creek under a cross-fire
from the enemy could not be entertained. Colonel Otter
therefore ordered Captain Nash to clear the woods in the
rear, and this was beautifully accomplished by his com-
pany and some of the police scouts, the ubiquitous Ross
being, as usual, a prominent figure wherever there was
anything particularly dangerous to be accomplished.
They did their work magnificently, cutting across the
182 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
ridge to the right of the waggons, and going right down
into the teeth of the enemy. These they drove down the
creek, running them nearly half-a-mile through the coulee.
A couple of the Red-skins were killed, and two others
were known to have secreted themselves along the edge
of the creek, and could not be found. They then returned,
crossed the creek, and with the scouts, drove the enemy
back from that side also. The high sand bluff on toe
right of the creek was occupied by some of these Battle-
ford men, while the remainder held possession of the
wooded height on the opposite side of the trail, the scouts
holding the woods further up the creek.
Then, and not till then, did the waggons receive orders
to move. The dead were carried in from every part of
the field, and that a/t 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 fire of the troops lining
the ridges, 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
them that we were about leaving. I firmly believe that
when they saw the first teams 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-
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK. 183
directed shell dropped in the very midst of them made
them hesitate. Another shell fell near the same place, and
the Indians scampered under cover, and we saw no more
In the meantime the waggons had drawn off to the
deserted camping ground of the Indians, through which
we had passed seven long hours before. Then the line
was formed, the men got into the waggons, and the column
started on its way back to Battleford. The scouts were
the last to leave, but on doing so fired the prairie to pre-
vent the Indians from following us. There was a stiff
breeze blowing at the time, and the flames getUuj into
the woods made a huge blaze, and kept the enemy from
heading us off in the woods, no matter how well disposed
they might have been to lay another little surprise for
us. After travelling for an hour or so we camped and
fed the horses and men. Then the march was resumed,
and about ten o'clock on Saturday night we reached
Battleford, having within thirty-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 off 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 band been on hand we should
not have got away ; that, in fact, it would have been a
repetition of the Ouster Massacre, and I think this is too
true. But, be this as it may, we certainly had our hands
quite full. Shortly after the fight began a huge column
of smcke rose above the woods across in the direction of
the Saskatchewan, and some thought it was a signal from
Big Bear to Poundmaker 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 way back there were times when the
184 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
prairie seemed on fire in every direction. On the flats
between the Saskatchewan and Battle Rivers the woods
were in a blaze, and as night cast its mantle over forest
and prairie the red glare of the fires could be seen for
miles on our left between the two rivers. On reaching
camp the wounded were the first to be cared for, before
anything else was done, and they were made as comfort-
able as circumstances would admit. Next morning (that
is Sunday) they were removed to a marquee tent across the
river.
On the way down, Lowry, of the Mounted Police, died
in the waggons. He was a son of General Lowry, and
had been in the force about two 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 morning. He leaves a wife and six young
children.
Our losses were heavy. The ratio of killed to wounded
was far beyond the usual proportion. There are 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 they could possibly avoid it. During
the first few minutes of the engagement our men fired
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 battle at Cut Knife Creek can hardly
be regarded as other than disastrous to the loyal cause.
The attack was ill-judged and wholly unnecessary.
Battleford was safe and Poundmaker was staying quietly
on his reserve. There was 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 his lodges containing his women
BATTLE OF CUT KNIFE CREEK.
185
and children shelled, no one could wonder at his taking
up arms to defend them, and it must be admitted that
when he and his people were forced to fight they fought
gamely from first to last. That Colonel Otter and his
column owe their escape from Cut Knife to Poundmaker's
forbearance there is now no room to doubt, but Pound-
maker and his version of the fight at Cut Knife Creek
will form the subject of another chapter.
CAPT. E. T. BROWN,
Of Boulton's Scouts, killed at Batoche.
See page 236.
POUNDMAKUB.
CHAPTER XVIIL
PCUNDMAKER.
A GENTLEMAN who spent some two years in the
North- West, and who knew Poundmaker intimately,
furnishes the following sketch of the great Cree warrior
and statesman :
When I learned in the winter of 1883-4 that Pound-
maker was making trouble at Battleford I was greatly
surprised, for at that time it looked as though the great
Cree Chief had been actuated by something like personal
animosity, and knowing him as I did I thought it impos-
sible that he could be so much moved by such a motive.
When I learned of his connection with the present lamen-
table outbreak in the North-West I was not at all sur-
prised, for I knew him to be a patriotic lover of his own
POUNDMAKEB. 187
f race~ and people, ready at any time to lay down his life
their service. Though the effort was a mad one that
could only end in disaster to those concerned in it, I can
readily understand how Pound maker may have been
drawn into it. Though a man of much more than ordi-
nary intellectual force and keenness of perception, even
to prescience, it must be remembered that Poundmaker
nas had no opportunities for learning what is going on in
the busy world south of the Milk River Ridge, east of the
South Saskatchewan, and west of the Rocky Mountains.
Concerning it his ideas are very hazy. Like others of his
race he has a good opinion of human nature generally,
and is especially adverse to lying in all its forms. If it be
true that Riel told the Indians that he expected plenty
of help from the Fenians and American Half-breeds in
carrying his rebellion to a successful issue, Poundmaker
would be just the man to believe it. Weary with waiting
for Mr. Dewdney, as the representative of Canadian
authority, to carry out the extravagant promises he has
been making to the North Crees, Poundmaker was brought
to the conclusion that these promises never would be ful-
filled, and that the Government were quite prepared to
see the Indians perish from the torments of cold and
starvation. Believing this, it was easy for a brave and
resolute leader to decide that it was better to die fighting
than to starve like a coward, and see his race supplanted
by a people whom no promise bound and whom no moral
obligation affected in the smallest degree.
When Lord Lome and his party were travelling from
Battleford to Calgary, in September, 1881, the train
which left Battleford was decidedly a large and imposing
one. A long stage of the journey was 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 rendered necessary the carrying of more
grain, so that altogether the train was an enormously
large one when the number of actual passengers it carried
188 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
is taken into account. There were many Indians and
Half-breeds accompanying us, and it took me some days
to learn the names and occupations of the more important
of these. I know that the guide was Johnny Saskatche-
wan, a swarthy, square-shouldered, medium-sized man,
wearing a heavy black beard, and looking very much like
a French Half-breed, but who did not speak French, and
who used to stoutly aver that there was 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. The train was a big
one, and he tried to make as much use of the firewood to
be reached en route as possible. For a considerable por-
tion of the way there was no trail, and in thus turning
aside (for wood and water) from the general direction he
wished to take, Johnny Saskatchewan was evidently
becoming somewhat confused. Many a time could we
see him rein in his blacky-brown " cayuse " on the crest
of a great yellow ridge a mile ahead of us, and standing
there in sharp relief against the hazy blue of the horizon,
horse and rider looked like an equestrian statue of bronze.
Whenever Johnny Saskatchewan would thus draw rein a
tall, slender figure in a close-fitting black frock coat, and
mounted on a slender-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. I soon learned that this
tall horseman who was thus "guiding the guide " was no
other than the great Oree chief, Poundmaker, and that he
was taken with us for the purpose of translating glack-
fhoLinto Cree, which was in turn to be translated from
QEE^into English by our Cree Half-brejxi interpreter. I
hacHieard of him as a prominent iigure'among the North
Crees, and indeed among all the Crees, but further than
POUNDMAKER. 189
this I knew nothing of the man. I soon found that in
our night camps his tent was usually pitched in the same
locality as my own, and I was not long in making his
acquaintance through Peter Countois, my own guide and
interpreter. I was not long in learning that, though
singularly solemn and dignified in his manner, Pound-
maker was very communicative in all matters pertaining
to his own people. Knowing in a general way that my
business was that of writing for the public, he appeared
to think that much was to be gained by having the char-
acteristics of the Indians in general, and those of the
Crees in particular, discussed in my letters.
He told stories of his people, of their traditional loy-
alty to the British flag ; their gentleness to the poor, the
suffering, and the unprotected ; and their love of the pur-
suits of peace as opposed to those of war and pillage.
Like Piapot and other Cree chiefs, Poundmaker was very
proud to say that the Crees had never shed the blood of
the white man. He was never given to boasting or "count-
ing coo," and always spoke of war and of the old feuds
between the Crees and Blackfeet with a perceptible aver-
sion, as though their recollections made him shudder.
Though Poundmaker's views regarding his own race
and people were warped by superstition and Cree or
Blackfoot legends and romances, they were surprisingly
well balanced, and betrayed a breadth of intellectual
grasp that seemed to me incredible as coming from a
pagan Indian with no pretensions to intellectual culture
of any kind save mental introspection. He always
appeared to me to be more anxious to shine as a statesman
than as a warrior ; but though he never spoke boastfully
of his own exploits, I could easily gather, from little facts
that cropped up as if by accident in the narration of events
in his own career, that he was a man who in the fray must
have been absolutely indifferent to personal danger. In
speaking of fighting he neve/ : upeared to recognize the
element of personal danger. Iteath in battle appeared
to him to be a matter of course, a danger always present,
190 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
but, though ever imminent, never to be considered or
regarded.
But talking of wars and bloodshed was not what
Poundmaker liked best. He would refer to these as
things of the past which he earnestly hoped would never
be revived. He was proud of having made peace between
the Crees and Blackfeefc, prouder of that than of the
many incursions he had made into the Blackfoot country,
killing their people and taking away their horses. In
the latter, though he might have brought glory and
wealth to his own people, he still brought misery and
want to another people of his own race. Indians should
all be as brothers, brothers with those of their own race,
and brothers with their friends the white men. War
must bring misery and sorrow to some, while peace and
industry must bring happiness and enjoyment to all. He
would show a sort of contempt for what he would term
military greatness. Men who could fight the Blackfeet
best in the old times 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 fight and steal horses." For such
men Poundmaker entertained the greatest contempt.
They would never help the Crees to become a wealthy
and prosperous people like the white men. Turning to
another and to him a much more agreeable subject Pound-
maker would ramble 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 said.
I can almost see him now, while I write, as he used to
lie close beside a little handful of glowing embers that
could hardly be called a fire, but which was all we cared
to indulge in on the great treeless stretches where we
hauled our fuel from > iirty to fifty miles and flanked
our tiny tires with dry buffalo chips. The picture was
one not easy to forget, The camp all quiet, the snowy
POUNDMAKER. 191
cones of the bell tents bathed in bright moonlight, the
yellow prairie grass sparkling with hoar frost, and our
little group gathered about the fire listening to the mel-
low voice of Poundmaker as he lay stretched along the
grass, his black blanket wrapped around him below the
shoulders, his right elbow resting on the ground and his
right hand propping up his head, his fine, classically cut
face turned partially toward the sky and thrown a little
back from his breast, across which one of his two long
shining braids of hair hung like a great black rope, and
trailed upon the grass. In that mellow musical voice he
would tell us how, after wasting years of his boyhood
and youth in raiding the Blackfoot country, killing their
people and stealing their ponies, it was proposed that the
Crees should make a treaty with their brothers, the white
men. He saw that peace was good, and he saw, too, that
his people could not well adopt the pursuits of peace, as a
treaty with the whites implied, and at the same time
carry on a successful warfare against the Blackfeet. He did
not wish to see his own people turning to farming, when
the Blackfeet might attack them and destroy their homes.
He thought that a " whole peace " would be good for the
Crees and good for the Blackfeet, and he thought it best
that they should make peace between themselves, and
then all make a treaty with the Government. To accom-
plish this end Poundmaker set himself at work, and
though he passed through perils in the Blackfeet camp
while on this peaceful mission, the thoughts of which (to
use his own expression), " still made his body shrink," he
never faltered in his 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,
were 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 p^me many years ago. A good
192 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
chief had been killed in battle with the Blackfeet, and all
his family slaughtered except three little children. A
good spirit in the form of a great black dog saved the
children, and took refuge with them on this little island.
They were beyond the reach of their enemies there, and
beyond all harm, danger, and death. They never grew
old, but remained the same for all time. To this day
they were sometimes seen playing together on this island,
and the children never grew any larger for their little
faces could just be seen peeping over the big dog's back
as he stood in front of them to protect them from danger.
Child's Lake is between Battlef ord and Sounding Lake.
Lord Lome would at times have Poundmaker in his
mess tent after dinner and listen for hours to his Cree
legends as well as to his story of how he made peace
between the Crees and the Blackfeet. When he had con-
cluded the latter history, Lord Lorne, having listened
with the closest attention, and with evident interest from
beginning to end, spoke in the kindliest and most encour-
aging manner to him, telling him that his ambition for
the progress of his people in enlightenment and material
prosperity was one well worthy of a great chief, and that
he hoped he would continue to be in the future as he had
been in the past, a peacemaker.
Knowing Poundmaker as I do, I shall watch with
considerable interest the development of the story of his
connection with the rising in the Battleford district. I
shall be particularly anxious to know to what extent he
acted on the offensive before his reserve was invaded.
The reader is not yet done with Poundmaker, but it
will be preferable to let the events related in this history
bring his true character to light in their own time than to
make unsupported assertions concerning it just now. We
may here state, however, that the story of the Battle
of Cut Knife Creek is but half-told. We have heard
Colonel Otter's side of the story, but at a later period
Poundmaker will have an opportunity of giving his
version of the affair. It may be added here, however, that
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 193
while the first telegraphic reports estimated Poundmaker's
force at six hundred and his loss at from sixty to one
hundred and twenty-five, the facts were that his force
was little if any over two hundred and fifty and his 'loss
was six or seven killed and about as many wounded.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY.
WE now come to the decisive battle of the rebellion,
the engagement which crushed the last hope of the
Half-breeds and sent out their leaders Dumont and Kiel
as hunted fugitives and outcasts.
The events which took place on the South Saskatche-
wan between the Battles of Fish Creek and Batoche can
be briefly summed up. The wounded remained to be
cared for and put in a place of safety before the column
could move on down the river, but besides this there were
other causes why General Middleton could not move on.
The steamer Northcote, with the Midlanders, with sup-
plies and with the invaluable Gatling, made very slow
progress. The journey was a long one, the boat was
heavily laden and the water was low. Day after day the
boys remained in the neighbourhood of Fish Creek,
where, as they afterwards learned, a mere handful of one
hundred and twenty-five badly armed rebels had wrought
such havoc upon a vastly more numerous force fully
supplied with small arms and ammunition, as well as a fair
complement of artillery.
During this tedious delay General Middleton gave all
sorts of excuses for his inaction. One day it was want
of supplies, then he had not a sufficient medical staff to
take with him 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
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
river to Saskatoon. The truth was that he was afraid
to advance on the rebels' position at Batoche until he
had been materially re-inforced. He had received a
lesson at Fish Creek with regard to the fighting capacity
of the Half-breeds, which he was not disposed to disregard.
He might talk as he pleased, but there was no possible
chance of his risking another reverse such as he had
experienced on the 24th of April. He would have the
Midland Battalion and the Gatling gun before again
attacking the rebels.
Again and again reports were sent out that General
Middleton would certainly move at once, but the canny
old soldier had no notion of bringing on another fight
until he had overwhelming odds 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 blame 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 day 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 Northcote arrived at Clark's
Crossing, and on the 7th (two days later) General Middle
ton moved out of his camp at Fish Creek.
In the meantime the commander had conceived the
rather ludicrous idea of converting the Northcote 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 task 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 fight of May 9. Those on board of her not
only failed to accomplish anything, but after barely
escaping being caught by the ferry rope and held till
MAP OT THE BOENES OI THB BATTLES OF DUCK LAKE, FISH GREEK,
AND BATOCHB.
196 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
every one on board could have been massacred or cap-
tured, she drifted helplessly down stream where those
aboard of her could not even see, to say nothing of taking
part in, th 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 reached at 6 p.m., camping for the night.
Our scouts under Lord Melgund 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 board the Northcote, and then
fired the house. The scouts then went on to the houses
of Vaudal and Poitras on Section 29, 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 Northcole, fitted
up as a gunboat, patrolled the river, keeping a sharp look-
out on the west bank, where 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
v. Prince Albert, which further north skirts the base of
the Birch Hills. After turning north on this trail for
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FEKRY. 197
two miles, we camped for the night near one of the
numerous alkaline ponds, and not far from the cross-trail
leading into the Carrot River settlement. We were then
eight miles east and a little south of Batoche's.
The Northcote, under Captain Sheets, had been ordered
to move slowly down the river. Our plan was to move
on Batoche's from the east, while the boat took care of
the river to the south of the settlement. The rebel pits
began three hundred yards to the east of the church 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 irregular three-quarter circle,
embracing in all probably five sections of land, or three
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 feet 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 bluffs by throwing up breastworks of rock
and poplar trees. A number of bluffs and ravines, lying
far out, protected the main circle of pits, which 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.
Dumont 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 Howard (of the State
198 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
National Guard of Connecticut, and agent for the Gatling
factory there), were at their posts all night long.
General Middleton issued a general order at 8 p.m.,
instructing the troops to be on parade at 4 a.m., to break-
fast at 4.15, and to be ready to march at 5 sharp, each
man carrying 100 rounds of ammunition. The baggage
and the armed teamsters were to remain in the zareba
camp, and also the few invalided and used-up men, most
of them suffering 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. The men fell in sharp on time, the parade being
conducted with as little noise as possible. The rebel
scouts had kept track of us, however, from the time we
left Fish Creek ; and had even fired at our men as we
were leaving Dumont's.
At 5.30 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 due west was made in the
following order:
Boulton's Scouts 75
Gatling (Captain Howard) 4
Royal Grenadiers 262
90th Battalion 275
Midland Battalion 116
A Battery (two guns) 95
Winnipeg Field Battery (2 guns) 60
French's Scouts (on flanks) 30
Hospital and ammunition waggons.
Total 917
Nos. 1 and 2 Companies of the Royal Grena-
diers headed that regiment. The country on the east
side of Batoche's is broken and full of clumps,
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 199
great caution was exercised. When about four miles
from Batoche's, at 7 a.m., we heard the Northcote
whistling a signal that had been agreed upon, and we at
once answered her with a blank shot from a nine-pounder.
Batoche's lies on both sides of the river, and the main
village is in a basin-shaped depression, with stores on the
east side of the river. When about a mile from the east
bank, we came in view of the outskirts of the settle-
ment, and the Gatling fired at the first house, but there
was nobody there. It was a bright, clear morning, and
we could watch operations quite distinctly at first ; but
later in the day dense clouds of smoke hung over the
whole basin. Our scouts now fell back, and A Battery,
pushing on ahead, sent a shell through the second house.
Some rebels immediately ran out of a ravine behind the
house into the bush. The two houses took fire and were
soon in ashes. Three hundred yards further on stands
the Church of St. Antoine de Padua. A small school
house stands near the church, both buildings being about
two hundred yards from the high bank of the river. IB
the rear is a thick wood of poplar, hazel and willow
through which a deep ravine runs. The river makes a long
sweep westward and then eastward, leaving Batoche's in
a broad peninsula. We moved slowly on, and soon
heard heavy firing along the river, the report of the big
gun on the Northcote being easily distinguishable. The
Gatling 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, and were extremely thankful for their rescue.
The Half-breeds had threatened to kill them all, and
would have done so without doubt had not Garnot, one
of the rebel leaders, insisted that the church should not
be desecrated by murder. No sooner had the priests
been saved than the Gatling let fly at the school house
from our high elevation, but there was no response. A
200 CANADA'S NOKTH-WEST REBELLION.
Battery now came up, and began shelling the houses on
both sides of the river. A dozen women and children
were seen rushing out, and our men ceased firing for an
instant, General Middleton having given strict injunctions
to the force to spare non-combatants as far as possible.
While we were watching these people run off, the
rebels suddenly rose from the ravine right in front of us,
and opened fire. The guns were ordered to the rear, and
the Gatling, which Howard had been working so well,
rained down a fusilade, but our position was too high,
and the bullets flew over the ravine, and did no harm.
This was a ticklish moment, and our men were thrown
into some disorder. Howard, however, worked like a
Trojan in the thick of it, and kept the rebels from
charging us. We should have lost many lives, and
probably our guns, but for the Gatling. Meanwhile the
first two companies of the Grenadiers advanced to the
edge of the wood in rear of the school house, and a little
to the right of the spot where we first felt the rebel fire.
The rebels detected the movement, and desperate efforts
were made to turn our left flank by their men in the
bush under the high river bank and on the slope, who
fired with great vigour; but they had nothing but shot
guns, and their fire fell short. Some rebels with rifles on
the other side of the river also took a hand in, but the
Gatling silenced them.
It was now 9.45 o'clock. The sharpshooters of the
90th, armed with Martini-Henry rifles, and the dismounted
men of A Battery were here brought up and ordered to
lie down and fire over the crest of the rising ground into
the ravine and the bush on the river. The main body of
the 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 the left of the first
ravine, was forthwith brought to the rear of the left
centre, and was just opening out, when the underbrush
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 201
in another ravine behind us took fire and spread fiercely.
For a time we were surrounded by fires from the sloughs,
the smoke of which rolled along the ground like a dense
fog. It was a tight place, but the troops never for a
moment flinched. They simply looked to their officers,
who in turn patiently waited for orders from the chief.
At 11.30 a.m. the order came. It was for the force to
move back a little. Our wounded had been placed in the
church, but as it was well within the rebel range and the
bush fire seemed likely to reach it, they were taken out
and carried to the rear near the ammunition waggons.
By the time this had been done the rebels had opened at our
left flank, and also in rear of our right flank, all the time
maintaining their steady f usilade upon our centre and left
centre. Here it was thought by some officers that we
were about to be surrounded, and they certainly swarmed
on all sides, shouting and cheering, as though they
thought they had us in a trap. The Winnipeg Batter y
however, succeeded in planting four shells right in front
among their pits, and this kept them off. Evidently,
from their experience at Fish Creek, the rebels were well
aware when shell was fired. They detected either the
report or more probably the word of command, and en-
sconced themselves in their pits, lying flat on their faces,
until the shell burst and the danger was past.
At 1 p.m. we caught sight of a small body of rebels
gliding up a ravine on our left, 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 Battalion was sent up to the ravine last
mentioned, with a stretcher in charge of Dr. Codd, of
Winnipeg, to get out Phillips' body. They were met with
a hot fire, but the Winchester men on the rebel side had
gone away to another part of the field, and the rest had
202 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
only shot guns. The body was secured, none of the Mid-
land men beipg injured on the trip.
Four scouts were sent back at this time (3 p.m.) to
order up some tents and waggons. The firing almost
ceased for a time now, and our men lay down while the
scouts reconnoitred. At six o'clock the rebels began
again, and at 7 p.m. the firing was going on, but it was at
long range and no damage was being done.
It was painfully evident that we had not men enough.
Owing to their position, one rebel was as good as ten volun-
teers, just as it was at Fish Creek. The firing on our
part had to be done at the puffs of smoke from their guns,
or at the spots where we supposed the enemy to be. The
terribly broken ground rendered it difficult for the big
guns to get into action, and when they did open they could
do little with an enemy lying in pits and protected by
trees and a heavy underbrush. General Middleton said
the men had done remarkably well that day all things
considered. Captain Howard was loudly cheered that
evening. His Gatling saved us from serious disaster.
At 5 p.m. our scouts captured Wm. Brush, a breed, who
was hovering near our rear. He said he escaped from
Kiel three days before. He placed the rebel force at four
hundred men, half of whom were Indians. Two hundred
of them were on this side and two hundred on the other
side of the river. The priests confirmed this. They
said the Northcote ran down the river that morning under
a heavy fire. At 8.30 a.m. our men saw that her smoke-
stack had been knocked down. Bullets had probably
smashed the wire bracing. We saw no more of her but
about noon she was heard whistling, and then appeared
to be going down the stream in the direction of Prince
Albert. At 6 o'clock she began whistling as though from
up the stream.
Such is the account of the first 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 of an attack
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 203
from an exultant foe. The following more detailed
account, written under more favourable circumstances,
will be found interesting and valuable :
It is needless to say the result of Saturday's fight has
not been satisfactory to either side, and that the enemy
find themselves under fire in their last stronghold is about
the greatest satisfaction we can get out of the situation.
The day commenced at four o'clock, and by six we were
en route; the teamsters, under Transport Officer Secretan,
being left to guard the camp, every tent standing and all
the baggage except haversacks behind. The road was
miry in many places, and several ammunition waggons
sticking fast delayed rapid advance. When within four
miles of Batoche and within site of the opposite bank of
the river, the whistle of the Northcote was heard, and one
of the Winnipeg guns fired a blank cartridge as an answer-
ing signal. There seems little doubt that this was a mis-
take and some other means of communication should
have been adopted. The report gave notice to the enemy
of our approach, and so far as we know was regarded as
an order to advance by the boat. Two miles further on,
after passing a Half-breed cemetery, we reached the first
evidences of a regular settlement, though isolated houses
and Cree cabins (our daily trail lay through one Assoris
reserve) were always in sight. All the houses and barns
along the road but one were burned as our infantry
reached them.
At eight o'clock one of the A (Quebec) Battery
guns fired a shell through the upper storey of a house on
the right of the road and several rebels hurriedly skedad-
dled. Very little further on, the Boulton Infantry with
Howard and his Gatling being in advance, we came in
full view of the much -talked -of Church 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 school-house and the
church was a camp of Indians, and the scouts retiring,
204 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Howard opened with his Gatling, scattering the enemy,
who ran rearward, leaving their breakfasts on the fire.
Thirty shots were fired high in the school house, in which
were several Half-breed women and children. These
waved a flag of truce. A quarter of an hour passed in
parley with the priests, from whom it was learned that
the enemy numbered about two-hundred Halfbreeds and
as many Indians, equally divided by the river; they
were absolutely without flour, sugar, and tea, (the latter
almost a necessity to them) short of ammunition,
especially lead, and many of them dissatisfied with Kiel.
From the priests we learned that at 8.30 the boat sailed
past Batoche's Ferry, the smoke-stack down ; and while
the talk progressed we heard her whistle from below the
Ferry, seemingly a couple of miles away by water. The
stream makes a semi-circular curve and thus leaving
Batoche's and the church, in a rounded promontory in
rear of the opposite landing, at which the ferry scow was
moored, was a group of tepees, some of them brilliantly
painted. At these and one or two houses beyond, A
Battery first fired and then we saw the enemy. They
scurried over the hills north-eastward and southward in
great haste, women and children being in the majority.
Several shells were next fired at the houses beyond
Batoche's dwelling, and we were all standing watching the
effect as if the enemy had retreated. In moving one of
the guns after it was shotted the shell was jammed and
several times missed fire. As if the snap of the primer
had been a signal, fiendish whoops came from the ravine
beneath our feet; the rush of men through the scrub
below was heard, and a shower of bullets rushed over
our heads. The heavy guns were ordered 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 death or wounds at the first
fire no one can tell. But that we all got out eventually
all right is due to Captain Howard (the American officer)
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 205
and his Gatling. Instead of retiring, he advanced and
poured in a withering fire. One of the gunners was shot
through both legs, but Howard never flinched. He was
a target for concealed marksmen, but he turned the
crank as coolly as if giving an exhibition. While the
artillery bad been playing from the crest, A and B
Companies of Grenadiers, the advance of the column,
had come beyond the church, moving in from the right.
When the attack was made from the ravine they were
advanced rapidly into the brush and, extended as
skirmishers, took position within one hundred and fifty
yards of the rifle pits. The sharpshooters of the 90th,
armed with Martini- Henrys, were sent forward to the
crest to support the Gatling, two companies of the 90th
to the left flank and along the river bank, the dismounted
detachment of A Battery and French's scouts being
sent down the small ravine into which we retreated from
the crest. The rest of the Grenadiers formed the centre.
The Midlands were in reserve near the church, near
which the General and staff took a position, while the
remaining companies of the 90th, aided by the Winnipeg
Field Battery and dismounted detachments, were deployed
on the right centre, right, and right flank. Before very
long the enemy came around from the mouth of the
main ravine and attacked A Battery and the scouts.
Both sides fought persistently, and here Phillips lost
his life and Cook was wounded. The scouts being
farther down were in a bad place, but Howard discerning
it moved his gun farther along the crest and diverted the
enemy until the scouts and batterymen got into better
position? The rebels had a great deal more ammunition
than they were credited with. For hours the falling
shots kept up, and about noon the 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 bluff on our left flank.
On the right centre the enemy kept an individual tire,
and about one o'clock got on our right flank, Boulton's
206 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
scouts and the Winnipeg artilleries held them off ; but as
by this time we could hear the enemy on almost all sides,
the fear of a surround grew into prominence in many
hearts. We had not heard anything from the steamer
for hours, but between one and two her whistle sounded
several miles further down stream. That the enemy had
not deserted her vicinity was shown by several volleys
which followed the sound of the whistle. Again the
Indians resorted to their old tactics and fired the brush
and grass in front of our right, trusting to the wind to
blow the flames into our centre and left. For a time it
looked as if the plan would prove successful and the
outlying skirmishers had a smoky time of it. The
church had been turned into a hospital ; but as it was
exposed to fire from the enemy and from the burning
brush, the wounded were hurriedly made comfortable in
waggons, and moved to a place of comparative safety in
the rear. About two o'clock one company of the
Midlands under Col. Williams was sent into the smaller
ravine and down the bluff, to get the body of Phillips.
When first wounded he was able to speak, and it was
hoped he might be rescued alive. Dr. Alfred Codd, of
Winnipeg, gallantly offered to accompany the troops and
did so. They got Phillips amid a terrific fire terrific in
continuancy, but fortunately too high. The Catling
again served to distract the enemy. The poor fellow had
been first shot (and not mortally) through the shoulder,
but when he tried to move it is supposed the enemy
made him a target. He was shot through the head.
At the same time Phillips was first shot the scouts were
having it hot and heavy, and when about to retreat
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 a head shown by either party was *
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 207
target for a score of bullets. About this time General
Middleton concluded to retire to our present position,
which is between five and six hundred yards distant
from the church, and immediately sent Boui ton's mounted
men back to the cainp to bring up the transport. He
and Melgund had a hurried consultation and the latter
started, as we supposed, for the old camp, but really for
Ottawa via Humboldt. By 6.30 all the troops, except
those actually engaged, were in and about the ground,
and an advance scout from Boulton reported the transport
Baf e and en route on the trot. Hurried breastworks with
earth and poplar trees were thrown up on our rear (then
thought to be the most exposed portion) and as soon as
this was done fires were lighted, and the preparation of
supper such sort as could be hurriedly prepared
started. The Gatling opened to cover the retreat of our
advance lines toward camp. Rapidly the transport was
driven into a zareba shape, except that the lines formed
were double, and the rear was open. The Gatling kept
firing quickly (about 3,000 rounds were used during
the day), and volleys from both sides turned our atten-
tion to the church from which our advanced lines were
retreating, covering and being covered by the American
gun. Here, as elsewhere, the wonder is that our loss was
not heavy. The only reasonable explanations are poor
ammunition, poor and hurried marksmanship, greater
caution on the part of our forces, and a kind Providence.
At last the men withdrew, tired, hungry and angry that the
day's work had not proved more successful, and hopeful
of at least a short rest. They 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 their
safe route under the brow of the cliff, and rising over
the brow fired into the zareba. The 90th and the Grena-
diers were sent outside on the run and gallantly repelled
the attack, but not before Moor had been killed (he
was in the zareba at the time) and five men wounded.
208 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Night came at length, but tired as we were it was scarcely
welcome. We were cooped up, and had the extreme satis-
faction of furnishing a good mark for potshooters. In
the corral were more than six hundred mules and horses,
and eighty cattle. Men were busy throwing up hasty
entrenchments ; teamsters, nervous and frightened, were
yelling at equally nervous animals ; around the hospital
tents the doctors were busy in dressing wounds, probing
for bullets, etc. The bullets were whizzing and pinging
overhead, and occasionally striking inside. Pleasant
prospect for the night, especially when one remembered
that a favourite trick among the reds is to stampede the
cattle and horses of the enemy. Hoofs would be apt to
deal worse wounds than balls, and against affrighted
animals, cooped up within a small space, we had abso-
lutely no defence. The anticipations of a mean night
were largely realized, though thus far we have escaped a
stampede. Few, if any, slept five hours consecutively,
and the firing was kept up almost all night. At daylight
on Sunday morning our lines were again advanced
beyond the night's position, and the scattered shooting
recommenced. We had better 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 until evening. By 9 a.m. the usual question was,
" What are we to do ? Stay here, advance and take
Batoche, or retreat to our camp of Friday last ? " Of
course General Mid die ton 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 first
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 fortifications were in excellent shape. A
plan was laid by which, when the Grenadiers retired
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 209
from the front, they were to do so in a seeming hurry
and entice the enemy to show over the bank, where they
were to afford good targets for the 90th sharp-
shooters, who were to relieve the Grenadiers. The plan
was carried out, except in one important particular.
The 90th opened too soon and gave the game away
to the enemy, who did not show over the bank, but fired
from the position held throughout the day and from
numerous points across the river.
The story of the second day's fighting is told in the
following, which takes up the history on Sunday
morning :
After the fight at the southern skirt of the rifle pits
on Saturday, we camped for the night in a large cleared
space two hundred 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, but
their bullets fell short. It was a fine night though some-
what chilly. There is twilight now in these northern
latitudes until 9 p.m., and dawn breaks at 3.30 a.m.
General Middleton issued an order at 8 p.m. thanking the
troops for their 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
underbrush fires kindled during the afternoon still hung
about the place, and rolled down the river. Now and
then we could hear the ki-yi-ki-yi-yi of the Indians in
front ; on towards midnight many shots were fired ; and
on the whole we passed 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 messengers were mistaken by
the pickets for Mounted Police, and word went through
13
210 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
the camp that Colonel Irvine had come in with a force
from Prince Albert. But there was no such luck.
The troops stood to arms sharp at 4 o'clock this (Sun-
day) morning. There was a film of ice on the water-
pails, and the men were weary, stiff, and sore from
fatigue, want of sleep, and rheumatism. The rebels had
been moving about all night, and the moment we began
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 understood, 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 hard-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 rear, where Satur-
day's wounded were lying, soon to be joined by many
other gallant sufferers. I walked down there 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 shot.
Our artillery moved forward at 5.20, and opened on
the ravines where the fighting was done yesterday. Two
guns were directed 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
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FEKRY. 211
soon drove them out. The enemy did not attempt to
answer our artillery fire except at times, between shots,
when they let fly at the artillery men, who were pretty
well covered, however, by skirmishers. Nothing was
seen of the Northcote. At 8 a.m. skirmishers from the
Royal Grenadiers and the 90th were sent a little ahead
towards the groves of spruce and poplar north of our
position. Howard, with the Gatling, accompanied them,
and kept up a rattling fusilade for half-an-hour. The
rebels did not fire back, but lay low in their rifle pits.
Occasionally two or three of them would jump up and
fire and then run, apparently with the view of drawing
our men after them ; but strict orders had been issued
against following them. This game of hide-and-seek
lasted a long while, no damage being done on either
side. We could not, for prudential reasons, attempt to
charge the pits ; and, for similar reasons, the rebels
refrained from running up against our big guns and
Gatling.
The rebel shanties along the river were knocked into
splinters by 8.30 a.m., and troops were ordered up to
make a dash for the principal houses behind the bluffs.
But the men had no sooner formed on the slope than the
rebels on the west bank of the river popped up, and began
firing, 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 rose 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 true.
212 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
The big gun firing, advancing, and withdrawing grew
quite monotonous, especially as the rebels were a long
way off, and out of sight ; but it was the only safe game
to play. Their pits covered an enormous 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 and cross
fire. Besides this, the ground is rough and broken, with
sloughs and ravines and dense underbrush. Under such
conditions a bayonet charge would be sheer murder for
us. If we had mortars, no doubt we could drive them
out of the pits, but the nine-pounders simply wreck the
trees over head, while the rebel lies snug in his hole.
The rebel 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-east
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'Appelle
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 (G 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 morning.
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 alon^ 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
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY.
213
casualties have not been very serious. How the rebels
have fared we do not know.
General Middleton will not renew the fight in the morn-
ing unless attacked, his aim bein^to starve the rebels out.
The troops behaved splendidly. The General says
they are fast becoming veterans. Most of the injured
to-day were hit with slugs, which cause jagged and painful
flesh-wounds.
OAPT. JAMBS MASON, ROYAL GRENADIERS.
Lord Melgund has gone to Ottawa on private business.
He came here 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
214 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
General Middleton's headquarters to-night are in the
church. We have a strong position here and are quite safe
in case of attack.
The Northcote has not been heard of since yesterday.
She had a number of men on board, among them Lieu-
tenant Hugh J.Macdonald, of the 90th (son of the Premier).
On Sunday night about half -past ten the waggons
came up and formed & close corral enclosing about twelve
acres with waggons on all sides except one about one
hundred yards east of the church. No tents were pitched
except two for hospital use. , The camp was not formed
when the enemy attacked in the front and on both flanks.
A heavy skirmish line was sent out and repulsed the
attack, but not before hundreds of shots fell in the enclos-
ure. Thomas Moor. C Company, Grenadiers, was shot
through the head and killed. Private Stead, A Com-
pany, Grenadiers, was shot through the arm, both while in
the corral. During the retiring of the advance line of
skirmishers from the ravine on Saturday night, Privates
Scovel, A Company, and Cantwell, B Company, the
first in the arm, the second in the thigh and shoulder,
were severely wounded. Private T. Kemp, A Company,
90th, severely wounded in the left eye at the same time.
On Sunday morning Private Martin, Royal Grenadiers,
while on left front was severely wounded in the shoulder.
The total casual ties to this date were two killed and eleven
wounded, but the list would have been much larger if the
enemy had had more ammunition.
A correspondent writing from Batoche on May 11
tells his portion of the story thus : The rebels let us alone
last night. A few scattering shots were fired about day-
break. Shortly after seven we began to make a recon-
naissance in force. We had been making reconnaissances
over and over again since Saturday, advancing and then
withdrawing time after time, not much damage being done on
either side. General Middleton had half-led us to think
that he intended to remain in our strong positions with-
out carry ing onaggressive hostilities until the Half-breeds
THU BATTLE OF BATOCHE's FERRY. 215
succumbed to lack of supplies. About 10 a.m., however,
it became evident that something more than a mere
reconnaissance was on foot. v The artillery were ordered to
fire vigorously, and the A men worked for all they were
worth. The Winnipeg Battery, posted on the top of the slope,
sent shells into the houses north of the church and across
the river, where a few Indians had gathered threaten-
ingly. In the forenoon the Grenadiers, 90th and Midland
were fighting in a long line, pressing in upon the rebel pits
that protected the houses below the church. The rebels
replied to our fire with great energy at first, but at 11
a.m., they had almost ceased firing, probably from want
of ammunition. General Middleton had worked round on
the rebel rear, and at noon our cannonading increased.
Some time before this a message had been brought to him
under a flag of truce. The rebel chief threatened to
murder his white prisoners if the troops fired on the Half-
breed women and children. The General replied that
the women and children should be placed in one of the
houses and that if this were done the troops would save
the house. Kiel sent back a vague answer, his object
evidently being to bring about delay and get the troops
to stop firing for a while. At the time he sent the first
message the women and children, as we afterwards
learned, were safe, some on the other side of the river and
some ten miles up north.
The artillery fire grew hotter and hotter up to 2 p.m.,
when preparations were begun for a charge upon the first
row of rifle pits covering the houses. The Gatling (Howard
in charge) delivered a raking fire upon the pits, driving
the rebels back. The moment their line of sharpshooters
began to waver, General Middleton ordered Colonel Van
Straubenzie to lead the troops forward, and a rush was made
all along the line. The rebels stoutly contested every pit,
but ultimately broke and fled north-east into their other
pits, where they now are. The buildings north of the
church were at once occupied by the troops and the
prisoners saved. The men behaved magnificently, getting
216 CANADA'S NORTH- WEST REBELLION.
over the broken ground amid the rain of buckshot, slugs,
and bullets in splendid style, cheering as they charged.
The following is an official despatch from General
Middleton:
Hon. A. P. Caron, Ottawa :
BATOCHE'S HOUSE, May 11, )
via CLARK'S CROSSING, May 12. j
Have just made a general attack and carried the whole
settlement. The men behaved splendidly. The rebels
are in full flight. Sorry to say have not got Kiel. While
I was reconnoitering this morning, William Astley, one of
the prisoners, galloped with a flag of truce and handed
me a letter from Kiel, which read
" If you massacre our families I shall massacre the
prisoners."
I sent answer that if he would put his women and
children in one place and let me know where it was, not
a shot should be fired on them. I then returned to camp
and pushed on my advance parties, who were heavily
fired on. I so pressed on until I saw my chance and
ordered a general advance. The men responded nobly,
splendidly led by their officers and Col. Van Straubenzie ;
drove the enemy out of rifle-pit after rifle-pit ; forced
their way across the plain and seized the horses ; and we
are now masters of the place, and most of my force will
bivouac there. Right in the heat of the action Mr. Astley
came back with another missive from Kiel, as follows :
" GENERAL, Your prompt answer to my note shows
that I was right mentioning 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) KIEL."
On the envelope he had written as follows :
" I do not like war, and if you do not retreat andrefuse
an interview, the question remains the same concerning
the prisoners."
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE*S FEKBY. 217
Our loss, I am afraid, is heavy, but not so heavy as
might be expected, as yet. The prisoners are all released
and safe in my cnmp. Among them is Jackson, a white
man, who was Kiel's secretary, but who is mad and rather
dangerous.
(Signed) FRED. MIDDLETON,
Major- General.
The following accounts will be found more compre-
hensive than the foregoing, as the writers had an oppor-
tunity to put the events together in something like the
order in which they occurred.
One correspondent thus tells the story after reaching
Prince Albert: About five o'clock on the morning of the
9th inst. the entire force under the General left their camp
of the previous night and moved on Batoche, about eight
miles distant. The camp was left standing, that no im-
pediments might interfere with the best righting being
done by every available man. The trail led through an
open country until the Indian houses were reached, when
it became bluffy, with frequent sloughs, and afforded a
safe covering for the enemy from which to pepper our
men as they advanced to their four days' fight. Major
Boulton's scouts led the advance, and about eight o'clock
the Northcotes whistle was heard and answered with
volleys of blank cartridge from the Winnipeg Field
Battery. In another minute the battle of Batoche was
begun. No. 1 Company, Royal Grenadiers, was ordered to
the front, followed by the remainder of the battalion, and
the whole extended in skirmishing order under the fire
of the rebels coming from behind the protection of their
rifle pits. While this was being done the guns and Gat-
ling were ordered to the front, and the orders were obeyed
at a gallop and with cheering. Howard, with his *'pet,"
as cool as a right-do wn-easter, reached the open at the
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 firing into a covey of birds. With each
218 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
turn of the crank he would repeat his set phrase, until the
scene became humorous, and the Indians scattered before
the hailstorm of bullets. The guns then came up and
occupied a position upon the plateau overlooking the river
and Batoche, and shelled the houses to the front. Then
it was that poor Mason was shot, a little distance to the
right of the church, and Major Dawson rushed back for
the surgeon, the bullets whistling with a tish as he left
his place for the moment. The guns upon the plateau
were noticed to be in danger, and an Indian rush upon
them was only averted by the Gatling being run in to
their front, and pouring upon the advance the deadly
missive with Howard's accompaniment to every turn of
the crank: "Take that, and that, and that." The infantry
at this period occupied a position somewhat irregular in
shape from its following the line of bush in front of the
enemy's pits, and the men lay down and opened fire. The
right of the column was somewhat thrown back, part of
the 90th covering its right flank. The Grenadiers occu-
pied the centre, with one company of the Midland on
their left. This was the position the forces maintained
for the remainder of the day, under a well directed fire
from the enemy, with a more or less irregular fire from
our men. At four o'clock Lord Melgund left the field,
arriving at Humboldt under the guidance of two scouts the
next morning at six. A multitude of causes have been
assigned for his sudden departure at such a critical
moment in the history of affairs. Camp gossip has it this
and that and the other thing. Some whisper that he has had
a disagreement with the General. Others, again, allege
that his errand away was one for "Regulars," so despondent
had the General become at the determined resistance of the
rebels. There is little question of the doubtful position
of affairs in the General's mind being the true reason, and
the entire matter possesses important suggestions of the
absolute need of mutual knowledge and confidence between
officers and men, so that the former may not incorrectly
assume against the latter until they have been given a
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FEBRT. 219
trial. Plucky as was our fire, it seemed to be entirely
ineffectual. The rebels seldom, if ever, showed up, being
completely sheltered in their pits. About two o'clock the
order came to retire, but the movement was immedi-
ately perceived by the enemy, as indicated by the brisk
fusilade opened upon our men, indicating again that our
opponents were quite alive to every movement of the
General. As quickly as it was given, therefore, the order
was countermanded, and our attack resumed, and kept up
unceasingly until dark. It having been decided not to
abandon our position, an escort was sent back and a zareba
formed about 700 or 800 yards to the rear of our line of
skirmishers, upon which the men fell back with the most
perfect order and great steadiness worthy of the best form
of the oldest campaigners. Darkness overtook the men
before they were told off for their positions of the night,
but the metal was there, and though under continuous fire
no time was lost in forming an outer line of defence with
fence rails, bags of oats, bales of hay, and whatever other
protection hands could be laid on. All the while rebel
bullets came showering into the zareba wounding both
man and beast, making the position most unpleasant, the
more so as the game of " tit for tat " was impossible and
useless, for not a rebel could be seen. In this disagree-
able and dangerous state of affairs our men had to snatch
their tea not tea, for fires were not permitted of hard
tack and potted meat, and then their sleep, and truly it
was the sleep of the weary, for every man was done up
after his all-day fight.
The night passed slowly enough ; but too quickly,
though, for the men ordered out next morning at. five to
occupy the position of the previous day. The attempt to
do this was made, and made in a truly soldierly spirit,
but it failed, for we did not succeed in getting within two
hundred yards of our position of the day before. From
five in the early morning until sunset the men fought, and
fought bravely, lying upon their faces and keeping up a
desultory dropping fire upon the enemy's pits, but nothing
220 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
was gained, and our men were becoming dispirited at the
result and longing for the word to charge, which did not
come. The Midland copied the tactics of the enemy, and
on the left, overlooking the river, dug out rifle pits, and
saved a successful flank attack from the enemy in that
direction. Thus the day passed wearily enough indeed,
and hard- tack and potted meat was again eaten with the
relish of exhausted and hungry men. Sleep was less
interrupted this night, for the enemy's fire ceased with
darkness coming on, perhaps because they failed to come
within the same range of our camp as that of the night
before. Another day the third day and still the same;
no advantage seemed to be gained, except that the 90th
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 so distant. Again the men lay down, and fought,
being peppered at all the while, and presenting an open
target for the rebels. The coolness and indifference 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 they did their duty as it was given 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 the
morning with the Intelligence Corps under Captain
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 221
Dennis, and one gun of A Battery and the Gatling, going
by the old trail on to the open plateau. His instructions
to Colonel Van Straubenzie were that if he engaged the
enemy the Grenadiers and Midland should advance at
the double. No sound came from the General's direction,
and so his orders were not carried out. On his return
the troops knew their wishes were to be fulfilled, and the
word to double would be given. Dinner and then to
work was the order. The key of the position was again
pointed out, and a further consultation was held between
Van Straubenzie, Williams, Grasett,and Hague. Theattack
should be made on the left if practicable, and the men had
barely reached the position held on the first day when the
long-looked-for command : " Break into double, double,"
came, and was answered with thrilling cheers of satisfac-
tion from the men. Their 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 90th on the right. 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
the situation at a glance, he came on with the Winnipeg
Artillery, Gatling, and three companies 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 andBoulton'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 ot the
river. The WL^npeg Field Battery played upon the
houses across the river, from whence an irregular fire,
more or less damaging, had been kopt up upon our men
222 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
from first to last. Captain Ruttan, of the 90th, cam up
with two companies and reinforced Williams in his hot
position, extending from water's edge to plateau. Here
two or three men were wounded, but the charge was
irresistible, and any resistance ineffectual. The two
Helliwells were badly hit when within about two hundred
yards of the houses from which the enemy were firing ;
but their fire seemed less steady, as if thej Telt the result
LIEUT. -COL. VAN STEAUBENZIK.
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 officer than Colonel Straubenzie could have been chosen to
fill so important a position. An old soldier of much and varied experience,
be entered the army at an early age, and was appointed to an ensigncy in
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FEKBY. 223
hat in hand, waving it and cheering as he went along.
The excitement was intense, and nothing could have
withstood the enthusiasm of the men. On they came,
and in fifteen minutes after the Midland were reinforced
they reached the top bank, and were down upon the
houses. The first one to come over to us was the small
one on the bank, from which the firing was pretty hot,
then the log stable opposite to the white store, in the
latter of which were Kiel's prisoners, pale, slimy, and
emaciated with eighteen days of 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 flank of the rebels on the
sloping bank of the river, and Captain Young, Captain
French, and Captain Dennis, with a mixed body of men
from the Midland, 90th , and Grenadiers, charged and took
Batoche's store and house. Here poor French was killed
by a ball from a rebel rifle on the river slope, shot at him
as he looked through the upper window. Part of the
90fch, 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 see active service, and, in the ever-memorable Sikh
campaign of Lord Gough, our well-known citizen highly distinguished him-
self. During those trying times for England, Lieutenant Van Straubenzie
led the forlorn hope at the seige of Mooltan, and for his pluck and gallantry
was specially mentioned in the home despatches. At that time there was
no such thing as a Victoria Cross, but had there been the Colonel would no
doubt have worn that much-coveted reward on his breast to-day. His
wounds were serious, and he was obliged to return to England and serve
with the depot 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 Crimea on the staff of his 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
powder, and, from the knowledge the authorities had of his varied and
useful services, he was given an important position oa the Staff of Sir Hope
Grant when the Chinese War broke out. He was at the taking of the
Summer Palace, and on that occasion his name was again mentioned in
despatches. Colonel Van Straubenzie is much respected, and, looking at
his fine soldier-like bearing, there are not many who would imagine that
even to-day be is still suffering fr*nn his severe wounds of 1849.
224 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Batoche, and secured Kiel's papers, and released Jackson,
McConnell, and Monkman, who had been imprisoned by
Kiel for insubordination. The rebels in the meantime
had been driven past the line of houses, and pursued
by part of the Grenadiers under Grasett, and their
centre was driven back with the irresistible force of the
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 rebels
being completely routed. The pursuit was kept up, how-
ever, and at 7.30 the last 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 Northcote. Let one
who was on board tell the story of the "Middleton Navy"
before we give any further particulars of the more effec-
tive operations of the army on shore.
According to General Middleton's preconcerted plan
the Northcote, with 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 t General
Middleton 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-
fered with the carrying out of these plans by opening fire
on the steamer at ten minutes past eight, just after she
had got under headway. The first bullet 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 BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 225
moment or so later we were raked fore and aft by a fierce
storm of bullets coming from both banks. From almost
every bush rose putts of smoke, and from every house
and tree on the top of the banks came bullets buzzing.
The fire was steadily returned by the troops on board,
consisting of C Company School of Infantry; and not-
withstanding that the rebels were protected by the brush
and timber which covers the banks, apparently some
injury was inflicted 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, fierce and hot, as we approached
Batoche's.
The pretty little church of St. Antoine de Padua
lifted its cross-crowned steeple high above the other
buildings, on the eastern bank. A horrifying spectacle
met our gaze on the opposite 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 bush 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 Batoche'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 which 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 terrifically hot from a favourably
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
226 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
the river and that the two heavy barges handicapped
them in handling the steamer. Fortunately there was no
wind to render their duties still more arduous in control-
ling the boat's movements.
In a few moments the crossing was reached, and in
passing it the ferry cable caught the smoke stacks, which
came crashing down on the hurricane deck, tearing with
them spars and masts. Our misfortune excited loud
cheers from the Metis, mingled with fiendish war-whoops
from the Indians. The cable, which is strung from the
upper banks, was lowered just as we approached it, the
intention of the rebels being to corral the steamer and, in
the confusion expected to ensue, to capture the boat and
massacre its human freight. Very fortunately for us
this scheme failed, but only by the merest chance, for had
the cable caught in the pilot-house, which it barely
missed, the wheelsman, exposed to the enemy's fire, would
have been shot down and the steamer rendered utterly
helpless. It was successful, however, in cutting off our
communication with General Middleton by our code of
whistling signals previously arranged upon, the whistle
being carried away with the pipes.
Just then the steamer, to avoid two large boulders
directly 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 have
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 9
o'clock, when the rebel firing ceased, save a stray shot or
two. We had run the gauntlet of their fire 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
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE*S FEREY. 227
the red coats were seen coming up in skirmishing order
in the distance, our small force gave three lusty cheers.
This was the only glimpse we had of the troops.
Dropping below Batoche's nearly three miles, anchor
was cast in midstream, but the steamer, almost unnotice-
ably, drifted another mile before the anchor firmly caught.
The work of repairing damage was begun, and in a short
time the smoke stacks, which were reduced in length,
were re-erected : but scarcely had this been accomplished
before firing disturbed the workmen, who were working
behind a barricade of boxes. Afterwards the whistle
was repaired 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 General Middleton, which had been
interrupted altogether since passing Batoche's, were
resumed ; but although we could distinctly hear the sound
of cannonading no answer to our shrill whistle was given.
The scouts evidently could not reach us owing to the
presence of ambushed rebels secreted in the bluffs between
us and the General's headquarters.
Captain Bedson, Major Smith of C Company, and
Captain Wise, A.D.C., held a consultation and decided to
return up the river, but the 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,
90th, who had had some experience in steamboating, 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 offer. 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 Fish Creek, where their horses were
slaughtered. Captains Seager and Streets, who piloted
228 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
the steamer, remained throughout at their posts, and with
them was Talbot, the purser, who kept up a steady fire
from the pilot-house, which was made a special target of
by the rebel marksmen, they being fully aware of the
disaster which must overtake us if we were disabled in
this vulnerable point. Dozens of bullets had pierced the
wheel-house. Seager received one in his coat sleeve, and
in the cabin in which I am writing a scene of wild dis-
order prevails. The skylights are smashed, and the flimsy
material of which the upper works were constructed
offered no resistance to the enemy's fire, and are punc-
tured here and there with bullets. Later in the run,
however, mattresses and bolsters were piled around the
sides of the interior, and the place made fully secure.
Captain Wise, who had been unable to take part in
the land engagement owing to the wound he received at
Fish Creek, remained with Chief Transport Officer Bedson,
who was in charge of the boat, in the cabin, and both
had several very narrow escapes, the latter having a bullet
graze his thigh. His state-room was pierced by seven
balls, which he returned with interest. Owen E. Hughes
and John Vinen were in a small barricade behind the
smoke stacks, which fell over them. Both managed by
the skin of their teeth to escape, but after Vinen had
entered the cabin and was helping to barricade it, *he
received a bullet in the thigh. Major Smith, of C Com-
pany, was in command of the military, having with him
Lieutenant Scott, of the same corps, and Lieutenants
Elliott and Gibson, of the Royal Grenadiers. The troops
on board implicitly obeyed instructions, while the few
civilians rendered excellent service in replenishing cart-
ridges in boxes, and also in handling rifles. Lieutenant
Hugh J. Macdonald, although ill with erysipelas in the
face, left his bed and took his place in the ranks rifle in
hand. The conduct of the men throughout was cool and
gallant ; though they were not exposed to such constant
danger as at Fish Creek, still the bullets whizzed about
them in great style, coming through the interstices in the
barricade and the openings forward.
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 229
The rebel strength is not known, but from the fury
with which they fired, their force must have reached
probably four hundred or five hundred, Indians pre-
dominating, except at Batoche's, where the Half-breeds
had congregated. One man in priest's garb was seen near
Batoche's waving his hands as if in despair, and appa-
rently endeavouring to keep the breeds from firing at us,
but their bullets poured around him and he disappeared.
Some women were also there. In our engagement this
morning eight rebels are reported to have been killed and
there must have been a large number wounded. Our
casualties are trivial. Two besides Macdonald were
slightly wounded, Pringle (a son of Judge Pringle, of
Cornwall, and a member of the ambulance staff), receiv-
ing a flesh wound in the shoulder, and Vinen, of the
transport service, a similar injury in the thigh, both early
in the fray.
MAY 11, 7 a.m.
The sun heralded another magnificent day yesterday.
The men were up the greater part of the night, and break-
fasted at 4 a.m. The boiler broke during the night.
Between one and two o'clock an alarm sounded, a sentry
reporting that he had seen an Indian crawl into one of
the barges. The whole boat was aroused but search
failed to reveal anything. Almost instantaneously the
rebels opened fire on us from the west bank, but the
troops, acting under orders, did not answer it. After
discharging many shots the enemy dispersed. Sunday
passed slowly. We were anxiously awaiting news from
Middleton, whose guns could be heard once in a while,
but with whom we still had no communication. Several
small bands of the enemy were seen during the day mov-
ing about on both banks, and one band patiently watched
the boat. Shots were exchanged several times, but no
damage was done on either side. Another consultation
of officers was held an hour ago, and it was decided to
render the pilot-house bullet-proof and return up the
230 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
river nearer Batoche's. This occasioned a delay of several
hours, the men being interrupted by firing from the bank.
Then one engineer refused to remain at his post, and
some of the crew of the boat, who had spent most of the
time skulking in the hold, acted in a most cowardly
manner. There were two or three exceptions, and these,
with Captain Andrews (who with Privates Eccles, Smith,
and Wilkes, of the 90th, had been put in charge of the
supplies on the barge), and Joe Labelle, telegraph repairer,
rendered excellent service. We lay inactive all day, and
fuel running short and it being impossible to go up the
stream with the barges, it was decided to run down
twenty miles to a wood-pile, and then go fifteen miles
farther down to the Hudson's Bay ferry, where the
steamer Marquis is reported to be in waiting, and then
return to General Middleton's assistance.
A start was made at 6.30 p.m., but scarcely had the
steamer commenced to move than the rebels, who had
been hiding, poured in a broadside, the soldiers returning
it by volley firing. They followed us for some distance
until cut off by the dense woods. We made nine miles,
passing many deserted houses, and anchored for the
night. Although still in the hostiles' country they had
evidently gone south to join Kiel at his headquarters and
we were not molested. At 6.30 this morning another
start was made, but almost immediately the boat ran on a
sand bar, and four hours were lost in getting her off.
Maxime Lepine's ferry boat, which we had intended
destroying, had been taken away in obedience to Kiel's
orders directing all boats to centre at Batoche's. Obtain-
ing fuel en route, we passed Hoodoo and several local
Half-breed settlements which were deserted, and reached
the Hudson's Bay ferry, twenty-two miles below
Batoche's, at 3 p.m., where we were received with loud
cheers.
From this it will be seen that General Middleton's
navy project did little more than imperil many valuable
lives HJid withdrew from his forces a considerable
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 231
number of men who were badly needed on Saturday,
Sunday and Monday.
The killed and wounded at Batoche were as follow :
KILLED ON SATURDAY.
A Battery Gunner Phillips, shot through the head.
WOUNDED ON SATURDAY.
A Battery Napoleon Charpentier, shot through both
legs ; Michael Twohey, thigh ; W. Fairbanks, thigh ;
Thomas J. Stout, ribs broken, run over by a gun.
French's Scouts Cook, left leg broken by ball below
the knee ; Allen, shot in the knee.
Grenadiers fJapt. Mason, flesh wound in the thigh.
KILLED ON SUNDAY.
Grenadiers Private Thomas Moor, shot through the
head.
90th Battalion Private Hardisty, shot through the
lungs.
WOUNDED ON SUNDAY.
Grenadiers Adjutant Manly, sole of foot; Private
Scovell, No. 3 Company, flesh wound ; Private Cantwell,
No. 2 Company.
90th Battalion Private John Kemp, shot through
the eye ; Private Erickson, in the arm ; Private Ralph
Barren, in the forearm ; Private Stead, No. 2 Company,
flesh wound.
KILLED ON MONDAY.
French's Scouts Captain John French, shot dead
while leading his men.
Boul ton's Scouts Captain Brown, shot through the
heart.
Grenadiers Lieutenant Fitch.
Dennis's (Surveyors) Corps A. W. Kippen.
932 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
90th Battalion Private Fraser, Private Wheeler.
WOUNDED ON MONDAY.
Grenadiers Major Dawson, slightly in the ankle;
Private R. Oook, in the arm ; Bugler M. Gaughan, flesh
wound in the hand ; Private C. Barbour, slight wound in
the head ; Private J. W. Quigley, flesh wound in the
arm ; Private J. Marshall, flesh wound in the calf ;
Private W. Wilson, slight wound behind shoulder.
Midland Battalion Lieutenant G. E Laidlaw, E.M.C.,
attached, slightly ; Lieutenant J. Helliwell, 15th Battalion,
shoulder; Private Barton, thigh and groin, seriously;
Corporal Helliwell, face and arm.
90th Battalion Sergeant-Major Watson, slightly in
the ankle ; Sergeant F. R. Jakes, in the hand ; Private
Alex. Young, flesh wound in the thigh ; Corporal J.
Gillies, in the leg.
Dennis's Scouts Lieutenant Garden.
Total killed, 9 ; total wounded, 30.
The following sketches cannot fail to be of interest :
A. W. KIPPEN.
Among the arrivals in the city from the North-
West were several members of the Dominion Sur-
veyors' Intelligence Corps, who are absent from the scene
of the recent disturbance for a short time on leave. The
party is composed of Messrs. Walter Beatty, C. Wolff, J.
McLean, B. J. Saunders, of the Surveyors ; Capt. denies,
Quartermaster of the Midland Battalion, and Assistant-
Surgeon Kinloch. Mr. B. J. Saunders was only a short
distance from the spot where his comrade, Mr. A. W.
Kippen, met his untimely death. The Surveyors' Corps
took an active part in the battle of Batoche. The corps,
under command of Capt. J. S. Dennis, of whom Mr.
Saunders speaks in the highest terms of praise, joined
the loyal forces on the afternoon of the second day of the
Batoche fight. Desultory firing was still going on. The
corps at once took its place in the trenches, and almost
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 233
immediately felt the sting of the enemy's lead, Private
A. W. Wheeler receiving a ball in his left shoulder. From
that time till the capture of the village and the utter
rout of the rebels, the corps shared with the boys all the
work and the danger of the contest, and is no doubt fully
entitled to a full share of the giory and honour that has
been and will be accorded to our noble citizen soldiers.
On the Tuesday morning, the day of victory, the Sur-
veyors, accompanied by Boulton's scouts, the Gatling gun,
and the nine-pounder, proceeded to open the attack that
led to such a successful issue. The nine-pounder felt the
enemy, and the Surveyors deployed as skirmishers, Mr.
A. W. Kippen being in the front. They had just taken
up their position, not more than one hundred yards from
the rebel rifle pits, and just upon a well-marked sur-
veyor's line, when the fatal bullet found its mark, and
Mr. Kippen fell, shot through the head. Death was
instantaneous. Dr. Ralston, the surgeon, and Assistant
Surgeon Kinloch, quickly secured the body, but the brave
surveyor was beyond the reach of their skill. Mr. Saun-
ders speaks of Mr. Kippen as a man of great energy, and
brave almost to rashness. He had from the outset mani-
fested an intense desire to take an active part in
the struggle, eager to serve his country, and had per-
formed every duty devolving upon him with a will
undaunted in the face of gravest dangers. The death-
blow came almost in the hour when victory crowned the
efforts of the loyal forces.
A. W. Kippen, son of Mr. Kippen, of Perth, Ont., had
been for many years one of the most trusted surveyors in
the employ of the Hudson Bay Company, and great
value was put on his services by Mr. C. J. Brydges, He
came to Toronto this winter and entered upon a course
of study at the School of Practical Science for the pur-
pose of qualifying himself for a higher position as IJov-
ernment surveyor. While in this city his attractive
social qualities and geniality of disposition won him
numerous frjends. He was extremely fond of athletics.
234 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
and was one of the most popular members of the Toronto
Fencing Club. Shortly before the war broke out he went
to Ottawa, and upon hearing of the rebellion volunteered
his services as a scout. His knowledge of the North-
West was known to be so extensive that his offer was
gladly accepted and he was enrolled among Dennis's
scouts. It is said he only reached Middleton's camp on
Sunday, so that he met his death in the first engagement
in which he took part. In his native place, Perth, Mr.
Kippen was a great favourite and his loss will be sin-
creley mourned.
LIEUTENANT FITCH.
Lieut. W. C. Fitch was the only son of Mr. J. C. Fitch,
of Fitch & Davidson, wholesale grocers, 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-General'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 member of the Toronto Fencing Club, Royal
Canadian Yacht Club, and other athletic organizations of
the city, and universally popular 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 BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY.
235
a single member of No. 3 Company." Lieut. Fitch was
a cousin of Mr. J. Scriver, M.P. for Huntingdon, P.Q.,
and a brother of Mrs. Senator Clemow, of Ottawa. Prin-
cipal King, of Manitoba College, writes of Lieutenant
Fitch : " It is twenty-two years since I first saw him,
then a winning child of four years of age, the joy and
pride of his father and mother. He attended for many
years the Gould Street Presbyterian Church ; and was a
LIEUTENANT 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 special 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
236 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
losses in this deplorable and, one can scarcely avoid say-
ing, most unnecessary conflict ; there cannot have been
many, if indeed any, which will occasion wider and more
tender sorrow than this. His parents, old and respected
citizens of Toronto, will receive from all who know them
the deepest sympathy; but how little can even such
sympathy do to relieve the life-long sorrow which must
be theirs." The Minister of Militia gave instructions to
have the remains of the deceased forwarded to Toronto
for interment.
CAPTAIN E. T. BROWN.
Captain E. T. Brown, of Boulton's Horse, who was
killed at Batoche'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 and
was subsequently a member of the Privy Council of
Upper Canada. Captain Brown went to the North-West
in 1879 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 the
fight at Fish Creek he was promoted to a captaincy. He
was about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old and
unmarried. His mother 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, Grenadiers
who was killed on Sunday night, was a son of Mr. Thomas
Moor, the well-known representative artisan of 42 Oxford
Street, Toronto, and was just eighteen years old the day
he left. He was educated in the Public Schools of the
city, and had followed the trade 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
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE*S FERRY. 237
anxious to go, and when he found that he would be
allowed to do so clapped his hands and danced with
delight.
His parents received the following letter from him on
the day before he was killed, dated at Middleton's camp
on the 26th of April :
" DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER. T received your letter
last night and was very glad to hear from home. We
PRIVATE THOMAS MOOB.
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 soon 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, the Winnipeg
Battery, and Captain French, with fifty scouts, crossed
238 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
the river and went down one side, and the 90th and A
Battery with Major Boulton's scouts went down the other
side. On Friday morning the 90th attacked the enemy
on the other side. Some of our fellows were down the
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 had
moved on to the scene of action, and we had to bring the
waggons along. Two of us were on each waggon with
loaded rifles. At last we got up to the 10th and were
told to join our respective companies. The battle was
raging on the other side. Nos. 1, 2 and 4 Companies
were ordered across while No. 3 and the scouts were 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 here yesterday,
and I saw him. E-iel is strongly entrenched, but we will
lick him in time. I believe the 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. French, 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 tfce police went out with the force to the
North-West. He served with the force for ten years,
when he retired, and turned his attention to farming,
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 239
taking up land near Qu'Appelle. When the rebellion
broke out he organized a corps known as French's Scouts,
which he commanded, and whose services were of great
benefit to General Middleton. He leaves a widow and
several young children, the eldest being a girl of ten.
The deceased was a bold and dashing officer, as evinced
on Saturday, when amid a shower of bullets he 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. The
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. FRASER.
H. A. Fraser 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. WHEELER.
A. O. 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 was
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 47th 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 1867, retiring
240 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
with the rank of Lieutenant. He settled down to busi-
ness in this city and is now chief partner in the well-
known firm of G. D. Dawson & Co, 43 Colborne Street,
Toronto. When the 10th Royals were re-organized by
Col. Grasett, Lieutenant Dawson took an active part in
assisting. He was appointed Major at that time, and has
ever since taken an active interest in the battalion.
PRIVATE SCOVELL.
Private Alfred Scovell, when in Toronto resided with
his mother at 37 Alma Avenue. He has been employed
for some time in the law office of Messrs. Cameron & Cas-
well. Being fond of military life he took a three 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 GAUGHAN.
Bugler Gaughan, shot 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 School of Gunnery certificate. In
Toronto he has been following his occupation as black-
smith, and when the 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 he
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,
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 241
57 Adelaide Street, Toronto. Marshall has been about a
year with the Grenadiers. His mother lives at 121 Jarvis
Street. He is eighteen years of age, and a strong hardy
youth.
BUGLER QAUGHAff.
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 Spadina Avenue, Toronto. He
is about twenty-five years of age, having been born in
Toronto, and educated at Upper Canada College. He
passed through the Royal Military College at Kingston,
graduating in June, 1882. He afterwards 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.
15
242
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
PRIVATE WATSON.
Private Alexander Watson, F. Co., 90th (Winnipeg)
Battalion, who was wounded on the last day of the tight
at Batoche, and died the following Saturday, was born in
Toronto in 1858, but lived in St. Catharines the greater
part of his life till about four years before the rebellion,
when he removed to Winnipeg. While in Winnipeg he
was in the employ of a contractor and builder, he Laving
PRIVATE WATSON.
been brought up to that business in St. Catharines. He
was the eldest son, but had an elder sister. Personally
he was a generous, kind-hearted young 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 BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 243
PRIVATE COOK.
Private Richard Cook is the son of Mr. Wm. Cook,
137 Hope Street, Toronto. He is about nineteen years of
age, and is a shoemaker by trade. He has been a private
in the Grenadiers for about a year.
STAFF SERGEANT MITCHELL.
Staff-Sergeant Thomas Mitchell is well-known in
inilitia circles throughout Canada. He is perhaps the
most famous shot in the Dominion. He has five times
represented his country among the crack shots of the
world on the Wimbledon Cnnmon. Sergeant Mitchell
was slightly wounded in the left eye. He is a member
of the firm of Dickie & Mitchell, 142 King Street
West, Toronto. He is a native of Dundee, Scotland. He
joined the Grenadiers soon after his arrival in Toronto,
five years ago. Besides being a staff-sergeant he is 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 90bh Battalion of Winnipeg. Mr.
Mitchell is married, and is about thirty-two years of age.
ADJUTANT MANLY.
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. He is an
enthusiastic soldier, and has devoted many an hour to the
advancement of the Grenadiers. No officer has worked
harder 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, where he is employed in the
244
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
law firm of Robertson & Thomas. He graduated from
Trinity College three years ago.
Corporal E. Helliwell, brother of Lieutenant Helliwell
and who was also wounded at Batoche, is a law student
from Madoc.
SERGEANT JACKES.
Sergeant Franklin Jackes, of the 90th, is well-known
in Toronto, having been for some time book-keeper for
SERGEANT JACKES.
Messrs. Gordon & Co. While in Toronto he was a mem-
ber of I Company, Queen's Own. About three years
ago he removed to Winnipeg, where he has since been
engaged 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 Batoche, each
man who writes saw something worth recording. The
loss on our own side is of course well known as stated
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 245
already, but the rebel loss is not now, and may never be
known. Our people claimed that there were some sixty
or seventy killed, but the rebels themselves put their
killed at only nine or ten. In the same way Colonel
Otter, after his retreat from Cut Knife, thought he had
fought against six hundred men and that he had killed
from sixty to one hundred and twenty-five of them.
When the truth came to be known, however, it was found
that he had been defeated by only two hundred and fifty
men, and that of these he had killed only six, or at
most seven.
The instances of individual heroism were numerous,
but there was no more gallant action than that performed
by poor Captain French on Saturday, which has been
already related.
LIEUTENANT HOWARD.
Lieutenant Howard, who had command of the Gatling
gun, distinguished himself on more than one occasion
and made himself one of the lions of the day. Whatever
his countrymen may think of him as an American fight-
ing against men who were supposed to be struggling for
their rights and in behalf of a foreign power, it is certain
that Canadians have been very glad to avail themselves
of his services and those of his "patent murdering
machine." Had it not been for his plucky conduct and
the efficiency of his machine on the first day at Batoche,
it is not improbable that General Middleton might have
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 quality of her poetry, though she may
be more exacting as to quantity. Here is some about
Lieutenant Howard that is certainly not any worse than
the average :
^
246 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
LIEUTENANT HOWARD.
THE MAN WITH THE GATLING GUN.
Full many a line of expressions fine
And of sentiments sweet and grand
Have been penned of " our boys " who, from home's deai
Set out for the North- West land.
We've been told how they've fought for the glory sought,
We've heard of the deeds they've done
But it's quite high time for some praise in rhyme
For the man with the Catling gun.
Music hath charms, even midst war's alarms,
To soothe the savage breast ;
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE'S FERRY. 247
None can hold a candle to that " music by Handle *
That lulled Kiel's " breeds " to rest,
And they sleep that sleop profound, so deep,
From which shall awaken none ;
And the lullabies that closed their eyes
Were sung by the Gatling gun.
All honour's due and they have it, too
To the Grens. and Q. O. R.
They knew no fear but, with British cheer,
They charged and dispersed afar
The rebel crew ; but 'twixt me and you
When all is said and done,
A different scene there might have been
But for Howard and his Gatling gun,
Batoche will long be remembered with a shudder in
ooo many Canadian households. It broke the back of
the rebellion, but too many brave hearts are now cold
and still that beat high with valour, hope and noble
ambition as the Northcotes whistle gave the signal that the
fight had begun.
Though the Indians under Big Bear continued to offer
a stubborn resistance for a time, the Half-breed rebellion
as such was crushed, and the hope of the Half-breeds was
extinguished when some of their bravest and best lay in
the rifle pits that fatal Monday afternoon soaked in their
own life blood. We may hate Kiel, we may abhor rebel-
lion ; but when time shall have elapsed sufficient to enable
us to look at the events of this sad affair with unpre-
judiced eyes, there is not a Canadian worthy of the name
who will not remember with sincere respect and admira-
tion Gabriel Dumont and his valiant little band of com-
patriots who fought so gallantly in their hopeless cause.
24(8 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
BATOGHE.
"SHOT THROUGH THB HEART."
God guard my darling boy to-night^
And keep him safe from harm ;
Watch over him in this dread fight>
Give to his life a charm.
Let every bullet speed him past,
And turn each blow away ;
From him, my well-loved only son,
Who meets the foe to-day.
A brave and noble lad is he,
This one dear son of mine ;
With loyal heart so kind and true
And full of love divine.
I know he's ready should'st Thou call,
But spare him, God, I pray,
Let him return to me again,
My boy not far away !
* O, mother dear," a sad voice speaks,
And by her side there stands
A girlish form, with tear-dimmed eyes,
And close locked, restless hands.
"Well, daughter mine, why come you now,
With face so wist and sad 1
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 prayer was heard,
And I shall sleep to-night,
With grateful heart and peaceful rest,
Till comes the morning light.
THE BATTLE OF BATOCHE*S FERRY. 249
" But why these tears 1 Why this distress I
I have not heard aright ?
What is it, then ? Come, dear, be brave ;
Your brother leads the fight.
Shot through the heart ! ' Oh, God 1 My lad,
For whom I prayed to Thee ;
My only son, my bonnie boy,
Will come no more to me I
44 ' Shot through the heart,' e'en while I prayed
His form lay still in death,
Not one fond message could he send,
None caught his dying breath.
The cannon's roar, the clash of arms,
The crash of ball and shell,
A strangely wild, mad requiem, made
Where he for country fell !
41 Dead, cold and dead, the lonely grave
Now hides him from my sight ;
Oh ! pitying God, my heart will break I
Why send on me this blight ?
Why is my home made desolate t
My life of joy bereft ?
He was my dearest, only son ;
I have no other left 1
" Forgive me, Lord ! Thy will be done !
Peace send this aching heart,
That doth rebel o'er this one gone,
Who was my life's best part.
At rest with Thee ! Oh, blessed light,
That finds ray soul at last !
It brings me patience, comfort now,
The darkest hour has past."
VICTORY AT BATOCHE.
Victor v ! Glorious news comes down
As sudden flash of light from falling star ;
To God the glory the renown
To our braY e soldiers on the field afar.
250 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Who knowing that with them the breath
Of captives failed, should tardy action be,
Charged bayonets in the face of death-^
Into the pit of hell and set them free 1
While rebel hordes flew, as the dust
Is onward driven by the strong wind's will,
Batoche has fall'n, is ours ! Our trust,
Our prayers are answered ! God is with us still !
The great heart of the nation heaves
With pride in work her sons have done so well,
And with a smile and sigh she weaves
A wreath of bays and one of immoitelle/
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 !
But flush of victory pales in pain ;
Tears fall for darkened homes where glad tones ceaso.
Whose loved that left, come not again
Heaven give the mourners and the nation Peace 1
LIEUT. A. M. IBVINO.
CHAPTER XX.
RECOLLECTIONS OF BATOCHE S FERRY AFTER THE BATTLE
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-
252 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
cept fugitives from Kiel's scattered army to more con-
genial climes. With great forethought was this disposition
of our little force made by the General in command before
the battle at Fish Creek ; but after that encounter with
the rebels we were ordered to the front, and on Sunday
morning, 3rd May, the messenger reached our head-
quarters at the Elbow of the South Branch of the Saskat-
chewan with orders to that effect. 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 rapid one,
for the orders said " at once," and we reported to the
General on Sunday, the 10th, at 3 p.m., having covered
the intervening one hundred and forty miles in exactly
four days, although encumbered with fifteen days' forage
and provisions. We found the little army about half-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 a
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
waggon 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 pro-
tect the hospital tents. There were within the encamp-
ment the 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 ics part and saved
two of the nine-pounders from being captured by the
enemy. What had been done before our arrival you will
AFTER THE BATTLE. 253
read of in the papers before you receive this ; but we
found that the troops were extended in skirmishing order
under cover towards the church exchanging shots with
the rebels and gradually driving them back. The enemy
were, of course, in possession of Batoche's, and of the
slopes surrounding it.
Immediately below the camp the river flows north-
westerly for about three-quarters of a mile, when turning
sharply it runs almost directly north. At the turn the
banks on the easterly side are bold and steep, and clothed
with poplar, timber and brush, getting gradually lower
as they approach the ferry and village, and again rising
and receding as they extend down the river. The
approaches to the village were defended by a line of rifle
pits along the edge of this bank, as was also the retreat
of the rebels across the river should such have been re-
quired (as was the case). 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-breed 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 that the women and
children had been placed to be out of the way of stray
bullets. A close inspection showed 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 the rebels extended along the
edge of a range of hills running northerly from the
cemetery and parallel to the river, forming the eastern
border of the valley. 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
254 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
along with the 90th, was severely wounded in the
shoulder. On the right of the village the ground is also
open, gradually rising towards the north, while near the
hills, and some seven hundred yards in an easterly direc-
tion is a rise covered with timber, from which the Gatling
did some very effective service.
Independently of the main line of rifle pits along the
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 the fight, were
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 rifles. An after inspection showed them
to be three or four feet deep with breastworks of earth
and logs channelled for the rifles 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
a rifle 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.
Fortunatel/ it was only a flesh wound. Towards sundown
AFTER THE BATTLE.
the firing grew pretty frequent, and we had two horses
wounded inside the square and some cattle were also hit,
but fortunately no more of our men.
That night all hands slept in the trencjies, the lucky
ones getting a berth under the waggons and carts. The
novelty of the position did not interfere very much with
our rest, and we slept the sleep of the just, only growling
and grumbling a little when we were awakened to take
our turn of "sentry go," two men of the Surveyors being
detailed to do this work for an hour at a time.
Next morning we breakfasted somewhere between
four and five o'clock, and afterwards got orders to saddle
up and go out with the Catling, Boulton's and French's
troops being also told off for the* same service. We made
a detour to the north and had a skirmish with the
enemy on that side of their entrenchments, but the
General withdrew us about noon without any loss on our
side excepting ammunition. In the afternoon some of the
Winnipeg Field Battery went down below the church to
shell some houses on the opposite side of the river. The
guns were placed side by side about one hundred and
fifty yards from the cemetery fence. The house aimed
at was about one thousand five hundred yards distant
across the Saskatchewan. We always had a sort of an
idea that an artilleryman could hit his mafrk with much
greater accuracy than we could with our rifles, for the
muzzle of a nine-pounder is not so likely to describe
figures in the air as a weapon 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 ljke 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 five hundred
yards distant in the enemy's lines, and there was an
256 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
instantaneous scatteration. We who were not encumbered
with the dignity of an officer's rank dropped on our faces
and a bullet whistled over us. Had the fellows fired
before they showed themselves they might have bagged
a man or two of any grade from the General down.
The General sauntered up and down with his cane
under his arm showing his portly figure most uncon-
cernedly, but many of the officers were not too dignified
to stand in line, one behind the other, behind a very
small poplar, not large enough to shelter the foremost one.
Then began a rattle of musketry from our side, but
what they fired at Heaven only knows, for one couldn't
see any signs of the enemy, and the old General as he
strutted down to the trail in full view of the hidden
marksmen, shouted out : " Keep your fire ! What on
earth are you firing at ? " and then added sotto voce :
" D d fools," and walked back to camp, whither thd
guns follow, and we are left to be potted at if we like.
It was towards sunset when the 90th, who had been
out all day, were withdrawn from the pits for the night.
As they gradually retired the rebels followed them up.
The firing was very heavy, and poor Hardisty was killed.
One or two of our boys, who went down to the pits
with them "just to get a whack at the rebels," found it
was rather the other way round, as the sun was directly
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 pass another night in the trenches.
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 bluff, moved forward in a skirmishing order
up a slight rise in the prairie and through some small
poplars. The rebels evidently expected us, for we had
only advanced a few yards when they must have caught
sight of some of us over the rise, and a volley was fired
into our ranks, at the report of which we dropped on our
AFTER THE BATTLE. 257
faces in the brush, one of us never to rise again, for pool
Kippen fell dead with a rifle bullet in his brain. This
was the first man of our corps killed, and we realized
more fully that it was no child's play we were in for, but
really a fight in which a man's life counts but a very
small item. Kippen had not been known to many of us
before the affair began, but short though our acquain-
tance had been, we found him a pleasant and genial
companion. We used to chaff him and call him the
" Historian," little thinking that his people at home,
instead of listening to his amusing accounts of the cam-
paign, would be shocked and saddened by a brief tele-
gram announcing that although no soldier, he had fallen
as a soldier should, boldly facing the enemy. I am sure
the whole corps, from whose ranks he is missed, can
sympathize with his relatives in their far greater sorrow.
The rebels kept a steady fire upon us, and after
shelling some bluffs and firing several rounds from the
Gatling, we were ordered to retire and return 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 indescribable 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 the 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 officers saw
that there was no holding>%hem longer. Colonel Williams
therefore decided upon charging, and with only two
companies of the Midland, he led the way, counting on
the 90th 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 rises and a
mounted officer dashes into camp. "Fall in, men" is
heard everywhere, and the red coats of the l()th, and
the black of the 90th move rapidly down the trail, while
the rattle of shots has become a steady fire. Everyone
16
258 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
is in excitement. Another side dashes up, and out of the
enclosure at full speed come the four horses with the
Gatling gun, whilst a dozen yards in front, his dark face
beaming with delight and the tassel of his touque stream-
ing behind him, rides the American Captain Howard,
just spoiling for a fight. We give him a lusty cheer,
and in a few moments our troop is ordered to support
Boulton's and French's men on the right, and we advance
at the double on foot.
Did you ever run a race in top boots and spurs, with
a cartridge belt and heavy revolver in it, and clad in a
close leather jacket and tight riding breeches ? Add to
these a hot day and you can imagine how we were handi-
capped ; but we managed to get down and take our place
in the line with the scouts on the slope of the hill near
the church. Whether we were to support the advance
of the uniforms or not we were not sure, but as the dense
brush prevented us from seeing our officers, or what the
infantry were doing in the valley, we just concluded that
we'd clear all the rebels out of the slopes of the hills,
and in extended line we started in to do it. Keeping
up a heavy fire into the thickets as we advance at the
run ; catching our spurs and falling Ijeadlong ; streaming
with perspiration ; panting with exertion, and swearing
with but scant breath, we rush along the hill sides from
one ravine to another, our cheers doing more to dislodge
the enemy from their pits than the accuracy of our aim.
Now and again the boom of a field gun echoes above the
rifle shots, while frequently a skir-r-r-r, like the rattle
of an alarm clock, tells us that Captain Howard is turn-
ing the crank of his " hurdy-gurdy," and in our mind's
eye we can see him kneeling behind the Gatling doing
two men's work in managing it, and sending a hail of
rifle balls over the field, 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
AFTER THE BATTLE. 259
range of the infernal machine that is rattling out death
sentences in so remorseless a style. Now a shout of
laughter rises as you take a header into the brush, and
then you hear a yell of *' Don't shoot that man, your
eyes, don't shoot that man, he's one of our side," as some
dozen rifles cover a scout whose ardour has carried him
on in advance of the rest, while the rebel bullets whistle
around us, and dropping branches cut by them make us
wonder that so few of us are hit. But who is hit no one
knows, for in this wild race a man could not find his own
brother, and so we press on flushed with success past pit
after pit, and the shots of opposing rifles grow thicker
and then gradually slacken and die away, and we lie on
the slopes gasping for breath, knowing that our share of
the work is over, and watch the uniformed men sweeping
the rebels before them across the flat at our feet, aiding
them as we best can by a fire on the rifle pits that line its
further edge some eight hundred yards away. A great
deal has been said of the unadvisability of charging with
raw recruits, but anyone who saw the advance of our
men across the open could not doubt their vim and
anxiety to get at the enemy. Of course we were too
busy and too well hidden doing our own work to see the
beginning of the attack, but we saw enough to convince
us that Midlands, Grenadiers, and 90th all struggled for
first place in the rush upon the rebels at Batoche's, the
rush that drove them from their position, and has struck
a blow at the insurrection from which Kiel, with all his
influence, will never be able to recover.
And then the retire is sounded, and we stroll back to
camp, knowing that we can sleep without hearing the
now familiar crack of rifle or whizz of a ball, for the rebels
are beaten from their stronghold, and Batoche is won.
In endeavouring to settle the much disputed point as
to who led the charge, George Ham furnishes the following:
I have received no less than seven telegrams asking
me to say which battalion led the famous charge at
260
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Batoche's. My answer ? * tTie Midland, Colonel Williams
leading them. That gaL,ut officer, with Captain Howard
of the Gatling, is the hero of this brigade. The " orders "
of the Midland issued the day after the capture of
Batoche's read as follows :
"The deeds yesterday performed by the Midland
during the battle of Batoche have been such as to call
iV
LIEUT. -OOL. A. T. H. WILLIAMS, M.P., MIDLAND BATTALION.
from all encomiums of the highest order. That flank
* Lieut. -Col. A. T. H. Williams, of Penryn Park, Port Hope, was born
in 1837, educated at Upper Canada College and Edinburgh University. He
was first returned to Parliament at the general election of 1867, when he
was sent to the Ontario Legislature. He was re-elected by acclamation at
the general election in 1871, and was first elected to the Commons in the
1878 general election, and he was re-elec ed at the last general election.
He is a son of John Tucker Williams, Elsq., a commander in the Royal
Navy, who sat for Durham in the Canadian Assembly from 1840 to 1848.
Colonel Williams distinguished himself 'at Batoche in such a manner as
will cause him to be remembered long after his own and many succeeding
generations shall have passed away. He died near B&ttleford, July 4, 1885.
AFTER THE BATTLE. 261
movement entrusted to us was so rapidly and determin-
edly made that it is admitted that by it the tide of victory
was turned. Amid a shower of lead from the front and
left flank, the red line of the Midland pressed steadily on
with British cheer and pluck, through the entangled brush
on the river slope, until the proper time arrived for the
rush across the open prairie front to the houses, the capital
of the rebels, a distance of about five hundred yards.
The response to this'Vas a noble one, and would have
done .credit to the most experienced soldiers, as amid a
shower of bullets the charge was made and the cheers
went up. The Midland had the honour of having been
in front of the advance, and the gratitude of the prisoners
who were held by the rebels, as they emerged from the
cellars of these houses, seemed to be a reward for the
noble effort of the day, which was ours.
"The Lieutenant-Colonel commanding has issued
commendatory orders to the battalion before this, for
pluck shown in enduring hardships, for good order and
discipline, and for efforts put forth on the line of march,
and now words would fail to convey the deep sense of
what is due to the Midland for their steadiness under the
fire of a determined and well-entrenched enemy. Nobly
have the officers done their duty, and the response of the
rank and file to their command under the most trying
circumstances has always been a ready and reliable one,
as day after day and night after night the thud of the
enemy's rifle bullets sounded about our advanced rifle
pits. The Lieutenant-Colonel commanding desires to
place on record the pride he feels in having had the honour
of commanding such soldiers, and 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
the country, and none will be more deserving of this than
the Midland. While we rejoice over the victory, we
cannot forget our wounded comrades whom we leave
262
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
behind us as we push further on. Let us express our
deepest sense of gratitude that none have been danger-
ously wounded.
" (Signed) ARTHUR T. H. WILLIAMS,
" Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding
" Midland Battalion."
The Grenadiers and the 90th followed the Midlanders
hot-foot at the first dash, and before the first row of the
COLONEL GKASKTT, ROYAL GRENADIERS.
rebels had been reached the men of the three corps were
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 BATTLE. 263
In considering the question of this charge it is well to
note the numbers and positions of the regiments engaged
as well as their names. The Midlands were on the left
among the underbrush on the river bank, the Grenadiers
occupied the centre opposite the lines of rifle pits in the
open; the 90th, when "they came up, together with
Boulton's scouts, completed the line out towards the right.
At the opening of the attack the whole regiment of the
Grenadiers, two hundred and fifty men, and fifty 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 began, the left of the line, with
the two Midland companies at its extremity, swung for-
ward more rapidly than the centre, the 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 number fell the
greater weight of the charge.
A correspondent furnishes the following admirable
story of the fight and the scenes which followed it, and
although some of the same sentences occur in this which
are given 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
right, and the Grenadiers on the centre and left. The
opposing forces never approached within six hundred
264 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
yards of each other, unless at sundown, when, retiring to
camp with the sun's rays in our eyes, the rebels would
crawl up and pick men off. This was of nightly occur-
rence. Monday was a repetition of the previous day,
except that the 90th went out while the Grenadiers
stayed in camp. On the last day came the gallant charge
and the victory. Ours was the most dismal of all camps.
The ploughed earth had turned to dust, to which the
earthworks added their clouds. Hundreds of horses and
cattle superimposed filthiness ; water was scarce and not
fit to drink ; and the area was so limited that it was next
to impossible for the troops, unless in the trenches, to lose
sight of the dead around the hospital, or to get out of ear-
shot of the groans of the wounded. This camp had been
under fire 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, the Midlands and the Artillery. I don't
mean to say they were mutinous, but they had nearly
reached the limit of suffering. The officers were even
more angered than the men since they knew the mettle of
the troops. It was tacitly agreed among the field officers
(at least each reached the same conclusion) that at the
next opportunity the rebels should be charged and driven
back no matter what the orders to the contrary from the
General commanding might be. 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 short, to secure a victory.
On Tuesday morning all the mounted force except
French's scouts, led by General Middleton and supported
by Howard and his Gatling, and Drury, with one of the
Quebec guns, moved out to the plateau 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. 265
Into the brush ahead of him, poor Kippen, of Dennis's
scouts, was killed only a few feet from the gun. Pres-
ently, and while the skirmishing was going on, a white
flag was waved from a house on the flank and John
Astley, one of Kiel's prisoners, followed hy T. W. Jackson,
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 out on the centre towards the church, and part of
the 90th under McKeand sent out on the right, one com-
pany being held to assist the 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 trouble commenced on Sat-
urday), then gave the order for a reconnoissance in force,
and the men were pushed forward. Soon it was evident
that the men and their officers were determined to have
more than a reconnoissance. They did not stop nor
cease 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 got into
the bottom of this ravine Astley appeared with another
white flag and a message from Kiel, 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 collected. This was altogether " too thin," and
General Middleton replied to Kiel that he would cease
firing when the enemy did, and not before. The roar of
the artilleiy, which had come up at a gallop, leaving one
9-pounder in camp as a protection, was now added to the
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
rattle of the Sniders, Winchesters, and Martinis the
Winnipeg Field Battery opening on the house in which
the rebels had hidden, riddling it with shells. A Battery's
nine-pounder was also doing good work, while on the
right centre the rackety-crash of the Gatling showed that
the 90th had Howard's machine-propelled bullets working
for them.
In half-an-hour or so the troops had 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 the hospital badges showed in various
portions of the field. There was room for running since
our front covered more than a mile and a-quarter, 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.
The din now became furious and on went the advance.
Panic had seized the enemy now, and it was a case of
aauve qui pent. One of the Grenadiers bayoneted an
Indian who was trying his hardest to get out of a rifle
pit. Many of the dead rebels were in their stocking feet,
having left their 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 length of time. The
Village of Batoche's proper, consisting of five houses, and
its suburbs of two, were now in plain view and distant
but a few hundred yards. Those of the enemy who had
not run 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 from 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 Champaigne'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 ! Not a man was killed while in the open,
although several were wounded.
AFTEB THE BATTLE. 267
But one of the saddest losses was at Batoche's house.
Captain Jack French, tall of form, and his Celtic blood at
boiling heat, rushed to its front door facing the south-
west, and with a " Come on, boys," ran in and up to the
upper storey. He had hardly reached the door when a
bullet from the gully toward the ferry pierced his breast
below the heart, and he lived long enough only to say,
" Don't forget, boys, that I led you here." On Saturday
he saved Cook by his personal bravery, snatching him
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 death.
Colonel Williams, of the Midlands, was close behind
French and, with one of the 90th or Grenadiers, kicked
in the door 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 imprisoned ones free. By this
time the fight was practically over, though to our front
and across the river came scattering shots. The Indian
and Half-breed camp had been carried by a few of the
Grenadiers without loss and the inmates had gone in such
a hurry that they left their lares and penates and all their
paraphernalia of semi-civilized and semi-nomadic life.
The 90th was now having about all the fighting there
was, and they kept up their well-earned reputation.
Major McKeand sprained a tendon while charging, but
stayed with his men and supported 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. The dead were gathered, the wounded cared for,
while the helpless women and children flecked in under
a white flag and bivouacked in rear of the blacksmith's
268 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
shop. Entrenchments were thrown up around the houses
and the Gatling placed in position fronting down the
river, while the rest of the artillery were sent to the
camp to protect- it against a possible, but not probable,
night attack. Quite a number of prisoners were taken,
and the rest began to surrender, in batches.- The victory
was all but complete Kiel and Dumont were not among
the slain or captured.
In the morning looting began, and as the General's
orders previously issued against it could not be enforced,
no interference was made. Some of the men needed
articles of underwear, blacking, combs, etc., and these
were hurriedly snatched. Guards were of course put on
the stores, but the ill-assorted stores somehow or other
disappeared. Trunks were ransacked and trophies of the
war secured. The rebel state papers were found in the
rebel council room, George Fisher's house, an unpreten-
tious log shack, no attempt having 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 effect 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 the 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 Kiel, 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
should go down stream and complete the destruction of
AFTER THE BATTLE. 269
the steamer Northcote. A letter of welcome from Monk-
man to Kiel, written to that individual when in Montana,
was also discovered.
Batoche's, both on the east and west banks (Batoche
proper, on the east, being 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 skill, must have been expended upon them. As a
prominent military man remarked, an engineer could pro-
fitably 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 defence 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
vantage 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, formed 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
ho^e was dug for defence. If they had prepared for us at
Fish Creek, they had a thousand times more so at
Batoche'a. It was their last ditch. No trail* no path-
270 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
way, however insignificant, was left unguarded ; no ravine,
no gully that was not made a point of attack or defence.
Pointing out to me on the map the rebel lines guard-
ing the main Humboldt trail, Gen. Middleton remarked
last night, " They are a veritable Sebastopol." Middle-
ton's detour to the east had evidently led them to believe
that he was coming that way but, the steamer coming
first, their attention was attracted to the river, as I have
described previously, and the force slipped in by another
detour to the south, and we had almost reached the
church before they heard us, so intent were they on
destroying the boat.
But, as it was, they managed to keep our superior
force superior in numbers, in arms, in artillery, in every-
thing at bay for nearly four days, and then it was only
that rousing, ringing cheer and charge that drove them
out. It might not have been that alone. Superstition
may have had something to do with it. I was told by
half-a-dozen Half-breed women that on Tuesday morning
Kiel had gone over to the west bank, where, after shaking
hands with all the people, he told them that the battle
would 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.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED.
I HAD the honour, if it be an honour, of being the first
person to place foot on the west bank of the crossing.
Early in the morning Alex. Fisher, ferryman, Receiver-
General and Acting-Quartermaster of the rebel army
and now a prisoner, came over in the ferry scow, under a
flag of truce, and surrendered. On the flag was a
picture of our Saviour (for a travesty of religion seems
to have permeated everything on Riel's side) painted on
paper which was sewed on the cloth. He was accom-
panied by two men. None of them, of course, had
voluntarily gone into the fight ; but they had been forced
into it. Fisher was allowed to go on his parole until
6.30 p.m., when he was put under guard. Accompanied
by Geo. Kerr, whose name you have heard before, and
Captain Andrews, I crossed the river. Reaching the
other side a Half-breed was seen crouching behind a higli
shelved bank on the side of the ferry trail. We hailed
him, but he refused to come out. One of us then spoke
in French to him, and a half-scared man walked out. He
was Francois Boucher, and after a cordial shake of the
hand he said he came from the Mackenzie River. 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 you see him last ? "
" Yesterday (Tuesday). Then he went away."
Leaving the old man, we climbed the steep, winding
ascent, viewing the admirably-constructed rifle pits
272 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
which command the river, pits in the brush, pits on the
stony lower bank of the river, where the water almost
laves them. ; stones piled up in semicircular form, behind
which they could crouch and deal out death and destruc-
tion. To the right is a hill, filled with the inevitable
pits, and on the top is a white flag, emblem of the sur-
render. Over the ferryman's house and store to the left
flies another white flag, but in the bushes there still
float two red flags of the redskins.
In the back-ground was the log building formerly
occupied by Walters &; Baker as a store, but latterly
used as headquarters of the "northern division" of the
rebel army. It is an utter wreck, testifying to the
destructiveness of the heavy guas which played on it
during the fight.
To the left are seen several women and children,
tidying up their tents in the woods, and sorrowfully
gathering together their scattered goods, and packing
them in carts. Caves had been dug ten, fifteen, twenty
feet long five or six wide, and four or five deep and
these were carefully covered with trees and brush and
earth. In these, during the four days' struggle, the
families lived, and ate, and slept if they could. After
the customary hand-shaking, 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 return home. Some
could only speak Indian, others only French, others
again Indian, French, and English. None of them
had a good word for Riel. 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, how
unanimous they were in declaring they had been pressed
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 273
into service. Of over twenty with whom I conversed,
not one had joined Kiel willingly. To one he had
threatened arrest ; to another death ; to a third the
massacre of his wife and children, if he failed to join the
insurgents. I asked, " Well, if you were all made to
serve, why on earth didn't you rebel against the rebels ? "
But I did not get any satisfactory answer. If what they
said was true, and la^rf inclined to believe many of them,
it only shows thafr^Kiel's organized few terrorized, the
unorganized many/ But doubtless some of them lie.j
In the afternoon many others came in on ponies, but
all unarmed. There were forty or fifty of them, .with
their families, camped a mile out in the bn<*h. One of
them told me his story several of them did for that
matter, but this was a particularly hard one. He said, in
answer to my quer}^, that he had no grievance whatever;
he lived on an Indian reserve. Kiel had taken his cattle,
and by threats forced him to join. He stayed two days
in the woods during the fight with nothing to eat, and
only water to drink. " An< i now," he said, as he cursed
Kiel with a good round oath, " here I am, without my
cattle, without my horse, not even my gun. No land
ready ; no seed : nothing but starvation ahejvl of me. I
have no tobacco, no tea, and my family is starving." I
suggested that he could be made rich by catching Kiel
and delivering him up to the authorities, and he told me
that they had already been discussing that question on
the west bank.
Another's was quite as sad a case. He was a young
man, with a crippled w* l 'e, who lay sick, terror-stricken,
and alone in her gloomy cave while the bullets' ping and
the shrapnels' whizz almost deafened her. A bright lad
of eighteen, Francois Boucher, the younger, gave me the
best description of the fight. He said in English :
"I was hiding in the bush, and I was pretty scared.
I don't like this fighting. When the ship came down the
river one man shot hard at it. When it stuck on the
ferry rope our n^eij thought everything was smasher^
17
274
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
and the police all killed (they call the troops police). One
man said that he had seen twenty police fall over board
dead, and Kiel was certain the boat would be his when
he wanted it. He thought it was stuck on a sand bar
down the river and you were all dead on it. On Sunday
night he sent some men down to loot it, but when they
got there the boat was gone. They came back and the
MAJOR D. H. ALLAN, Q.O.R.
Indians said that the devil had lifted the big iron (the
anchor) up and the boat had gone away."
Then he told me the story of Kiel's visit to the west
bank the previous evening, his hand-shaking with the
people, and his warning about the blackening sky ; and
about Kiel being a second Messiah, and how he imposed
upon the people and himself.
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 275
I A number laid the whole blame of the troubles upon
Charley Nolin, who, they allege, was the prime instigator
of the uprising, and the one responsible for Kiel's advent
amongst them ; but, they added, he cut connection with
them when loud-mouthed agitation gave way to the
rifle and the shotgun. He, however, had handed around
the little paper badges which they wore on the lappels
of their coats, badges with religious devices.
The men were penitent even for their enforced partici-
pation in defying the Queen, and only wanted to
surrender. A priest came over, and they sent in their
guns, nearly one hundred in number. Some of these
were fine Winchesters, a Snider or two, a Queen's Own
rifle, a Springfield carbine, supposed to have been taken
from the Ouster battlefield, and shot guns of every
description, single and double barrelled, and old flint locks,
some almost entirely useless. It seemed almost incredible
that, poorly armed as these men were, they managed to
pour in such a hot fire on us as they did. But the Metis
know how to use a gun, and they always make the best
of the weapon they have.
Passing a grove on the way back to the boat, some-
thing white suspended to a tree attracted attention. It
was a picture of the " Sacred Heart of Jesus," neatly
draped with pure white muslin, attached to the card
board by those common little tin tags which tobacco
smokers know so well. The place was a little sylvan
shrine where the terror-stricken women knelt and prayed
to God in the very midst of the swirl o/ life and death.
I asked several who the man was that they had hanged
on the Saturday previous. They all denied any knowledge
of it. Some said the Indians had put up some feathers
in the trees as a decoy for the shots of the police, but I
told them feathers did not wear coat and pants. Still
they vehemently averred that no one was hanged there.
A dozen men in the steamer are prepared to swear
that they saw a man dangling in the air. It is strange
if so many could have been mistaken.
276 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
At Batoche's proper, the village had changed from a
battle field to a busy camp. On the right of what would
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 beside her, venting her grief in tears and lamen-
tations. They had been all hungry, and for over twenty-
four hours during the fight had had nothing to eat. None
of them were hurt, although a spent ball cut off 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 dusky skins. I asked the women where Kiel 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 women and children, and he told the others to
go and fight. He cafts us women because we can't fight ;
but he is a woman himself."
As the prisoners were brought up in a waggon, pre-
paratory 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 anjl 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 concealed. 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 aside and wipe away a tear. The
women were comforted as well as words could comfort,
and assurances were given that their husbands would not
be harmed unless they were leaders. With grief partly
Assuaged, the women turned to their teats, their faces
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 277
hid in their handkerchiefs. Let us leave them with
their sorrow. The fortunes of war are to them a dread-
ful burden.
Let me tell the. plan disclosed in the state papers of
the rebels. When we were encamped at Macintosh's, the
night before the Fish Creek fight, Gabriel Dumont's
designs were to make an attack upon Middleton. In the
dead of night, while the camp in fancied security was
seeking well-earned repose, the rebel force, five hundred
strong, was to steal up, as only these plainsmen can creep
upon a foe, overpower the pickets and sentries, and before
the men could be aroused, to sweep through the camp
like a whirl-wind. In the darkness and confusion suc-
cess might have followed the d-iring 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 boasted of a victory.
Fortunately for us, there was a misunderstanding amongst
the different divisions of the rebels, some of their strength
did not reach the rendezvous in time, some did not come
at all, and the surprise was postponed. Little 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
during their long imprisonment, their pale, pinched faces
and emaciated forms furnislfing 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
being released that he shakes hands with everybody he
approaches. Short rations, the close confinement, and
the terrible suspense under which they lay, not knowing
what moment might be their last, have done their work ;
and it will take weeks of care before their systems again
278 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
recover their wonted vigour. One and all agree that but
a short time longer and reason must have given way
beneath the terrible strain. The prisoners rescued were
as follow :
J. B. Lash, Indian Agent for Carleton district ; Wm.
Tomkins, agency interpreter ; Peter Tomkins, a cousin of
the former, and John W. McKeen, telegraph repairers ;
Harold Ross, deputy sheriff of Prince Albert, and Wm.
Asbley, D.L.S., who were arrested on a scouting expedi-
tion ; Edward Woodcock, who had charge of Leesin &
Scott's mail station at Hoodoo ; A. W. McConnell, one of
General Middleton's scouts, and T. E. Jackson, druggist,
of Prince Albert, brother of " Crank " Jackson. "Crank"
Jackson himself, and Albert Monkman, whose name has
obtained unpleasant prominence during the rising, were
also found in confinement.
From the prisoners I have gleaned the following par-
ticulars of their capture and confinement : Mr. Lash, the
agent, accompanied by Mr. Tomkins, his 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 men, under the leadership
of Kiel and Gabriel 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 him and Tomkins at prisoners. They were taken
to Batoche's church and kept there until evening when
they were taken to Walters &; Baker's store on the north
side of the river and brought back again the next day.
At midnight on the 18th the telegraph wires were cut,
the line going " wide open " in the very middle of a tele-
gram of the greatest importance. Peter Tomkins, a
cousin 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. McKeen, the
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 279
miller in charge of Beaupre"'s mill at Stobart, or Duck
Lake, volunteered. They set out shortly after 1 a.m. on
snowshoes, drawing their tools on a flat sleigh, following
the line through the bush until near the crossing, where
they found the line cut and several poles chopped down.
Without a moment's delay they set about repairing the
damage, and had just completed their labours, having
made three splices, and were gathering up their tools
preparatory to the homeward journey, when they were
surrounded by between twenty and thirty men who
demanded their surrender. One man tapped McKeen on
the shoulder and informed him that he was a prisoner.
Having no arms they made no resistance, but accom-
panied their captors to Walters & Baker's store where
they were kept over night. Kiel was one of the party
and was what the Half-breeds called the talking chief,
while the redoubtable Dumont was the chief fighting man.
Another couple of the prisoners, Harold E. Ross and
W. Astley, were captured on a scouting expedition on the
morning of the 26th of March, the day of the battle at
Duck Lake. They left Fort Carleton between 11 and 12
o'clock on the night of the 25th, with the view of gaining
the high ground in the vicinity of the St. Laurent 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 expected to arrive
at Carleton. A short distance out from the last-named
place they met Jerry McKay, who had been scouting on
Beardy's reserve, and he told them to be very careful, as
that chief did not like people travelling across his reserve.
McKay, however, assured them that the journey to Duck
Lake was quite safe, Beardy being the only ugly feature
of it. This they did not consider of a sufficiently alarming
nature to cause them to turn back, and they resumed
their journey, travelling leisurely in order that they might
arrive at St. Laurent at. the appointed time. When they
came over the last hill near Duck Lake they were, as
they subsequently learned, perceived by the picket from
280 CANADA'S NOKTH-WEST REBELLION.
the Indians* houses near the trail. Shortly before this,
Astley called Ross's attention to what he thought was a
man lighting his pipe, but as the latter had not noticed
it they paid no further attention to the matter. As they
proceeded down the hill the Half-breeds rode out and
down in their rear, the soft snow, which had been falling
all evening, completely muffling the footsteps of their
pursuers' horses until they were quite upon them.
Hearing a noise behind him, Ross looked back and
saw Durnont at the head of about twenty men, with a
rifle in his hand. Gabriel at once cried out, " Surrender,
you're scouts." Astley did not hear the call, whereupon
Boss tapped him on the shoulder and said, "They're
on top of us," and wheeled his horse around. Duinont
immediately seized him by the foot and ordered him to
dismount, which Ross refused to do. The rebel Adjutant-
General, as he styled himself in his official documents,
then attempted to pull Ross off, upon which the latter
endeavoured to draw his revolver. Two Indians got on
each side of him, and those on the right pulled his foot
from the stirrup, and Duinont succeeded in unhorsing
him, and in doing so discovered the revolver, which he
demanded. Ross drew it at once, not to give it up, how-
ever, but for the purpose of administering a leaden pill
to an Indian who bad covered him with a gun, at the
same time seizing Duinont by the throat with his
disengaged hand, to prevent his interference. Feeling
something touch his head behind, Ross looked around,
and found himself covered by two more guns, seeing
which he surrendered. Astley, in the meantime, had
endeavoured to escape, but perceiving his comrade was
not following, turned back to his assistance, when he also
was surrounded and taken. The two unfortunate scouts
were conducted to Duck Lake, where they were joined
the next morning by their companions in misery.
A number of others were also in confinement, but the
majority were only imprisoned for a short time. Those
who were placed in Walters & Baker's store for safe-keep-
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 281
ing were only kept there during the night of the 18th,
and were removed to Batoche's church the next morning,
and the next day were removed to the residence of
Philippe Garnot, Secretary of the Provisional Govern-
ment. Among the other prisoners were George Ness,
Louis Marion, and Chailes Nolin, Half-breeds, who had
refused to take up arms ; Walters, of Walters & Baker,
and J. D. Hanafin, a clerk in their employment; Edward
Woodcock, already referred to as captured at Hoodoo, and
Thomas Sanderson, of Carrot Kiver, who happened to
have camped at that place the night it was plundered.
The evening they were removed to Garnet's house a
council was held, after which Kiel informed the prisoners
that Charles Nolin was sentenced to death, and would be
shot that night if he did not submit. Riel also told them
that the rebellion was gaining strength, and would carry
everything before it, and that it was the intention of the
Council of Saskatchewan to march on to Carleton in such
force that the police would surrender without a shot
being fired, and Carleton once disposed 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 would be "attended to" if he did
not submit. Both Nolin and Marion gave in their
adherence, but the latter deserted the next day, and Nolin
on the day of the Duck Lake engagement. Ness stood
out to the last, but was released for some reason unknown
to his fellow-prisoners, while Hanah'u and \\Ialters were
also permitted to go a few days later, as the council
decided they would only detain men who were servants
of the Domiir'on Government. On the evening of the
25th March Duck Lake was taken by the rebel aimy,and
the next morning the prisoners w r ere moved over, the
upper storey of Mr. Mitchell's house being put into service
as a prison. Up to this time they had been reasonably
well fed, as their captors had plenty of plunder, and were
also freely supplied with tobacco; but they were kept
under close surveillance and allowed to talk to no one.
282 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
After the fight at Duck Lake, Gabriel Duiuont entered
the prison and ordered the prisoners to be taken out and
shot, but the men in charge refused to obey the order.
The Indians were particularly anxious to have revenge,
but were restrained mainly through the instrumentality
of Monkman. The Provisional Government held a council
meeting which lasted through the afternoon of the 26th
and the early morning of the 27th, during which they
considered the advisability of sending one or two prison-
ers over to Carleton to see if some terms of settlement
could not be agreed upon, and also to invite the police to
come over for the dead. It was, however, decided to
liberate Sanderson and send him with the message to
Major Crozier concerning the removal of the bodies, and
this was dome, the messenger being furnished with a
horse and jumper, and an escort through the lines. After
Sanderson left Kiel came, when Ross asked for permission
for one or two of the prisoners to visit the field of battle
and put the bodies in a safe place to protect them from
dogs and wolves, to which request consent was given.
Wm. Tomkins and Ross went out that evening under a
strong escort of Half-breeds and Indians, and placed the
dead in a vacant house near by. While this was being
done, the Indians said : " Well shoot the white dogs."
" This is a lesson for you," and similar comforting expres-
sions. On Sunday afternoon, 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 was released on explaining that he
was present at the fight against his will. Riel learned
from them that Carleton had been evacuated, but refused
to believe it until he had sent over scouts to reconnoitre
Having satisfied himself 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 PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 283
The Hudson's Bay Company's clerk's quarters were fitted
up for a guardroom and the prisoners placed in the upper
storey, with a strong guard, Monkman assigning them a
man and woman to cook and wait upon them. The after-
noon they arrived at Carleton two teams in charge of
Charles L'Heureux, of Battleford, were captured on their
way from Prinee Albert to the latter place. At midnight
of the 2nd of April the guards wakened them and ordered
them to roll their blankets and prepare to leave. This
was done, and all the buildings were set on fire, the
evacuating party arriving at Duck Lake at 10 a.m. on the
3rd. The prisoners were at first compelled to walk, but
a " kick " was instituted after five miles of the road had
been traversed, and they were permitted to ride on
sleighs for the remainder of the road. At Duck Lake
the buildings were gutted and fired and the march
resumed to Batoche's, where they found the ice breaking
up and the water running on the side.
The open water was crossed in boats, and the prison-
ers placed in Baptiste Boyer's house, being guarded by
numerous sentries, who were ordered to fire on anyone
attempting to escape without calling on him to halt.
They were fed on bannocks, boiled beef and tea. The
lower storey was occupied by Sioux Indians, who kept up
a continuous drumming, thus preventing sleep at night.
On 19th April they were 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 had 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, averring that a man who carried news had no
right to live. When the guards refused to give him up,
they wanted to go into the room below the one occupied
by the victim of their dislike and fire through the ceiling,
and it required twenty men to prevent it. Several shots
were fired outside, which the poor fellows in the cellar
imagined were directed against McConnell, and the effect
284 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
on their feelings can better be imagined than described.
Again when word came that the troops were on the way,
the men were confined in the cellar for two days, being
fed twice a day on boiled beef and cold water, their gaol-
ers asserting that there was neither flour nor tea. Again
on the 23rd April, at 10 a.m., they were ordered down
cellar, and the two Tomkinses were tiechhand and foot,
the remainder having their hands tied behind their backs
by order of Delormo, who threatened to shoot any who
should get loose. They 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 Battle of Fish
Creek.) On Saturday, the 25th, Monkman brought them
out and placed them in their old quarters, where they
Were allowed to remain until the 4th of May, when they
were again put down cellar and kept there until released
by the troops on the 12th, with the exception of a few
hours on the 7th.
During the four days' fighting stones were piled on
the hatchway in lieu of extra guards, as men were re-
quired in the rifle pits. They could hear the firing every
day, and one day a shell passed through the building.
)n the 12th Kiel opened the hatch and called out, " Astley,
Astley, come quick and stop the firing : for if they 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,
with neither floors nor walls, and utterly devoid of any
means of lighting or ventilation, and in these cramped
and unhealthy quarters they were obliged to eat and
sleep and take such exercise as its narrow limits would
permit. So strict were the restrictions imposed upon
them that they were not allowed outside to answer tLe
calls of nature.
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 285
When they heard the trampling of feet overhead the
most conflicting hopes and fears filled their minds, and
the few seconds which elapsed while the stones were
being cleared away from the prison doors, were moments
of the severest suspense hopes that the time of rescue
had come, fears that Kiel or some of his followers had re-
turned to carry out the threat of the morning, and wreak
summary vengeance upon them. Imagine if you can the
delight and relief which filled their minds when they
found that realization had met their hopes instead of their
fears. Some of them could scarcely contain themselves
for joy, and eagerly shook hands with their rescuers, and
then shook hands all around again. But the military had
other work to do, and an escort was told off by General
Middleton to conduct them to the catnp, where they were
made as comfortable as could be, and after the fight were
congratulated 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 Batoche, who is away from home. The
building is pretty bacUy demoralized, and doubtless the
thrifty and discreet ."Ratoche will push a heavy claim
against the Government for damages. Kiel occupied less
pretentious quarters, sometimes in one building, at other
times in another, and frequently remaining in camp. Both
are married, Dumont being childless, and Kiel having two
little ones, whom he took with him in his flight. 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 what little money his
dupes gave him. The people of Batoche's, however, were
not mere men of straw. In one place was found a fat
pocket-book with $40 in cash in it, and in another there
was $15 of equally good and lawful money.
As has been previously stated, Kiel has been posing as
the founder of a new religion, the principal feature of
which rs that he claims to be the Klias referred to by
286 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Jesus Christ as he who must first come to change all
things. He calls himself David, and signs his name thus :
Louis " David " Kiel. The first change he introduced was
rebellion against the priests, which he formally did shortly
before the Battle of Duck Lake ; and as it was a part of
his religious teachings that each change should be fol-
lowed by a victory for the rebel arms, it was with a
double gratification that he pointed to the advantage
gained at Duck Lake, as the first instalment of the fulfil-
ment of his prophecy. About a fortnight ago he changed
the Sunday to Saturday, and contemplated changing the
names of all the days of the week, had not the complete
extinction of the rebellion interfered with his playing the
role of Elias any longer. He was very fond of prophesy-
ing, but was clever enough to couch his prognostications
in the vaguest possible terms. For example, he told his
followers that the steamboat should drink water, an ex-
pression which may be taken to mean many things. He
also told them that troops were coming from the United
States to assist them, but when they failed to appear he
explained that the Almighty had changed His mind and
had ordered him not to seek outside aid as it would re-
dound more to His glory to gain a victory with a small
force. But it is needless to go further, as a book could be
filled with similar prophecies and explanations for their
non-fulfilment or ingenious interpretations to fit passing
events. The rebel leader was fond of religious devotion,
and spent hours in prayer.
Besides endeavouring to delude his credulous followers
into the belief that he was a heaven -born saint sent for
their particular benefit, Kiel 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 leaders 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
THE PKISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED.
287
found out last night from our scouts that it was an Ameri-
can who worked the maneton, as they called the Gatling,
they lost faith in their leader entiiely. Speaking of this
gun they said it rained bullets so fast that they could not
pop their heads ou of the rifle pits to see where to shoot ;
that is, if they were going to shoot, which most of them
contended they were not.
OAPT. J. M. DELAMEBE, Q.p.B.
As near as can be ascertained, the rebel strength
aggregated four hundred and fifty men, of whom two
hundred and fifty are Half-breeds. Mr. Lash, one of
Kiel's prisoners, calculates the number as about four hun-
dred, his impression of the division of the races being two
hundred and fifty Metis and one hundred and fifty
Indians. There were, women and children included, over
one thousand in camp. The Indians were three bands of
288 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Crees, those of One Arrow, Beardy, and Okamesis ; and
the band of White Cap, a Sioux, renegades of the Minne-
sota and Ouster massacres, living around Prince Albert.
Their provisions were not exhausted, and a large quantity
of stores was captured at Batoche's. Beef was plentiful
and considerable ammunition was discovered, the powder
being of Curtis' English manufacture. Where 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 Batoche, 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 fiijht to help
Kiel, but were intercepted by the sub lued Half-breeds
ten miles away and told to go home for the war was over.
The following is a translation of the rules and regula-
tions of the rebel army, posted on a house, evidently
used as a guard room, on the western side. Common
foolscap paper is used. The "army "had not indulged
in the expensive luxury of printing, but ojie of the
A. D. C.'s had written out the regulations with a blue
pencil :
Regulations 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 respectful to their captains and
those other persons who are charged with their supervi-
sion and control.
4. They should be obedient and submissive to those
who have the authority to command them.
5. They should be active, watchful and careful.
6. They should keep their houses clean and tidy, as
also their arms.
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 289
7. Every morning their arms should be inspected at 9
o'clock.
8. No soldier will be allowed to leave his company
without the permission of his captain.
9. Each captain should look after his company, see to
its needs and treat the men impartially.
10. Each soldier should keep the guard which he is
called upon to do conscientiously, on account of the very
great responsibility which rests upon him.
By order,
GABRIEL DUMONT, Adjutant-General
St. Antoine, May 2, 1885.
When Walters was released Kiel 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 have
taken your goods," said Kiel, " but you will not lose by it.
We shall fill 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 enraged at one of the priests the other
day because the priest refused to carry out some of his
commands, and, springing at him, attempted to kill him.
A Sioux interfered and saved the priest's life.
The following is a copy of a letter addressed to Mr.
Thomas Scott, one of the white agitators at Prince Albert,
by the rebel council. It is not dated :
"To TH. SCOTT, ESQ.
" SIR, 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
290 CANADA'S NOKTH-WEST REBELLION.
we have a fair treaty with the Dominion. In joining us,
on the ground that the police has made it a matter of
necessity for you, and in leaving the police to its struggles,
you will determine the Canadian Government to come
and treat with us ; and by following that course, we will
celebrate in peace and in happiness the 24th of May,
otherwise the struggle will continue. The Government
will send us reinforcements of police and we will have to
call out all the neighbouring 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 1st of the same July."
As I write scouts are going out in pursuit of Kiel and
Dumont, but the latter is not likely to be caught. Gen-
eral Middleton sent and received messages of congratula-
tion to and from Mr. Caron, the Minister of Militia, to-day.
In the general orders this morning, after quoting Mr.
Caron'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 general
orders, and to add that he feels very little, if any, thanks
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 determination of the Tenth
to dislodge the rebels by a charge. In an interview
Cook said :
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 291
r
"On Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday we
encamped near Batoche's. On Saturday and Sunday the
90th Battalion were in front, and on Monday and Tues-
day we were in the front line. In the morning we would
advance and extend in skirmishing line and lie down and
watch for a chance at the rebels, and return to our
original position at night. We had a kraal formed of
about two hundred waggons around which we rested, the
front rank keeping watch while the rear lines slept. An
embankment was thrown up by the teamsters."
" Did the rebels fire on you at night ? "
" 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. We had
no tents. In the morning we would advance and watch
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 puff 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 them. On Tuesday morning we went out
292 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
t
again. The General told us to take our old positions.
Instead of that we took the enemy's position before the
day was out. During the morning Colonel Van Strau-
benzie said he would like to go forward. An irregular
fire was kept up until afternoon. The Tenth and the
Midlands were in the front, and the 90th Battalion behind
us. In front was open ground, and further on the bush,
in which the rebels had their rifle pits. We did not want
to stay lying there any longer seeing our comrades struck
down one at a time while we could not strike back. The
whole line started forward with a cheer."
" Were you ordered by the General to charge ? "
** No ; the General did not know we were going to
charge. The enemy poured in a hot fire when we started,
but I don't think any of our men were hit until we got
into the bush. Here many of the men were struck."
" Were you near Lieutenant Fitch when he fell ? "
" Yes, I was not three paces from him. We were
pushing our way through the bush, which was pretty
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 word.
I think he had his revolver in his hand, but not his
sword. My heart jumped into my mouth when I saw
him fall. I was then struck in the right arm, but did
not fall. I was disabled and dropped down, because 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 were others hit in the
bush about the same time. The Ambulance Corps carried
Lieutenant Fitch off 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 me
off, but I told them to attend to others more severely
wounded first. Sergeant Hazleton was in charge of the
Ambulance Corps, and they went everywhere and acted
splendidly. The big guns did not begin firing until we
got into the bush. When our men came to the rifle pits
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 293
they found rebels who had not had time to get away in
some of them."
" Did they offer to surrender ? "
" Surrender would not be a bit of use in that crowd.
They were bayoneted."
" When did the men halt ? "
" They did not stop until the village was captured.
Colonel Van Straubenzie and Colonel Grasett were with
us, and went everywhere."
" What did the General say of the movement ? "
" Oh, he addressed the men in the evening, and told
them that they had made him the happiest man in Canada
that night. He is a fine man and a gentleman, and could
not use us better."
Private Cook spoke in terms of deep regret of the
death of Lieutenant Fitch, summing up his expression of
gratitude for the kind treatment they had received from
the deceased officer in the words, " He could not do enough
for us." He shows with much pride the bullet taken
from his arm. It is a heavy missile, 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
were sent to Saskatoon, and on the next evening he and
many others were sent on. After staying there eight 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 the 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 stopped an hour, the Ameri-
can soldiers were very kind to them.
Private William Hughes, No. 3 Company, 90th Bat-
talion, writes the following from Lepine's Crossing under
date of 17th May:
294 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
About Batoche's. We camped about six miles out on
Friday night, and at 4 on Saturday morning arose, ate a
hasty breakfast, and at 6 o'clock resumed our march on
Batoche's. The steamer Northcote had been fitted up with
bullet proof bulwarks, and it was so planned that we were
to reach Batoche's at the same time, but she was there about
half-an hour ahead of time, and had to run for it, as the
fire was too heavy for her to stand long. At last we
entered into a very hot fight, lasting all day ; but very
little advantage was gained on either side. We retired
about four hundred yards and threw up fortifications,
behind which all lay unmolested until morning. Shortly
after daybreak we again went out, or rather I should say
the 10th Royals did, and it was they who were in advance
on Saturday, too. The General is said to have remarked
that the 90th Battalion had done all the fighting at Fish
Creek and hence had done our share, so he put the 10th
ahead on Saturday and Sunday. That day passed off as
the others had done, and again we retired behind our
fortifications for the night, lying on a blanket with
nothing save the canopy of heaven over us.
On Monday morning we (the 90th) were sent out with
the two Midland companies, and drove the rebels back
farther than ever and gained possession of their first row
of pits and trenches. Colonel Williams asked for per-
mission to let us charge the whole of them, but the Gen-
eral refused, as he thought 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 the humour to eat alive any-
thing in the shape of an Indian or Half-breed. Well,
about 1 o'clock on Tuesday, the 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
ftt once extended into skirmishing line and sent forward
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 295
on the double to support the 10th. They were then just
a little ahead of us, lying down, firing at the red-devils,
and with a cheer that was enough to strike terror to a
braver man than a Half-breed or an Indian, we all rushed
forward on the line of entrenchments and in the face of
a fire that no one not there can imagine how severe it
was. Cheer after cheer went up and fairly rent the air.
Every one was wild to get at the devils, but when we
got within ten or fifteen paces of the pits the breeds and
Indians jumped out and ran for their lives, many being
shot down, for five lay dead where our company crossed.
The fighting line was more than a mile long, and though
I could not see any other part but ours it is true that the
others did their work well too. I tried to watch Jack's
company but could not see for sure, although they are said
to have had the hardest of the fight at first, but we were
still several hundred yards off the village, so on rushed
the whole line, the Midland, the 10th, and the 90th, red
and black coats mixed, all firing and cheering tremen-
dously. At last when about three hundred or four hun-
dred yards from the village we were ordered to halt and
cease" firing because Kiel was sending a man with a flag
of truce ! He came to say something about Kiel's want-
ing to hold a parley; but the General said if M. Kiel
wanted to talk he must come himself. So again the
whole line rushed cheering and firing as before. One part
of the line soon came out into the open ground and the
firing encountered here was terrible. The bullets flew
everywhere, for we were not more than fifty yards in
front of some houses, while as the rest of our main line
on our immediate 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 lew 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 by
side were twelve 90th men and one redcoat. He said he
296 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
was a Midlander, but was several rods away, so I could
uot recognize him.
As soon as the rest of our line began to come out of
the scrub our gang made a dash for a log stable in front
and secured it, then for a large building used as a store.
One of our boys was at the door before me, but I was
second into the house, although all the rest of our crowd
were in right afterwards, and Colonel Williams of the
Midland Battalion was among them. This was the first
house entered in Batoche's. Here beneath the store we
found six prisoners in a dungeon, which was reached by
means of a trap door. On that trap door was a pole
standing upright and cut so as to fit tight from ceiling to
floor, besides about fifteen or twenty large stones. We
were not long in knocking them down and in lifting that
trap, and I tell you it was the happiest moment of my
life when we pulled those poor fellows out and were
thanked and embraced by them for their liberation. Some
of them had not seen daylight for nearly two months,
and really the poor fellows looked more like ghosts than
living beings. Colonel Williams was the first officer to
come up to our part of the village. He then led us from
one house to another, but we were not surprised to find
them empty.
In the last house we found the body of a nice little
girl, about fourteen years old. She had been killed by a
shell, and was dressed for burial. So I lifted the poor
little thing into the coffin and covered it up and put it
away to one side to keep it from being knocked around.
As I was doing so Colonel Williams rushed over to me,
shouting, " Here is one ! Here is one ! Give me 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. The breed was aiming at
our fellows about fifty yards off, but my rifle was sighted
for four hundred, so the Colonel missed him. The rifle
was again loaded up and the sights let down. The breed
rolled down the bank. The ball struck him under the
THE PRISONERS AND THE VANQUISHED. 297
left arm and passed clean through him, coming out under
the right arm. I got his gun and powder horn. We are
not allowed to keep the guns, but I have the powder horn
all covered with his blood. Colonel Williams then left
me in charge of a small party in one of the houses, and I
at once began loop-holing it on the sides facing the river
and the rebels. But the breeds did not stand any longer.
They ran in all directions. However, we went to work
at once, and by dark had the place strongly fortified ; but
no attack was expected, as the victory was so complete
that it will be a miracle if the breeds ever attempt to
rebel again.
We spent the next day in taking supplies, etc., from
the rebels' houses ; and in removing our dead and wounded
to the boat which had returned up the river about three
hours after the fight was over. Two other companies of
^the Midland the Campbelltord and the Lifford and Mill-
brook ones arrived the day after the fight was over, so
were too late for glory.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE GATLING GUN.
AS the Gatling gun, as well as Lieutenant Howard,
the gallant officer who commanded it, played a very
important part in this campaign, no apology is necessary
for furnishing a full description of this wonderful feature
of modern warfare.
It requires no gift of prophecy to predict that machine
guns are destined to play an important part infuture wars.
They hold the same relation to other arms that
the railway bears to the stage-coach ; the reaper to the
sickle ; the sewing machine to the needle, etc.
Of this class of arms, there is none that excels the
Gatling gun in originality of design, rapidity of fire, and
capabilities as a weapon of warfare.
The main features of the gun may be summed up as
follows :
It has, usually, ten barrels, and ten corresponding
locks. In working the gun the barrels and locks revolve
together ; but, irrespective of this motion, the locks have
a forward and backward motion of their own. The
forward motion places the cartridges in the chambers of
the barrels, and closes the breech at the time of each
discharge, while the backward motion extracts the empty
cartridge cases after firing.
The gun is loaded and fired only when the barrels
are in motion from left to right ; that is, while the handle,
or crank, is worked forward. When the gun is in action
there are always five cartridges going through the process
of loading, and five cartridge cases in different stages of
being extracted, and these several operations are continuous
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.
300 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
The earlier model Gatling guns had cartridges fed to
them by means of feed cases, or by a drum, but recently
a new method for supplying the cartridges to the gun has
been devised, which is positive and certain in its action.
In the old methods of supplying ammunition to the gun
it was possible for the cartridges to jam in feeding down
from the feed cases into the carrier or receiver, but in
this newly improved feed, the mechanism never loses
control of the cartridges from the time they leave the
feed magazine, until they enter the chambers, are loaded,
fired, and the empty cases extracted. With this new feed,
it is impossible for the gun to fail in its operation, even
when it is worked by men unacquainted with its use.
This new improvement not only greatJy increases the
rapidity and certainty of fire, but enables the gun to be
fired at the rate of over one thousand two hundred shots
per minute, and at all degrees of elevation or depression,
which is something no other machine gun can do. By
firing the gun at proper elevations, ascertained by means
of a quadrant, the bullets discharged from it can be made
to fall upon men behind breastworks, or entrenchments,
at all distances, from two hundred to three thousand five
hundred yards from the gun. This " high angle," or
" mortar " fire, adds greatly to the effectiveness of the
gun, and will no doubt, prove of inestimable value in
future warfare.
Experiments have proved that musket-size balls, fired
from a Gatling gun at high angles, strike the ground with
sufficient force to penetrate from two to three inches of
timber. About one thousand two hundred shots per
minute can be fired from the gun, raining down a hail-
storm of bullets on the heads of men behind entrench-
ments, thus making such 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 Eook,N.J.,by the United States Ordnance Board.
THE GATLING GUN.
301
The following extracts are taken from their report
of the trials :
" The objects of the experiments were twofold. First
to test the new feed magazine ; secondly, to ascertain the
effect on targets placed horizontally on the ground, at
distances from two hundred to three thousand yards
as regards penetration and accuracy."
In speaking of this new feed, the Board say in their
report: "The action is, as claimed in the inventor's
302 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
description, positive and continuous as long as the gun is
worked. The substitution of a positive action for one
depending upon the carnage of the projectiles to the
grooves of the carrier block by means of gravitation
modified by friction, is a great improvement. The gun
works as well when the feed ' magazine ' is horizontal as
it does in an inclined or a vertical position. No jamming
or interference of any kind occurred during the trials,
and the rate of discharge varied uniformly with the revo-
lution of the crank necessarily."
" The penetration from 3,000 to 1,000 yards was through
two inches of spruce plank, and from three to five inches
into the sand, the projectiles striking point foremost."
The gun used in the trials was 45-inch caliber, with
barrels 24 inches in length, and the ammunition 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
fired at an elevation of 88 J, the bullets so fired re-
mained up in the air 57 seconds from the time they
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 range, the gun was given an elevation
of 66.
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 all 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.
THE GATLING GUN. 303
It is evident that an accurate vertical fire from Gat-
ling guns, delivering a storm of bullets descending under
a slight angle of arrival, would by grazing the superior
crest of parallels erected by besiegers approaching a forti-
fication, or those of ordinary rifle pits or entrenchments,
destroy their occupants much more certainly and rapidly
ohan can be done by the shells or case shot fired from
mortars or field guns. This " high angle " or mortar fire
from a machine gun, opens up a new field in the science
of gunnery, and is well jvorthy 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 Gatling gun, all that would
be 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 fire of the enemy by entrench-
ments or by digging a pit for each gun, so that not even
its muzzle would 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 fire at the critical moment of a
battle ; for supporting field batteries, and protecting them
against 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 Gatling 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 for firing on an
304) CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
enemy's deck at officers and men exposed to view ; for
firing down from tops upon the roof of turrets ; firing
into an enemy's ports ; and in boat operations against an
enemy, either in passing open land-works, or clearing
breaches and other exposed places for landing from
boats, etc.
The above represents a smaT! -sized Grafting Gtm, mounted on a tripod ;
it can also be mounted 011 the gunwale of a ship or in the bow of a small
launch, etc. It is a very light and effective arm and is recommended for the
suppression of riots, etc.
Exhaustive official trials of the gun have been made in
many countries, under the supervision of officers of higb
THE GATLING GUN.
standing, who have strongly recommended their use,
both for land and naval service. The reports of such
trials are too extended for a paper of this kind.
Gatling guns have been sold, in greater or less num
bers, to most of the governments of the world.
No arms in the world are equal to Gatling guns fox
night service. They can be 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, a
incessant fire can be kept up during the night with the
same precision as in daytime.
Lord Charles Beresford, one of the pluckiest officers in
the British Army, as he proved himself before Alexandria,
wrote as follows of machine guns in the London Army
and Navy Gazette :
In my opinion, machine-guns, if properly worked,
would decide the fate of a campaign, and would be equally
useful ashore, or afloat. 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 quite extraordinary. 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 screaming over their heads, produced a moral
effect not easily described. I asked an Egyptian officer,
some 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 first
four days after the bombardment, when Arabi knew that
Captain Fisher's Naval Brigade, which held the lines,
numbered less than four hundred men. The Egyptian
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 officer npoke tUe truth, and that the moral effect pro*
19
306 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
duced by the Gatlings on the people in the first landing
prevented the army from attacking the diminutive force
which held the lines afterwards.
There are several valuable features of the Gatling
gun which should not be overlooked ; for instance, a ten-
barrel Gatling gun fires ten times in one revolution of
the group of the barrels. The action of each part is
therefore quite deliberate, while collectively the dis-
charges are frequent. Another valuable feature in the
Gatling is, that the cartridges are fed into the carrier at
the top, and are carried around to the under side of the
gun before they are loaded and fired. 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 the head of a cartridge, and
which might communicate with the magazine, causing a
dangerous explosion. Most other machine-guns have
their magazine, used for feeding cartridges to them,
placed in close contact with the firing 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, who have carefully watched 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
which is best supplied with them, and which best under-
stands their tactical use, will best preserve the lives of its
soldiers and be in the best condition to make favourable
treaties, and to preserve the integrity of its own dominions.
CHAPTER
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM KIEL CAPTURED.
T)ATOCHE was won and the rebellion was practically
JL) over, for it only remained for General Strange tc
catch Big Bear and for General Middleton to relieve
Colonel Otter's besieged force at Battleford, This would
not take long, but in the meantime Poundmaker, having
been forced by the hasty and ill-judged aggressiveness oi
Colonel Otter to go upon the war path, appeared deter-
mined to make his intention known. To this end he
left his reserve with a considerable retinue of men, women
and children, together with a large herd of live stock
and marched east into Eagle Hills. On the very 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 Battleford about noon with information that a
waggon train, numbering twenty-one ox teams and about
eight 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 starting 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 poiiy 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 Indiana
308 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
disappearing with the other waggons. He saw no dead
bodies. He believes the remainder of the teamsters, ten
in number, are prisoners. With the teamsters there
were eleven Snider and five other rifles, with ammunition.
This train also carried the mail for Battleford which had
been waiting two months at Swift Current.
Shortly after Killough's arrival six Mounted Police
scouts, including a Half-breed guide named McAllister,
under Sergeant Gordon, late of the Queen's Own, came in.
They had been scouting, and on rounding a hill were
fired into at twenty yards by a large party of mounted
Indians and breeds. Constable Elliot, late of the
American army, fell at the first fire and staggered into the
bushes. Constable Spencer was slightly wounded. The
force retreated, the wounded man riding into the ferry
where an ambulance came for him. a few minutes later.
Elliot's horse came in. The Indians pursued the police
two miles.
One of the teamsters, after being released by Pound-
maker, told 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 rifles at them they sought cover. At last Nolin, a
Half-breed, rode up and began to parley with them. He
said that there were lots of Indians there, and that they
were going to have the train. They did not want to kill
the teamsters, but if the latter fired a shot they would
butcher every one of them. On the other hand, if they
gave up their arms and the train they 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 by the Indians, who brought them
back. On two or three occasions the Indians came
fowling around their tents, and they expected every
minute to be murdered. But as the days wore on and
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 309
their lives were spared they took heart again. One of
the party was a passably good violinist, and while in camp
in the evening he would play the fiddle while the others
danced to the music. This afforded great amusement to
the Indians, who crowded round to see the sport. Then,
again, the Half-breed prisoners used to invite them into
their tents of an evening. They had an organ with them,
and it was no unusual thing for them to spend two or
three hours singing together.
A Half-breed who came in with the released teamsters
said:
" It was done by the Indians. I tell you those team-
sters have the priest and Poundmaker to thank for their
lives being spared. If they hadn't been there the
Stoneys would have killed the whole outfit."
" Do you know anything regarding Elliot's death ?"
"I think he must have fallen from his horse. He got
into the woods. Three Crees 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 bluff
to bluff, firing as he went. As he came close to the
waggon train, which had been captured a short time before,
he was fired on from behind by some Stoneys and killed.
I was sorry, and so were we all, for had he given himself
up he would have been here now along with the teamsters.
Delorme and Poundmaker buried him. That night we
camped close by the Stoney reserve. There was a council
that night. Poundmaker still wanted to go to the Black-
feet or even to the Rocky Mountains. The Stoneys 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. He said his
children were dying for want of food, and if they could
get it from Kiel it would be well, as they had given up
all hope of getting anything from the Indian Agent. I
310 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
don't believe Poundmaker would have come out had it
not been for the Stoneys. He thought he might as well
help himself to whatever was going, as well as the Stoneys."
On Friday (May 15) following the taking of Batoche
(Monday, May 11), Louis Kiel wascaptured by three
scouts, named Armstrong, Diehl, and Howrie, four miles
Liorth of Batoche's. Scouts had been out in the morning
to scour the country, but these three spread out from the
main body, and just as they were coming out of some
brush on an unfrequented trail leading to Batoche's, they
spied Kiel with three companions. He was unarmed, but
they carried shot-guns. They at once recognized Kiel,
and, advancing towards him, nailed him by name. They
were then standing near a fence. No effort was made on
his part to escape, and after a brief conversation in which
they expressed surprise at finding him there, Kiel declared
that he intended to giye_himsej.f-JLip His only fear was
that he would be shot by the troops, but he was promised
safe escort to the General'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 body of the scouts Kiel was taken
to a coulee near by and hidden, while Diehl went oif to
corral a horse for him, the other scouts being left with
the prisoner. When Diehl returned Kiel and Diehl's com-
panions had disappeared, evidently to avoid other scouts.
Diehl says Kiel was not in the least agitated when
arrested, and was willingly made captive. He was
t r * ft 1 , which was ail he seemed to want.
When he saw the Gatling go down with the scouts at
Batoche's, Kiel was much alarmed on account of his family.
A correspondent adds the following :
Kiel 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 talking
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
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 311
frightened man in camp, and in constant fear of violence
at the hands of the soldiers. There is no danger of such
violence. Kiel spent nearly all day on Monday in the
woods. At the close of the fight he and Dumont, with
their wives and Kiel's two children, skipped out on foot,
going in a north-westerly direction. Some of the rebels
were very bitter against both for leading them into the
trouble and then leaving them in the lurch after the
fight. The fugitives had no food, and no clothes except
what they stood in. Dumont did not want to go, but
Kiel persuaded him. Dumont fought like a tiger all day
Monday. The Half-breed prisoners say he had not slept
for a week, working night and day.
Dumont had arranged for Big Bear to strike us in the
rear a week ago, but some of the messengers deserted ;
and the scheme miscarried. Two of the prisoners say
Dumont was wounded once on Saturday and twice
(slightly) on Monday.
A scout told me last night that he had seen a Half-
breed looking for his wife. The breed started to run,
when the scouts threatened to shoot. He 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 he
will never be taken alive." The scout promised protec-
tion to Kiel until he was handed over to the General, and
finally the man consented to this. 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 he
might be shot. The breed left for the bluff and the scout
heard them discussing matters. After waiting two and
a-half hours and no one coming, the scout returned to the
camp. General Middleton took no stock in his story, and
said Kiel and Dumont were miles away, but it is now
evident the story was correct, at least so far as Riel was
concerned.
The Half-breeds on the west bank delivered seventy-
five stand of arms to-day. Amongst them were several
312 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Winchesters, Sniders, Queen's Own rifles from Battleford,
and one Springfield, U.S., carbine, 1873.
The papers belonging to the rebel Government were
searched to-day. The minutes show that the Duck Lake
fight was a premeditated affair, and that the rebels were
thoroughly cognizant of General MMdleton's movements
from the time we left Qu'Appelle station.
Kiel expressed himself to this effect : " I do not think
this trouble will be without result, as the complaints of
farmers will be regarded with some degree of attention,"
When told that his books and papers had been captured
he said : " I am glad of this, the papers will show that I
am not the actual leader of the rebellion. I had been
encouraged by people of good standing at and around
Prince Albert, who invited me over from Montana." He
expresses great anxiety as to whether he will be tried by
civil law or court-martial. He seems to have turned out
a craven coward, as he spends his time* alternately pray-
ing and embracing a crucifix.
The truculent Gree chiefs Beardy and Gkamesis were
also interviewed by General Middleton after the Batoche
victory. The following is an interesting account of the
interview by Mr. Geo. H. Ham.
The name of Beardy, the troublesome Indian chief,
whose reserve is near Duck Lake, has become familiar to
Eastern people, not only from the prominent part he has
taken in the present trouble, but for his chronic cussedness
and continual " kicking " for years past, and general
desire to emulate the mule. Beardy, consequently, has
gained a reputation for ferocity and boldness, that is,
amongst those who don't know him. Those who are
acquainted with him, however, say that he is a craven
fraud. Be that as it may, he was submissive and cowed
enough when he appeared before General Middleton this
morning in response to a peremptory demand to come in
at once. Beardy is an insignificant looking fellow, with
a scattered grayish beard, from which he takes his name,
and his chief men are not the typical braves of whom
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 313
Fenimore Cooper writes. They all squatted on their
haunches, and looked as abject specimens of humanity as
one would see in a month's journey. Beardy opened the
confab by saying he first meant to speak the truth. He
was glad to see so many around him. If his children,
who came with him, had done anything amiss he hoped
it would be overlooked. He was sorry for what had
been^donein joining the rebels. As true as he stood
there at the present time, he wished to live in peace. He
would like to go home and tell his people there was peace.
Then he held out his hand and took the General's, shak-
ing it heartily, and said he did so with all his heart, and
he asked the General to speak his mind. Continuing,
Beardy said he had held out for some time, but his people
forced him into the trouble. He had only about forty
men in his band.
General Middleton asked, through the interpreter, why
his braves joined in the fight against the whites.
Beardy All children are cowards, and my children
were frightened into it.
The General Did you join yourself ?
Beardy No ; I sat still, and told my men to sit still.
All my talk was to keep quiet. They mastered me.
The General Were your intentions good towards the
whites ?
Beardy (emphatically) Yes.
The General When the police marched to Duck Lake,
and you knew the Indians and Half-breeds were lying in
ambush, why did you not tell them, if you were friendly ?
Beardy I thought I was stopping them enough when
I 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 ?
Beardy Of course, as I said before, when children are
young they are cowards. I was afraid and had to go.
The General It's very lucky you came here, for if
you hadn't I should have sent troops to your reserve and
burned everything that's there.
314 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Beardy bowed his head upon hearing this, and hypo-
critically sniffled : I suppose it was God who put it in
my heart 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 longer acknowledged as one.
It is a matter for consideration if your re^ve is not
taken away ; it all depends upon how you behave your-
self. Where is the telegraph wire broken ?
Beardy 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
with him. He saw the priest and the farm instructor
(T^mpkins), who asked him if he was going to go. He
replied that he was, but that his horse was played out
and he was unable to go. The instructor said it was
better for him tq go, and lent him a horse, asking him to
find out whether his (Toinpkins') 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
ccnsented, 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
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 315
would shoot anyone leaving without their knowledge.
" I was a coward," he said, as if it were an extenuating
fact. " The whole crowd left and went to Duck Lake.
I was with them, and we had on a fire and were cooking,
when I heard the police were coming. While I was eat-
ing I heard shots fired, but I ate on. The shots went on,
and I ran to see what was going on. When I got up the
ridge the bullets were coming pretty close, so I withdrew
and went round by another way. The trail crossed the
ridge, and I went there, and heard a shout : ' They are
running back I ' At the place 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. I then 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
to Carleton. I was not with the first party, but was sent
out with the second. We got word from Kiel 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 we heard was that there were soldiers
coming. When fighting commenced (at Batoche's) I
went up to the top of the hill. My sons were with me,
watching everything while they were 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 coward 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.
316 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
The General That's enough. It is evident 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 only. 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 was 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 meting out justice to this wretched old humbug.
A correspondent furnishes the following particulars
of Kiel's capture and the scenes immediately follow-
ing it:
Boul ton's men were sent out to scour the country, as
reports from different sources came in that the fugitive
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,
hat less, and unarmed. His companions were young men
and they carried shot guns. The two rode up, and one
called Kiel 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 which
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 I fear the troops may hurt me." Assurances were
given that he would not be harmed, and as Kiel had no
horse, and the scouts at any moment might come upon
them, it was deemed advisable to secrete him in a gully
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 317
a short distance away, while Diehl corralled an animal
for him. While waiting for Diehl to return, the scouts
passed near by, and Armstrong and Hourie, fearing they
might offer violence to their prisoner, hustled him
through the brush, up into a poplar bluff, 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 surmising that their
purpose in making a detour was to avoid the scouts,
started for camp, where he reported the gratifying news
to the General. It was to be kept a profound secret until
Kiel had been smuggled in, bufc somehow 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 trail 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 prisoner to be catechised by a
newspaper man unless Kiel was willing. As Kiel flatly
declined the correspondents missed a sensation.
In the meantime Maxime Lepine, 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 questions. He
was quite broken down. We had a brief chat, but it was
on his family affairs, 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. Kiel in the meantime was kept
carefully guarded in the tent adjoining the General'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 ovide : from two
Latin words, ex, which means from, and ovide, ablative
of flock. That word I made use of to convey that I 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 authority.
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 annihilation.
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 different 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 as 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,
aiid consequently the movement prove to be less a distur*
POCJNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 319
bance than a remedy to some things which were previously
going too far in the wrong.
" Several times, it is true, we made use of the words
' representatives,' ' members of the council/ etc., but we
had to do it, until the word exovides 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 exovides, we have called
the exovidate.
" I have a mission. So has everybody. 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 appreciation of the personal
qualities of his adjutant-general, Dumont. Kiel, how-
ever, lays 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 deemed necessary,
and to protect and defend any particular point assailed.
In Saturday's fight, he admitted, the steamer Northcoie
attracted their attention, and the few remaining in the
pits did not wish to commence the attack until the
conflict on the river was finished. 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,
lying dead. Thence going to the right centre he saw a
number of bis followers either dead or wounded, and
320 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
then, he says, he saw the day was lost. Taking his wire
and two daughters he fled to a bluff not three miles from
Batoche's, and close to the place where he was captured
or, as he insists, where he surrendered.
Of Gabriel Dumont's whereabouts he claims to know
nothing. When asked as to the number of his force, at
one time he said seven hundred, and at another five
hundred, of whom three hundred and forty were Half-
breeds. Both statements are obviously incorrect. He
probably had five hundred men, but he understates the
strength of his Indian allies. At Fish Creek he says he
had but one hundred and fifty-four men, and his losses
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 some unsubdued Half-
breeds, rendered desperate by the 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-path has not satiated
their taste for blood, will likely make the country a
dangerous one to travel through for some time.
After seeing Riel, and conversing with those who
have talked with him, I cannot believe that he is
altogether sane ; he is certainly a " crank," and a cunning
crank withal ; and it appears to me that, knowing well
the impressionable and superstitious nature 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, where 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 he passed. In conversa-
tion with them they all denounced Riel for leading them
into the trouble. They said that they thought they cou id
whip the "police" until that fatal Tuesday after XK>W
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 321
when the charge was made. The charge demoralized
them, and they hurriedly left for the protecting banks of
the Saskatchewan, down which they fled helter-skelter,
and found temporary safety in bluffs a few miles away.
They said that Garnot, the secretary of the Kiel govern-
ment, had amongst others delivered himself up, and was
strutting about the town. A large number of arms were
piled up weapons of all descriptions, amongst them
some Spencer rifles and a bagful of ammunition, old and
'useless weapons, of course, predominating. They all
admitted that they had been thoroughly beaten, and all
they were anxious for was peace. They had heard of the
capture of Kiel, and only regretted that Dumont was not
a captive with him. Of Middleton's leniency they spoke
in high terms, it being the very reverse of what Kiel had
led them to believe.
Kiel was allowed out of his tent this afternoon for a
few minutes, of course escorted by a guard. He had
scarcely left the tent when the ubiquitous Captain Peters,
of A Battery, who is an amateur photographer of no
mean order, had him " taken." Kiel 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 pleased.
Captain Peters, it may be mentioned, is an enthusiast in
the photographic art, and has the negatives of both the
battles of Fish Creek and Batoche's; the first, it is
claimed, ever taken of an action.
The rebel adj utant-general is doubtless safe away in
the fastnesses of the Birch hills. He was seen yesterday
about thirteen miles from camp, and Boulton'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 Kiel and then he would go away
20
322 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
for ever. While scouting for Dumont the scouts
discovered that Kiel yesterday had breakfasted at
Girard's place, and that he secured a chicken to take to
his family for dinner, and would probably have returned
for supper had not the couriers interfered with his plans.
It appears from what can be learned, that the recal-
citrants were not afraid of defeat until Tuesday's gallant
charge was made. They imagined tkey could keep the
police at bay, but when the rousing cheer rang out
and echoed through the ravines and plains of the bullet-
swept battle ground, they became demoralized and fled
precipitously, waiting neither for coat nor shoes, and in
some instances not even for arms and ammunition. Kiel,
however, was long before convinced that the day was lost,
and early in the morning opened negotiations with Gen-
eral Middleton, through Astley, one of his prisoners, who
had frequently warned Kiel that he would be beaten
when the soldiers came, and had offered his services two
.weeks previously as a mediator, if one were needed. Kiel
came to the cellar-prison, and called out to Astley at 8
a.m. His 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.
He was then conscious of certain defeat, and paralyzed
with fear, and wanted to make the best terms he could.
Of these preliminary negotiations his fighting braves were
in total ignorance, and 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 where Kiel was, and what was regarded
as a sign of submission was his grasping Astley cordially
by the hand and shaking it, the first time he 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 last time, and shortly
after that gallant, resistless charge, and that wild cheer I
POUNDMAKER AOA1N HEARD PROM. 823
have spoken of, rendered further communication by letter
between rebel and loyalist unnecessary. As the boys
came bravely on, dismay filled Half-breed and Red-skin,
and they fled to the sheltering banks of the Saskatchewan,
and then in small bands dispersed to the north-east. At
dusk Kiel, who had remained all day in fear and trem-
bling with the women, slipped away and was lost in the
blackness of the night. Dumont, too, defeated and
despondent, hastened away, and in the seclusion of a bluff
a few miles away passed the long night with some still
faithful adherents.
A CHANGE OF POSITIONS.
It was on the 19th of February, 1869, that Colonel
Boulton (who the other day was out scouring the country
for Kiel) was a prisoner in that person's power, chained
and manacled, confined in a cold comfortless cell with
nothing to eat but pemmican and water, and under sen-
tence of death- Time has brought around its revenges
and the gallant Colonel finds himself now hunting Kiel
instead of being hunted by him. But he can see, if he
looks at the miserable fellow, that he is treated with far
more consideration than he accorded his prisoner. No
irons manacle his legs, no handcuffs prevent the free use
of his arms. Kiel is saved that disgrace which many a poor
culprit suffers. The Colonel has not yet seen Kiel, nor
has he any desire to.
As an instance of how serious the rebel losses have
been, a little settlement up the river tells a terrible tale.
Of six houses, where six families resided, there is now
only one man left. Five widows mourn the loss of the
breadwinners, and thirty little ones are left fatherless.
I 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 Yeurres,
Joseph Caron, S. Gareau, P. Parenteau, and Moise Paren-
teau. None of the finer buildings were fired, although
some were wrecked by shells.
CANADA'S NORTH -WEST REBELLIOUS
Two merchants have arrived in camp, and opened up
" stores." The stores are merely the waggons in which
the goods were freighted, with the sky for a roof and the
earth for a basement. Prices are not very unreasonable.
T. & B. tobacco sells at 35c. a plug; canned oysters, 50c.;
syrup, $2 per gallon; canned peaches, 75c.; jam, $1.75 per
can ; stockings, poor quality, 50c. per pair ; and other
articles in proportion. A fair trade is done, but not so
large as anticipated, many of the boys having supplied
themselves free of cost at Batoche's, after the rebels left.
" What are your grievances ? " I asked an Indian named
Big Star, through an interpreter.
" Don't know."
"Have you any ?' v
"No."
w Why did you fight t
* Because."
* Because what ?"
"Well, they told us we had to. They said the police
with big guns were coming up to kill our wives and
children, and to take away our lands from us ; that Man-
itou would protect us ; that the Americans would help
us, and then we would have everything good."
" And what will you do now ?"
" Go home if they let me."
"What about Kiel?"
" He is a bad man very bad."
It seemes that at the Fish Creek fight the whole rebel
force was engaged, although many left for home early in
the day. When they returned at night Dumont boasted
that they had defeated the " police," but said they had
lost nearly all their ponies. 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
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 325
that the troops would come. " But," he added, " our first
shot will kill fifty men."
That Kiel possessed a wonderful influence, an influ-
ence almost incomprehensible, over the Metis cannot be
denied. He is a fluent speaker, almost a born orator,
suave, always polite, and very plausible. He is also &
born agitator the son of his father, and when the dis-
contented here sent to Montana for him he came as if
conferring a great favour upon them. 'At this time, how-
ever, the Indian blood in the half-castes had not been
worked up. There were some wild, turbulent spirits, but
the masses had not been aroused. How to raise their
enthusiasm, and secure their earnest sympathy and co-
operation, was a problem which Kiel's fertile brain soon
solved. He announced that " a man " was to be baptized
in the church a convert, of course but that the Orange-
men of Prince Albert were determined to prevent the rite
being performed. The man was no other than Jackson,
a young Ontario fellow who had been prominent amongst
the leaders, and who afterwards blossomed out as Kiel's
private secretary. This presumed interference naturally
gave offence to many, and at the appointed day there was
a large gathering at the church of St. Antoine de Padua,
where Jackson joined Kiel's new religion, the authority of
the Catholic Church having even at this early period
been repudiated by the rebel leader. After the ceremony
of Jackson's so-called conversion, Kiel addressed the mob,
denouncing the priests for " pJaying into the hands of the
Government," and setting himself up as the temporal and
spiritual leader of the Metis. Of course, no Orangeman
interfered. They had no idea of interfering, nor did 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 up. 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. Kiel gradually claimed
326 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
divine authority and miraculous gifts, until by some of
the Indians he was fairly worshipped as a god. The
movement was thus conceived in duplicity, falsehood, and
blasphemy ; and it is no wonder it came to such a sudden
and disastrous termination.
A correspondent writing from Middleton's camp below
Batoche on May 18, says :
I went up to Batoche's yesterday with Major Bedson,
chief of the transport service, who took supplies along for
the starving families of the homeless recalcitrants. On
the way up, he saw the ruins of several houses, buildings
belonging to prominent rebels, which had been burned
by the passing troops a few days previously. As Batoche's
was neared, the bodies of dead cattle and dead ponies
were seen strewing the plains, while from every house
and every cart floated the white emblem of peace and
submission. Past the ingenious rifle pits, past points of
vantage prepared for defence, showing weeks of labour in
preparations, we rode and reached Batoche's in the early
afternoon. Here white flags fly in every direction. Men
carry them, they are tied to carts, even little children
flaunt little ones in their tiny hands. Asking one of them
what is meant, the lad replied :
" It's a sign of peace."
" What peace ? " " Oh, there's been war, and my
father was shot. But it's all over now. This flag means
peace. No more shooting."
" Are you glad ? " " Oh, I don't know, but my
mother is."
Even Batoche's fine residence, where the rebel com-
mander-in-chief had his quarters, flies its white flag. We
visited the school, adjoining the bullet-riddled church of
St. Antoine de Padua, where the women and children
are congregated. Of the large numbers who were camped
here during the battle (for Kiel had ordered that every-
body, men, women and children, dogs and ponies and
cattle, should rendezvous at Batoche's), some had gone
home, but there were a score or so remaining. They had
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 327
tidied the place up, and their little papooses, snugly
ensconced in the comfortable moss bags, were decked out
in clean linen, and chuckled and crowed in their mothers 1
arms. It was a far different scene from the Sunday
before. Then the bullets whizzed, the Gatling rattled,
and the artillery roared, while the mothers and children
crouched in caves and tepees, fearing death at every
moment. To-day, peace reigns, and freed from the
tyranny of the apostate Kiel, in whom, true Catholics as
they are, they never believed and never trusted, they
bore their sufferings unmurmuringly, only asking safety
for their duped dear ones, a little to stop the cramp of
hunger, and a safe return home. Assurance was given
that none but the guilty leaders would be punished, and
that they could go home. The waggon loads of flour and
bacon and tea told them that the much-abhorred troops
which were to massacre them were, after all, kind and
generous and humane. The little church was used for a
storehouse. It had been utilized for far baser and more
sacrilegious purposes during the last month or so. The
relief was gratefully received by the poor women. Some
of them must have suffered terribly. One woman told
me her family had had nothing to eat for four days. Her
husband was still in the woods hiding. Another woman
was homeless, husbandless and hungry.
The priest, Rev. Father Vegre\ille, was busily engaged
receiving the arms of the submissive rebels, and taking
down the names of those surrendering. He had in all
eighty names and forty-four weapons. He explained to
me that the rebel loss was not so large as at first esti-
mated. It was only sixteen killed, with between twenty
and thirty wounded. Previously several persons had
reported fifty-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
had 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
328 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
list, and sure enough it totalled up sixteen killed. These
have been buried in the little cemetery overlooking the
river just opposite the church.
I asked Father Leveque how Kiel came to wield such
an influence over his flock. He could not tell, but the
people were carried away by his oratory. He himself
was made prisoner, and when he had defied Kiel and
loudly protested against his desecrating the church, he
found some to openly support him. There were some
who were still true to the Church, but they dared not, at
least they did not, resist Kiel's commands. Kiel was
clever enough to see that before he could hope to lead
the people into rebellion, he would have to depose the
priests who were vehemently denouncing the use of force ;
and he accomplished this by setting himself up as an
agent of Heaven. Father Leveque says nobody attended
Mass except the women and children, and after a time
many of these were compelled to become Rielites. This
priest, who is from Old France, went boldly to many of
the rebel meetings and denounced Kiel 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 tak*. I gathered this from the Half-
breed women. Father Leveque himself does not care to
talk ; he is broken-hearted. He told me, however, that
Kiel was a coward, and that he had placed him and the
other priests and the five sisters from the St. Laurent
convent, and some children in that exposed 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 Kiel told the men not to kill when
they could capture people. He was particularly anxious
that General Middleton should not be harmed, claiming
that he was an old friend and school-mate of his. Mr
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 329
Ness further reports that at Fish Creek the rebels said
they had six killed four Half-breeds and two Indians
and twelve wounded. Kiel always held that they should
defend Batoche's to the bitter end, and warned them if it
were captured their cause was lost. 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 rebels had been waiting for
them in suspense) Kiel inspired new spirit into them by
telling them that the police were too frightened to come,
and that one whole battalion had been killed, so many
that it occupied two days 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 not learn whether Riel directed the
movements of the men at Batoche's or not. He says Riel
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 approach-
ing in another direction, a messenger was sent after him
and he returned. Mr. Ness says that Riel was invariably
the pink of politeness to him and to everyone, and wielded
an influence over the people that set the power of the
priests at naught.
Mr. Ness is a Catholic, and has always remained true
to his Church and to Canada. He was made a prisoner,
but after forty-eight hours' confinement was released,
after being tried before 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 themselves 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
330 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
the Indian reserves. Mr. Ness was on parole. He
could go as far as the church but not to the village. Many
opportunities offered for an escape, but hampered 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 bitter winds and terrible storms
they mightencounterina winter's journey across the plains.
On the way home we saw two men bearing a white
coming from a bush. They were unarmed and gave
themselves up. One of them was Pierre Vandal, one of
the most 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 Frog Lake, and claims to have been
a prisoner among the Indians, says the object of Kiel was
to have the Half -breed " prisoners " there released 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 tight ? Well, he admitted
that he was coming to help his people. Nolin was
engaged in getting out logs at Frog Lake, and was
present at the massacre, the details of which have long
ago been made public.
Mrs. Delaney and Mrs. Gowanlock, he said, were safe
and sound at Johnny Pritchard's, at Frog Lake, he having
secured Mrs. Gowanlock'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 they 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.
POUNDMAKER AGAIN HEARD FROM. 331
demanded an entrance, intending to steal the women's
clothes ; but they did not accomplish their purpose.
Their freedom once purchased, Nolin says, they were not
molested, and when he offered them 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 Poundmaker. He says the troops were whipped
and compelled to retreat to Battleford, and that they
would have been annihilated but for Major Short and
Colonel Herchmer,who 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 killed 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 bows and arrows.
Nolin gives an amusing 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 their arms and
waggons behind. The other twenty-one surrendered
without a shot being fired. The Indians indulged in a
regular blow-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
music with an old fiddle he had with him. Mirth and
merriment prevailed, and the dance went on with joy
unconfined. 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,
332 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
however, has averted such a calamity, and as Nolin
tersely put it : " Kiel big dam fool."
I dropped into one of the rooms in which Kiel had his
prisoners confined. 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 their love of fun. The clean
planed wooden partitions bear witness to this. They are
covered with caricatures in pencil, and poetry and bills of
fare of which is facetiously called " Kiel's hotel." One
menu embraces "bannocks, cowhide, bull's feet, and
slough water discoloured with tea ; " others are nore
elaborate if not more 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 Kiel,
which indicated that his captives were not in mortal fear
of him. In the other prison house, the cellar, the quarters
were 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 boys 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 !
CUB VOLUNTEERS. 333
Lo ! methinks the future opens and my words are more than
true,
Clustering cities in their splendour rise where once but forests
grew;
Vessels heavy with their freightage o'er our boundless waters
glide ;
Railroads netted o'er the country join each mighty ocean's tide;
Prairies long unclaimed, unknown, now are tilled by willing
hands ;
And our sons are sought and honoured by the great of foreign
lands.
And are those who battled bravely for their country when
'twas young,
Then to be forgotten by her ? No ! such names are ever sung 1
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,
Gallant 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 brighten 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.
CHAPTER XXIV.
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD.
PROM Batoche General Middleton made his way to
Prince Albert. A correspondent writes from that
village as follows on the 19th of May :
At last we reach civilization, and see people who don't
fire at us from behind trees or out of rifle pits. The
arrival of the troops was a great event in the history of
Prince Albert, and the 19th of May will, for many years,
be marked as a red letter day. Our reception was an
enthusiastic one, the local volunteers, with the citizens
and their wives and daughters turning out en masse to
welcome the boys. The military and local bands played
appropriate music, and amidst cheer upon cheer the troops
marched in. Colonel 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 modestly
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
"cities" 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
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 335
one genius puts it, "it's seven miles long and fifteen
inches wide." Some of the buildings are brick, but the
majority are constructed of wood. Another sight brings
back remembrances of home handsomely attired young
ladies. Their style of dress may not be according to the
latest Paris fashions (you must remember they have been
cut off from communication with the outer world for two
months), but in neatness and taste the costumes are fit
for the sunny side of King Street in Toronto.
The town possesses all the conveniences of Eastern
cities, and were it not for the barricaded church and
manse, whose cordwood defences make it resemble a
gigantic wood-yard, the few rifle pits which had evidently
been made by gophers, the numerous red-coated police
strolling about, arid the port-holes in different buildings
one would imagine that he was in a peaceful Ontario
town. The place was well 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, so one naturally
wonders what on earth all the scare here was about. I
tried to find out, but failed. The several persons I ques-
tioned would give me not even the shadow of a reason.
One man, who claimed to have been on guard sixteen
nights, said that he had not seen the ghost of a rebellious
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 person within twenty
miles. Time and a rigid investigation, however, will
probably bring out facts 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 they had
withstood the blandishments of Kiel 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-WEST REBELLION.
expressing their pleasure at meeting him, and they trusted
their friendship would never be broken. Iron Bull,
whose Indian name isMis-ta-was-sis, is the second "biggest
Injun " of the Crees in the whole North-West, and wields
considerable influence with the Red men. His companion,
Ah-tah-kah-koop (Star Blanket), is also a chief of some
power. They both came from near Carleton.
The General's exact plan is not yet completed, but
from what can be learned the four steamers North- West,
Alberta, Marquis, and Baroness will probably take the
troops up, and await their visit to the reserve, and then
return with them to the mouth of the Saskatchewan,
where, after crossing Lake Winnipeg in other steamers,
they will take the Canadian Pacific Railway to Port
Arthur, and go down the lakes. Should no serious trouble
occur at Battleford, 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 does,
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 the necessity of a new
outfit at once. Many of their unmentionables have seen
their best days, and their tunics are soiled and torn.
Their headgear also needs replenishing. Fur caps, with
which alone many of them are provided, are unseason-
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
battle field, in this clear North-Western air, have not
affected 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. Ryerson 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 PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 337
Batoche's, bringing in many of the wounded at the peril
of their own lives. Of course the ambulance corps of the
90th and the Midlands were equally as efficient, and are
deserving of all praise. There was one case of heroism
which deserves mention. One of the Grenadiers was
seriously wounded at Batoche's and would have bled to
death had he been left for any length of time. Colour-
Sergeant Curzon, under a fehower of rebel bullets, at
once knelt down and stopped the haemorrhage, and carried
his wounded comrade to a place of safety, marching coolly
away to the music provided by the guns of the enemy.
Now that the march through the fertile country
extending from below Fish Creek on the south to seven
miles beyond Lepine's on the north, a distance of about
fifty miles is happily completed, we learn of the narrow
escapes and we begin to think of the " what might have
been." The rebels have " given away " their plans, and it
is learned that the intention of Gabriel Dumont at Fish
Creek was to allow the column to pass that terrible
ravine, and when descending the slope on the further side
to suddenly attack it. Another of the narrow escapes
was the intended night attack on the camp at Macintosh's
the night before the Fish Creek Battle, when a sudden
scoop was to have been made in the early hours of
the morning. The rebels, mounted on their fleet little
ponies, were to sneak up, and passing the picket, to rush
upon the sleeping force, not firing a shot till the tents
were reached ; and then in the confusion to pour volley
after volley into the half -aroused and unprepared soldiery.
A third surprise also missed fire. It was to have been
made the night before the battle of Batoche's. The
steamer Nortkcote, then lying at Gabriel's, was to have
bean set on fire at night, and those on board shot down
as they attempted to escape from the flames. This would
have been no difficult job, as there were only forty
soldiers on board, and the camp sixteen miles away.
Fortunately the merest chance prevented all these dis-
asters. In the first one, there was a misdirection of
21
338 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
orders, and all the rebel force to take part in it did not
turn up till too late in the night : then our scouts sur-
prised them at Fish Creek, and the Indians, disobeying
orders, fired upon them; and the steamer was saved
through the stupidity of a scout, who reported that its
destruction could be more thoroughly accomplished on the
following night. It was a good thing for us that we had
the luck on our side. The rebels were no fools. If they
had been as well armed as we, and in equal strength, our
victory would not have been so complete. I doubt very
much if we should have had a victory at all. They are
devils incarnate to fight, even with common old shot-
guns, some of them flint-locks.
There will be many mouths to feed on the South
Saskatchewan for the next year or so. From Saskatoon
to Pritchard's, some ninety or one hundred miles, there is
little if any grain sown this year, and it is too late to put
in anything, except perhaps a little barley and potatoes.
There is no seed grain. A large proportion of the cattle
have been driven off, and the settlers have lost their most
invaluable assistants, their ponies. Here 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 for those loyalists who, owing to the troubles,
have been compelled to leave home and neglect 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. They were
doing well at Duck Lake, when the rebels seized their
store and helped themselves to their stock. Since then
the firm have been unable to do anything to recover their
losses. One of them, George, accompanied the troops and
nob only furnished important information, but shouldered
a rifle and helped to smash Kiel. 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.
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 339
They are only now permitted to return to their homes,
and as we passed through to-day we saw many houses
still deserted and farms untouched, although they peti-
tioned to be allowed to go out from the Prince Albert
city of refuge and do their spring work.
On the 21st of May the same correspondent writes as
follows :
It is evident that General Middleton will not waste
any time in this place, but will push on to Battleford as
soon as the means of transportation will permit. The
river will be utilized, and, thank goodness, the navigation
of the North Branch of the Saskatchewan is not so
uncertain as that of the South Branch. The trip should
be made in a little less than three days, so that if we
leave here to-morrow, as " orders " now state, we should
be able to join Otter by Monday at latest. The steamer
North-West, it is now arranged, will lead the van, and the
Marquis and other boats will follow immediately after
their arrival here. The supply waggons will follow the
trail, bejng escorted by Dennis's Intelligence Corps, and
being light will be able to move rapidly. The Norih-
West, as 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 Northcote, and
proposes to make the North- West as nigh bullet-proof as
it is possible to make her with the material at hand. All
the troops will go up the river, except the Winnipeg
Field Battery, which will garrison Prince Albert, and
with the Mounted Police and volunteers protect the
place against any raid of the Indians, should the Red-skins
take it into their head to make one. It is said that the
insurgents hereabouts are still saucy. The General's
desire is to smash Poundmaker and give his followers a
well-deserved drubbing. With the force at hand he
should have no difficulty in accomplishing his purpose,
provided the turbulent chief can be found or does not
surrender. IJ is said that he has three hundred and thirty
840 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
braves, and the last we heard of him he was en route to
Batoche's to help Kiel, but as he has had no word of that
individual's overthrow, doubtless he will change his
tactics and point in some other direction. Kiel's runners,
who took him the news of the defeat, were to tell him
he could not fight the white men with their Gatling
maneton and red-coats and " black devils," as the 90th are
called by the Indians. It is safe, therefore, to predict an
early closing of the campaign, although possibly bodies
of troops may be stationed at different points for some
time to come.
The necessity for troops is unquestioned, for I fear
the prestige of the Mounted Police is lost. Every Half-
breed and Indian speaks in contemptuous terms of the
force, and has no more dread of it than they have of
gophers. I am not saying that the force is not composed
of brave and gallant young men, and I know it is at all
times prepared to do its duty ; but the reverse at Duck
Lake, the retreat to Prince Albert, and the two months'
masterly inactivity there, the evacuation of Fort Pitt,
all have combined to lower the force in the eyes of the
savages, with whom prestige is everything. Some of the
members of the force unwillingly admit this, while others
bewail the unfortunate position in which events have
placed them. Whether their prestige and influence can
be regained, I will not pretend to say ; if it cannot the
usefulness of the force is gone. This is said with the full
knowledge of the beneficial results which have followed
the organization of the police, and the invaluable service
it has rendered, and is still rendering, to the country.
I interviewed Colonel Irvine this morning as to his
reasons for not venturing out to fight the Indians. When
I told him of the reports of his " funking," he expressed
the greatest surprise. He had no idea that his conduct
would be so misconstrued. He had, he said, given expla-
nations to General Middleton, and he believed they were
perfectly satisfactory. The Colonel did not care about
being interviewed, in fact he preferred nyt to be ; but
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 341
finally he gave me a few minutes of his time. He said
that he and his confreres were thoroughly posted as to
the country, and the strength, location, and plans of the
insurgents, and he knew that their great aim was to
induce him to come out towards Batoche's, where, am-
bushed in the firs a long stretch of thick timbers they
could, with their far superior force, have annihilated him
and secured arms and ammunition, just what they most
needed, and immediately have moved down on Prince
Albert, which would have been almost defenceless, as all
the arms he could have left there were thirty- five Win-
chesters and forty shot-guns. At the time he heard that
General Middleton was coming with only three hundred
and fifty men, he had determined to go to his assistance,
although it might result in his force being cut to pieces.
However, when a larger force came (over one thousand
strong, and he had heard it was one thousand five hun-
dred), he knew it would be folly for him to go out, leaving
the only important settlement in the North almost totally
undefended ; besides, he had no orders to go.
"Why," said the colonel, "whenever it was hinted
that the police were going out, women and children raised
a terrible cry at the prospects of being left helpless.
Although no Indians were seen around, I had no doubt
that they were always within striking distance, and that
as soon as the police had gone they would have raided
the town. You must remember you can see for your-
self that this long straggling place would require a
strong force to defend it, and it required all our strength
to patrol the place and scout the country. We had 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. I 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."
From others it was learned that some of the people
of Prince Albert were not so truly loyal as they are
342 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
feo-day. Many of them were loud-mouthed sympathizers
with Kiel at the 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, whose name for obvious reasons it is better
not to make known, told me that he had no doubt that
if the troops had suffered a reverse at Batoche's, the
number of rebels in the North- West, and particularly in
this place, would have wonderfully increased, 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 miscreants who
participated in the Minnesota massacre of 1862; 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 Kiel'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
his motives misunderstood or misrepresented; But all
the same; mortal injury has been inflicted upon the
reputation and usefulness of the police force.
In my last I endeavoured to describe Beardy, the
Duck Lake Chief. I have since learned that he emulates
Kiel in assuming a sanctified personality, and indulges in
wonderful dreams which he interprets to his ignorant
followers as circumstances may require. He also talks in
parables, and up to the other day, aped Louis " David "
Kiel in every conceivable 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, sucn as Iron
Bull's, and Star Blanket's, who firmly declined all
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 343
advances from Kiel ; but from what can be learned had
the rebels gained a decided victory, only these and
possibly a few more would have remained staunch.
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 age well. Of small stature, he has fine clear
cut features, speaks fluently, and 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 time in their lives. People who have
suffered for breaking the law (especially whiskey
traders) do all they can to prejudice strangers against the
Mounted Police. Deserters and "scallawags" of eveiy
sort tell'heart-rending stories to credulous Eastern editors,
but those who have spent any length of time in the
North-West, and who have carefully and intelligently
studied its institutions will know better than to make
any reflections on this admirable force or its officers.
Colonel Irvine does not need any certificate of character
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 fight when it was their cue to do so Fort Pitt,
Cut Knife and Two Lakes amply prove.
A well-informed correspondent 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
344 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
at naught. Here, though there is only a handful of about
three hundred Mounted Police to preserve order in a ter-
ritory over nine hundred miles long by more than five
hundred miles wide, containing a wild, warlike, and semi-
starving population of twenty-five thousand Indians and
about six thousand scattered settlers and ranchers, of
whom a large proportion in the southern district are
ex-whiskey traders and refugees from the American laws,
the best order prevails. I have travelled over twelve
hundred miles through the North-West Territory with
horses and waggon ; I have camped sometimes alone, and
sometimes 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, nothing has been stolen from
me in the whole journey. Though I have travelled hun-
dred of miles with only my Half-breed guide for com-
pany, I have never carried a revolver, and have never
kept my shot-gun loaded in my tent. To suppose that
such a state of affairs could exist here without the
presence of an admirably organized and thoroughly effi-
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
present state under the commissionership of Colonel
Irvine, I am certainly in a position to know something,
and so far as I am able to judge, I cheerfully testify, not
only to the excellent character and soldierly conduct of
the officers and men, but to the thorough efficiency of the
force, and the invaluable service it is now rendering the
Dominion in this territory. I have heard complaints
against the force here and elsewhere throughout the ter-
ritory, but all these complaints have reached me through
the medium of deserters, men who have been turned out
of the force for bad conduct, and ex-whiskey traders who
have suffered in pocket through the suppression of th.3
whiskey traffic by the force. I have talked a good deal,
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 345
and very freely, with the constables and non-commis-
sioned officers of the force, and without exception I have
found them intelligent, thoroughly well-disposed young
gentlemen, proud of the standing and character of the
force, strongly attached to the Commissioner and the
officers in command of their respective posts, and pleased
with the country and the mode of life they are called
upon to lead. The only semblance of fault-finding that I
heard was of the low rate of remuneration (40c. per diem
for recruits) and the character of some of the uniforms
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 acquainted with the country
can be in a position to judge. 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 best interest lies in assisting the police in
the discharge of their duties. They have confidence in
the justice of the administration of the police and feel
that the Indian rights will be protected as well as those
of the white men. Instead of seeking redress for wrongs
in the usual Indian way by force or strategy, 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 and 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
846 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
able to perform a similar feat in the same length of time.
He also alluded in the most complimentary terms to the
good conduct of the men. Bad language was not heard
in the ranks, and when anything was to be done it was
done promptly and quietly without any noise or shouting.
He thought that the conduct and management of the
men reflected the highest credit upon Colonel Herchmer
and the non-commissioned officers in charge. Captain
Percival, who, like Captain Chater, has seen a good deal
of active service within the past few years, also spoke in
the highest terms of the officers and men of the Mounted
Police, summing up with the remark ; " a most wonderful
force ; they combine all the handiness of sailors with the
smartness 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.
So wake the prairie echoes with
The ever welcome sound ;
Ring out the " boot and saddle " till
Its stirring notes resound.
Our chargers toss their bridled heads,
And chafe against the reins.
Ring out ! ring out the marching call
For the Riders of the Plains.
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 np t
Of the Riders of the Plains.
THE RIDERS OF THE PLAINS. 347
Tho prairie storms sweep o'er our way,
But onward still we go,
To scale the weary mountain range,
Descend the valley low.
We face the broad Saskatchewan,
Made fierce with heavy rains,
With all his might he cannot check
The Riders of the Plains.
We tread the dreaded cactus land,
Where, lost to white man's ken,
We startle there the creatures wild
With the sight of armed men.
For whereso'er our leader bids
The bugle sounds its strains ;
Forward in sections marching go
The Riders of the Plains.
The fire king stalks the prairie,
And fearful 'tis to see
The rushing wall of flame and smoke
Girdling round us rapidly.
Tis then we shout defiance
And mock his fiery chains ;
For safe the cleared circle guards
The Riders of the Plains.
For us no cheerful hostelries
Their welcome gates unfold ;
No generous board, no downy couch
Await our troopers bold.
Beneath the star-lit canopy
At eve, when daylight wanes,
There lie these hardy wanderers
The Riders of the Plains.
In want of rest, in want of food,
Our courage does not fail,
As day and night we follow hard,
The desperado's trail.
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
His threatened rifle stays us not,
He finds no hope remains,
And yields at last a captive to
The Eiders of the Plains.
We've ta'en the haughty feathered Chief,
Whose hands were red with blood,
E'en in the very Council Lodge
We seized him as he stood.
Three fearless hearts faced forty braves,
And bore the Chief in chains,
Full sixty miles to where were camped
The Eiders of the Plains.
But that 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 perils, hardships, pains ;
Oh God ! deny not water to
The Eiders of the Plains.
And death who comes alike to all
Has visited us here,
Filling our hearts with 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 Eiders of the Plains.
Hard by the Old Man Eiver,
Where freshest breezes blow,
Five grr gsy 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 Eiders of the Plains.
THE RIDERS OF THE PLAINS. 349
There is no marble column,
There is no graven stone
To blazon to a curious world
The deeds they might have done.
But the prairie flower blows lightly there,
And creeping wild rose trains
Its wreath of summer beauty o'er
The Riders of the Plains.
Sleep on, sleep on, proud slumberers
Who died in this Far West,
No prancing steed will feel your hand,
No trumpet break your rest.
Sleep on, till the great Archangel
Shall burst death's mortal chains,
And you hear the great " Reveill6 "
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 sustains
The dauntless spirits of our men,
Bold Riders of the Plains.
In England's mighty Empire
Each man must take his stand ;
Some guard the honoured flag at sea,
Some 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 ?
Our mission is to plant the reign
Of British freedom here,
Restrain the lawless savage,
And protect the pioneer
350 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION
And 'tis a proud and daring trust
To hold these vast domains
With but three hundred mounted men-
The Eiders of the Plains.
And though we win no praise or fame
In the struggle here alone
To carry out good British law
And plant old England's throne ;
Yet when our task has been performed,
And law with order reigns,
The peaceful settler long will bless
The Riders of the Plains.
RIEL AND THE FENIANS.
Kiel asserts that all the talk about Fenian help was
merely a blind, but if a letter addressed to him from New
York, and intercepted the other day by the police, is not
a fictitious one he is open to the charge of mendacity. In
the delayed Prince Albert mail were several letters
addressed to Eiel at Carleton. This particular one was
addressed to " General Louis Kiel, Carleton," and bore the
New York postmark, and was dated 28th March last,
shortly after the Duck Lake fight. It was evidently in
response to one written by Kiel, who had made an offer
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 Kiel 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 different persons, ficti-
tious names, such as " Rock" " Leary," " Sec." being used.
The signature was this :
O __.
The identity of the writer has, of course, not been
established, but he evidently was a confidante of Riel's,
and his addressing tLe letter to Carleton indicates a
thorough acquaintance with the rebel plans, as it was
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 351
their intention to capture that place in their first flush
of victory.
" Are the people of Prince Albert responsible in any
way for this rebellion ? " was the question I asked of a
leading resident of that town, just before the steamer
started for the west.
" They are this far," was the reply. " When Kiel first
came to the North- West, and was holding meetings
throughout the country, they asked him to hold one here.
A largely-signed requisition to that effect was presented
him, and when he came a large crowd attended and
listened to his speech. He was very moderate, of course,
and I believe his remarks were applauded, but I don't
know, as, being entirely opposed to the movement, I did
not attend. However, many white settlers here led Kiel
to believe that they were heart and soul with him, and
he in turn led his people to believe the same thing. I
don't suppose these anticipated for one moment that the
agitation they then fanned would result in a resort to
arms and bloodshed, as it did ; but their countenancing it
without doubt led Kiel to greater lengths than he other-
wise would have gone. He counted upon their support."
" And did no one oppose him at the meeting?" I asked.
" Yes, a Mr. Deacon, one of the Wolseley expedition
men, rose in the meeting and called Biel a murderer. This
somewhat frightened the rebel leader, and he did not
hold another meeting here. It also partly deterred some
of the white sympathizers with Kiel from further follow-
ing him. It was Kiel's boast that the Government owed
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 Kiel 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,
352 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
his subsequent action might have been confined to consti-
tutional methods. The agitators here encouraged his
campaign among the Half-breeds by every means in
their power."
This is the view of a leading Conservative resident
of Prince Albert, and a leading Reformer endorses it as
correct.
The journey to Battleford from Prince Albert is thus
described. The departure was made on May 23 :
Amid loud cheers from the assembled soldiery and
townspeople, who lined the banks, the good ship North-
West, the fleetest in North- Western waters, which is not
saying much, steamed out from Prince Albert yesterday
morning for Battleford. On board are General Middleton
and his staff, the Midland Battalion, under the gallant
Colonel Williams, with twenty-three officers and two
hundred and thirty-three men ; one gun of A Battery,
under Captain Drury, with five officers and fifty men ;
and Colonel Boulton's Mounted Infantry, five officers and
sixty men a total force of three hundred and eighty-
two men and eighty-six horses.
The morning was pleasant and full of summer, but in
the afternoon the breeze from the west had grown into
a strong head- wind, which with the numerous sandbars
forming the river's bottom, materially impeded our pro-
gress ; so much so that Carleton, which it was expected
would have been reached before dark, was eight miles
ahead of us when the boat went to the bank for the night.
The channel in the Saskatchewan changes 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 hours are lost daily. An early
start is made at dawn, and (we 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
captain says that having experienced it almost evar since
T<X PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 353
leaving Swift Current, on the 8th ult., he has become
accustomed to the long hours and the hard work of dodg-
ing through the intricate channels and avoiding the shift-
ing shoals of the treacherous stream. At Sturgeon River,
the wreck of the steamer Manitoba is seen, with cabin
gone, and hull sunk over her boiler deck. Here it was
that she had laid up in winter quarters, but there not
being sufficient water she froze to the bottom, and when
the ice broke up in the spring it smashed her all to pieces.
The Manitoba, which formerl^ plied on the Red River,
was built ten years ago, and on her second return trip
between Moorheud and Winnipeg was sunk by tl.e
opposition steamer International. She was raised and
afterwards passed into the hands of the Winnipeg and
Western line, which, as the railway superseded the river
as a means of communication with the East, sent her to
the Saskatchewan, where she has since been plying till
now, in a lonely and unfrequented spot, she lies a derelict.
This morning Carleton was reached bright and early,
and beyond the ruins of the burned fort the forms of
men and horses were seen. A couple of longbooted red-
coats show us that the place is occupied by Mounted
Police, and not hostiles, and a few minutes later a young
Indian, a nephew of Poundmaker, and son of one of the
biggest scoundrels on the plains, came on board followed
by a well-dressed, middle-aged Half-breed named Alex-
andre Cadian, 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's
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, whose Indian name signifies Blue
Horn, was an envoy to General Middleton, and the bearer
of the following crafty- worded letter, in Jefferson's hand-
writing :
22
~354f CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
EAGLE HILLS, May 49, 1885.
SIR, I am camped with my people at the east end of
the Eagle Hills, where I am met by the news of "the sur-
render of Kiel. No letter came with the news, so that I
cannot tell how far it may be true. I send some of my
men to you to learn the truth and the terms of peace, and
hope you will deal kindly with them. I and my people
wish you to send us the terms of peace in writing so that
there may be no misunderstanding, from which so much
trouble arises. We have*twehty-one prisoners, whom we
have tried to treat well in every respect. With greeting,
his
POUNDMAKER, +
mark.
To General Middleton, Duck Lake.
To this the General sent the following reply by the
bearers, with whom Jefferson also returned :
STEAMER " NORTH-WEST," May 23, 1885.
POUNDMAKER, I have utterly defeated the Half-
breeds and Indians at Batoche's, and have made prisoners
of Riel and most of his council. I have made no terms
with him, neither will I make terms with you. I have
men enough to destroy you and your people, or at least
to drive you away to starve, and will do so unless you
bring in the teams you took, and yourself and your coun-
cillors to meet me with your arms at Battleford on
Tuesday, 26th. I am glad to hear that you treated the
prisoners well, and have released them.
FRED. MIDDLETON, Major-General.
The story, as learned from the interpreter, was as
follows : Riel had sent his emissary, Alexandra Cadian,
with others, to Poundmaker to ask his assistance at
Batoche's, should the Government forces meet him there-.
The day after his arrival, news of the disaster to Kiel's
men reached Poundmaker, through a friendly Half-breed,
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 355
with the advice that he should lay down his arms if he
wished to avoid having his people killed. Poundmaker
did not believe the messenger, and Cadian and others
started for Batoche's to ascertain the truth ; but after
their departure the news was confirmed by couriers sent
by Beardy. Pound maker's nephew had in the meantime
been despatched with the letter given above to Prince
Albert, where it was thought General Middleton was
camped, but finding that he had gone to Carleton followed
and overtook him, as stated. Cadian was captured by the
Mounted Police, near Duck Lake, and brought to Carle-
ton also. As wired you", he was one of the most prominent
in the rebel ranks. His former chieftainship stood him
in good stead, and he easily influenced his old braves at
Muskeg Lake to go on the warpath. In other ways,
especially with the savages, was he an invaluable aid to
Kiel and the rebel cause. He was sent to Prince Albert,
where he will be incarcerated with the other prisoners.
At Carleton we also learned that Gabriel Dumont,
with three trusty lieutenants, had been lurking in the
Birch Hills, and that but very few of the leaders of the
rebellion are now uncaptured. Carleton itself is very
prettily located on the bottom land, and immediately in
rear rises the 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 fence, which surrounds the ruins of Law-
rence Clarke's house, and the blackened debris of the
fort itself being all that remains of this former flourish-
ing post. It is so located that it could scarcely be defended
against any large number of hos tiles, and its destruction
was a prudent step. Now that we know that Pound-
maker is anxious to submit, further precautions in the
way of barricading the boat are abandoned ; extra
ammunition is put out of sight, and everyone feels that
the campaign is nearing its end.
Only Big Bea,r now remains unsubdued, and, as Colonel
Strange is after him, it is thought by persons who are
356 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
competent to form an opinion that upon the receipt of
the news of Kiel's overthrow and capture lie will follow
the example of his more artful fellow-marauder, Pound-
maker, and sue for peace. Big Bear has not the
influence nor the cunning of roundmaker, 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,
who boasted last fall that the land would be running with
blood before long, and who but recently returned from a
visit to tribes across the line, and Breaking-through-the-
Ice, Lucky Man, lately deposed chief ; Curly Head, the
Twin Wolverine (Big Bear's eldest son), and the well-
named Miserable Being, who threatened Quinn and killed
seven of the Frog Lake victims. v ^11 of them belong to
Big Bear's party. They, with Poundmaker himself, his
brother, Yellow Mud, Peachoo, Lean Man, and Grizzly
Bear's Head (the two latter Stoneys), will probably be
sent as prisoners to Regina when they come in and
surrender. They are all bad Indians, and any leniency
shown to them 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 country 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
TO PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 857
vision is only limited by the horizon. Again the timber
appears on the banks, poplar only, small-sized, with bud-
ding leaves. The river is still tortuous, the islands more
numerous, the sandbars more annoying. And so we creep
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 celebration
of the event, for it is the Sabbath, but the 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 travel-stained and
begrimed with powder, don their other clothes, the
General setting the example. Captain Howard appears
in all the pomp and lustre that the regulation blue and
gold of the Connecticut 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 early 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 sandbar 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 message which Pound-
maker had sent him, a similar one to that sent the General
himself. The couriers report having seen a couple of
L.aians, evidently watching for the boat, a short way up
stream, and that they had disappeared as soon as they
358 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
saw the canoe coming. Poundmaker was camped ten
miles back from the Saskatchewan, on the east side, about
forty miles from Battleford, and these 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 slaughtering twenty-five,
thirty, and forty head a day, while the untouched carcases
of fat beeves lie scattered on the plain, killed in sheer
wantonness. They also tell us that Poundmaker 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 off 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 bo
know, you know, on what terms the little unpleasantness
he has created can be condoned. The Stoneys with him,
one hundred and sixty strong, and every brave a fierce
fighter, will not surrender, but are determined to remain
on the war-path.
Ballendine 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 Indians has
proved to be a failure. It is evident that some new and
more riro-- us 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 PRINCE ALBERT AND BATTLEFORD. 359
spent in feeding these wards of the nation, notwithstand-
ing the efforts unceasingly put forth to give them homes
aiid to clothe them, over a thousand of them, without
reason, except the insatiable desire for blood and plunder
which seems to possess most of them, have gone on the
war-path. In fact, one in four of the available Indians
north of the track went out fighting against us. So soon as
their Half-breed leader is beaten they cringingly suppli-
cate for peace. If it is granted without severe punish-
ment being inflicted, that mistaken leniency will only
embolden them to continue their good-for-nothing maraud-
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 should punish the leading Half-breed and Indian
rebels, commencing with Kiel. Then I should reorganize
the whole tribal system, abolishing 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 were loyal, and did
not join Kiel. By following these suggestions, my exper-
ience of many years teaches me that a better state of
affairs will immediately result. The status of the Indian
will be raised, and finding himself compelled 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 depredations would soon spring up among
the settlers. This is a radical change, I 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 folio wed, and although
some tribes would perhaps have had no wish to go on the
360 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
war-path they would have been forced into it. In that
case you well know the terrible consequences that would
have 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 adopt 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, and 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 extreme to furnish them
with expensive machinery as has hitherto been done, and
with the destruction rather than the use of which they
have become familiar. They must be made to labour
with the plough and the hoe ; those were the only things
with which thousands of their betters had to begin the
world, 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.
CHAPTER XXV.
AT BATTLEFOBD.
AT Battleford General Middleton and 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 heroes of the hour. Turn it over as they
liked there was nothing bub 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
Grenadiers when they were landing. Of 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 for the place." He begins by giving
the following account of the capture of the teamsters :
About the time we had the engagement at Cut Knife
Creek, arms and ammunition were supplied to the teams-
ters. Colonel Otter also sent an escort to meet the trains
on the outskirts of the wood south of here. In the case
J am now referring to, however, the police escort had not
302 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
reached the train. The Indian camp was on the move
eastwards, its front and flanks covered with a swarm of
mounted braves who scoured every coulee along the line
of march. Poundmaker must have thoroughly under-
stood our position and our lack of scouts, for he actually
camped with all his women and children within twelve
miles of here, and captured the waggon train within about
eight. Unfortunately for the teamsters they camped in
the woods the previous night ; as they were starting next
morning they were discovered by the Indians. The latter
were not tang in arranging their plan of attack. A long
slough through which the train had to pass was selected
for the surprise. It was heavily wooded on each side of
the trail, and offered excellent cover. As the teamsters
were urging their horses through the quagmire the Indians
jumped on them with a yell. The horses became un-
manageable, and before the unfortunate drivers could
even grasp their rifles the Indians had captured the out-
fit. The whole thing was over in a few seconds, and
before a single shot could be fired by the whites : in fact
they were taken in a trap, and the discharge of a rifle on
their part would have meant the massacre of every one
of them. As it was they threw up their hands, and we
have every reason to believe their lives were spared, the
object, of course, being to make better terms with us in
case they are cornered at some future time. This is the
opinion of Constable Ross 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 off 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
AT BATTLEFORD. 363
from their horses as if shot, and before the police could
even turn round 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 and
sought cover in the bushes. A turn in the trail, together
with a heavy clump of bushes, saved the police from the
second volley that was 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 struggled along and hid himself in the bushes.
Then when the Indians left he started off, and seeing the
waggon train made for it in the expectation of meeting
friends. It was in the hands of the enemy, however, and
they ruthlessly murdered him. He was shot through the
spine and head, 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 has
over sixty, General Strange about one hundred and fifty,
and Colonel Otter seven. It has unfortunately been im-
possible to send scouts to him,and there fore 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 with 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 think we
missed a golden opportunity to recapture 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
364? CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
force to watch their movements and guard against our
falling into a similar trap to that laid for us at Cut Knife
Hills ? No one will deny that whatever advantage we may
have gained from time to time during that engagement
was in the end of no value to us, simply because we could
not follow it up. . The same might have happened in
fact was quite likely to happen had we followed Pound-
maker and his braves a second time. It would have been
better had we never gone out to Poundmaker's camp, for
now the Indians think that we are as glad to withdraw
from the encounter as they were. There is little doubt
but that since then the Indians have been reinforced, and
we would find a more stubborn resistance from them.
To us, however the encounter has proved beneficial in
two ways first, we have come to the conclusion that in
bush -fighting 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 I shall
call war-craft. Born and reared on the prairie, their whole
training through 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 believed, related the following : He said that
while in the Indian camp he heard them constantly
talking of what wat> going on round the foxt here. A day
AT BATTLEFORD. 365
or two before he escaped from Poundinaker's an Indian
whom he knows told how he had just returned from an
examination of our stockades. He had crawled up, he
said, to within thirty yards of the sentry at the north-
eastern angle of the stockade and watched him for over
an hour. He saw the sentry light his pipe, and walk up
and down in a listless sort of way. By-and-bye the
sentries starting with number one called out " All's well,"
but number five (the man he was watching) did not. He
evidently did not hear the call. In a few minutes two
men with a lantern came 'out of the stockade and visited
number five to see what was wrong. " Had they not
come out when they did," said the Indian, " I'd have sent
an arrow through him." He was afraid, however, that
they were going to examine the neighbouring bushes, and
he very sensibly left. The truth of 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 five, did not call out
when his turn came. The report further showed that
a non-commissioned officer and man took a lantern and
went down to his post to see what was wrong. This, no
doubt, saved his life.
In this same connection a gentleman resident 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
prisoners. 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 daytime, and as soon as 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 more from camp. It
is not a pleasant duty. Two hours alone on the prairie, with
every probability of being watched by an enemy who only
requires a favourable opportunity to murder you, is not
an inducement to the ordinary mortal to do picket duty.
Still it has to be done, and the boys as they go out to
366 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
their lonely posts think of the bright firesides they have
left in far-off Ontario ; keep a sharp look out, and are
well satisfied when their two hours are completed. The
enemy has already begun his usual practice of trying to
shoot sentries. A couple of nights ago a picket sentry
was fired on near the ferry by someone on the opposite
side of the river. Of course he returned the fire, but the
chances of hitting a man with a rifle bullet at night are
very slim, and the would-be assassin escaped. It was
said by some that the man who fired the shot was a
teamster, who mistook the sentry for an enemy. If so,
perhaps it was the same man who was seen by another
picket at what is called " the point " last night. Between
midnight and one o'clock this morning a rifle shot was
heard at the point, followed an instant later by two or three
shots in the line west of the barracks. The guard turned
out : the bugles sounded the assembly, and in a minute
everyone was astir. For some reason or other, however,
the men who should have manned the eastern side of the
stockade and the bastion at the south-eastern angle were
not in barracks, 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 would ultimately have been
wiped out, but once in the fort they could have done
an immense amount of damage before the troops outside
would have known the first thing about it. This was
not the case under our Colonel's (Colonel Morris) regime.
Every man knew his place, and the minute the assembly
sounded everyone was at his post. The troops have
relieved us, that is, have relieved our minds to a certain
extent, but so far as the fort itself is concerned, it is
actually weaker. The 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 the bastions and the palisades were
manned. For an hour we waited for orders to turn in.
At last they came, and we were allowed to sleep in quiet
AT BATTLEFORD. 367
during the remainder of the night. This mornirg the
prints of moccasined feet were discovered on the hillside
where the picket said he saw two men the night before,
and fired on them. All are anxious for the arrival of the
General or reinforcements, and the wiping out of the
Indians. Had we had a hundred more men, or had our guns
not given out, we would never have had to retire from
our position. We were certainly very fortunate to get
out as we did. The Indians were too far off to discover
what we were doing until it was too late for them to
prevent it. Had they succeeded in getting into the brush
at the creek in time we would have lost a great many
men some say it would have been a second Ouster
massacre.
A correspondent, writing from Battleford on May
13, the day upon which Poundmaker captured the waggon
train, thus writes :
Since the rebellion broke out Kiel has been very
anxious to have the public believe tl^at he has had
nothing to do with the Indian outbreak. Here are a few
facts as related to me by Mr. McKay, who has charge of
the Hudson Bay Company's business here. It appears
that during March last I-em-e-cease, or The Awkward,
Big Bear's son, called on Mr. McKay and told him that
Kiel had made a private arrangement with his (Awk-
ward's) father at Prince Albert last fall to join in a
rising against the whites. They had talked the matter
over while 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. I-em-e-cease
said that Wandering Spirit, one of Big Bear's councillors
and the man who is said to have murdered Quinn at
Frog Lake, knows all about the arrangement ; also that
the Indians west of here had been seen and were ready
to rise when Kiel gave the word. Kiel told his father in
his presence that he had made up his mind to come to
Canada, and if he did not get what he wanted he would
spill Canadian blood a promise which he has kept to the
368 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
letter. Kiel appears to have had some difficulty in
getting Big Bear to join him, and it was not until after
several interviews that the Indian promised to join him.
Some time after his last interview with Big Bear,
Riel sent a letter written in Cree to the Indians at Frog
Lake. This letter stated that he would have a strong
force about the time the grass would be long enough to
afford good pasturage for their horses. I-em-e-cease
offered to get a copy of the letter and show it to Mr.
McKay, provided he would say nothing about it to the
Indians, and a day or two later I-em-e-cease came to Mr.
McKay, and said that the night previous a IJalf-breed
visited their tent, and after asking if he was Big Bear's
son, told him to go back to his father's camp and tell him
that the trouble had commenced. The wire between
Battleford and Edmonton had been cut, and that to
Clark's Crossing would be down in a few days. All this,
it is needless to say, was only too true. This Half-breed
was very ansjous to start up country himself, saying
that all the Half-breeds had joined Riel, and he was
going to tell them that the first blood had been shed.
So much, therefore, for Kiel's protestations of inno-
cence regarding the depredations of the Indians.
This is what a correspondent has to say about Battle-
ford as it appeared on General Middleton's arrival :
One can scarcely realize that we are in the midst of
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 number of
lives with a minimum of risk to himself. In fact they
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 shot
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
them. It would make the heart of a saint ache to visit
AT BATTLEFORD. 36i
some of the houses sacked by the Indians. Tn the house
in Old Battleford which belonged to Indian Agent Rae,
but now occupied by the officers of the Queen's Own, I
saw enough to blot out for ever any friendly feelings I
may have had for the " noble Red-man." The devilish
ingenuity with which they destroyed everything they
could not carry away or did not want, would put the
blackest Nihilist to the blush. Explode a charge of
dynamite in a gentleman's parlour and the chances are
that something will escape.
Turn loose a party of Crees or Stoneys in the same
place and dynamite will be double discounted. In the
house I spoke of they ripped the feather beds open and
saturated their contents with coal oil. The safe contain-
ing books and papers was literally hammered to pieces ;
the shelving and drawers taken out and broken, the
papers strewn amongst the feathers. Pictures on the
wall were taken down, torn up, and the frames broken.
Windows and window sashes were smashed ; crockery,
vases, stoves, furniture, everything inside and out pulled
to pieces. One man, in describing the ruin, said : " It
was just like taking a lady's trunk, packed ready for
Saratoga, and pulling both ends two miles apart, with all
between them." Not satisfied with breaking the furni-
ture they tore the upholstering to pieces. Carpets were
taken from the stores, spread upon the streets, and up
and down these the bucks and squaws paraded, in sight
almost of the fort on the other side of the river. What
flour they did not want was destroyed. In the Govern-
ment stores they emptied it on the floor, rolled in it, and
then, killing dogs, pigs, and chickens, mixed all up
together. One man had over $1,000 in bills concealed in
a niche between the logs of his house. Even this was
discovered. It shows with what completeness every nook
and corner was ransacked.
In carting away what provisions they thought neces-
sary every man, woman and child, together with horses,
dogs, and even the captured cattle, had to clo their share
5 23
370 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
always, excepting the braves, who consider themselves
too good to work Bags of flour were strapped on the
backs of the cattle, the dogs carried smaller packages,
while the squaws, after decking themselves out 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 south 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 condition 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 horror 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 rations. 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 neighbour, lies down to
rest without the slightest apprehension 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 town, is situated on the south side of the
Battle River (see map of Battleford, p. 106), and consisted
before its partial destruction by the Indians of about
three hundred houses. Government House, which
AT BATTLEFORD.
3TI
recently been turned into an industrial school for Indian
children, occupies a commanding position on the plateau
above the river. It is a large and commodious three-
storey wooden building, and was selected by Colonel
WALKEB, Q.O.H.
Otter as being best situated for his headquarters. This
building has been placed in a state of defence both inside
and out. An entrenchment with the necessary flanking
defences has been thrown up round it, while inside the
windows and doors have been effectively barricaded. It
372 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
is really too bad that the Indians have no intention ol
attacking it. If they would only drop down the river
some bright moonlight night and rush upon the defences,
what a fine thinning out old Poumdmaker's braves
would get ! But there is no hope of their coming, and so
the boys must 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
that 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 and 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 flanks
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 with
a view to flanking each other. They are all bullet-proof,
and even if an enemy succeeded in getting inside the pali-
sades he would find himself in a warmer corner than out-
side. But the barracks are safe. The " untutored savage "
of the missionary society is sufficiently tutored to keep at
& respectful distance from our defences. He knows
AT BATTLEFORD. 373
enough not to risk his life in a vain attempt to storm
them. Could he manage to capture the place by treachery
or steal upon the garrison unaware, he would do so. But
his chances of success in either way are so slim that he is
Aot likely to attempt it.
Outside the palisades are several houses within close
ride range of the barracks. These would under certain
conditions be a source of weakness, as an enemy once in
them could 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 difference. There are big
tents, little tents, medium-sized tents, standing side by side.
In some the occupants were preparing the morning meal,
while in others they were still in the arms of Morpheus.
The police were all active. Some were grooming horses
374 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
others OD guard, while others seemed to have nothing to
do but wait for the breakfast bugle to sound.
One very important building is the Indian Depart-
ment warehouse. This is now occupied by the Home
Guard as a barrack and mess room. It is about sixty
feet long by thirty 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 Guard, who are quartered there. A
long table extends nearly the whole length of the centre
of the building, at which the men eat their meals. The
walls are loop-holed for musketry fire, while on pegs and
beams above hang rifles, 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. H. Smart, of Que-
bec, brother of the murdered man, is first 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. He hails from Woodstock, where he was con-
nected with the militia ; L. C. Baker is second lieutenant.
He has had considerable experience, having served during/
the " late unpleasantness " between the North and South
and also in western Indian warfare. The police number
seventy-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 coolly
smoking his pipe. Inspector Norris was in command of
the police before the arrival of Dickens, who assumed
command, being the superior officer. The arrival of Mr.
AT BATTLEFORD.
375
Dickens was 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 message similar to that which he sent
to the General! A correspondent at Battleford thus tells
the story in a letter dated May 21st :
LIEUT. -OOL. O'BRIEN, M.P.
(In command of York and Simcoe Battalion. )
Scarcely anything within the range of the possible
could have caused a more genuine sensation than the
arrival in camp at dusk last evening of Father Cochin
and the prisoners from Poundmaker's camp, bearing a
flag of truce and a letter from the redoubtable chieftain,
asking on what terms his surrender would be accepted.
Such a surprise was it that many of the officers here
believed it to be a ruse to throw us off our guard, and
376 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
with this belief special instructions were laid on pickets,
sentries, and others, on whose vigilance we have to depend
to prevent the Indians stealing a march on us in the dark
hours, to be particularly watchful that night. As
it appears now, we had rightly surmised that Poundmaker
was moving eastward to join Kiel. It was known that
a buckboard and several horsemen had, a day or two
previous to Poundmaker's start from the memorable Cut
Knife Hill, driven into the Indian camp from the direction
of Duck Lake. It was believed by the scouts who discov-
ered this trail that they had come from Kiel's camp, and
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 verified in a
most singular manner.
The party from Poundmaker's camp, besides Father
Cochin, was composed of Charles and Alexander Bremner
and daughter, Joseph and John Sayer and daughter, of
Bressay lor settlement; Joe Fontaine, the Half-breed scout;
L. Coplett, and the following teamsters who were captured
in Eagle Hills last week: Thomas J. McNeice, George
McNeice, William McKeown, George Broder, Neil Brodie,
Henry Barnes, Joseph Hollands, John Shearer, James
Pattee, W. H. Fish, George F. Motion, Charles Sheriff, G.
Cooney, Frank Cox, Thomas Hind, Daniel McLean, Frank
Westaway, William Parkin, A. W. Freeborn, D. Yigeant.
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 officers'
quarters to learn what news the strangers brought. The
priest and Half-breeds were taken in and their message
received by Colonel Otter. The letter brought by Father
AT BATTLEFOBD. 377
Cochin was not permitted to be seen by your correspon-
dent. One of the teamsters, however, claims to have
read the letter, and gives the following as being as nearly
as possible the words of the communication :
" To THE COMMANDANT OF THE FORT AT BATTLEFOBD :
" SIR, I and my men are at the foot of the Eagle
Hills. Having heard of Kiel's surrender, I send you in
twenty-one white prisoners, whom I have treated well,
I await terms of peace. Please send in writing, so there
may be no mistake.
" (Signed) His
* POUNDMAKEB, +
mark."
The letter was written by Jefferson, the schoolmaster
on Poundmaker's reserve. He is a connection of the
chief's, being married to the sister of one of his wives.
Most people will admit the letter to be very business-like,
and it is quite characteristic of Poundmaker, who has
the reputation of being remarkably level-headed for an
Indian of the savage kind. He is a born 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-
ment of native dignity. Standing over six feet high,
straight as 9, 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 possible regard-
ing the Indians' condition, strength, and intentions. The
press was not admitted to this informal investigation. The
scribes sought out the teamsters who were let loose, and
immediately pounced upon by the crowd eager to learn of
378 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
their adventures. I " corralled " one of the most intelli-
gent of them, and he gave me quite a vivid picture of his
experience since the time of his capture.
He said there were thirty-one teams in all, twenty-
one of which were ox-teams, in the outfit. They were
freighting up general provisions and oats. On Wednes-
day, 13th instant, they camped at one of the temporary
military stations, about thirty miles down the Swift Cur-
rent. There had been an alarm early in the evening,
caused by one of the teamsters declaring he had seen a
number of mounted Indians ride over a neighbouring hill.
No attack, however, was made during the night, and they
started on the way to Battleford at gray dawn on Thurs-
day, 14th. By 9 o'clock they had got into Eagle Hills.
When passing through Red Pheasant's reserve (Stoney)
the Indians were first seen. Only two or three put in an
appearance, and the teamsters, who were armed with
eighteen Snider rifles and carbines, felt safe enough if that
were all the enemy they had to face. They proceeded
unmolested 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,
and mounting started back on the 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 fired, 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 BATTLEFORD. 379
When they saw the prize they howled with delight, and
were for shooting the poor teamsters there and then.
The Half-breeds protested, saying the Stoneys would have
to shoot them too. Then the savages clamoured against
sending the prisoners to Battleford, and 'the captors were
forced to let the Indians have their way. It looked bad
for the teamsters. The Indians were continually raising
their guns to their shoulders and pointing them at the
captives as if to shoot, and the teamsters say it required
the constant intercessions and threatenings of the Half-
breeds to prevent their doing so. They would ride up to
the prisoners, however, and prod them to the quick with
any sharp instrument they had, spit in their faces, etc.,
while curvetting around and uttering the most hideous
whoops and screeches. The men were put on their wag-
gons and forced to drive their ox-teams to the Indian
encampment, about four miles distant, on the edge of the
open prairie. On their arrival there was a general out-
burst of joy. The prisoners were led before the chief,
who shortly retired with his council to a teepee a little
apart from the general encampment. It was an anxious
time for the trembling captives, for they knew that the
result of that confabulation was either life or death to
them. The Stoney element in the council clamoured
strongly for instant death, but Poundmaker and his Crees,
as the teamsters say they afterwards 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 remained quiet and went along
with them all would go well. But if one of them
attempted to escape, he said, the whole of them would be
shot. " My young men," he said through an interpreter,
"want to kill you. If you give them a chance they will
do it. I have had great trouble in stopping them. I
could scarcely stop them. Thank God for your life ; not
me." For this message the men were thankful. They
were ordered to drive the teams, for the Indians had
broken up camp at once. They were afraid the "police,"
380 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
as they call all the soldiers, would come out at once and
attack them. They thought the police were aware of the
capture, because by this time news had come into their
camp of the attack, and the shooting of Constable Elliot a
short time previously, and the escape of his companions.
The Indians could not move rapidly, however. They had
a drove of three or four hundred head of cattle, which
had to be driven along. By nightfall they had not made
more than ten or twelve miles, and pitched their camp
again a short distance east of the point where the Swift
Current trail enters the hills. They fully expected an
attack that night, and sought out the strongest position
they could find, digging rifle pits in a coulee in front of
their camp, and 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. They were not, to all appearance, very
closely watched, but could not think of 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 Poundmaker called Big Belly, on account
of his remarkable 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 get 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 BATTLEFORD. 381
head of cattle each day, using only those parts moat prized
by them, the tongue, flank, etc., and leaving the remainder
of the carcases to rot on the prairie. Their whole track
was littered with food which had been thrown away
biscuits, flour, canned meat, dried apples, tea, and the like.
To the best of their reckoning the whole party numbered
about eight hundred souls. They had something over
three hundred armed and mounted men. The Half-breeds
numbered about forty-five, and they camped together, a
little apart from the Indians. Their arms were princi-
pally Winchesters of the old model, Sniders, and Snider
Carbines. Poundmaker's interpreter had already told the
teamsters that they were going up to reinforce Kiel. Kiel
had sent down some runners who had told them that the
rebels had killed four hundred soldiers and if they could
get Poundmaker's help they could drive the white man
out of the country altogether. This story was untrue of
course, but the teamsters had no means of knowing that
and their fears were consequently increased. The treat-
ment they received continued good, and although they
were forced to drive the teams, they were otherwise
unmolested. Councils were being continually held, how-
ever, and they knew at each of them a warm fight was
going on regarding the matter of killing the prisoners.
The young bucks of the Stoney tribe were determined to
have their scalps, and the chief had 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 whooping, meantime going through
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 Pi otestants, and the good father,
not to see them lacking for spiritual comforts, under such
trying circumstances, produced a number of Episcopal
Hymn Books, which were on the captured train, and
while the teamsters joined in singing some of the more
382 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
GABRIEL DUMONT.*
familiar of them, he played an excellent accompaniment
for them on the harmonium. Amongst the captured goods
* The military leader of the South Branch rising was born forty-five
years ago at Edmonton* where his father was employed as a buffalo hunter
AT BATTLEFORD. 383
were a number of letters for Battleford people, and the
files of Toronto papers, for which the troops had been
waiting so long and so impatiently. With the papers the
squaws amused themselves making head-decorations.
Amongst the letters the teamsters say there were a couple
from Ottawa to certain Indian Department officials.
They were couched in terms denouncing the conduct of
the Department here. The communications were made
known by the interpreter to Poundmaker, and the wily
old chief fell 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 ia a French Half-breed, well-known for
a resolute man and a leader in Indian fighting or buffalo hunting. In the
fall of 1880 the family removed to the South Branch, where they took up
claims near together the father and three sons the permanent settlement
there having been started the same season by French Half-breed refugees
from Red River. There Dumoni's father, now blind, still lives, as well as
Gabriel's family. Gabriel put a ferry scow 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 fighting commenced 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 ana muscular, of middle height and of
great strength. His mouth is rather coarse, but the rest of his features are
not displeasing. His whiskers are scanty, and his complexion dark. He was
always esteemed among his friends as a respectable and honest, as well as
brave, man.
CHAPTER XXVI.
POUNDMAKER AND MIDDLETON
ON the 26th of May Poundmaker and several of the
chiefs who were supposed to be governed 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 most 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 ?
Poundmaker I never collected a party or advised
any of the young men to commit robbery.
Middleton Has a great chief no power ?
Poundmaker I am not sure that I am a chief.
Middleton Who murdered Payne and Fremont ?
Poundmaker I 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 Held) can't say different. I always wanted
POUNDMAKER AND MIDDLETON. 385
to try and raise from the ground enough to keep my
people alive. I said I was no chief, because when I asked
for food for my people in my charge it was not given to me.
Middleton Why did you receive Kiel, and promise
him two hundred men, as Kiel himself told me ?
Poundmaker I never promised 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 Cut 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 murdered. If the
Indians do that they will always be attacked.
Poundmaker remained silent, returning no answer.
Middleton Poundmaker'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 OtterThe cannons were not up till ten
minutes after the firing began.
Poundmaker turned and asked the other Indians if
that was so.
24
386 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
General Middleton Poundmaker fired first because
he had a bad conscience. He knew he had done wrong,
and did not want to be punished. He had been treated
very well. He had been greatly honoured by the Queen's
daughter (Princess Louise), yet the only reason he gives
for not going to help Kiel fight the Queen was that he
was afraid, because Kiel had not much powder. He told
Riel he would join him ; then, like a squaw, was afraid.
Poundmaker (who was smoking) I am sorry (puffing
smoke), I feel in my heart that I am such a person as I am.
Middleton Poundmaker opposed the treaty and did
all he could to prevent it.
Poundmaker If I had known then that I was such
a great man I would have made them recognize me as
such. It was Delorme went for the Half-breed prisoners,
and when he went they also went. I'm sorry to have to
say so much. I thought when the message came from
you we were going to make peace, so I tried hard to come
on time. I have given myself up entirely and brought
all the guns I had. If I saw any wrong I 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 Riel
was defeated ? If you had not done wrong, why did you
not come in before ?
To the Interpreter I've told him I did not intend to
do any harm. Why mention that 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 Man.
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 I
POUNDMAKEB AND MIDDLETOtf. 387
Poundmaker here turned to one of the men beside him,
who had on a black felt hat with a broad green band
around it, who was quietly smoking.
Lean Man, who was thus made to speak for himself,
said that he knew nothing about it himself.
Do Indians never talk to one another ? asked the Gen-
eral.
Poundmaker 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, which Pound-
maker translated into Cree as : I don't know the person
who killed Payne.
An Indian with cedar twigs around his head asked
the General to allow him to have a bit of talk. (Unnoticed.)
Middleton The man who killed Payne I consider a
murderer. If attacked, men can fight, but I must have
the men who committed these two murders.
Poundmaker That's right, certainly.
Middleton Now, I'll listen.
An elderly Indian, naked to the waist, with a number
of small blue tattoo marks on his body 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 generally a good Indian.
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 rifles to be taken out of
the waggons and that they should be driven off.
Elderly Indian (continuing) I know the great man
is strong and can put everything right. I beg of him to
put everything right here in our country. Once he has
388 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
settled things I will go back. I was ashamed to go back
to bare earth, where I was (meaning the reserves which
had been stripped during the rising). I wanted to go
north, but the agent would not let me.
Middleton If you were so fond of peace why did you
go on the war-path ?
There was no answer, and here an old squaw tried to
quietly intercede with the General for the prisoners.
A thin Indian came forward to where Poundmaker,
Old Mosquito, and a few others sat, and said : I'm the
same as when the white man first came to this country,
meaning that he had made no treaty yet.
The Interpreter broke in on the orator, saying, Come
right to the point, and the thin man went on :
There is a God who made us all. We borrow this
earth from God. When white man and Indian first met
they shook hands ; no blood on them until now. I sup-
pose the reason we were put here was to help each other.
When I was at Buffalo Lake I heard that Kiel had made
peace through the country, and the whole country was
to be settled. A letter was sent up saying a general was
coming up with soldiers to settle everything. This is the
reason why I wanted to come and see what settlement
they had come to. That was the time they fired at each
other. Next night I camped where people were. When
I came to the camp, Delorme, Trottier and others said
that Kiel was making peace and the country was to be
settled up all right. They wanted us to go to Duck
Lake, and managed to get us along with them, though
we didn't want to go. All went, and found young men
had 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 me
shake hands as I have never done any wrong to you ?
General Middleton (to Interpreter) If he has done
wrong to any white man he has done it to me. Besides,
he was very troublesome, and tried last year to prevent
the Indians from taking treaty money.
POUNDMAKER AND MIDDLETON. 389
Thin Indian I beg that the great man will do what
he can so we can live. He is the only white man 111
have to depend on. I have put down arms and every-
thing, and I want him (the General) to tell us how we
are to get a living. You are a great man, and if we are
to depend on you, let us know as we can tell our people.
Middleton Is that all?
Breaking-through-the-Ice I wish my mother to speak
now. The Indian pointed out his mother, an old woman
with a blue handkerchief on her head.
Middleton We don't listen to women.
Thin Indian What's the reason the Queen sends her
word here ?
Middleton She has councillors who are men.
Thunder Child May I say a few words ?
Middleton Yes, if you cut it short.
Tli under Child I was away at the time the trouble
began and didn't know anything was going on. I am so
sorry for it all. The reason we were not here before was
that last fight made women and children all afraid. Did
not know that any of my people made trouble around
here. I have never raised a gun against a white man yet
only here, and I got so afraid that I didn't use it. I had
made a vow not to, and I put the gun down as soon as I
remembered it. We are at loss altogether 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 I believed you*! would, but I ,will not
shake hands with any one who fired on our men.
Thunder Cloud I didn't fire.
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 wha f I am going to sav now : After many years
390 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
of peace between the white and the red men, when some
bad men, Half-breeds and others, chose to rebel against
the Government, the Indians forgot that peace existed so
long, and a large body rose and joined these other men.
The Indians, even Poundmaker, who had been so well
treated, rose and robbed because they thought the whites
were in difficulties. All around you attacked stores and
killed men and women. You thought that you were
going to have it all your own way, and, instead of saying
" this is the time for showing ourselves grateful to the
white people," you turned on them whenever you got a
chance. This very band (pointing to Poundmaker's)
deliberately went out to join the enemy, and, if they had
beaten us, would have gone on plundering, and would
have committed more murders ; and now, when they find
the head rebel Kiel, and the Half-breeds, whom they
thought great warriors, beaten, they come in because they
are afraid, and tell all sorts of lies and beg for peace.
They thought the Government hadn't more men, and
thought that the rebels were better fighters, and could lie
in ambush in the bluffs and shoot our men down. Now
we have shown them that it is no use their 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 been in the habit of going to the settlers' houses,
saying you were hungry, begging 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 ten
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 be 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,
POUNDMAKER AND MIDDLETON.
391
and if we wish to live at peace, white men with red men,
we can't have the red men rising every time trouble
occurs and killing small parties, and the sooner you
understand that the better. They asked me how they
were going to live. Tell them (to the Interpreter) that I
am only a soldier and do not knew the intention of the
SIB. JOHN A. MAODONALD.
(Leader of the Government.)
Government ; but I believe that if they behave well and
stay on the reservation they will receive food, will be
taught to cultivate the ground, and will be shown how to
earn a living. Tell them also that if Big Bear does not
come ia and do as they have done I will take my troops
and go off and attack him. I have received orders from
the Government to detain Poundmaker, Yellow Mud,
392 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Blanket, Breaking-through-the-Ice, and Lean Man as
prisoners. The rest had better go to the reserves, and for
your own sakes you had better give up the men who
murdered Payne and Fremont.
Poundmaker You will find out that. I know noth-
ing about them myself.
Lean Man came forward and said: God knows I never
saw anything to tell. When one was killed I only heard
about it while sitting in my tent. Of course when we
hear a thing one cannot say it's a fact (meaning it would
be mere hearsay evidence). In the morning I heard,
" There's a white man killed." Payne (the murdered
man) wanted to take the gun from this man. I heard it
was Itka, or " One-who-turns-a-blanket-insi de-out," that
did it.
General Middleton Tell them they must give up all
the flour and goods they have stolen, and they will have
rations. They must go to a reserve till the Government
decides further.
Another Indian, with an old blanket and a bandaged
head, then came forward. It was Itka himself. He
said : I said to Payne, " I want to go hunt, and want
grub." Payne said, " I can't give you any." I said : " I
am asking quietly; can't you give me any?" "No,"
Payne said, " I don't want to give you any." " It's only
a little for my family while I'm off hunting," I told him,
" try and be quick and let me have some so I can go off.
You don't seem to listen." Payne said : " I can't let you
have any for ten days. I won't give you 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 grandchild 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 myself 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 submitted
to the judges at hip trial
POUNDMAKEK AND MIDDLETON. 393
Wa-Wanich, a young Indian dude, whose dress was all
covered with coloured beads and Indian finery, and with
a woman's black straw hat surmounted by a bright green
plume for a head dress, stepped forward, and with his
arms folded, threw himself on the ground before the
General, saying : I told my people I would give myself
up to save them. Five of us came away from the
Stoneys* reserve, and we came to the man Fremont who
was 'greasing his waggon. I had a bow and arrow, and
the others said : " You shoot him." One Indian from
Qu'Appelle said : " You must not do that ; why kill a man
for nothing?" They said then any one that chooses
to fire can. Well, of course, in the fall grass withers
(The dude here degenerated into parables.)
General Middleton (interrupting parable impatiently)
Is this the man that killed Fremont ?
Wa-Wanich Yes, -it was me. Of course earth
remains the same forever, continued the dude, taking up
the parable (which was again interrupted.) Yes, it was
me ; I must have taken the gun from some other man.
The old woman with a blue kerchief who had begged
a hearing, came up and said Why not listen to me.
We don't have women in our councils. Women's
tongues are generally long.
Wife of a Stoney Indian The Almighty sees ; our
children and country have been taken.
Poundmaker and the rest of the chiefs round General
Middleton, with the two self-confessed murderers, were
then led away to prison.
General Middleton Tell Poundmaker I'll mention he
treated the prisoners well.
GBNBRAL STRANGB.
CHAPTER XXVII.
GENERAL STRANGE'S COLUMN.
riLE the events described in the preceding chapters
were taking place in the eastern and central por-
tion of the Territory, a third column was advancing
against the rebellious Indians in the extreme western
portion. General Strange, with the 65th Battalion
(Montreal) under Col. Ouimet, the 92nd (Winnipeg) un-
der Col. Osborne Smith, a detachment of Mounted Police
and scouts under Major Steele, had advanced on Edmon-
ton, and was now engaged in the pursuit of Big Bear,
of whom we last heard in connection with the Frog Lake
massacre and the fall of Fort Pitt.
The advance to Edmonton was not eventful, as there
were no enemies to oppose nor offenders to hunt down in
GENERAL STRANGE's COLUMN. 395
that region. At Edmonton, General Strange found that
he had arrived none too soon to put down a very general
rising among the Indians, who were becoming very restless.
Before dealing with the doings of General Strange's
column it may interest the reader to learn something of
the prominent figures who will be remembered as con-
nected, directly or indirectly, with this portion of the
history of the troubles in the North- West.
First, then, comes General Strange, whose portrait
appears at the beginning of this chapter. The Army List
says he served in India in 1857-58, and was present in
thirteen engagements, was mentioned four times in des-
patches, and wears a medal and clasp. He represents an
old military family of Scotch origin, and in the maternal
line of descent can be traced from Charles Martel and
Charlemagne through a long line of warriors.
On the evacuation of Quebec in 1871, Colonel Strange
was commissioned to form and command the first garri-
son of Canadian artillery. He established, upon enduring
foundations, the schools of gunnery in which so many
have been trained for service in different capacities, and
the efficiency of the batteries at the front was largely
owing to the fact that the Government has adopted the
more important recommendations which he, as an inspec-
tor of artillery, has seen fit to make. He is a man of
marked will power, a disciplinarian, and yet one whose
commands are not unkindly enforced.
The Major-General went to Kingston at the time the
batteries were transferred in June, 1880. In the spring
of 1882 he got his promotion, and soon after left the ser-
vice. He was chief factor in the organization of the
Military Colonization Company, whose ranch is about
thirty-five miles from Calgary. His wife and the younger
members of the family did not leave for their new home,
" Nomoka," until last year. His children numbered six, of
whom four are living. Two sons accompanied him to the
North- West, Harry Bland Strange and Alexander Wilmot
Strange.
396
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Though he took no prominent part in the suppression
of the rebellion in the North- West, Colonel James McLeod
has long been a very prominent man in the Territory. A
successful and popular Commissioner of the North- West
Mounted Police, his retirement to his present position as
stipendiary magistrate was severely regretted by nearly
COLON RL JAMBS ll'LKOD.
or quite every officer and member of the North- West
Mounted Police. During his lengthy residence in the
North- West he has become extremely popular with the
Indians, 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 Fates or the Government willed
GENERAL SfRANGE's COLUMN.
$97
differently, and he was left out of their calculations.
There is no doubt, however, that it was largely through
his influence that the Blackfeet were kept from breaking
out, and joining the rebels in the North, who were doubt-
less counting on their hearty co-operation.
There was another whose influence for good was largely
felt by the Blackfeet and their relatives and allies, the
FATHEB LKCOMBE,
Bloods, the Piegans, and Sarcees. This was the faithful
and earnest Oblat missionary, Father Lecornbe, who has
laboured for many years patiently and faithfully among
the Indians and Half-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.
898 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION
On the 20th of May he left Edmonton with the 65th
by boat, the remainder of the command going by trail
eastward in search of Big Bear. On the 27th of .May,
when near Fort Pitt, General Strange had his first
engagement. He met the rebels in the immediate vicinity
of a large strip of swamp or muskeg. They retreated
across this 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. His loss, however, was not serious, consisting of
three wounded. Two days later Major Steele with only
seventy mounted police and scouts engaged Big Bear at
Two Lakes. They came upon the Indians just as the
latter were leaving camp, and a sharp fight ensued. Major
Steele found that Big Bear, having some three hundred well
armed men, was too strong to be defeated in the first attack
which was made upon 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 fighting 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 hundred 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 with
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
GENERAL STRANGE'S
p his prisoners though evidently very loth to do so.
Cameron, a Hudson Bay agent, who brought the first
particulars of the Frog Lake massacre, was in the first
batch of prisoners retaken. Not long after this Mrs.
Gowanlock and Mrs. Delaney and two or three Half-breed
BIG BEAR.
families fell into the hands of Major Steele and his men,
and last of all, the MacLean family and the remainder of
Big Bear's prisoners were brought in by the Wood Crees.
It was decided to allow Big Bear to starve in the Far
North or surrender to the Mounted Police and other
regulars to be left in the country. On July 4, he, with
his band, came into Carleton and surrendered to Sergeant
Smart of the police. He and his son were taken to Prince
400 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Albert as prisoners of war, and afterwards removed to
Regina for trial. His band were disarmed and sup-
plied with provisions at Carleton. This brought the
North- West Rebellion to a close. The volunteers started
on their leturn home on the 5th of July, and reached
Toronto, where they were received with great enthusiasm,
on the 19th, 21st and 2 3rd of the month. The troops
were under orders to return home the day Big Bear was
taken, but the news of his capture was almost forgotten
and unheeded by them, for they were saddened by the
sudden and wholly unexpected loss of one of the bravest
and best of their officers, the gallant Colonel A. T. H.
Williams, of the Midland Battalion, who died of brain
fever while passing down the river by steamer.
The following stories, told by Mrs. Delaney and Mrs.
Gowanlock, furnish a graphic history of the experiences
of Big Bear's prisoners, which is interesting to the verge of
the romantic :
MRS. DELANEY'S 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 now
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 I left home 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
he 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's care. He then had to look after the Chippe-
GENERAL STRANGE'S COLUMN. 401
wans, Oneepowhayaws, Misstoos, Kooceawsis, and Pus-
keackeewins, and last year he had to ration Big Bear s
tribe. He was so engaged when the outbreak took place.
All these Indians were peaceably inclined, and most
friendly to us all My husband was much respected, and
really beloved by all under his care, and they seemed to
be most attached to him. We were therefore greatly
astonished at their action towards us ; but, after all, it
was only Big Bear's following that showed their enmity
to us. They, too, pretended to be most friendly, and
have often told us that but for my husband they would
have starved. The first we knew of the uprising was
on the 2nd of April. At five o'clock in the morning, two
of Big Bear's tribe came into our house, and told us our
horses were stolen by the Half-breeds, and at the same
time it was they themselves who had stolen the horses
and hidden them. Soon after the arrival of these two
Indians some thirty more all armed, and most of them
mounted came to the house and forced their way in.
They took all the arms and ammunition they could find]
telling us they were short and wanted all. They required
us to go with them, because, they said, they wished to save
us from the Breeds. We were taken first to the Agent's
(Mr. Quinn), and the Indians also demanded his arms and
ammunition, and had a long talk about aU keeping
together to keep back the Breeds, when they came to
take the provisions. I am satisfied now they were not
sincere 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 not at aU ill-treated so far, but there
was every outward appearance of friendly feeling towards
us. When we reached the priests' house mass was going
on, the attendants being some Half-breeds 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
MR. DILL,
A Victim of tho Frog Lake Massacre.
WAP SHOWING FORT PITT AND SCENE OF FROG LAKE MASSACRE.
GENERAL STBANGE'S COLUMN. 403
with the Breeds and ourselves, back again to our own house.
We were all left for about an hour, the Indians surround-
ing the house. The priests did not anticipate any danger,
supposing that the Indians intended to have a feast of the
cattle that had been given them by Mr. Quinn, the Agent.
By this time it was about 9.30 in the morning. During
our -last detention in our house Big Bear came in and told
my husband that he was frightened some of his young
braves intended shooting the whites, but that he, my hus-
band, would be safe anyway. At this time the only
place they had plundered was Mr. Dill's store, which they
had gutted; but, while waiting, the Indians told Mr.
Cameron, also a prisoner in our house, that they wanted
him to atcompany them to open the Hudson's Bay store,
and Mr. Cameron did so, thus, in my opinion, saving his
life. After opening the store, the Indians sent him to
their camp, about a mile and a-half away. After securing
everything in the latter store, they came to our house,
and ordered us all up to the Indian camp. We departed,
my husband and I, as well as all others, only taking with
us what we had on our backs, not supposing we would be
long away. At this time nothing of consequence had
been taken from our house. It was not very cold. Be-
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. All who were killed were
behind my husband and me, but I 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 fired 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 I could speak, my husband staggered
4>04 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
away, but came back and said to me, 'I am shot/
He fell then, and I called the priest and told the latter
what had happened. While he was praying with my
husband the same hideous Indian fired again, and I
thought this shot was meant for me, and I laid my head
down upon my husband and waited. It seemed an age ;
but it was for my poor husband, and he never spoke
afterwards. Almost immediately another Indian ran up,
and ordered me away. I wanted to stay, but he dragged
me off, pulling me along by the arms through the brush
and briar and through the creek, where the water reached
to my waist. I was put into an Indian tent, and left
there until nightfall, without anything offered me to eat,
though I could not have eaten anyway. I was not allowed
outside of the tent, and so had no opportunity of returning
to my dead husband, and have never seen him since. At
night time, two Half-breeds, John Pritchard and Adol-
phus Nolan, came and purchased our release by giving
horses to the Indians, the only two horses they had.
These Breeds were prisoners also, so that I was virtually
still a prisoner with Big Bear ; but John Pritchard and
all the Breeds were most kind, and I wish to state that I
believe both Mrs. Gowanlock and I owe our escape from
terrible treatment, and at last massacre, to John Pritchard
and other 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 cainp from one place to another. Big Bear's treat-
ment of us would have been cruel in the extreme, but
Pritchard saved us from the agony and torture of forced
marches through sloughs, brush, and rough land. At
this time, accompanying us were Mrs. Gowanlock,
and among the Indians were Mr. and Mrs. McLean
and their family of five children, Mr. and Mrs. Mann
and their family of three children, Mr. and Mrs.
Quinney, John Fitzpatrick, and a Frenchman named
Pierre. I cannot say how any of these were treated,
as "I only saw them casually when on the march, but
GENERAL STRANGE'S COLUMN. 405
think they were not more ill-treated than I was myself,
except that they had all to walk continually, except Mr.
McLean and Mrs. Mann, and the very small children.
Occasionally an Indian, more humane than the rest, would
offer a ride to those who were required to walk ; and
sometimes John Priichard would increase his already
overladen load by taking some weary one up. Pritchard
and all the Breeds walked always, though by making us
walk they could have ridden. His two little boys, aged
thirteen and fifteen, walked, though their feet became
very sore at times, but they never complained, because
they knew their walking enabled us to ride. They were
noble little fellows. I was terribly stricken down. I
seemed demented, and could hardly tell one day what had
happened the day before. I went on and on as if in a
fearful dream, but seemed conscious all the while of my
home at Aylmer, and my longing for it seemed alone to
keep me up. I was afraid to ask after my husband, but
the Breeds told me later on that they had buried the only
four bodies they had been permitted to, my husband's,
the two priests', and Mr. Gowanlock's under the church,
but as the church was burned the todies were exposed,
and then I asked to have them buried and the Breeds did
as I requested. I should have told you that as I was
being dragged awaj r from my husband's body I saw the
two priests drop. Father Fafard fell first and then
Father Marchand. The former was administering to my
husband when he fell, and the latter dropped immediately
afterwards, as if shot by the same Indian from the second
barrel of a gun During our journey we had plenty to
eat, cooking it ourselves. Our direction was backwards
and forwards to avoid the police catching us. We were
taken from Frog Lake towards Pitt, then back again
north for about sixty miles. On a Thursday a week
before we escaped we had a battle, that is, the battle
with General Strange. The women were all left in the
woods, but the Indians were entrenched in a ravine,
where they had dug rifle pits, as I was informed. This
406 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
was the first intimation I had of our troops coming. We
could plainly hear the firing. We could easily recognize
the cannon. The fight began at seven in the morning,
and lasted until ten. We could not see any of it, but
could hear it. At ten, the police finding they were not
strong enough, retreated, and the Indians then fell back
into the bush where we were, and from thence back again
farther into the bush, all of us having to accompany them.
The Breeds at this time were trying to escape, but could
not do so, as they were watched too closely. From
Thursday Big Bear's men retreated in different bands,
and the prisoners got more or less separated, some going
with one band, some with another. Mrs. Gowanlock and
I were fortunate in yet being left with Pritchard, although
we were all still with Big Bear. Mr. and Mrs. McLean
and Mr. and Mrs. Mann and their families were still
with Big Bear. We kept on moving from Thursday
until Monday, each day from early morning till late
at night, but I had never to walk, nor had Mrs.
Gowanlock. On Sunday night the Indians saw scouts, who
they supposed belonged to the police, and they became
greatly excited, and in the excitement and heavy fog of
Monday morning we got away. Our party that escaped
consisted of Mrs. Gowanlock, myself, and five Half-breed
families, including John Pritchard and Andre Nowe, the
latter of whom had taken the place of Adolphus Nolan,
who, on the pretence 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 first
day did not go more than two or three miles. We went
backwards and forwards through the bush, so as to avoid
our trail being discovered, and the next day continued
our escape, the men cutting roads through the bush, so as
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
GENERAL STRANQE'S COLUMN 407
camp and go on to a safer place, farther away, about two
miles or thereabouts. Here we camped for the night, the
scouts remaining with us all the time. On Thursday
morning we moved on, reaching Pitt on Friday about ten
in the morning, where we were met by Col. Straubenzie
and Col. Williams. All came forward to meet us, and at
once we were taken on board the NortJi- West, where we
remained all Saturday and until Sunday morning, when
we were transferred to the Baroness and reached Battle-
ford Sunday night. We spent some time visiting friends
at Regina and Winnipeg, where we were treated very
kindly and assisted to make our journey home. Had a
pleasant but uneventful trip home, reaching Toronto on
July 13th. I desire to express my thanks to Almighty
God that He sent with us throughout, such a kind and
considerate protector as John Pritchard, and the other
Breeds who were with him. There is no telling what
abuse we might have been subjected to but for their
presence. Frequent attempts were made to reach us by
the Indians, but the Half-breeds watched night after
night, armed and ready to keep off any attempt to ill-
treat us. Four different nights Indians approached our
tents, but the determination of our protectors saved us.
Terrible as it all was, however, I am grateful that I came
through unmolested, and am permitted to return to my
home once again unharmed in body and mind"
Mrs. Gowanlock's story is as follows :
" My name is Mary Theresa Gowanlock. My father
and mother are both living. They reside in Ontario,
near St. Catharines, where they farm. My husband's
name in full was John Alexander Gowanlock. He
came from Parkdale. We were married on the 1st of
October, 1884-, and arrived in Battleford 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
408 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
letter from Mr. Quinn telling us to come to his place, and
to go with the others to Fort Pitt, as it was feared Big
Bear's Indians would break out, and commit massacres
and outrages. We at once left our home, and reached
Mrs. Delaney's house, when we were told there was
nothing to be feared. We reached Mrs. Delaney's house
on Tuesday, and on Thursday morning her house was
surrounded. I have heard Mrs. Delaney's experience
given to you, and I cannot think of anything differing
from what she states."
CHAPTER XXVIIL
MARTIAL ARDOUR IN MARITIME PROVINCES RETURN OF
THE TROOPS.
THE support rendered the loyal cause in this lamentable
struggle, though coming mainly from Ontario and
Manitoba, as being nearest the seat of trouble, was more
or less drawn from nearly every quarter of the Dominion.
Quebec contributed the 65th of Montreal, besides " A "
Rattery from the City of Quebec, while Nova Scotia sent
the 66 bh, which, though not called upon to pass under fire,
performed those duties which are infinitely 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 her ; but her gallant sons had not
reached the field ere the causes which had 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 llth of
May they were receiving orders for the front, while on
THE HALIFAX PKOVISIONAL BATTALION.
409
that very day Middleton was dealing a crushing blow to
the rebel cause at Batoche.
The Halifax Provisional Battalion, under command of
Lieut.-Colonel James J. Bremner, consisting of 168 non-
commissioned officers and men of the 66th Battalion
"Princess Louise Fusiliers," 100 of the 63rd Battalion
Rifles, and 84 of the Halifax Garrison Artillery, with 32
officers, left Halifax under orders for the North- West on
Saturday, llth April, 1885.
MAJOR WELSH.
LIEUT. -COL.
( 'Halifax Battalion.)
Irobably never before in the history of Halifax has
such excitement been witnessed as on the morning of the
battalion leaving, the streets on the line of march and
the space in the neighbourhood of the station of the
I. C. R. being closely packed with a dense mass of enthu-
siastic but anxious citizens.
On the previous afternoon four guns from the citadel
had given notice that orders had been received for the
410
CANADA S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
battalion to proceed to the seat of disturbance. In an
incredibly short space of time the battalion mustered at
the drill shed with full ranks, when after being inspected
the men were dismissed to their homes with orders to
assemble early next morning ready to march. At the
hour appointed not a man was absent, and many of the
men who had not been selected to go were there ready
CAPTAIN JAMES PETERS ( "A " Battery).
in hope that some chance might make it possible for
them to go with their comrades.
The journey north of Lafee Superior was very trying.
The men when in the cars were exposed to rain and cold
day and night, with no shelter or means of drying their
clothing ; and when marching on the ice the water was
in many places up to their knees.
THE HALIFAX PROVISIONAL BATTALION.
411
The battalion arrived at Winnipeg on 22nd April,
at On^'he 26th April the battalion received orders to
march for Swift Current on the following day, but just ; as
it was forming up the order was countermanded. On t
29th the battalion again received orders for the same
destination, and marched same day at four p.m. Ihe
INSPECTOB JOSEPH HOWB, N.-W.M.P.
arrived at Swift Current at eight p.m. on the
S day camped beside the 7th and a portion
of the Midland Battalion. .
On the 5th May a telegram was received to hold the
63rd continent of the battalion in readiness to proceed
?oMap^e Creek; but, later in the day, into hgence was
recdved of an apprehended rising of the B ackfeet and
Into, and that Medicine Hat was in danger of
412
CANADA S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
being attacked ; the order for the 63rd contingent was
countermanded, and the headquarters of the battalion
with the 66th contingent was ordered to Medicine Hat,
where it arrived next morning early. Encamped on the
South Saskatchewan River in company with Stuart's
scouts, a body of mounted cow boys (which also had just
arrived) ; and there both remained until the end of the
trouble.
CAPTAIN 0. W. DRUET, " A " BATTKKY.
Shortly after the headquarters of the battalion left
Swift Current for Medicine Hat two companies of the
63rd contingent were ordered to Saskatchewan Landing,
where they were employed loading scows, forwarding
supplies, and assisting in transporting across the river.
One company of the 63rd and the Halifax Garrison
Artillery remained at Swift Current whilst it continued to
be the base of supplies ; and when Moose Jaw afterwards
THE HALIFAX PKOVISIONAL BATTALION. 413
became the base this detachment also removed there,
and the two companies from the Landing shortly after-
wards joined them. On these two detachments fell the
labour of handling and transferring all the supplies
going to the front, and furnishing the necessary guards,
so that they were kept fully employed, at times of
necessity the non-commissioned officers voluntarily doing
the fatigue duties of privates. The work was all the
more cheerfully performed because the men expected that
it was the prelude to being allowed to take part in the
fighting at the front, as other corps preceding them had
been relieved in due order, but in this they were dis-
appointed. They had, however, the satisfaction to know
that they had done their work well, and although it was
very different from what they desired they did it without
a murmur or complaint.
The headquarters of the battalion left Medicine Hat
on the night of the 30th June, and arrived at Moose Jaw
early on the 2nd July, the battalion being now re-united
entire. After remaining at Moose Jaw a week the
battalion was ordered to Winnipeg, where it arrived on
the 1 Oth July, and went into camp.
Left Winnipeg on the 16th July for Halifax, and
arrived there on the 24th, the entire route being a con-
tinued ovation ; the kindness of the people of the towns
of Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec being beyond description,
and which greatly impressed the men of the battalion.
The reception at Halifax was most enthusiastic, the whole
population apparently having turned out. The battalion
was sumptuously entertained by the ladies at the exhi-
bition building, after which it was disbanded by order
of the Deputy- Adjutant-General, the men returning to
their respective corps.
A better drilled, better disciplined, or braver body of
men than the Halifax Battalion was not in the North-
West ; nor one which wouW have given a better account
of itself if it had had the opportunity.
414 CANADA'S NOKTH-WEST REBELLION.
From the commencement of the rebellion- the active
militia of the Province of New Brunswick and of St. John,
in particular, had taken a deep interest in the stirring
events transpiring in the North- West, and many regrets
were expressed when it was known that Halifax had
been ordered to furnish a battalion for active service, and
the doings of that corps were as eagerly watched in St.
John as they were in Halifax. On the 7th of April, how-
ever, the 62nd St. John Fusiliers were ordered to begin
their annual drill, and great care was taken by all officers
to have their men perfected in all details in case their
services were required ; and events were eagerly noted by
all ranks from day to day with hopes that the call would
soon come for active service. On the evening of the
llth May Lieutenant-Colonel Maunsell, D.A.G., received
a telegram from Ottawa ordering out "A" Company,
Infantry School Corps, and eight companies of the active
militia for immediate service in the North- West. Colonel
Elaine, commanding the 62nd Fusiliers, received a
despatch at 11 p.m., asking how soon he could have four
companies of his battalion ready to march; he answered
"in four days, at the very latest": and ready they were,
proving that the motto of the corps, " Semper Paratus,"
was not borne on their colours as a vain boast.
All was soon bustle and activity in St. John and
JFredericton, and even in the country districts where the
"olifferent companies were much scattered. At the first
parade of the 62nd, at the drill shed, every man was at
his post, with the exception of some few who were away
on leave, and great cheering was the result when the
orders were read by the Adjutant, though regret was
shown by all that only four companies could go. The
enthusiasm reached its height on Thursday evening,
14th May, when the four commands of the senior cap-
tains were inspected by the Deputy Adjutant-General.
The drill shed was literally packed with people, while
thousands were awaiting a chance outside for an entrance
to view the soldiers. The men looked splendid in review
NEW BKUNSWICK PROVISIONAL BATTALION.
415
order ; and a finer or more athletic set of fellows never
shouldered a rifle. After being addressed by their
Colonel, and ordered to hold themselves in readiness at a
moment's notice, the battalion was dismissed. Mean-
while, the officers and men in other parts of the Province
were not idle ; in Fredericton, the men of the Infantry
School Corps were most anxious to be off and were soon
LIEUT. -COL. O. J. MAUNSELL, D.A.O.
ready for the march; the 71st Battalion having been
ordered to furnish one company, the men were taken
from the City of Fredericton and adjoining parishes, so
that each company in the corps would be represented ; in
Woodstock the same plan was carried out with the
67th Battalion, and many hardy yeomen left their ploughs
and took the rifle; nor were the members of the 74th
416
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Battalion idle, their quota of one company being made
up of men from Rothesay to Sackville sturdy farmers
who could endure any hardship. A little difficulty was
experienced in getting the men of the 73rd Battalion
assembled, owing to the great distances the men were
from each other; but, in a few days, they also had
furnished their quota.
V
LIEUT. -COL. A. BLAINB.
On the evening of the 16th May, a telegram, received
by Colonel Maunsell, ordering him to assemble his men
in camp at Sussex and there be joined by two companies
of the Prince Edward Island force, the whole to await
orders for the route, was quickly communicated to the
different commanders. On Sunday, church parades wore
held at Fredericton and St. John.
MARTIAL ARDOUR IN NEW BRUNSWICK.
417
At daylight on Monday morning, 18th May, the
soldiers of Fredericton were up and preparing for the
march ; the citizens and friends of all ranks being on the
streets to say their farewells. At 6.30 the line of march
was taken up, the Infantry School Corps being headed
by their own band, while the Fredericton Brass Band
OOL. MORRIS, INSPECTOR M. P. AT BATTLEFORD, N.-W. T.
(Formerly of Fredericton, N.B.JSee page 109.
headed the representative company of the 71st Battalion.
At 7 o'clock the train steamed out of the station to
convey the soldiers to St. John to join their brethren of
the 62nd.
The 18th of May is a day always celebrated in St.
John, on account of its being the anniversary of the
landing of the Loyalists in 1783 ; but never before was
the city so thoroughly aroused as on that day, 1885,
418 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
which was to see a number of her citizen soldiers leave
homes and friends, to join with brother Canadians in
suppressing a vile rebellion in the far North-West.
Business was almost suspended, while men, women
and children took up vantage-points to see the brave
boys of the 62nd march by. At the drill shed all was
bustle, but no confusion was visible, every man knew
his place; and, at the bugle's call, the four companies
were quickly formed, ready to march; and when it
became known, at the last moment, that a few men had
been rejected by the surgeons, many were the applicants
to fill their places, and the captains of companies would
have had no difficulty in raising twice the number of
men required. At 12 o'clock Colonel Elaine gave the
order to march, and, headed by the brass and relief bands
of the battalion and every private band in the city, the
corps left for the railway station. The streets were lined
with people, while cheer after cheer rent the air, and
many were the good-byes given and received on the
way. So great was the crowd at the railway station
that the leading companies could hardly force their way
through, and great difficulty was experienced in reaching
the train. After many more good-byes, the train slowly
steamed from the station, while a farewell cheer went up
from 20,000 throats for the citizen soldiers. Sussex was
reached in a few hours and tents pitched.*
From the time when this force had been ordered out
on the llth of May till the 18th, events had been succeed-
* The following officers and companies being on the ground composing
the " New Brunswick Provisional Battalion " : Total force, 408 non-com-
missioned officers and men, 36 officers. Lieut. -Col. G. J. Maunsell, P. A.G.,
Commandant ; Majors, Lieut. -Col. A. Blaine, 62nd Fusiliers, and Lieut. -
Col. E. B. Beer, 74th Battalion ; Chaplain, Rev. G. G. Roberts ; Adju-
ta-nt, Capt. McLean, 62nd Fusiliers ; Quartermaster, Major Devlin, 62nd
Fusiliers ; Paymaster, Major McCully, 73rd Battalion ; Surgeon, T. C.
Brown, M.D., I.S.C. ; Asst. -Surgeon, M. L. Macfarland, M.D., 62nd
Fusiliers.
Infantry School Corps : A Company Captain, Major W. D. Gordon ;
Lieuts., T. D. R. Hemming and E. V. Wedderburn (attached). B Com-
pany Captain, Lieut. D. D. Young; Lieuts., W. E. Russell (attached)
aad L. B. Donkin (attached) ; Sergeants, Colour-Sergt. Wa Iker, Serg.
Fowlie, Sergt. Mayne, Sergt. Pulkin, Sergt. Sloan.
MARTIAL ARDOUR IN NEW BRUNSWICK. 419
ing each other in rapid succession in the North- West.
The capture of Batoche on the 12th, followed a few days
later by the capture of Kiel, and later on the surrender
of Poundmaker, cleared the horizon sufficiently to stay
further proceedings ; and when the close of the Rebellion
was assured the New Brunswipk Provisional Battalion
was not required, and much grumbling was heard when,
on the 26th of May, the order to return home was issued,
and even then there were further offers to volunteer for
three months' service in quelling the Indians ; but a soldier
must obey, and on that date camp was struck and the
different corps returned to their homes, having, however,
learned a considerable amount of drill and gained a vast
amount of experience during their ten days in camp.
The company of the 73rd Battalion, under command of
Captain Cameron, and the two companies from Prince
Edward Island, composed of the Artillery and 82nd Bat-
talion, did not leave their headquarters and were disbanded
at the same time. Each corps and every man was warmly
welcomed home again, the general impression being that
" every man had done his duty."
Sixty-second St. John Fusiliers : Company Captain, E. T. Sturdee ;
Lieuts., G. A. Fraser and F. H. J. Ruel; Colour-Sergt., Samuel Jones ;
D. Conley ; Corporals, J. A. Stanton and M. B. H. Henderson. E Com-
panyCaptain, John P. Hegan : Lieuts., Geo. F. Thompson and S. B.
Lordly; Colour-Sergt, Robert Coleman; Sergts., E. O. Shaughnessy, C.
Wilson ; Corporals, F. W. James, H. Harrison. F Company Captain,
M. B. Edwards ; Lieuts., D. Churchill and J. F. McMillan ; Colour-
Sergt., W. H. Smith ; Sergts., Henry Kerr, James Kennedy ; Corporals,
H. B. Anderson, Jas. Currie, Edward Nicholls.
O Company (67th Battalion J Captain, Jesse W. Baker, Lieuts., 0. R.
Carman and F. W. Bourne. H Company (71st Battalion) Captain, W. T.
Howe ; 1st Lieutenant, Capt. Loggie ; 2nd Lieutenant, Lieut. Johnson ;
Colour-Sergt. Ryan. I Company (74th Battalion) Captain Harper;
Lieuts., Capt. McFee, Lieut. F. V. Wedderburn (8th Cavalry) ; Sergt. -
Major Grossman ; Sergeants Miller and MacFarland ; Corporal, Bliss
Manship.
Staff .Sergt. -Major Mackenzie, I.S.C. ; Quartermaster-Sergt., Sergt.
Daniel, I.S.C. ; Aast. Sergt. -Major, Staff Instructor Sergt. Billman, I.S.C.;
Instructors' Staff, Instructors Billman and Sloane, I.S.C. ; Orderly Room
Clerk, Sergt., Mayne, I.S.C. ; Paymaster's Clerk, Sergt. Taylor, 62nd
Batt. ; Asst Orderly Room Clerk, Sergt. Shea, I.S.C.
420 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
There are few more popular officers in the Dominion
than Lieutenant-Colonel Maunsell. He has been over
thirty years a soldier. In May, 1855, he was gazetted an
ensign in Her Majesty's 15th Regiment. Colonel Maunsell
sailed for New Brunswick in January, 1M64. An oppor-
tunity was offered him to see active service with the Army
of the Potomac during the whole of the spring campaign
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, 3865. 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.
Both the New Brunswick and Halifax Battalions
showed unmistakably how thoroughly they were inspired
with that loyalty and martial ardour which it is hoped
will always actuate Canadian volunteers whenever they
may be called upon torface 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"
Battery, comes from St. John, N. B., while Captain Drury
is also of St. John. Inspector Joseph Howe, of the
N.-W, M. P., who was wounded at Duck Lake, is also a
St. John man and a nephew of the late Hon. Joseph
Howe. He was always known to be a brave and gallant
soldier, never flinching from duty no matter how perilous
it might be. He is a man of whom any province might
feel proud. Inspector Howe received a painful though not
fatal flesh wound in the leg while fighting gallantly at the
Battle of Duck Lake ; 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
RETUEN OF THE TROOPS.
421
their return from the campaign. They were different
looking boys from the neatly-uniformed, clean-looking
fellows who went away only a few months before. Thev
were sun-browned and bearded, their uniforms were
faded, ragged and dirty. They were veritable veterans,
and Canada had good reason to feel proud of them a.
she did.
OUNNEB WALTEB WOODMAH.
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.
422 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
RETURN OF THE VOLUNTEERS.
TOBONTO, July 28rd, 1885.
Ring out, O bells, ye cannot drown
The echoing glad hurra,
From thousands' swelling throats that tell
Our boys come home to-day.
They come from gory battle-fields,
Brave lads and gallant they ;
The city's heart is 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 we 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, O bella,
The echoing wild hurra,
From myriad swelling throats that tells.
Our boys come home to-day.
CHAPTER XXIX.
KIEL'S TRIAL THOSE ENGAGED IN IT.
T GUIS KIEL was brought to trial at Regina, N.W.T.,
I 1 on July 20. At eleven o'clock the counsel and
judge took their seats in the court-room, which was
already filled to the doors. Before entering into the
particulars of the trial it will be of interest to take a
brief glance at the gentlemen who occupied prominent
positions in this, the greatest of trials that Canada has
ever witnessed.
THE JUDGE.
Lieut.-Colonel Hugh Richardson, Stipendiary Magis-
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 1831, and
settled near Toronto, where his father became first Man-
ager of the Bank of Upper Canada. Young Richardson
was called to the Bar at Osgoode Hall, Toronto, in Nov-
ember, 1847, went to Woodstock to practise, and was
County Attorney of Gxford from 1857 to 1862. In 1876
he was sent to the North-West in the capacity of a
stipendiary magistrate, with headquarters 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 Regina, where
he has been stationed ever since. Lieut.-Col. Richardson,
at Edmonton in 1879, heard the first case of capital
punishment ever tried in the Territories, and has alto-
? ether tried three capital cases. The first, was that of an
ndian who had played the rdle of cannibal with regard
to his family. The second case was that of the Steven-
son brothers, the Regina Half-breeds, who were hanged
424 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
for the murder of an unoffending man named McCarthy
His third case was that of John Connors, who was
handed Ihe^ther day at Regina. This was a convxcUon
which had been confirmed on appeal
COUNSEL FOB THE CROWN.
Christopher Robinson, Q.C. (senior counsel for the
Crown" b a brother of the present Lieut-Governor of
CHKISTOPHBR BOBINSON, Q.O.
Ontario and the third son of the late Sir John Beverley
Robtnson Chief Justice of Upper Canada. He is about
^tvvears of although he might, from his appearance
be Ukea for a^onsiderably younger man. He is one of
the leading members of the Bar in Ontario and has several
reS ofters of an appointment on the Bench.
KIEL 8 TRIAL THOSE ENGAGED IN It.
425
D. L. SCOTT, Q.O.
Lieut.-Colonel David L. Scott was born in Brampton,
Ont., in 1845. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in
1870, and practised his profession at Orange ville, Ont.,
until the year 1882, when he removed to the North-
West Territories and commenced practice at Regina.
Mr. G. W. Burbidge, Deputy-Minister of Justice, was
born at Cornwallis, N.S., in 1847. He was educated at
O. W. RUBBIDGE, DKPUTY-MINISTEB OF JUSTICE.
Mount Allison Wesleyan 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 $400 as soli-
citor to the Indian Department.
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
B. B. OSLER, Q.C.
Mr. Osier, son of the Rev. H. Bath Osier, was born
near the village of Bond Head, York County, in 1840.
He took his law and LL.B. courses simultaneously, and
was called to the Bar in 1862. He has received the dis-
tinction of Queen's Counsel. He is a man of marked
personality, and, as many a juryman knows, is possessed
of a fund of humour and shrewdness.
COUNSEL FOR THE DEFENCE.
F. X. LEMIEUX, Q.O. (SENIOB COUNSEL FOB KIEL.)
Francis Xavier Lemieux was born at Levis, P.Q., in
1851. He was educated at the Levis College and Quebec
Seminary, and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in July,
1872. He was married in 1874 to Miss Plamondon,
daughter of Judge Plamondon, of the Superior Court for
KIEL'S TRIAL THOSE ENGAGED IN It.
the District of Arthabaska. He was a candidate for
Boua venture at the Provincial General Elections after the
Letellier coup d'etat, but was defeated by I. Tarte, editor
of Le Canadien. He ran again for the Commons in
Beauce against Bolduc (now Senator), at the General Elec-
tions of 1881, and was again defeated. In 1883, when
Hon. T. Paquet, Provincial Secretary, was appointed
Sheriff of Quebec, Lemieux was selected as the Liberal
candidate for Levis, and after one of the most desperate
struggles in Provincial history, was elected to represent
that county in the Quebec Assembly by a majority of
thirty-eight votes over his Conservative opponent, Jos.
Roy, editor of Le Quotidien. Mr. Lemieux is a first-class
speaker, and 'has made a number of remarkable orations
in the Legislature. His position at the Bar is a leading
one, and as a criminal lawyer he has been exceedingly
successful.
CHARLES FITZPATRICK.
Charles Fitzpatrick was born at Quebec in 1853. He
was educated at Quebec Seminary and graduated at Laval
University with the degree of B.A., carrying off also the
Dufferin medal. He is now an M.A. He was admitted
to the Quebec Bar in 1876. He married Miss Caron,
daughter of the late Lieutenant-Go vernor Caron, and sister
of the Militia Minister. He practised his profession for
some years as a member of the leading firm of Andrews,
Caron, Andrews & Fitzpatrick. He acted as Crown
prosecutor at Three Rivers and Quebec under the Joly
Government. He represented the Second National Bank
of New York in the Eno extradition case. An ardent
Liberal in politics.
JAMES N. GREENSHIELDS.
James N. Greenshields, 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
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
McGill University, at which college he won the Elizabeth
Torrance Gold Medal in March, 1876, given for the highest
aggregate of marks. He was admitted to the Bar in
Montreal in January, 1877. Mr. Greenshields is already
reported one of the ablest lawyers in Montreal, and is
believed to have a brilliant future before him.
After some cross-firing among the counsel as to the
jurisdiction of the Court (the objections urged on behalf
of the defence being overruled) Kiel ple^dejJ^otguUty ."
to the charge of treason. On b'eing askeoT if lie were
ready for trial an adjournment till ten the next morning
was asked in order that necessary affidavits might be
prepared on which to base a claim for further adjourn-
ment. This wasgranted, and on the morning of July 21st
an adjournment of one month was asked in order to
enable the defence to bring witnesses from Montana and
from Ottawa. The request was not acceded to, but an
adjournment of one week was granted.
The trial was resumed on July 28th. Eight witnesses
were examined for the Crown. On July 29th, Charles
Nolin was examined and swore that Kiel's object in
Praising the rebellion was to get an indemnity of $35,000
| from the Government. Riel's counsel put in a plea of
linsanity, but Riel repeatedly asserted his sanity and
refused to allow the plea to be carried on. On July 31st,
Riel addressed the jury at some length on the wrongs of
the Half-breeds, again denied that he was insane and
asserted his full confidence of an acquittal. On August
1st, Judge Richardson finished his charge to the jury,
who retired at 2.15 p.m. They returned with a verdict
of guilty in about half-an-hour. They recommended the
prisoner to mercy. Riel was praying fervently in the
box while the jury were returning the verdict. When
asked if he had anything to say before the sentence should
1 e passed upon him he addressed the Court for over an
hour, stating that he was the prophet of the New World
and that he would yet live to fulfil his mission. He was
then sentenced to be hanged on the 18th of September,
1885. He heard the sentence with a smile on his lips.
KIEL'S FRIENDS URGE AN APPEAL, 429
friends in the Province of Quebec and else-
where were loud in their expressions of dissatisfaction at
the manner in which the trial was conducted. They "
alleged that he was tried before an incompetent tribunal,
and that a magistrate liable to removal at the will of the
Government should not have been appointed to try a
prisoner charged with treason -felony ; that a grand jury
should have been specially empanelled for that purpose. /
A meeting in Kiel's behalf was held in Montreal on
August 9 Dr. Lachapelle in the chair when the Hon.
R. Laflamme, ex-Minister of Justice, expressed the opinion
th&Lthe fundamental principles of British justice had
fceen ignorecTat the triaL. Kesolutions were passed unani-
mously, to petition both the Dominion and the Imperial
Parliaments on behalf of the prisoner. Mr. Benoit, M.P.,
and Dr. Martel, M.P., were requested to take charge of
the petitions. Similar meetings were held at Longueuil
and other places. After some preliminary litigation the
appeal from the decision of the Court at Regina came
before the Court of Queen's Bench at Winnipeg on Sep-
tember 2. The prisoner was represented by Messrs.
Fitzpatrick and Lemieux, of the Quebec bar, and J. S.
Ewart, of the local bar. Messrs. C. Robinson, Q.C., and
B. B. Osier, Q.C., of Toronto, appeared for the Crown.
Counsel for prisoner contended that both Riel and the
original record should be produced in Court. The Court
decided that the point was well taken and adjournment
was made till the 4th September. The further hearing
of the case was resumed on that date ; but the prisoner
was not produced, the Crown declining to bring him to
Winnipeg. Mr. Fitzpatrick, for the prisoner, stated that
as the papers asked for had arrived from Regina, they
would proceed with the argument. Mr. Lemieux raised
the old plea of the informality of the trial at Regina,
and contended that the stipendiary magistrate was
incompetent to try the case. He also urged the insanity
plea. \Mr. Fitzpatrick^fdlowed I Hg^hftld ^hai the
Treason-Felony Act was one of Imperial jurisdiction, and
480
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
he questioned if it had delegated any power to Colonial
authorities to legislate away any rights enjoyed by
subjects of the British Empire. Mr. Ewart spoke on
behalf of the prisoner and contended that the presiding
justice should have taken notes. He strongly questioned
the jurisdiction of the Court at Regina. Mr. C. Robin-
OHABLES PITZPATBIOK. M.A.
son, Q.C., on behalf of the Crown, in an able address
combated the idea that the Court at Regina was not
legally constituted. Messrs. Osier, Q.C., and Aikens
supported the arguments of the senior counsel for the
Crown. An adjournment was made till the following
day, September 5, when the Court (after hearing the
reply of Mr. Fitzpatrick on behalf of the prisoner) con-
THE TRIAL AND SENTENCES OF OTHER REBELS. 431
firmed the jurisdiction and finding of the Regina tribunal.
A Cabinet Council was held at Ottawa on the 10th
September, when the question of how to dispose of Riel
was discussed by Sir John A. Macdonald and other
members of the Government, and it was decided to respite
the condemned man till an appeal could be argued before
/ the Imperial Privy Council. In the meantime the trials
^fif rebels of less note were being proceeded with.
On the same day, September 10, the trial of Scott, of
Prince Albert, charged with complicity in the rebeJiionTwaa
concluded at Regina B. B. Osier, Q.C., for the Crown,
and Henry J. Clark, Q.C., for the prisoner. The case l\
was a very exciting one, with several lively passages at
arms between the counsel. The jury ifl t.wp.nt.y
returned with a verd i fit nf not guilty. l#n.n Man (Indian),
pleaded not guilty, and was released on his own recog-
nizance to appear for sentence when asked. Other
Half-breed prisoners were let off in the same way.
The Cree Chief, Poundmaker, was arraigned before
Judge Richardson and Dodds, J.P., at Regina, on August
17, on the charge of treason-felony, in making war at
Cut Knife Creek, on May 20, and capturing a provi-
sion train at Eagle Hills. After hearing the evidence of
Colonel Herchmer, N.-W.M.P., Robert Jefferson, theChief 's
son-in-law, and others who swore that they saw Pound-
inaker at Cut Knife during the fight, the jury retired for
half an hour, and then returned with a verdict of guilty.
Poundmaker when asked what he had to say why sen-
tence should not be passed, replied: "I was good all
summer; people told lies. I saved lot bloodshed. I
can't understand how it is that after saving- so many
lives I am brought here." Then, waving his hand majes-
tically, he said with a smile, " I am a man, do as you
like. I am in your power ; I gave myself up ; you did
not catch me."
Judge Richardson sentenced him to three years in the
penitentiary. When he heard the sentence he asked that
he be hanged right off as he preferred that to imprisonment,
432
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
Big Bear, the Indian Chief who led the volunteers
such a wild-goose chase, through the Beard Mission
Country, was sentenced on September 27 to three years
in the penitentiary. The old warrior stood calmly wait-
ing his doom and only evinced his displeasure at the
sentence by a prolonged grunt. Two and Two and others
JUDGE RICHARDSON.
of Big Bear's band got two years, and Red Eagle and four
Sioux braves were sentenced to three years' imprisoment.
On September 22 Wandering (or " Travelling ") Spirit
(see picture, page 99) appeared before Judge Rouleau,
at Battleford, and pleaded guilty to killing Thomas
Quinn, Indian Agent, at the Frog Lake massacre. Two
days later Judge Rouleau sentenced the prisoner to death,
DECISION OF PBIVY COUNCIL. 433
and in doing so addressed him as follows: "If a white
man murders an Indian he must hang, and so must an
Indian if he kills a white man. The sentence of the
Court is that you, Wandering Spirit, be taken back to
gaol till Friday, the 27th day of November, and then
taken to the scaffold and there hanged by the neck until
you are dead ; and may God have mercy on your soul."
Little Runner, Lazy Man, The Gopher, Straight Man,
Old Man, Little Wolf, Calling Bull and Fair Sky Thunder
were sent to prison for terms varying from two to four-
teen years. The undermentioned Half-breeds have been
sentenced by the Court held at Eegina to the following
terms of imprisonment : Maxime Lepine, Philip Guar-
dupuy, Baptiste Vandale, seven years each ; Pierre Guar-
dupuy, Alexander Fisher, Baptiste Rochlat, Patrick Fou-
rand, Ignace Poitras, three years each. Adolphe Nolin
turned Queen's evidence and was acquitted.
On Wednesday, October 21, it was announced that
the application of Louis Riel for leave to appeal from the
Court at Regina was refused by the Judicial Committee
of the Privy Council, and their Lordships did not consider
it necessary to call upon the Attorney-General to show
cause why leave to appeal was not granted. They
affirmed that the Court at Regina had jurisdiction of
treason ; that six jurymen were sufficient; that shorthand
notes were lawful reports of proceedings ; and that sub-
stantial justice had been done to Riel.
At a Cabinet meeting held at Ottawa, on October
22nd, it was decided to postpone the execution of Riel
until November llth.
On October 30th, the Peace Society of London, Eng.,
presented a memorial to the Queen, praying for the com-
mutation of the death sentence passed on Riel. Her
Majesty declined to interfere, stating that the pardoning
power had been fully delegated to the Governor-General
of Canada, and that the Home Government could not
interfere in Riel's behalf.
CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
EXTRACTS PROM A PETITION
Drawn up by the friends of the Half-breed Prisoners confined in gaol.
The humble petition of the prisoners condemned to death
or imprisonment respectfully sheweth : That, having inherited
the spirit of adventure and energy of the discoverers and first
settlers of the country, they left the valleys of the St. Law-
rence half a century ago to go and settle two thousand miles
away on the banks of the Saskatchewan, where they have
succeeded, after long and faithful work, to create on this
hitherto unknown corner of the country prosperous establish-
ments That the opening of the Canadian Pacific
attracted around them a foreign population, and the wealth of
the primitive establishments founded by the Metis soon excited
the envy of an army of speculators from the older Provinces of
Canada They, who had always lived peaceably
and free on their vast prairies, were astonished to learn that
the Government of Canada wanted to cut up their farms : more
than this, they witnessed whole townships conceded to political
^peculators. .... At the cost of tremendous sacrifices
they sent, on numerous occasions, their missionaries to the
capital to demand justice ; each appeal for justice was followed
by a fresh reinforcement of troops to intimidate them. . .
. . Yes, we fought, and we do not blush to avow it before
the whole country. We would have died on the spot had it
not been for the sake of our poor wives and our dear children,
who had sought the sh<5iter of the forests from the cannons of
the Government troops Our homes were sought
out. Everything that hands could be laid on was carried away.
What our women attempted to protect was torn away from
them Our unfortunate spouses and our poor
children I On the prairie they wandered for a long time,
half-clad, dying of hunger and misery, weeping for their hus-
bands, for their fathers, their brothers, who had died shot
.through the heart, or who had been made prisoners and loaded
with irons. After having killed and wounded the men ; insulted
the helpless women and children ; after having plundered our
fields, driven away our cattle, pillaged our modest habitations,
fire was put to our homes and we lost all. Are we not suffici-
ently punished t Humanity now demands its rights. Will its
penetrating voice find an echo in your hearts t . .
KIEL'S EXECUTION. 435
On the 9th of November Riel received a further
respite until the 16th, A. P. Sherwood, Chief of the
Dominion Police, reached Regina on the evening of the
15th bearing the order of the Governor- General for the
execution to take place at eight o'clock on the following
morning. Every preparation had been made for the
execution. The scaffold was extended from the rear of
the south end of the guard-room. The mounted patrol
were kept on duty by day and sentries posted all round
the barracks by night. When Sheriff Chapleau and
Colonel Irvine waited on Riel to convey the intelligence
of his doom, he said : " Well, you have come with the great
announcement." The Sheriff replied that the death
warrant had come. Riel said : " I am glad that at last I
am to be relieved from my sufferings." He thanked the
Sheriff for his personal considerations, and requested that
his body be given to his friends to be buried in St.
Boniface.
After the Sheriff had read the warrant for his execu-
tion, Pere Andre* entered the doomed man's cell, and up
,to the hour of death was never absent from his side.
Together they prayed the whole night long, Riel being
most fervent. Toward 3 a.m. he dozed, and finally slept
soundly. Pere Andre watched him as he slept. Shortly
after six o'clock Riel awoke, and from that time until
eight o'clock, when the fatal bell began to toll, he prayed
without ceasing.
At 8.15 Riel was escorted to the scaffold by the hang-
man, Jack Henderson, who had been Riel's prisoner at
Fort Garry, and Deputy-Sheriff Gibson, attended by Pere
Andre and Rev. William Me Williams. He wore a loose
woollen surtout, gray trousers, a woollen shirt, and mocca-
sins. He walked firmly to the scaffold, repeating " In
God do I put my trust." As he spoke this prayerful
exclamation a smile lit up his face. Descending the few
steps of the scaffold he stood on the drop with his face
turned northward.
P&re Andr6 and Father Me Williams continued to
436 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
pray, and Kiel said : " I do ask the forgiveness of all men,
and forgive all my enemies." At times his words were
inaudible, but ever and again his deep and earnest prayer
could be plainly distinguished above the subdued and
gentle voices of the priests. At 8.18 the executioner
pinioned his arms behind him ; the white cap was drawn
over his head ; both priests holding lighted candles and
repeating the prayers for the dying. As Kiel stood there
uttering the words " Jesu, Marie, assistez moi," the bolt
was drawn. The length of the drop was eight feet. At
the first moment of the fall the body remained still ; then
the knees drew up violently; three or four times the
body swayed to and fro quivering, and then Louis
"David" Kiel was no more. The suspense had been
long, but the agony was short. The hangman did his
work well. There could have been no pain whatever.
The circulation ceased in four minutes, an unusually
short time. No death could be more merciful.
During his last moments Kiel's behaviour excited the
pity and admiration of all.
In a few minutes Dr. Dodd, the attending surgeon^
pronounced life extinct, and the body was cut down.
The usual inquest was held in the gaol, and the follow-
ing verdict rendered :
"That the body is that of Louis Kiel, convicted of
high treason, and sentenced to death; that the judg-
ment of death was duly executed upon the body of the
said Louis Kiel on this 16th day of November, 1885,
and that death was caused by hanging at the police
barracks, near Eegina, N. W. T., as directed by the
CourF. (Signed) H. Dodds, M.D., Coroner ; Fred Champ-
ness, Foreman; William P. McCormick, John Dawson,
William D. Firstbrook, David H. Gillespie, W. B. Jones,
jurymen."
The coffin was then nailed up, to be temporarily
placed in the burying-ground attached to the barracks,
pending the relatives obtaining permission to carry it to
St. Boniface.
THE TROOPS IN THE FIELD.
STAFF.
Major-General F. D. Middleton, C.B., General Commanding; Lord
Melgund, Hon. Maurice Gifford, Hon. C. Freer, Capt. Wise and Lieut.
Doucet, A.D.C.; Major Buchan, Acting Field- Adjutant.
REGIMENT OF CANADIAN ABTILLEBT. "A" BATTERY.
Lieut. -Col. Montizambert in Command ; 115 men, 4 officers, 2 guns, 1
gatling ; Major C. J. Short and Capt. C. W. Drury in Charge of the Bat-
tery ; Capt. J. Peters in Command of the Battalion ; Lieutenants, J. A. G.
Hudon and V. B. Rivers, with Lieut. O. C. Pelletier, of 9th Battalion,
attached, Capt. A. A. Farley, with Lieut. Power attached, Lieut. Imlah,
with Lieut. Cimon attached ; Lieut. W. H. Disbrowe, of the Winnipeg
Cavalry, Supernumerary; Acting Surgeon, J. A. Grant.
"B " Battery, stationed at Kingston, 8 officers, 104 men, 2 guns, 1 gat-
ling ; Major Short ; Captains Farley, Rutherford ; Lieutenants Imlah,
Chinic, Power, Pelletier, Attached ; Supply Officer Lieut. -Col. Forrest.
TORONTO EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
Lieut. -Col. W. D. Otter, Commanding; Lieut. -Col. E. Lamontagne,
Supply Officer, Dep. Adj. Gen. of the Ottawa Military District, No. 4.
"<7" Company Toronto Infantry School. 85 Men and 4 Officers.
Major, Henry Smith ; Lieuts., J. W. Sears and R. L. Wadmore ; Sur-
geon, F. W. Strange.
tnd Battalion, Queen's Own Rifles. 257 Men and 18 Officers.
Lieut. -Col., A. A. Miller; Major, D. H. Allan; Adjutant, Capt. J. M.
Delamere ; Quartermaster, James Heakes ; Surgeons, Jos. W. Leslie and
W. Nattress : Capts., T. Brown, H. E. Kersteman, J. C. Magee, W. C.
Maedonald; Lieuts., P. D. Hughes, W. G. Mutton, H. Brock, R. S.
Casaels, E. F. Gunther; 2nd Lieuts., A. Y. Scott, A. B. Lee, J. George.
10th Battalion, Royal Grenadier*. 250 Men and 17 Officers.
Lieut.-Col., H. J. Grasett ; Major, G. D. Dawson ; Adjt., Capt. F. F.
Manley ; Paymaster and Acting Quartermaster, Lieut. W. S. Lowe ; Sur-
A. C. Gibson.
Qovemor-GeneraVs Body Guard. 80 Officers and Men, and 74 Horses.
Major Commanding, Lieut. -Col. G. T. Denison ; Major, Orlando Dunn ;
Acting Adjt., W. H. Merritt ; Acting Quartermaster, Chas. Mair ; Lieuts.,
F A. Fleming and T. B. Browning; Capt., C. A. K. Denison; Surgeon,
J.' B. Baldwin.
GovKRNOR-GiwKKAL's FOOT GUARDS 48 men, 3 officers; Capt. Todd;
Lieuta. Gray and Todd.
4^o CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
MIDLAND BATTALION. 342 MEN AND 34 OFFICERS,
Lieut. -Col. A. T. H. Williams, Commanding; Majors, H. R. Smith
and Lieut. -Col. James Deacon ; Adjt. E. G. Ponton ; Paymaster, Capt. J.
Leystock Reid; Quartermaster, Lieut. J. P. Clemes ; Surgeons, Horsey
and Jas. Might. 15th. Capt. and Adjt., T. C. Lazier; Lieuts., J. E.
Helliwell and 0. G. E. Kenney. 40th. Capts., R. H. Bonnycastle and
Lieut. J. E. Givan. 45th. Capts., John Hughes and J. C. Grace. 46th.
Capts., R. Dingwall and C. H. Winslow; Lieuts., R. W. Smart and J. V.
Preston. 47th. Capt., T. Kelly; Lieuts. Sharp and Hubbell. 49th.
Capt., E. Harrison ; Lieuts., H. A. Yeomans and R. J. Bell. 57th. Capts.,
J. A. Howard and Thos. Burke; Lieuts., F. H. Brennan and J. L. Weller.
R.M.C.-2nd Lieuts., R. J. Cartwright, C. E. Cartwright, G. E. Laidlaw,
H. C. Ponton, A. T. Tomlinson and D. C. F. Blisa.
YORK AND SIMOOE BATTALION. 342 MEN AND 34 OFFICERS.
Lieut. -Col. W. E. O'Brien, M.P., Commanding ; Majors, Lieut. -Col. R.
Tyrwhitt and Lieut.-Col. A. Wyndham ; Adjt., Major Jas. Ward ; Pay-
master, Capt. Wm. Hunter; Quartermaster, Lieut. Lionel F. Smith j
Supply Officer, Lieut. G. H. Bate, G. G. F. G.; Surgeon, John L. G. Mo-
Carthy ; Capts., Major W. J. Graham, Peter Burnet, Allison Leadley, R.
G. Campbell, John T. Thompson, Geo. H. C. Brooke and Jos. F. Smith ;
Lieuts. Capt. Jno. Landrigan, Thos. H. Drinkwater, Chas. S. F. Spry,
Geo. Vennell, Jno. T. Symonds, Thos. Booth, Jno. K. Leslie, S L. Shan-
non; 2nd Lieuts., Thos. H. Banting, K. L. Burnet, I. T. Lennon, R. D.
Ramsey, Wm. J. Fleury and Jno. A. W. Allan.
7TH BATTALION "FUSILIERS," LONDON. 237 MEN, 20 OFFICERS.
Lieut.-Col., W. D. Williams : Majors, A. M. Smith and W. M. Gart-
shore ; Adjutant, Capt. Geo. M. Reid ; Quartermaster, Capt. J. B. Smyth ;
Paymaster, Major D. McMillan ; Surgeons, J. M. Fraser and J. S. Niven ;
Capts., Thos. Beattie, E. Mackenzie, F. H. Butler, T. H. Tracey, R. Dillon
andS. F. Peters; Lieuts., H. Bapty, C. B. Bazea, A. G. Chisholm, W.
Grieg, C. F. Cox, H. Payne, Jas. Hesketh, 0. S. Jones and J. H. Pope.
65m MOUNT ROYAL RIFLES, MONTREAL. 317 MEN, 23 OFFICERS.
Lieut. -Col., J. A. Ouimet ; Majors, G. A. Hughes and C. A. Dugas ;
Paymaster, C. L. Boss^ ; Adjutant, J. C. Robert ; Quartermaster, A. La
Rocque ; Surgeon, L. A. Pase" ; Asst. -Surgeon, F. Simard ; Capts. Ostell,
Des Trois Maisons, Bauset, Roy, Villeneuve, Giroux, Prevost, Ethier ;
Lieuts. Plinquet, Des Georges, Starnes, Villeneuve, Lafontaine, Robert,
Doherty and Jf ormandin.
MONTREAL GARRISON ARTILLERY. 250 MEN AND OFFICERS.
Lieut. -Col., W. R. Oswald ; Majors, W. H. Laurie and E. A. Baynes ;
Paymaster, W. Macrae ; Adjutant, T. W. Atkinson ; Quartermaster, J.
A. Finlayson ; Surgeon, C. E. Cameron ; Assist. -Surgeon, J. M. Elder ;
Chaplain, Rev. J. Barclay ; Capts., W. C. Trotter, F. Brush, C. Laurie,
F.W. Cole, D. Stevenson, C. H. Levin; Lieuts., W. H. Lulham, J. D. Roche,
G. C. Patton, F. W. Chalmers, H. T. Wilgres, J. K. Bruce and B. Billings
(acting).
CAVALRY SCHOOL CORPS, QUEBEC. 30 MEN, 3 OFFICERS, 33 HORSES.
Commandant, Lieut.-Col. Jas. F. Turnbull ; Lieute., E. H. T. Howard
and F. L, Lessard.
THE TROOPS IN THE FIELD.
9rH BATTALION RIFLES, " VOLTIGBUES," QUEBEC. 204 MEN, 28 OFFICERS.
Lieut.-Col. Amyot ; Majors, Roy and Evanturel ; Paymaster, Major
Dugal ; Quartermaster, A. Talbot ; Adjutant, Casgrain Pelletier ; Supply
Officer, M. Wolseley ; Surgeon, A. Dublois ; Asst. -Surgeon, M. Waters ;
Capts. Frenette, Chouinard, Drolet, Garneau, Pennee, Fages, Pinault, Fiset
and Lavasseur ; Lieuts. Hamel, Baillairge', Labranche, Depuis, Casgrain,
De St. Maurice, Dion, Shehy, Pelletier, Routhier, Lanie and Beique.
THE HALIFAX PROVISIONAL BATTALION. 348 MEN, 30 OFFICERS.
Lieut. -Col., J. J. Bremner ; Majors, C. J. Macdonald and T. J. Welsh ;
Paymaster, W. H. Garrison ; Adjutant, B. G. Kenny ; Quartermaster,
Capt. J. G. Gorbin ; Asst. -Surgeon, D. Harrington. No. 1 Co. Capt. J.
E. Curren ; Lieut., J. P. Fairbanks ; 2nd Lieut., A. Anderson. No. 2 Co.
Capt., J. McCrow; Lieut., W. L. Kane ; 2nd Lieut., R. H. Skimmings.
No. 3 Co. Capt., B. A. Weston ; Lieut., A. Whitman ; 2nd Lieut., H. A.
Hensley. No. 4 Co. Capt., R. H. Humphrey ; Lieut., B. Boggs ; 2nd
Lieut., C. E. Cartwright. No. 5 Co. Capt., C. H. MacKinlay ; Lieut.,
J. A Bremner ; 2nd Lieut., J. McCarthy. No. 6 Co.- Capt, H. Hechler ;
Lieut., H. St. C. Silver ; 2nd Lieut., T. C. James. No. 7 Co. Capt., A.
G. Cunningham : Lieut., J. T. Twining ; 2nd Lieut., C. R. Fletcher. No.
8 Co. Capt., J. Fortune ; Lieut., C. J. McKie ; 2nd Lieut, C. K. Fiske.
90TH WINNIPEG BATTALION OF RIFLES. 334 MEN AND OFFICERS.
Lieut -Gol M Alfred McKeand, Commanding ; Majors, Chas. M. Boswell
and Lawrence Buchan ; Paymaster, A. H. Witcher ; Quartermaster, H.
Swinford ; Surgeon, Geo. T. Orton ; Asst .-Surgeon, J. W. Whiteford ;
Capts., C. F. Forrest, H. N. Ruttan, W. A. Wilkes, C. A. Worsnop, R. G.
Whitla, Wm. Clark ; Lieuts., H. J. Macdonald, G. W. Stewart, H. Bolster,
Zach. Woods, E. G. Piche, F. L. Campbell ; 2nd Lieuts., R. L. Sewell,
J, G. Healy, C. Swinford, H. M. Arnold, A. B. McPhilUps and R. C.
Laurie.
018T BATTALION, WINNIPEG.
Lieut. -CoL, Thos. Scott, M.P., Commanding; Majors, D. H. McMillan
and Stuart Mulvey ; Adjutant, Capt.W.C. Copeland; Quartermaster, Capt'
W. H. Bruce; Surgeon, Maurice M. Seymour; Asst. -Surgeon, Frank Keele;
Inspector of Musketry, A. W. Lawe ; Capts. , J. A. McD. Rowe, Thos.
Wastie, Wm. Sheppard, S. J. Jackson, J. H. Kennedy, J. C. Waugh, R.
W. A. Rolph, Jno. Crawford ; Lieuts., F. I. Bamford, E. C. Smith, R.
C. Brown, J. B. Rutherford, Major A. Cotes, Geo. A. Glinn, A. Monkman,
A. P. Cameron ; 2nd Lieuts., W. H. Saunders, R, Hunter, G. R. Reid, T.
Lusted, H. W. Chambre, H. McKay, F. R. Glover, T. B. Brondgeest,
Ed. Ellis and F. V. Young.
02ND WINNIPEG LIGHT INFANTRY.
Lieut.-Col. W. Osborne Smith, C.M.G., in command ; Majors, John
Lewis and W. B. Thibadeau ; Adjutant, Capt. Chas. Constantino ; Pay-
master, E. P, Leacock ; Quartermaster, R. La Touche Tupper ; Surgeon,
J. P. Pennefather; Asst -Surgeon, S. T. Macadam; Capts., W. R. Pils-
worth, W. B. Canavan, F. J. Clarke, Dudley Smithe, T. A. Wade, T. P.
Valiancy, D. F. Mclntosh ; Lieuts., D. G. Sutherland, G. B. Brooks,
T. G. Alexander, J. W. N. Caruthers, Augustus Mills, N. Caswell, T. Gray ;
2nd Lieuts., R. G. MacBeth, J. A. Thirkell, W. R. Currie, F. T. Currie,
Thoa. Norquay, Thos. D. Deegan.
440 CANADA'S NORTH-WEST REBELLION.
WINNIPEG FIELD ABTILLERY.
Major, E. W. Jarvis; Capt., L. W. Coutlee ; Lieut, G. H. Young;
2nd Lieut., G. H. Ogilvie.
WINNIPEG TROOP, CAVALRY.
Capt. C. Knight ; 2nd Lieut. H. J. Shelton.
THE NORTH-WEST MOUNTED POLICE.
Commissioner A. G. Irvine in command ; " A " Division, officers and
men, 47 ; "B " Division, officers and men, 132 ; " " Division, officers and
men, 73 ; "D " Division, officers and men, 199 ; " E " Division, officers and
men, 111. Total, 562.
BOULTON'S SCOUTS 80 men, 5 officers.
FRENCH'S SCOUTS 25 men.
DENNIS' SURVEYORS' SCOUTS 50 men, 3 officers.
MOOSE MOUNTAIN Scours 51 men, 3 officers.
STUART'S RANGEBS 150 men, 4 officers.
ALBERTA MOUNTED INFANTRY 50 men, 3 officers.
BATTLEFORD INFANTRY 40 men, 3 officers.
REGINA HOME GUABDS 40 men, 3 officers.
BIRTLE HOME GUARDS 40 men, 3 officers.
CALGARY HOME GUARDS 50 men, 1 officer.
YORKTOWN HOME GUARDS 50 men, 3 officers.
Qu'AppJtLLB HOME GUARDS 40 men, 3 officers.
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BINDING SECT. FEB 2 3 1968
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE
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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
Mulvanv, Charles Pelham
5625 The* history of the North-
M84 west rebellion of 1885
cop. 3
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