British Quarterly Review, American Edition, Vol. LIV: July and October, 1871Various
History
British Quarterly Review, American Edition, Vol. LIV: July and October, 1871
Various
English periodicals
This is a curious episode in the history of our Canadian colonies,
which, at the time of its occurrence last year, attracted but little
attention, owing to the absorbing interest of the Franco-Prussian war.
The present writer was in Toronto before the return of the expedition,
but even there heard no mention of it. The Red River settlement is an
almost unapproachable position, near the centre of our North American
Dominions, about 600 miles northwest of Lake Superior, and about 1,200
miles from Toronto. It is reached by crossing the Lakes Huron and
Superior, by traversing rivers, and by prairie tracks. The settlement
was made by Lord Selkirk in 1813, and was planted by Scotch emigrants.
It has attained a mixed population of 15,000 souls. In the
negotiations about the confederation of the British North American
Provinces, in 1867, the Hudson's Bay Company, the Dominion Government,
and the Imperial Government, do not seem sufficiently to have
considered the feelings of the little Red River Colony. The French
half-breeds in the colony took advantage of this; disputes about lands
aggravated it; the Roman Catholic priests fomented it. Louis Riel was
placed at their head. They resolved to oppose the Canadian,
authorities; formed a 'Provisional Government,' seized Fort Garry, a
little fortified town just on the border line of British and American
territory; expelled Mr. M'Dougall, the Lieutenant Governor, sent by
the Canadian authorities, and proclaimed their independence. After
fruitless negotiations, it was resolved to send an armed expedition
from Toronto to re-establish Canadian, or rather Imperial authority,
and to punish the rebels, especially as Riel had shot one of the
Canadian soldiers, after a trial by court-martial. 1,200 troops, under
Colonel Wolseley, were, after careful selection and thoughtful
provision, sent off. Captain Huyshe was one of the expedition, and
this is the record of it. The rebellion itself affords but little
incident; it collapsed at once on the arrival of the force, and Riel
escaped across the frontier. We regret to find that the American
authorities at first threw every obstacle in the way of the
expedition, hoping to profit by the disturbance. They refused
permission to it to pass through the canal connecting Lake Huron with
Lake Superior, and even stopped the _Chicora_ steamer on her regular
trip, lest it should give facilities. This involved great
embarrassment, delay, and expense. The remonstrances of Mr. Thornton,
at Washington, at length procured the removal of this interdict. All
means of progression known to the human race, except balloons, had to
be made use of. 200 boats had to be built, a commissariat organized,
road-makers, &c., to be employed. The time occupied by the expedition
was eight months, the cost £400,000. The organization and success were
perfect. Captain Huyshe's record is interesting, both as a journal of
travel, and as a military operation. It is an Abyssinian expedition on
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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