Early in the morning of the day appointed, a special train, which
started from Winnipeg the previous day, and calling at the various
stations on its way up had entrained detachments of mounted police,
reached M’Lean Station with a force of fifty horsemen, which was at once
sent forward across the prairie to the place of rendezvous.
After advancing about ten miles, they halted on the banks of a running
stream, so as to give the farmers who were expected to join them an
opportunity of coming on.
Some they found already at the place appointed, and others, by twos and
threes, kept dropping in, until by noon they had assembled about one
hundred and twenty all told.
The farmers, with their men, were in many cases as well mounted as the
police; their uniform and discipline differed, but in other respects
they looked equal to any amount of fatigue, and capable of holding their
own and rendering good service to the force they were about to
accompany.
Twenty-five of the police were sent on a little in advance, followed by
their ambulance waggons and staff, under the command of Captain Lean;
the yeomanry—for such they might be termed—formed the centre, followed
by their waggons, which were made to serve for ambulance purposes, and
were placed under the direction of Fellows from Ranger’s Ranch, who, by
training and experience acquired as an officer in a Volunteer corps in
England, it was considered, might safely be entrusted with that
important command. The rear was brought up by the remainder of the
police; the whole force being commanded by Major Scott, a man who had
seen much service in the "States," was well acquainted with Indian
tactics, and had frequently been employed in border forays, and that
guerilla style of fighting, the men they were now in search of were
likely to indulge in.
Having accomplished another fifteen miles of their journey, they halted
at the edge of a wood and prepared to make such dispositions for a night
on the plains as their resources would admit of, due precautions being
taken to guard against a night surprise, which, however, did not take
place.
They were stirring with sunrise; and after watering and feeding their
horses, and supplying their own wants, they saddled up, and with
military precision were ready to start by eight o’clock, in the same
order as on the previous day.
No incident of importance occurred to mark their progress, and as the
second day began to close in they reckoned to be within about ten miles
of their destination.
Arrived on the bank of a small river, which, besides affording water for
both man and beast, in other respects seemed suitable for camping
purposes, a halt was sounded, fires lighted, and preparations soon in
progress for a good meal and a night’s repose.
Up to the present they had met with little difficulty in following in
the trail of the raiders, which was well marked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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