CHAPTER 33
THE REBELLION OF '85
In the early spring or perhaps late in the winter of '85 began the
second Riel24 Rebellion. All Canada was stirred at the news and many
young men volunteered. The Canadian Pacific Railway was not yet
finished and somewhere in the vicinity of Thunder Bay a large tract of
country had not yet been spanned by the iron rails. Our young untried
soldiers had to march over this and I think it must have been winter,
for the cold was very great. With the
"Great War" 25 still vividly before
us the Riel Rebellion seems a very small affair, but at the time it was
much talked of. Major Boulton, who had been a prominent figure in the
first rebellion, now came to the fore again, and collected a body of
men, calling them "Boulton's Scouts"26. My brother did not join this
company but our young cousin Charlie McLerchan was in it, also another
English cousin D'Arcy Baker and the young Langford whom we had often
seen in Shellmouth. The first to be disabled was Charlie McLerchan, who
was lamed by a kick from his horse, but later on in a decisive battle,
of which I have forgotten the name, young Langlord was slightly wounded
and D'Arcy Baker fatally27. They were both carried into a tent and poor
D'Arcy begged his friend to pray for him, as he knew he was dying. "I
never prayed in my life," was Langford's confession. Then he said, "Oh
Langford, could you not think of one little text to tell me?" but
Langford was forced to reply that he could not. "I would have given
anything," he told Charlie, "if I could have repeated just one verse,
but I had never been taught the Scriptures when a child."
THE REBELLION OF '85
The little war came to an end in June, I think. Riel was captured and hanged28 and the rebellion was at an end. The homecoming of the troops was an occasion of great rejoicing. Mr. Rouse with his usual originality suggested carrying our flower stand to the grocer's shop at the corner and then he said, "Miss Boulton and I could sit there and have a good view." I need hardly say that my sister gave a decided refusal to this invitation and the plan fell through. It was one evening while we were at dinner that we heard the bands and the men gaily marching in the middle of the road. Hundreds collected to see them pass and one old woman rushed out and threw her arms around her son and walked beside him down the street, and none said her nay. Our friend Colonel Williams of Port Hope went on this expedition and died while away of fever29. I might mention that it was during this year that the "Grant division"30 took place, separating and breaking asunder many ties of friendship.
24 Louis Riel(1844-1885)
(www.shsb.mb.ca/Riel/indexenglish.htm)
25 World War 1
26 See: "The Return of Boulton's Scouts", by
Mrs. Charles Arkell Boulton, Augusta Boulton.
(www.russellmb.com/history/hist3.htm)
27 April 26, 1885 at Fish Creek, Alberta.
(www.russellmb.com/history/hist3.htms)
28 He was hanged in Regina on 16 November,
1885. (http://library.usask.ca/northwest/background/riel.htm)
29 Arthur Trefusis Heneage Williams
(1837-1885). He died 4 July 1885 aboard the steamer Northwest on the
North Saskatchewan River, near Fort Pitt, Saskatchewan.
(www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?Biold=40027)
30 Frederick William Grant (1834-1902)
(www.plymouthbrethren.org/page.asp?page_id=54) See: The "Brethren" Since
1870, Chapter3. (www.biblecentre.org/topics/wrd_brethren_since_1870.htm)
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