by the
British officer in command in Canada--General Lindsay--to organize this
expedition. Wolseley was very popular, having served in Burmah, India,
the Crimea and China. The Ontario battalion soon had to refuse
applications, and from Ontario the complement of the Quebec battalion was
filled up. It was decided also that a battalion of regulars, with small
bodies of artillery and engineers should take the lead in the expedition.
Thus, a force of 1,200 men was speedily gathered together and put at the
disposal of Colonel Wolseley. Two hundred boats, each some 25 to 30 feet
long, carrying four tons as well as fourteen men as a crew, were built;
the voyageurs numbered some four hundred men. No sooner did the Fenians
in the United States hear of this expedition than they threatened Lower
Canada, and spoke of interrupting the troops as they passed Sault Ste.
Marie. The United States also refused to allow soldiers or munitions of
war to pass up their Sault Canal. The rallying began in May, and though
the troops were compelled to debark themselves and their stores at Sault
Ste. Marie, portage them around the Sault and replace them in the
steamers again, yet all the troops were landed at Port Arthur on Lake
Superior by the 21st of June, their officers declaring "our mission is
one of peace, and the sole object of it is to secure Her Majesty's
Sovereign authority." Some time was lost in endeavoring to use land
carriage up from Port Arthur as far as Lake Shebandowan. The
difficulties were so great that the scouts were led to find another
route for the boats up the Kaministiquia River. In this they were
successful; in all this worry from mosquitoes, black flies and deer
flies in millions, the troops preserved their good temper, and Col.
Wolseley said, "I have never been with any body of men in the field so
well fed as this has been." (July 10th.) The real start of the
expedition was from Lake Shebandowan. The three brigades of boats--A. B.
and C.--seventeen in all, got off from Shebandowan shore on the evening
of July 16th; by the 4th of August Rainy River was reached, and at Fort
Frances Colonel Wolseley met Captain Butler, who had acted as
intelligence officer, having adroitly passed under Riel's shadow, and
being able now to give the news required. It was still the statement and
belief of Riel that "Wolseley would never reach Fort Garry." Crossing
Lake of the Woods the regular troops were pushed ahead, and on
descending Winnipe