g River they reached Fort Alexander and Lake Winnipeg
on August 20th. Here Commissioner Donald A. Smith, having come through
in a light canoe, met Colonel Wolseley. After a short delay Colonel
Wolseley's command hastened to the Red River, ascended it, and
cautiously approached Fort Garry. It was still uncertain whether Riel
was to oppose the expedition or not. The troops formed for what
emergency might arise, and two small guns were in readiness should they
be required. When Fort Garry was sighted, its guns were mounted, and
everything seemed ready for defence. The officers of the expedition, as
they approached it were quite ready for a shot to be fired from the
battlements, but there was no movement, Riel, Lepine, and O'Donoghue
alone, were left of the Metis levy, and as the 60th Rifles drew near the
Fort the three were seen to escape from the river gate and to flee
across the bridge of boats on the Assiniboine River. Capt. Huyshe states
that the troops took possession of the fort with a bloodless victory,
the Union Jack was hoisted, three cheers were given for the Queen and
the Riel regime was at an end. The militia regiments arrived on the 27th
of August, and two days afterwards the Imperial troops started back to
their headquarters in Ontario. Captain Buller, who afterward became so
celebrated in South Africa, took his company down the Dawson road to the
northwest angle of the Lake of the Woods, and thus returned eastward,
while Colonel McNeil left the country by way of Red River, through the
United States. Shortly afterward, on September 2nd, Lieutenant-Governor
Archibald arrived by the Winnipeg River route, and began his work.

[Illustration: WINNIPEG IN 1871]

[Illustration: WINNIPEG IN 1870]

The joy of all classes of the people was unbounded. The English
halfbreeds had been loyal through the whole of the disturbances.
Kildonan Church had been the headquarters of the Loyalists in their
attempted rally, and after the execution of Scott, the French
half-breeds had gradually dropped off from Riel, until he and his two
companions formed a helpless trio shorn of all power.

CHAPTER XXIX.

MANITOBA IN THE MAKING.

Close in the wake of Wolseley's Expedition, there arrived on the 2nd of
September, Adams G. Archibald, the newly-appointed Governor of the new
Province of Manitoba. His arrival was greeted with joy, for he was a man
of high character, and of much experience in his native Province of Nova
Scoti