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First installment of Most Interesting Reminiscences of William J. Carter of Edmonton, Who Participated in the Fighting During These Stirring Days --- Tells of Causes Leading to Rebellion in Graphic Manner and of the Fighting Which Took Place.

An interesting story of the situation during the period of the Riel Rebellion and the causes that led up to the outbreak ‘way back in the early days of this great western country is revealed in a most explanatory and detailed way.
Personal Experience resulted in the completion of this excellent record of events. Written by William J. Carter, a resident of this district for many years, in the form of a diary, the events of interest have featured the growth of this city from the time it was but a mere trading post, the habitation of the Indian and the Hudson’s Bay factor, are revealed in striking manner.
Mr. Carter, a resident of the city, is well known here as a building contractor. His story is as follows:

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A great deal of speculation had from time to time been indulged in and political capital made out of the causes that led up to the rising of the half- breeds in March, 1885

The Liberal party of Canada laid all the blame on the Conservatives, who were in power at the time, for not attending to the various demands made on them for redress of wrongs. One of these wrongs was the granting of lands held by half breeds in the vicinity of Batoche, to an eastern concern known as the Prince Albert Colonization Company, which, by its contract, was authorized to eject the settlers who had occupied these lands many years ago before this, or any other such company was dreamed of. This charge was made in the house of commons by Edward Blake, and the Charge was not denied. As a proof of these assertions made by Mr. Blake, this company, on a petition of right, entered an action against the government for the return of $20,000 paid to them for the land. Owing to the land in question having been already occupied they were unable to get possession.
Although these evictions were never carried out, the government and the Colonization Company ewere no doubt fully aware, from surveyor’s reports that these lands were already occupied. However, both were prepared to violate a principle common to all civilized countries: The inalienable rights of the squatter.

BUFFALO DISAPPEAR
In this case, when the government found they could not deliver the goods, the land sharks were demanding their money back. When scrips were issued to half-breeds of Manitoba on these lands, it created more trouble among the natives when they learned that they had not been dealt with. Added to these troubles was the almost total disappearance of the Buffalo after 1877. Up to this time these people knew scarcely any want, as their staple article of food was chiefly fresh buffalo meat, dry meat and pemmican. All other luxuries were secured from the Hudson Bay Co. and other traders, in exchange for robes and pemmican.
Following the disappearance of the buffalo came the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which reduced the freighting expenses by about one- half. This compelled the half breeds to start in and cultivate their long, narrow river front farms. After living the life of hunters and freighters for generations, this class of work did not appeal to them. On top of all these troubles was the gradual influx of white settlers. The majority of these new settlers came from eastern Canada, and brought with them their more modern specialized methods of business. The natives t then began to realize that something had to be done if they were to retain any status in the country which they all looked upon as their own, and all outsiders as intruder

INDIFFERENCE AT OTTAWA
Apart from all these troubles was the absolute indifference of the authorities at Ottawa, who paid little attention to the petitions received from these natives, as well as the repeated warnings, both personal and written, from men whose long experience in the country were entitled to mature consideration, but who were all equally ignored.
This feeling of hostility to the Canadian government and people had been growing stronger from about 1878 up to the summer of 1884, when a delegation of natives was sent to Montana for the purpose of inducing Louis Riel to come over and assist them in retaining what they considered their rights in the country. It was shortly after his arrival that he commenced holding meetings in the half- breed settlements. At the outset Riel attracted very little attention owing the fact that he appeared to be very guarded in any statements he made, and never publicly gave any hint of armed rebellion.
At this stage of the game the authorities at Ottawa dealt with the situation by appointing Michel Dumas, one of the delegates who went to Montana, as Indian farm instructor at Duck Lake. A similar position was offered to James Isbister, another of the delegates, and a member of Riel’s old Manitoba council in 1870, was appointed to the post of assistant land agent at Prince Albert. Riel himself, may have been included in the list of those eligible for northwest offices at the hands of the government. It was believed by many at the time, that his haste in bringing matters to a h head was to force the government to raise the ante before calling the game Riel’s hasty actions probably interfered with his chance of being made a senator, and also the government’s evident intention of buying up the half-breeds leaders.
It was contended by some, that it was a money-making scheme on the part of the Hudson’s Bay Company under the leadership of Sir Donald A. Smith. This person, it was said, could be depended upon to arrange that nearly all supplies, transport etc., would be supplied by his company. Others were equally sure that it was a deep plot of the Roman Catholic Church to cause a rebellion, so as they could at any time, through their clergy, control, and for their good offices receive large concessions for doing so. These two reasons will not stand very close investigation. The Undson’s Bay Co. no doubt, made very large profits out of the increased business due to the rebellion. It was more largely due to their being on the spot with their posts throughout the country between Winnipeg and Edmonton, and also their recognized ability to pay for anything, no matter how large the transportation might be. As a matter of fact, the entire expenses of the early months of the rebellion were largely financed by this company

Late in the fall of 1884 an invitation was sent to Riel, which was signed by a large number of whites living in Prince Albert, asking him to come there and hold a meeting. The object of this invitation was purely extended out of curiosity, as nearly everyone was anxious to see and hear what he had to say. This invitation was accepted, and a few days later he arrived in company with several prominent and well-known French half-breeds.
As Thursday the 26th of March is the 29th anniversary of the battle of Duck Lake, I shall try and give you a short resume of the events that led up to the Rebellion of 1885.
A great deal of what is occasionally published in the papers by writers who were no on the ground is very incorrect, and not true to facts. Riel was brought from Montana by a delegation of the Half Breeds in the Fall of 1884, and started in to hold meetings at the various centers of Half Breed population, and as most of us were curious to see and hear him, a largely signed invitation was sent to him to come and hold a meeting at Prince Albert. This invitation was accepted and the meeting nearly ended in a big row, started by some of the old First Expidition men who had come to Manitoba with Garnet W. Woolsey in 1870, but after a few of them had been pushed up pretty hard against the log walls of the building order was restored. He was accompanied by several prominent Half Breeds of Batoche and Duck Lake also by William H. Jackson, his secretary, better known as Honore Jaxon, often described as a half breed, but a son of English parents, and educated at the University of Toronto.
Riel gave us quite a sensible speech, starting it by stating that his motto was (DIEU ET MON DROIT) and to any in the audience who might mot agree with him he quoted the well known motto of the Order of the Garter (HONI SOIT QUI MAL.Y PENSE). He spoke in English with a strong French accent, and certainly appeared to be a man of culture and refinement, although somewhat rattled at the strat on account of the disturbance. He was a man of good appearance, with long wavy hair and dressed in a well fitting navy blue suit, and wearing moccasins.

This was the only time I ever had the opportunity of seeing of hearing him. This invitation we had sent to him was found amongst his papers when Batoche was captured the following May, and our good conservative friends had it forwarded to Ottawa to show the Government what a nest of white rebels were living around Prince Albert, and at the general election, the first held in the North West two years later the OLD FLAG was paraded daily, and the air fairly twisted by the frenzied oratory of the Government Supporters in denouncing our actions for sending that invitation. Some of these loudest talkers we could well remember were not the ones who two years before were at all noted for wanting to be always at the front where danger was greatest, preferring rather some office job, where there was at least a wall of spruce logs between them and any stray bullet that might happen to be coming their way.
Riel continued to hold meetings all through the district during that Fall and Winter, and which soon began to assume a serious aspect, and about the middle of March they started in taking the goods f from freighters passing through Batoche, stopping the mails, looting stores and cutting the telegraph line. One of the freighters who lost his cargo told me that Riel said to him when taking his goods that if they succeeded he would be well paid in full, and if they did not succeed he would be paid by the Dominion Government. In any event he was sure of his money.
About the 22nd of March two companies of volunteers were sworn in at Prince Albert and equipped with Snider Enfield Rifles. These rifles had been brought in late in the Fall of 1879 by Col. Osborne Smith, on account of the arrival of a large party of Teton Sioux from Montana, and hwo had been reproted to Ottawa as committing depredations on the settlers, but who had never taken acted in any but a peaceable manner. Some of these Sioux Indians had their leggings decorated with the hair taken from dead soldiers of General Custer, whose force had been wiped out by them a few years prviously in a battle on the Little Big Horn.
These Sioux must not be confused with a small band of Dakotahs, who had been in Western Canada since 1863, being refugees from Minnesota after the massacre of that year. A small band of these were at Portage La Prairie, another at Birtle and the largest bunch at Prince Albert. They did not mix much wirh the Tetons and appeared to want to avoid them. One of the Dakotahs, nickmamed Beaconsfield on account of his likeness to the pictures of Lord Beaconsfield, did valuable service for the Mounted Police all through the Rebellion as a scout. He was a splendid type of an Indian, over six feet high and looked like a king. He afterwards settled down in Prince Albert, having bought a lot and built a small house, educating his only son in the Public Schools of the Town, but has been dead for many year

Two other companies, armed with shor guns and any other kind of weapon available, were also formed. Out of these two first compans about forty were selected to go to Fort Carlton to assist the Mounted Police, whose headquarters were at that place Col. Irvine who was at Regina came North with about 130 men, passed through Prince Albert the night of March 25th, and arrived at Carlton just at the same time as Major Crozier was returning, after his defeat at Duck Lake.
The morning of March 26th Major Crozier sent Thos. Mckay to Duck Lake with everal teams and an armed escort of men speciallyy at selected by Mr. Mckay to bring in a lot of Government oats stored at that place. These were stopped near Duck Lake by Gabril Dumont and a large party of Mounted Half breeds and they had to return without their loads. On their return to Carlton the whole force were ordered out, and when nearing the trading post of Duck Lake on Chief Beardy’s Indian Reserve, the Half Breeds and Indians were waiting for them. After a short parley between Crozier’s Interpreter and one of the Indians sent to parley with him to gain time for the Half Breeds to complete their arrangements, the Indian attempted to take Interpreter Mckay’s revolver from him and was shot.
Horses were unhitched from the slieghs and taken to the shelter of neighboring bluffs, and the fight was on in earnest, but only lasting for a very short time. The greatest fatalities being amongst the Civilian Volunteers, whose only shleter was a rail fence. In a few minutes mine of these were down, being shot at short range from one of the Indian houses, nearly all were shot iether through th the head or heart. There were also threee of the Mounted Police killed. The bodies of the latter being brought from the field at the time as they were killed while using the sleighs as a barricade. The volunteers who were killed had to be left where they fell. A messenger being sent in later to Crozier by Riel stating that the bodies would be given up if sent for.
The night Fort Carlton was abandened and set on fire. Irvine B bringing his whole force to Prince Albert. The dead Policemen were buried at Carlton, and the other nine civilians were brought down a few days later and all buried in one long grave. Amongst the killed were Capt. Morton, William Napier, a cousin of Lord Napier of Magdla, and Skeffington Elliot, son of Judge Elliot of London, Ont., and a Nephew of the Hon. Edward Blake. Elliot was the only Freemason in the lot, and it was the Writers task, along with another member of Kinistino Lodge to clean him up and put him in his coffin. He was shot through the chest, the bullet agter passing through his body we found inside his shirt. His head was badly mutilated agter death by discharging a gun close to his forehead. One eye and part of his forehead being blown away. One other body, Dan McPhail, was mutilated in ne nearly the same way. Elliot’s brother came up a few months later and t took his remains home to London, Ont., he was also given the bullet found on the body.

Napier had just received notice of a lagacy being left to him by some relative and had arranged his passage on the last mail stage that was allowed to get out. I met him abpit an hour after the stage left and asked him what had happened that he did not get wawy, he replied by asking if I did not think it would look a little cowardly to leave as t there was every indication of a scrap with the half breeds, and that he was going to stay and see it through. It was reported agterwards that he was not dead when left on the field, but was killed by a Half Breed who mistook him for big Tom Powers, and ex-policeman that this Half Breed had some old grudge against from sone years before. He had three bullet wounds, one being through his stomach. All his clothing being saturated with blood.
The news of the fight was brought to Prince Albert about 12 o’clock on the night of the 26th, by two courriers and steps were at once taken to build some sort of Fort to get the Women and Children into. After a short consultation amongst the officers, it was decided to enclose the Presbyterian Church and Manse, both brick buildings, with a barricade of cordwood. This was the only material available, as every one had their supply in their yards for that year.
Every man and team in the place were set to work, and by nine o’clock in the morning we had an enclosure 300 ft. square, with an eight foot cordwood fence around it. A platform of plcnk 4 feet high on the inside to stand and shoot from and two bastions on the corners, made of three thickness’ of plank loop holed.
One member of the volunteer company who took part in the fight at Duck Lake is at present living in the City on 25th Street, Mr. Justus Wilson. Three bullets passed through his old grey jacket, a type of coat much worn by the early settlers, but he was unhurt. A special providence well knowing that nearly a third of a century later the resources of the Borden Government would be severely taxed to find a capable official to guard the fisheries of our Northern Alberta Lakes
Nearly two months later Batoche was captured by Gen. Middleton and Riel captured by three Prince Albert Scouts, who happened to be there on that day. He was taken direct to Regina for trial. Quite a number of other Revel Leaders were also taken prisoners, but these were brought to Prince Albert and shortly afterwards all taken to Regina for trial. Most of these were liberated. Gabriel Dumont and Michel Dumas escaped to Montana, but were soon allowed to return to Batoche.
It might be interesting to readers of the Bulletin to recall a few facts about the movements of Gen. Middleton and his march from Qu’ Appell. It was generally supposed that after passing Humboldt Telegraph Station that he would take a moremEasterly trail than the one he did, and Col. Irvine had about a dozen of us sent out to a point about twenty miles down the South Saskatchewan from Batoche, and build four large barges to cross his troops. We all worked with our rifles ready for immediate use. The river at this point was narrow, with high wooded banks on the South Side, and one good rifle shot on that side could have stopped the work, but we were never disturbed, but Gen. Middleton took the more Westerly trail reaching the Saskatchewan at Clarke’s Crossing, about sixteen miles south west of Batoche, and had his first engagement with the Half Breeds at Fish Creek. This is a small creek entering the Saskatchewan at about right angles to the river, and near th river cut into a deep gorge, and it will be interesting to Old Time readers of the Press of that date, and the exaggerated statements made of the numbers of Half Breeds and Indians who were opposed to Gen. Middleton, to know that all told, there was less than fifty in the Fish Creek Gulley. It was a well chosen place for a surprise, and was an old battle ground between the Crees and the Blackfeet Indians.
Middleton got such a warm reception that he found it necessary to fall back on Clarke’s Crossing for repairs, and did not advance again for four days, and the Half Breeds secured quite an amount of cartridges picked up on the field, and which they used later at Batoche in the rifles found with the dead volunteers at Duck Lake.
It was a mere accident that there were not two hundred and eighty more half breeds to take a hand in the fight. These were on the way to Fish Creek, but were recalled on account of the information received at Batoche that Col. Irvine with a large force was advancing on Batoche from the other side. Col. Irvine having left Prince Albert late the day before with nearly his whole force of Police and equipped for a lengthy campaign, but before morning were all back in Prince Albert again. If ever the memoirs of Col. Irvine are published it will be interesting to know what influences were brought to bear on him to cause him to so sudden a change of mind. He was a good officer with a fine police record, but some real influence appeared to dominate his actions, and from this time the police were comparatively inactive until after the capture of Batoche. When Middleton arrived in Prince Albert, Col. Irvine had the police lined up to receive him. His reception by Gen. Middleton was very cold when they met, and a great deal of criticism was made against the Mounted Police in their smart and clean uniforms ascompared to the ragged and tattered troops of Gen. Middleton. I do not wish to be considered as speaking adversely of the Mounted Police, as compared to the Eastern men. Their training ad experience making them by all odds the finest men in the country at the time, but for reasons above stated were not given the opportunity.
I wish here to make a statement that probably has never before been published re the charge of the Midland Battalion at Batoche under Col. Williams.
The day before Gen. Middleton arrived in Prince Albert the writer was sent out with two loads of planks to repair a bridge across McFarlanes Creek about half way between Prince Albert and Batoche, it having been damaged by the high water. We had just got started to work when Gen. Middleton with his whole force arrived. They camped for the night and after we got the work done I hunted up Col. Williams as I had known him in the East. He told me that he had ordered the charge without any instructions and said he was very proud of the way the men had behaved, and said if he had not succeeded he supposed he would have been Court Martialed. He died a few weeks later at Battlefor, and directly afterwards a letter was published in the Eastern Papers over the signature of Col. Straubenzie, Gen. Middleton’s chief of Staff, that he gave the order to Col. Williams acting on instructions from Gen. Middleton, and looked like a deliberate attempt to rob a dead man of the only creditable piece of work in the whole campaign, and would have never been attempted if Col. Williams had lived
The Eastern Volunteers carried all sorts of souvenirs of the Campaign home with them, dozens of them had Chief Big Bear’s rifle with them and were elaborately described in their home town papers, but the poor old fellow did not have a rifle, and was never captured. He walked into what remained of Fort Carlton, where the Mounted Police had again established a post. He was sick and bare footed and accompanied by a small Indian Boy, and certainly looked anything but dangerous when brough to Prince Albert the following morning by the Mounted Police.
I will conclude my story with a little incident that happened about three years ago on the train to Calgary. Col. Belcher, Myself and three Commercial Travellers were in the smoker. These travellers were discussing the hanging of Louis Reil and had fully dicided that the Hanging was faked, that Riel was living somewhere in Montana. The grim old Colonel who had been a quiet listener closed the discussion by saying he was D_____ sure he was hung, as he led him out to the scaffold himself, and cut him down after he was dead.

SHAGANAPPI

The advent of T. N. Campbell, and how I found him on the fringe of civilization I the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy-eight.
[Handwritten note in the margin: “I believe this was written by Dave Myers.]
‘ Way ‘way very far , I saw my star, when I was only twenty. Now on the trail I could not fail, I was young and strong and hearty.
So on I pressed to this Great West,
I had Shaganappi.
With white cayuse cart, little use, I had excuse,
So often I got mired and very tired and sleepy.
I clubbed, the cayuse tugged, but never changed his pace, Held by a raw-hide trace, this was no disgrace,
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For it was Shaganappi.
Then came a rain, what beastly luck,
On the plain my cart was stuck,
The traces long and soft and flabby,
But when the sun began to shine, the traces tightened up again, For they were Shaganappi.
The cart then started with a jump, hit the cayuse on the rump, For a moment I was happy.
But off he went chemunck, hell bent across the prairie, Alas, alas, my Shaganappi.
The day was fair, ‘way, ‘way over there I saw my star, The traces stretched that far,
And I went nearly batty,
With loud hoy, hoy, I called in joy,
Here in the West, I’d found my quest,
Thanks to Shaganappi.
And there sat Thomas Nelson Campbell, on his cart,
A thing of art fallen apart.
The felloes wrapped with canvas bags and strips of flannel, In hard luck he had the pluck, But, “Oh, boy” he was wrathy. As without hope, at length he spoke. “My yoke is broke, and every spoke.
And I lost my Shaganappi.
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A friend’s a friend wherever found. Here’s
Health to my friend Tom.
Peer of peers, may you live for years and years in ease, Your larder stocked in plenty.
When you start to slide the Great Divide,
Don’t lose your Shaganappi.

December 23, 1927
Among them was the Hon. Charles Nolan, who had been a minister in the first government of Manitoba and also his secretary, W. H. Jackson, better known as Honore Jaxon.
When the meeting was called to order, strong protests were made by some old members of the expeditionary force which was brought into the country by Col. Garnet Wolsley, in 1870. These men resented Riel’s appearance in the country, and did not want to allow him to speak, but being in the minority, they had either to leave the building or keep quiet. It required some gentle persuasion from one or two strong men before they decided to do so.
RIEL’S APPEARANCE
Riel was a man of good appearance with long wavy hair and was dressed in a well fitting navy blue suit, and wearing moccasins. At the commencement of his speech he appeared somewhat nervous, no doubt due to the little fuss which hadj been made. He soon recovered his coolness, and gave a very guarded outline of his aims and objects in coming to the country. He gave as his motto, “Dieu et Mon Droit,” and to any who might not agree with him he quoted the well-known motto on the British coat-of-arms -- ”Honi soiqui mal y pense.” He spoke good English, but with a strong French accent. He appeared to be a man of good education and refined manner, with a wide knowledge of Canadian history. This was his last appearance at any large white settlement, but he continued his meetings amongst the half-breeds up to the time of the commencement of hostilities about the middle of March, 1885.
The first acts of the rebellion was the stopping of the mails, and the commandeering of supplies from freighters passing through Batoche, and also the cutting of the telegraph line. When taking these supplies from the freighters he gave a receipt therefor and told them that if they succeeded they would pay for them. If the case was that they did not succeed, the freighters were told that the government would pay, so that the owners in either case were sure of his money.
Some days prior to March 16th at a meeting of his followers Riel stated that at a certain hour on the 16th, he was going to darken the sun. As the day happened to be bright and clear the eclipse was right on time, and of course, confirmed their ignorant minds that he was no ordinary mortal. It was in this way that he continued to appeal to them by one method or another until his final capture after the fall of Batoche.
FORT CARLTON
Fort Carlton at this time, was the headquarters of the mounted police and was situated on the north side of the south Saskatchewan river and
Fort Carlton at this time was the headquarters of the mounted police, and is situated on the south side of the north Saskatchewan river and nearly due north of Batoche. It is located on the south side of the south Saskatchewan with the small trading post of Duck Lake on the main trail connecting these two points. Fort Carlton had, until a few years previous, been the headquarters of the Hudson’s Bay Co. for the district, and was the favorite meeting place of the officers of this company when holding their annual councils. This old fort was located on a small river flat and surrounded on three sides by the high wooded banks of the river. It was a very poor place for defence purposes, particularly from an enemy with almost any kind of modern rifle
There were three main trails leading from the fort, one to Prince Albert to the east, one southward to Duck Lake, and the other trail let to Battleford to the west. At this date all the old buildings of the Hudson’s Bay company were standing, and largely uses as quarters for the men and officers of the mounted police. The horses were also stabled in these buildings.
To get a proper idea of the position of this district for armed defense it will be necessary to go back to the year 1879. During the summer and fall months of that year, large numbers of Teuten Sioux Indians from Montana came into the country, and some alarming rumors had reached Ottawa that these Indians were assuming a hostile attitude towards the settlers. Col. Osborne Smith, district officer commanding at Winnipeg, was rushed out, bringing with him rifles and equipment for two companies of mounted rifles and also one infantry company. These companies were hastily organized under the following officers: “A Troop,” Capt. Young, Lieuts. T. N. Campbell and Justus D. Wilson; “B Troop,” Capt. H. S. Moore, Lieuts. Edward Stanley and John Gordon; Infantry company, Capt. Thomas McKay and Lieut. J. J. Campbell. “A” and “B” companies were equipped with saddlery and short spder rifles, while “C” company had rifles only.
In the autumn of 1884, at the time of the Riel agitation, all this militia was wiped out by an order appearing in the official gazette. The order read: “Because of inefficiency.” All this eqipment was then taken in charge by the mounted police and stored at Fort Carleton. The absolute reason for this move on the part of the government was not the inefficiency of the force but of a guilty conscience. They considered that it would be much more to the safety of their interests to have these rifles and ammunition carefully collected and stored in charge of the mounted police than scattered around and in the hands of men whose loyalty they doubted.
Some days prior to the outbreak, mortheren district moved his men to Carleton. Becoming alarmed, he went to see Captain Moore at Prince Albert, to ask that in the event of real trouble, could he rely on him for assistance. Captain Moore immediately undertook to reorganize this old troop which had been wiped out by the above order.
On March 17th, Sergt. Billy Brooks brought first word to Prince Albert of the outbreak, and on the following day Captain Moore arrive at Carleton with between fifty and sixty men. These men were served with arms of the old disbanded volumteer companies, and organized into No. 1 company Prince Albert Volunteers. The officers drawn by selection were: Capt. H. S. Moore, formerly of the Irish Militia; Ist Lieut., Capt. C. F. Young, formerly of Her Majesty’s 5th Foot; 2nd Lieut., Capt. John Morton on the reserve of militia, 32nd Bruce Rifles; Sergeants, T1 N. Campbell and Justus D. Wilson, formerly provisional Lieutenant, 28th Perth battalion, Canadian militia, and also a former lieutenant in the old “A” Troop Mounted rifles of 1879; and Alex. McNab, retired adjutant of the 32nd Bruce battalion. This company started in to drill immediately, and continued to do so daily until March 26th. Two other companies were sworn in at Prince Albert on March 22nd. None of these men had any uniforms, and the chevrons of the non-commissioned officers had to be sewn on the sleeves of whatever sort of coat they happened to be wearing.
PARTY HELD UP
On the morning of March 26th, a party of eight mounted police, Sergt. Alf. Stewart, were sent out as an escort to a number of teams and sleighs in charge of Thomas McKay, and which were en route to Duck Lake to get some oats and beef stored at that place, belonging to Messrs. Stobart-Eden and company. About noon a rider came back to say that the party had been held up by Gabriel Dumont with a large troop of armed and mounted half-breeds. Dumont quickly realized that if a shot was fired that he would be one of the first to go down, as several rifles were levelled on him. He knew McKay, who was a native of the country, and whose people had for generations been officers of the Hudson’s Bay Company. He also knew that McKay possessed all the pride of the race of his Scotch ancestors, and was, perhaps, for an emergency of this king, the best man in the country. After a somewhat excited talk in the Cree language, Dumont decided to forego the pleasure of taking them prisoners, and therefore called off his men and returned to Carleton minus his oats and beef.
Major Crozier, directly after the arrival of Sergt. Stewart’s despatch rider, organized a force of sixty-six police and twenty-five Prince Albert Volunteers. These last were increased to thirty-three by eight additional men who would not be denied the priviledge of going along and taking part in the fight. The police and voumteers were under Inspector Howe and Dr. Miller, and Moore and Morton as officers. Capt. Young, of the Prince Albert Volunteers and Gagnon of the police were left at Carleton. At the top of the hill above Carleton a small advance party of six or eight police were ordered out on an an advance guard with a small party to cover the right flank; none on the left
CAUSE OF DISASTER
From the best information available, the chief cause of the subsequent disaster was that this advvance party was never far enough ahead of the main force. When the advance party first met the half-breeds and Indians they galloped back, but the main force was close behind.
The large force of rebels was grouped along a ridge from two to four hundred yards in advance of the police position, and at right angles to the trail, over which they were advancing. Major Crozier gave orders to deploy into line the Prince Albert Volunteers on the right and the plice on the left. Unhitched teams along with saddle horses taken to the rear. Captain Morton, cordwood stockade three hundred feet on each side, and eight feet high. This was built around the entire block with a plank platform on the inside on wooden trestles about four feet in height, for the men to stand on. A row of sandbags were placed from end to end, and were set about two inches apart to shoot through. This was done, owing to the fact that it was learned that a bullet from a Snider rifle would not go through one of these bags so would be a great protection for the men if there had been an attack by the rebels. Bastions were built on the corners about twelve feet square, and sixteen feet high. These had tree thickness’ of spruce plank, and were all loop0holed for rifle fire. A large quantity of water was brought from the river as the water supply inside the stockade was very linited and of rather poor quality.
On the afternoon of the 27th, the house standing opposite the entrance to the stockade on the south side was ordered to be pulled down. The house in question was the home of W. J. Carter (now a resident of Edmonton), and had been erected three years previously. It was of the volunteers, acting under orders of Capt. Moore, was very active and soon had a rough front formed. He observed an Indian waving a white blanket in such a way as if to indicate that a parley was asked for, and mentioned this to Major Crozier. Crozier at once asked for his interpreter, Joseph McKay, who happened to be absent at the moment, so John Linklater was sent in his stead. In the meantime
McKay turned up, and along with Crozier and Brooks, advanced along the road to parley with this Indian. Kuring this parley a large party of half-breeds and Indians were observed running on a well beaten trail towards a group of Indian houses which lay to the right at a distance of about 350 yards from the road, and roughly the center of the line. The Indian, upon attempting to take McKay’s revolver, was shot. Crozier and McKay then walked back to the line, and ordered the men to commence firing.
TAKE COVER BEHIND FENCE
The fire of the rebels started at almost the same moment. Three or four sleighs were drawn across the road. The Prince Albert men lay down on the right in some snow behind an old wrecked fence with only about one rail to a panel, but the pickets were still standing. In a very few minutes several men where killed by men in these Indian houses. Crozier, realizing the hopelessness of the position, gave theorder to retire. Skeffington Elliot was one of the last men to fall, and along with the others, had to be left where they fell. The names of those killed were: Captain Morton; Skeffington Elliot, son of Judge Elliot of London, Ontario, and a nephew of Hon. Edward Blake, William Napier, a cousin of Lord Napier of Magdala; Dan McKenzie, Kan McPhail, James Bakie, Robert Middleton, Alex. Fisher and a man name Anderson. These were all members of the Prince Albert Vlounteer compan, and the three others killed were members of the mounted police. Several otheres were wounded, and among them was Captain Moore, who, after his recovery, returned to his old home in Ireland, and has now been dead for many years.
When Crozier arrived back at Carleton he met Colonel Irvine with a party of one hundred and thirty men from Regina, who had passed through Prince Albert the night before. The officers in Colonel Irvine’s party were: Inspectors White, Fraser, Drainor, and Saunders, who is now Lieut. -Col. Saunders, C. M. G. D. S. O., police magistrate in the city of Calgary, who raised and led in France a battalion of Canadian pioneers.
The dead P.A. volunteers were left on the field where they fell, but the three policemen who had been killed near the sleighs we e brought in and buried at Carleton about midnight of March 26th, Colonel Irvine himself reading the burial service. About this time a message was brought in from Louis Riel to Colonel Irvine to the effect that if he would send for the dead men they would be given up. For some unexplained reason the offer was not accepted at that p particular time.
CONFERENCE OF OFFICERS
On the morning of March 27th a conference of officers was held in a room of the old fort, where Captain Moore lay wounded. This conference was attended by all officers of the mounted police as well as those of the Prince Albert Vol unteers. Thos. McKay and Chief Factor Clarke took honored part in this. Chief Factor Clarke had taken part in the fight on the day previous with the rank of a full private.
Hayter Reid, who was assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs of the west and acting Lieutenant-governor of the territories, and who had been appointed brigade major by Colonel Irvine, was also present at this conference. The conference was opened by Colonel Irvine, who analysed the position, and stated that there were three courses to be considered. First, that in consideration of the increasing force of assuming the offensive; second, to defend Carleton, and at the same time, by use of mounted troops save Prince Albert from attack; and Thirdly, to abandon Carleton and fall back on Prince Albert.
DECIDE TO FALL BACK.
Col. Irvine, in a kindly way, invited remarks, but reminded the meeting, that he assumed the right of final decision. He then turned to Lieut. Willson and asked what he had to say. In reply, Willson said, that in consideration for the Prince Albert settlement, inasmuch as their poor preparation to withstand attack, and the poor position of Carleton for defence, he thought the third alternative was the most fitting. All agreed to this with the exception of Crozier, who thought that, for the sake of the prestige of the force, they shod should go and attack, and felt quite confident that they could succeed. Col. Irvine immediately decided to retire to PrinceAlbert, and issued orders to load every abailable sleigh to capacity with provisions and forage. He also issued orders to strengthen all outposts, and the patrolling of avenues by which their position might be approached by the enemy. All ranks wored incessantly, but about the time the force was ready to leave, the buildings caught fire. Whether this was originated by accident or design, will probably never be known, and the greater part was burned down completely. The entire force arrived at Prince Albert the following day.
Directly after the return of Crozier’s force from Duck Lake, after their defeat, two couriers, Jim Mack and William Tait, both of whom had been in the fight, were despatched to P. A. with the news. They arrived at the store of T. O. Davis (afterwards Sentor Davis), the upstairs of which was used as sleeping quarters by the volunteers and their officers, as well as Lieut.-Col. Sproat, the registrar of the district. These officers, along with Inspector Moffatt, of the mounted police, decided to fortify the Presbyterian church and manse, the latter being occupied by Rev. William McWilliam, pastor of the church. This church stood on what is now known as Central Avenue, but has since been taken down.
STOCKADE FORMED.
Every man and team in the place was at work by 2:30 a.m., and by nine o’clock in the morning, had a frame construction, and built in between the studding with bricks, which thus made it bullet-proof, except through the windows or doors. On this account it was considered a menace to the safety of the fort, if it was captured by the rebels. The adjoining building to the west was owned by Miss Baker, the ground floor of which was used as a hospital for the men wounded at Duck Lake. This was in charge of Hospital Sergeant Dr. A. E. Braithwaite, who is now, and has been for many years one of the leading best known doctors of the city of Edmonton.
On the evening of March 28th, a mounted picket named Frank Cherry, who was stationed on the Batoche trail about twenty-five miles west of P. A., heard a report that the half breeds and Indians were coming in full force to attack the place. Without any investigation on his part, he rode to town with the greatest possible spped. He shouted to everyone he met, to get to the fort with all haste, as the rebels and Indians were close behind him.
STAMPEDE FOR FORT.
The bell on the church was immediately rung, and there was quite a stampede for the fort. Many children by this time were in bed and asleep. They were carried into the manse, bedclothes and all, no time being taken to dress them. Many women with babies only a few days old, also had to be carried in.
The night was cold and manse was crowded. However, this alarm proved to be no false, but no attack was attempted during the entire campaign.
By not making this attempt, the rebels lost the only opportunity they ever had of making a real success. Had Riel and his officers followed their success at Duck Lake by taking a smal force, and holding Irvine at Carleton, one hundrd men would have been sufficient to have done so. Every Indian tribe in the country would doubtless have joined the rebels. It was by great effort on the part of Father Lacombe that Chief Crowfoot, of the Blackfoot tribe was kept from joining the them, and it is almost certain that if they had cleaned up the mounted police, and captured P. A. even Chief Crowfoot himself, would not have been able to control the Indians. This would have meant that a force of at least twenty thousand men would have had to be brought into the country. Instead of this, Riel moved his headquarters from Duck Lake to Batoche, and remained comparatively inactive until the arrival of General Middleton several weeks later.
NOTE --- The second portion of Mr. Carter’s interesting account will be published in next Saturday’s edition of The Bulletin.

As I was not in the fight at Duck Lake the account here given was told to me by the late Col. Justus Willson about ten years ago.
The last installment of this has been lost.
EDMONTON BULLETIN
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1ST, 1919