sing of the Indians in their localities.

Some who did not know the situation--arm-chair critics at a safe
distance--levelled some darts of fault-finding at Colonel Irvine at
Prince Albert, and I write a paragraph or two in reply, because I know
whereof I speak. I have some reasons for claiming to know Prince Albert,
which was founded as a mission and named by some of my relatives in
1866. At the time of the rebellion there were two brothers and a sister,
as well as many other relations there whom I saw on my way down the
Saskatchewan after the rebellion was over. They knew that some people in
the East had raised the question as to Irvine remaining at Prince Albert
during the rebellion. But they spoke with indignation in regard to all
such critics, and said if these people who were talking in that way only
knew what panic would have ensued if the Police had been withdrawn, and
how likely it was that the whole settlement would have been pillaged and
probably wiped out, the criticism would cease. If the British way is
"women and children first," then the duty of protecting them against
death or worse comes before the desire to save oneself from possible
criticism. The Mounted Police, in over ten years' previous service on
the plains, had established an unprecedented reputation for courage
under all circumstances, and wherever in the rebellion time they had
opportunity in the field, they shone out conspicuously as men who had no
thought of self when fighting was the duty of the hour. In proportion to
the numbers engaged, more men of the Mounted Police were killed or
wounded than any other military body in the field. But when savages were
on the warpath, and defenceless people, principally women and children,
rushed for refuge to Prince Albert, Battleford or any other point,
nothing could be so un-British, not to say inhuman, as to abandon them
for the more exciting life on the field. Not only on Western plains, but
in India and other such portions of the Empire, has this been
exemplified. This much is said from the viewpoint of the ordinary
sensible and chivalrous onlooker. But more can be stated.

When the rebellion started with the fight at Duck Lake, the Government
dispatched General Middleton from Ottawa to the West. The plan of
campaign outlined had three objectives. General Middleton was to attack
Riel at Batoche, where the rebel headquarters were; Colonel Otter was to
march from Swift Current to the relief of Battle