THE RED RIVER REBELLION. Letter From a British Staff Officer in the Field. Freezing in his Tent in the Forenoon and Sweltering in the Afternoon-Savage Camp Followers.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 106, 13 June 1885, Page 5

THE RED RIVER REBELLION. Letter From a British Staff Officer in the Field. Freezing in his Tent in the Forenoon and Sweltering in the AfternoonSavage Camp Followers.

, Swnra Current, N. W. T., Canada, April ; 22.— I write this letter in my tent. ' A camp > bed, covered with a few rough blankets,an- ' swers for a chair, and two biscuit boxes do duty foratable. Belts, swords, revolvers, field glasses, bags, spurs, havresacks, and holdalls " hangs from the tent pole. The tent itself is covered with military trappings from ground to top. Small icicles are suspended from the crown of the tent, while the door is closely buttoned and I am wrapped in my greatcoat. My feet are cold, my fingers pinched, and I am scrawling rather than writing this letter. The cold, dry air comes through the crevices and down the ventilators, and a cap of snow crowns the summit of the tent pole. Col. Von Straubenzee, D.A.G., is studying a map of the campaign at the othor end of my camp bed. He is a veteran of many battles, and his breast is coverod with medals, won in India and China. He is to command the infantry brigade under Gen. Middleton, and he is here waiting for transportation to the front. As he bends over the map before him, his grey beard falls over his fatigue jacket, and his appearance is comme a la guerre. He has discarded regulation trousers, and wears a pair of hunting breeches made of corduroy. His boots are dirty, and his uniform is stained with the dust of travel. He ia figuring out questions of supplies, and his map is covered with notes about waggons, teams, depots, escorts, teamsters, break downs, and the haps and mishaps attendant on feeding an army in the field. Outside my tent I hoar the measured tread of men's feet moving over tho ground, and the command of the drill instructor, clear, sharp anddocisive. It is the Midland Battalion, under command oi Capt. Williams. M. P., at its morning drill. Itis a composite corpg, what the French call regiments du march, made up of many battalions to meet the exigencies of the hour. Bands of woollen cloth cover the legs from the ankle to tho knee, aftor tho fashion of tho troops in Egypt and India. They call these covorings "putties." While warm and serviceable looking, they prevent the veins of the legs from swelling on the march. Some^ of the men have fur caps pulled over their ears, while others have large mufflers tied over their forage caps. I can now hear them doubling over the ground to keep the blood in circulation, for the air is biting, if dry, out on these bleak prairies, even thus late in showery April. These men are armed with Snider-Enfiold rifles. Their equipment is of the old kind, with packs, havresacks, ball bags, and belt, such as were worn twenty years ago. Their physiquo is good, and their faces are bronzed by exposure to the wintry winds. Squaws are lounging about tho fringe of the camp. They are of mixed tribes, the Crees and Chippewas, and thoy are picking up refuse with which to make their midday meal. They are gaunt, big boned, and hungry looking. Their faces aro painted red and their blankets are of many hues. The old and middle aged carry papooses on their backs, and they aro not good looking in our eyes. Even the children are not fair to the eye. As the men are dismissed the squaws equat around the camp kitchens and look at tho cooks preparing breakfast, as dogs look at their masters whilo waiting for a bono. At this season of the year they cook and eat the offal and scraps, which the squaws colloct while tho buckslounge around theirtepees pitched on a neighbouring hill. The fingers of tho squaws are covered with brass rings, and tho lowor part of their legs are encased in buckskin and often ornamented with bead work about the ankle. They all smoke, and as they open their "fire bags," which are usually nearly empty, they look at us and grin. This we interpret as a plea for tobacco, and an odd piece of plug or some finecut is thrown down by the soldiers. Some of their boys were amusing a group by shooting at a tin can with bows and arrows. At twenty paces they knock tho mark ovor with an exportness born of practice. They never ask for presents, but they appeal by looks to the white men around them. Of " skidewaghfcoo " or fire water they know little or nothing, for the sale of liquor is prohibited. An odd one among them may bo found doing a little work around the village, and occasionally a buck will carry water for a small consideration. In winter they shoot black-tailed deor and antelopes, and trade the meat and skins for grocorics and knick-knacks. The faces of them are striped diagonally with black, and their heads aro ornamented with the feathors of birds of many plumages. Looking to the left of our encampment, I can see the headquarters of tho Ambulance Corps, where Dr Niddock, the ominent surgoon of Montreal, is busy preparing hospital stores for tho oxigoncios of the campaign. Thore are t won ty-five surgeons and dressors in the party. Ono of them, Dr. Douglas^ wears the most highly prized of all decorations in tho British service— the Victoria Crossnever given except for valour in the field. The buglo sounds. It is the order for Col. Williams to send two companies to tho crossing of ilio south Saskatchewan. They aro to bo under the command of Major Smith, who, in civil lifo, is deputy Master-at-Arms at Ottawa. In a short time tho mon are paraded. So sudden aro the changes in this country that tho air has bocome mild, whilo the sun shines through the bank of clouds and the therm ometerregisters 50degs. in tho shade. I can see officers and men hurrying about the oncampment. Tho hum of preparation is around me. Major Ricards, tho supply officer, is busy providing toams for transportation. Ho is an old soldier, and ho is covered with scars received in Now Zoaland whon the Maoris were in revolt in Taranaki on tho Waikato. The command has fallon in and marches from the ground by successive companies, while their companions gave them three cheors and a tiger. They go by the trail due north, and win! make the river, if all is well, tomorrow evening.