Halifax Provisional Battalion
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The Halifax Provisional Battalion was a military unit from
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
, Canada, which was sent to fight against the
North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (), was an armed rebellion of Métis under Louis Riel and an associated uprising of Cree and Assiniboine mostly in the District of Saskatchewan, against the Government of Canada, Canadian government. Important events i ...
in 1885. The
battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...
was under command of Lieutenant-Colonel James J. Bremner and consisted of 350 soldiers made up three companies from the 66th Princess Louise Fusiliers, three companies of the 63rd Halifax Rifles (formerly the
Halifax Volunteer Battalion The Halifax Volunteer Battalion (1860–1868) included six companies that were raised in present-day Halifax Regional Municipality. The six companies included the Scottish Rifles, Chebucto Grays, Mayflower Rifles, Halifax Rifles, Irish Volunte ...
), and two companies of the 1st "Halifax" Brigade of Garrison Artillery, with 32 officers. The battalion left Halifax under orders for the North-West on 11 April 1885, and they stayed for almost three months. The battalion was assigned garrison duty along the
Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...
main line that stretched across the prairies. After a short stay in Winnipeg, the battalion was broken into four components and sent to
Moose Jaw Moose Jaw is the List of cities in Saskatchewan, fourth largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lying on the Moose Jaw River in the south-central part of the province, it is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina, Saskatchewan, Re ...
,
Swift Current Swift Current is the sixth-largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is situated along the Trans-Canada Highway west of Moose Jaw, and east of Medicine Hat, Alberta. As of 2024, Swift Current has an estimated population of ...
, Saskatchewan Landing and
Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, R ...
. Soldiers had to remain on high alert because of possible raids on their positions. Prior to Nova Scotia's involvement in putting down the rebellion, the province remained hostile to Canada in the aftermath of how the colony was forced into Canada. The celebration that followed the Halifax Provisional Battalion's return by train across the county ignited a national patriotism in Nova Scotia. Prime Minister
Robert Borden Sir Robert Laird Borden (June 26, 1854 – June 10, 1937) was a Canadian lawyer and Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942), Conservative politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. He is best known ...
, stated that "up to this time Nova Scotia hardly regarded itself as included in the Canadian Confederation... The rebellion evoked a new spirit... The Riel Rebellion did more to unite Nova Scotia with the rest of Canada than any event that had occurred since Confederation." Similarly, in 1907 Governor General
Earl Grey Earl Grey is a title in the peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. In 1801, he was given the title Baron Grey of Howick in the County of Northumberland, and in 1806 he was created Viscoun ...
declared, "This Battalion... went out Nova Scotians, they returned Canadians." The wrought iron gates at the
Halifax Public Gardens The Halifax Public Gardens are Victorian-era public gardens formally established in 1867, the year of Canadian Confederation. The gardens are located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the Halifax Peninsula near the popular shopping district of Spri ...
were made in the battalion's honour.David A. Sutherland. "Halifax Encounter with the North-West Uprising of 1885". ''Journal of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society''. Vol. 13, 2010. p. 73


Swift Current

After eleven days on the train, the battalion arrived at
Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
, on 22 April, at 5 a.m. On the 29th the battalion received orders to go to
Swift Current Swift Current is the sixth-largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is situated along the Trans-Canada Highway west of Moose Jaw, and east of Medicine Hat, Alberta. As of 2024, Swift Current has an estimated population of ...
,
District of Assiniboia Assiniboia District refers to two historical Districts of the Northwest Territories, districts of Canada's Northwest Territories. The name is taken from the Assiniboine people, Assiniboine First Nation. Historical usage ''For more information on ...
, and marched on same day at 4 p.m. The battalion arrived at Swift Current at 8 p.m. on the 30th, and the next day it camped beside the 7th Battalion Fusiliers and a portion of the
Midland Provisional Battalion The Midland Provisional Battalion (also known as The Midland Battalion) was a military unit of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army) from Eastern Ontario, Canada, which fought in the North-West Rebellion ...
.


Medicine Hat

On 5 May a telegram was received to hold the 63rd contingent of the Halifax Provisional Battalion in readiness to repel an uprising of the
Blackfoot The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'', or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bl ...
and other Indians. Further, the battalion was warned of a possible attack on
Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, R ...
, District of Assiniboia. As a result, the headquarters of the Halifax Provisional Battalion with the 66th contingent was ordered to Medicine Hat, where it arrived early the next morning. Also encamped on the
South Saskatchewan River The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. The river begins at the confluence of the Bow River, Bow and Oldman Rivers in southern Alberta and ends at the Saskatchewan River Forks in ce ...
was a company of Stuart's scouts (the
Rocky Mountain Rangers The Rocky Mountain Rangers is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, one of only four infantry regiments in British Columbia, and the only infantry unit that recruits in Northern BC and much of the Interior. The regimental hea ...
), a body of mounted cowboys. All the parties remained at Medicine Hat until the end of the rebellion.


Saskatchewan Landing

Shortly after the headquarters of the battalion left Swift Current for Medicine Hat two companies of the 63rd contingent were ordered to Saskatchewan Landing, where they were employed loading scows, forwarding supplies, and assisting in transporting across the river.


Moose Jaw

One company of the 63rd and the Halifax Garrison Artillery remained at Swift Current whilst it continued to be the base of supplies. The troops moved to
Moose Jaw Moose Jaw is the List of cities in Saskatchewan, fourth largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. Lying on the Moose Jaw River in the south-central part of the province, it is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Regina, Saskatchewan, Re ...
when it became the base, and the two companies from the Saskatchewan Landing shortly afterwards joined them. On these two detachments fell the labour of handling and transferring all the supplies going to the front, and furnishing the necessary guards, so that they were kept fully employed, at times of necessity the non-commissioned officers voluntarily doing the fatigue duties of privates. The men expected that their work was the prelude to being allowed to take part in the fighting at the front, as other corps preceding them had been relieved in due order. To the disappointment of many of the battalion, the war finished before they were required to go to the frontline.


Aftermath

The headquarters of the Halifax Provisional Battalion left Medicine Hat on the night of 30 June, and arrived at Moose Jaw early on 2 July, the battalion being now re-united entire. After remaining at Moose Jaw a week the battalion was ordered to Winnipeg, where it arrived on 10 July, and went into camp. The battalion left Winnipeg on 10 July for Halifax. Along the entire route the battalion was met with "continued ovation; the kindness of the people of the towns of Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec being beyond description". The reception at Halifax two weeks later on July 24 was "most enthusiastic, the whole population apparently having turned out."


See also

*
Military history of Nova Scotia Nova Scotia (also known as Mi'kma'ki and Acadia) is a Canadian province located in Canada's Maritimes. The region was initially occupied by Mi'kmaq. The colonial history of Nova Scotia includes the present-day Maritime Provinces and the northern ...
*
History of the Halifax Regional Municipality Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...
*
Militia Act of 1855 The ''Militia Act'' of 1855 was an Act of Parliament, Act passed by the Parliament of the Province of Canada that permitted the formation of an "Active Militia", which was later subdivided into the Permanent Active Militia and the Non-Permanent ...


References

;Texts * David A. Sutherland. "Halifax Encounter with the North-West Uprising of 1885". ''Journal of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society''. Vol. 13, 2010.
Joseph Edwards. The Militia of Nova Scotia, 1749-1867. Collections of the Nova Scotia historical Society
;Endnotes {{Reflist


External links


The History of the North West RebellionExperience of the Halifax Battalion in the North West History of the Halifax volunteer battalion and volunteer companies: 1859-1887 By Thomas J. Egan
North-West Rebellion Infantry Battalions of the Canadian Militia Canadian Militia units of The North-West Rebellion Military units and formations of Nova Scotia 1885 establishments in Nova Scotia 1885 disestablishments in Nova Scotia