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The Royal North-West Mounted Police
A Corps History by Captain Ernest J Chambers


Preface

Chapter I.—A Rig Problem for a Young Country.—The Necessity of Providing for the Protection of Life and Property in the Great West during the Process of its Exploration and Settlement.—Some Notes on the Early History of Canada's Great North-West.—Colonel Robertson Ross Reconnaissance of 1872 and his Report.

Chapter II.—Organization of the North-West Mounted Police.—How the Authority of the Dominion was Advanced Eight Hundred Miles Westward from Manitoba to the Foot Hills of the Rockies by the Big March of 1874.

Chapter III.—The First Winter in the Far West.—Hardships of the Pioneers of Fort Macleod. —The Illicit Whisky Trade Suppressed and Law and Order Established.—A Marvellous Change.— The First Detachment on the Saskatchewan.—Trouble with the St. Laurent Half-Breeds.— General Sir Selby Smyth's Inspection and Favourable Report.

Chapter IV.—Col. Macleod Commissioner.—The Development of the North-West Territories under Proper Protection.—Dealings with the Indians.—The Sun Dance.—The Big Treaty with the Blackfeet.

Chapter V.—The Sitting Bull Incident.—Unwelcome Visitors from the United States Impose several years Hard Work and Grave Responsibilities.—Sitting Bull and the Custer Massacre.

Chapter VI.—Under Sir John Again.—The Mounted Police placed under the Department of the Interior.—Experimental Farming by the Force.—Lieut.-Col. A. G. Irvine, succeeds Lieut.-Col Macleod as Commissioner.—Difficulties with the Indians in the Southern Part of the Territories.— Tribes Induced to leave the Danger Zone near the International Frontier.—The Establishment of the Force Increased by Two Hundred Men.

Chapter VII.—Lord Lorne's Tour.—A Vice-Regal Escort which Travelled over Twelve Hundred Miles.—Some Notes of a Highly Significant Prairie Pilgrimage.

Chapter VIII.—Headquarters Removed to Regina.—The Usefulness of Fort Walsh Disappears, and the Post is Abandoned.—The Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.—A Record in Track-Laying and an Equally Creditable Record in the Maintenance of Order.—Extra Duties Imposed upon the North-West Mounted Police.

Chapter IX.—The Rebellion of 1885.—The Uprising Predicted by Officers of the Force well in Advance of the Actual Appeal to Arms.—Irvine's Splendid March from Regina to Prince Albert.—The Fight at Duck Lake, and Abandonment of Fort Carlton. —Services of the Detachments at Prince Albert, Battleford and Fort Pitt and of those which Accompanied the Militia Columns throughout the Campaign.

Chapter X.—Increase of Strength and Duties.—The Establishment Raised to 1,000 Men.— L. W. Herchmer Commissioner.—More Vice-Regal Visits.—Extension of the Sphere of Operations Northward to the Athabasca and Peace River Districts and into the Yukon.—The Fight to Suppress the Illicit Liquor Trade.—The Force Loses a Good Friend in Sir John Macdonald but gains another in Sir Wilfrid Laurier.—The "Almighty Voice" Tragedy.—Rapid Extension of the Yukon Duties.

Chapter XI.—Under the Present Commissioner.—Handsome and Useful Contributions of the. North-West. Mounted Police towards the Armies fighting the Battles of Empire in South Africa.—The Victoria Cross.—Great Extension of the. Work of the Force in Yukon and the Far North.—The Memorable Visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, and the Conferring upon the Force of the Distinction "Royal".—The Earl of Minto Honorary Commissioner.— Vice-Regal Visits.—The Inauguration of the New Provinces.-The Hudson Bay Detachments. Something about the Force as it is To-day and the Work it is Doing.

Misc. Notes

The Canadians: Sam Steele

You may also wish to read:

Policing the Plains by R. G. MacBeth
Riders of the Plains by A. L. Haydon


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