# Halifax Provisional Battalion

Part of a series on the :
Military history of Nova Scotia :
Citadel Hill in Halifax :
Notable eventsBattle of Port Royal1690Siege of Port Royal1710Battle of Winnepang1722Northeast Coast Campaign1745Battle of Grand Pré1747Dartmouth Massacre1751Bay of Fundy Campaign1755Siege of Louisbourg1758Royal Naval Dockyard, Halifax1758Halifax Treaties1760–1761Battle of Fort Cumberland1776Raid on Lunenburg1782Establishment of New Ireland1812Capture of USS Chesapeake1813‪Battle of the Great Redan1855‪Siege of Lucknow1857CSS Tallahassee escape1861‪Halifax Provisional Battalion1885‪Battle of Witpoort1899‪Battle of Paardeberg1899Imprisonment of Leon Trotsky1917Jewish Legion formed1917Sinking of Llandovery Castle1918Battle of the St. Lawrence1942–1944Sinking of Point Pleasant Park1945Halifax VE-Day riot1945 :
Notable regimentsMi'kmaq militias1677–1779Acadian militias1689–176140th Regiment of Foot1717–1757Louisbourg Garrison1717–1758Gorham's Rangers1744–1762Danks' Rangers1756–176284th Regiment of Foot1775–1784Royal Fencible American1775–1783Royal Nova Scotia Volunteers1775–1783King's Orange Rangers1776–17831st Field Artilleryfrom 1791Royal Nova Scotia1793–1802Nova Scotia Fencibles1803–1816Halifax Riflesfrom 1860Princess Louise Fusiliersfrom 186778th Highland1869–1871Cape Breton Highlandersfrom 1871Nova Scotia Rifles1914–1919No. 2 Construction Battalion1916–1919West Nova Scotiafrom 1916Nova Scotia Highlandersfrom 1954 :
Related topics
Captivity narratives
Impressment :
Category
Commons
Canada portal :
vte :
The Halifax Provisional Battalion was a military unit from Nova Scotia, Canada, which was sent to fight in the North-West Rebellion in 1885. The battalion was under command of Lieutenant-Colonel James J. Bremner and consisted of 350 soldiers made up three companies from the Princess Louise Fusiliers, three companies of the 63rd Halifax Rifles (formerly the Halifax Volunteer Battalion), 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 Saturday, 11 April 1885 and they stayed for almost three months.
The battalion was assigned garrison duty along the CPR 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, Swift Current, Saskatchewan Landing and Medicine Hat. Soldiers had to remain on high alert because of possible raids on their positions.
Prior to Nova Scotia's involvement in the Rebellion, "Canada's first war", 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, 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 declared, "This Battalion... went out Nova Scotians, they returned Canadians." The wrought iron gates at the Halifax Public Gardens were made in the battalion's honour.

## Swift Current

After eleven days on the train, the battalion arrived at Winnipeg, Manitoba, on 22 April, at 5 a.m. On the 29th the battalion received orders to go to Swift Current, District of Assiniboia, 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 and a portion of the Midland Battalion.

## 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 and other Indians. Further, the battalion was warned of a possible attack on Medicine Hat, 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 was a company of Stuart's scouts (the Rocky Mountain Rangers), 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 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."