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 The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...

) from Eastern Ontario, Canada, which fought in the

North-West Rebellion The North-West Rebellion (french: Rébellion du Nord-Ouest), also known as the North-West Resistance, was a resistance by the Métis people under Louis Riel and an associated uprising by First Nations Cree and Assiniboine of the District of S ...

of 1885. Placed under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel A.T.H. Williams of the

46th East Durham Battalion The Durham Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). In 1936, the regiment was Amalgamated with The Northumberland Regiment to form The Midland Regiment (which now form ...

, the battalion consisted of around 370 officers and men by grouping together 8 companies from 7 different Canadian Militia infantry battalions from Eastern Ontario and served during the conflict in General Middleton’s Column of the North West Field Force. The battalion most notably served at the Battle of Batoche, where fighting alongside the

10th Royal Grenadiers The Royal Grenadiers was an infantry regiment of the Non-Permanent Active Militia of the Canadian Militia (now the Canadian Army). The regiment was unique in its history as it was only one of two regiments in the Canadian Army to be designated ...

and with support from the

90th Winnipeg Rifles The Royal Winnipeg Rifles (R Wpg Rif) are a Primary Reserve one-battalion infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. Nicknamed the "Little Black Devils", they are based at Minto Armoury in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Royal Winnipeg Rifles are part of 3rd ...

, the battalion charged and captured the Métis rifle pits. After the end of the rebellion, the battalion was disbanded in the same year.

Organization

The Midland Provisional Battalion consisted of eight companies mobilized from different Ontario militia battalions: * A Company (from the 15th Battalion, Argyll Light Infantry – Belleville) * B Company (from the 40th Northumberland Battalion – Cobourg) * C Company (from the 45th West Durham Battalion – Lindsay) * D Company (from the

– Port Hope) * E Company (from the 46th East Durham Battalion – Port Hope) * F Company (from the 47th Frontenac Battalion – Portsmouth) * G Company (from the 57th Battalion, Peterborough Rangers – Peterborough) * H Company (from the 49th Battalion Hastings Rifles – Hastings County (Belleville))

Notable members

* Lt.-Colonel

Arthur Trefusis Heneage Williams Lt.-Colonel The Hon. Arthur Trefusis Heneage Williams (June 13, 1837 – July 4, 1885) was a Canadian businessman, farmer and political figure. His statue stands in front of the town hall of Port Hope, Ontario. Biography Born at Penryn Pa ...

{{Cite web , title=Biography – WILLIAMS, ARTHUR TREFUSIS HENEAGE – Volume XI (1881-1890) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography , url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio.php?id_nbr=5905 , access-date=2022-07-01 , website=www.biographi.ca

References

North-West Rebellion Canadian Militia units of The North-West Rebellion Infantry Battalions of the Canadian Militia Canadian Militia Military units and formations of Ontario