Pork, Beans and Hard Tack

DESCRIPTION: "Our volunteers are soldiers bold, so say the people all... They leave their homes on starving pay to take the nitchies' (Indians') life." Fed poor rations, they are sent all around Canada by train, boat, and foot
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1887
KEYWORDS: soldier hardtimes Canada
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1885 - Second Metis uprising, which collapsed despite the failure of Canadian troops to defeat the enemy
FOUND IN: Canada
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Fowke/Mills/Blume-CanadasStoryInSong, pp. 127-129, "Pork, Beans and Hard Tack" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #4516
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Riel's Song" and references there (subject)
NOTES [88 words]: For the historical background to the Metis uprisings, see "Riel's Song." This song (which appeared in the University of Toronto Songbook only two years after the revolt) accurately describes the fate of the soldiers sent to pursue Riel.
Sent west by rail, the troops had to finish their trek by boat and foot, with rations even worse than they enjoyed on the train. Having reached Metis country, they had great difficulty finding the enemy, and spent time as laborers. Then they were sent back, primarily by boat, to Winnipeg. - RBW
File: FMB127

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