Between the Forks and Carleton

DESCRIPTION: "Last Saturday night young William Tate Enrolled his scouts, he would not wait, But galloping up though he was late Between the Forks and Carleton." The soldiers report that "for the French we've made a shroud" and "Middeton had made them run"
AUTHOR: Billy Smith
EARLIEST DATE: 1958
KEYWORDS: battle Canada
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
May 12, 1885 - Battle of Batoche. Defeat of the Metis under Louis Riel
FOUND IN: Canada(Ont)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Fowke/Mills/Blume-CanadasStoryInSong, pp. 132-133, "Between the Forks and Carleton" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #4514
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Riel's Song" and references there (subject)
NOTES [90 words]: Billy Smith (born c. 1870) was a youth living not far from Batoche at the time of the Métis uprising (for which see the notes to "Riel's Song"). The title of the song refers to the site of the Battle of Batoche, where General Middleton defeated the rebels when their ammunition ran out.
"The Forks" is not a river fork but a trail fork; one branch of the road led to Prince Albert (the closest major town to Batoche) and the other led to Fort Carleton.
The tune is said to be based on "Johnny Cope," though obviously somewhat worn down. - RBW
File: FMB132

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