William Francis Butler (1838–1910)
Author of The Great Lone Land A Narrative of Travel and Adventure in the North-West of America
About the Author
Image credit: Sir William Francis Butler. Wikimedia Commons.
Works by William Francis Butler
The Great Lone Land A Narrative of Travel and Adventure in the North-West of America (1968) 23 copies, 3 reviews
The wild north land : being the story of a winter journey, with dogs, across northern North America (1968) 17 copies
Sir Charles Napier 4 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Butler, William Francis
- Birthdate
- 1838-10-31
- Date of death
- 1910-06-07
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Tullabeg College, Ireland
- Occupations
- soldier
- Awards and honors
- Order of the Bath (Knight Commander)
- Relationships
- Lady Butler, Elizabeth Southerden Thompson (wife)
- Short biography
- In 1858 he received a commission in the 69th Regiment, which he joined at the depot at Fermoy, and after two years he was sent to Madras. The regiment returned to England in 1864. In 1867 he visited Canada for the first time, and went back there again after a brief visit to Ireland, with a mission from Colonel Wolseley to find out the true state of feeling in the Red River settlement. In October, 1870, he was intrusted with a fresh mission to report on the need of troops, the fur trade, the Indians etc., in Saskatchewan, following the course of the Saskatchewan River from Carlton to the Rocky Mountains. At the close of 1875 he joined the staff of the War Office, and in 1877 he married Elizabeth Thompson, the famous military painter. He was denied some promotions due to the fact that he was a Catholic, but he took part in campaigns in Egypt and South Africa. After retirement he returned to Ireland. He was a frequent lecturer both in Dublin and the provinces on historical, social, and economic questions. He was a member of the senate of the National University of Ireland, and a commissioner of the Board of National Education.
- Nationality
- Ireland
- Birthplace
- Ballyslatteen, Tipperary, Ireland
- Places of residence
- Dublin, Ireland
Aldershot, Ireland
County Tipperary, Ireland
Red River Settlement, Manitoba, Canada - Associated Place (for map)
- Ireland
Members
Reviews
The Great Lone Land - A Narrative of Travel and Adventure in the North-West of America by William Francis Butler
William Butler left Montreal for Red River and Fort Garry on 13 Jun 1870 to meet up with General Wolseley who was travelling there to subdue the Red River Rebellion. He was to get a feeling for the temper of the Metis and managed to meet with Louis Riel their leader. When that completed, he was commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor of the new province of Manitoba to travel as far west as he could and make a report of events with recommendations upon his return. Butler was a hard driving show more man who thrived in hard conditions and was indefatigable often enduring hours in the saddle, canoe, snowshoes, or dog sled. He hired drivers who provided their own dogs and sleds and was very sympathetic to the sled dogs who were beaten continuously to make them continue working for he detested abuse to dogs and horses. “Dogs in the territories of the Northwest have but one function – to haul. Pointer, setter, lurcher, foxhound, greyhound, Indian mongrel, miserable cur or beautiful Esquimaux, all alike are destined to pull a sled of some kind or other during the months of snow and ice: all are destined to howl under the driver’s lash; to tug wildly at the moose skin collar; to drag until they can drag no more, and then to die.” At times he despaired of his inability to make a difference in the lives of these dogs. “… what a host of sadly resigned faces rises up in the dusky light of the fire! Faces seared by whip-mark and blow of stick, faces mutely conscious that that master for whom the dog gives up every thing in this life was treating him in a most brutal manner.” He made it as far as present day Rocky Mountain House but for the lack of a guide in the deep winter was forced to return and write up his report which was presented in March 1871. . In it he advocated for the creation of a Civil Magistrate, an armed force of mounted and ground men to ensure the peace (future North West Mounted Police), and two government areas to parcel out land for settlers. He was sympathetic to Riel’s cause and to the native tribes he met along the way and to the bison which were being whipped out. This book made Butler famous because of his descriptive language, adventures, and engaging writing style. Every lover of Canadian history should read this book. show less
The Great Lone Land A Narrative of Travel and Adventure in the North-West of America by William Francis Butler
This was a magnificent tale of real-life travel in the North America of the 1870s. Trains and boats, horses and feet were the mode of transport. A landscape unrecognisable today (I'd imagine), as the native Americans still roamed free on the open prairie of the Mid West, and the lunatic rebel thrown in for good measure. And, it is all real.
Beware of some OCR problems though.
Beware of some OCR problems though.
The Great Lone Land: A of Travel and Adventure, in the North-West of America (Classic Reprint) by William Francis Butler
A well-written account of the author's travels in 1870s Canada and United States.
Lists
Statistics
- Works
- 10
- Members
- 62
- Popularity
- #271,093
- Rating
- 4.7
- Reviews
- 3
- ISBNs
- 20