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Embedded: Two Journalists, a Burlesque Star, and the Expedition to Oust Louis Riel
A first-hand chronicle of Wolseley’s expedition to end Riel’s Red River Rebellion by a remarkable trio embedded on the mission.
In the spring of 1870, two reporters set off from Toronto to cover one of the biggest stories in Canadian Colonel Garnet Wolseley’s 1870 expedition to Red River. Over the course of six months, the Daily Telegraph ’s Robert Cunningham and the Globe ’s Molyneux St. John brought readers along as they paddled and portaged alongside the expedition’s 1,100 troops and 400 voyageurs and guides from the shores of Lake Superior to Fort Garry.
But that’s not the whole story. Buried well below the fold was the fact that St. John’s wife ― international burlesque star Kate Ranoe ― accompanied him and the expedition, and not just as an adventurer. Owing to an accident early on, Ranoe ended up ghostwriting many of St. John’s stories.
Embedded is the remarkable story of two reporters and one extraordinary woman as they journeyed to Red River with Colonel Garnet Wolseley and his expeditionary force.
In the spring of 1870, two reporters set off from Toronto to cover one of the biggest stories in Canadian Colonel Garnet Wolseley’s 1870 expedition to Red River. Over the course of six months, the Daily Telegraph ’s Robert Cunningham and the Globe ’s Molyneux St. John brought readers along as they paddled and portaged alongside the expedition’s 1,100 troops and 400 voyageurs and guides from the shores of Lake Superior to Fort Garry.
But that’s not the whole story. Buried well below the fold was the fact that St. John’s wife ― international burlesque star Kate Ranoe ― accompanied him and the expedition, and not just as an adventurer. Owing to an accident early on, Ranoe ended up ghostwriting many of St. John’s stories.
Embedded is the remarkable story of two reporters and one extraordinary woman as they journeyed to Red River with Colonel Garnet Wolseley and his expeditionary force.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionCanada
288 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2020
18 people want to read
About the author
Ted Glenn
5 books2 followersLibrarian Note: Also writes under the pen name J.E. Glenn.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 2, 2025
As Canada prepares for some turbulent times south of the border, it would be remiss not to talk about some of the political fallout within our own borders as well. An election is sure to occur by October 2025 and I wanted to do a little Election Prep for Canada, as I have done for US presidential elections in years past. We have a prime minister who has resigned due to some really poor polling numbers and a salivating Leader of the Opposition wanting to topple the tower right away for his own benefit. This entire experience could be extra fun, as there are whispers from high in Washington that the upcoming election could be the last for Canada as a sovereign country before we become the 51st state. Let’s see where this reading journey takes us!
Back with another book by Ted Glenn to recount the stories of Louis Riel and the Red River Rebellion, I was prepared to learn a little more about Canadian history. Glenn dives in with this account of the events surrounding the expedition to quell the Rebellion, as well as three citizens who told the story of the journey and events for a Toronto newspaper. Filled with detailed analysis and great asides, Glenn constructs a well-paced narrative from the various means at his disposal, offering insights into the rough travels to Red River, as well as the interactions once everyone arrived. This was a wonderful read and a strong piece of Canadian history for all to enjoy.
After a period of conflict, Louis Riel and the group in the Red River Settlement agreed to become a part of the Dominion of Canada. However, they had some rules that needed to be followed, which were not entirely in line with what the Canadian Government had in mind. A skirmish ensued and a number of representatives were taken captive, which led to the eventual execution of one Thomas Scott. Enraged, Prime Minister Macdonald sent a group out to handle Riel and the Red River Rebellion, hoping to take the leader captive and settle things once and for all. This group included three civilians who were tasked with reporting on events for the Toronto Globe and Daily Telegraph, as everything proved highly newsworthy and people in Canada's largest city wanted to hear about it each and every day. Enter Robert Cunningham, and Molyneux St. John, renowned reporters with a way to bend words to keep the reader's attention. Along with St. John came his wife, Kate Ranoe, a popular burlesque dancer and entertainer who had made a name for herself as well. These three civilians sought to offer a different perspective for all to see, with their newspaper stories and personal journals.
Colonel Garnet Wolseley led the 1870 expedition, taking many troops and supplies. Much of this would be over the water from Ontario through to the Red River. The six month journey would see a great deal of struggle and need for negotiation, with Cunningham writing regularly for the Daily Telegraph and St. John handled things for the Globe. The various adventures included political bandying with the Americans--still contemplating striking on the new and still fragile Dominion--as well as a number of indigenous groups along the way, as well as whatever Mother Nature tossed their way. Still, Cunningham, St. John (sometimes aided by his wife), and the large group leading the mission would tackle anything put in their way to ensure success for Canada and provide support for the upcoming need to quell the Red River Rebellion.
The journey was long and provided a number of hard-working days. The elements were rough and the need to keep moving proved difficult, as documented throughout the book. Glenn explores how the reporters spoke of having to portage alongside the expedition with over 1100 others over vast tracts of land, just to get to Fort Garry, where they could not know what awaited them. This was, perhaps, the most troubling aspect of the entire trip and Glenn depicts it with great detail.
The final part of the book explores the actual confrontations when the group arrived at Red River, searching for Riel and demanding answers. Cunningham and St. John deliver wonderful depictions of events at Red River, as well as the push to find a resolution to the clash between Riel and Macdonald. While it is clear that the Canadian Government wanted Riel's head for his actions, a final solution seemed reasonably easy to ascertain before everyone returned to their previous lives. This reporting led to a number of important changes for both journalists and provided an opportunity for Kate Ranoe to become a public speaker on all she witnessed. A great book that was full of wonderful storytelling and shed light on a dark piece of Canadian history!
While this was only the second book by Ted Glenn that I have read, he's proven to be quite the historian. His attention to detail is second to none and the ability to pull narratives from documents is wonderful. The flow of events left me feeling as though I were in the middle of the action, particularly as he sought to weave together a coherent story from newspaper submissions and personal journals. Canadian history changed based on some of these events and Glenn highlights that as he recounts the remarkable story of two reporters and one woman who traversed great obstacles to the Red River Settlement alongside Colonel Garnet Wolseley's expeditionary force. The chapters were brief and well researched, pushing things along and adding drama where needed to keep the reader enthralled. I am happy to have discovered this book and did learn a great deal. I will be back to see what else Ted Glenn has to say about other parts of Canadian history.
Kudos, Mr. Glenn, for this great piece of history!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Back with another book by Ted Glenn to recount the stories of Louis Riel and the Red River Rebellion, I was prepared to learn a little more about Canadian history. Glenn dives in with this account of the events surrounding the expedition to quell the Rebellion, as well as three citizens who told the story of the journey and events for a Toronto newspaper. Filled with detailed analysis and great asides, Glenn constructs a well-paced narrative from the various means at his disposal, offering insights into the rough travels to Red River, as well as the interactions once everyone arrived. This was a wonderful read and a strong piece of Canadian history for all to enjoy.
After a period of conflict, Louis Riel and the group in the Red River Settlement agreed to become a part of the Dominion of Canada. However, they had some rules that needed to be followed, which were not entirely in line with what the Canadian Government had in mind. A skirmish ensued and a number of representatives were taken captive, which led to the eventual execution of one Thomas Scott. Enraged, Prime Minister Macdonald sent a group out to handle Riel and the Red River Rebellion, hoping to take the leader captive and settle things once and for all. This group included three civilians who were tasked with reporting on events for the Toronto Globe and Daily Telegraph, as everything proved highly newsworthy and people in Canada's largest city wanted to hear about it each and every day. Enter Robert Cunningham, and Molyneux St. John, renowned reporters with a way to bend words to keep the reader's attention. Along with St. John came his wife, Kate Ranoe, a popular burlesque dancer and entertainer who had made a name for herself as well. These three civilians sought to offer a different perspective for all to see, with their newspaper stories and personal journals.
Colonel Garnet Wolseley led the 1870 expedition, taking many troops and supplies. Much of this would be over the water from Ontario through to the Red River. The six month journey would see a great deal of struggle and need for negotiation, with Cunningham writing regularly for the Daily Telegraph and St. John handled things for the Globe. The various adventures included political bandying with the Americans--still contemplating striking on the new and still fragile Dominion--as well as a number of indigenous groups along the way, as well as whatever Mother Nature tossed their way. Still, Cunningham, St. John (sometimes aided by his wife), and the large group leading the mission would tackle anything put in their way to ensure success for Canada and provide support for the upcoming need to quell the Red River Rebellion.
The journey was long and provided a number of hard-working days. The elements were rough and the need to keep moving proved difficult, as documented throughout the book. Glenn explores how the reporters spoke of having to portage alongside the expedition with over 1100 others over vast tracts of land, just to get to Fort Garry, where they could not know what awaited them. This was, perhaps, the most troubling aspect of the entire trip and Glenn depicts it with great detail.
The final part of the book explores the actual confrontations when the group arrived at Red River, searching for Riel and demanding answers. Cunningham and St. John deliver wonderful depictions of events at Red River, as well as the push to find a resolution to the clash between Riel and Macdonald. While it is clear that the Canadian Government wanted Riel's head for his actions, a final solution seemed reasonably easy to ascertain before everyone returned to their previous lives. This reporting led to a number of important changes for both journalists and provided an opportunity for Kate Ranoe to become a public speaker on all she witnessed. A great book that was full of wonderful storytelling and shed light on a dark piece of Canadian history!
While this was only the second book by Ted Glenn that I have read, he's proven to be quite the historian. His attention to detail is second to none and the ability to pull narratives from documents is wonderful. The flow of events left me feeling as though I were in the middle of the action, particularly as he sought to weave together a coherent story from newspaper submissions and personal journals. Canadian history changed based on some of these events and Glenn highlights that as he recounts the remarkable story of two reporters and one woman who traversed great obstacles to the Red River Settlement alongside Colonel Garnet Wolseley's expeditionary force. The chapters were brief and well researched, pushing things along and adding drama where needed to keep the reader enthralled. I am happy to have discovered this book and did learn a great deal. I will be back to see what else Ted Glenn has to say about other parts of Canadian history.
Kudos, Mr. Glenn, for this great piece of history!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 1, 2021
It was eventually interesting. Definitely not a summer read. I needed to spend more time thinking about the adventure to get the most out of the book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews