General Sir Frederick Dobson Middleton (4 November 1825 – 25 January 1898) was a British general noted for his service throughout the Empire and particularly in the North-West Rebellion in Canada. Imperial Military career Educated at Maidstone Grammar School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Middleton was commissioned into the 58th Regiment of Foot in 1842. He served in the New Zealand Wars and in 1845, he was mentioned in dispatches for his part in the capture of the stronghold of Māori chief Te Ruki Kawiti. In 1848 he transferred to the 96th Regiment of Foot in India and took part in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny in which campaign he was recommended for, but not awarded, the Victoria Cross. He went on to be Commandant of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1879. Canadian military career He was appointed General Officer Commanding the Militia of Canada in 1884. Middleton just happened to be on the scene when in 1885 a group of Métis launched the North-West Rebellion. Middleton was named commander of the main force used to put it down. His force was victorious in the Battle of Batoche, which ended the rebellion. Middleton had travelled from Ottawa to Winnipeg to evaluate Military District 10, which covered the Prairies, as the officer in charge of District 10 had just been dismissed on the account of his alcoholism. This was the same day as the Battle of Duck Lake, the opening round of the Rebellion. Métis fighters defeated a force of the North-West Mounted Police there. Though Middleton was elderly and cautious, his response to the news of Duck Lake was swift. That same day, he departed Winnipeg on a train bound for Qu'Appelle with a company of Manitoba militia. The major difficulty for Middleton was mobilizing the militia forces of Ontario and Quebec. They had to travel on the only-partially-completed Canadian Pacific Railway. This required the men to march through the snow and rocks of northern Ontario to reach Winnipeg, the headquarters of the Canadian forces. Canadian historian Desmond Morton described Middleton as an experienced soldier who "mixed common sense and pomposity in equal measure". His plan was to take Batoche, the capital of the Métis exovedate (council), which he predicated would end the rebellion. As the rebellion had shaken international confidence in the credit-worthiness of Canada, Middleton was under immense pressure from Prime Minister Sir John A.