▁a ▁likely ▁territorial ▁headquarters ▁Qu ' App elle ▁att ained ▁national ▁prom in ence ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁during ▁the ▁North - West ▁Reb ell ion . ▁Until ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Qu ’ App elle , ▁Long ▁Lake , ▁and ▁S ask atch ew an ▁Railway ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁linked ▁the ▁newly ▁established ▁Regin a ▁with ▁S ask ato on ▁and ▁Prince ▁Albert , ▁Qu ' App elle ▁was ▁the ▁major ▁deb ark ation ▁and ▁distribution ▁centre ▁for ▁the ▁North - West ▁Territ ories . ▁ ▁General ▁Frederick ▁Dob son ▁Middle ton , ▁who ▁b illet ed ▁in ▁Qu ' App elle ' s ▁Queen ' s ▁Hotel ▁( which ▁surv ived ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century ), ▁made ▁Qu ' App elle ▁the ▁mar sh alling ▁point ▁to ▁the ▁loc us ▁of ▁the ▁North - West ▁Reb ell ion ▁( the ▁S ask atch ew an ▁or ▁Second ▁R iel ▁Reb ell ion ) ▁in ▁the ▁north - west ▁for ▁troops ▁arriv ing ▁by ▁train ▁from ▁eastern ▁Canada . ▁ ▁For ▁some ▁years ▁Qu ' App elle ▁was ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁national ▁attention ▁as ▁journal ists ▁based ▁there ▁reported ▁back ▁home ▁to ▁eastern ▁Canada ▁on ▁develop ments ▁in ▁the ▁S ask atch ew an ▁Reb ell ion . ▁Qu ' App elle ' s ▁significance ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁before ▁the ▁anticip ated ▁prom in ence ▁of ▁it ▁and ▁Fort ▁Qu ' App elle ▁was ▁substantial ly ▁reduced ▁by ▁Lieutenant