Troublous Times in Canada | Page 8

Company was formally gazetted on September
5th, 1855. Among the names that appear on the first roll of this
Company are those of William H. Jackson and Wilmot H. Cole, both of
whom are still living at this date, and are supposed to be the only two
survivors of the old corps. Each of these gentlemen took a great interest
in military affairs, and after duly qualifying themselves, were gradually
promoted in the service until they attained high commands--the former
being appointed one of the first Brigade Majors under the Militia Act of
1862 (and subsequently becoming a Deputy Adjutant-General, who
discharged important duties at Brockville, London, Winnipeg and
Ottawa), while Wilmot H. Cole, after serving through all the grades,
rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel of the Forty-first Battalion (of
which the Brockville Rifles was always No. 1 Company), the duties of
which position he filled with great ability and credit for twenty-seven
consecutive years, retiring on July 1st, 1898.
The Brockville Rifle Company was selected by the Government as one
of the units to form the regiment organized in 1864, under command of
Lieut.-Col. W. Osborne Smith, to guard the St. Clair and Detroit River
frontiers (extending from Sarnia on the north to Amherstburg on the
south) for the purpose of preventing raids from Canadian territory on
the United States by organized gangs of desperate men from the

Confederate States, who had come north for that purpose.
The Canadian regiment had its headquarters at Windsor, with
detachments posted at that point, and at Sarnia, Chatham, Sandwich
and Amherstburg. To the latter point the Brockville and Belleville Rifle
Companies were sent in command of the following officers:--
Brockville Rifle Company--Major James Crawford, Lieut. W. H. Cole,
and Ensign Edmund W. Windeat.
Belleville Rifle Company--Capt. Charles G. Le Vesconte. Lieut. James
Brown, and Ensign Mackenzie Bowell.
The two companies at Amherstburg improved their time by engaging in
constant drill, and by the maintenance of strict discipline and close
attention to the duties required of them, they became very efficient.
After five months of frontier service the regiment was relieved on the
4th of May, 1865, and returned to their homes.
In the fall of 1865 the Fenians began to get very active, and the feeling
prevailed among the people of Brockville that some provision should
be made for the protection of that town. The Brockville Rifles at that
time was in a very efficient condition, having four officers and 85 rank
and file, as follows:--Major James Crawford in command, Lieut. W. H.
Cole, Ensign E. W. Windeat and 65 non-commissioned officers and
men, with an additional gun detachment composed of one officer and
20 men, equipped with a 6-pound brass field gun, under command of
Lieut. Robert Bowie, who had been at Amherstburg with the company
the year previous. (Lieut. Bowie was born a soldier, his father having
held an important command in the Tower of London, and had private
quarters there with his wife when Robert, his only son, was born.)
Major Crawford called his officers together, and after a discussion of
what might happen to Brockville in its unprotected condition, it was
decided to make the following offer to the Militia Department:--As the
Company was now 85 strong, they would enlist 15 more men, making a
total of 100. The men would be called out at 6.30 p.m. every day, given
a two hours' drill; an officer's guard to be mounted, to consist of one

sergeant, one corporal and 24 men; sentries to be posted at seven of the
most exposed places, including one at each of the two banks; the
non-commissioned officers and men to be paid 25 cents each per day,
the officers giving their services free, and if the Department would
furnish the necessary bedding the Company would have 60 of the
remaining men sleep in the Armory every night, to be ready for any
emergency. This would enable the men to attend to their usual daily
avocations and not interfere with the business requirements of their
employers. This patriotic offer was at once accepted by the
Government, and orders were issued to have the duties carried out as
above stated, which was done in every detail from the 15th of
December, 1865, to the eventful day in March, 1866, when the first
general call was made on the Volunteer Force for service on the
frontier.
CHAPTER III.
THE FIRST ALARM--CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS PROMPTLY
RESPOND TO THE CALL OF DUTY--THE CAMPO BELLO
FIZZLE--FENIANS GATHER ON THE BORDER--OPERATIONS
ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER.
Early in the month of March, 1866, considerable activity was
observable among the Fenians in both the United States and Ireland,
and it became known to the authorities that a "rising" was contemplated,
to occur on St. Patrick's Day. That a simultaneous raid on Canada had
been