On arriving in Toronto the battalion was divided. Headquarters and four
companies were quartered in the old Parliament buildings, four
companies in King Street barracks. The Fenian prisoners were confined
in the old jail, and the regiment mounted a guard there every day, and
when the trial commenced furnished an escort to conduct the prisoners
to and from the jail to the court-house until the trial was over. We
received the medal and land grant.
With the two corps forming the Toronto garrison, viz., the Royal
Artillery, stationed in the new fort, and the 13th Hussars in the
Exhibition buildings, we soon became acquainted, and fraternized with
our new comrades.
Lieutenant Rolph was appointed adjutant, _vice_ Ross, appointed
paymaster; Color-Sergeant Coe was appointed sergeant-major, _vice_
Green, reverted to sergeant. The commanding officer was pleased to
appoint me instructor and lecturer in the Military School, which
position I held during the two years the battalion was quartered in
the city. About two hundred cadets were under instruction when I
entered upon my duties. A good many were Toronto gentlemen who had
just returned from the front, and it was quite interesting to hear
them relate their experiences while fighting the Fenians.
I soon found I had some good material to work with; they were full of
military enthusiasm and were anxious to graduate and get away in order
to educate the recruit and fit him to defend his home and country.
Generally the cadets gave a good account of their training. I was
always interested in reading the despatches from South Africa, or
reports from the Militia Department, when the names of any would appear
relating to their duties, etc.; for instance, Colonel S. B. Steele, who
obtained a first-class certificate. How proud we are of his valuable
services to his country and empire. Mr. J. L. Hughes, Chief Inspector
of Public Schools, Toronto, has made good use of his military education
in having the very best drilled school cadets on the continent. His
brothers, Colonel John and Colonel Sam Hughes, also qualified at the
school.
Senator Kirchhoffer while qualifying took great interest in the school
field sports, being a splendid cricketer; the Senator's football team
would often meet the law students and any of the city teams that would
put up a game. The writer was also fond of cricket.
Through the kindness of Colonel Steele, who applied to the department
at Ottawa for a list of the names of the cadets who graduated during
my two years' instruction, Major Winters, D.A.G., ordered a list to be
prepared, and subsequently I received a roll containing 850 names. I
was extremely pleased to look over the names of these gentlemen, whom,
with few exceptions, I had not seen or heard of for forty years. I saw
an account of the death of Professor Cherriman, who died in London,
England; he was a cadet and was captain of the University company at
the time. I also met Mr. F. Yokome, editor of the Peterboro' _Examiner_,
and it was a pleasant meeting. I remember the present Judge Ermatinger
and Chief Justice Strong, recently deceased, who were among the boys;
also Colonel Ward, Port Hope; Colonel Farewell, Whitby, and Colonel
Walker, who was Colonel Steele's school chum, and now commands the
15th Light Horse, with headquarters at Calgary, and others now very
prominent in Canadian affairs.
In May, 1868, we received orders to embark for the Old Country, and on
the 15th we sailed from the Queen's Wharf, touching at Kingston to
take on two companies which were on detachment, and continued our
passage to Quebec, where we were transferred to the Allan liner
_Moravian_. This was the best trip we had yet made. We had plenty of
room, good food, and the men were allowed to smoke any time they
wished.
We disembarked at Kingston, Ireland, and left at once for Dublin to
occupy the Royal barracks. I again resumed my duties as drill
instructor. We were considerably under the strength, having left a
large number of men in Ontario. The recruiting sergeants were at their
respective stations, busy sending us all the men they could enlist, and
we got some fine big fellows. A general election was about to take
place and the regiment was under orders to move to any town or district
where polling was to take place, to assist the constabulary in keeping
order and such duties.
We received reports of rioting and bloodshed. As voters were going to
and from the polling places the troops lined the streets all day long.
In one case a civilian threw a brick at a 6th Lancer, who made a thrust
with his lance at the thrower and killed him. The soldier was arrested
but subsequently released. The election over, the regiment returned to
quarters none the worse for its experience, especially when they had to
tackle the wild Irishmen. It was deemed expedient that four companies,
including the recruits, be sent to Mullingar. It was a day's journey
from Dublin, and we enjoyed the lovely country we passed through en
route. We found the barracks beautifully situated, lots of room, a
well-kept drill ground which always interested the writer, and a
garrison church within the precincts.
We had quite a number of the members of our literary society with us,
and we were able during the winter to give our usual entertainments,
to which we invited the citizens whenever they felt disposed. A
friendship between the soldiers and citizens was soon established,
which made our stay in Mullingar extremely pleasant and not easily
forgotten. In May we were placed under orders to move, but the section
was not mentioned. We embarked at Kingston and proceeded to Jersey
Island. It was a beautiful morning when we embarked on H.M.S.
_Crocodile_. We arrived after a pleasant run across the channel at St.
Heliers, which was to be our headquarters. Four companies were to stay
here, two at Guernsey, two at Alderney, and two at St. Peter's, which
was ten miles from St. Heliers.
In consequence of the hard and constant work on the drill ground, the
commanding officer, noticing that I had failed and was not looking as
well as he would like to see me, ordered me to proceed with two
companies to St. Peter's to recuperate, and also appointed me
schoolmaster of the detachment and my wife schoolmistress. I was not to
do any other duties till further orders. I soon had my school organized
and in working order. The schoolroom was large and well ventilated. It
stood on five acres of playground. My pupils consisted of about seventy
children of various ages belonging to our own men. There were some
thirty men who could not read or write. We had volunteer classes. I had
an assistant, while my wife attended to the industrial department.
School hours were from nine to twelve, and from one-thirty to four.
This was quite a change for the better. I remained in this office till
the regiment moved.
One death occurred at our detachment. Our bathing grounds were about
one and a half miles from the barracks and we always bathed in the
early morning. Four strong and good swimmers were detailed as a picket,
remaining on the beach ready to rescue anyone in danger. When the tide
is receding the current is very strong. We therefore knew it was
dangerous to swim too far out. The officer in charge always directed
the bugler to sound the retire when he considered there was danger for
the swimmer to proceed farther. One morning Drum-Major Fielding, in
company with Private Charles Dunkley, started to swim out. They kept
together for some time. The bugler sounded the retire and Fielding
obeyed the call, but Dunkley continued. When the drum-major arrived at
the beach he was almost exhausted, and said he did not think that
Dunkley, who was now trying to get back, would ever reach the beach
unless there was help sent to him. The picket was at once sent to his
assistance. While the men were reaching him he was drifting farther
out. When they got to him he was helpless and sinking, and at last poor
Dunkley sank to rise no more, and it was with difficulty the men
returned to the beach.
Near by stands Elizabeth Castle, on a little island which can be
reached on dry land when the tide is out. The body drifted on the rocks
around the castle and was discovered by the men within half an hour
after he sank. In the meantime I had gone to barracks and informed the
doctor of the sad affair, who immediately went to the beach and did all
in his power to resuscitate the lifeless form, but to no avail. The
body was taken to the morgue at the barracks and finally interred with
military honors in the little churchyard at St. Peter's. We erected a
beautiful stone over the grave in memory of our departed comrade.
There was a small barracks about three miles from St. Peter's and a
rifle range where we went to do our musketry course. The companies at
St. Heliers also used this place.
In 1870 we received the news that France had declared war against
Germany and was fighting already. The people of the island were much
concerned over the matter. They were mostly French, and were, of
course, anxious that their countrymen be victorious in the battles they
were about to fight.