The Origin and Services of the 3rd (Montreal)

great proficiency, particularly in the art of gunnery, and handled the cannoTfaround the battlement walls in a most creditable manner, forming an importantpart of the service for garrison duty.It was not until 1855 that field artillery figured in the Canadian militia lists.As a matter of fact it is doubtful that such a thing as a militia field battery existedin any service before that date. It will be remembered that 1854 was the date ofopening of the Crimean War, when Britain and France made common causeagainst Russian aggression, and a general war appeared impending. Britain wasespecially unprepared for the contest. During the long peace that had followed7the tremendous victor} of the Iron Dukeat Waterloo, the army had been allowedto dwindle away, and the equipment was ofthe worst, while the administration of theArmy was extremely deficient. Every trained soldier and every fieldgun in Canada wasneeded in the Crimea, and this at a timewhen military protection for this countrymight be required at any moment. TheHome government at this crisis practicallydepended upon this country to protect itself,and the people were equal to the occasion.The organization of several corps of militiawas authorized, among them the MontrealField Battery.The chief credit for the organization of thiscorps belonged to Major W. F. Coffin. Thatgentleman was a man of large general inform-Jationand had the advantage of a generouseducation. He w as a man of man}- parts.He had held an important appointment in theCourt House at Montreal, had been entrustedFrom a DaguerreotypeI,IF.rT.-O>I. \\ I 1,1,1AM FRANCIS COFFINwithMUST the organization of the COMMANIMM;governmento! i IO:K <n TIII-: MONTREALoffices and was at the head of theI- IKM) HATTKKV.railwayrunning from Caughnawaga to Plattsburg, one of the oldest railways in Canada.He was named by the government to administer and generally look after thevaluable property turned over by the Imperial government to the Colonial one,and he finally disposed of the principal land areas. He held various other important appointments under the old administration and the later Colonial government. He was a wealthy man, owning large tracts of land in the EasternTownships. Mrs. Coffin, a fine old lady of the old stamp, is still living inMontreal, bright and intelligent in spite of her eighty-seven years. Mr. T. C.Coffin, manager of the Quebec office of the Quebec Bank is a son.18