The Origin and Services of the 3rd (Montreal)

""The""""""in circulation about the Fenians at this time, and they were all the more alarmingthat they were vague. The Fenians had already tried to get a footing on theNew Brunswick coast near Campobello, and there was much talk about theirhaving designs on Montreal.The people were not altogether satisfied until the Battery returned to the cityin the afternoon. The effect on the Park scheme was satisfactory and immediate.Instead of laughing at Major Stevenson s proposal, people insisted on it being carriedthrough, and eventually it was, though it took some time securing the necessarylegislation, expropriating the property, etc.The following extract from an editorial in the Montreal Transcript ofNovember nth, 1862, refers to this incident:The twenty-first birthday of His Royal Highness the Prince of WalesThefalling this year on Sunday, the celebration of the day took place yesterday.unfavorable weather prevented any other public celebration by the Troops inGarrison than the firing of a royal salute from the Island of St. Helen s, whichtook place at noon.celebration of the day by the Montreal Field Battery, under MajorStevenson, however, was possessed of novel features, which are likely to make theday memorable, apart from the interest which every British subject attaches to it.The indefatigable majoris sure to have some novelty in store, when he attemptsanything with his efficient Battery. Yesterday the new feature was the firing ofthe salute in honor of the attainment of majority by our beloved Prince, from thesummit of Mount Royal, eight hundred feet above the St. Lawrence.The feat was accomplished not without difficulty. The Battery was ordered tomuster for special duty at nine o clock in the morning, and the men were promptlypresent at the Crystal Palace. The guns were dismounted from the carriages, andmounted again on sleighs, and, at eleven o clock, they took up the line of marchwith four guns drawn by six horses each. They proceeded through Mr. Redpath savenues, and thence by a winding path, extremely rugged, and much obstructedand stumps, which were removed by the artillerymen, and after havingby treesseveral guns upset and righted again, to the plateau overlooking the city.At twelve o clock precisely a royal salute was fired, after which the men andofficers partook of a lunch composed of cold roast beef, ham, etc., with bread andhot coffee. It is needless to say that justice was done to the viands, for the laborof the morning and the march were keen appetizers. At one o clock a salute ofone hundred guns was fired in from 15 to20 minutes, when the men again resteda short time, concluding the business of the day with three salvos from the four guns.The horses were then attached to the pieces, and the descent of the mountainmade at the same point, after which they proceeded through St. Catherine Streetand St. Denis Street to Notre Dame, and about three o clock arrived at the CrystalPalace.The scene presented on the plateau of the mountain, as viewed from the city,40