The Origin and Services of the 3rd (Montreal)

Fortunately McPhee, the keeper of the hotel, was a Scotchman, and thenatural sympathy of one Scot for another came to the Major s assistance, forbesides being a Scotchman himself, McPhee had met one or two other Scotchmenin the Battery, and commented on the fact as soon as the Major spoke to him.McPhee said to the latter that he could let him have as many sacks of oats as hewanted, and he gladly agreed to supply all the oats required to the quartermastersergeant, at a very low price, on the Major s promise to see that he was paid, whichpromise, of course, was given.But Major Stevenson had more difficulty in procuring a meal for his tired andhungry men. He, however, chanced to look into the dining room of the hotel andsaw that they were setting a table, and found it was in preparationfor someteamsters who were coming to Hemniingford to transport the Victoria Rifles toHuntingdon the following day.In the meantime Major Stevenson s anxiety was to provide a meal for hismen. McPhee said that the meal being prepared for the teamsters had beenordered by Colonel Smith, and he dare not disobey orders. The Major, however,remarking that that might be a very good rule for the military, explained that hewould take the responsibilityof ordering his men to eat that meal. They had nothad anything since early morning, while the teamsters had already had theirthree meals.McPhee still resisted, but the Major ordered the Battery trumpeter to soundthe assembly, and marched his men into the dining room and ordered them toremain there until they had had all they wanted. He then investigated thekitchen and found that the cooks were preparingall the bread and butter the menwould require, as well as tea or coffee. Rummaging among the cupboards hefound a plentiful supply of eggs, and got the women in the kitchen to boil them forthe men. The result was that the men got a good meal, which of course the Majorwas only too glad to pay for.He could get no more satisfaction about quarters for his men than he gotabout their food, so he arranged with McPhee to let them sleep in the hay in hisbarn, and they enjoyed a first rate rest, which was more than the infantry did.Those poor fellows were simply dumped down on a swamp, and had to do thebest they could without camp equipage or anything else.It was cruel, and it was not surprisingthat the next day many of them couldof them at thatscarcely speak for the severe colds they had contracted. Manytime contracted colds and rheumatism from which they never recovered.after theThe Victorias were under orders to go to Huntingdon the morningBattery s arrival. The Prince of Wales Regiment, not having had ammunitionserved out to them, were ordered to remain until the arrival of their ammunition,which was coming from Montreal by a train which was to arrive during the day.The Battery was ordered to remain also, and go on with the Prince of WalesRegiment. The regular morning train did not bring the ammunition as expected,46