The Origin and Services of the 3rd (Montreal)

CHAPTER V.SERVICE IN AID OF THE CIVIL POWER..OT the least important of the valuable services rendered by theloyal militia of Canada have been those performed whenvarious corps have been called out on actual service in aid ofthe civil authority. The Active Militia Force is at once anational police force as well as a force for national defence.The militia has been frequently called upon to perform itsby no means pleasant police duties, and upon no corps have thecalls for aid to the civil power been as frequent as those which compose the Montreal Division.The Montreal Field Battery was called out in aid of the civilpower very soon after its organization, election riots being frequentin the fifties and sixties as a result of the open ballot and the goodold fashioned ways of condiicting elections. Brick-bats were the common missiles,and cracked skulls were quite the fashion at election times, but a military displayusually restored peace easily. In 1858 and 1859 the Montreal militia corps werefrequently on service in the streets.In 1860 a riot occurred during a mayoralty contest, the voting then extendingover several days. The orders to turn out were received by the members of theBattery early in the morning, the parade being ordered for 9.30. So promptly didthe men respond that at that hour to the minute the Battery was on parade, withguns horsed and ready for action. The Battery was under arms for four days onthis occasion, being stationed on Victoria Square and on the present City HallSquare, and got through this service without any trouble, but both they and theCavalry were once or twice treated to a little mild excitement, being vigorouslypelted with snowballs by the mob.In November, 1875, the Battery was on service on the occasion of the burial ofJoseph Guibord, whose body at the time of his death, some eight years previously,had been refused burial in consecrated ground in the Roman Catholic Cemeterybecause he belonged to the Institut Canadien, which institution had been placedunder the ban because its library contained books regarded as heretical by theRoman Catholic Church.56