The Origin and Services of the 3rd (Montreal)

""""The Batter}is now commanded by Major Richard Costigan, a most energeticand capable officer, under whose command the corpsiskeeping well up to its oldtraditions. He joined the Battery as Second Lieutenant in 1890, was promotedto be Lieutenant April 24th, 1891, Captain, February gth, 1895,an<^ succeededMajor Hooper in the command, with the rank of Major, on February 27th, 1897.Before joining the Battery, Major Costigan had the advantage of a long andvaried military training. His first soldiering was in that fine old nursery of theMilitia, a corps that has supplied more goodofficers to the Militia of this districtthan all the other corps put together, the High School Cadet Rifles. The presentmajor was then but a boy, but the drill and the soldierly instincts he then learnedAfter leaving thefrom the old instructor, Major Barnjum, he has not forgotten.High School in 1877, he enlisted in the Victoria Rifles, and served in that corps upto 1889, when he joined the Montreal Garrison Artillery as Second Lieutenant, andqualified for his commission at the School of Gunnery at Quebec. Within a yearof taking his commission Lieutenant Costigan was put in command of Number FiveBattery of the Garrison, and a little while later was appointed adjutant. Theand took a commission infollowing year he resigned from the Garrison Artillerythe Field Battery, being one of the hardest working officers of the Battery ever since,giving much time and attention to the interests of his corps, though much of histime has been occupied with his private and municipal business. For three termshe represented St. Antoine Ward in the City Council.When Major Costigan took the command of the Battery, Captain A. T. Ogilvietransferred from the Victoria Rifles to the Battery. A short time ago he wastransferred to the Royal Canadian Artillery. Mr. Donald A. Smith, a grandson ofLord Strathcona and Mount Royal, joined the Battery into be Captain lastspring.1896, and was promotedPerhaps the most important event in the history of the Battery since its organization, the increase of strength and the re-arming, took place in the spring of 1898.By this change the strength was increased from 79 to 102, and the number ofguns from four to six.The guns are modern, breech loading, i2-pounder rifles, and with them wasserved to the Battery a complete, new sett of harness, waggons, etc.Surgeon-Major Wilson represented the Battery in the detachment selected fromthe Canadian Militia to represent Canada at Her Majestys Diamond Jubilee, hehaving been placed in medical charge of the contingent.On the occasion of its organization the Battery adopted as its motto the wordsAlways ",on Handa motto the corps has always well lived up to.The original badge of the battery was a large Maltese cross, with three cannonballs within each angle. The circular centre of the cross was occupied by anunlimbered field gun, while the Imperial Crown occupied the upper arm of thecross. The right arm of the cross bore the wordsleft,Volunteer Artillery ",and the lower73AlwaysMontreal Field Battery ",on Hand".the