The Origin and Services of the 3rd (Montreal)

""""CHAPTER VIII.MONt:ALy, c^VSOME OFFICIAL RECOGNITIONS OF EFFICIENCYFACT upon which the 3rd Field Battery especially prides itselfis that, throughout its entire career, it has been maintained in athoroughly efficient state, up to full strength and ready to turnout at any time in response to any call of duty. That theworthy boast is well founded can easily be proved by ascrutiny of the official records ever since the battery wasorganized.The following general order speaks for itself :"Headquarters, Montreal, i/th March, 1857.General Order No. 3.The Lieutenant-General Commanding havinghad anopportunity of seeing the Volunteer Field Battery and Foot Companies of Artillery,and the Volunteer Militia Rifle Companies manoeuvre yesterday on the ice, incompany with Her Majesty s 39th Regiment of Foot, desires to express his satisfaction at the soldier-like steadiness and appearance of the Provincial Forces. Themanner in which the Field Battery took up its position on the ice and opened firewas most creditable. The alacrity with which the officers and men of theseMilitia Forces turned out at the request of their Commandant, Lieutenant-ColonelDyde, shows an esprit highly commendable and full of promise."(Signed),W. J.D URHAX, Colonel"DeputyQuartermaster General."In his annual report in 1866, Major-General Lindsay reported as follows onthe Battery :The Montreal Field Battery, under Major Stevenson, is well drilled, and thecorps displays great zeal to the service. They are badly equipped, and have oldpattern guns.Half the battery was stationed recently at Huntingdon, and performed severemarches over execrable roads."The same officer reporting on the operations along the frontier in connectionwith the Fenian Raids of that year remarked :In March and June the Volunteer Force was suddenly called out for active75