Historical records of the New Brunswick Regiment, Canadian Artillery

N. B. GARRISON*\RTILLERV. 87pany was undoubtedly in an efficient state before any other.But even then the claim was made by Captain Durant andhis successor, Captain James G. Melick, that they were theheirs of the Colville company, and though the authorities ata subsequent time chose to designate Captain Pick's companyas No. I and that of Captain Durant as No. 3, their decisiondoes not appear to have been based upon historical claimsbut rather upon the order in which the rolls were forwarded.It is to be noted that the numbering is not used in any officialreports. The result of a great deal of investigation given tothis subject shows that the Durant company was beyond doubtthe lineal successor of the Colville company.The guns of the St. John artillery at this time were 3-prs.and were kept in a barn on King street east about opposite tothe gymnasium. They were under the charge of Major Melick.The use of these guns by the older organizations is recalledby John R. Marshall, still living, who from 1862 to 1890was chief of the St. John police force. About 1830 he joinedCaptain Barlow's company when George Waterbury, RobertRobertson and Charles J.Melick were lieutenants, androse through the ranks of bombardier, corporal and sergeantto a lieutenantcy in 1848. When he joined the companyJames G. Melick and Lewis Durant were sergeants. Drillwas carried on in the old fire engine house then on Dockstreet, and the two 3-pr. guns w^ere kept in the battery atLower Cove. On his appointment to a lieutenantcy he wastransferred to Wright's company of which, as we have seen,he afterwards became captain. They drilled principally on theKing square and afterwards in the Mechanics' Institute, andhad sixty stand of r-ifles which were kept in Captain Marshall'shouse, in rear of St. John's (Stone) Church. In 1862 the rifles