I38 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 
     
    
   
   
    
     Woods, two batteries of artillery with 4 guns, Captains Morris 
     
     and Lord, a battalion of rifles, numbering some 800 to goo men, 
     
     were drawn up in line, presenting a fine soldierly appearance. 
     
    
   
   
    
     At 11 o’clock, as the Commander-in-chief took his station 
     
     beneath the waving Union Jack, the artillery belched forth its 
     
     thundering report,—then the sham battle of the day commenced. 
     
     Field evolutions were performed with much spirit, followed by 
     
     the rattling of small arms, in sub-divisions, companies and bat- 
     
     talions, pouring forth tremendous volleys, charging the enemy 
     
     with levelled bayonets, accompanied with loud shouts of tri- 
     
     umph as the enemy was kept at bay. 
     
    
   
   
    
     These well executed performances were witnessed by a large 
     
     crowd of spectators who during the day manifested the greatest 
     
     interest possible in all the proceedings. But now a fresh move- 
     
     ment had begun. The bugles sounded the alarm ; thereupon 
     
     the offiCers cried aloud: “Form rallying square to resist cav- 
     
     alry l” then a hasty rush towards chosen points were made, 
     
     where the squares were quickly formed, just as the horsemen 
     
     with flashing swords came to close quarters with them; the 
     
     front rank men thereon bent to their knees while the murder- 
     
     ous artillery again thundered forth anew,—with shot, shell, or 
     
     canister, it matters not as the assailants turned and fled across 
     
     the field, and the squares were saved, thus ending the review, it 
     
     having lasted over three hours. 
     
    
   
   
    
     As already seen, the re-organization of the militia com- 
     
     menced in 1866, but it was not until 1867, that the movement 
     
     became fully enforced on the people. During the sessions of 
     
     these two years, the Legislature passed very stringent Militia 
     
     Acts ; by virtue of the authority of which, no less than sixteen 
     
     regiments of militia became organized throughout the colony, 
     
     having an average of nine companies, the captains of which 
     
     were directed to enroll every person in his district who were 
     
     eligible to serve as militia men, and cause them to muster for 
     
     drill on certain specified days, under a penalty not exceeding 
     
     £2, or imprisonment for neglecting to attend to his orders. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Being thus compelled by law, there was scarcely a settlement 
     
     where for a time the drill-sergeant was not engaged. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The field inspecting ofi’icer, Colonel Smith, finding it impos- 
     
     sible to absent himself from garrison duty, retired in order to 
     
     join the headquarters of his regiment, to which vacancy Major