CHAIEOTTETOWN’S MILITARY HISTORY

By MAJOR T. E. MacNUTT, M.B.E.

In July 1778 four Provincial Companies arrived for the defence of the Island and were stationed at Charlottetown. From that time detach— ments of Regiments stationed at Halifax were sent each year for garrison duty at Charlottetown until 1854, when they were withdrawn on account of war with Russia.

During 1855 St. Georges Battery on what was later known as Dundas Esplanade was dismantled and armaments and stores shipped to Halifax. In May of that year about thirty military pensioners arrived from Newfoundland as a defence force. This celebrated Corps was soon disbanded. It was known as the “Ragged Regiment”.

In 1856 an Infantry Corps of Volunteers, known as the City Guards, was organized by Captain Neil Rankin, and took part in the celebration that year on the Barrack Square, Dundas Esplanade, in connection with the reception of the Queens message to the President of the United States of the first completed submarine cable across the Atlantic. This Corps was disbanded in 1859.

Early in 1859 an Artillery Cor s was organized under Captains Thomas Morris and J. P. Pollard, an during the swearing in of Lieut. Governor Dundas on 7th June it fired a salute on Queen Square, when spunyarn wads were used and the concussion broke twenty three panes of glass in the Colonial Building.

General Williams, hero of Kars, Inspector of Fortifications arrived on 7th July, 1859 and inspected the Artillery. As promised by the In- spector a supply of rifles soon arrived and two Rifle Companies were organized in the City, viz. the Prince of Wales Rifles under Captain Neil Rankin; the Irish Volunteers under Captain John Murphy. Another Company, the Dundas Volunteer Rifle Company was organized at South- port under Captain Henry Beer. A convenient Drill Hall on north side of Grafton Street, just east of Pownal Street, did much to enable a keen spirit of rivalry between the City units and also increase efficiency.

During 1860 reported rumours of an intended invasion of Britain by France raised the martial spirit on the Island as elsewhere in the Empire. Some twenty Companies mustering upwards of one thousand men were enrolled and furnished with arms and trained. At the opening of the Legislature in that year the Artillery formed the Guard of Honour,

and the Governor was preceded by a troop of the Queens County Cavalry under Major Benjamin Davies.

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