Chapter 9 No.9

We now received orders to prepare to embark on the troopship Euphrates for Portsmouth en route for Aldershot. At Portsmouth we entrained for Aldershot, and on arrival marched to the same grounds we occupied eleven years ago. We were again attached to the reserve brigade. After the season closed we removed to the barracks. About this time the purchase system was abolished, and officers could get a commission without paying for it, and those who had paid for it got their money back.

We were sorry to lose Colonel McKinstry, who had commanded us for the last ten years. He always took a deep interest in the regiment, and did all in his power to make us comfortable and happy, and kept the corps in a high state of excellence. Lieutenant-Colonel Brice assumed command. He served with the 1st Battalion in the Crimea, and was a strict disciplinarian but a popular officer. The first act of the colonel's disposition toward criminals was to recommend the pardon of Private Welsh, who was mentioned in this book as having stabbed Sergeant Roe in the barracks at Halifax, and as being sentenced to penal servitude for life.

The autumn man?uvres lasted sixteen days. Forty thousand men were to engage in a sham fight. Our brigade consisted of 2nd Battalion of 17th Regiment, Tower Hamlets militia and a London volunteer battalion known as the "Devil's Own"-they were lawyers. This regiment came swinging up the road, the band, which was a splendid one, playing a familiar tune. They marched in quarter column, halted, piled arms, and immediately proceeded to pitch tents and prepare the camp for a two days' stay. The whole brigade looked on and were astonished at the smartness of the volunteers in this part of their drills and exercises, and indeed, afterwards we found nothing wanting in their field work.

Several sham battles were fought and many long and tedious marches endured. Her Majesty the Queen and members of the Royal family came down to witness the march past of the two armies who had been engaged in the sham fights. The strength was 45,000 all ranks.

We returned to barracks to spend the winter, which passed away without incident. The regiment moved to Salisbury Plains, took part in the autumn man?uvres, and at their close proceeded to Plymouth to occupy the Citadel. We met the 100th Regiment in Aldershot. It occupied the centre block with the 94th, and, if I remember rightly, Colonel Grasett, chief of police, Toronto, was then adjutant of the corps.

And now, after many roving years, we were back again at the old spot where our kindergarten days were spent. Twelve years had passed since we left and many changes had occurred. True, we earned no honors for the colors, but we were always ready when the alarm sounded, and returned with an excellent record. We found Colonel Brice a splendid commanding officer, always ready to help the regiment in any way toward their comfort and happiness. The colonel was pleased to appoint me librarian. We had a splendid regimental library, also a garrison library, where we could draw and exchange books quarterly.

The next three years were spent in this garrison. We were doing duty with an occasional field day or route march.

In the fall of 1873, my wife, who was a trained nurse and a native of Halifax, was taken ill with phthisis, and the following summer I was informed that she could not live. It was her ardent wish to be taken to her home to die, and although there was promotion before me, I forfeited the balance of my service toward pension and took my discharge. In June, 1874, she finished her last earthly journey when we arrived at her home in Halifax. She died nine days after our arrival. In the presence of her mother and sister she passed away, loved by all, and in the hope of a blessed resurrection.