MILITARY AND CIVIL. 219
Dominion, under the auspices of the said Association, assembled once a year at Quebec for practice and competi- tion, being attended with various success.
In 1884, a party selected from No. I and No. 2 Companies under command of the senior officer of artillery, Major Irving, competed against an English team and all Canada, winning the first prize for shifting ordnance, and some shooting prizes as well,—-while No. 2 Company took the first prize for general efliciency,
Military History.
On the 23rd March, this year 1885, a dispatch was received at Ottawa stating that an old offender by the name of Louis Riel, at the head of 500 half-breeds, had seized Fort Carleton, Northwest Territory, and that they are in armed rebellion, committing depredations in towns and settlements and massa- cring the people; Riel claiming that all the half-breeds and Indians in that section of the Dominion are under his rebellious control, and were resolved to free themselves from Dominion rule.
On receipt of this intelligence strong military forces under competent command were dispatched to the scene of action, and telegraphic messages were sent to the various Provinces that armed forces would be required in order to quell the outbreak.
On this unpleasant news reaching Charlottetown, the services of several companies and parts of companies were tendered to the Government, and such was the enthusiasm created that on the same evening a rally of No. I and No. 2 Companies of Artillery was held in the drill shed, when, to the credit of the corps be it said, every officer, non-commissioned officer and man was present and in readiness to risk their lives in defence of their country.
The officers at that date were: Major J. D. Irving, com- manding Brigade; Capt. Geo. Passrnore, Lieut. C. B. McNeill, of No. 1 Company; Capt. F. S. Moore, Lieut. J. A. Longworth, Lieut. John A. Bell, of No. 2 Company.
Then the drilling of the corps and preparation for active service was entered upon with great cheerfulness, continuing