[CUMBERLAND] THE FENIAN RAID OF 1866 89 
neighbourhood, had been in advance of me. He was a persona grata 
with my mother and sisters who had fitted him out with my newest 
underwear, many of my belongings and still worst of all my shoulder 
satchel. The 10th had been ordered to provide themselves with food 
for 24 hours, so perforce I paraded to the drill shed with a large brown 
paper parcel under my arm containing my food and chattels. 
Most of the Queen’s Own had sailed at 6.30 a.m. in the steamer 
“City of Toronto” for Port Dalhousie, and the balance (120) were to 
leave for the same place at 2 p.m. on her return. 
The drill shed, a large building with arched roof of single span 
(since destroyed), was situated on the west side of Simcoe Street, ad- 
jacent to the old Parliament Buildings and extended through from 
Wellington Street to Front Street. It was built in the hollow of the 
old Russells Creek, a portion of whose valley is still to be seen in the 
Lieutenant Governor’s garden, and the hard earth floor of the shed 
was far below the level of Wellington Street. From this street a stair- 
way led down to a small entrance door at the north end and at the 
south end were the broad double doors by which the regiments marched 
out direct on the lower level to Front Street. 
The scene was one of much excitement, the surrounding streets 
being filled with people, but only members of the regiments were 
admitted entrance to the building by the sentries at the doors. 
The 10th Royals, as did the Queen’s Own, paraded in fullest strength. 
Many men who had passed through the regiments pressed forward to 
be re-enrolled. We had in our company No. 1, two ex-officers who 
volunteered as privates, Capt. Clarence Moberly and Capt. John G. 
Ridout, formerly of the 100th Royal Canadians who had been adjutant 
of the 10th in 1865, and as the company with them was over strength 
they agreed to serve without pay and at their own expense. Every old 
uniform, whether soiled or ill-fitting, was eagerly accepted, haversacks, 
of which the regiment had a goodly supply, bulged largely with the 
men’s extras and provisions. I obtained one of these, and gloated 
over my Esau brother of the Q.O.R. that it held more than my errant 
satchel could for him. Overcoats were rolled and fastened by straps, 
placed over the left shoulder in bandolier fashion, encircling the body 
but leaving the right arm free, 40 rounds of ball cartridges, for the muzzle 
loading Enfields with which we were armed, were served out to each 
man, but there were no knapsacks nor water bottles. 
At 4 p.m. the broad south doors were opened and on Friday, Ist 
June, under command of Major Boxall, Col. Brunel being detained in 
Montreal, the regiment headed by its band marched out. 
‘Immediately we were surrounded by the throngs of friends who 
pressed forward, filling the road alongside with the column marching 
