COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 233 



those who now ride foremost in the chase are ready- 

 to ride foremost in the defence of their country. I 

 am happy to inform those gentlemen who have 

 already enrolled their names that the offer of their 

 services was forwarded to the Lord- Lieutenant some 

 days ago, and that we may hope for a speedy reply. 

 It is only one short week since the movement com- 

 menced, and the list, which I now hold in my 

 hand, contains ninety-seven names. Some excep- 

 tion has been taken to this corps on the plea that 

 it was raised in an exclusive spirit. This I totally 

 and entirely deny. We are willing to take any man, 

 of any rank, religion or politics, the only qualification 

 being, that he is willing to equip himself, and is 

 in possession of a horse suitable for the purpose. 

 Again, it has been said that it takes away the best 

 men from the other corps. It might do so if they 

 belonged to any other corps. It happens, however, 

 that most of those who joined the mounted corps 

 do not belong to any other corps, from particular 

 circumstances, and in many instances in consequence 

 of their residences being at a distance from the head- 

 quarters of the companies. But, even if we did take 

 away two or three men from each of the fifteen corps 

 that exist in the county, I think we should not detract 

 very much from their efficiency, and certainly should 

 add very much to our own. The only object in rais- 

 ing this force was to obtain the services of those who 

 could not serve in any other corps, and to provide for 

 a branch of the service which appears to me to have 

 been too much overlooked in the volunteer movement. 



