le and vicinity was first settled in 1783 and 1784 by the
U. E. Loyalists (all of whom had borne arms in defence of the British
Crown), their descendants have always been noted for their unswerving
loyalty and fealty to the Mother Country. Therefore when the opportunity
was offered to its citizens to exemplify their patriotism by serving
their Queen and country, they promptly obeyed the call, and in a short
time the ranks of the Brockville Rifles were filled up, and drilling
commenced. The muster roll was sent in to Militia Headquarters, and the
Company was formally gazetted on September 5th, 1855. Among the names
that appear on the first roll of this Company are those of William H.
Jackson and Wilmot H. Cole, both of whom are still living at this date,
and are supposed to be the only two survivors of the old corps. Each
of these gentlemen took a great interest in military affairs, and after
duly qualifying themselves, were gradually promoted in the service until
they attained high commands--the former being appointed one of the first
Brigade Majors under the Militia Act of 1862 (and subsequently
becoming a Deputy Adjutant-General, who discharged important duties at
Brockville, London, Winnipeg and Ottawa), while Wilmot H. Cole, after
serving through all the grades, rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel
of the Forty-first Battalion (of which the Brockville Rifles was always
No. 1 Company), the duties of which position he filled with great
ability and credit for twenty-seven consecutive years, retiring on July
1st, 1898.

The Brockville Rifle Company was selected by the Government as one
of the units to form the regiment organized in 1864, under command of
Lieut.-Col. W. Osborne Smith, to guard the St. Clair and Detroit River
frontiers (extending from Sarnia on the north to Amherstburg on the
south) for the purpose of preventing raids from Canadian territory
on the United States by organized gangs of desperate men from the
Confederate States, who had come north for that purpose.

The Canadian regiment had its headquarters at Windsor, with detachments
posted at that point, and at Sarnia, Chatham, Sandwich and Amherstburg.
To the latter point the Brockville and Belleville Rifle Companies were
sent in command of the following officers:--

Brockville Rifle Company--Major James Crawford, Lieut. W. H. Cole, and
Ensign Edmund W. Windeat.

Belleville Rifle Company--Capt. Charles G. Le Vesconte. Lieut. James
Brown, and Ensig