Identifier: queensownrifleso00cham Title: The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada : a history of a splendid regiment's origin, development and services, including a story of patriotic duties well performed in three campaigns Year: 1901 (1900s) Authors: Chambers, Ernest J., 1862-1925 Subjects: Canada. Army. Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Publisher: Toronto, E.L. Ruddy Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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Text Appearing Before Image: defend a frontier 1,300 miles in length. Major-General Brock, who succeeded (io\ernor Core in iSi 1, was one of tho.sewho anticipated hostilities, and formed his plans for the defence of Lpper Canadasome months before the declaration of war. Rut his available resources werevery slim. Congress passed the i)ill empowering the Presiileni to declare war againstCreal liritain, June i8th. 1S12. In many parts of the Lnited -States the injustice of the war was publicKacknowledged. \irginia formally denounced the attempt to con\ert the Canadiansinto traitors preparatory to making them good American citizens. There was intenseopposition to the war in New England, and in the port of Boston the shipping raisedits flags at half-mast in token of mourning at the proclamation of a war so unnaturaland ruinous. Minute guns were tired in other American cities. Three days after war was declared, Wellington crossed the Agneda at thecommencement of the glorious Salamanca campaign. The mother country had 20

Text Appearing After Image: LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CHARLES T. GILLMOR.Second Commanding Officer of the Q. O. R. embarked upon the Peninsula campaign in grim earnest, and the victorious advanceof the Iron Dukes legions was not to be checked until they had hurled the Frenchin\ader across the Pyrenees and had victoriously paraded as conquerors through thestreets of Paris. The power of the British Empire was mighty, but it was greatlydispersed. It was employed not merely in the Iberian Peninsula but in the East andW^est Indies, .\frica and Sardinia. The Royal Navy had to blockade nearK all the principal ports and rivers ofEuroi^e and was compelled to maintain fleets in the Mediterranean, the Baltic, thePacific, the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. .So many ships did Britain have tomaintain in commission that most of them were very imperfectly manned. Withevery man and exery bayonet so badly needed elsewhere, Canada was denudetl ofregular troops. Upon the declaration of war the Lnited States put 175,000 men—a number e.xc

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