aced in commission
as the first boat in the Canadian Navy. She was manned by the Toronto
Naval Brigade, and sailed out of Toronto Harbor on June 4th under sealed
orders. She arrived at Port Dalhousie the same evening and proceeded
through the Welland Canal and Lake Erie to Windsor, where trouble was
expected. Her officers and crew were a resolute and able lot of men, who
were patriotic to the core, and were keen to get into action with the
enemy. It had been rumored that a Fenian fleet was being fitted out on
the Upper Lakes to assist in Gen. Sweeny's programme, therefore all on
board the "Rescue" were vigilant and expectant that they would have
an opportunity to meet a Fenian gunboat on Lake Erie and prove their
mettle.

The roster of the Toronto Naval Brigade on this expedition was
as follows: Captain. W. F. McMaster; Lieutenant, Alex. McGregor;
Sub-Lieutenant, E. B. Vankoughnet; Surgeon, N. McMaster; Gunner,
John Field; Boatswain. R. Montgomery; Chief Engineer, J. Nicholson;
Midshipmen, R. Wilson and A. Miller; Paymaster. Joseph Fletcher;
Quartermaster, George Wyatt; Assistant Engineers, James Findlay and John
Young; Gunner's Mate, James Morrison; Boatswain's Mates, James Ford
and Richard Ardagh; Carpenter, Joseph Smith; Carpenter's Mate, John
Clendinning; Armorer, Fred Oakley; Seamen, Thos. G. Cable, George
Mackay, Wm. A. Wilson, John Bolam, Harry Sewart Crewe, George Fox,
Wm. W. Fox, George Poulter, Samuel Crangle, Ed. Metcalfe, Fred Walker,
Samuel Mountain, Charles Corin, Wm. Miles, Ed. Scadding, Joseph Fetters,
Thos. Hutchinson, James Humphrey, Wm. Dillon, Wm. Maclear, Chas.
Callighan, R. Y. Ellis, Joseph Bywater, John Graham, James Ferguson,
Fred Yates, Harry Y. Young, George Mutton, Edward Turner, Wm. Pedlow,
Samuel Pettigrew, W. J. McClure, Ben. Cope, Thos. Spence, James Craig,
Clarence Cooch, W. Cooch, T. Mulholland, Sam. Parker, E. J. Hobson, J.
G. Hutchinson, Thos. Lunday, Geo. Williams, George Oakley; Powder Boys,
F. H. Moulson and Gus Ellis.

Mr. E. B. Vankoughnet (a Toronto boy, who was then serving as a
midshipman on board Her Majesty's warship "Aurora," lying at Quebec, and
who was home on a visit at the time) wired his commanding officer for
leave to join the "Rescue," and being granted permission, reported for
duty to Capt. McMaster and was attached to the Toronto Naval Brigade as
Sub-Lieutenant on board the "Rescue" before she sailed.

As an example of the alacrity which marked the men of the Tor