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Date: July 21st 1885
Diary

July 21 - Morning, 10 a.m. Had a short review, in marching order, before the Minister of Militia with the Lieut. Governor and others down on the Market Square. Crowds there. Artie and Nillie Dunsford appeared on the scene, just got in on the morning train from Toronto. At 2:30 p.m. we were on the march to the drill shed from where the Colonel's body, on a gun carriage, was conveyed to St. John's Church. It was most impressive: the Dead March played by the band he had organized some years before, followed in slow march by the still ragged looking soldiers he had led through all its hardships in the Northwest.

There wasn't a dry eye among the crowds who looked on. We felt it deeply ourselves as we marched along past the sorrowing crowds. The service at St. John's Church was most soul-stirring as the minister (I forgot his name) spoke of Col. Williams' fine character. After the short service we were again on the march to the cemetery. A volley was fired over his grave in his family plot.

I walked a few yards along and saw Mother's and Baby Arthur's graves and monument for the first time in many years. Then the burial was over. We formed ranks and marched quietly out through the cemetery gate and on down to Walton St. Then the band struck up a lively march, the tension was broken as we swung into step once more as soldiers on the march. And how the crowds cheered as they grew more dense down towards the business part of town. It was a different lot of people now; they just let themselves go.

When getting back towards camp I dropped out of the ranks and went over to the Wards and there met quite a gathering. I was introduced to the Lieut. Governor and Sir Adolphe Caron, the Minister of Militia. Artie and Uncle Harry were having an argument, Willie Dunsford talking to Ruby Smith, Grandfather and Grandmother, smiling and happy, Aunt Minnie talking to me. The closing scene just before I had to leave for the camp.