tunic | The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archive

Ensign Malcolm McEachern, first QOR soldier to fall at the Battle of Ridgeway, June 2, 1866

On an unknown date, a daughter of Ensign Malcolm McEachren donated the tunic he was wearing at the time of his death during the June 2nd, 1866 Battle of Ridgeway to the Fort Erie Historical Society. On the 100th anniversary of the battle in 1966, the tunic was presented to the Regiment and was subsequently placed in the care of the Regimental Museum.

Nine QOR soldiers died that day, but post-battle reports are clear that McEachren, who had only been commissioned as an officer two months previously, was the first to fall in that action. He was also the first casualty in the history of the Regiment, which had only been formed in April of 1860.

It would not be an understatement to say this is the most significant object in our museum’s collection and likely unique in any regimental museum’s collection. For that reason, we take the serious responsibility of preserving this tunic to the best of our abilities.

Unfortunately, over the past decades, it has suffered UV and insect damage and the loss of some of the braiding and buttons. Someone in the past wrote “Bullet Hole” in white china marker above the hole and stitched around its edges with white thread. We’re also not clear whether the current but not original liner is appropriate. Some damage, such as the fading from UV light exposure or insect damage, cannot be reversed, nor would we want to. What we can do is ensure that it is preserved in such a way as to minimize any future deterioration.

With that in mind, we have developed a three-step plan:

The first step was to acquire a new exhibit case that would protect it as much as possible. In 2018, we purchased a custom-made museum-quality case with frameless UV filtering glass, Abloy security locks, and an airtight exhibit compartment with a desiccant tray to ensure a constant humidity level. This was possible with donations from a number of supporters, a bequest from the estate of the late Captain Scott Patterson, and from The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Trust Fund.
Step 2 involved replacing the wooden mount (or mannequin) with a museum-quality mount. Wood off-gases, and this would be more of an issue in a sealed case. The tunic was transferred to a new mount before COVID shut down our volunteer operations for a significant time.
Now that the tunic was well protected from future deterioration, the final step was some professional conservation and preservation work. We contacted an accredited textile conservator whose company, “CRC Conservation/Restoration,” is near Quebec City. After receiving a preliminary treatment proposal, the Museum Board of Governors approved this project, and we have engaged this conservator.

This past week, our Museum Director personally delivered the tunic to the Conservator in Quebec City, despite a snowstorm creating some driving challenges between Cornwall and Quebec City! We anticipate that the rather painstaking work will be completed over the next four months and the tunic will be back on display in time for the June 2nd 160th anniversary of McEachren’s death.

While we are very excited to complete this final step in protecting and preserving this very significant object, it does come with an equally significant cost. We are thankful for the support of the QOR Trust Fund and from several donors to date. If you would like to support this project you can do so online via CanadaHelps (select “In Honour of” McEachren Project).

As every member of the Regiment knows, the first soldier of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada to fall in combat was newly commissioned Ensign Malcolm McEachren of No. 5 Company. He was taking part in the Battle of Ridgeway on 2 June 1866 and died shortly after being mortally wounded in the abdomen by the American Fenian invaders.

One hundred years after that battle, the tunic he wore that fateful day was presented to The Queen’s Own Rifles by Old Fort Erie of the Niagara Parks Commission having been handed down by McEachren’s daughter.

After 152 years, it has obviously suffered its share of insect and light damage although without any condition reports surviving, its impossible to know when this damage occurred. We do know that it has faded from rifle green to almost olive drab – although not under the arms or at the back – and the light damage has also made the material brittle. And museum staff have often joked that the exhibit case it was stored in, was old enough to qualify as an artifact itself!

We can’t reverse the deterioration that’s taken place, but my goal from day 1 of becoming Curator in 2012, has been to find a way to preserve THE most valuable object in our collection for the future.

And now after 6 years it has finally become a reality! Thanks to a very generous bequest from the estate of the late Chief Warrant Officer Scott Patterson, we were finally able to place an order with Zone Display Cases for a custom-made museum quality case with frameless UV filtering glass, Abloy security locks, and an airtight exhibit compartment with desiccant tray to ensure a constant humidity level.

This week it arrived at the museum and last night our museum team set up the new case and moved the tunic into its new home which we hope will help to preserve this extremely important object for many years to come. In the new year, we will be redesigning the complete Battle of Ridgeway exhibit and of course this tunic and its new case will continue to have pride of place.

The Patterson bequest covered about 75% of the costs for this project and we are still hoping to raise the remainder before the end of our 2018 fiscal year. Thank you to all those who have contributed to date, and to those who would still like to help, you can make a donation online to the QOR Trust fund via CanadaHelps.