Although the NZ Gazette, 1st March, 1860, discusses the formation of the Dunedin and Invercargill Militia Districts, a calvary corps was organised at Invercargill in April 1880 under the title of the Southland Hussars. By the end of May an order for uniforms, to the value of £400 to £500, was sent to Hobson and Sons offices in Tooley Street, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge in London, England.
The volunteer movement increased rapidly with Captain Heywood and Lieutenant Burwell of Invercargill travelling to Mataura Bridge the first week in August. Thirty-five troopers turned out from Mataura and Gore to be put through their drill. A month later a contingent was announced for Wyndham with a local squatter sending three of his sons twenty-one miles to the town by horseback to join.
Not everyone rose to responsibilites. Larrikins laid a trail with gunpowder and fired the charge in an attempt to "clear the riders out of their pig-skins" when a detachment of the Southland Hussars travelled from Wyndham to Mataura on September 9, 1880. The men dismounted and proceeded to led their horses when further on they discovered a rope stretched across the road. Stones showered on the men who remounted and continued to Mataura via a different route.
The first Southland Hussar to receive promotion was Patrick Kenny McCaughan to Captain's rank, in September. He passed his examination at Wellington under Sub-Inspector Coleman A.C. However the usual practice, and not in this case, was to test a candidate under the local commanding officer. (He was further promoted in January 1881 to Major). During the month a Volunteer Officer's Club was formed in Invercargill, for which a complete military library was ordered from England. The Southland Hussars were divided into four troops. The first consisted of the Invercargill, Winton and Wallacetown Districts; the second, Gore and Mataura; third Riverton, Otautau, Thornbury and Jacobs River. Fourth included Wyndham, Fortrose and Toi-Tois. At this stage the Hussars numbered 162 men. The Gore and Mataura contingent elected J. S. Shanks, M.H.R. (Mataura) as Captain of their troop. In October further promotions were awarded to Frederick William Burwell as Lieutenant with Second-lieutenant Mathew McCredie to be Lieutenant of D Battery of Artillery.
The Mataura Agricultural Society, established for seven years, held their show in Gore for the first time, on Wednesday December 1st, 1880. In previous years it had been held at Wyndham or Mataura. The Mataura and Gore contingent of the Southland Hussars held a display in front of packed crowds with the companies drilled in sword and other exercises by officers. The uniforms arrived towards the end of January 1881. The day Gore uniforms were distributed, a proud trooper donned his and walked throughout the town for two hours, showing his pride, much to amusement of small boys.
Further volunteer appointments were made in February: John C. Ellis to be Hon, Colonel of the troop; Lieutenant Frederick William Burwell to be Captain; Alfred Tepper to be Lieutenant; B Troop - James Stewart Shanks Captain; Mills Reginald Bree to be Lieutenant; William Grant Forbes to be Sub-lieutenant. C Troop - Frank Woodward to be Lieutenant; William Ludlow to be Sub-lieutenant. H Battery of Artillery; Philip Topless to be Second lieutenant.
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