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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/19599.txt b/19599.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b5f5e40 --- /dev/null +++ b/19599.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10145 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Troublous Times in Canada, by John A. Macdonald + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Troublous Times in Canada + A History of the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870 + +Author: John A. Macdonald + +Release Date: October 22, 2006 [EBook #19599] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TROUBLOUS TIMES IN CANADA *** + + + + +Produced by Gardner Buchanan. + + + + + + +TROUBLOUS TIMES IN CANADA + +A HISTORY OF THE FENIAN RAIDS OF 1866 AND 1870 + +BY CAPT. JOHN A. MACDONALD (A Veteran of 1866 and 1870) + + +Troublous Times in Canada. + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + +Preface. + +CHAPTER I.--Unhappy, Ireland Seething in Sedition--The Fenian +Brotherhood--Hatching the Plot--The Movement of '65--A Split in the +Fenian Camp. + +CHAPTER II.--The Fenian Convention at Cincinnati--The Birth of the Irish +Republic--"On to Canada"--Gen. Sweeny's Programme. + +CHAPTER III.--The First Alarm--Canadian Volunteers Promptly Respond +to the Call of Duty--The Campo Bello Fizzle--Fenians Gather on the +Border--Operations on the Niagara Frontier. + +CHAPTER IV.--The Landing in Canada--Preliminary Operations of the Fenian +Forces Near Fort Erie--Advance into the Interior. + +CHAPTER V.--The Second Alarm--Grand Uprising of the Canadian +People--Departure of Troops for the Front--Gen. Napier's Plan of +Campaign--List of the Various Corps Called out for Active Service. + +CHAPTER VI.--The Battle of Ridgeway--A Baptism of Fire and Blood for the +Canadian Troops--Splendid Coolness and Heroic Courage of the +Volunteers at the Beginning of the Fight Ends in Disaster--The Honor +Roll--Incidents of the Fight--Public Funerals for the Dead. + +CHAPTER VII.--The Expedition on the Steamer "W. T. Robb"--Fierce Fight +at Fort Erie--Stiff Resistance of a Gallant Band of Canadians Against a +Fenian Force Ten Times Their Number--List of the Wounded and Captured. + +CHAPTER VIII.--The Governor-General's Body Guard--Denison's Rapid +Ride--Col. Peacocke's Movements from Chippawa to Fort Erie--The Bivouac +at Bowen's Farm--Arrival of Col. Lowry's Force at Fort Erie. + +CHAPTER IX.--Hurried Evacuation of Canada by Gen. O'Neil--Capture of the +Escaping Fenians by the United States Gunboat "Michigan." + +CHAPTER X.--The Chicago Volunteers--A Noble Band of Patriots Return Home +to Defend Their Native Land--A Striking Example of Canadian Patriotism. + +CHAPTER XI.--"Johnny Canuck" Afloat--The Toronto Naval Brigade--Splendid +Service on Board the Gunboats--The Beginning of the Canadian +Navy--Arrival of British Tars. + +CHAPTER XII.--On the St. Lawrence and Eastern Frontiers--Muster of +Troops at Kingston, Brockville, Prescott, Cornwall and Other Points. + +CHAPTER XIII.--On the Vermont Border--Fenians Gather in Large +Numbers--The Fizzle at Pigeon Hill--Arrest of the Fenian General Spier. + +CHAPTER XIV.--Fenian Mobilization at Malone, N.Y., and Elsewhere--Gen. +Meade's Prompt Action Stops the Invasion--Arrest of Gen. Sweeny and +Staff. + +CHAPTER XV.--The Fenian Prisoners--Correspondence Between the British +and United States Governments Regarding Them. + +CHAPTER XVI.--The Canadian Volunteers Receive the Thanks of the +Government, and Warm Praise from the General Commanding and Other +Officers for Their Patriotic Service in Defending the Country. + +CHAPTER XVII.--A Retrospect of Events--A Combination of Unfortunate +Circumstances Involve Leading Officers. + +CHAPTER XVIII.--Dangers which Existed Previous to Confederation of the +Provinces--Proposals of Annexation to the United States--Lessons Learned +by the Fenian Raid. + + + +Fenian Raid of 1870 + +CHAPTER I.--Gen. O'Neil Prepares for Another Raid on Canada--Secret +Shipment of Arms to the Frontier. + +CHAPTER II.--Another Call to Arms--The Canadian Volunteers Promptly +Respond to the Summons. + +CHAPTER III.--Fenians Again Invade Canada--A Raid from Vermont Promptly +Repulsed by a Handful of Canadians. + +CHAPTER IV.--Operations on the Missisquoi Frontier--The Battle of +Eccles' Hill--Complete Defeat of the Fenian Army--Arrest of Gen. O'Neil. + +CHAPTER. V.--The Canadian Frontier Vigilantly Guarded--Volunteers on +Service at Danger Points all Along the Line. + +CHAPTER VI.--Fenians Gather en the Huntingdon Border--Skirmish at Trout +River--The Enemy Routed by the Canadian Troops. + +CHAPTER VII.--The Dawn of Peace--The Volunteers Relieved from Further +Service--Thanked by the Dominion Government, Lieutenant-General +Commanding, and the Imperial Government--Medals Bestowed and Crown Lands +Granted to the Veterans in Recognition of Their Services. + + + +Appendix + +CHAPTER I.--Full Report of the Investigation by the Court of Inquiry in +Regard to the Conduct of Lieut.-Col. Booker at the Battle of Lime Ridge, +Together with the Evidence Submitted and the Finding of the Court. + +CHAPTER II.--Report of the Charges Made Against Lieut.-Col. Dennis, +Regarding his Conduct During the Fight at Fort Erie, with the Opinion +Delivered by the Court of Inquiry who Investigated His Case. + + + + +PREFACE. + +One of the most dangerous and critical periods in the history of Canada +was that which closely followed the termination of the Civil War between +the Northern and Southern States of America in the year 1865. It is a +strange fact that Canadian authors and historians do not seem to have +fully realized the gravity of the situation that then existed, as the +event has been passed over by them with the barest possible mention. +Thus the people of the present generation know very little of the Fenian +troubles of 1866 and 1870, and the great mass of the young Canadian boys +and girls who are being educated in our Public Schools and Colleges are +in total ignorance of the grave danger which cast dark shadows over this +fair and prosperous Dominion in those stormy days. It was a period +of great peril to this rising young Nation of the North, which might +possibly have ended in the severance of Canada from British dominion. +But happily this was prevented by the prompt measures that were taken +to defend our soil, and the quick response that was made by the resolute +Canadian Volunteers when the bugles sounded the call to assemble for +active service on our frontiers. + +The fierce conflict which had been waged in the United States of America +for four long years between the North and the South was terminated by +the subjugation of the latter in the spring of 1865, and the tattered +battle flags of the Confederate forces were furled forever. Over a +million of men, veteran soldiers of both armies, were still in the field +when the Civil War ended, and when these mighty forces were disbanded, +hundreds of thousands of trained warriors were thrown upon their own +resources, without occupation or employment. While the majority of these +soldiers quickly resumed their old business or farming pursuits, yet +there remained idle a vast number of turbulent and restless spirits who +were ready and willing to embark in any fillibustering expedition that +might present itself. These men were all trained and seasoned veterans +of both the Union and Confederate armies--soldiers who were inured +to the hardships and rigors of many campaigns and fierce battles, and +thousands of them readily enrolled themselves under the Fenian banners +in anticipation of a war being inaugurated against the British nation, +with the invasion of Canada as the first step. + +The defence of our extensive Canadian frontier depended mainly upon +the volunteer militia force of the scattered Provinces, and to their +patriotism and gallantry in springing to arms when their services +were needed to defend their native land, may be ascribed the glory of +frustrating the attempts of the Fenian invaders to establish themselves +on Canadian soil. True, there were some British regular troops on duty +in Canada in 1866 around which to rally, and they did their duty nobly, +but in the operations on the Niagara frontier especially, it was the +Canadian volunteers who bore the brunt of battle, and by their devotion +to duty, courage and bravery under hostile fire, succeeded in causing +the hasty retirement of the Fenian invaders from our shores, and again, +as in days of yore, preserved Canada to the Empire, as one of the +brightest jewels in the British Crown. + +Having personally seen active service on the Niagara frontier during +both of the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870, and retaining vivid +recollections of the situation of affairs at the front during these two +campaigns, I will endeavor in the succeeding chapters of this book to +give the reader a faithful account of what occurred on these stirring +occasions. I have not relied on memory alone to present these facts, +but have corroborated my personal knowledge by reference to official +records, and reports of officers, which may be found in the archives of +the Militia Department at Ottawa, and the Ontario Bureau of Archives at +Toronto. + +I have endeavored to fully cover the subject, and put on record the +splendid service which our gallant volunteers rendered to their +country in 1866 and 1870. Hoping that the reader will find these pages +interesting, and at all times be ready to emulate their example, + + I am yours faithfully. + JOHN A. MACDONALD. + 41 Macdonell Ave., Toronto, May, 1910. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +UNHAPPY IRELAND SEETHING IN SEDITION--THE FENIAN BROTHERHOOD--HATCHING +THE PLOT--THE MOVEMENT OF '65--A SPLIT IN THE FENIAN CAMP. + +Every student of history is aware that for centuries the condition of +affairs in Ireland has not been altogether happy, owing largely to +the revolutionary schemes which have from time to time been hatched by +so-called "patriots" to "free Ireland from the yoke of the oppressor," +as they termed it in their appeals to the people to incite rebellion, +but more properly speaking to bring about a repeal of the union between +Great Britain and Ireland and establish an Irish nation on Irish soil. +Many brave but misguided men have been led to their death by joining in +such rebellious conspiracies against constitutional government in years +gone by, and still the spirit of discontent and hatred of British rule +is kept smouldering, with occasional outbursts of revolt as succeeding +leaders appear on the scene to inflame the passions of the people. + +Of the Irish troubles of earlier years it is not the purpose of +the writer to speak, but rather to deal with events which occurred +immediately prior to and during the period involving the Fenian +invasions of Canada. + +For some time previous to the year 1865 the leader of the revolutionary +movement in Ireland was James Stephens. He was a man of considerable +influence among his compatriots, possessed of good executive ability, +and had great capacity for organization along revolutionary lines. Being +an energetic worker and a forcible speaker, he quickly enlisted the +cooperation of other "patriots" in promoting the establishment of +the Fenian Brotherhood, of which he was chosen the "Head Centre" for +Ireland. This organization spread with such rapidity throughout Ireland +and America that it soon became one of the most dangerous and formidable +revolutionary forces ever known in the history of any country. +Its members were oath-bound to use every means to bring about the +emancipation of Ireland from the rule of Great Britain, and to encompass +the downfall of "the bloody Sassenachs" on every hand. After thoroughly +planting the seeds of sedition in Ireland, Head Centre Stephens and +his coadjutor General John O'Mahony visited America for the purpose +of invoking the aid of their compatriots on this side of the Atlantic. +Their idea was to make an attempt to emancipate Ireland by striking +a blow for freedom on the soil of the Emerald Isle itself, and if +successful to establish their cherished Republic firmly, become +recognized as a nation by the different nations of the earth, and +thereafter govern their own affairs. On their arrival in the United +States the Irish envoys received a most enthusiastic welcome from their +countrymen, and receptions were arranged in their honor on their visits +to all of the principal cities in the Union. The speeches delivered at +these gatherings were of the most fervid and enthusiastic nature, and +the hopes of the Irish people rose high in the belief that an Irish +Parliament would soon hold a session in Dublin. Money and men were asked +for from America by Head Centre Stephens, both of which were freely +promised "for the sake of the cause." In due course of time the +Irish-Americans contributed over $200,000 in cash, besides an immense +quantity of war material, towards making the proposed insurrection a +success. Volunteers for active service on Irish soil were numerous, and +everything looked rosy for Head Centre Stephens when he left America for +Ireland to direct "The Movement of '65." But, alas, his high hopes were +doomed to be shattered. The initial steps in the campaign had barely +been taken when "dark clouds in the horizon" began to loom up. A small +vessel, called the "Erin's Hope." had been despatched from America with +a cargo of rifles, ammunition and other war supplies for the use of the +Fenians in Ireland. A company of adventurous patriots were on board to +assist their brethren in "the rising," and all were brave and confident +of success. They had hoped to run into a secluded bay on the coast of +Ireland during the favored hours of night, and land their expedition and +supplies. But on arrival at the chosen point the ship was hailed by a +British man-of-war and captured without resistance. The officers +and crew were consigned to a British dungeon, and the ship and cargo +confiscated. A British spy had kept the authorities informed, and the +war vessel was at the designated point of landing to gather in +the "forlorn hope" of the invaders. Other Irish-Americans who were +constantly arriving as passengers by the ocean steamships to take part +in the conflict were promptly arrested as they landed on the quays, +and the rebellion of 1865 was nipped in the bud. Much dissension and +dissatisfaction then arose within the Fenian Councils. A great deal of +money had been spent and the attempt had proved a failure. The vigilance +of the British authorities was so keen, and arrests so numerous, that +the available prisons were soon filled, and the hopeful warriors who so +valiantly boasted that they would quickly unfurl the "Sunburst of +Erin" on the walls of Dublin Castle were obliged to retire into strict +seclusion until an opportunity occurred to be smuggled out of Ireland by +their friends and stowed away on ships bound back for America. + +The failure of the rising in 1865 caused a serious division among the +adherents of the cause in both America and Ireland, and the Fenian +Brotherhood was split into two hostile camps thereby. It was considered +that Stephens' policy of carrying on the rebellious operations in +Ireland was an impossible and suicidal one to the success of the +cause. Many Irish-Americans were languishing behind the bars of British +prisons, with an uncertain fate awaiting them when they were arraigned +for trial, and their comrades in the United States bitterly blamed +Stephens and O'Mahony for the fiasco. Consequently the majority in +America revolted, and seceded from the Stephens faction, claiming that +he had woefully misrepresented the state of affairs that existed in +Ireland, both as regarded preparations for a successful issue, and also +the enthusiasm that was said to sufficiently dominate the people there +to induce them to take up arms when the American contingent arrived. + +Col. Wm. R. Roberts, of New York, was the leader of the American +secessionists, who declared their belief that "No direct invasion or +armed insurrection in Ireland would ever be successful in establishing +an Irish Republic upon Irish soil, and placing her once more in her +proper place as a nation among the nations of the earth." The forces of +Col. Roberts gathered strength daily, and soon usurped control of +the Fenian forces in America, much to the chagrin of Stephens and his +followers. + +Gen. O'Mahony, who Head Centre Stephens had placed in supreme charge of +the affairs of the Fenian Brotherhood in America, was charged by Colonel +Roberts and his colleagues with having dipped too deep into the treasury +and by extravagance and other questionable methods dissipated the funds +of the Brotherhood. This widened the breach, and Roberts became the +popular idol with the majority of the American Fenians. Yet O'Mahony +held on to office with a ragged remnant of his old retainers to support +him, until finally Roberts triumphed and became the star around which +all of the other Fenian "planets" revolved. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE FENIAN CONVENTION AT CINCINNATI--THE BIRTH OF THE IRISH +REPUBLIC--"ON TO CANADA!"--GEN. SWEENY'S PROGRAMME. + +The seceders from the Stephens faction met in Convention in Cincinnati, +Ohio, in September, 1865, a very large number of delegates being present +from all of the States in the Union. After the usual preliminary oratory +and the adoption of several resolutions, the delegates formed +themselves into a body which they termed "the Senate Wing of the Fenian +Brotherhood." They ridiculed the idea of invading Ireland successfully, +and changed their base of operations. "On to Canada" became their +slogan, and the idea was so popular that they quickly secured the +allegiance of thousands of disappointed Irishmen who were anxious and +ready to strike a blow at England in any quarter In order that there +should be some recognized source from which all orders, proclamations +and edicts could be officially promulgated, it was resolved to form an +Irish Republic (on paper), as the Fenians were without territory +until they captured it. This was accomplished by the adoption of a +constitution framed on the model of that used by the United States. Its +provisions included the usual regulations (both civil and military) for +a Republican form of government, and its unanimous acceptance by the +delegates was received with glad acclaim. Col. Wm. R. Roberts was chosen +as President of the new Republic, and Gen. T. W. Sweeny (who was then +commanding officer of the 16th United States Infantry) as Secretary of +War. The other Cabinet port-folios were handed out to "lesser lights" in +the Fenian fold. + +As even Republican governments cannot be maintained, or military +campaigns conducted without the expenditure of money, the Irish +Republic could prove no exception to the rule, and therefore the work +of collecting funds and gathering munitions of war for the invasion +of Canada was immediately commenced. Fenian "circles," or lodges, were +organized in every possible corner of the United States for the purpose +of stirring up the enthusiasm of the Irish people and securing money +to purchase arms and ammunition. Military companies and regiments were +formed wherever practicable, and drilling and parading was pursued +openly during the fall of 1865 and winter of 1866, getting ready for the +coming fray. + +Funds were raised in various ways--by voluntary subscriptions, by +holding picnics, excursions, fairs, bazaars and other methods. But the +largest source of revenue was derived by imposing upon the credulity of +the sons and daughters of Erin by the sale to them of bonds of the Irish +Republic, a chimerical dream which was painted in such glowing colors +and presented with such stirring appeals to their patriotism that +hard-earned dollars were pulled out from every nook and cranny in many +Irish homes to invest in these "securities" and thus help along the +cause. The following is a copy of the bond, which will serve to show its +wording:-- + + No. ...... No. ...... + + It is Hereby Certified that + + The Irish Republic is indebted to ....... or bearer + in the sum of TEN DOLLARS, redeemable six months after + the acknowledgment of THE IRISH NATION, with interest + from the date hereof inclusive, at six per cent, per + annum, payable on presentation of this Bond at the + Treasury of the Irish Republic. + + Date ...... + + [Stamp. Office of the Treasury.] + + JOHN O'NEILL, + Agent for the Irish Republic. + +In the light of subsequent events, when the dreams of the visionary +enthusiasts have been so rudely dispelled, the sight of one of these +bonds must present as much sadness and pathos to the beholder as the +vision of an old Confederate bank note does to the erstwhile defenders +of the "Lost Cause" of the Southern States. + +As the coffers of the Irish Republic began to fill rapidly, the Fenian +leaders became more hopeful and bombastic, while enthusiasm among +the rank and file continued to be worked up to fever pitch. President +Roberts gathered a select coterie about him at his headquarters in New +York to assist in upholding his dignity, and incidentally help to boost +the cause. Plots and plans of all kinds were hatched against Great +Britain, and loud-mouthed orators were kept busy for several months +fanning the embers of Irish patriotism into flame. + +General Sweeny was very active during the winter of 1865 and 1866 in +getting his "War Department" fully organized and his field forces ready +for the spring campaign against Canada. His staff was composed of the +following officers, all of whom had seen active service in the Civil +War:-- + + Chief of Staff--Brigadier-General C. Carroll Tavish. + Chief of Engineer Corps--Col. John Meehan. + Chief of Ordnance--Col. C. H. Rundell. + Engineer Corps--Lieut.-Col. C. H. Tresiliar. + Assistant Adjutant-General--Major E. J. Courtney. + Ordnance Department--Major M. O'Reilly. + Quartermaster--Major M. H. Van Brunt. + Aide-de-Camps--Capt. D. W. Greely and Capt. Daniel O'Connell. + +This galaxy of officers strutted majestically around Headquarters garbed +in the gorgeous green and gold uniforms of the Fenian Army, looked wise, +and promised all enquirers that important movements would be made in the +spring. Secret meetings were held almost daily at Headquarters, when the +plan of campaign would be discussed over and over again, and amendments +made wherever necessary. Finally the following plan of operations was +given out in March, 1866, as the gist of one evolved by the Council, +which is said to have embodied Gen. Sweeny's whole strategic +programme:-- + +"Expeditions for the invasion of Canada will rendezvous at Detroit and +Rochester, and at Ogdensburg and Plattsburg, and at Portland. The +forces assembled at the two first-named points are to operate conjointly +against Toronto, Hamilton, and the west of Upper Canada. From Ogdensburg +and Plattsburg demonstrations will be made against Montreal, and +ultimately Quebec; Kingston will be approached by Cape Vincent, while +Portland will be the general place of embarkation for expeditions +against the capitals of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia." + + +THE BASES OF OPERATIONS. + +"The Canadian and provincial borders once crossed, bases of operations +will be established in the enemy's country, so that international +quarrels with the Washington Government may be evaded. There are to +be lands chosen at the head of Passamaquoddy Bay, Saint John's, on the +Chambly, close to the foot of Lake Champlain; Prescott, on the Saint +Lawrence; Wolfe Island, at the foot of Lake Ontario; Hamilton, Cobourg +Goderich, and Windsor, in Upper Canada. These places are all within +convenient distances of the United States, and afford by water an easy +retreat, as well as cunning receptacles for fresh American levies." + + +THE FORCES AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE FENIANS. + +"The Irish Republic calculates to have, by the first of April, fifteen +millions of dollars at its disposal in ready cash. This will give +transportation and maintenance for one month to thirty thousand men, +a greater number than were ever before mustered to the conquest of the +Canadian possessions. Of this force, eight thousand will carry the line +of the Grand Trunk road west of Hamilton; five thousand, crossing from +Rochester to Cobourg, will be prepared to move either east, in time to +act jointly with three thousand men from Wolfe Island, upon Kingston, or +to take part with the western detachment in the capture of Toronto. All +this, it is believed, will be the work of two weeks. Thus entrenched +securely in Upper Canada, holding all the routes of the Grand Trunk, +sufficient rolling stock secured to control the main line, the Fenians +hope to attract to their colors fifty thousand American Irishmen, and +equip a navy on Lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario. The avenues to return so +being secured, thirty thousand men, under General Sweeny, will move down +the Saint Lawrence, upon Kingston, simultaneously with ten thousand men +by the lines of the Chambly, and these will converge upon Montreal; in +the meantime isolated expeditions from the rendezvous at Saint Andrews +will reduce Saint John and Halifax, these furnishing depots for +privateers and ocean men-of-war to intercept British transports and +effectually close the Saint Lawrence. Quebec will thus fall by the slow +conquest of time; or, if the resources of the garrison should be greater +than the patience of the invaders, the same heights which two Irishmen +have scaled before, will again give foothold to the columns of the +brotherhood." + + +THE PLAN OF INVASION IN DETAIL. + +"At Chicago the Fenians already possess five sailing vessels, a tug, and +two steam transports; at Buffalo they are negotiating for vessels; at +Bay City, Michigan, and at Cleveland they have other craft in process +of refitting; these will simultaneously raise the green flag and stand +ready to succor the land forces. Goderich, Sarnia and Windsor will be +simultaneously occupied; all the available rolling stock seized, and the +main line of the Grand Trunk cut at Grand River, to prevent the passage +of cars and locomotives to Hamilton. The geographical configuration +of the western half of Upper Canada will permit of a few thousand +men holding the entire section of the country between Cobourg and the +Georgian Bay. These are connected by a chain of lakes and water courses, +and the country affords subsistence for a vast army. Horses sufficient +to mount as many cavalry as the Brotherhood can muster, quartermasters' +teams in quantity, and a vast amount of lake shipping, will at once be +reduced to a grand military department, with Hamilton for the capital, +and a loan advertised for. While this is being negotiated, Gen. Sweeny +will push rapidly forward on the line of the Grand Trunk, in time to +superintend the fall of Montreal, where ocean shipping will be found +in great quantity. With the reduction of Montreal a demand will be made +upon the United States for a formal recognition of Canada, whose name +is to be changed at once to New Ireland. While this is being urged, the +green flag will scour all the bays and gulfs in Canada; a Fenian fleet +from San Francisco will carry Vancouver and the Fraser River country, +to give security to the Pacific squadron, rendezvousing at San Juan, and +the rights of belligerents will be enforced from the British Government +by prompt retaliation for the cruelties of British courtmartials." + + +ABILITY OF THE FENIANS TO HOLD CANADA. + +"The population of the British provinces is little above two and a half +millions, and the military resources of the united provinces fall short +of sixty thousand men. Of these nearly ten thousand are of Irish birth +or descent. The States will furnish for the subjugation of these, eighty +thousand veteran troops. With the single exception of Quebec, it is +believed the whole of the British provinces will fall in a single +campaign. During the ensuing winter diversions will be put in motion in +Ireland, and while it is believed the Brotherhood can defy the Queen's +war transports to land an army in the west, arrangements will be +developed to equip a powerful navy for aggressive operations on the sea. +Before the 1st of June, it is thought, fifty commissioned vessels of +war and privateers, carrying three hundred guns, will be afloat, and to +maintain these a tremendous moral influence will be exerted upon every +Irish-American citizen to contribute the utmost to the general fund for +the support of the war. + +"By the tempting offer of a surrender of Canada to the United States, +Mr. Seward, it is hoped, will wink at connivance between American +citizens and the Fenian conquerors, and by another summer it is thought +the dominion of the Brotherhood north of the St. Lawrence will be +formally acknowledged by the United States, Russia, and each of the +American republics. The third year of Irish tenure in Canada will, it +is believed, array two of the great powers against Great Britain. John +Mitchell, at Paris, will organize the bureau of foreign agents; and +Ireland, maintaining a position of perpetual revolt, will engage for her +own suppression a considerable part of the regular British levies." + + +EUROPEAN OPERATIONS. + +"At the present time a bureau of operations is being quietly organized +in Paris, where the opposition press has already proclaimed for +Irish nationality. It is Mr. Mitchell who sees that the funds of the +Brotherhood are distributed in Ireland; he also is in correspondence +with liberal statesmen in Great Britain, and conducts the disintegration +of the British army by touching the loyalty of the Irish troops, who +constitute one-third of the Queen's service." + + +THE CUNARD STEAMERS TO BE SEIZED. + +"Among the earliest aggressive operations will be the overhauling of a +Cunard steamer between New York and Cape Race, with her usual allotment +of specie. In like manner the British lines of steamers proceeding from +England to Quebec, Portland, Boston and Halifax, will be arrested and +their funds secured." + + +THE WAR IN IRELAND. + +"Military operations in Ireland must, of necessity, be confined to the +interior. Three military departments will be organized--the Shannon, the +Liffey, and the Foyle--and the campaign will be entirely predatory or +guerilla in its conduct. The British Coast Guard stations will fall easy +conquests, their number and isolation contributing to their ruin; while +from the Wicklow Mountains, through all the rocky fastnesses of Ireland, +the cottagers will descend upon the British garrisons, maintaining +perpetual and bloody rebellion till the better news comes across the sea +or the patience of England is quite worn out." + +This was a mighty and stupendous programme truly, but oh how visionary! +It embraced the extreme aspirations of the boldest and most sanguinary +Fenian's, and its publication no doubt served to bring more money into +their treasury. But, alas for human hopes, its execution never happened. +Yet it fired the hearts of the soldiers of the Irish Republican Army, +and they eagerly awaited the summons to march "On to Canada." All +through that winter drilling and preparation continued, and the +enthusiasm of the men was kept warm by fervid oratory appealing to their +patriotism, while they boldly chanted their song:-- + + "We are a Fenian Brotherhood, + skilled in the arts of war. + And we're going to fight for Ireland, + the land that we adore. + Many battles we have won, + along with the boys in blue. + And we'll go and capture Canada, + for we've nothing else to do." + +Meanwhile the Canadian Government deemed it prudent to place troops +at some of the exposed points along the border, and on the 15th of +November, 1865, the following volunteer corps were called out for +Frontier Service, and were stationed at the following places, the whole +force being under the command of the Lieutenant-General commanding Her +Majesty's Forces in North America:-- + +_At Prescott_--The Ottawa Garrison Battery of Artillery; Capt. A. G. +Forrest. First Lieutenant W. Duck, and Second Lieutenant Albert Parson. + +The Morrisburg Garrison Battery of Artillery; Capt. T. S. Rubidge. First +Lieutenant Peter A. Eagleson, and Second Lieutenant G. S. L. Stoddart. + +_At Niagara_--Quebec Rifle Company; Capt. D. Gagnier, Lieut. Elzear +Garneau, and Ensign Thos. H. A. Roy. + +Montreal Rifle Company; Capt. P. J. M. Cinqmars, Lieut. J. O. Labranche, +and Ensign G. d'O. d'Orsonnens. + +_At Sarnia_--Toronto Rifle Company; Capt. Wm. D. Jarvis, Lieut. Farquhar +Morrison, and Ensign W. C. Campbell. + +Woodstock Rifle Company; Capt. Henry B. Beard, Lieut. John Matthewson, +and Ensign James C'oad. + +_At Windsor_--Hamilton Infantry Company; Capt. Henry E. Irving, Lieut. +Robert Grant, and Ensign J. J. Hebden. + +London Infantry Company; Capt. Arch. Macpherson. Lieut. Edward W. +Griffith, and Ensign George Ellis. + +_At Sandwich_--Port Hope Infantry Company; Capt. A. T. H. Williams, +Lieut. James F. McLeod, and Ensign Francis E. Johnson. + +Major C. F. Hill, of the First Prince of Wales Regiment (Montreal), +was in command of the forces stationed at Sandwich, Windsor and Sarnia. +These troops were kept on service for several months, and their presence +at the points named and the constant vigilance maintained, had an effect +in warning the Fenians that Canada's sons were alive to the duty of the +hour, and were resolved to guard and protect their homes and firesides +from desecration by invading foes or sacrifice their lives if necessary +in performing that sacred duty. + + +THE BROCKVILLE RIFLES. + +While the above detachments were on service at the points named, the +danger was equally great at other places, especially along the St. +Lawrence frontier. The town of Brockville was particularly exposed to +attack, as during the winter months the river is usually frozen over, +which would afford the Fenians an easy way of crossing on a solid bridge +of ice. At this time the town was exceptionally fortunate in having a +most excellent volunteer military corps as one of its most popular local +institutions, which was known as the Brockville Rifle Company. This +command figured so prominently in the service of the Volunteer Militia +Force of Canada in the early days that it deserves special mention in +the records of the country. + +The Brockville Rifles was one of the first companies organized under +the Volunteer Militia Act, being promoted in the spring of 1855 by Capt. +Smythe (who was afterward captain of a company in H. M. 100th Regiment, +which was raised in Canada in 1857 and 1858 for service in the British +Army, and who subsequently became commanding officer of that regiment). + +As Brockville and vicinity was first settled in 1783 and 1784 by the +U. E. Loyalists (all of whom had borne arms in defence of the British +Crown), their descendants have always been noted for their unswerving +loyalty and fealty to the Mother Country. Therefore when the opportunity +was offered to its citizens to exemplify their patriotism by serving +their Queen and country, they promptly obeyed the call, and in a short +time the ranks of the Brockville Rifles were filled up, and drilling +commenced. The muster roll was sent in to Militia Headquarters, and the +Company was formally gazetted on September 5th, 1855. Among the names +that appear on the first roll of this Company are those of William H. +Jackson and Wilmot H. Cole, both of whom are still living at this date, +and are supposed to be the only two survivors of the old corps. Each +of these gentlemen took a great interest in military affairs, and after +duly qualifying themselves, were gradually promoted in the service until +they attained high commands--the former being appointed one of the first +Brigade Majors under the Militia Act of 1862 (and subsequently +becoming a Deputy Adjutant-General, who discharged important duties at +Brockville, London, Winnipeg and Ottawa), while Wilmot H. Cole, after +serving through all the grades, rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel +of the Forty-first Battalion (of which the Brockville Rifles was always +No. 1 Company), the duties of which position he filled with great +ability and credit for twenty-seven consecutive years, retiring on July +1st, 1898. + +The Brockville Rifle Company was selected by the Government as one +of the units to form the regiment organized in 1864, under command of +Lieut.-Col. W. Osborne Smith, to guard the St. Clair and Detroit River +frontiers (extending from Sarnia on the north to Amherstburg on the +south) for the purpose of preventing raids from Canadian territory +on the United States by organized gangs of desperate men from the +Confederate States, who had come north for that purpose. + +The Canadian regiment had its headquarters at Windsor, with detachments +posted at that point, and at Sarnia, Chatham, Sandwich and Amherstburg. +To the latter point the Brockville and Belleville Rifle Companies were +sent in command of the following officers:-- + +Brockville Rifle Company--Major James Crawford, Lieut. W. H. Cole, and +Ensign Edmund W. Windeat. + +Belleville Rifle Company--Capt. Charles G. Le Vesconte. Lieut. James +Brown, and Ensign Mackenzie Bowell. + +The two companies at Amherstburg improved their time by engaging in +constant drill, and by the maintenance of strict discipline and close +attention to the duties required of them, they became very efficient. +After five months of frontier service the regiment was relieved on the +4th of May, 1865, and returned to their homes. + +In the fall of 1865 the Fenians began to get very active, and the +feeling prevailed among the people of Brockville that some provision +should be made for the protection of that town. The Brockville Rifles at +that time was in a very efficient condition, having four officers and 85 +rank and file, as follows:--Major James Crawford in command, Lieut. W. +H. Cole, Ensign E. W. Windeat and 65 non-commissioned officers and men, +with an additional gun detachment composed of one officer and 20 men, +equipped with a 6-pound brass field gun, under command of Lieut. Robert +Bowie, who had been at Amherstburg with the company the year previous. +(Lieut. Bowie was born a soldier, his father having held an important +command in the Tower of London, and had private quarters there with his +wife when Robert, his only son, was born.) + +Major Crawford called his officers together, and after a discussion of +what might happen to Brockville in its unprotected condition, it was +decided to make the following offer to the Militia Department:--As the +Company was now 85 strong, they would enlist 15 more men, making a total +of 100. The men would be called out at 6.30 p.m. every day, given a +two hours' drill; an officer's guard to be mounted, to consist of one +sergeant, one corporal and 24 men; sentries to be posted at seven of +the most exposed places, including one at each of the two banks; the +non-commissioned officers and men to be paid 25 cents each per day, the +officers giving their services free, and if the Department would furnish +the necessary bedding the Company would have 60 of the remaining men +sleep in the Armory every night, to be ready for any emergency. This +would enable the men to attend to their usual daily avocations and +not interfere with the business requirements of their employers. This +patriotic offer was at once accepted by the Government, and orders were +issued to have the duties carried out as above stated, which was done +in every detail from the 15th of December, 1865, to the eventful day in +March, 1866, when the first general call was made on the Volunteer Force +for service on the frontier. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE FIRST ALARM--CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS PROMPTLY RESPOND TO THE CALL OF +DUTY--THE CAMPO BELLO FIZZLE--FENIANS GATHER ON THE BORDER--OPERATIONS +ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER. + +Early in the month of March, 1866, considerable activity was observable +among the Fenians in both the United States and Ireland, and it became +known to the authorities that a "rising" was contemplated, to occur on +St. Patrick's Day. That a simultaneous raid on Canada had been planned +was evident, and as the Government maintained a force of secret service +agents in the principal American cities to keep watch on the movements +of the Fenians, reliable information was furnished which was regarded +of sufficient importance by the Canadian authorities to warrant prompt +action in putting the country in a state of defence. Accordingly on +the 7th of March a General Order was issued by Col. P. L. Macdougall, +Adjutant-General of the Canadian Militia, calling out 10,000 volunteers +for active service. The summons was flashed across the wires to all +points in the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, and fourteen thousand +men promptly responded to the call. By 4 o'clock on the following +day these forces were all assembled at their respective headquarters, +awaiting further orders. So eager were the young men of Canada to +perform their duty in those trying times that a force of 50,000 could +have been raised as easily as the number called for. Most of the +companies and battalions were reported "over strength" when the returns +were received at headquarters, and the Government decided to retain the +whole 14,000 on service pending developments of the enemy's movements. +Lieut.-General Sir John Michel (then commanding Her Majesty's forces +in North America) was placed in supreme command, with Major-Gen. James +Lindsay in command of the troops in Canada East, and Major-Gen. G. +Napier, C.B., in charge of the forces in Canada West. + +On the 8th of March, the following companies were ordered to report +for duty to Major Crawford at Brockville for the purpose of forming a +Provisional Battalion:-- + + Perth Rifle Company--Capt. Edmund Spillman. + Gananoque Rifle Company--Capt. Robert McCrum. + Carleton Place Rifle Company--Capt. James Poole. + Perth Infantry Company--Capt. Thomas Scott. + Almonte Infantry Company--Capt. James D. Gemmill. + Brockville Infantry Company--Capt. Jacob D. Buell. + +The above units promptly reported, and the organization of the Battalion +was effected by a mergement of them with the Brockville Rifles, which +was placed on full service and divided, the right half forming a company +of 50 men under Capt. W. H. Cole, and the left half (50 men) placed in +command of Lieut. Windeat. Lieut. Robert Bowie was appointed Adjutant of +the new Battalion thus created. + +Thirty Spencer rifles were issued to the Brockville Rifles, and given +to Capt. Cole's company. That officer compiled a drill manual which +instructed the men armed with the repeating rifles to act on the same +words of command issued to those who had the muzzle-loading Enfields, +which was so excellent in practice that he was afterwards highly +complimented by Major-General Lindsay when the Battalion was inspected +by him in the following May. This Battalion remained on duty at +Brockville until about the 16th of May, when they were released from +further service and permitted to return to their homes. + +For several weeks the country was kept in a state of feverish, +excitement, as all sorts of rumors of intended raids at different points +were prevalent. Constant drilling and vigilance was maintained, and all +the avenues of approach to the frontier towns and exposed points were +closely guarded. The weather was very severe that winter, especially +during the period the troops were on duty, and many of the survivors +of those eventful days will doubtless remember the frost-bites they +received while pacing their dreary beats on guard duty, and the many +other discomforts which fell to their lot. + +The 17th of March passed without the anticipated attacks being made, +however, and the fears of the people were gradually allayed. The Fenians +had evidently reconsidered their plans so far as Canada was concerned, +as the Frost King held sway with rigid severity, and decided to delay +their invasion until early summer. On the 28th of March the force +on active service was reduced from 14,000 to 10,000 (the original +prescribed number), and on the 31st of March all were relieved from +permanent duty with the exception of the advanced frontier posts, but +were required to parade and drill on two days of each week at local +headquarters. + +Meanwhile the Fenians kept up their drill and warlike preparations. +Immense quantities of arms and ammunition were purchased and shipped to +various points in the United States contiguous to the Canadian frontier, +where they could quickly be obtained by the invaders when wanted. + +During the early part of April a number of Fenians gathered in the towns +of Eastport and Calais, in the State of Maine, with the avowed purpose +of capturing the Island of Campo Bello, a British possession at the +mouth of the St. Croix River, on the boundary line between the Province +of New Brunswick and the United States. This expedition was under the +direction of "General" Dorian, Killian, who was one of the leading +lights of the O'Mahony faction of the Fenian Brotherhood. This move was +made contrary to the fixed policy of the Stephens-O'Mahony wing of +the Fenian organization, but something had to be done to satisfy the +impatient people who were providing the funds to inaugurate the war and +were clamoring for immediate action. So after considerable deliberation +and hesitation, General O'Mahony gave his consent to the proposed +invasion, and preparations were hurriedly made. A vessel was chartered +at New York, and being loaded with arms and ammunition, sailed for +Eastport, Maine. The rank and file of the Fenian force gathered quietly +at Eastport, Calais and adjacent towns, and awaited the arrival of their +armament. In the meantime the Canadian military authorities were getting +ready to meet the filibusters, and strong forces of volunteers were +posted along the New Brunswick frontier to watch events and be prepared +for action as soon as the Fenians attempted to make a landing. Three +British war vessels steamed quietly into the St. Croix River, ready for +instant service, and a couple of American gunboats were also on guard +to prevent a crossing. General Meade, with a battalion of United States +troops, arrived at Eastport, with orders from the American Government to +see that a breach of the Neutrality Act was not committed. On the same +day the vessel with arms for the Fenians sailed into Eastport harbor and +was promptly seized by the United States officials. This was "the last +straw" to break the hopes of the Fenians, and they left for their homes +without accomplishing anything, utterly dejected, hungry and weary, +and bitterly cursing their leaders, and the American authorities +particularly, for preventing them from crossing the line. This fiasco +was a mortifying blow to General O'Mahony and his supporters, and the +cohorts of Roberts and Sweeny gained more confidence and support as the +star of the Stephens faction grew dimmer. + +The remainder of April and the month of May passed away quietly, and the +people of Canada had almost dismissed the Fenian "bugaboo" from their +minds, and were enjoying a period of peace and prosperity, when again +the Demon of War loomed up on the border more terrible than ever. This +time it was the Roberts-Sweeny section of the Fenian Brotherhood who +were bent on making trouble for Canada, and if possible carry out their +elaborate plan of campaign for conquering our Provinces. All during the +winter and spring the Fenian leaders had been secretly and sedulously at +work making preparations for simultaneous raids on Canada at different +places, and towards the end of May the Irish Republican Army began +massing on the border for that purpose. At strategic points all along +our extensive frontier the Fenian forces were quietly gathering, +evidently with the purpose of trying to work out the wide scheme of Gen. +Sweeny to capture Canada and hand us over body and bones to the United +States. + +At St. Albans, Vermont, and adjacent villages, a large force gathered +for the purpose of making a raid from that quarter, in the possible hope +that with the reinforcements they expected, they might be able to hold +that section of country and operate against the City of Montreal with +some degree of success, in conjunction with two other columns which were +expected to carry the St. Lawrence line. + +At Malone, New York, another strong force assembled under the command of +the Fenian Gen. M. J. Heffernan, who announced his intention of making +an attack on Cornwall. Gen. Murphy and Gen. O'Reilly, both veteran +officers of the Union Army in the Civil War, were attached to this +column, and were very assiduous in their efforts to make it an efficient +fighting force. + +At Ogdensburg, New York, Gen. Sweeny personally supervised the +mobilization of a large contingent of his warriors. This column was +organized for the purpose of attacking Prescott, Brockville, and other +points along the St. Lawrence, and after taking possession of the +Canadian shore and the Grand Trunk Railway, be available for his plan +of sweeping the whole country east as far as Montreal, and join with +the other columns (which were to start from Malone and St. Albans) in +capturing that city. + +Cape Vincent, Oswego, Rochester and other points along the Upper St. +Lawrence and Lake Ontario were places of rendezvous for the Fenian +troops who were steadily arriving from the interior of New York State, +while the Western and Southern contingents gathered at Detroit, Toledo, +Cleveland, Erie and Buffalo. + +As the Niagara frontier possesses many attractions for an invading force +(as in the days of 1812 and 1814), it was decided to again make that +historic territory one of the arenas for hostile operations. Gen. Sweeny +fondly nursed the hope that while our forces were busily engaged there, +that he would be able to make crossings at two or three other points +along the border. As the scene of the first active operations was +presented on the Niagara Peninsula, I will relate those events first, +and then return to a description of what was occurring on the St. +Lawrence and Vermont borders. + +For some days previous to the 31st of May large numbers of mysterious +strangers were noticed to be gathering in some of the towns and +cities adjacent to the Niagara frontier. In Buffalo particularly this +mobilization of men with a purpose was observable, but so reticent were +they, and so careful of their movements causing comment, that suspicions +were partially disarmed. Yet these strangers were all Fenian soldiers, +who were silently and quickly gathering from various States of the Union +with a determined intention to make a quick dash on Canada, which +they hoped to capture, and set up their standards upon our soil. All +preparations for the _coup_ had been made, and yet the people of Canada +seemed to dream not of their peril. + +Towards midnight on the 31st of May those strangers in Buffalo were +noticed to be assembling in groups, squads and companies, and moving as +if by a pre-arranged programme in the direction of Black Rock, two or +three miles north of the city, on the Niagara River. Suspicious-looking +waggons and furniture vans were also moving in the same direction. +These were loaded with arms and ammunition for the use of "the Army of +Conquest," but no attempt was made by the United States authorities to +stop the expedition, although it was a clear breach of the Neutrality +Act then in force between the two countries. At the hour of midnight, +when the peaceful citizens on the Canadian side of the Niagara River +were slumbering in their beds, the Fenian hordes were steadily gathering +on the other side of the shimmering stream and making preparations to +effect a crossing. Two powerful tugs and several canal boats had been +chartered to convey the Fenians across to Canada, and these were quickly +and quietly loaded with men and munitions of war, As the grey dawn +of day was breaking on the morning of the 1st of June, the Fenian +transports started across the river. The troops consisted of one brigade +of the Irish Republican Army, under command of Gen. John O'Neil, a +veteran soldier who had seen much active service and hard fighting in +the American Civil War. This brigade was composed of the 13th Regiment +(Col. O'Neill), from Tennessee; 17th Regiment (Col. Owen Starr), from +Kentucky; 18th Regiment (Lieut.-Col. John Grace), from Ohio; the 7th +Regiment (Col. John Hoye), from Buffalo, N.Y., and a detachment of +troops from Indiana. The whole number was estimated to be about 1,500 +men, who were principally veteran soldiers of the Northern and Southern +armies. + +This was the "forlorn hope" who were expected to make the first landing +and hold the country until sufficient reinforcements could be rushed +across the border to enable them to make a success of the campaign. +Buffalo was full of Fenians and their sympathizers at that time, and +thousands were coming into the city every day to take part in the +invasion. + +It was an opportune time for such a movement, as the popular feeling +of the American people was not altogether amicable or friendly to the +British nation, and it was the hope of the promoters of the raid that +something might occur which would give them the countenance and support +of the United States. It is a well-known fact that under the political +system of America the Irish vote is a dominant factor in elections, and +all classes of citizens who aspire to public office are more or less +controlled by that element. Consequently the vigilance of many of +Uncle Sam's officials was relaxed, and they winked the other eye as the +invaders marched towards Canada, instead of endeavoring to stop them +from committing a breach of the law of nations in regard to neutrality. + +It was asserted in the public press of the United States and proclaimed +by the Fenians themselves at that time, that Andrew Johnson (who was +then President of the United States) and Secretary of State Seward +openly encouraged the invasion for the purpose of turning it to +political account in the settlement of the Alabama Claims with Great +Britain. In view of the fact that he held back the issuance of his +proclamation forbidding a breach of the Neutrality Act for _five +full days after_ the Raid had been made, there was manifestly some +understanding between President Johnson and the Fenian leaders, as the +American authorities were perfectly cognizant of what was intended long +before Gen. O'Neil crossed the boundary, and might have been prevented +from doing so, had the United States officials at Buffalo exercised such +due vigilance as Gen. Meade did in the Campo Bello affair. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE LANDING IN CANADA--PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS OF THE FENIAN FORCES NEAR +FORT ERIE--ADVANCE INTO THE INTERIOR. + +About half-past three o'clock on the morning of June 1st the peaceful +shores of Canada were reached by the invaders. The embarkation was made +at Pratt's Iron Furnace Dock on the American side, and the landing took +place at what was then known as the Lower Ferry Dock, about a mile +below the village of Fort Erie. Just as the boats struck the shore, the +color-bearers of Col. Owen Starr's 17th Kentucky Regiment sprang on to +Canadian soil and unfurled their Irish flags amid terrific cheering by +the Fenian troops. This was the first intimation that the people of the +quiet vicinity received that an invasion had actually occurred, and it +was a terrible awakening from peaceful slumber to most of them. There +were no Canadian troops whatever within 25 miles of Fort Erie, and the +invaders had it all their own way. The war material was quickly unloaded +from the canal boats, and Gen. O'Neil at once began making dispositions +of his force to hold his ground. The total number of troops that came +over by the first boats was stated to be 1,340, with 2,500 stand of +arms. This force was rapidly augmented during the day by reinforcements, +so that by evening the strength of the Fenian army in Canada amounted to +about 2,000 men. + +After posting guards and throwing out pickets in various directions, +Gen. O'Neil marched up to the village of Fort Erie with the main portion +of his brigade, which he occupied without resistance. He then made +requisition on the village authorities for meals for his men. He stated +that he would do no personal injury to private citizens, but wanted +food and horses, and these he proposed to take forcibly if they were not +furnished willingly. Dr. Kempson, the Reeve of the village, in order to +protect the citizens and prevent pillage, at once called a meeting of +the Municipal Council, who decided to provide the food demanded. In some +cases Fenian bonds were offered in payment for articles, but were not +acceptable to the Canadian people, and were courteously and firmly +refused. + +Immediately after breakfast had been served and rations distributed, +Gen. O'Neil made details of troops for various purposes. Guards were +posted all along the river front, from the ruins of old Fort Erie to a +point below Haggart's Dock, who were instructed to shoot any person +who attempted to interfere with them. Detachments were sent to cut the +telegraph wires and destroy part of the Buffalo and Lake Huron railway +track (now the Grand Trunk), which was quickly done. A detail under +command of Capt. Geary, of the 17th Kentucky Regiment, was despatched +to burn Sauerwine's Bridge, on the railway track between Fort Erie and +Ridgeway, and tear up the rails. This was only partially accomplished, +as after the Fenians left some of the people residing in the vicinity +rallied and extinguished the flames in the burning bridge before much +serious damage was done. The railway track, however, was torn up for a +considerable distance by the raiders. + +An early morning train on the B. & L. H. Railway narrowly escaped +capture by a detail of troops sent for that purpose. The train had +just succeeded in transferring its passengers to the ferry boat +"International" and was starting back westward empty, when the Fenians +put in their appearance. The plucky engineer, seeing the danger, pulled +the throttle of his engine wide open and saved the train from capture by +a narrow margin. + +After committing sundry other depredations in the way of cutting +telegraph wires and destroying public property. Gen. O'Neil marched the +main body of his troops down, the River Road to Frenchman's Creek, where +they encamped in an orchard on Newbigging's Farm, about half, a +mile north of the Lower Ferry. Here the Fenians began work on the +construction of a line of breastworks and entrenchments, which kept them +busily employed all afternoon. + +A detachment of the 7th Buffalo Regiment, under command of Capt. +Donohue, made a reconnaissance in the direction of Chippawa during the +afternoon, and after discovering a party of mounted farmers, who they +mistook for Canadian cavalry, fired a volley at them without effect and +then retreated valiantly back to the Fenian camp, bombastically boasting +that they had routed a strong force of British troops. + +Other details had been busy seizing horses and food supplies, and +mounted scouts galloped for miles in all directions, scouring the +country seeking information as to the whereabouts of the Canadian +forces, and at the same time distributing copies of the following +proclamation:-- + + +"To the People of British America: + +"We come among you as the foes of British rule in Ireland, We have taken +up the sword to strike down the oppressors' rod, to deliver Ireland from +the tyrant, the despoiler, the robber. We have registered our oaths upon +the altar of our country in the full view of heaven and sent up our vows +to the throne of Him who inspired them. Then, looking about us for an +enemy, we find him here, here in your midst, where he is most vulnerable +and convenient to our strength... We have no issue with the people of +these Provinces, and wish to have none but the most friendly relations. +Our weapons are for the oppressors of Ireland. Our bows shall be +directed only against the power of England; her privileges alone shall +we invade, not yours. We do not propose to divest you of a solitary +right you now enjoy... We are here neither as murderers, nor robbers, +for plunder and spoliation. We are here as the Irish army of liberation, +the friends of liberty against despotism, of democracy against +aristocracy, of the people against their oppressors. In a word, our war +is with the armed power of England, not with the people, not with these +Provinces. Against England, upon land and sea, till Ireland is free... +To Irishmen throughout these Provinces we appeal in the name of seven +centuries of British iniquity and Irish misery and suffering, in the +names of our murdered sires, our desolate homes, our desecrated altars, +our million of famine graves, our insulted name and race--to stretch +forth the hand of brotherhood in the holy cause of fatherland, and +smite the tyrant where we can. We conjure you, our countrymen, who from +misfortune inflicted by the very tyranny you are serving, or from any +other cause, have been forced to enter the ranks of the enemy, not to be +willing instruments of your country's death or degradation. No uniform, +and surely not the blood-dyed coat of England, can emancipate you from +the natural law that binds your allegiance to Ireland, to liberty, to +right, to justice. To the friends of Ireland, of freedom, of humanity, +of the people, we offer the olive branch of peace and the honest grasp +of friendship. Take it Irishmen, Frenchmen, American, take it all and +trust it... We wish to meet with friends; we are prepared to meet with +enemies. We shall endeavor to merit the confidence of the former, and +the latter can expect from us but the leniency of a determined though +generous foe and the restraints and relations imposed by civilized +warfare. + +"(Signed) T. W. SWEENY. + +"Major-General Commanding the Armies of Ireland." + +During the afternoon and evening there was considerable excitement and +uneasiness in the Fenian camp, caused by rumors of the near approach +of the Canadian troops, and officers and men steadily prepared for any +emergency. Gen. O'Neil had been expecting heavy reinforcements all day, +but they failed to appear, although it was estimated that there were +over 10,000 Fenians then assembled in Buffalo and vicinity, with a +plentiful supply of arms and ammunition. A few came over in rowboats as +evening approached, but the large forces that were expected remained on +the other side, cautiously awaiting developments. + +It was the evident intention of the Fenian army to penetrate the +country and capture and destroy the Welland Canal, and subsequent events +confirmed that as part of their plan of campaign. + +As the shades of night fell, strong guards were posted around the Fenian +camp, and the roads leading thereto were effectively picketed. From +reports brought in by his scouts and spies, Gen. O'Neil learned that two +Canadian columns were being mobilized--one at Chippawa and the other +at Port Colborne--and he resolved to make a quick dash on one of these +before a junction could be effected between the two, counting upon +a surprise and the prestige of his men as veteran soldiers to win a +victory. A council of war was therefore held by O'Neil and his officers, +and it was resolved to make an advance immediately. + +About 10 o'clock that night the men were aroused and commanded to "fall +in" for the movement forward. A large quantity of arms and ammunition +which had been brought over for the use of the expected reinforcements +was now found to be an impediment, and O'Neil decided to destroy them +to prevent their falling into the hands of the Canadians. Consequently +hundreds of rifles and other munitions of war were burned or thrown into +Frenchman's Creek before leaving their camp. + +The Fenian column then started down the River Road towards Black Creek. +On arrival at a point near that stream they bivouacked by the roadside +and awaited reports of scouts. It was here that Gen. O'Neil learned that +a force of Canadian volunteers would leave Port Colborne for Ridgeway +early on the morning of June 2nd, and he decided to go forward and +attack them. It was just about daybreak that he put his brigade in +motion and moved west by an old bush road until he struck the Ridge +Road, which bears south-west from the river to Ridgeway. As they marched +along the latter highway in the early hours of a bright, beautiful +morning, the Fenians were in fine fettle and "spoiling for a fight." +They had some mounted scouts in advance, cautiously feeling the way. +When within a few miles of Ridgeway Station this advance guard heard the +whistle of a locomotive, and soon after bugle calls, which signified the +arrival of the Canadian troops. The scouts galloped back to O'Neil +with the information, and he at once halted his brigade, closed up his +column, and began making preparations for battle. + +Gen. O'Neil's experience in the military campaigns of the Civil War had +taught him many useful lessons, which he had evidently profited by, as +his choice of a battleground on Limestone Ridge was admirable, and the +skilful disposition he made of his forces was commensurate with the +ability of a high-class tactician. + +Limestone Ridge, along which the so-called "Ridge Road" runs, has an +elevation of about 35 feet over the surrounding country, and at the +point where O'Neil took up his main position is about half a mile wide, +with patches of bush and clumps of trees alternating with open fields. +On both sides the country is comparatively cleared, so that an extensive +view is obtainable from the summit of the ridge, which was of decided +advantage to O'Neil, as he could watch the approach of advancing troops +from almost any direction. Here he posted his brigade and hastily began +the construction of breastworks and barricades of fence rails and earth. +A force of sharpshooters and skirmishers were thrown out well to the +front and along the flanks of this position, and after all dispositions +for battle had been carefully made, Gen. O'Neil coolly awaited the +arrival of the Canadian troops, who were advancing from Ridgeway totally +ignorant of the fact that there was a lion in their path. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE SECOND ALARM--GRAND UPRISING OF THE CANADIAN PEOPLE --DEPARTURE OF +TROOPS FOR THE FRONT--GEN. NAPIER'S PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. + +Late on the night of the 31st of May, 1866, the second call to arms +was telegraphed from Ottawa, and within an hour the sound of bugles and +alarm bells was heard echoing and ringing in nearly every city, town and +village in the country. The alacrity with which our volunteers responded +to the summons on that eventful night is without a parallel in the +history of any nation. The whole country was aroused, and all were eager +to go to the front. Many young men pleadingly begged for a chance +to join the already "over strength" companies who could not be +accommodated, and were reluctantly obliged to satisfy their military +ardor by enrolling themselves in the Home Guards and shouldering rifles +for patrol duty. + +In the town of St. Catharines the excitement was intense, on account +of its near proximity to the border and the alarming reports that were +being circulated of the near approach of the enemy. The town companies +of the 19th Lincoln Battalion, under command of Lieut.-Col. J. G. +Currie, and the St. Catharines Battery of Garrison Artillery, under +Capt. George Stoker and Lieut. James Wilson, were speedily mustered, +and all through the night kept faithful vigils on guard duty, anxiously +awaiting orders to move to the frontier. A Home Guard was hastily +organized and equipped, and every citizen vied with his neighbor to +shoulder his share of the responsibility in defending their homes and +kindred from the attacks of the invaders. + +At Toronto the Queen's Own Rifles, the Tenth Royals, the Toronto +Garrison Battery, and the Toronto Naval Brigade, were quickly assembled +at the drill shed and preparations made to leave for the front at a +moment's notice. The citizens of the loyal old city of Toronto, who had +on many previous occasions rallied around the flag of their country when +danger threatened, were so strongly imbued with that patriotic feeling +which prevailed everywhere that they immediately enrolled a Home Guard +to defend the city in the absence of the volunteer regiments, and +faithfully and well was that duty performed. + +The same intense patriotism was manifested by the people of Canada +generally, and a general muster of all military commands prevailed +wherever organized. + + +LIST OF TROOPS CALLED OUT FOR ACTIVE SERVICE. + +As a matter of record and interest to the survivors of the Fenian Raid +of 1866, copies of the General Orders issued by the Militia Department, +designating the troops that were called out for active service on the +1st and 2nd of June. 1866, together with a list of the new companies +organized, are herewith given: + + +HEADQUARTERS, OTTAWA, 1st June, '66. + + +GENERAL ORDERS, No. 1. + +The Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief directs that the following +named corps be called out for active service, and that the said corps +be immediately assembled and billetted at their respective headquarters, +there to await such orders for their movement as may be directed by the +Commander-in-Chief: + + UPPER CANADA. + + Windsor Garrison Battery. + Goderich Garrison Battery. + St. Catharines Garrison Battery. + Toronto Garrison Battery. + Port Stanley Naval Company. + Dunnville Naval Company. + Hamilton Naval Company. + Toronto Naval Company. + Mount Pleasant Infantry Company. + Paris Rifle Company. + Brantford Rifles, 2 Companies. + Kincardine Infantry, 2 Companies. + Paisley Infantry Company. + Southampton Rifle Company. + Vienna Infantry Company. + St. Thomas Rifle Company. + Windsor Infantry Company. + Sandwich Infantry Company. + Leamington Infantry Company. + Amherstburg Infantry Company. + Gosfield Rifle Company. + Durham Infantry Company. + Mount Forest Rifle Company. + Leith Rifle Company. + Dunnville Rifle Company. + York Rifle Company. + 20th Battalion, St. Catharines, 5 Companies. + 7th Battalion, London. 6 Companies. + Komoka Rifle Company. + Villa Nova Rifle Company. + Simcoe Rifle Company. + Port Rowan Rifle Company. + Walsingham Rifle Company. + Ingersoll Infantry Company. + Drumbo Infantry Company. + 22nd Battalion Oxford Rifles, Woodstock, 4 Companies. + Brampton Infantry and Rifle Companies. + Albion Infantry Company. + Derry West Infantry Company. + Alton Infantry Company. + Grahamsville Infantry Company. + Stratford Infantry Company. + Bradford Infantry Company. + Barrie Infantry and Rifle Companies. + Collingwood Rifle Companies. + Cookstown Rifle Company. + Orangeville Infantry Company. + Fergus Rifle Company. + Elora Rifle Company. + Caledonia Rifle Company. + Stewartown Infantry Company. + Georgetown Infantry Company. + Norval Infantry Company. + Oakville Rifle Company. + Seaforth Infantry Company. + Chatham Infantry, 2 Companies. + Blenheim Infantry Company. + 19th Battalion, St. Catharines, 6 Companies. + 13th Battalion, Hamilton, 6 Companies. + Aurora Infantry Company. + Lloydtown Infantry Company. + King Infantry Company. + Scarborough Rifle Company. + 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Rifles, Toronto, 11 Companies. + 10th Battalion (Royals), Toronto, 8 Companies. + + + LOWER CANADA. + + Franklin Infantry Company. + Durham Infantry Company. + Hinchinbrooke Rifle Company. + Athelstan Infantry Company. + Rockburn Infantry Company. + Huntingdon Infantry, 2 Companies. + Hemmingford Infantry Company. + Roxham Infantry Company. + Lacolle Infantry Company (21st Battalion). + St. John's Infantry Company (21st Battalion). + Havelock Rifle Company. + Granby Infantry, 2 Companies. + Waterloo Infantry, 2 Companies. + Freleighsburg Infantry Company. + Phillipsburg Infantry Company. + Montreal Infantry, 6 Companies. + + +OTTAWA, 2nd June. 1866. + + +GENERAL ORDERS, No. 2. + +The Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief has been pleased to call out +for active service the following corps in addition to those called out +by General Order No. 1, of yesterday's date: + + + UPPER CANADA. + + 1st Frontenac Troop Cavalry, Kingston. + 1st Squadron Volunteer Light Cavalry, County of York. + Grimsby Troop Cavalry. + London Troop Cavalry. + St. Thomas Troop Cavalry. + Governor-General's Body Guard, Toronto. + Kingston Field Battery. + Hamilton Field Battery. + Welland Canal Field Battery. + London Field Battery. + 14th Battalion Rifles. Kingston. + Brockville Rifle and Infantry Companies. + + + LOWER CANADA. + + Varennes Infantry Company. + Napiersville Infantry Company. + St. Remi Infantry Company. + St. Luc's Infantry Company, 21st Battalion. + Sherbrooke Rifles, 2 Companies. + Danville Rifle Company. + Bury Infantry Company. + Richmond Infantry Company. + Melbourne Infantry Company. + 2nd Lennoxville Rifle Company. + + + On 2nd June the following new companies were placed on + the list of the Volunteer Militia of Canada: + + + UPPER CANADA. + + Oil Springs Infantry Company. + Bayfield Infantry Company. + Galt Infantry Company. + Oro Infantry Company. + Aylmer Infantry Company. + Strathroy Infantry Company. + Orillia Infantry Company. + Woodstock Infantry Company. + Wolfe Island Infantry Company. + Tamworth Infantry Company. + Kemptville Infantry Company. + Sydney Infantry Company + Hillsboro Infantry Company. + Dundas Infantry Company. + Bobcaygeon Infantry Company. + Bearbrook Infantry Company. + St. Mary's Infantry Company. + Clinton Infantry Company. + Huntley Infantry Company. + Widder Infantry Company. + Peterboro Infantry Company. + Edwardsburg Infantry Company. + Parkhill Infantry Company. + Stirling Infantry Company. + Ottawa Garrison Artillery (3rd Battery). + Waterloo Infantry Company. + Warwick Infantry Company. + Amherst Island Infantry Company. + Napanee Garrison Artillery. + Port Hope Garrison Artillery. + 10th Royals, Toronto (2 additional Companies). + + + LOWER CANADA. + + Stanstead Infantry Company. + Coaticooke Infantry Company. + Ste. Hyacinthe Infantry Company. + Sorel Infantry Company. + Tingwick Infantry Company. + Winslow Infantry Company, + Clarenceville Infantry Company. + Elgin Infantry Company. + Longueuil Infantry Company. + Boucherville Infantry Company. + Vercheres Infantry Company. + Abercorn Infantry Company. + Huntingdon Infantry (3rd Company). + St. Pie Infantry Company. + Vaudreuil Infantry Company. + St. Martine Infantry Company. + St. Athanase Infantry Company. + Beauharnois Infantry Company. + Knowlton Infantry Company. + Sutton Infantry Company. + +On the evening of the 2nd of June the whole of the Volunteer Force +not already called out or enumerated in the above-mentioned lists, was +placed on active service, and on Sunday, the 3rd of June, the Province +had more than 20,000 men under arms, besides the numerous companies +of Home Guards. The entire force turned out not only willingly, but +eagerly, although at a season of the year when their business interests +suffered greatly by their absence. It was enough for every militia man +to know that the country needed his services, and personal interests +were cheerfully sacrificed. Instances of devotion to Queen and country +were general. Business matters were but a secondary consideration. +Merchants and their clerks left their shops, students their colleges, +professional men their offices, while factories were shut down and +farmers left their ploughs in the furrows to take up their rifles +to assist in the national defence. Those who were obliged by age or +infirmities to stay at home were not idle, but nobly did their part in +raising funds to assist the families of those bread-winners who had gone +to serve on the frontier posts. All over the country large sums were +raised for this purpose, and the patriotic Relief Committees were +exceptionally busy attending to the proper distribution of food and +supplies, both among the volunteers and the needy families who were +depending upon them. + +In the order calling out the troops for active service the +Governor-General placed the whole force under the command of Lieut.-Gen. +Sir John Michel, and added: + +In former times the Commander-in-Chief has had occasion to call for +the active services of the volunteer force to maintain international +obligations, and as a precaution against threatened action. These +threats have now ripened into actual fact. The soil of Canada has been +invaded, not in the practice of legitimate warfare, but by a lawless and +piratical band in defiance of all moral right, and in utter disregard +of all the obligations which civilization enforces on mankind. Upon +the people of Canada this state of things imposes the duty of defending +their altars, their homes and their property from desecration, pillage +and spoilation. The Commander-in-Chief relies on the courage and loyalty +of the volunteer force and looks with confidence for the blessings of +Providence on their performance of the sacred duty which circumstances +have cast upon them. + + +MAJOR-GEN. NAPIER'S PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. + +As the Niagara district was chosen by the Fenians to be the theatre of +their first operations, Gen. Napier quickly made preparations to occupy +the salient points of this important territory. The Welland Canal, +connecting Lake Erie with Lake Ontario, runs from Port Colborne on the +former lake to Port Dalhousie on the latter (a distance of 26 miles), +and lies at an average distance of about 13 miles inland from the +Niagara River. The Welland Railway also connected these two points, +running nearly parallel with the canal. To protect these two arteries of +commerce from destruction was a desideratum to the General commanding, +and his plan of campaign was framed on these lines. Port Colborne lies +about 19 miles west of Fort Erie, and Gen. Napier decided to mobilize a +force at that point and another at St. Catharines, 10 miles west of +the Niagara River. These were two very strategic points at which to +concentrate troops for the defence of the Niagara frontier, as they +possessed excellent advantages as bases of supply for the sustenance +of columns operating in any quarter of the district. On account of the +favorable rail communication with each of those places, troops could be +moved rapidly by trains from the interior, and would always be within +easy striking distance of an invading force on any portion of the +Niagara frontier. Therefore orders were issued to commanding officers to +assemble their corps immediately at their respective local headquarters, +and await further instructions. + +The first body of troops which left for the front was the Queen's Own +Rifles, of Toronto, with a total strength of 480 of all ranks. The +regiment was assembled at the Drill Shed on Front Street at 4 o'clock on +the morning of June 1st, and received orders to proceed to Port Colborne +without delay. At 6.30 a.m. they embarked on board the steamer "City of +Toronto" for Port Dalhousie, where they entrained on the Welland Railway +for Port Colborne. Lieut.-Col. J. S. Dennis, Brigade Major of the Fifth +Military District, was in command. This officer had received orders +from Gen. Napier to occupy Port Colborne, and if necessary entrench a +position there and await reinforcements and further orders before an +attack was made on the enemy. The Queen's Own arrived at Port Colborne +about noon, and there being no indications of the enemy in the near +vicinity, the men were billetted among the citizens for dinner, as by +somebody's oversight no rations or food supply of any kind had been +forwarded for the sustenance of the troops. + +Lieut.-Col. Dennis sent out couriers and mounted scouts to glean +information of the whereabouts of the enemy, who he finally located +at their camp near Fort Erie. During the afternoon the Thirteenth +Battalion, of Hamilton, under command of Lieut.-Col. A. Booker, arrived +at Port Colborne from Dunnville, accompanied by the York and Caledonia +Rifle Companies. These reinforcements made a total force of about 850 +troops at Port Colborne, and as Lieut.-Col. Booker was the ranking +officer present, he took command of the column. + +Meanwhile other troops were on the move towards the frontier. As before +mentioned. Gen. Napier had decided to also mobilize a force at St. +Catharines, and orders were given to Col. Geo. Peacocke, commanding +Her Majesty's 16th Regiment, to proceed thither with the forces at his +command, and assume charge of the operations for the defence of the +frontier. At 12.40 o'clock (noon) a force consisting of three companies +of Her Majesty's 47th Regiment, under command of Major Lauder, and the +Grey Battery of Royal Artillery, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Hoste, C.B., +left Toronto via the Great Western Railway for St. Catharines. At +Hamilton this contingent was joined by Col. Peacocke with 200 men of the +16th Regiment, and the whole force proceeded to their destination. On +arrival at St. Catharines Col. Peacocke received telegrams advising +him that a strong body of Fenians were marching towards Chippawa, so he +resolved to move forward his force at once to that point and endeavor +to save the bridges across the Welland River (or Chippawa Creek) from +destruction. + +[Picture (page 47) 0047.gif, a map + +KEY TO MAP. + +(a) Where Fenians landed, (b) Fenian Camp 1st June, (c) Fenian bivouac +night of 1st June, (d) Point at which Fenian pursuit was abandoned, (e) +Fenian Camp near the old Fort, night of 2nd June, from which point they +evacuated Canada, (f) Col. Peacocke's forces, night of June 1st. (g) +Col. Peacocke's Camp at noon, June 2nd. (h) Col. Peacocke's bivouac at +Bowen's Farm, night of 2nd June.] + +He issued immediate orders for the Tenth Royals of Toronto, two more +companies of H. M. 47th Regiment, the Nineteenth Lincoln Battalion, and +Capt. Stoker's Battery of Garrison Artillery, from St. Catharines, to +reinforce him at Chippawa. These troops moved promptly forward, and +before daylight all were bivouacked on the streets of the quiet village +of Chippawa. No provision had been made for sheltering our volunteers, +as neither tents or blankets had been issued, so the weary, jaded troops +were content to lie out on the green sward under the star-lit canopy of +heaven, with the gentle June dew falling on their sleeping forms, until +at sunrise the bugles sounding the reveille awoke them to a realization +of the hard fare of a soldier's life on active service. By some blunder +of somebody no food had been provided for the volunteer battalions, nor +haversacks to carry it in if they did have it, so fortunate indeed was +he who received breakfast that morning. As the majority of the men had +left their homes early the day before, and had eaten very little since, +they keenly felt the pangs of hunger. But the patriotic people of +Chippawa did their best to cater to their needs, and were unsparing +in their efforts to provide the meals so urgently required, while the +regular troops shared their rations of hard tack, cheese, meat and tea +cheerfully with their Canadian comrades. + +Although the Fenians had openly flaunted their intention of invading +Canada, and the secret service agents had made minute reports of the +determination of the marauders to make a raid, still the Canadian +military authorities seemed apathetic, and took very little heed of the +warnings until the eve of the event. Plenty of time was accorded the +Government to have the whole force properly equipped and in readiness, +but when the bugles sounded the alarm and the volunteers promptly +assembled to meet the foe, there was a woeful lack of the necessaries +which are indispensable to a successful campaign, namely, an available +supply of military stores, commissary and medical supplies. Many of the +companies and battalions which moved promptly to the front were totally +unprovided even with canteens or water bottles, and had to depend on +creeks or roadside ditches for a drink of water wherewith to allay their +thirst, which they scooped up in their hands or caps as best they could. +But "Johnny Canuck" never murmured, and marched cheerfully onward in the +shoes in which he usually stood, without provisions and weighted down +with heavy padded uniforms (which were designed for winter wear), +carrying a heavy rifle and accoutrements, with forty rounds of ball +cartridges in his pouch and twenty more in his pockets for ballast. +Still he had a stout heart within his breast, and a resolute +determination to do his duty in assisting to drive the invaders from +the shores of his native land served to impel him onward as he marched +through the choking dust of clay roads on a blazing hot June day, gaily +joining in the refrain of the old marching song:-- + + "Tramp, tramp, tramp, our boys are marching. + Cheer up, let the Fenians come! + For beneath the Union Jack we'll drive the rabble back + And we'll fight for our beloved Canadian home." + +Those were stirring days, and many an old volunteer who participated in +the forced marches and hardships of the campaign on the Niagara frontier +particularly, still retains vivid recollections of that strenuous +period. + +On the evening of the 1st of June, Col. Peacocke received definite +reports that the Fenians were still occupying their camp at Frenchman's +Creek, and at once conceived the plan of uniting the forces at Port +Colborne with his own column at Stevensville (a small country hamlet +about seven miles south-west of Chippawa) and make a combined attack on +Gen. O'Neil's position as soon as the junction of the two columns was +effected. He accordingly despatched Capt. Chas. S. Akers (an officer of +the Royal Engineers) across the country about midnight with orders to +Lieut.-Col. Booker to leave Port Colborne for Ridgeway by rail at five +o'clock next morning, and after detraining his troops at that station to +march by the nearest road to Stevensville, where he expected to meet +him with his column about 10 o'clock. Capt. Akers was given minute +instructions by Col. Peacocke as to the time he proposed to leave +Chippawa (6 o'clock) and also the route of his march, so that +Lieut.-Col. Booker could be thoroughly informed of his plans. + +Capt. Akers arrived at Port Colborne about 2 o'clock a.m., on June 2nd, +and after delivering his despatches and verbal orders, had a conference +with Lieut.-Col. Booker and Lieut.-Col. Dennis as to the situation of +affairs at the front, which resulted in a proposal by Lieut.-Col. +Dennis that Col. Peacocke's plans should be altered (contingent on that +officer's consent) and that Lieut.-Col. Booker's column should advance +on Fort Erie direct and join Col. Peacocke near Frenchman's Creek, +instead of at Stevensville. This proposal was telegraphed to Col. +Peacocke, who promptly negatived any change in his plans, and insisted +on his original orders being obeyed. + +Previous to the issuance of his order to Lieut.-Col. Booker, Col. +Peacocke had telegraphed to Lieut.-Col. Dennis that he had ordered the +International Ferry steamer to proceed from Fort Erie to Port Colborne, +and instructed him to put a gun detachment on board and patrol the +Niagara River from Fort Erie to Chippawa. As this steamer had not +arrived at 10.30 p.m., Lieut.-Col. Dennis availed himself of the +patriotic offer of Capt. Lachlan McCallum, owner of the powerful tug +"W. T. Robb," to place that boat at his disposal. Capt. McCallum was +the commanding officer of the Dunnville Naval Brigade, and the boat +was lying at her dock at that place when he received a telegram from +Lieut.-Col. Dennis shortly after midnight to proceed to Port Colborne +without delay. He quickly mustered his crew and the members of his Naval +Brigade and left Dunnville at 2 o'clock a.m., arriving at Port Colborne +at about 4 a.m. Meanwhile the Welland Canal Field Battery, under +command of Capt. Richard S. King, of Port Robinson, had reported at Port +Colborne, and received orders to embark on the "W. T. Robb," for the +proposed reconnaissance to the Niagara River. For some unaccountable +reason the field guns of this splendid Battery, which was one of +the most efficient in the Province at that time, had been removed +to Hamilton a few months previously, and their only armament on this +occasion was short Enfield rifles with sword bayonets. They mustered +three officers and 59 men when they joined the Dunnville Naval Brigade +on board the tug. The latter corps consisted of three officers and 43 +men, armed with Enfield rifles and equipment, but were without uniforms. +Thus the total strength of the combatant forces which left Port Colborne +on the "W. T. Robb" was 108 of all ranks. Without waiting for a reply +from Col. Peacocke relative to the change in plans suggested by the +conference, Lieut.-Col. Dennis, accompanied by Capt. Akers, went on +board the tug, and assuming command of the expedition, ordered the +vessel to proceed at once to Fort Erie. + +Shortly after the "W. T. Robb" left the harbor, a telegram was received +by Lieut.-Col. Booker from Col. Peacocke, ordering him to adhere to his +original instructions, and to leave Port Colborne for Ridgeway not later +than 5.30 a.m., to disembark there and march to Stevensville, so as to +effect the junction with his column at the specified hour. Lieut.-Col. +Booker's troops were already on board the train, having remained in the +cars nearly all night with very little sleep, and after being served a +hasty and very meagre breakfast, the train started from Port Colborne +about 5 o'clock. The total strength of the forces (which consisted +of the Queen's Own Rifles, the Thirteenth Battalion, and the York and +Caledonia Rifle Companies) was about 840 men. Preceded by a pilot engine +the train moved carefully eastward until it reached Ridgeway station, +where the force was detrained and formed up in column of march. It was +then found impossible to obtain horses and waggons at Ridgeway for the +transport of the stores, so that a large quantity of supplies and +other material which was urgently required had to be sent back to Port +Colborne by the returning train. This was a lamentable state of affairs, +which did not reflect much credit on the ability of some officer whose +duty it was to look after such matters. + +Although Col. Peacocke had notified Lieut.-Col. Booker that he +would leave Chippawa with his column at 6 o'clock on his march for +Stevensville to form the proposed junction of forces, he was nearly two +hours late of his scheduled time in doing so, which had an important +bearing on the fortunes of the day, and the events which might have been +averted. The reinforcements (consisting of two companies of H. M. 47th +Regiment, the 19th Lincoln Battalion, the 10th Royals of Toronto, and +Stoker's Battery of Artillery, from St. Catharines) had arrived during +the night and early hours of the morning. Some time was lost in getting +the column ready for the advance, and it was not until 7 o'clock that +the "assembly" was sounded for the companies to "fall in." The troops +hurriedly bundled on their accoutrements and equipments, and in a +quarter of an hour were ready for the march. Another half hour was lost +in inspection, "telling off" the battalions, serving out ammunition and +other preliminaries, so it was nearly 8 o 'clock when the bugle sounded +"the advance" and the column was put in motion. + +H. M. 16th Regiment supplied the advance guard, with the usual look-out +and flanking files. The main body of the advance was commanded by Capt. +Home and Lieut. Taylor, and the support by Lieut. Reid. The remainder +of the column was formed in the following order: The right wing of H. M. +16th Regiment, under command of Major Grant; the Grey Battery of Royal +Artillery (with six Armstrong guns), under Col. Hoste; H. M. 47th +Regiment, under Lieut.-Col. Villiers and Major Lauder; the Nineteenth +(Lincoln) Battalion (seven companies, with a strength of 350), and the +Tenth Royals of Toronto (417 strong). The volunteer battalions were +officered as follows: + +NINETEENTH BATTALION--Lieut.-Col. James G. Currie in command; Majors, +John Powell and T. L. Helliwell; Adjutant, Silas Spillett. No. 1 +Co.--Capt. Ed. Thompson. Lieut. Johnson Clench. No. 2 Co.--Capt. Fred +W. Macdonald, Lieut. F. Benson. No. 3 Co.--Capt. Wm. Kew, Lieut. J. K. +Osborne, Ensign Kew. No. 4 Co.--Capt. Mathias Konkle, Lieut. G. Walker, +Ensign Wolverton. No. 8 Co.--Capt. Henry Carlisle, Lieut. Edwin +I. Parnell, Ensign Josiah G. Holmes. Surgeon, Edwin Goodman, M.D.; +Quartermaster, Wm. McGhie. (The Clifton and Port Dalhousie Companies of +this Battalion were left to guard the Suspension Bridge, and the Thorold +Company was sent to Port Colborne to guard the Welland Canal). + +THE TENTH ROYALS--Lieut.-Col., A. Brunel; Majors, James Worthington and +John Boxall (in command during march); Adjutant, C. H. Connon. No. +1 Co.--Capt. Geo. McMurrich, Lieut. John Paterson, Ensign F. Barlow +Cumberland. No. 2 Co.--Capt. Geo. B. Hamilton. Lieut. Fred Richardson, +Ensign Alex. Macdonald. No. 3 Co.--Lieut. H. J. Browne in command, +Ensign Walter H. Barrett. No. 4 Co.--Capt. Wm. A. Stollery, Lieut. +Arthur Coleman, Ensign W. D. Rogers. No. 5 Co.--Capt. Geo. W. Musson, +Lieut. Chas. S. Musson, Ensign J. Widmer Rolph. No. 6 Co.--Capt. J. W. +Laurence, Lieut. C. J. H. Winstanley, Ensign Hayward. No. 7 Co.--Capt. +J. W. Hetherington, Lieut. G. Brunei. No. 8 Co.--Lieut. T. Brunei in +command, Ensign L. Sherwood. Surgeon, Dr. J. H. Richardson; Assist. +Surgeon, Dr. James Newcombe; Paymaster, Capt. John H. Ritchey; +Quartermaster, Capt. Rufus Skinner. + +The St. Catharines Garrison Battery of Artillery, under command of Capt. +George Stoker and Lieut. James Wilson, was left at Chippawa to hold that +place and guard the bridges. + +A very grave error or oversight was made by the General Commanding in +not providing a force of cavalry to thoroughly scour the country in +advance of both of these columns before they started feeling their +way through a district that was practically unknown to the commanding +officers, and which was reported to be occupied by marauding parties of +the enemy. Had this been done on the first of June, and cavalry +scouts been employed on all the leading roads and highways gathering +information of the whereabouts and doings of Gen. O'Neil and his forces, +the events which subsequently transpired might have ended more happily. +At the eleventh hour the Militia authorities saw the necessity of +employing cavalry in the operations, and called out a portion of that +extremely useful branch of the service. One of these cavalry troops (the +Governor-General's Body Guard, of Toronto, under command of Major Geo. +T. Denison), performed splendid service in this direction, an account of +which will be given in a subsequent chapter. + +Col. Peacocke marched from Chippawa by the River Road for Black Creek +on his way to Stevensville, a rather round-about route, which added some +miles to his journey and caused considerable loss of time. The day was +an oppressively close one, with not a breath of air stirring, and as +the sun rose higher in the heavens it cast forth a brassy heat that was +almost unbearable, and had a telling effect on the men, who were soon +drenched with perspiration and covered with dust. By 11 o'clock the heat +became more intense and the dust more denser, and the jaded soldiers +began to show signs of weariness, when Col. Peacocke resolved to halt +his column at New Germany, a point about three miles from Stevensville, +having covered 12 1/4 measured miles on this strenuous march. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE BATTLE OF RIDGEWAY--A BAPTISM OF FIRE AND BLOOD FOR THE CANADIAN +TROOPS--SPLENDID COOLNESS AND HEROIC COURAGE OF THE VOLUNTEERS AT THE +BEGINNING OF THE FIGHT ENDS IN DISASTER. + +The second of June, 1866, was an eventful day for the Canadian troops +who were operating on the Niagara frontier. They had hurriedly left +their homes, the majority of them wholly unprovided with the means of +subsistence, and illy equipped for campaigning, to combat a band of +veteran troops who were bent on capturing Canada. A large proportion +of our volunteers were mere youths who had left their colleges, office +work, mercantile and other occupations, to go forth at their country's +call, and had never encountered the perils of war or seen a hostile +shot fired in their lives. But the high spirit of courage and patriotism +which animated the hearts of all, rendered them self-reliant and +determined to do their utmost in performing their sacred duty to their +Queen and country. + +In the preceding chapter a general idea of Col. Peacock's plan of +campaign was given, and as Lieut.-Col. Booker's force was the first to +move in carrying out that plan, it will be necessary to describe the +operations of this command in detail, so that the reader may acquire +a comprehensive knowledge of the exciting events which succeeded each +other rapidly during the time this gallant force was in action. + +A few minutes after 7 o'clock Lieut.-Col. Booker put his column in +motion from Ridgeway station. The troops had previously been instructed +to "load with ball cartridge," and all were keen to meet the enemy. Just +before leaving, Lieut.-Col. Booker had been informed by several farmers +of the neighborhood that the Fenians were only a short distance in his +front, but he could scarcely believe so many conflicting stories, as the +last official information he had received was that O'Neil was still at +his camp at Frenchman's Creek. Although he considered the information +unreliable, still he resolved to be prudent, and keep a sharp lookout +for "breakers ahead." The usual military precautions which govern an +advance into a hostile country were taken by him, and the advance guard +and commanding officers warned to be on the alert. + +The Queen's Own Rifles, under command of Major Charles T. Gillmor, +led the van, followed by the York Rifle Company (Capt. Davis), the +Thirteenth Battalion, under command of Major Skinner, and the Caledonia +Rifle Company, under Capt. Jackson, in the order named. No. 5 Company +of the Queen's Own (who were armed with Spencer repeating rifles) formed +the advance guard, and the Caledonia Rifles the rear guard. + +After proceeding about two miles along the Ridge Road the advance guard +signalled back the intelligence that there were indications of the enemy +in front. The column was then halted on the road, and flanking parties +were detailed to scour the woods to the right and left. Proceeding a +little further it became apparent that the Fenians were in position +about half a mile north of the Garrison Road. + +As the Canadian troops carefully moved forward, the advance guard (No. +5 Co., Q.O.R.), extended from its centre, with No. 1 Company on its left +and No. 2 Company on its right as skirmishers. No. 3 Company acted +as centre supports, No. 4 Company left supports. No. 7 Company as +a flanking party to the left, supported by No. 8 Company, and No. 6 +Company flanking to the right. Nos. 9 and 10 Companies were in reserve. +After an advance of about half a mile in this formation No. 6 Company +was sent as a support to No. 2 Company on the right. + +The Canadians bravely advanced until they were met by a heavy fire from +the Fenians' sharpshooters, who were extended behind rail fences and +clumps of bushes, their main force being posted behind breastworks in a +wood some distance in their rear. The Queen's Own promptly returned the +fire and continued to advance steadily. The firing then became general, +being most galling on the right and centre of the Canadian line. + +The first Canadian to fall by a Fenian bullet was Ensign Malcolm +McEachren, a brave officer of No. 5 Co., Q.O.R., who was mortally +wounded in the stomach and died on the field about twenty minutes later. + +For over an hour the gallant Queen's Own continued to drive the enemy +before them, and one after another of their positions was carried, until +they had the Fenians forced back to their main breastworks in the woods. +By this time the Queen's Own had nearly exhausted their ammunition, and +No. 5 Company had fired every round of their Spencer rifle cartridges. +So that it became necessary for Major Gillmor to ask for relief. + +The Thirteenth Battalion was the reserve force of the column, and it now +became their turn to go into action. Lieut.-Col. Booker at once ordered +the right wing of the reserve to deploy on the rear company to the +right and extend. Major Skinner commanded the Thirteenth, and acted very +courageously. He executed the movement with great skill and ability. No. +1 Company of the Thirteenth Battalion was on the right of the line +and the York Rifles on the left. The troops advanced with coolness and +bravery and were heartily cheered by the Queen's Own as they took their +place in the battle line. The left wing of the Thirteenth moved up as +the supports of their comrades of the same Battalion, and the Queen's +Own then became the reserve. The fighting line of the Thirteenth +continued the "drive" of the enemy into their entrenchments, and their +hearty cheers as they pushed on to the attack were answered by the yells +of the Fenians, who were preparing to make a charge. + +Observing a movement on the part of O 'Neil which threatened his right +flank, Lieut.-Col. Booker requested Major Gillmor to keep a sharp +lookout for the cross-roads on which the reserve rested, and to send two +companies from the reserve to occupy and hold the woods on the hill to +the right of his line. Major Gillmor sent the Highland Company of the +Queen's Own to perform that duty. + +Just at this time (about 9.30 a.m.) two telegrams were handed to +Lieut.-Col. Booker by a gentleman who had then arrived from Port +Colborne. Both messages were from Col. Peacocke, one stating that he +could not leave Chippawa until 7 o'clock, and the other advising him +to "be cautious in feeling his way for fear obstacles should prevent +a junction." This was disappointing news to Lieut.-Col. Booker. He had +already struck an "obstacle," and had to overcome it alone, as there was +now no chance of any succor from Col. Peacocke. + +[Picture (page 49) 0057.gif, a map] + +To make matters worse, a few moments later Major Gillmor reported that +the Highland Company had been compelled to leave the woods on the right +of his position, as they had found that point occupied by Fenians. +Almost simultaneously the cry of "Cavalry! Look out for cavalry!" came +down the road, and some of our men were observed doubling down the +hill. As the alarm was repeated when a few Fenian horsemen were observed +advancing from around the corner of a piece of bush, Lieut.-Col. Booker +ordered the reserve (which was composed of the Queen's Own) to "Prepare +for Cavalry," and Companies Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 promptly "formed +square" on the road. As soon as it was discovered that the alarm was +a false one, the order was given to "Reform Column," and for the two +leading companies (Nos. 1 and 2) to "extend." On reforming, the reserve, +being too close to the skirmish line, was ordered to retire. The left +wing of the Thirteenth, who were in rear, seeing the four companies of +the Queen's Own reserve retiring, and thinking a general retreat had +been ordered, broke and retired in a panic, on seeing which the Queen's +Own reserve also hurriedly retired. The bugles now having sounded the +"Retire." Nos. 1 and 2 Companies of the Queen's Own fell back and seeing +their comrades in disorder they too became demoralized. The Fenians, +who were about ready to quit the fight and flee from the field when this +unfortunate circumstance occurred, now saw their opportunity, and were +quick to avail themselves of it. Their rifle fire became hotter and more +incessant than ever, and as the Canadian troops were all huddled up in +a narrow road, their murderous volleys were very destructive. It was a +vain effort on the part of the officers to check the retreat and rally +the men for the first few hundred yards, but after a while they cooled +down and retired in an orderly manner, occasionally turning around to +take a parting shot at the Fenians, who were pursuing them. Occasionally +a squad or company would halt and deliver a well-directed volley, but no +general formation could be accomplished, as the troops were practically +demoralized. + +[Picture (page 51) 0059.gif, a map] + +The Fenians followed in pursuit as fur as Ridgeway Station, when they +turned east and retreated to Fort Erie, no doubt thinking that a fresh +column of Canadian troops would endeavor to effect their capture. +Lieut.-Col. Booker, seeing that it was impossible to get the troops in +good fighting condition again that day, decided to order a retreat to +Port Colborne, where they arrived during the afternoon, utterly worn out +from loss of sleep and their strenuous exertions during the day. + + + THE HONOR ROLL. + + The following is a list of the Canadians killed and + wounded in the action at Ridgeway: + + + QUEEN'S OWN RIFLES. + + _Killed._ + + Ensign Malcolm McEachren, No. 5 Company. + Lance-Corporal Mark Defries, No. 3 Company. + Private William Smith, No. 2 Company. + Private Christopher Alderson, No. 7 Company. + Private Malcolm McKenzie, No. 9 Company. + Private Wm. F. Tempest, No. 9 Company. + Private J. H. Mewburn, No. 9 Company. + Sergt. Hugh Matheson (died on June 9th), No. 2 Company. + Corporal F. Lackey (died on June 11th), No. 2 Company. + + _Wounded._ + + Ensign Wm. Fahey (in knee), No. 1 Company. + Private Oulster (calf of leg), No. 1 Company. + Private Wm. Thompson (neck). No. 2 Company. + Capt. J. B. Boustead (contusion), No. 3 Company. + Lieut. J. H. Beaven (thigh), No. 3 Company. + Private Charles Winter (thigh), No. 3 Company. + Private Chas. Lugsdin (lung and arm). No. 4 Company. + Private Chas. Bell (knee), No. 5 Company. + Private Copp (wrist). No. 5 Company. + Lieut. W. C. Campbell (shoulder), No. 6 Company. + Corporal Paul Robbing (knee, leg amputated), No. 6 Company. + Private Rutherford (foot), No. 6 Company. + Sergt. W. Foster (side), No. 7 Company. + Private E. T. Paul (knee), No. 9 Company. + Private R. E. Kingsford (leg). No. 9 Company. + Private E. G. Paterson (arm). No. 9 Company. + Private W. H. Vandersmissen (groin), No. 9 Company. + Color-Sergt. P. McHardy (arm), No. 10 Company. + Private White (arm, amputated), No. 10 Company. + Private Alex. Muir (arm dislocated), No. 10 Company. + Sergt. Forbes (arm), No. 10 Company. + + +THIRTEENTH BATTALION. + +_Died._--Private Morrison, No. 3 Company. + +_Wounded._--Lieut. Routh, severely in left side; Private McKenzie, wound +in foot; Private George Mackenzie, left arm; Private Edwin Hillier, +wound in neck; Private Stuart, flesh wound in neck; Private Powell, +wound in thigh; Sergt. J. M. Young, H. W. Simons, B. W. Sutherland, +Alex. Henderson, John Crossman, James Cahill, W. Irving, W. T. Urquhart, +and W. B. Nicholls. + + +YORK RIFLES. + +_Wounded._--Sergt. Jack, in thigh; B. J. Cranston, Oneida. + +The unfortunate termination of the battle of Ridgeway was a great +disappointment to the rank and file in Lieut.-Col. Booker's force, +and he was severely condemned for having given the fatal order which +resulted in huddling up his men in a "square" in an exposed position, +and finally resulted in the retrograde movement. But under similar +circumstances any other officer might have done likewise, and to his +credit it may be recorded that he did his best afterwards to retrieve +the consequences of his error, and by personal courage on the field +endeavored to stop the retreat. He had no staff to assist him, and +was the only mounted officer on the Canadian side, so that he was at a +disadvantage. Moreover, he had never previously manoeuvred a brigade, +even on parade, and to handle one in battle was a trying ordeal to an +inexperienced officer who had never before been under fire. + +It was a most disastrous occurrence, for in another ten minutes of +fighting Gen. O'Neill's forces would have been defeated and in full +retreat. In fact, O'Neil Himself afterwards admitted this, and stated +that if the Canadians had fought five minutes longer his forces would +have given way, as they were fast becoming demoralized and were making +preparations for flight. He complimented our men highly on their courage +and steadiness, and said that he had mistaken them for regular British +troops, and could not believe that they were merely Canadian volunteers, +without any previous experience in warfare. + +An observer who was present at the battle states that "there were no +faint hearts in the whole Canadian line while under fire, but with the +steadfastness of old soldiers trained in battle, the gallant youths +stood up to perform honorably and creditably the stern task which they +saw was before them. The officers, by word and act, gave their men +whatever slight encouragement was needed, and each vied with the other +in enthusiasm and firmness of purpose." + +On the retreat from Ridgeway the dead and severely wounded were of +necessity left on the field, but during the afternoon and evening were +collected by the people residing in the vicinity and conveyed to near-by +houses, where the wounded received every attention that it was possible +to bestow until the arrival of medical aid. As soon as it became known +in Toronto that a battle had been fought, the following surgeons left +for the front by the 1 p.m. train: Doctors Tempest, Rowell, Stevenson, +Howson, Agnew, Pollock, De Grassi and Dack. They arrived at Port +Colborne at 9 a.m. and Dr. Tempest immediately conferred with Dr. +Thorburn, Surgeon of the Queen's Own, who had retired to Port Colborne +with his regiment. It was just at this moment that Dr. Tempest received +the sad intelligence that his own son had been killed in the engagement, +which was a crushing blow to the patriotic father. He, however, remained +at his post of duty, carefully supervising details in the movement +of several surgeons to the battlefield, fourteen miles distant, and +directed affairs at Port Colborne to receive the wounded on their +arrival at that point. No vehicles were available at Port Colborne, but +Doctors Stevenson and Howson, noticing a farmer's waggon passing by, +impressed it into the service and started together for the battle +ground, where they arrived about 2 o'clock Sunday morning. They found +our wounded in the houses in the neighborhood, and with the assistance +of Dr. Clark, of St. Catharines, Doctors Brewster and Duncan, of Port +Colborne, and Dr. Allen, quickly dressed the wounds of all of the +wounded. The dead were sent on to Port Colborne in waggons, and a train +was ordered to proceed to Ridgeway to bring back the wounded. This train +left Ridgeway in charge of Doctors Stevenson and Howson at 1 o'clock +on Sunday, and soon after arrived at Port Colborne, where it was met +by Doctors Tempest, Beaumont and other medical men. Several of the most +severely wounded, whose cases demanded rest and more careful surgical +treatment, were left in charge of the surgeons at Port Colborne, while +others were removed to the improvised hospital in the Town Hall at St. +Catharines, and the remainder conveyed to Port Dalhousie, where they +were carefully carried on board the "City of Toronto." After the wounded +had been comfortably placed on mattresses and stretchers, the bodies +of six of the dead soldiers (Ensign McEachren, Corporal Defries, and +Privates Smith, Alderson, McKenzie and Tempest), encased in the plain +wooden coffins which had been provided for them at Port Colborne, were +reverently carried on board, and the steamer started on its sorrowful +trip to Toronto. + +A Toronto paper, in reciting the circumstance of the sad home-coming of +the dead and wounded heroes, said: + +At 9 o'clock in the evening the bells of the city began to toll +mournfully as the lights of the "City of Toronto," freighted with dead +and wounded from the battle field, were seen entering the harbor, and +every street and avenue began to pour their throngs of sympathizing +citizens to Yonge street wharf, where strong pickets of volunteers were +drawn up to keep the dense crowd already assembled from pressing over +the dock. Ominous files of hearses, with cabs and carriages, passed over +the wharf, and the pickets again closed upon the multitude, vast numbers +betaking themselves to the neighboring wharves and storehouses and +literally swarmed over every post of observation. We do not think that +gloomy Sunday night will soon be forgotten by any of the myriads who, +as the soft south-eastern wind dashed the waves against the esplanade, +awaited in melancholy expectation the approaching steamer. The wharf was +densely crowded with an anxious crowd to witness the arrival of the poor +fellows. A strong guard had to be stationed across the street at +the entrance of the wharf, and no one was allowed to pass except the +committee and those privileged with a pass. At half past nine the +steamer arrived, and the committee immediately went on board and +assisted in the removal of the wounded. many of whom were lying on +mattresses with their legs and arms in bandages, some of them apparently +in great pain. A company of the 47th was in waiting with ambulances to +convey the wounded out of the boat to cabs. Six dead bodies were +brought down in coffins, their names being McEachren, Defries, Alderson, +Tempest. McKenzie and Smith. The wounded who arrived were Capt. +Boustead, Ensign Fahey, Kingsford, Lakey, Robins, VanderSmissen, +Patterson, Webster, Muir and Elliott. Lugsden and Mathieson were left +at Port Colborne, they being too much injured to be removed. The wounded +were conveyed in cabs to their residences, and the dead to the houses of +their friends. + + +INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE. + +A daring deed of bravery was performed by Private John H. Noverre, +of No. 5 Co., Q.O.R., while the battle was at its hottest stage. When +Ensign McEachren received his fatal wound, his belts and sword were +removed from his body and left in a fence corner. As the Fenians were +working up in that direction, Mr. Noverre determined to run the risk +of recovering his dead comrade's equipments, rather than have them fall +into the hands of an exultant enemy. Therefore he ran across the line of +fire amid a storm of bullets, secured the sword and belts, and regained +the Canadian lines unscathed just as the retreat began. The exertion of +the race and the excessive heat proved too much for him, however, and he +suffered sun-stroke, which necessitated his being carried from the field +and borne to Port Colborne by his comrades, from whence he was sent to +the hospital at St. Catharines for treatment, and soon recovered. + +Ensign Wm. Fahey, of No. 1 Company, was about the last man struck, +while assisting to cover the retreat. He was using the rifle of a +fallen comrade on the firing line when he was struck in the knee. He was +assisted to a neighboring house and was kindly treated by the Fenians +when they took possession. + +Private R. W. Hines, of No. 8 Co., Queen's Own, was taken prisoner by a +squad of Fenians and his rifle taken from him and handed to one of their +officers. The officer took the rifle, and after eyeing it critically, +grabbed it by the barrel and with a profane remark that it would never +shoot another Fenian, smashed the stock against a boulder. The Canadian +gun, being loaded and at full cock, went off with the concussion, and +the bullet passed through the Fenian's body, killing him instantly. + +It is related that a private of the Queen's Own was in conflict with +two Fenians, who pressed him at the point of the bayonet. He retreated +across a fence and fell, when one of the Fenians dashed at him with his +bayonet and pinned him to the ground, the bayonet passing through his +arm. He pulled a revolver with the other hand and shot the Fenians one +after another and escaped. + +Private Graham, of the Queen's Own, in getting over a fence, caught his +foot between the top rails and swung over, his head downwards, and was +unable to extricate himself. A shower of Fenian bullets whistled around +him without injury, when a comrade came to his rescue and relieved him, +but was himself seriously wounded. + +Private R. E. Kingsford, of No. 9 Co., Queen's Own (now Police +Magistrate at Toronto), was wounded and taken prisoner. The Fenians +carried him to a farm house, procured him refreshments, and took great +care of him while he was in their hands. + +Major Cattley, of the 13th Battalion, had a spur knocked off his heel by +a bullet while climbing a fence, and a private of the same battalion had +the ball on the top of his shako shot away. + +Private Shuttleworth, of the 13th, had a narrow and extraordinary +escape. While he was in the act of firing, the muzzle of his rifle was +shot into by a Fenian musket ball and torn open. + +It is recounted that Lieut. Routh, of the 13th Battalion, turned his +company towards the enemy three times during the retreat and delivered +volleys at the advancing foe. He called out to the men to stand their +ground, but just at that moment he was struck by a spent ball on the +hip. He rallied, and said it was lucky it was no worse, and exclaimed. +"I will not run. I will die first," but he was again struck by a ball +through the left side, when he dropped and was carried off the field by +two of his men. + +Capt. Sherwood, of No. 8 Co., Q.O.R., had the band taken off his collar +and a piece taken out of the sleeve of his tunic by a bullet, without +being even wounded. + +Sergt. Foster, of No. 7 Co., Q.O.R., was struck by a bullet over the +heart, tearing his tunic and grazing the skin, but leaving him otherwise +uninjured. + +Mr. P. E. Noverre, of No. 5 Co., Q.O.R., relates that during the +progress of the fight a patriotic lady and her little daughter, who +resided in the neighborhood of the battlefield, were busy carrying water +for the thirsty soldiers to drink. They were right in the line of fire, +but seemed to disdain the danger. Suddenly a Fenian bullet perforated +the tin pail the little girl was carrying, and she remarked, "Mother, +the pail is leaking; it won't hold water." Mr. Noverre was being served +with a drink by the lady at the time, when another bullet whizzed past +his ear and severely wounded a soldier of the 13th Battalion who was +standing behind him. + +C. H. Murdock, a bugler attached to No. 10 Co., Q.O.R., was conspicuous +for his gallantry in carrying water to the men of the Highland Company +during the hottest part of the action, and had several narrow escapes +from the Fenian bullets which rattled around him. + +Mr. Phil. E. Noverre was an eye-witness to the interment of eleven +Fenians in a field near Fort Erie. These bodies were found by our troops +on arrival at Fort Erie on Sunday, and it is supposed the men were +killed during the two actions at Ridgeway and Fort Erie. Five or six +more were buried on the Ridgeway battlefield. + +A correspondent of the Toronto _Leader_, who was present during the +engagement at Ridgeway, gave the following vivid account, of his +personal experiences: + +At the time the disastrous retreat of our troops commenced I was +requested by his comrade to assist a wounded soldier of the Queen's Own +to Hoffman's tavern, then about half a mile distant. The whole force +rushed past us. We found on reaching the tavern that, with the exception +of some more wounded whom we found there, we were the only parties left. +We had barely time to deposit our burden when the advance guard of +the Fenians rushed up and surrounded the tavern, flushed with apparent +victory, and wild with excitement. They presented such an appearance as +I certainly shall not soon forget. They were the most cut-throat-looking +set of ruffians that could well be imagined. Supposing me to be the +landlord, they immediately demanded liquor. In vain I urged that I was +as much a stranger as themselves. Their leader presented a revolver +at me, and ordered me behind the bar; every decanter was empty. They +insisted that I had hid everything away. I examined every jar, without +success. Fortunately I discovered a small keg, which on examination I +found to contain about a gallon of old rye whiskey. This I distributed +among them and think I must have treated about fifty. This mollified +them in some degree, and after slaking their thirst at the well that +party proceeded on its way without molesting me further. I then, +assisted by the young volunteer whose comrade we had brought in, +proceeded to render what assistance we could to the wounded men, one of +whom was Private Lugsden of the Queen's Own, badly wounded in the chest, +when we were interrupted by the arrival of another detachment under the +command of a Capt. Lacken, who marched my assistant off a prisoner. I +remonstrated with him upon the cruelty of leaving me alone with all the +wounded, when he detailed one of his own men to assist me and went his +way. About one hundred yards from the tavern, on the west side of the +road, I found a poor fellow of the Queen's Own lying on his face near +the fence. I knelt down beside him and found that he was sensible. He +told me his name was Mark Defries, and that he was shot through the +back. He knew that he was dying. He requested me to take a ring from his +finger and send it with a message to a young lady in Toronto. He also +requested me to take his watch and send it to his father, whose address +he gave me. This I attempted to do, but he could not endure to be +touched. He told me it would do to take it after he was dead. I +conversed with him for some time, when I left him to try to obtain some +assistance to have him removed into the house. I was then placed under +arrest by a Fenian, by order of his commanding officers, and conveyed to +a farm house, where I found two of our wounded men, young VanderSmissen, +of the University Rifles, badly wounded in the thigh, and Corporal +Lakey, shot through the mouth. With the assistance of the Fenian sentry +I had them both put to bed and rendered them all the assistance in my +power; for, be it noticed, that we could not find man, woman nor child +in a circuit of miles, all fled in terror. When I could not do any more +in that house, I requested the sentry to march me to the commanding +officer, who was then at the tavern. He rode a sorrel horse, which was +then at the door, and about half a mile from where we then were. I found +him to be a very mild-looking young man, civil and courteous, evidently +well educated. I stated my business at once, which was that I might +obtain from him a written authority to go through their lines and visit +the wounded on both sides without molestation. This he readily consented +to, and gave me a document to that effect, signed Major McDonnell, +commanding Division F. B. I had now perfect freedom to go wherever I +wanted to. I immediately went in search of young Defries, but found that +he had been removed. I returned to the tavern and found him lying in +a back room dead. I then asked the landlord, who had by this time +returned, to witness me taking the watch at his request, but after +feeling him all over, the watch was gone. It had been taken from him, no +doubt, by some Fenian marauder. I sent the ring, enclosed in a letter, +to the young lady; I also wrote to his father's address, stating all the +circumstances. + +[Picture (page 67) 0067.gif, caption: Hoffman's Tavern, known as "the +smuggler's home."] + +I found there were more of our wounded men in another frame house about +a mile further, on the Fort Erie road. I proceeded there and found the +place guarded with Fenian sentries, but my protection was all potent. +They, supposing me to be a surgeon, gave me every facility. I found, +among others whose names I failed to ascertain, young Kingsford, of +the University Rifles, lying on a lounge, badly wounded in the leg, but +remarkably cheerful. I also found a young man named Hamilton, of the +13th Battalion, with a very bad wound in the right side. He had been +attended to by a Fenian surgeon; he was lying on his face and suffering +much. At his request I examined his wound and placed a bandage around +it to stop the bleeding. There was also another young man of the Queen's +Own lying on the floor in strong convulsions, evidently in a dying +state, singular to say, without a wound upon his body. In another room +in the same house I found another young man badly wounded. At this time +a Fenian was brought in on a stretcher in a dying state. I ordered his +comrades to cut his shirt open, when I found an ugly wound just under +his left arm, which I have no doubt penetrated a vital part. I got water +and washed the wound; he was sensible and able to tell me that his name +was James Gerrahty, from Cincinnati, and that one of his own comrades +had shot him by mistake, and that he freely forgave him. He died in +about thirteen minutes, one of his comrades holding a crucifix before +him as long as he could see it. We buried him in an orchard adjoining, +the same evening. + +Another Fenian was now brought in with a very bad wound in the neck. +He was a very rough-looking fellow. I washed his wound also. He was +afterwards removed to the hospital at St. Catharines. On leaving the +house my attention was called to the dead body of one of the Queen's Own +lying across the road, a very powerful man. He was shot through the head +and presented a horrid spectacle. A little further on I found a group +of three armed Fenians, who were watching over a wounded comrade. I +was called upon to assist him. His comrades stripped him, and I found a +gunshot wound in the hip, having passed right through, leaving two very +ugly wounds. I washed him also and left him. + +I now returned to the tavern. By this time the main body had returned, +after having pillaged the village of Ridgeway, ransacking the principal +stores, taverns, etc., and were now resting on a rising ground almost +immediately opposite the tavern. The green flag, on which was emblazoned +a large golden harp, was floating to the breeze in their centre. An +officer, whom I soon found was their Adjutant, rode across to me and +told me that two of our wounded men were lying on the road about fifty +rods from us, nearer Ridgeway, a circumstance I was not before aware of. +Desiring that I should procure some assistance to have them removed from +the sun's scorching influence, which at that time was very powerful, +I told him I had not a man left but the wounded. I suggested to him to +detail four of his stoutest fellows and place them under my authority +for a few minutes, which he readily agreed to. I marched them off, but +before reaching the poor fellows their bugle sounded the assembly, when +they all started off and left me without assistance. I may mention here +that this officer gave me an authority in writing to remove the wounded +to where they might obtain proper medical assistance. Accompanied by a +young man of the Queen's Own, who was slightly wounded in the wrist, I +proceeded to the poor fellows who were lying on the road. We were unable +to remove them, but gave them water to drink and put the overcoats that +we picked up on the road in such a way as to shelter them from the sun. +We then proceeded to Ridgeway to try to obtain assistance to remove +those that were able, or nurses to attend upon the poor fellows, or men +to move the dead and wounded that were still exposed on the road, as +well as to try to procure teams to take them to Port Colborne, but with +the exception of three men who agreed to go and move the men off the +road, and one colored woman, whom I pressed into service, I could get no +further assistance. + +The horses had been all driven away for fear of them being taken. In +going into a farmer's house in the immediate neighborhood of Ridgeway I +knocked and could not obtain admission. I then went to the kitchen +door, and opening another door, I found lying on the bed a poor young +volunteer of the Queen's Own. I learned from himself that he was a son +of the Rev. Mr. McKenzie, and was badly wounded, I think, in the arm. He +was lying there alone, the house being deserted by all its inhabitants. +I promised to send him assistance, which I did. + +Returning from my fruitless errand, I met Dr. Elliot, of Port Colborne, +who in the interim had been visiting the wounded men. He agreed to find +ways and means to convey me to Port Colborne to report to the medical +staff, with a view to sending immediate relief. On returning to Ridgeway +I fortunately found a farmer's horse and buggy, and immediately drove to +Port Colborne, when I reported to Dr. Thorburn, of the Queen's Own, who +authorized me to press into the service all the teams necessary to bring +up the dead and wounded, which was accomplished with little delay. A +medical staff, consisting of Dr. Clark, of St. Catharines; Dr. Fraser, +of Font-hill; Dr. Downie, Dr. Allen, of Brantford, and others, proceeded +at once to the battle-ground, attending carefully to the wounded, but +it was deemed advisable for the medical men to remain with them and +accompany them by railway next day to Port Colborne. We, however, +brought with us two wounded Fenian prisoners, who were taken to the +hospital at St. Catharines. We also brought the bodies of the honored +dead. We arrived at Port Colborne with our melancholy burden, about six +o'clock a.m. on the 3rd. I may mention that two of the wounded men, whom +I left alive in the afternoon, were dead when we returned in evening. +Thus terminated the day of horrors. God grant that it may never be my +lot to relate similar experiences. + +As an evidence of the coolness and courage which was exemplified by many +of our citizen soldiers, it is related by one of his men that Ensign +Wm. Fahey, of No. 1 Company of the Queen's Own, when that company +was advancing in skirmishing order in the face of a hot fire, kept +continually encouraging his comrades in both words and action. When the +bullets were flying around them he shouted, "Boys, keep a stiff upper +lip!" and when a little later he was shot through the left knee and was +being carried off the field, he again encouraged them by shouting, "No. +1, do your duty!" Such bravery under such circumstances will tend to +show the sort of material of which our volunteers was composed. + +An officer who fell on the firing line during the final stage of the +battle was taken prisoner by the Fenians. When asked by the officer in +command of the enemy what troops confronted them, and being told they +were Canadian volunteers, he would hardly believe it. Their Adjutant +said that during his experience in the Civil War he had never seen +troops extending in such order and steadiness as our men did that +morning. He was under the impression that they were British regulars. + + +PUBLIC FUNERALS FOR THE DEAD. + +On Tuesday afternoon, June 5th, the bodies of Ensign McEachren, Corporal +Defries and Privates Smith, Alderson and Tempest were interred in St, +James' Cemetery, Toronto, with full military honors. It was a public +funeral, and one of the most solemn and imposing _corteges_ that ever +passed through the streets of Toronto. The bodies of the five dead +heroes were placed upon a catafalque which had been specially prepared +to convey the remains to their last resting places, and at 3.50 p.m. the +procession started from the Drill Shed to the Cemetery, preceded by the +Band of the 47th Regiment, playing the Dead March. The Lloydtown Rifle +Company acted as the firing party, and the _cortege_ included all the +military units in the city, besides fraternal societies, the Mayor and +Corporation. Major-Gen. Napier and staff, and citizens on foot and +in carriages. All along the line of march the shops were closed and +buildings draped in mourning. An immense concourse of people lined the +streets, and a general feeling of mournfulness and sadness pervaded the +community as the procession moved slowly on to the solemn strains of the +band and the tolling of all the bells in the city. After the service at +the Cemetery had been concluded, the usual volleys were fired over the +remains by the Lloydtown Rifles, and all that was mortal of those five +heroes who had sacrificed their lives on the field of battle for their +country were laid away to eternal rest. + +The body of Malcolm McKenzie was sent to his old home at Woodstock for +burial, and that of Private J. H. Mewburn to Stamford. Both of these +dead soldiers were buried the same day, with full military honors, and +were laid to rest with the deepest reverence by their comrades and the +people of the communities in which they had lived and been honored. + +On the 9th of June Sergt. Hugh Matheson, of No. 2 Company, Queen's Own +Rifles, died in the hospital at St. Catharines, from wounds received at +Ridgeway, and on the 11th Corporal F. Lackey, of the same company, died +in Toronto, from the effects of a cruel wound in the upper jaw, received +in the same battle. The remains of these two soldiers were also given a +public funeral, as large and imposing as had been accorded to their dead +comrades a week previously. At St. James' Cemetery the same service took +place as at the previous funerals, Rev. Mr. Grasett reading the burial +service of the Church of England, after which the Upper Canada College +Company of the Queen's Own fired the customary volleys over the remains, +which were then placed in the vault of the Cemetery Chapel. + +Thus were laid to rest the bodies of nine Canadian heroes whose names +and deeds are engraved deeply on the tablets of their country's history, +and whose memory is warmly preserved in the hearts of their surviving +comrades, who annually decorate their graves with flowers, flags and +garlands on each recurring anniversary of the battle in which they gave +up their lives. + +A handsome monument was erected in the Queen's Park, Toronto, to +perpetuate their memory, while at the entrance of the Ontario Parliament +Buildings the Provincial Government has also erected a brass memorial +plate in commemoration of their patriotic deeds in shedding their life's +blood for the honor of their country and its flag. "_Dulce et decorum +est pro patria mori._" + + + +LIST OF OFFICERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE. + +The following is a list of the officers in command of the battalions +and companies which formed Lieut.-Col. Booker's column, all of whom were +present at the battle of Lime Ridge and took part in the action:-- + + +QUEEN'S OWN RIFLES. + +Major Chas. T. Gillmor in command. + +No. 1 Company--Capt. John Brown, Lieut. Joseph Davids. Ensign Win. Fahey +(wounded). + +No. 2 Company--Capt. Fred. E. Dixon, Lieut. Farquhar Morrison, Ensign +James Bennett. + +No. 3 Company--Capt. J. B. Boustead, Lieut. James H. Beavan, Ensign Wm. +Wharin. + +No. 4 Company--Capt. John Douglas, Lieut. Wm. Arthurs. Ensign John H. +Davis. + +No. 5 Company--Capt. John Edwards, Lieut. Alex. G. Lee, Ensign Malcolm +McEachren (killed). + +No. 6 Company--Capt. G. M. Adam, Lieut. Wm. C. Campbell, Ensign T. A. +McLean. + +No. 7 Company--Capt. A. Macpherson, Lieut. John G. R. Stinson, Ensign +Smith. + +No. 8 Co.--Capt. L. P. Sherwood, Lieut. John O'Reilly. + +No. 9 (Trinity Coll.) Co.--Acting Captain Geo. Y. Whitney. + +No. 10 (Highland) Company---Capt. John Gardner, Lieut. Robert H. Ramsay, +Ensign Donald Gibson. + +Staff Paymaster, Capt. W. H. Harris; Quartermaster, Capt. James Jackson; +Adjutant. Capt. Wm. D. Otter; Surgeon, James Thorburn, M.D.; Assistant +Surgeon, Samuel P. May, M.D. + + +THIRTEENTH BATTALION. + +Major James A. Skinner in command; Major Stephen T. Cattley. + +No. 1 Company--Capt. Robert Grant, Lieut. John M. Gibson, Ensign +McKenzie. + +No. 2 Company--Capt. John H. Watson, Lieut. Chas. R. M. Sewell. + +No. 3 Company--Lieut. John W. Ferguson; Ensign Charles Armstrong. + +No. 4 Company--Lieut. Percy G. Routh (severely wounded). Ensign J. B. +Young. + +No. 5 Company--Capt. Alex H. Askin, Lieut. F. E. Ritchie. + +No. 6 Company--Ensign W. Roy. + +Adjutant. Capt. John Henery. + + +YORK RIFLES. + +Capt. Robert H. Davis, Lieut. Davis, Ensign Jeffrey Hill. + + +CALEDONIA RIFLES. + +Capt. William Jackson. Lieut. Robert Thorburn, Ensign Chrystal, Ensign +Ronald McKinnon (attached). + +Many of those above mentioned have passed away to eternal rest, +yet their memories linger lovingly in the hearts and minds of their +surviving comrades, who are personally cognizant of their patriotic +deeds in defence of their country. By those old soldiers they will never +be forgotten while life remains. + +Of those old comrades who still survive, there are some who have +achieved honor and distinction in the service of their country, among +whom may be mentioned the Hon. John M. Gibson (Lieutenant-Governor of +Ontario), and Brigadier-General Wm. D. Otter, C.V.O., C.B., Chief of the +General Staff of the Active Militia of Canada, both of whom were under +fire at Lime Ridge. In other walks of life many of those old veterans +have achieved fame and success, and have proved an honor and a credit to +the country they have spent their lives in endeavoring to upbuild. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE EXPEDITION ON THE STEAMER "W. T. ROBB"--FIERCE FIGHT AT FORT +ERIE--STIFF RESISTANCE OF A GALLANT BAND OF CANADIANS AGAINST A FENIAN +FORCE TEN TIMES THEIR NUMBER. + +After the steamer "W. T. Robb" cleared from the mouth of the harbor at +Port Colborne, her prow was turned eastward, and under full steam the +staunch little craft proceeded to the Niagara River. The morning was a +most beautiful one, and the surface of Lake Erie was as calm and glassy +as a mill-pond. All on board were in the best of spirits, and their +stout hearts beat high in the hope that they would be able to render +their country some signal service in faithfully performing the duty for +which they had been detailed. + +After a quick run the "W. T. Robb" entered the inlet of the Niagara and +started down stream. The expedition had not proceeded far when the boat +was stopped by an armed patrol tug from the United States man-of-war +"Michigan." The officer in command, on becoming acquainted with the +nature of the Canadian steamer's mission, courteously gave Lieut.-Col. +Dennis what information he possessed regarding the operations of the +Fenians, and stated that Gen. O'Neil had "broke camp" at the Newbigging +Farm during the night and moved off down the River Road. + +The "W. T. Robb" continued on down the river to Black Creek, where +Lieut.-Col. Dennis learned that the Fenian forces were then at a point +about two miles south of New Germany. A messenger was despatched to +Col. Peacocke, giving all the information obtainable, and as Lieut.-Col. +Dennis was of the opinion that the modified plans arranged by the +conference of officers at Port Colborne had been assented to by Col. +Peacocke, and that the two columns were working in unison along these +lines, he ordered the "Robb" to return to Fort Erie to meet Lieut.-Col. +Booker's force as arranged. But on arrival there he was disappointed to +find that the connection had not been made, and as he was in ignorance +of Col. Peacocke's definite orders to Lieut.-Col. Booker, after he +had left Port Colborne that morning, he was somewhat nonplussed at the +failure of Lieut.-Col. Booker to join him at Fort Erie. + + +But as the plan had seemed to have mysteriously miscarried, Lieut.-Col. +Dennis resolved to do something on his own account. He therefore decided +to employ his force in patrolling the river, and endeavor to intercept +the retreat of any Fenians who might attempt to escape back to the +American shore. Capt. Akers having assented to this programme, a force +was landed at Fort Erie, who picked up a number of Fenian stragglers. +These men were placed on board of the "Robb" under guard, and while the +steamer slowly drifted down the stream the Welland Canal Field Battery +and a portion of the Naval Brigade patrolled the shore and scoured the +woods and by-roads for some miles, in the course of which "round up" +they gathered in another batch of prisoners. On arrival of the patrol +parties at a point on the river about two miles above Black Creek, all +were taken aboard the steamer by means of rowboats, and after securing +the prisoners in the hold, the "Robb" was again headed for Fort Erie. +On arrival there she was moored to the dock, when a detachment of the +Welland Canal Battery again landed and brought in still another squad of +Fenian prisoners, who were confined in the hold with the rest of their +comrades. + +After the boat had lain at the wharf for some time, Lieut.-Col. Dennis +conceived the idea of landing all of the prisoners and leaving them +under guard of the Welland Canal Battery at Fort Eric, while he and +Capt. Akers would go around to Port Colborne with the "Robb" on a +reconnoitering expedition and obtain further instructions and orders. +This cool proposition did not appeal favorably to Capt. King, and he +naturally remonstrated strongly against such action, especially in +regard to leaving so many prisoners in his charge, as they outnumbered +the strength of his command, and in his isolated position there was a +strong possibility that they might be rescued by their friends from the +other side of the river before assistance could reach him. Lieut.-Col. +Dennis, however, was obdurate, and was making arrangements to billet the +Welland Canal Battery in the village when the intelligence came that a +battle had been fought at Ridgeway, and that the Fenians were on their +way back to Fort Erie, moving rapidly. + +Lieut.-Col. Dennis did not place much reliance on this rumor, and seemed +determined to carry out his plan of leaving the Battery on shore. But +Capt. King was solicitous for the safety of his men and the prisoners, +and after some parley Lieut.-Col. Dennis allowed the Battery to go +aboard the steamer. But they were scarcely at their quarters when he +changed his mind and ordered them all on shore again, together with a +portion of the Naval Brigade. Altogether the force landed consisted of +76 combatants, consisting of three officers and 54 men of the Welland +Canal Field Battery, and two officers and 18 men of the Dunnville Naval +Brigade. + +Meanwhile (about 2 p.m.) Capt. Akers had secured a horse and buggy and +drove up to the Buffalo & Lake Huron Railway telegraph office, seeking +information. While there the Fenian forces suddenly appeared, and he +was cut off from returning to the steamer by the rapid advance into +the village of the Fenian skirmishers. By sheer good fortune he escaped +capture, and by taking a secluded route along the lake shore reached +Port Colborne safely about 7 o'clock in the evening. + +Then Lieut.-Col. Dennis perceived his error, and with a realization that +the warnings he had received of the near approach of the Fenians were +correct, he appears to have become excited and confused. He had about 60 +prisoners on board the "Robb," and after securing them well in the hold, +ordered the Captain to cast off his lines and get out into the stream, +which was speedily done. + +About 2.15 o'clock he formed up his little command and advanced up the +main street about 150 yards to meet the advancing Fenian forces, who +were coming down the street in large numbers. When they approached +within a distance of 200 yards they Commenced a fusilade of rifle fire +on the Canadians, who immediately retaliated by delivering a volley, +which was executed with such precision that the Fenian advance was +checked. Another volley from the Canadians also had a telling effect, +and several of the enemy dropped in their tracks. By this time the +Fenians were approaching from several directions, and a severe flank +fire was opened on the Canadians, who were exposed on the road in +close formation. Opposed to them on the street was a detachment of 150 +Fenians, led by Col. Bailey, while the main body of Gen. O'Neil's forces +were coming down over the hill from the west in large numbers. + +The firing was now terrific, and bullets were flying thick and fast, +with men falling on both sides. About half-past 2 o'clock the Fenians +fired a general volley, and Gen. O'Neil ordered a charge with fixed +bayonets. With a wild Irish cheer the Fenians dashed down the village +street, but were promptly stopped by another volley from the Canadians, +and more men dropped. Among those who fell was Col. Bailey, the Fenian +leader, who received a bullet through his breast. Fearing another charge +and the ultimate capture of his force, Lieut.-Col. Dennis then ordered +his men to retreat, and do the best they could to get safely away, each +man for himself. He set the example and vanished. But his soldiers were +made of different timber. The Welland and Dunnville men stood up to +their work and contested every foot of ground, as they slowly and +doggedly retired from one position to another, dodging from cover to +cover, and firing into the enemy's ranks as fast as they could load. + +Capt. King rallied a portion of his battery behind a pile of cordwood +on the dock, and made a determined stand against the enemy until he +fell with a bullet through his ankle, which shattered the bone. Still +he fought on, and even while lying on the dock, grievously wounded, +he emptied his revolver at the Fenians and kept cheering his men on to +fight to the last. This they did courageously and nobly until they were +flanked out of their position and taken prisoners. + +Another portion of the Battery, under Lieut. A. K. Scholfield, and some +of the Naval Brigade, under Capt. McCallum and Lieut. Angus Macdonald, +retreated northward along the street stubbornly fighting every yard +of the way until they reached the large frame residence of Mr. George +Lewis, adjoining a small building which was used as the village post +office. Here about thirty of their number took possession of the +building, while the remainder (under command of Capt. McCallum) +continued on down the River Road under a galling fire. + +[Picture (page 77) 0077.gif] + +The men who occupied the Lewis mansion resolutely continued the battle, +firing through the doors and windows with such steadiness that the +Fenians were glad to get under cover behind a pile of cordwood, from +which place of security they fairly riddled the house with bullets. How +the Canadians in this old frame building escaped the deadly missiles is +a miracle, for, strange to say, none were injured, although exposed to +a perfect hail-storm of bullets which crashed through the thin boards, +lath and plaster, in all directions. After this gallant band had fired +their last round of ammunition, they saw that further resistance was +useless, and discreetly surrendered. + +While the battle was in progress the American shore was lined with +spectators, who cheered the Fenians lustily whenever it appeared to them +from a safe distance that the Canadians were suffering losses or being +defeated. + +In the meantime Capt. McCallum and his detachment had fought themselves +clear of the range of the Fenian rifles and retired down the River Road +about three miles, where they were discovered by Lieut. Walter T. Robb, +sailing master of the steamer, and taken on board. Capt. McCallum +then decided to proceed to Port Colborne and send the captured Fenian +prisoners who were in the hold of the vessel to a place of safety. He +accordingly ordered the boat to head for that port, and while going +past Fort Erie village was obliged to run the gauntlet of a heavy Fenian +rifle fire for more than a mile. Although many bullets struck the boat, +and some passed through the wheel-house uncomfortably near the heads of +Capt. McCallum and Lieut. Robb, no person was injured by any of them. + +Capt. McCallum arrived at Port Colborne at 6.30 o'clock that evening +with 59 prisoners, who he handed over to Lieut.-Col. W. McGiverin, +of the 20th Battalion, with a full list of their names and commitment +papers. These men were sent to Brantford the same evening in charge of +the Special Service Company of the St. Catharines Home Guard, and lodged +in the jail at that place for safe keeping. + +While the Canadians were still fighting desperately in the streets of +Fort Erie, encompassed by a force of fully 800 Fenians (as nearly the +whole of O'Neil's brigade was there by that time). Lieut.-Col. Dennis +succeeded in reaching the residence of a Mr. Thomas, in the village, +where he lay concealed until evening, when he disguised himself, and +getting through the Fenian lines without being detected, struck across +the country in search of Col. Peacocke's column, which he found in +bivouac at Bowen's Farm (about three miles north-west of Fort Erie) at 3 +o'clock the next morning, and reported his mishap. + +[Picture (page 79) 0079.gif with caption "THE LEWIS HOUSE AND POST +OFFICE AT FORT ERIE."] + +The Canadians who were captured at Fort Erie were well treated by Gen. +O'Neil, who complimented them highly on the bravery and courage they had +displayed during the battle, and bestowed upon them kind attentions. + +The Fenian losses were heavy in comparison with the Canadian casualties +at Fort Erie. Four of their number were killed, five more mortally +wounded, and a large number sustained wounds from rifle balls and +bayonet thrusts at the hands of the Canadians. + +Although the engagement only lasted for less than an hour, it was hot +and spirited throughout, and the valiant phalanx of 70 men who held +their own under such trying circumstances, in the face of fully 800 +veteran soldiers, fully deserve the greatest honor and credit that can +be given by the Canadian people, and are well worthy of having their +heroic deeds handed down to posterity on the pages of our country's +history. + +The following is a list of the casualties on the Canadian side during +the engagement at Fort Erie: + +Welland Canal Field Battery.--Killed--None. Wounded--Capt. Richard S. +King, in ankle (leg amputated); Gunner John Bradley, above knee (leg +amputated); Gunner Fergus Scholfield, below knee (leg amputated); Gunner +John Herbison, wounded severely in leg; Gunner R. Thomas, wounded in +thigh severely. + +Dunnville Naval Brigade.--Nelson Bush, bayonet wound in chest. + + +CAPTURED. + +Welland Canal Field Battery.--Lieut. A. K. Scholfield. Lieut. Chas. +Nimmo. Sergt.-Major Wm. Boyle, Farrier-Sergeant Isaac Drew, Gunners +Robert Offspring, Gideon Griswold, Wm. Brown, John Waters. Patrick +Roach. Samuel Cook, Thomas Boyle, Stephen Beattie, Vilroy McKee. Joseph +Reavly, Jonathan W. Hagar, Isaac Pew, William Black. Robert Armstrong, +Jacob Gardner, Edward Armstrong. J. H. Boyle. James Coleman, Chas. +Campbell, Isaac Dickerson. S. Radcliffe. Morris Weaver. + +Dunnville Naval Brigade.--Second Lieut. Angus Macdonald. Samuel +McCormack, James Robertson, Abram Thewlis, Geo. B. McGee, Thomas +Arderly. Wm. Burgess, Harry Neff, Wm. Nugent, and Joseph Gamble. + +The following Canadians were also prisoners in the hands of the Fenians, +having been captured at Ridgeway and brought back to Fort Erie by Gen. +O'Neil, who subsequently abandoned them when he made his flight back +across the river: + +Thirteenth Battalion--Jas. S. Greenhill and Joseph Simpson. + +Queen's Own Rifles--R, W. Hines (No. 8 Company), Wm. Ellis (No. 9 +Company). D. Junor (No. 9 Company), and Colin Forsythe (No. 10. Highland +Company). + + +FENIAN LOSSES. + +The casualties of the Fenians were heavy in both engagements, but the +exact number is unobtainable, as no record was kept, and many of their +wounded were removed to the United States and lost track of. At Ridgeway +it is known that at least ten Fenians were killed, and quite a number +severely wounded, some of whom afterwards died in Buffalo from their +injuries. During the Fort Erie fight nine Fenians lost their lives and +fourteen were wounded, most of them seriously. + +The bravery and courage of the men who composed the Welland Canal Field +Battery and the Dunnville Naval Brigade in standing up before an enemy +nearly ten times their number, and fighting valiantly until the last +round of their ammunition was expended and they were obliged to succumb +to overpowering forces, will serve to show the resolute spirit and +determination of these gallant troops. They were truly "a Spartan band," +who were ready to sacrifice their lives on the spot, and their valor +won the admiration of even the Fenians themselves, who complimented them +highly on the stiff resistance they made, in the face of unequal odds, +in the engagement. + +The following personal narration of the fight, which was given by +a member of the Dunnville Naval Brigade who participated in the +engagement, is so vivid and graphic that I am pleased to reproduce it, +as it gives a faithful and accurate account of the operations of the +small Canadian force at Fort Erie on that eventful occasion: + +On Friday, June 1st, at 10 p.m., Captain McCallum received a telegram to +ship his men on the tug Robb, and proceed immediately to Port Colborne. +About 2 a.m. on Saturday (2nd) we started, and arrived there a little +after 4 a.m. We then took on the Welland Field Battery, numbering 59 +men and 3 officers, commanded by Capt. King, of Port Robinson, which, +together with the 43 men and 3 officers composing the Naval Brigade, +made a total of 108 men. Col. Dennis, of the volunteer force, then came +on board and took command of the expedition, when we at once started +for Fort Erie, to co-operate with the gallant Queen's Own and the 13th +Battalion, who were to leave Port Colborne early that morning for the +same place. As we approached the village of Fort Erie all the men were +sent below, leaving no one on deck but an officer dressed in civilian +clothes. Nothing could be seen but the Fenian pickets and some +stragglers. We went down the river nine miles, and received information +that the main body of the Fenian army had fallen back to a wood some +six or seven miles distant; but could gain no positive information as +to their whereabouts. The movement was made about 3 o'clock a.m.; but in +order to guard against surprise, they left their pickets behind. These +our officers determined to capture, as well as all the stragglers. +The boat then steamed back to Fort Erie, when a party of four men went +ashore and succeeded in taking seven prisoners the first haul. The +Welland Field Battery was also landed, with instructions to scour the +woods along the liver bank for stragglers. The boat was then headed +down the stream, and was proceeding very slowly, keeping a sharp lookout +along the bank. We had not gone far before discovering a small body of +eight or ten Fenians ahead of us, armed with rifles and bayonets fixed, +who were about to get into a small boat and re-cross to the American +shore. The speed of our boat was immediately increased, and on arriving +opposite them an officer and eleven men got into a yawl and pulled for +the shore. The enemy looked at us for a moment or two and then took +to their heels and ran, thinking, no doubt, that we had a large gun on +board to support our men. This, however, was not the case; but had the +authorities placed one on board at Port Colborne, the casualties to be +hereafter mentioned would never have occurred. Two of the squad were +captured, however, and we proceeded down the river, sending out small +parties of from eight to ten men until there were no more men to be +spared. The parties were instructed to pick up all the stragglers and +pickets they could, and hold them until the boat returned. On our return +we picked up our men and their prisoners, together with the Battery and +their prisoners, and proceeded to Fort Erie and tied up to the wharf +of the Niagara River Railroad. We had not been there long before +intelligence reached us that the Fenians were coming down the Garrison +Road in force, and would be in the village in ten minutes. Col. Dennis +seemed confused, and like the rest of us, thought they were being driven +by the Queen's Own (at that time we were ignorant of the repulse of +those forces). The moment they were seen approaching the Field Battery +(which had been landed) were ordered aboard, and in another minute was +again ordered ashore. Capt. McCallum was then asked how many of the +Naval Brigade could be spared for a support. He replied that he thought +it very imprudent to attempt an attack upon so large a force with his +small body, and advised Lieut.-Col. Dennis to retire to the boat, and +push out into the stream and endeavor to ascertain their strength and +movements. The Colonel, however, decided to meet them. Capt. McCallum +then said he would give him 25 men, himself and 2nd Lieutenant (leaving +only seven men besides the crew on board to guard the prisoners, 59 in +number). The Colonel formed his line in the open street opposite the +hill in the rear of the village, but partially hid from him by some +buildings on his right flank. In a moment the enemy appeared, coming +over the hill in every direction; the buildings before mentioned hid +them from view until they were upon him. From our position on the boat +we could see all that was going on, and Lieut. W. T. Robb, of the Naval +Brigade, seeing the small band was in great danger of being cut off, +called to the Colonel that he was being outflanked and pointed to the +hill, but he was not heard, and in a moment more the whole body were +surrounded. It was, you may be sure, sickening to see one's friends and +neighbors in such a perilous position, but even in this trying moment +they did not at once surrender. Captains McCallum and King called on the +Colonel to order the men to fire. He said no, but ordered them to the +"right about," instead of "left half face," towards the boat; he, I +suppose, mistaking the lower wharf for the one the boat was moored to, +and started on a run, the men following. The enemy fired a volley in +their rear, making one poor fellow kiss the dust, the balls striking the +ground at their feet. The Captains called on their men to turn and +fire, which they did with some effect. The next volley from the Fenians +brought poor Capt. King down, and two others. Capt. McCallum called out +to scatter, which was done; the enemy at this time were within 40 or 50 +yards of them. We on the boat, with the aid of the crew who had rifles, +tried to draw the fire of the Fenians, who were coming down Front +street, on the boat, which we succeeded in doing. Their Adjutant, who +was on horseback, here fell, and after picking him up they directed +their fire at us and made a furious attempt to capture the boat. In this +they were foiled by our cutting the line and backing down the stream, +receiving at the same time a volley by way of a parting salute. By this +time our men and the Battery had got into a house attached to the Post +Office, from which they continued to resist the attack by every means in +their power. Not a great deal of injury was inflicted upon the attacking +party owing to a wood pile in the vicinity, behind which the enemy took +shelter until our men had emptied their pouches and all the ammunition +with them was gone. The Fenians then came up and demanded their +surrender, which was at first refused. On the answer being given, fire +was applied to the house in two places, the enemy standing around with +bayonets fixed to prevent any one from escaping. Our men, seeing no way +of escaping, then surrendered, determined to run the chance of being +shot to being roasted. After disarming our men, some of the lowest of +the Fenians threatened to shoot the prisoners for making a resistance +while in the house. Col. O'Neil and the other officers prevented any +violence being done, and at the same time threatened to shoot the +first one who ill-treated the prisoners. In the meantime 15 men of +the Battery, with Capt. McCallum and two of the Naval Brigade, were +retreating down the river, a body of Fenians in full pursuit, exclaiming +"Shoot the b--y officer." One who had got within ten feet of the Captain +shot at him twice with a revolver, missing him each time, when one of +the Brigade, named Calback, bayoneted him in the neck, turned and shot +another through the heart, and then said to the Captain that the balls +were coming too thick for comfort, advising him at the same time to take +care of himself. Seeing our boat coming to the rescue of the Captain and +the others, the enemy gave up the chase. It was high time for some more +to come on board. As I have before mentioned, there were but seven left +to take care of the 59 prisoners and work the ship. No doubt they would +have attempted to rise had it not been for a few rifles at full +cock pointed at them. Seeing our own perilous position with an enemy +numbering 900 at Fort Erie, and thousands of sympathizing spectators +on the opposite shore, our Captain determined to run the gauntlet and +proceed to Port Colborne with his prisoners, fearing that the enemy +might get a tug or two in Buffalo and attempt their rescue, thus causing +more loss of life than was necessary. We then steamed up the river, +close to the American shore, in silence, having been forbidden to fire +while in American waters. As soon as we arrived opposite Lower Black +Rock, the Fenians opened a furious fire upon us, and continued firing +while we were going a distance of three-quarters of a mile. Their whole +aim seemed to be the pilot-house, through which six shots passed, one +of them grazing the head of our gallant Lieutenant Robb, who remarked to +the wheelsman to jump up and take his place in case he fell. Those six +shots struck the boat, doing no further injury than disfiguring the +woodwork and painting. We arrived safely at Port Colborne and marched +our prisoners to the railway station amid the deafening cheers of the +volunteers and the citizens. Our officer delivered them to Lieut.-Col. +Wm. McGiverin, who escorted them to Brantford, guarded by thirty men +of the St. Catharines Special Service Company of Home Guards. A more +rascally set of vagabonds were never congregated together. There were +a great many Dunnville people at the Port on our arrival, and when they +heard of the capture of our men volunteered to go and attempt their +rescue; but owing to the scarcity of arms we could not accept them, +besides we could not move without orders. These we received after +waiting some time, which was to cruise along the lake as far as Windmill +Point and no further. (It was a great pity we had not a gun on board +and gone to Fort Erie, for if we had we could have captured or sunk +the whole of the Fenian army, either of which would have given us great +pleasure). On our return again to Port Colborne we received orders +to proceed to Fort Erie, the Commander offering us as many men as we +wanted. Our Captain said twelve good ones were all he wanted; these +were immediately furnished him and we started. On our way down we built +breastworks of cordwood along the bulwarks of the boat. These were +impregnable to rifle bullets. When within six miles of Fort Erie +two volunteers were called for to go ashore without arms and proceed +cautiously down the lake and gather what information they could. All +offered, but young Murdy and Edie were the chosen ones, two as brave +boys as ever sun shone on. They went ashore, and then the boat resumed +her journey. On turning into the river we saw the place was occupied +by our troops, and the enemy in a scow made fast to the U. S. steamer +Michigan, on the American shore. You may imagine the satisfaction this +state of things gave us, nearly as much as if we had captured them +ourselves. Our boys were much disappointed on finding the bird flown. +We had heard of the repulse of the "Queen's Own" at Port Colborne, and +every one went down with the determination to do all in their power to +avenge their loss. Our joy was unbounded when we reached the wharf at +finding our Second Lieutenant, Angus McDonald, and the greater part of +our men, together with the most of the men belonging to the Battery. +There were not many of our men taken, as they had no uniform, except +the officers, and after slipping off their belts, they looked like +civilians, in which capacity they effected their escape, and at once +proceeded to Port Colborne and Dunnville to report themselves. Strange +to say, the only one of our company touched was by a bayonet in the +breast; not so bad as to prevent him from doing duty. The Welland Canal +Field Battery was not so fortunate, having five wounded, namely: Captain +King, leg, below the knee, amputated; Fergus Scholfield, foot amputated; +John Bradley, leg amputated; John Herbison, wounded in the leg, and +another with a flesh wound through the thigh. The Fenian casualties were +Major Bigelow, with five balls through his breast, an Adjutant and +six men killed, all shot through the breast, besides fourteen wounded, +making in all twenty-two casualties--_the gallant Queen's Own were +avenged_. The Fenian officers and men told the prisoners at the camp +that their strength was 640 engaged in the fight, and 260 on the top of +the hill as a reserve, and if all the Canadians fought as well as they +did, they feared it would be a hard struggle, but they were determined +to conquer. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S BODY GUARD--DENISON'S RAPID RIDE --COL. +PEACOCKE'S MOVEMENTS--ARRIVAL OF COL. LOWRY WITH REINFORCEMENTS. + +It was not until late in the afternoon of June 1st that the Militia +Department considered the necessity of calling on the services of +cavalry troops for duty on the frontier. Had this been done twenty-four +hours earlier the calamity which occurred at Ridgeway and the disaster +at Fort Erie might have been averted, and the whole campaign had a +different termination. The omission was a serious mistake, which was +subsequently realized. It is perilous and suicidal to move columns +of infantry in war times without having the advance and flanks well +protected by mounted troops, and scouts employed to glean information +of the location and strength of the enemy. Therefore this branch is +indispensable, as they are rightly termed "the eyes and ears of an +army," ever watchful and on the alert for impending danger, or for an +opportunity to strike a crushing blow. + +In the Niagara District campaign this omission was painfully in +evidence. At Chippawa, Col. Peacocke had to rely on meagre and +conflicting reports of the whereabouts of the enemy which were brought +in to him from various sources, more or less unreliable, while Col. +Booker was in a similar position before advancing on the Fenian force +at Ridgeway. Had an efficient troop of cavalry scouts been employed +to thoroughly scour the country in advance of these two columns, a +different tale might be related of their operations. + +It was after 3 o'clock on June 1st when Major Geo. T. Denison received +orders to assemble the Governor-General's Body Guard, and proceed to the +front next morning. The Major moved quickly, and during the evening and +night had his non-commissioned officers riding hard through the country +warning out his troopers. The place of rendezvous was the Toronto +Exhibition Grounds, and by day-break the troop was all mustered in +saddle, and ready for service. At 8 o'clock a.m. on June 2nd they left +by the steamer "City of Toronto" for Port Dalhousie, where they arrived +about 11.30. Major Denison immediately entrained his men and horses on +the Welland Railway and proceeded to Port Robinson, being under orders +to report to Col. Peacocke. At Port Robinson the troop detrained, and +after hastily feeding the horses and men, started for Chippawa on a +gallop. On arrival there the troop halted for an hour or two, to have +the horses' shoes reset; which being attended to, the command again took +the road for New Germany, where he reported to Col. Peacocke about 5.30. +This gallant corps had moved with such celerity that within ten hours +after leaving Toronto they were at the extreme front, a good deal of the +distance having been covered by hard and rapid riding. + +Col. Peacocke was just on the point of moving off to resume his march +from New Germany when the Body Guard arrived, and that officer ordered +Major Denison to lead the advance of the column. Without dismounting, +although the men and horses were both jaded and tired, they promptly +spurred on to the front, and threw out scouts to the right and left. +Major Denison was restrained from pushing ahead too rapidly, as he was +obliged to regulate his march by the pace of the infantry, and his men +chafed with the tardiness, as they were all eager to get into a brush +with the enemy. + +After a march of about nine miles they arrived at Bowen's Farm, about +three miles northwest of Fort Erie. It was just getting dusk, and the +troopers were approaching a piece of dense bush which flanked both sides +of the road. When within about 200 yards of the bush the advance files +of the cavalry discovered some men in the road, and signalled back +the information. A halt was then ordered and Major Denison personally +galloped forward, and on inquiry learned from his videttes that a force +of the enemy were in front, and that several men had been observed going +into the woods on the right. A search was made of the bush, but as the +shades of night had fallen fast it was impossible to grope through +the woods, and fearing an ambuscade Col. Peacocke resolved to halt his +column for the night. In the meantime he had sent two companies of the +16th Regiment to scour the woods, but owing to the darkness they were +unable to do so. Having been told by some person that a bridge on the +road had been broken down, which rendered it impassable for his troops, +Col. Peacocke decided to bivouac where he was, so recalled the two +companies of the 16th, and made dispositions of his force to guard +against a night attack. The 47th Regiment was formed in line to the +right of the road, with one company of the same corps about 200 yards +in advance, extended as skirmishers. The 10th Royals, of Toronto, +were formed up as a support for the 47th, with two companies of that +battalion wheeling to the right and extending as skirmishers, so as to +fully cover the right flank of the column. The 16th Regiment was +placed in a similar position on the left of the road, supported by the +Nineteenth Lincoln Battalion, in the same formation. These troops laid +in a ploughed field all night, sleeping on their arms, while the guards +and sentinels were exceedingly watchful and vigilant. The cavalry and +artillery remained in column on the road, with the baggage waggons in +their rear. + +About dark the St. Catharines Battery of Garrison Artillery, under +command of Lieut. James Wilson, arrived at the bivouac, and was placed +as the rear guard. This command, which had been left at Chippawa when +Col. Peacocke's column had marched out in the morning, had been relieved +at 4 p.m., and ordered to proceed at once to the front. They made a +wonderfully quick march, covering the entire distance of about 17 +miles in less than five hours, without a halt, and arrived at their +destination with every member of the Battery in line--a feat which +earned for them the title of "Stoker's Foot Cavalry." This battery +had left their field guns at St. Catharines and were armed with short +Enfield rifles, acting as infantry. So they were formed up across +the road, facing to the rear, and after posting the usual guards and +sentinels, the remainder were glad to lie down in the dusty road and go +to sleep supperless. + +As it was generally supposed that the enemy were in force in the near +vicinity, no fires were allowed to be lighted, and as the night was +pretty cool and no blankets were available, the situation was not +altogether comfortable. Yet the boys made the most of it, with the hope +that by daylight they would have an opportunity of meeting the Fenians +and proving the quality of their mettle. + +As the night wore on Col. Peacocke received information that 2,000 or +3,000 reinforcements had crossed over from the American side and joined +the Fenians. Lieut.-Col. Dennis had also come in to the Canadian lines +and told of his defeat at Fort Erie the day before, while the reports +received of the Ridgeway fight, with numerous other rumors of impending +dangers, all combined to lead Col. Peacocke to believe that he would +soon be up against a serious proposition. + +About 4.30 o'clock in the morning (June 3rd) the soldiers arose from +their rude couches on mother earth and began the task of getting the +stiffness out of their joints as they moved about in quest of rations. +Fortunately during the night some waggons loaded with bread, beef and +groceries had arrived, but the necessities of hunger were so keen that +the men could hardly wait for a proper distribution of the supplies. +There was no means of cooking meat except by toasting it on the end of +a ramrod poked over a fire of fence rails, but that was only a trifling +matter to a hungry soldier. Loaves of bread were torn asunder in chunks, +as bread-knives were not in evidence, while butter was spread by means +of a chip. But the absence of table etiquette was not considered, so +long as the purpose was served. There were no utensils for making tea +or coffee, so the men had to dispense with these comforts and content +themselves with a drink out of a roadside ditch. + +Shortly after 5 o'clock Lieut.-Col. the Hon. John Hillyard Cameron +(an old-time politician of prominence) arrived at Col. Peacocke's +headquarters on horseback, and reported that the main body of the Fenian +army had evacuated Canada, but that there were yet some of their forces +straggling in the neighborhood. + +Immediately the "assembly" was sounded, and Col. Peacocke formed up +his column for an advance toward Fort Erie. Major Geo. T. Denison was +ordered to scour the country with the Governor-General's Body Guard, +and to enter the village and send back reports. Shortly afterward Major +Denison reported that he was informed there was still a body of Fenians +about the Old Fort, while farmers residing in the neighborhood said +there were a number of stragglers lingering in the woods. + +Accordingly Col. Peacocke made his arrangements to sweep the whole +southeast angle of the Peninsula clear up to the Old Fort. On leaving +the bivouac the column moved out by the Gilmore road, leading towards +the Niagara River. The Grey Battery of Royal Artillery was ordered +to the head of the column, in anticipation of having some shelling to +perform. As the infantry halted by the roadside to allow this gallant +battery to pass to the front on a gallop, the sight was inspiriting and +elicited hearty cheers. The magnificent horses, throwing into play their +splendid muscles, whisked the heavy guns along like so many feathers, +while the drivers and gunners maintained their seats like centaurs, +notwithstanding the bumps and jolts they encountered while bounding over +the ruts and roadside ditches of a rough country highway. On arrival at +a cross road leading south from the Gilmore road towards Lake Erie, +a portion of the column, consisting of the 47th Regiment and the 19th +Battalion moved off to the right, while the 16th Regiment, the 10th +Royals and the St. Catharines Garrison Artillery continued on eastward. +By this means all egress from the village of Fort Erie was effectually +cut off. After traversing these roads for a short distance, lines of +skirmishers were thrown out, and an advance through the fields in a +sweeping semi-circle was begun. The troops had not proceeded far when +two men were seen getting over a fence on the edge of a piece of bush. +Both were carrying guns, and being in civilians' dress, were mistaken +for Fenians. A volley was fired by the 47th, when both were observed to +fall over the fence. On arrival of the skirmishers at the spot it was +found that the two men were loyal Canadian citizens (Messrs. Bart. +McDonald and A. Dobbie, of Thorold) who had armed themselves as Home +Guards and gone to the front to assist in driving the enemy from our +shores. Unfortunately they were too zealous and imprudent in getting +beyond our lines, and drew upon themselves the fire of their friends. +Mr. McDonald was so badly wounded that he died shortly afterwards, but +Mr. Dobbie miraculously escaped injury. + +As the skirmish lines moved onward the woods were thoroughly searched, +and quite a number of Fenian stragglers were discovered in hiding and +taken prisoners. During the time the drag-net of skirmishers was spread +about fifty Fenians were gathered in. + +At the home of "Major" Canty (a B. & L. H. railway section foreman who +held a commission in the Fenian army) several prisoners were taken, +among them being Rev. John McMahon (a Catholic priest) and two wounded +Fenians named Whalen and Kiely. In the barn adjoining Canty's house +was stretched the body of Lieut. Edward K. Lonergan, of the 7th Irish +Republican Regiment, of Buffalo. He had been killed at Ridgeway and +the body brought back to Canty's barn and abandoned there. Several more +Fenians were discovered under the barn, and more in a haystack near by, +all of whom were taken in charge. + +In the loft of Major Canty's house were found a number of overcoats +belonging to the Queen's Own, and also some rifles which the retreating +Fenians had carried back from the battle-field of Ridgeway. The "Major" +was not at home when the Canadians called, so his guests were quietly +placed under guard, and in due time conducted to a place of safety to +stand their trial with the rest of the prisoners. + +On arrival in the village of Fort Erie, the Canadian troops were much +mortified and chagrined to find that O'Neil and his followers had +escaped, and the only satisfaction they had was to gaze across the +waters of the Niagara and see a scow-load of Fenians lying astern of +the United States man-of-war "Michigan" as prisoners of the American +Government. + +On leaving Bowen's Farm, Major G. T. Denison started direct for the +River Road with the Governor-General's Body Guard on a reconnaissance. +Details were made by him to scour the country roads, which was +thoroughly done, and being informed that there were a number of Fenians +still at Fort Erie he proceeded on a gallop to the village, where he +arrived at about 6 a.m. Major Denison's troop was the first Canadian +force to reach Fort Erie after the battle, and they were received with +great joy and delight by the citizens and also the Canadians who were +prisoners in the hands of Gen. O'Neil the day previous. + +A number of Fenians were gathered in by the troopers, and placed under +guard. This command did excellent service subsequently in patrolling the +river bank and providing cavalry pickets for the force which occupied +Fort Erie during the next few weeks. + +On the afternoon of June 2nd, Lieut.-Col. R. W. Lowry, of Her +Majesty's 47th Regiment, received orders to proceed to the front with +reinforcements, and left Toronto at 2 p.m. via the Great Western Railway +with Capt. Crowe's Battery of Royal Artillery, equipped with four field +guns. He was accompanied by Col. Wolseley (afterward Field Marshal +Lord Wolseley), who was then serving in Canada as Assistant +Quartermaster-General on the staff of the Lieut.-General commanding Her +Majesty's Forces in British America; and by Lieut. Turner, R.E.; Lieut. +Dent, 47th Regiment, and Lieut.-Col. Cumberland, A.D.C., of Toronto. At +Oakville he was joined by Capt. Chisholm's Rifle Company, 52 rank and +file. On arrival at Hamilton Col. Lowry learned that the detachments of +the 16th Regiment and 60th Royal Rifles which were under orders to join +him there, had already left for the Niagara frontier to reinforce Col. +Peacocke, who had twice telegraphed for reinforcements. Col. Lowry +therefore decided to proceed to Clifton, and from thence move to the +support of Col. Peacocke. During the evening he was joined at Clifton by +a provisional battalion composed of the Barrie, Cookstown. Scarborough, +Columbus, Whitby and Oakville rifle companies, about 350 strong, under +command of Lieut.-Col. Stephens. + +At 3.40 a.m. on June 3rd, Col. Lowry, with Capt. Crowe's Battery and +Lieut.-Col. Stephens' battalion, left Clifton by the Erie and Niagara +Railway for Black Creek. Shortly after his arrival there (at daybreak) +he was joined by 200 rank and file of the 60th Rifles under Capt. +Travers, and 140 of the 16th Regiment under command of Capt. Hogge, +which troops had bivouacked at New Germany overnight. On the report of +Lieut.-Col. John Hillyard Cameron that the Erie and Niagara Railway was +passable to a point near Fort Erie, Col. Lowry moved his column by rail +as far as Frenchman's Creek (Gen. O'Neil's old camp ground). Here he +detrained his troops, and throwing out an advanced guard and flanking +lines of skirmishers, moved promptly forward towards Fort Erie. Col, +Wolseley had preceded the column on horseback, and meeting Major +Denison's troopers, who already had possession of the village, found +that Gen. O'Neil and his army had left the country and were beyond the +pale of punishment by our forces. + +Col. Lowry's column reached Fort Erie about 8 o'clock, and shortly after +Col. Peacockes force swept in from the west, bringing with them the +spoils of victory in the shape of about sixty prisoners, being part of +the picket line which Gen. O'Neil had abandoned during the night. + +The whole force was then placed in position on the high ground in rear +of the village and went into camp. Guards, patrols and pickets were +posted in every direction, and all precautions taken that the occasion +demanded. + +During the afternoon Capt. Akers arrived from Port Colborne with the +Queen's Own Rifles, 7th Battalion of London, four companies of the 22nd +Oxford Rifles (with the Drumbo Infantry Company attached), the Caledonia +Rifle Company, the Thorold Infantry Company, and the St. Catharines Home +Guards, about 1,000 men altogether. + +When the three columns were all assembled on the heights at Fort Erie +they presented a formidable and imposing spectacle to the many thousands +of Americans and Fenians who crowded the river banks and points of +vantage for sight-seeing on the American side. It seemed as if the whole +population of Buffalo and surrounding country were gathered on the river +shore that pleasant Sunday afternoon to gaze upon the British camp +and watch the movements of the soldiers. The rows of white tents, +the scarlet uniforms of the infantry, and the blue of the cavalry and +artillery, intermingled with the dark green of the rifle companies, +certainly gave a variety of color, while the steadiness and regularity +with which the different units performed their evolutions must have +convinced the on-lookers (especially the Fenians) that it was just as +well for them that they were safely out of harm's way. + +In the course of the day a steam launch arrived at the Fort Erie dock +with a message from Captain Bryson, commander of the U. S. steamer +"Michigan," to Colonel Lowry, inviting him to go aboard that vessel and +have an interview with himself and Mr. H. W. Hemans (the British Consul +at Buffalo) regarding matters in connection with the Fenians. To this +proposal Col. Lowry immediately assented, and accompanied by Col. +Wolseley, Capt. Crowe, R.A., and Lieut. Turner, R.E., proceeded on board +the American steamer. They were courteously received by Capt. Bryson, +who introduced Mr. M. Dane, the United States District Attorney; General +Barry, the commander of the United States troops on the frontier, and +Mr. H. W. Hemans, the British Consul. An interesting conference was +held, in the course of which the American officials expressed their +reprehension of the infraction of international law by the Fenians, +and assured Col. Lowry that nothing in their power had been or would be +neglected to arrest such infraction, and that they had prevented many +Fenian reinforcements from getting across to Canada during the two +previous nights. In the meantime Col. Lowry was assured that the 600 or +700 prisoners who had been captured by the "Michigan" would be rigidly +guarded until instructions were received from Washington as to their +disposal. + +After the conference Col. Lowry and his staff returned to camp, where +orders were waiting to despatch Capt. Crowe's Battery, with four field +guns, and 200 men of the 47th Regiment under command of Major Lauder, +to Kingston without delay, as that point was threatened. This force left +Fort Erie by rail at 7 o'clock that evening, taking with them 22 Fenian +prisoners who had been committed to the Toronto jail. + +Shortly afterward another telegram arrived ordering that the detachment +of the 60th Rifles, one company of the 16th Regiment and the 7th +Battalion of London volunteers be forwarded to London as soon as +possible. Owing to lack of railway transport these troops were unable +to leave Fort Brie until 10.30 the following morning, when 800 men were +despatched to London by the Erie & Niagara and Great Western Railways, +via Clifton and Hamilton. + +At 1.30 a.m. of June 5th, the Queen's Own and the York and Caledonia +Rifles were quietly aroused and ordered to strike tents, parade, and +entrain on cars which were in waiting to convey them to Stratford. The +work of packing up was quickly accomplished, and at 6 o 'clock the train +left Fort Erie for its destination, the troops being accompanied by Col. +Garnet S. Wolseley, A.Q.M.G., of Her Majesty's Forces. They arrived at +Stratford at 5 p.m., and were immediately billetted among the citizens. +At this time it was feared that the Fenians contemplated an attack on +the frontier of the western portion of the Province, and it was deemed +advisable to have a sufficient force mustered at a convenient point, +to be available in case of emergency. The force collected at Stratford +consisted of Capt. Gore's Battery of Royal Artillery, two companies of +H. M. 16th Regiment, the Queen's Own and the York and Caledonia Rifles, +the whole being under command of Col. Wolseley. + +The withdrawal of these troops from Fort Erie reduced Col. Lowry's +force to about 2,000 men, but they were sufficient to over-awe the 8,000 +Fenians who were still hanging around Buffalo and vicinity with the +intention of making another raid as soon as they could escape the +vigilance of the United States authorities, who were now determined to +prevent any further incursions if possible. + +The Thirteenth Battalion, of Hamilton, under Major Skinner, garrisoned +Port Colborne, and guarded the approach to the Welland Canal. + +At Clifton and Suspension Bridge a provisional battalion consisting of +the Collingwood. Aurora. Bradford, Derry West and Grahamsville companies +were assembled under command of Lieut.-Col. Robert B. Denison, while +two more companies were stationed at Chippawa, so that the whole Niagara +frontier was carefully guarded. + +[Picture (page 95) 0095.gif Caption: CANTEEN OF THE NINETEENTH BATTALION +AT FORT ERIE. JUNE, '66.] + +At St. Catharines several other companies were billetted, who were ready +to move in any direction that their services might be required. + +Toronto was also well garrisoned with troops which arrived on Sunday, +among which were the following:--The Cobourg Cavalry, Col. Boulton, 40 +men and 40 horses; Cobourg Battery, Capt. Dumble. 46 men; Ashburnham +Infantry. Capt. Rogers, 32 men; Peterboro Infantry, Capt. Kennedy, 50 +men; Campbellford Infantry, Capt. Lin, 40 men; Lakefield Infantry, +Capt. Leigh, 31 men; Cobourg Infantry, Capt. Elliott, 45 men; Peterboro +Rifles, Capt. Poole, 44 men; Cobourg Rifles, Capt. Smith, 47 men; +Bowmanville Rifles, Lieut.-Col. Cubitt, 40 men; Port Hope Rifles, Capt. +Williams, 42 men, and several other companies which arrived later. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +HURRIED EVACUATION OF CANADA BY GEN. O'NEIL--CAPTURE OF THE ESCAPING +FENIANS BY THE UNITED STATES GUNBOAT MICHIGAN. + +After the smoke of battle had wafted away from the streets of Fort +Erie, and the dead and wounded removed, Gen. O'Neil gathered his troops +together and marched up to the ruins of the "Old Fort," situated on a +point at the inlet of the Niagara River from Lake Erie. Here they went +into camp, and began to make preparations for defence, as they fully +expected to be attacked early next morning by Col. Peacocke's column and +other forces who were advancing from the interior. It was a very anxious +time for Gen. O'Neil and his officers, and they spent some hours in +earnest deliberation as to what would be the best course for them to +pursue. They were now between "the devil and the deep sea," with the +wide river and lake in front of them, and an avenging army of British +and Canadian troops, well equipped with cavalry, artillery and trained +infantry, gradually tightening the coils around their position from the +rear, in which direction there was no avenue of escape. It was indeed +a serious predicament, and the only hope of the Fenians rested in the +possibility of being able to escape across the river and abandon their +project to capture Canada, at this point at least. To guard against +surprises, Gen. O'Neil had left his picket lines extended over a large +area of country, and scouts and patrols were still on duty on the +country roads and along the river bank. Reinforcements were expected +over from Buffalo that night, and O'Neil personally felt disposed to +fortify his brigade in the ruins of the Old Fort and fight to a finish. +But by this time the American authorities had aroused, and instructed +Gen. W. F. Barry (the United States officer in command at Buffalo), +to stop any more Fenian troops from crossing into Canada, and in the +performance of this duty he exhibited great energy. There were thousands +of Fenians ready and eager to cross the border to reinforce O'Neil. +but the presence of the United States gunboat "Michigan" and several +regiments and batteries of American regular troops, prevented the +movement. Therefore the Fenians who were marooned in Canada, with +visions of a hangman's noose dangling before them, became desperate and +despondent. They knew very well that a concentration of the Canadian +forces was going on, and that at the first break of day an attack was +likely to be made, from which there would be no alternative but to "die +in the last ditch" or surrender. They had encountered the raw Canadian +volunteers and experienced two bitter tastes of hard fighting during the +day, and were quite satisfied. So they decided to get out of Canada +as quickly as possible. The officers and men were dispirited and +crestfallen, and bitterly blamed Gen. Sweeny and other high Fenian +officials for not having sent over the promised reinforcements in ample +time to ensure the success of the expedition. When the twilight deepened +and the darkness of night fell, a feeling of gloom pervaded the Fenian +camp. The men had eaten their evening meal, which had about exhausted +their Quartermaster's stores, and there was nothing in sight for +breakfast on the morrow. As they gathered around their camp-fires or lay +upon the grass in groups, discussing the day's events and their possible +chance of succor, the suspense became terrible. The conviction finally +became forced upon them that without reinforcements or rescue they would +be utterly lost, and many of them were not prepared to take any chances, +so before 10 o'clock quite a number deserted their standards and +wandered down along the water front in search of some means of getting +back across the river. Boats were seized wherever found, and, loaded to +the gunwales, the fugitives plied their oars vigorously in their haste +to cross the stream. Others trusted themselves to single planks upon +which to gain support while they endeavored to swim across the current. +The covering of one of the docks afforded the means for this purpose. It +was a very risky method of navigation, and it is generally supposed +that several of the Fenian "Leanders" who attempted the passage of the +Niagara "Hellespont" in this way lost their lives in doing so, as they +were reported "missing" afterwards. + +Late that night signal lights were displayed from the American shore, +which by the Fenian code signified to Gen. O'Neil that a movement was on +foot in Buffalo to attempt to run the blockade with reinforcements. But +the remnant of the Fenian army which was bivouacked in the ruins of old +Fort Erie was too much demoralized to take any further interest in the +campaign, and signalled back the information that the reinforcements +were too late--that they intended to evacuate the country, and needed +speedy relief. + +About midnight two steam tugs, with a couple of canal boats in tow, +quietly slipped out of Buffalo Creek, and escaping the vigilance of +the American authorities, headed for the Canadian shore. These boats +contained about 500 reinforcements for the Fenians, but when about half +way over the river the transports were met by a messenger in a rowboat +with an order from Gen. O'Neil, directing them to return to Buffalo, +disembark all the troops, and immediately proceed back to Fort Erie +to carry off the remainder of his men. The order was obeyed, and at 1 +o'clock on the morning of June 3rd all in the camp were shipped on board +of the canal boats and started back across the river. When about half +way over, and in American waters, the retreating army was hailed by +the armed tug "Harrison," under command of Acting Master Morris of the +gunboat "Michigan," who demanded an immediate surrender to the United +States authorities. The order not being promptly obeyed, it was repeated +with a threat to sink the canal boats if not immediately complied with. +Gen. O'Neil, realizing that resistance was useless, then surrendered the +remnant of his command. The "Michigan" was signalled, and having steam +up and anchor tripped, came alongside, and taking the tug and canal +boats in tow, proceeded down the river to a point opposite Black Rock, +where she dropped anchor in mid-stream and placed a guard over the +prisoners. Gen. O'Neil and his principal officers were taken on board +the "Michigan," while the rank and file were left huddled up on the +canal boats for the night. + +When the main body of the Fenians evacuated Canada their movement was +executed so hurriedly that the officers did not take time to notify +their pickets and patrols, who were still faithfully performing their +duties, so that about 150 of these "patriots" were deserted by their +comrades and exposed to the halter. Great indignation was manifested +by these men at being left as they were on outpost duty without any +notification of the proposed withdrawal of the Fenians from Canada. +Had it not been for the approach of Major Denison's cavalry, which +encountered their picket line at Bowen's Farm and caused their retreat +to Fort Erie, none of them would probably have learned of the evacuation +in time to escape. As it was, a large number of these men were captured +by the Canadians the next day and consigned to prison, while the +remainder managed to get across the border in various ways. + +Commander Bryson, of the "Michigan," at once telegraphed to the United +States authorities at Washington, reporting the capture of the main +portion of Gen. O'Neil's forces, and asked for instructions regarding +their disposition. Pending official correspondence between the two +Governments relative to the prisoners, they were kept under close guard +for a day or two. But as the British Government made no immediate demand +for their extradition, the rank and file were liberated on their own +recognizances to the amount of $500 each, binding them to appear if a +complaint was lodged against them. + +Gen. O'Neil and the other officers who were captured by the "Michigan" +were released on bail, to appear when called on for trial on charges +of violations of the neutrality laws, but the proceedings were quietly +dropped, and thus the matter ended. + +This disposal of the prisoners captured by the "Michigan" did not meet +with popular approval in Canada, where our people were mourning the +loss of some of our bravest and best young volunteers, and feelings +of resentment held sway for some time. It was thought that an example +should have been made of the leaders at least, but the diplomats who +had charge of the matter evidently felt that a policy of moderation and +leniency might be exercised with beneficial results at that particular +time, and the raiders were not further molested. + +The City of Buffalo, on the 4th of June, was full of Fenians. They had +been arriving from all parts to take part in the raid, and only for the +vigilance of the United States troops, were prepared to make another +attempt to cross the line. But General Meade was firm in his resolve to +prevent further disturbances, and issued the following order: + + +Headquarters Mil. Div. Atlantic. Buffalo, June 3, 1866. + +Brevet Maj.-Gen. Barry: + +General,--Orders will be sent you from Headquarters, Department of the +East, assigning you to the command of the District of Ontario, extending +from Erie, Pa., to Oswego, New York, both places included, Headquarters +at Buffalo. In advance of the orders and accompanying instructions, I +direct you to use the force at your command to preserve the +neutrality by preventing the crossing of armed bodies, by cutting off +reinforcements or supplies, by seizing all arms, munitions, etc., which +you have reason to believe are destined to be used unlawfully--in fine, +taking all measures precautionary and otherwise to prevent violation +of law. For this purpose you will move the forces under your command +to such points as are threatened, and you will employ vessels, tugs, or +others, such as can be procured, for watching the river and lake shores, +and taking all such measures as in your judgment the emergency requires. + +Very respectfully, + +GEO. G. MEADE, Major-General Commanding. + + +In accordance with the above instructions, Gen. Barry very thoroughly +guarded the United States frontier with troops, while the United States +man-of-war "Michigan," the "Fessenden," and other armed steamers, +patrolled the lakes and the Niagara River with the full determination to +rigidly carry out Gen. Meade's orders. This was a crushing blow to the +hopes of the rank and file of the Irish Republican Army, and there were +many who were inclined to defy the Federal authorities and fight +their way over the border. But wiser counsels prevailed, and the +fiery subordinates were obliged to submit to the law and await another +opportunity. + +During the following ten days the people of Buffalo had a horde of very +undesirable guests within their gates. The majority of the Fenian +troops were without means of subsistence, and became a charge upon the +authorities and their sympathizers. The question of their disposal was +at last decided by the United States Government offering transportation +to their homes to all who would agree to sign the following: + + +FORM OF PAROLE. + +We, the undersigned, belonging to the Fenian Brotherhood, being now +assembled in Buffalo, with intentions which have been decided by the +United States authorities as in violation of the neutrality laws of +the United States; but being now desirous to return to our homes, do +severally agree and promise to abandon our expedition against Canada, +desist from any violation of the neutrality laws of the United States, +and return immediately to our respective homes. + + +This offer was largely taken advantage of, and muster rolls were made +out as rapidly as possible. The number of signatures obtained to the +written paroles was 5,166 during the afternoon of June 15th, and that +night these men departed for their homes, much to the relief of the +citizens of Buffalo, who had become weary of their guests. + +Previous to the departure of the disappointed warriors from Buffalo, the +Fenian General Burns issued the following farewell address: + + +Buffalo, June 14, 1860. + +To the Officers and Soldiers of the Irish Republican Army in Buffalo: + +Brothers,--Orders having been received from President Roberts, +requesting you to return to your homes, it becomes my duty to promulgate +said order in this department. Having been but a few days among you, +and witnessing with pride your manly bearing and soldierly conduct in +refraining from all acts of lawlessness on the citizens of this city, it +grieves me to part with you so soon. I had hoped to lead you against the +common enemy of human freedom, viz., England, and would have done so had +not the extreme vigilance of the United States Government frustrated +our plans. It was the United States, and not England, that impeded our +onward march to freedom. Return to your homes for the present, with +the conviction that this impediment will soon be removed by the +representatives of the nation. Be firm in your determination to renew +the contest when duty calls you forth; the cause is too sacred to falter +for a moment. Let your present disappointment only prompt you to +renewed energy in the future. Be patient, bide your time, organize your +strength, and as liberty is your watch-word, it will finally be your +sword. In leaving this city, where you have bountifully shared the +hospitality of the citizens, I beg of you to maintain the same decorum +that has characterized your actions whilst here. + +(Signed) M. W. BURNS, Brigadier General Commanding Irish Army at +Buffalo. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE CHICAGO VOLUNTEERS--A NOBLE BAND OF PATRIOTS RETURN HOME TO DEFEND +THEIR NATIVE LAND--A STRIKING EXAMPLE OF CANADIAN PATRIOTISM. + +No matter where you find a true Canadian, he holds in the depths of his +heart a love and reverence for his native land and its flag which cannot +be uprooted. He may "roam 'neath alien skies" or tread a foreign shore, +but his heart ever beats true to his homeland, and when his services are +required in defence of her shores he does not as a rule require to be +summoned hence. He acts on the impulse of the occasion, and quickly +buckles on his armor to take the field for the honor of his country. + +This national trait was never more spontaneously illustrated than during +the perilous periods of the Fenian Raids. Many of the stalwart sons of +Canada were temporarily residing in the United States at these times, +and had exceptional opportunities of noticing the constant preparations +that were being made by the Fenian plotters to invade the land of their +birth. Oft-times, perhaps, they were reminded by their American and +Fenian shopmates or fellow-employees, of the fact that they were aliens, +who were only permitted to reside in the United States on sufferance, +and insults and epithets would be hurled at them because they were +"bloody Canucks." But the Canadian boys always kept a stiff upper lip, +and when insolence became too intolerable they were not afraid to assert +their manhood by the use of a little physical force, and teach their +tormentors that a Canadian has rights which _all_ men are bound to +respect. + +Quite a colony of Canadians resided in the City of Chicago, Illinois, +in 1866, many of them holding lucrative positions in employment where +brains, energy and confidence were the chief essentials required. As +a natural result these loyal boys chafed in spirit, and their breasts +heaved in indignation, when they observed the open encouragement +and financial assistance which was being given to the Fenians by the +citizens of that metropolis to enable them to carry out their nefarious +plans to conquer Canada. + +For the purpose of meeting together for mutual counsel, and more firmly +welding the bonds of loyalty and unity among themselves, these young +men organized the "Chicago Canadian Society," with Mr. John Ford (an old +Toronto boy) as President. The formation of this Association in one of +the hottest hot-beds of Fenianism in America, required men of courage +and reliance to uphold its principles, and in this they were specially +fortunate. From the President down to the most youthful member they were +all "hearts of oak"--men who unflinchingly stood by their principles, +and had their love of country so deep at heart that they resolved to +sacrifice their positions and return to their native land to offer +their services to the Government as soon as occasion demanded. They +accordingly organized a military company, with the sturdy patriot. John +Ford, as their Captain, and began drilling. + +They had not long to wait before the news was received in Chicago that +the Fenians had landed in Canada, and that the time for action had +arrived. So the "Chicago Volunteers" at once decided to individually +resign their situations and leave for "the Land of the Maple" to fight +for their flag. While the Company was making preparations for their +journey, Capt. Ford was sent ahead to make the necessary arrangements at +Windsor for their reception, and to formally offer their services to the +Government. Capt. Ford had a dangerous trip _en route_, as many of the +most violent Chicago Fenians knew him personally and were inclined to +"put him out of business." But the Captain was a stalwart, determined +young man, full of fire and courage, and being ready for any emergency, +he succeeded in getting through to Windsor without any serious trouble, +although dogged all the way by Fenians, who only waited an opportunity +to assault him. On arrival at Windsor he consulted with Mr. Gilbert +McMicken, the Police Magistrate, who advised him to proceed on to +Toronto with his Company. He then telegraphed his comrades to come +along, and they quickly answered the summons. That night the whole +Company of 57 men left Chicago for Canada, and great was their delight +when they lined up at Windsor the next morning under the folds of the +Union Jack, and gave three hearty cheers for their Queen and country. +Two companies of volunteers, accompanied by the Mayor and a large +concourse of citizens, were at the railway ferry dock to meet the boys, +and gave them a great reception. + +They then proceeded by the Great Western Railway to Toronto, receiving +hearty ovations at London, Hamilton and every station at which they +stopped, until they arrived at their destination at 10 o'clock on +the night of June 5th. They were met at the depot by a guard of honor +composed of two companies of volunteers, His Worship Mayor Metcalfe, and +a large number of citizens, and escorted to the Drill Shed, where short +addresses were delivered to them by the Mayor, Hon. George Brown, Mr. T. +M. Daly, and others, thanking them warmly for their patriotism and manly +conduct in making personal sacrifices to return to their native soil and +defend their country in a time of peril. + +Capt. Ford and Lieut. G. R. Kingsmill replied in suitable terms on +behalf of their Chicago comrades, saying that they could vouch that +every man would do his duty fearlessly, should their services be +required. They both stated that if necessary an entire regiment could +have been raised in Chicago for the defence of Canada, so ardent were +the Canadians in that city to assist in driving out the invaders. + +After hearty cheers had been given for the Queen, the Chicago +Volunteers, and the men on duty at the front, the Chicago men were +marched to the Metropolitan Hotel and the Robinson House, where +refreshments and lodgings had been provided for them for the night. + +On the following morning this band of patriots formally tendered their +services to the Government as a company to be enrolled as volunteers +for the defence of the Province. The Mayor and Col. Durie (Assistant +Adjutant-General) called on Gen. Napier, and presented the offer, which +was immediately accepted by the General on behalf of the Government. At +the same time he spoke in the most complimentary terms of the patriotic +spirit evinced by these gallant young men, and desired Col. Durie and +the Mayor to convey his views to them. + +The corps was named "_No. 1 Company of Volunteers for Canada_," and the +following officers were chosen: Captain. John Ford; Lieutenant, George +R. Kingsmill; Ensign. Hector Ross; 1st Sergeant, Samuel Ridout; 2nd +Sergeant, T. D. Skinner; 3rd Sergeant, W. F. Collins; 4th Sergeant, J. +H. Cornish; 1st Corporal, + +John Allen; 2nd Corporal, G. J. Fitzsimmons; 3rd Corporal, John Ginn; +Lance Corporal, George McKay. The privates were: C. T. Wright. B. +Baskerville, R. Gilbert. T. English, R. Mason, J. Moore, F. Gatrell, +T. G. Rice. R. S. Shenston, W. E. Richards, W. Grain, W. Skinner, C. J. +Mitchell. S. Langford, J. Cavers, S. McKay, G. B. Roberts. J. Hillman. +F. Baker, J. C. Keighley, J. J. Innes, C. Rubidge. L. Werden. W. Orr. +J. Fraser, J. Wickens, J. G. Kinnear, W. H. Rice, George Morehead, John +Travers, W. Beck, Luke E. Kingsmill, S. Gordon, E. Smith, G. Mothersill. +W. S. Cottingham, S. Langford, A. Babley, J. W. Dunn, S. McCallum, W. +Ford, 0. S. Hillman. J. Healey, C. C. Baines, James J. James, and F. W. +Nation. + +The Chicago Volunteers remained on guard duty at Toronto until all +danger was passed, when they were relieved from service and permitted to +return to their homes. Previous to their departure a grand reception was +given in their honor at the Music Hall, where an immense concourse of +people assembled to assist in paying them a royal tribute of praise for +their loyal service. + +His Worship Mayor Metcalfe presided, and after delivering a splendid +patriotic oration, presented Capt. Ford and his comrades with an address +from the Mayor and Corporation of the City of Toronto, expressive of the +high opinion of their patriotism that prevailed among the citizens and +their countrymen generally. + +The address was accompanied by the presentation of a handsome Union +Jack, on which was inscribed, "Presented to the Chicago Volunteers by +the City Council. Toronto." + +Capt. Ford and his officers replied in fitting terms to the sentiments +expressed by the Mayor, and assured him that should occasion ever again +arise to necessitate their services, they would promptly respond to the +summons. + +Capt. John Ford (who at the date of issue of this book is still alive +and as full of fire and patriotism as in days of yore) is a well-known +and highly respected citizen of Toronto, whose friends are many. By +request of the author he has given the following personal recollections +of the organization of "The Chicago Volunteers" and their trip home to +Canada, which I feel will prove of great interest to the reader:-- + +"As all old citizens of Toronto will well remember, they had for +neighbors years ago some who were keen sympathizers with the Fenians, +and whose relatives were seen in Fenian processions in Chicago and other +American cities. As circumstances took many young men from Canada to the +States, we found on foregathering on one occasion in the old Post +Office in Chicago, in 1864, that we numbered 75, all former citizens +of Toronto. We then organized the "Chicago Canadian Society," meeting +weekly for drill and social purposes in the hall of the American +Protestant Association. Our drill instructors were Military School +cadets, holding first and second-class certificates. We found that the +Fenian organization was raising money and manufacturing pikes, and +in the year 1864 they held an Irish National Fair for the purpose of +increasing their fund. Quite a number of Canadians visited the Fair, and +saw soil or turf from Ireland sold in envelopes for 25 cents each, and +also "Irish bonds," to be redeemed on the consummation of the object of +the Fenian organization, or the capture of Canada; and to show the ease +in which they expected to accomplish this end, a stuffed lion was shown +with its tail between its legs, and head down, covered with a calf-skin. +On lifting the calf-skin the calf's head appeared, their idea evidently +being to cast ridicule on the bravery of the British lion or the nation. + +"On the evening of May 24th, 1865, we held a banquet in the Washington +Coffee House, which was largely attended, and the toast of 'The Queen +and Royal Family,' and other patriotic sentiments, were enthusiastically +honored. + +"On attending one of the Fenian recruiting meetings in Metropolitan +Hall, we saw upwards of 1,000 veteran cavalry men enrolled for service, +who, it was announced, were to be mounted on horses between Hamilton and +Toronto. This enrollment was only part of the 37,000 guaranteed by +the delegates from Illinois at the National Convention of the Fenian +Brotherhood in 1865, when the total guarantee was 250,000 men. Needless +to say, we were thoroughly alarmed, and prepared to leave for home on +short notice. + +"On the day of the Raid (June 2nd, 1866) at about 3 p.m., it was +reported in Chicago that 30,000 men had crossed into Canada, had +destroyed the Welland Canal, and were advancing on Stoney Creek, +expecting to be in Hamilton that night. We had wired Toronto for +information, and went from one telegraph office to another in vain for +answers. We found out afterwards that our telegrams were lying unopened +on Mayor Metcalfe's table on the following Tuesday, as that gentleman +was away at the front. + +"We held a meeting at Chicago on Saturday, June 2nd, 1866, and organized +a second company to follow the first to Canada, provided their services +would be accepted and they could get to the front. The St. George's +Society guaranteed to organize more companies, which would total 1,000 +men. + +"Comrade Forbes and myself were appointed delegates to proceed to +Detroit and open communications with the military authorities at +Windsor, and offer our services. We arrived at Detroit at early dawn +on Monday, June 4th, and were very much relieved, on looking across the +river through the haze, to recognize the scarlet coats of the soldiers +on duty on the Canadian shore. We crossed to Windsor, and met Col. +McMicken; who immediately wired Hon. John A. Macdonald, Minister of +Militia, tendering our services. The answer arrived in Windsor between +3 and 4 o'clock, when Col. McMicken advised me to wire the company in +Chicago, and to avoid international complications he instructed us to +do this in a private manner. We then sent the following message to +the company: 'Ship what you have, and buy up the rest.' In Chicago the +company awaited instructions in the A. P. A. Hall, and on receiving +our telegram they marched to the depot through enthusiastic crowds of +sympathizers, singing, "Rule, Britannia" and other patriotic songs. On +arrival at the depot, Dr. Bigelow, a sympathizer, took off his Panama +hat, placed a $5 greenback in it, and passed it around, raising $20 +more than was required to pay the Michigan Central Railroad for two +first-class coaches, which had been arranged for by Lieut. Kingsmill +with the General Manager of the Michigan Central, who very courteously +allowed us the same rates charged the United States Government when +moving troops. Lieut. Kingsmill agreed to place a guard at each end of +the coaches, and allow no one to enter except members of the company. + +"The company arrived at Detroit early on Tuesday morning, June 5th. Col. +McMicken gave Comrade Forbes and myself a pass to go to Detroit and meet +the company, advising us to allow no demonstration until we had passed +the centre of the river and were in Canadian waters. The company +followed the advice, and when the steamer crossed the line the men +went wild with enthusiasm, and were royally received in Windsor by the +military authorities. This was repeated at London and Hamilton. The +company arrived in Toronto on the night of Tuesday, June 5th. It took +the entire police force to get the men off the train, owing to the +delight of their friends and the cheering crowds who came to welcome us +home. The company was then escorted to the Drill Shed by the military +companies, where patriotic speeches were made by Mayor Metcalfe, Hon. +Geo. Brown, and others." + +Chicago was not alone in the matter of exemplifying Canadian patriotism +during this trying period, as loyal sons of Canada came trooping home +from nearly every quarter of the United States, and gallantly took their +places in the ranks wherever a vacant place could be found. Thousands +of others wrote home, volunteering their services if necessity required. +These men deserve special mention on the pages of Canadian history, +and it is a pleasure to the author of this book to put on record the +splendid spirit of patriotism they displayed when their beloved Canada +was in danger. Very many of them have passed away from earth, but their +memories and worth will long be remembered by those who knew them best. +To their descendants, and to all young Canadians, the loyal spirit +which animated them should strongly appeal, and their deeds be emulated +whenever danger threatens their native land. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +JOHNNY CANUCK AFLOAT--SPLENDID SERVICE ON BOARD THE GUNBOATS--THE +BEGINNING OF THE CANADIAN NAVY--ARRIVAL OF BRITISH TARS. + +Concurrent with the mustering of troops to act on land, the need of +naval forces to patrol our lakes and rivers was fully realized, so +preparations were quickly made in that direction. The Toronto Naval +Brigade, commanded by Capt. W. P. McMaster, was a very efficient and +well-disciplined corps of brave and hardy men, who were among the first +to respond to the call of duty. The Government chartered the powerful +steam tug "Rescue," which being properly armed, was placed 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 Toronto Naval +Brigade, it may be mentioned that when they received orders to go on +board the "Rescue" on Sunday morning, June 3rd, and fit her up for +service, they responded so promptly that before evening they had put 67 +tons of coal on board, besides transforming the boat from a peaceful tug +to a veritable gunboat by making such alterations as were necessary for +that purpose. All were workers, and "handy men" either ashore or afloat, +and that night everything was so snug and secure that they took up their +quarters on board, fully provisioned for a cruise. Early next morning +the "Rescue" steamed up to the Queen's Wharf and took on board her +armament and ammunition. A large 32-pound gun was mounted on the main +deck, in a position available for service in any direction required, +while the projectiles were placed in pyramidal piles near-by, so as to +be convenient for quick action. + +On the afternoon of the 5th of June, while proceeding up Lake Erie, a +suspicious-looking steamer was seen approaching from the west. Heavy +clouds of black smoke belched forth from her funnels, and she appeared +to be heading for the "Rescue" under full speed. As rumors of a Fenian +flotilla on the Upper Lakes had prevailed, it was conjectured that this +strange craft might be one of the enemy's gunboats, and consequently its +appearance caused some excitement on board the "Rescue." The men were +called to quarters, the 32-pounder loaded and charged with chain-shot, +and every preparation made to give battle in case the approaching +steamer should happen to be a foe. As it came nearer it was seen that +she was a side-wheeler, and was evidently crowding on all steam. Jack +Fields (an experienced gunner) took charge of the 32-pounder, which +he carefully trained on the stranger, and remarked: "We will take that +walking-beam out of her." All were now expectant, and ready for action, +awaiting orders to fire. But as the steamer approached closer it was +learned that she was the United States revenue cutter "Fessenden," which +was on patrol duty on Lake Erie, on the look-out for Fenians also, and +her commander had intended to overhaul the "Rescue," as he likewise +thought her suspicious-looking. After a friendly "hail" and mutual +explanations, both steamers proceeded on their way. + +At about 12 o'clock that night, when about off Port Stanley, a heavy +storm of wind and rain arose, and the crew of the "Rescue" experienced a +very rough time. The boat pitched and rolled in the trough of the heavy +seas, and she sprang a leak. The big gun threatened to break loose from +its lashings, and had to be thoroughly secured by cables. The round +shot, which had been built up in pyramids on the deck, got away from +their base-frames and were rolling in every direction, while the high +waves swept over the bulwarks, deluging the men with water. During the +whole of the night and part of the next day the men were kept constantly +at the pumps, and by dint of hard work succeeded in keeping the boat +afloat until the gale subsided and they entered calmer waters. The crew +were pretty well worn out with hunger and fatigue when they reached +the mouth of the Detroit River on the evening of the 6th of June. They +arrived at Windsor about 8 o'clock on the same night, weary, but none +the worse of their experience in a Lake Erie storm, which is said by old +sailors to be the worst that can rage on any sea. + +As matters looked serious along the Detroit River and Upper Lakes, +it was decided to strengthen the naval force at Windsor by equipping +another boat for service. Therefore the staunch ferry steamer "Michigan" +was chartered and details of British tars from Her Majesty's Ship +"Aurora" were brought up from Quebec to form her crew, and also to +relieve the Toronto Naval Brigade from duty on the "Rescue," as Capt. +McMaster had received orders to transfer his command to the "Magnet" +and cruise the lakes. Both the "Michigan" and the "Rescue" were then +efficiently armed and equipped for the naval service required, and +went into commission under British officers and crews. Each boat had +an armament of two Armstrong ship guns (9 and 12-pounders), with full +supplies of ammunition, and were manned by one Lieutenant, one Second +Lieutenant, and midshipmen, doctors, carpenters, etc., with about 90 +seamen, 22 marines and seven other officers, all armed with rifles, +cutlasses, revolvers and dirks. Lieut. Fairlie, R.N., and Lieut. Heron, +R.N. (both of the British man-of-war "Aurora"), were placed in command +of the "Rescue" and "Michigan," respectively. + +On being relieved from duty on the "Rescue" by the British seamen, +Capt. McMaster and his men proceeded to Toronto to fit out the steamer +"Magnet" for lake service. They had just completed this arduous work +and were awaiting sailing instructions, when an order came that their +services were not needed for the present. In relieving them from further +service they were specially thanked by Gen. Napier for the creditable +manner in which they had done their duty, in the following order: + +Assistant Adjt.-General's Office. Toronto, June 10. 1866. + +Sir,--I am directed by Maj.-Gen. Napier, C.B., commanding Her Majesty's +forces and volunteers, Canada West, to express to you his thanks for +the efficient services rendered by the Naval Brigade under your command, +particularly recently, when required to take charge of and convert the +steamer "Rescue" into a gunboat, in discharging her cargo and getting +the necessary armament on board in a very short time and in a highly +creditable manner; and, when relieved from the charge of the "Rescue." +in performing similar good services when placed in command of the +steamer "Magnet." And the Major-General will not fail to again +avail himself of the services of the Naval Brigade afloat should an +opportunity occur, and will have great pleasure in bringing before the +notice of His Excellency the Governor-General the important and valuable +services which they have rendered. + + I have the honor to be, Sir, + Your obedient servant, + + Capt. McMaster, + Commanding Naval Brigade, Toronto. + + W.M. S. DURIE, + Lt.-Col., A.A.G.M. + + +On the St. Lawrence River the necessity for a patrol of gunboats +was also very manifest, and the Government fitted out the steamer +"Watertown" for such service. She was placed in command of Lieut. +French, and was employed in cruising the upper part of the St. Lawrence +and the lower portion of Lake Ontario, making her port of rendezvous at +Kingston. + +The gunboat "St. Andrew," commanded by Lieut. Spencer Smith, R.N., and +manned by a detachment of British man-of-warsmen, patrolled the St. +Lawrence between Brockville and Gananoque. She carried five guns, and +her crew were armed with the usual fighting equipment of seamen in the +British navy. + +The steamer "Wabuno" was armed and placed in commission to cruise on +the Georgian Bay, in which waters her crew performed active and vigilant +service on patrol duty for several weeks. + +On the Niagara River and Lake Erie the steamer "W. T. Robb" was retained +in commission and fitted up for service as a cruiser. In addition to +the Dunnville Naval Brigade, a detachment of the St. Catharines Garrison +Battery (under command of Lieut. James Wilson) was placed on board +with two guns, a 9-pounder and a 12-pound howitzer, and the necessary +complement of small arms. The wheel-house and cabins were covered with +boiler plates, and the bulwarks strengthened by heavy planking for the +protection of her crew, so that she was soon converted into a formidable +craft and admirably fitted for the work she was detailed to do. This +boat was kept busy patrolling the Niagara River and the lower portion of +Lake Erie, and her crew did excellent night and day service during the +time she was so employed. + +At Montreal the gunboat "Royal" was fitted out and despatched through +the St. Lawrence Canals and River. She was armed with an Armstrong +12-pounder and a brass howitzer forward, and a 12-pound Armstrong gun +aft. Her batteries around bows and stern were cased with iron for the +protection of the men working the guns, and her wheel-house protected +with sand-bags, making her secure against rifle fire. The gun-boats +"Hercules" and "Canada" were also put in commission at Montreal and +thoroughly outfitted for service on the lakes and river. + +To aid in the protection of Montreal harbor H. M. ship "Rosario" (Capt. +Versturme) was despatched from Quebec to that point. She was a steam +screw sloop of 673 tons and 150 horsepower, with an armament of eleven +guns, and had a full complement of British sailors and marines. + +At Hamilton and Port Stanley the Naval Brigades stationed at these +points performed shore duty, and did it well. Danger hovered everywhere, +and the utmost vigilance was necessary to guard every point. The country +was overrun with Fenian spies and emissaries, and arrests of suspicious +characters were numerous. Even at home there were traitors who needed +watching, as there were some who were ready to give countenance and +support to the enemy. Thus the companies who remained at their local +headquarters, and the Home Guards who were enrolled for home protection, +did remarkably good service along those lines. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +ON THE ST. LAWRENCE AND EASTERN FRONTIERS--MUSTER OF TROOPS AT KINGSTON, +BROCKVILLE, PRESCOTT, CORNWALL AND OTHER POINTS. + +While the sanguinary engagements which have been related in the +preceding pages were in progress on the Niagara frontier, the danger +of invasion was just as imminent at many other points along our border +line, and excitement was consequently as intense. It was felt at the +time, and subsequently confirmed as correct, that the diversion of Gen. +O'Neil at Fort Erie was only a prelude to cover more formidable attacks +along the line of the St. Lawrence, and the frontier of the Eastern +Townships of Quebec. + +To guard this lengthy border was the first precaution taken by the +Government, and all troops that were available east of Toronto were +promptly called out for active service. Along the St. Lawrence River the +points most seriously threatened were Kingston, Brockville, Prescott +and Cornwall, and the attention of the Lieutenant-General Commanding +was immediately directed towards making adequate provision for the +protection of those places. + +At Kingston the 14th Battalion of Rifles, the Kingston Field Battery, +the First Frontenac Troop of Cavalry, and the Garden Island and +Portsmouth Infantry Companies, were assembled and equipped, ready to +proceed to any point where their services might be required. The forts +were garrisoned by regular troops, and the city put in a proper state of +defence. On Sunday, the 3rd of June, just as the garrison was returning +from church parade, Lieut.-Col. John Paton received orders to proceed +at once with the 14th Rifles to Cornwall. The Battalion started that +evening by special train for their destination, amid tremendous cheering +by the patriotic citizens. + +The force which was mobilized at Prescott on June 3rd consisted of +one division of the Ottawa Field Battery, with two guns; the Gananoque +Battery of Garrison Artillery; three companies of the Prince Consort's +Own Rifle Brigade (regulars), under Major Newdegate; the left wing +of the 25th King's Own Borderers (regulars); the 18th (Hawkesbury) +Battalion, under command of Lieut.-Col. John Hamilton; Nos. 1 and 2 +Companies of the Ottawa Rifles; the Pakenham and Fitzroy Companies of +Infantry; and the 15th (Belleville) Battalion of Infantry, under command +of Lieut.-Col. A. A. Campbell. Old Fort Wellington was strengthened +and well equipped with three batteries of garrison artillery, and every +detail arranged to properly protect the town. All of the danger points +were so securely guarded by this efficient garrison (which was under the +command of Col. F. T. Atcherly, D.A.G.) that the invaders would have met +with an amazingly hot reception had they carried out their threatened +intentions to cross the river anywhere in that vicinity. + +Lieut.-Col. Crawford had command of the force which was assembled at +Brockville, consisting of a battalion composed of the Brockville Rifles, +Gananoque Rifles, Brockville Infantry, Perth Rifles, Perth Infantry, +Carleton Place Rifles, and Almonte Infantry. These companies were +exceedingly efficient, and did great service in guarding the river front +and railway communications at Brockville. Col. Crawford and his troops +received great praise from the Major-General for the very satisfactory +manner in which they did their duty on these trying occasions. + +The City of Ottawa was garrisoned by the Civil Service Rifles, Major +Ross' Artillery Company, the Bell's Corners Infantry Company, and other +companies from the neighborhood, assisted by a strong Home Guard. + +The Grand Trunk Railway bridges at Vaudreuil, St. Ann's and Lachine were +guarded by the St. Therese, Como and Varennes Infantry Companies, this +arduous duty being very accurately and vigilantly performed by the corps +mentioned. + +At Cornwall the situation was exceedingly serious, as it was known that +Gen. Sweeny had particular designs on that place, and was making every +preparation to deliver an attack. The possession of the canals was one +of his chief desires, and to ward off such an attempt a strong force was +quickly mobilized at this point of danger. On the 2nd of June a public +meeting of citizens was called and a committee appointed to act in +concert with the military commandant in putting the town in a thorough +state of defence. A patrol was established for ten miles up and down the +river by the local companies, and navigation on the river and through +the canal was stopped. Early on the 3rd of June troops began arriving +from different points, and by the following morning over 2,000 had +been assembled under the command of Col. T. H. Pakenham, of H. M. 30th +Regiment. The Canadian force which was mustered at Cornwall was +composed of the 14th (Kingston) Battalion, the 25th Regiment (King's +Own Borderers), the 11th Argenteuil Rangers, a portion of H. M. 30th +Regiment, one division of the Ottawa Field Battery, the 6th Hochelaga +Light Infantry, two companies of Ottawa Rifles, and two Cornwall +companies. + +On the St. John's and Missisquoi frontiers the local companies of +Frelighsburg, Philipsburg, Granby and Waterloo were posted, under +command of Col. F. R. Elrington, of the P. C. O. Rifle Brigade, and kept +a sharp look-out for the appearance of the enemy. They received numerous +"alarms." but beyond a general expectancy of a conflict which kept them +on the alert, they did not have an opportunity of proving their valor. + +Lieut.-Col. W. Osborne Smith, D.A.G., had command of the troops which +were assembled on the Huntingdon and Hemmingford frontiers, which +consisted of the 1st Prince of Wales Rifles (Lieut.-Col. B. Devlin), of +Montreal; the Victoria Rifles, of Montreal; one division of Capt. A. +A. Stevenson's Field Battery, of Montreal; the Hemmingford. Roxham and +Havelock Infantry Companies, and a detachment of the Montreal Cavalry. +With this force he proceeded to Hemmingford, where he halted on the +3rd and sent out scouts to observe the operations of the enemy on +the frontier. Learning that an attack was likely to be made on the +Huntingdon frontier. Col. Smith left next morning at daybreak with +his column for the threatened point. The weather was exceedingly +unfavorable, as it rained incessantly all day, and the roads were in +a very bad state. Still he pushed on, and covered 37 miles, which his +troops accomplished in a splendid manner, and went into camp that +night with only two patients reported on the hospital returns as being +incapacitated by the fatiguing march. The direct approach to Huntingdon +from Malone, where the Fenians were mobilizing, is by the Trout River +Road, and across this path Col. Smith constructed a line of breastworks +and awaited the approach of the enemy. His position was admirably +chosen, and had Gen. Sweeny made an advance down the Chateauguay Valley, +he would have met with such a stout resistance that his defeat would +have been certain, as the Canadian position was impregnable. For a few +days all kinds of rumors were current of an advance being made by the +Fenians, and constant vigilance was maintained, but the attack failed to +eventuate. + +Lieut.-Col. George Browne, D.A.G., with the 1st and 2nd Huntingdon +Infantry Companies; the Athelstan, Durham and Rockburn Infantry +Companies, and the Hinchinbrooke Rifle Company, also assisted to hold +the Huntingdon line, and did good service in keeping guard on the +frontier. + +With the salient points along the Canadian border being thus securely +guarded, and every soldier on the _qui vive_, the Fenian troops would +most certainly have encountered very strong opposition before they could +carry out their designs to conquer Canada. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ON THE VERMONT BORDER--FENIANS GATHER IN LARGE NUMBERS--THE FIZZLE AT +PIGEON HILL--ARREST OF GEN. SPIER. + +During the night of the 31st of May a general movement of Fenian troops +was commenced from different towns and cities in the New England States +towards their point of concentration at St. Albans, Vermont. This force +was designated as the "Right Wing of the Irish Republican Army," and +was commanded by Gen. Spier, with Gen. Mahon, of Boston, as his Chief +of Staff. By noon of the 1st of June over 800 men had reported to Gen. +Spier, and during the following twenty-four hours their number had +increased to about 1,800. Like their comrades who had assembled at +Buffalo, they travelled in small squads and companies, unarmed, and +were reticent as to their intentions while in American territory. +They quietly scattered about the town in groups and made no disorderly +demonstrations, as they seemed to be under some sort of military +restraint or orders. Every train that arrived from the east or the south +brought in fresh contingents, who on arrival received their orders and +silently distributed themselves among the small towns and villages along +the Vermont border. For some time previous cases of arms and ammunition +had been shipped to convenient points where they would be ready for +distribution, and staff officers were busy looking after this war +material and getting everything ready for the equipment of the +expedition. For a day or two matters looked very promising for Gen. +Spier. Thirteen thousand troops had been promised to him by Gen. Sweeny, +with an unlimited supply of arms and ammunition, and his hopes soared +high. But alas for human reckoning! The fates proved unkind, as +subsequent developments proved. + +On the 4th of June the Boston contingent of Fenians, about 400 in +number, arrived at St. Albans, without arms. Of this command about 200 +were sent to Fairfield, Vt., a village eight miles east of St. Albans, +and quite close to the Canadian frontier, where a column was being +mobilized to cross the border. + +At East Highgate, Vt., the Fenians established a camp and made +preparations for an advance into Canadian territory from that point. + +All along the border of Missisquoi County, in Quebec, the invaders +gathered in groups, companies and regiments, awaiting their arms and +orders to move. Finally a sufficient force was equipped to make a +forward movement, as the men were getting impatient, and on the 4th +of June Gen. Spier led his advance guard across the frontier into St. +Armands, where he established his camp and set up his headquarters at +Pigeon Hill, from the summit of which he flaunted a large green flag. + +There were about 1,000 men in this brigade, which was officered by +several old soldiers who had achieved distinction in the American Civil +War, among whom were Gen. Mahon, of the 9th Massachusetts, Col. Coutri, +and others of prominence. + +The only Canadian force in the vicinity of St. Armands was composed of +three companies of infantry, consisting of nine officers and about 100 +non-commissioned officers and men, the whole being under command of +Capt. W. Carter, of H. M. 16th Regiment. These troops were all raw +volunteers, who were very deficient in drill or military experience, +some of whom had never handled a rifle before, but all were willing and +anxious to contest Gen. Spier's advance, and were brave to a fault. + +As soon as the Fenians appeared in force at St. Armands, Capt. Carter +hastily withdrew his force to the interior, as he said he was under +the impression that it was not intended that he should bring on an +engagement until he was properly reinforced, as his command was only an +outpost. For his action in retiring so early he was severely criticized +and reprimanded for his "error in judgment in retreating without +sufficient reason," while his troops never forgave him for what they +considered an exhibition of cowardice. + +The main body of Gen. Spier's forces had advanced about a mile into +Canadian territory, and took possession of all the houses and barns in +the vicinity for their quarters. Their scouts and pickets were thrown +out three or four miles in advance, and for some days they were in +complete possession of the country. During this time the Fenians +conducted themselves in a most lawless manner, robbing and stealing, and +wantonly destroying property. All of the citizens and farmers residing +in the neighborhood were the victims of pillage, being robbed of horses, +provisions, valuables, etc., while cattle, sheep, poultry and other live +stock were confiscated and slaughtered for the use of the raiders. + +As the days passed by and the promised arms and reinforcements for Gen. +Spier failed to materialize, he became restless and disheartened. The +United States authorities had seized all of the arms and ammunition that +could be discovered, and the fact was forced on the deluded General's +mind that if he did not leave Canada soon a strong force of British +troops would be upon him and annihilate his command. Moreover, the +demoralization of his whole army was becoming complete, and both +officers and men refused to do duty any longer. Desertions were taking +place in a wholesale manner, and in several instances Colonels marched +off with their entire commands and re-crossed the line. He therefore +convened a Council of War to consider the situation. It was of short +duration, as the officers were of the unanimous opinion that there was +no other course left for them but to retrace their steps and give up +the idea of invading Canada. The reinforcements, arms, provisions and +munitions of war that had been so liberally promised, had failed to +reach them, and weakened as they were by such wholesale desertions to +the rear, it was deemed by old soldiers to be nothing but madness to +remain where they were, as they would be wholly unable with such a small +force to make even a decent show of a fight, should they happen to +be attacked, and it was at once determined to give up the intended +invasion, leave Canada, and head back for the United States. + +Therefore Gen. Spier ordered Col. Coutri and Col. O'Connor to form up +their men and march them back to St. Albans to report to Gen. Sweeny. +Both of these officers were deeply affected as they proceeded to carry +out their orders, as they wanted to stay and fight it out. + +The men were formed in companies, but many went off on their own +responsibility, and at 9.30 o'clock on the morning of June 9th, all that +was left of the grand "Right Wing" were marching back across the border +to the United States. The men had a few rounds of ammunition left in +their pouches, and immediately commenced firing off their muskets and +rifles in a most promiscuous manner. Arms, plunder and everything else +that the men could carry off with them on their retreat were lashed upon +their backs or packed in satchels, and quite a number of new suits of +clothes, hats, shoes and other valuables which they had pilfered were +carried off by them. Several horses were also taken across the line by +the marauders. + +Generals Spier and Mahon marched on foot among their retreating troops, +and were very much downcast. Gen. Spier said that he would rather have +been shot than have left Canada in the manner he was obliged to, while +Gen. Mahon wept with rage at the thought of having to abandon the +invasion. Most of the officers expressed themselves as being ashamed of +the affair, and would rather never go home. After all their boasting +of how easily they would capture Canada and set up their visionary +Republic, the disgraceful manner in which the whole campaign terminated, +without so much as a slight skirmish having taken place, was more than +they could bear. There were many brave yet deluded men who joined the +expedition with a determination to fight, but the majority of them were +"nothing more or less than an armed mob, roving about wherever they +pleased, robbing the houses and insulting and abusing women and +children." as stated by a newspaper correspondent. + +When the retreating raiders reached United States territory they found +detachments of American troops stationed upon all the roads leading +to St. Albans, who had received instructions to seize all the arms the +Fenians might have in their possession. As the majority of them had +thrown away their muskets, sabres and ammunition on their retreat, there +was not much left for the United States troops to gather up, but what +little there was left was promptly seized. + +Upon arrival on the American side of the line Gen. Spier and his staff +surrendered to Col. Livingston, of the United States Army, and were +taken to St. Albans and placed under heavy bonds to await trial for +violation of the neutrality laws. + +A portion of Spier's army who were stationed at a point about eight +miles from St. Armand when the main body retreated, were charged upon by +40 men of the Montreal Guides, and in the skirmish several Fenians were +killed and sixteen taken prisoners, who were conveyed to Montreal. There +were no casualties on the Canadian side. + +On the night of the 9th of June a train left St. Albans for the east +with nearly 1,000 Fenians bound for their homes, while many others were +left skulking around the country in the hope that another raid would +soon be organized, whereby they could have an opportunity of securing +more booty. + +On the 22nd of June a small party of these marauders came on a +reconnoitering expedition to Pigeon Hill, and on arriving at the outpost +began firing at the Richelieu Light Infantry sentinel who was stationed +there. They were in a thick bush off the road, leading across the +lines to Franklin County. As soon as they were perceived, the Canadian +detachment made an endeavor to get between the Fenians and American +territory, for the purpose of intercepting their retreat. But the +Fenians fled through a swamp and managed to effect their escape. About +twenty shots were fired, but without effect. + +This was the last episode of the Pigeon Hill affair, and in another week +peace and quietness again prevailed along the Vermont border. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +FENIAN MOBILIZATION AT MALONE AND ELSEWHERE--GEN. MEADE'S PROMPT ACTION +STOPS THE INVASION--ARREST OF GEN. SWEENY AND STAFF. + +The principal points of rendezvous for the Fenians who were intended to +operate on the St. Lawrence frontier were Ogdensburg, Watertown, Malone +and Potsdam, in the State of New York, and at these places large bodies +of men began concentrating during the first two or three days in June. +General Sweeny was in personal command of the troops of the Irish +Republican Army in that department, and had made every arrangement to +invade Canada along that line, in accordance with his original plan of +campaign. He made his headquarters at Ogdensburg for a time, and from +there directed the mobilization of his columns for the contemplated +attacks on Prescott, Cornwall and other points on the Canadian border. + +Meanwhile Gen. Michael J. Heffernan, Gen. Murphy, and Gen. O'Reilly, +were at Malone, N.Y., perfecting the military organization of the column +which was intended to attack Cornwall. These officers were all old +soldiers, who had held commands in the United States service during the +Civil War, and were well posted in the business they had on hand. + +While the Fenian leaders were thus employed in getting their forces +ready for the movement across the line, Major-General Geo. Meade (the +commander of the United States troops) was equally active and vigilant +in his determined efforts to stop the promised invasion. He ordered the +seizure by the United States officials of all arms and ammunitions of +war intended for use by the Fenians that could be located on American +territory, and forbade the railways and other transportation companies +from carrying further supplies of such material to the frontier. These +orders were rigidly complied with, and seizures of arms and ammunition +were made at Rouse's Point, Malone, Potsdam, Ogdensburg, Watertown, St. +Albans and other places, which considerably disconcerted Gen. Sweeny's +plans and thwarted his whole scheme. The presence of United States +troops, which had been moved north from various military stations to +support Gen. Meade in his efforts to prevent another breach of the +Neutrality Act, also had a deterrent effect on the Fenians, and they +became disheartened. + +On the afternoon of the 4th of June, Major-General Meade ordered the +United States Marshal at Watertown, N.Y., to intercept, seize and hold +two carloads of Fenian war material which were on the way from Rome to +Potsdam Junction and Malone. On arrival of the train at Watertown the +Deputy Marshal was in waiting and promptly carried out the instructions. +A carload of Fenian soldiers who were on the same train got off the +car and angrily remonstrated with the officer when they learned of the +seizure, but he was obdurate and retained possession of the two cars, +which he had side-tracked. The Fenians remained at Watertown and began +plotting for the recapture of the arms and ammunition. Not realizing +that any interference with the majesty of the law would be attempted, +the Marshal did not deem it necessary to place a strong guard over the +two cars, and the Fenians determined to re-possess them. On arrival of +the evening express train from the south they gathered around it and +captured not only that train, but their two cars of supplies, and taking +charge themselves, ran the whole outfit off to De Kalb Junction before +they were recaptured. Several other instances of defiance of lawful +authority were reported, but Gen. Meade meant _business_, and these +infractions of his orders and the laws of the United States only served +to make him more determined than ever to strangle the hopes of the +Fenians before they had an opportunity of carrying out their designs. + + +PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S PROCLAMATION. + +The tardy proclamation of President Johnson was finally issued on the +6th of June, almost a week after the Fenians, under Gen. O'Neil had +crossed over the Niagara. Its delay seemed significant to the Canadian +people, as the President and his Cabinet were fully aware that the +Fenians had been making active preparations for months previously to +invade Canada, and made no secret of their intentions. The following is +the text of the proclamation:-- + + +By the President of the United States of America--A Proclamation. + +Whereas, it has become known to me that certain evil-disposed persons +have, within the territory and jurisdiction of the United States, begun +and set on foot, and have provided and prepared, and are still engaged +in providing and preparing, means for such a military expedition and +enterprise to be carried on from territory and jurisdiction of the +United States against colonies, districts and people of British North +America within the dominions of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and +Ireland, with which said colonies, districts, and people, and kingdom, +the United States are at peace; and whereas, the proceedings aforesaid +constitute a high misdemeanor, forbidden by the laws of the United +States as well as by the laws of nations; + +Now, therefore, for the purpose of preventing the carrying on of the +unlawful expedition and enterprise aforesaid from the territory and +jurisdiction of the United States, and to maintain the public peace, +as well as the national honor, and enforce obedience and respect to the +laws of the United States; + +I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do admonish and warn +all good citizens of the United States against taking part in or in +anywise aiding, countenancing or abetting such unlawful proceedings; +and I do exhort all judges, magistrates, marshals and officers in the +service of the United States to employ all their lawful authority and +power to prevent and defeat the aforesaid unlawful proceedings, and to +arrest and bring to justice all persons who may be engaged therein, and +in pursuance to the Act of Congress in such cases made and provided. + +I do further authorize and empower Major-General G. G. Meade, Commander +of the Military Division of the Atlantic, to employ the land and naval +forces of the United States, and militia thereof, to arrest and pre +vent the setting on foot and carrying on the expedition and enterprise +aforesaid. + +In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of +the United States to be affixed. + +Done in the City of Washington the sixth day of June, in the year of our +Lord 1866, and in the independence of the United States the 90th. + +ANDREW JOHNSON. + +By the President, WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. + + +Although President Johnson did not issue his neutrality proclamation +until the 6th of June, orders had previously been issued to United +States officers to stop further invasions, and Gen. Meade exhibited +great energy and promptness in carrying out instructions so far as his +Department was concerned. Fenians were gathering in thousands, with +the understanding that their equipment would be at the border on their +arrival, but the bulk of the coveted armament was prevented from falling +into their hands owing to the watchfulness of Gen. Meade's staff of +officials. This action on the part of the United States authorities +deeply incensed the Fenian leaders, and they were disposed to resent any +interference with their plans. During an interview between Gen. Meade +and the Fenian Generals Heffernan and Murphy, at Malone, the former +complained of the interference of the United States Government, and +bitterly remarked: "We have been lured on by the Cabinet, and used +for the purpose of Mr. Seward. They encouraged us on to this thing. We +bought our rifles from your arsenals, and were given to understand +that you would not interfere. But this thing is not dead yet. We will +succeed. We have our orders from General Sweeny, and we can and will +perform them. If we get arms we will cross into Canada. We shall fight +your regulars if they oppose us." General Meade replied: "I have got +orders, too, and I shall fight you to enforce the neutrality laws." + +In the performance of his duty Gen. Meade was inflexible, and would not +stand any bluff or bluster from the Fenian leaders. On the contrary, +he became very aggressive in compelling them to respect the laws and +authority of the United States, and largely through his firmness and +stern efforts the whole Fenian campaign was abandoned. + + +ARREST OF PRESIDENT ROBERTS. + +On the 8th of June the United States Government caused the arrest of +Col. W. B. Roberts, President of the Irish Republic, on a charge of +conspiracy and violation of the Neutrality Act. He was brought before +United States Commissioner Betts, at New York, and committed to +jail pending a hearing of his case. From the quiet precincts of his +contracted quarters he issued several proclamations, which teemed with +gasconade and valiant promises, of which the following is a sample: + +Ludlow St. Jail, New York, June 11, 1866. To the Fenian Brotherhood and +Irishmen of America: + +Friends and Countrymen,--The Irish people of America are again united in +the cause of Irish independence and universal freedom. The cheer which +arose from the Irish soldiers at Limestone Ridge as the English foe +went fleeing before their avenging steel, had found a responsive echo in +every Irish heart and made us one in love, purpose and resolve. We +see, after ages of your oppression, the unquenchable desire for Irish +independence blaze forth anew, and as it sweeps along the cities and +prairies of this vast continent it gathers within its magic influence +five millions of Irish hearts and twice five millions of friends +of freedom and foes of despotism! Arise, then, my countrymen! Nerve +yourselves for the struggle so nobly commenced. Cast aside every +consideration that would darken the bright hopes of your enslaved +countrymen. Be true to liberty, your country, and your God; and your +native land, instead of being a lazar-house of slavery, will soon be the +garden of freedom. Stand by the cause! Be not dismayed by obstacles you +meet; you must surmount them, and you will. Let cowardice and ignorance +desert and denounce you--what of that? The true men are still with us, +and the struggle must not be abandoned, even though our soldiers should +be compelled through the over-zeal of United States officers to abandon +the present campaign. There is no turning back for us, my countrymen. +Our movement must and will advance. Retrogression would entail certain +infamy and bring a deeper stain upon your country and race, and it is +as legitimate for you to attack English power in Canada as it was for +England to attack France there, or France and America England. Remember, +in union there is strength, and that Union which has been cemented by +the blood of our gallant brothers must be eternal, and let that man be +anathemized and banned who with lying lip or evil heart would dare to +weaken or dissolve it. Be true to Ireland--steadfast in the right and +undismayed by obstacles, and remember that-- + + "Freedom's battle once begun-- + Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son-- + Though baffled oft, is ever won!" + +I remain, with unchanged determination and regard, your countryman, + +WM. R. ROBERTS, President Fenian Brotherhood. + + +While President Roberts was busy in penning his proclamations and +exhorting his deluded followers to stand by the cause and "keep their +powder dry" for a future attempt, the Revolutionary Committee of the +Irish Republic were also sending out appeals to all lovers of Republican +liberty, invoking further aid, from one of which circulars the following +is an extract: + +Let the Irish citizens in particular send in commissary stores, such as +bread, meat, coffee, sugar, etc., just what each one would like at home. +We want all the money you can raise for other purposes--what purposes +the people can guess. Let no person imagine that the cause is defeated +or that the men who have sworn to free their native land or die, will +abandon their cause. A few over-zealous officials have placed some +obstacles in our way. The voice of the great American people is at last +heard in her halls of Congress, not from a single individual, but +from the representatives of thirty, millions, and true to her natural +instincts, they raise their voices for the oppressed. God bless them! +They will raise many an anxious spirit through the world and make +tyrants tremble on their thrones as the cry goes forth, "America is the +defender of liberty." Let the people take heart throughout the land. +Call meetings, pass resolutions, pledge support to the men who inscribe +on their banner universal liberty. Be patient, but work! work! Collect +money. Have your men ready, and when the cry of fight goes forth, let +them come as individuals if they cannot come as companies or regiments. + + +As a large number of Fenians had gathered at Malone with very hostile +intentions, Gen. Meade gave particular attention to the marauders +who had mustered there. They had taken possession of the old military +barracks at Malone, and were running the town to suit their own +inclinations. As the days wore on and the prospects of their receiving +arms and supplies to equip the invaders became more and more remote, +the leaders chafed, fumed and fretted alternately, and finally became +absolutely discouraged. Their fondest hopes were blasted, and they +bitterly berated the United States Government in blasphemous language +for stopping their expeditions. While the officers were in this frame of +mind, their soldiers were worse. They were living on short rations, and +their promise of a pleasant sojourn in "The Land of Plenty," where they +hoped to revel in all the luxuries of life (when they captured it), was +likely to prove but an empty dream. They were becoming turbulent and +demonstrative, and it was finally found necessary to invoke the majesty +of military power to keep them in subjection. Desertions were now +frequent, and they had become a disorganized mob rather than a +disciplined army. As this state of affairs was a menace to the public +safety of the citizens of Malone. Gen. Meade took a firm grasp of the +situation and issued the following order: + + +MALONE, N.Y., June 9th, 1866. + +All persons assembled at this place in connection with, and in aid of +the Fenian organization for the purpose of invading Canada, are hereby +ordered, in compliance with the President's proclamation, to desist from +their enterprise and disband. The men of the expeditionary force will, +on application to the officer in command of the United States forces, +on giving their names and residences, and satisfying him that they +are unable to provide their own transportation, be provided with +transportation to their homes; and all officers below the rank of field +officers who are unable to provide their own transportation, on giving +their parole to abandon the enterprise, will be allowed to return to +their homes; officers above the rank of field officers will be required +to give such bonds as may be satisfactory to the civil authorities; +it being the determination of the United States Government to preserve +neutrality, and the most stringent measures having been taken to prevent +all accessions of men and material, the Commanding General trusts that +these liberal offers will have the effect of causing the expedition, +now hopeless, to be quietly and peaceably abandoned; and he confidently +expects that all those who have any respect for the authority of the +United States will conform to the requirements of the President's +proclamation; and of this, which if not promptly obeyed, a sufficient +force will be brought to bear to compel obedience. + +(Signed) GEORGE G. MEADE, Major-General, U.S.A. + + +In compliance with this order, the majority of the men immediately gave +their paroles, and for the next day or two trains were filled with the +discomfitted warriors returning to their homes. All thoughts of the +capture of Canada had vanished, and peace reigned once more on the +border line. + +The day previous, while Gen. Sweeny and Col. Meehan were actively +engaged in mobilizing troops and directing operations on the Vermont +frontier, warrants were served upon them by the United States +authorities for violation of the Neutrality Act. They were arraigned +before the United States Commissioner at Burlington, Vt., when they +waived examination, and bail was fixed for Sweeny at $20,000 and Meehan +at $5,000, to appear for trial at the July term of the United States +District Court. Meanwhile other prominent leaders were being arrested +at other points. With the President, the Secretary of War, and other +members of the Irish Republican Cabinet under arrest, and many others of +lesser note being "wanted" by American officers for infractions of the +law, the hopes of the invaders sank below zero, and their warlike zeal +vanished away. + + +FENIANISM IN CONGRESS. + +As nearly all of the prominent Fenian leaders had been placed under +arrest for transgression of United States laws, and quite a number of +their deluded followers who were captured in Canada were confined in +Canadian prisons awaiting trial, the seriousness of their offences began +to dawn upon the minds of those implicated in the movement. The good +offices of the United States Government were then eagerly sought by +their friends and supporters to get them out of the meshes of the net, +and earnest appeals were made to the State Department for some action +along these lines. Every possible pressure was brought to bear on +Congress and the United States Senate to secure the influence of those +two important legislative bodies in taking up the Fenian cause. But +it was a delicate question to handle, and although there were some +Congressmen who introduced the matter into the House of Representatives, +and made fiery speeches in support of their resolutions, the majority +failed to concur, as they rightly conjectured that if the United States +gave the Fenians the recognition and liberty of action they desired, it +might end in embroiling them in war with Great Britain, for which they +were not prepared. + +On June 11th, 1866, Congressman Ancona, of Pennsylvania, offered the +following preamble and resolution in the United States Congress: + +Whereas, the Irish people and their brothers and friends in this +country are moved by a patriotic purpose to assist the independence +and re-establish the nationality of Ireland, and whereas the active +sympathies of the people of the United States are naturally with all men +who struggle to achieve such ends, more especially, when those engaged +therein are the known friends of our Government, as are the people of +the Irish race, they having shed their blood in defence of our flag in +every battle of every war in which the Republic has been engaged; and +whereas the British Government against which they are struggling is +entitled to no other or greater consideration from us, a nation, than +that demanded by the strict letter of international law, for the reason +that during our late Civil War that Government did in effect, by its +conduct repeal its neutrality laws; and whereas when reparation is +demanded for damages to our commerce, resulting from the wilful +neglect of Great Britain to enforce the same, she arrogantly denies all +responsibility, and claims to be the judge in her own cause; and whereas +the existence of the neutrality law of 1818 compels the executive +department of this Government to discriminate most harshly against those +who have ever been, and are now, our friends, in favor of those who +have been faithless, not only to the general principles of comity which +should exist between friendly States, but also to the written law of +their own nation on this subject; therefore, be it resolved, that the +Committee on Foreign Affairs be instructed to report a bill repealing +an Act approved April 20th, 1818, it being the neutrality law, under +the terms of which the President's proclamation against the Fenians was +issued. + +It is needless to say that the good sense of Congress prevailed, and the +resolution was consigned to the morgue which is the receptacle for all +undesirable resolutions. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE FENIAN PRISONERS--CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SECRETARY SEWARD AND THE +BRITISH MINISTER. + +The question of the ultimate fate of the Fenian prisoners who had +fallen into our hands was one which received considerable thought and +discussion. While the temper of the Canadian people was not favorable +to any leniency being shown to them in those sad days in June when they +viewed the death and desolation that had been caused by the raiders, +yet all felt constrained to give them the full benefit of British +justice--fair trials and an opportunity to separate the guilty from +the innocent. The authorities further resolved to be not too hasty in +bringing the unfortunates before the tribunal, as in the excited state +of the public mind such action might prove disastrous to the accused. +This policy was a wise and just one, and met with general approval. + +While these Irish-Americans were penned up in Canadian prisons their +friends across the line were using every effort to effect their release +by supplicating President Johnson and Secretary Seward to interpose +in their behalf, and at last succeeded in getting some resolutions put +through Congress with this object in view. + +Secretary Seward took the question up in an official way with Sir +Frederick W. A. Bruce, the British Minister at Washington, who forwarded +the documents relating to the matter to the British and Canadian +Governments, and no doubt this friendly interposition had some effect +in influencing the authorities to adopt the humane policy which +subsequently prevailed. + +During the month of June the Fenian prisoners who had been captured +at Fort Erie and vicinity and lodged in the jails at Brantford and +elsewhere, were removed to Toronto Jail and placed under special guard +until their cases could receive due consideration by the authorities. At +a preliminary investigation a large number of these men were discharged +for want of sufficient evidence to convict, and were deported from the +country. About forty were held for trial. Some of these were British +subjects, while the remainder claimed American citizenship. The former +were charged with high treason, the penalty for which is death. Those +claiming to be aliens, and citizens of the United States, were indicted +under an old statute which was enacted during the period of the Canadian +Rebellion of 1837, which provided that subjects of a foreign state +who entered Canada for the purpose of levying war rendered themselves +liable, on conviction, to the death penalty. + +On the 26th of July, 1866, President Andrew Johnson sent to the United +States Congress the following documents from the Department of State, +in reply to two resolutions of the House of Representatives, the first +requesting him to urge upon the Canadian authorities, and also upon +the British Government, the release of the Fenian prisoners captured +in Canada; and the second requesting him to cause the prosecutions +instituted in the United States against the Fenians to be discontinued, +if not incompatible with the public interest:-- + + +DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, July 26, 1866. To the President:-- + +The Secretary of State, to whom was referred two resolutions of the +House of Representatives, passed on the 23rd of July, instant, in the +following words, respectively:-- + +"Resolved, that the House of Representatives respectfully request the +President of the United States to urge upon the Canadian authorities, +and also the British Government, the release of the Fenian prisoners +recently captured in Canada. + +"Resolved, that the House respectfully request the President to cause +the prosecutions instituted in the United States courts against the +Fenians, to be discontinued, if compatible with the public interests." + +Has the honor to report, in regard to the first resolution, that the +Government of the United States holds no correspondence directly +upon any subject with the Canadian authorities mentioned in the +said resolution, or with the authorities of any colony, province or +dependency of any other sovereign state; and that, on the contrary, all +its correspondence concerning questions which arise in, or effect, or +relate to such colonies, provinces or dependencies, is always conducted +exclusively with such foreign governments. + +On the 11th of June last a note was addressed by this department to +the Honorable Sir Frederick W. A. Bruce, Her Majesty's Minister +Plenipotentiary residing in the United States, of which a copy is +hereunto annexed. It is proper to say, in relation to that note, first, +that the reports mentioned therein to the effect that prisoners had +been taken on the soil of the United States and conveyed to Canada, and +threatened by Canadian agents with immediate execution without legal +trial, were found on examination to be untrue and without foundation in +fact. It is due to the British Government to say, in the second place, +that the representations made in the said note have been received by the +British Government and by the Canadian authorities in a friendly manner. + +The resolution of the House of Representatives first recited, +harmonizing, as it does, with the spirit of the aforesaid note, will be +brought to the attention of Her Majesty's Government and of the +Canadian authorities, with the expression of a belief on the part of +the President that affairs upon the frontier have happily come to a +condition in which the clemency requested by Congress may be extended +without danger to the public peace, and with advantage to the interests +of peace and harmony between the two nations. + +I have already received your directions that the second of said +resolutions be taken into consideration by the proper departments of the +Government, with a desire that it may be found practicable to reconcile +the humane policy recommended with the maintenance of law and order, the +safety of the public peace, and the good faith and honor of the United +States. + +Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. + + +DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, June 11, 1866. + +Sir,--The Secretary of War has laid before the President several +despatches which were received yesterday and to-day from Major-Gen. +Meade, who is commanding the United States forces on the Canadian +frontier. These communications warrant the President in believing that +the so-called Fenian expedition is now entirely, at an end, and that +order and tranquility may be expected to prevail henceforth on that +border. I regret, however, that I am obliged to connect with this +gratifying information the further statement that reports have reached +Major-Gen. Meade to the effect that some of the Canadian or British +troops have crossed the line and entered within the territory and +jurisdiction of the United States. It is even said that this entry took +place after the disturbers of the peace under the command of the leader +Spear had relinquished their forbidden enterprise and withdrawn within +the boundary line of the United States. The reports go so far as to +say that prisoners have been taken on the soil of the United States and +conveyed to Canada, and that the Canadian agents have threatened that +these prisoners, together with such stragglers as may now lie found +within the Canadian lines, will be executed without legal trial. It +is believed that these reports are exaggerated. Care has been taken by +Major-Gen. Meade to have them promptly investigated. + +In the meantime I am instructed by the President to represent to you, +and through you to the British and Canadian authorities, that this +Government would not look without serious concern upon the practice of +any retaliation or other illegal proceedings upon the persons of such of +the offenders as have fallen, or shall hereafter fall, into the hands +of the Canadian authorities. I respectfully invite your attention to the +subject, with the confident expectation that no proceedings that are not +authorized and in conformity with law, will be taken against persons of +that class, and in the hope that even the customary administration of +the law will be tempered with special forbearance and clemency. In view +of the effective proceedings which this Government has adopted in regard +to the disturbances now so fortunately ended, these representations +would have been made by me without waiting to be moved from any other +quarter. They are now made, however, with the approval of Major-Gen. +Meade, and I believe that they will receive the concurrence of the +Congress and people of the United States. + + I have the honor to be, sir, + Your obedient servant, + WILLIAM H. SEWARD. + + The Hon. Frederick W. A. Bruce. + + +TRIALS OF THE FENIAN PRISONERS. + +The Fall Assizes of the Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail +Delivery for the United Counties of York and Peel, opened at Toronto on +October 8th, 1866, His Lordship the Hon. Justice John Wilson being named +in the commission to preside over the Court of Justice which was to +decide the fate of the Fenian prisoners. The indictments were read, and +after an able and exhaustive address to the Grand Jury by Judge Wilson, +in which he went fully into every phase of the case, and explained the +statute under which the prisoners were to be tried, the documents were +handed over to the Grand Jury for their consideration. + +When the Court resumed its sitting on October 17th for the trial of the +accused, the Grand Jury presented true bills against three of the +most prominent prisoners in custody, viz., Robert Blosse Lynch, of +Louisville, Ky. (said to be a colonel in the Fenian forces at Fort Erie +and Lime Ridge); David F. Lumsden, who claimed to be an Episcopalian +clergyman, from Nunda, N.Y., and John McMahon, who stated that he was a +Roman Catholic priest, from Anderson, Indiana. Lynch was first placed +in the dock, and the indictment read, to which he pleaded "not guilty." +Lumsden and McMahon were next charged, and also entered the same plea. +The prisoners not being ready to proceed with their trials, they were +remanded until October 24th, when the Court re-opened and the trials +proceeded with. The counsel for the Crown were Hon. John Hillyard +Cameron, Q.C. (Solicitor-General for Upper Canada), Messrs. Robert A. +Harrison, John McNab, James Paterson and John Paterson. + +The first prisoner placed in the dock was Col. Robert B. Lynch, +who stated that he had no connection with the Fenian Army, but had +accompanied the expedition as a reporter for the Louisville _Courier_. +A large number of Canadian residents of Fort Erie and vicinity, however, +testified that they had seen him wearing a sword and in command of a +body of Fenian troops at that place. The evidence of his guilt was so +overwhelming that the jury returned a verdict of guilty, and Colonel +Lynch was sentenced to be hanged on the 13th of December. He received +the sentence with composure and was removed back to the jail. + +Rev. John McMahon was then placed on trial. He claimed that he had only +went with the Fenians in a spiritual capacity, and to look after the +wounded and dying. He said he was at Lime Ridge and attended to both +Fenians and Canadians alike while there. His statements did not accord +with the evidence given by other reliable witnesses who saw him giving +aid and encouragement to Fenian soldiers at Fort Erie, and after a fair +and impartial trial he was found guilty and sentenced to be executed +with Lynch on December 13th. + +Pending appeal proceedings these executions were deferred. + +David F. Lumsden was brought up for trial on November 3rd. He was +formerly rector of Trinity Church at Syracuse, N.Y., where he had a +reputation of being too fond of drink, rendering himself subject to +discipline for intemperance, and had been cited to appear before Bishop +Coxe (Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the Western Diocese of New +York), who sent him to Nunda, N.Y., in the hope that he might redeem +himself. But he had again fallen from grace and was on a big spree in +Buffalo when he drifted over to Fort Erie, and was arrested on suspicion +of being implicated with the Fenians. After hearing all the evidence, +which was in favor of the prisoner, the jury retired and brought in a +verdict of "not guilty," and he was discharged. + +True bills were then rendered by the Grand Jury in the cases of the +other prisoners who were held in custody. + +On Nov. 7th. William Slavin was found guilty and sentenced to death. On +the same date Benjamin Parry (a lad 16 years of age, from Cincinnati), +was discharged. + +On Nov. 9th. Daniel Drummond, who was arrested at Fort Erie, was +discharged, as there was not sufficient evidence to convict. + +On Nov. 10th, William Hayden was found guilty and sentenced to death, +while William Duggan was discharged. + +On Nov. 14th, Daniel Whalen and John Quinn were both found guilty and +sentenced to be hanged. + +On Nov. 15th, Thomas School was found guilty and received the death +sentence, while Patrick Donohue was discharged. + +On Jan. 11th, 1867, Timothy Kiely (who was found wounded in a hay-loft +at Major Canty's house near Fort Erie, on June 3rd, and who had been +engaged in the battle at Lime Ridge), was found guilty and sentenced +to death. On the same day John Smith proved his innocence and was +discharged. + +On Jan. 12th, Patrick O'Neil and Patrick McGrath were found guilty of +high treason, and on the day following Thomas H. Maxwell was convicted +for the same crime. Those three men were British subjects, and each +received the death sentence. + +On Jan. 14th James Burke and Patrick Norton were found guilty and +sentence deferred. On Jan. 15th John O'Connor, Daniel Quinn and John +Rogan were found guilty, while Patrick Keating, James Spanieling and Wm. +Baxter escaped conviction, owing to lack of sufficient evidence. + +On Jan. 18th. Peter Paul Ledwith was found guilty and James Macdonough +discharged. + +On Jan. 21st, Thomas Cooney (who was present at Lime Ridge) was +found guilty, and George J. Matthews (who was arrested at Thorold in +September. 1866, by some troopers of the Governor-General's Body Guard, +for having stated that he had been sent out from Buffalo as a scout by +the Fenians, who contemplated another raid) was acquitted for want of +evidence. + +On Jan. 22nd Michael Purtell was found guilty of high treason, and +remanded for sentence. Owen Kennedy, an American who was arrested at +Fort Erie, was found guilty with a recommendation to mercy. + +On Jan. 24th John Gallagher, of Cincinnati, was found guilty and +remanded for sentence, while Thomas King, an American, was discharged. + +On Jan. 25th Barney Dunn was convicted, while Wm. Orr, John Hughes, +Frederick Fry and James Diamond were acquitted for lack of sufficient +evidence. On Jan. 29th John Grace and John Cooney were also acquitted. + +This disposed of all the Fenian cases on the calendar. + +The Court re-opened on Jan. 30th, His Lordship Mr. Justice Morrison +presiding, for the purpose of finally disposing of the cases of eleven +of the prisoners who had been convicted but not yet sentenced. After the +usual Court preliminaries had been concluded, and the prisoners placed +in the dock, Hon. Mr. Cameron moved that the sentence of the Court be +passed upon the following prisoners:--Patrick Norton, Thos. H. Maxwell, +Patrick O'Neil, James Burke, Daniel Quinn, Peter Ledwith, John O'Connor, +John Rogers, Owen Kennedy. Barney Dunn and John Gallagher. + +His Lordship then sentenced all of the above named to be hanged on the +5th of March. + +Appeals were made to higher Courts in several of the cases, but all were +disallowed, and it seemed for a time as if a wholesale execution of the +prisoners on the gibbet would be the result. But the better feelings of +the Canadian people prevailed, and by appeals for clemency, in the cause +of humanity, our country was relieved from the gruesome spectacle of +witnessing over a score of these unfortunate dupes dangling from the +gallows in expiation of their crimes. That they deserved such a fate +is undoubted. They entered our peaceful country with murder in their +hearts, and carried out a portion of their programme of butchery, but +their leaders escaped, and it would have been poor satisfaction to exact +the extreme penalty on those deluded followers who happened to fall into +our hands. Therefore all of their lives were spared. + +The sentences imposed were commuted to imprisonment in the Provincial +Penitentiary at Kingston for various terms, according to the degree of +guilt of the accused, and a few years afterward the last of them was +released from the grasp of Canadian justice. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS RELEASED FROM DUTY AT THE FRONT AND RETURNED TO +THEIR HOMES--THEY EARNED THE GRATITUDE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND RECEIVED IT. + +After about three weeks of active service, the Canadian volunteers who +were on duty at the front were relieved and sent home. Although matters +were still in an unsettled state among the Fenians in the United States, +and threats were constantly being made of more trouble, yet the occasion +was not considered of sufficient serious importance to require the +services of the force posted on the frontier for a longer period. The +Government was well aware that when occasion demanded the same troops +would again take up arms as promptly and cheerfully as on previous +occasions, and relied on their patriotic service being immediately +available whenever required. In relieving the troops from further duty, +the Commander-in-Chief promulgated the following order:-- + + +OTTAWA, June 23rd, 1866. + +In relieving the volunteers, for the present, from active duty, +the Commander-in-Chief desires to make known to the officers and +non-commissioned officers and men of the force, the pride and +satisfaction with which he has witnessed the patriotism and energy +displayed by them in their instantaneous response to the call to +arms. The Commander-in-Chief wishes to express his admiration of the +promptitude with which, on the only occasion when an opportunity was +afforded them of meeting the enemy, the volunteers went under fire, and +his deep sympathy with the friends and relations of those who there met +a soldier's death. The discipline and good conduct of the force while +on service has secured the approbation of their military commanders, +and has been most favorably reported on to the Commander-in-Chief. The +Commander-in-Chief wishes to impress on the minds of the volunteers +that, though the late attack on the Province has proved a failure, the +organization by means of which it was attempted still exists, and that +its leaders do not hesitate to declare publicly that they meditate +a renewal of the invasion. Under these circumstances, the +Commander-in-Chief trusts that the volunteer force generally will +continue at all convenient times to perfect themselves in drill and +discipline, so that they may be able successfully to repel any future +aggression that may be attempted. + + +MAJOR-GENERAL NAPIER'S ORDER. + +Major-Gen. Napier, who commanded the troops in Canada West, returned +thanks, in appreciation of their services, by issuing the following:-- + + +BRIGADE OFFICE, TORONTO, June 18th, 1866. + +Major-General Napier, C.B., Commanding the First Military District, +Canada West, cannot allow the volunteers under his command to return +home without tendering them his best thanks for the patriotic way they +responded to the Governor-General's call for further services, as well +as for their general good conduct whilst in the field. Although only a +few were fortunate enough to be engaged with the enemy, the whole force +were equally ready and anxious to meet him. The Major-General feels sure +that should their services be again required, they will show the same +fine spirit, and turn out to a man in the defence of their country. The +Major-General, in bidding them farewell for the present, trusts that +they will keep up their present efficient state, which can only be done +by constantly attending to their drill whenever they have an opportunity +of doing so. + + By order. + (Signed) H. NANGLE. + Captain and Brigade Major. + + +MAJOR-GENERAL LINDSAY's ORDER. + +Major-Gen. Lindsay also commended the volunteers for their prompt +response to the call of duty, and their valued and faithful service in +the field, in the language contained in the following order:-- + + +BRIGADE OFFICE, MONTREAL. 23rd June. 1866. DISTRICT ORDER. + +The emergency which has caused the Volunteer Militia Force of Canada +to spring to arms, having passed by, the Major-General commanding the +District acknowledges the important services they have rendered. + +The patriotic spirit, exhibited both by employers and the employed, +placed at the service of the Crown, in a few hours, a force of upwards +of 22,000 men in the two Canadas, which, if the occasion had been of +more serious character, could have been augmented to such numbers as the +Government might have required. + +The various corps sent out to the front have shown a zeal and aptitude +in the performance of their duties as soldiers, which is calculated to +inspire the greatest confidence; while some of the battalions have had +severe and difficult marches to perform, all have undergone considerable +hardships in most unfavourable weather. + +While the good faith and firmness of the General Commanding the U.S. +troops on the frontier had the effect of preventing larger assemblies of +armed men, and while in the end the long-threatened attempt at invasion +proved a miserable failure, the Major-General feels confident that +the volunteer force have only one regret, that they have not had the +opportunity of driving from the soil of Canada those misguided men, who, +under the flimsy veil of so-called patriotic feeling, would have carried +war into a country with which they have no pretence of quarrel. + +The Major-General feels convinced that, shoulder to shoulder with the +regular troops of Her Majesty, the volunteer militia force of this +Province would, if they had been brought in contact with an enemy, have +proved themselves worthy of the approbation of their fellow-countrymen, +and that they would, as their predecessors had done in times long +past, have successfully defended their country, and kept it against all +aggressors. + +While anxious for peace, Canada is showing herself prepared for war; and +the Major-General is gratified in bearing his testimony to the noble and +independent spirit, which proves that Canada has reason to be proud of +her citizen soldiers. + + By order, + H. C. HEALEY, + Major of Brigade. + + +SPECIAL THANKS TO THE QUEEN'S OWN. + +The splendid services of the Queen's Own Rifles in the campaign were +officially recognized by the General Commanding in the promulgation of +the following order:-- + + +ASSIST. ADJ.-.GENERAL'S OFFICE, TORONTO, June 8, 1860. + +Sir,--I am directed by Major-General Napier, C.B., commanding 1st +Military Division, C.W., to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of your +despatch dated Stratford. June 6th, 1866, addressed to Lieut.-Col. +Lowry, 47th Regiment, detailing the operations of the Volunteer force on +the morning of the 2nd, in which the Queen's Own were engaged with the +enemy. + +It is now my gratifying duty to convey to you not only the approbation +but the very great pleasure the Major-General experienced in hearing +from you of the good conduct of the officers, non-commissioned officers +and men of the regiment under your command on that occasion. + +That they fully confirmed and justified the good opinion that the +Major-General always entertained of them, by their conduct in meeting +for the first time the enemies of their Queen and country. + +The Major-General feels quite sure that the regiment will always cherish +and sustain the character now so nobly won by the Queen's Own. + +I have also to express to you, by the Major-General's desire, his entire +approbation of the very able and gallant manner in which you commanded +the Queen's Own under very trying circumstances, and it will give him +much pleasure in bringing before His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, +the gallant service rendered by the Queen's Own on the occasion, which +you will be good enough to convey to the officers, non-commissioned +officers and men of the regiment under your command. + + I have the honor to be, Sir, + Your most obedient servant, + W. S. DURIE, + Lieut.-Col., A.A.G.M. + Major Charles T. Gilmor. Queen's Own Rifles. + + +CANADIAN PATRIOTISM. + +Lord Monck's communication to the Imperial Secretary of State may also +be quoted as showing his views concerning the patriotic conduct of +Canadians who were at the time residing in the United States:-- + + +OTTAWA, June 14, 1866. + +Sir,--I have had the satisfaction in other communications to report to +you the excellent spirit evinced by the resident population of Canada in +connection with the late Fenian attack on the Province. There has been +in addition an exhibition of patriotism and devotion on the part of +Canadians who happened to be domiciled at the time of the disturbance +outside of the Province, which deserves, I think, special mention and +praise. Immediately after the news of the inroad on the Province reached +Chicago, sixty young Canadians who were resident there engaged in +various employments gave up their situations and repaired by railroad +to Canada to give their aid in defending the land of their birth. These +young men have been formed into a Volunteer Company and are now doing +duty at Toronto. + +I had also a communication from Her Majesty's Consul at New York to the +effect that a large number of Canadians, resident there, were prepared +to abandon their occupations and come to assist in the repulse of the +invaders of Canada if I considered their services necessary. I informed +Mr. Archibald by telegraph that I did not require their aid, but begged +him to express to them my gratitude for the exhibition of their loyalty. +Such conduct speaks for itself, and I would not weaken the effect of the +bare relation of the facts by any attempts at eulogy on my part. + + I have, etc. + (Signed) MONCK. + The Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, Secretary of State. + + +PROM THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT. + +The following General Order, contained in a letter communicated through +the regular official channel to His Excellency the Governor-General and +Commander-in-Chief (Right Hon. Viscount Monck), was duly promulgated +through the Department of Militia of Canada:-- + + +HORSE GUARDS, July 21st, 1866. + +The Under-Secretary of State for War:-- + +Sir,--With reference to the several reports which have been received +from the General Officer Commanding in Canada relative to the Fenian +movement in that Province, and to the measures taken by the colonists +for repelling any Fenian attack, I am directed by the Field Marshal +Commanding-in-Chief to request that you will acquaint the Secretary of +State for War that His Royal Highness, having observed the alacrity, +loyalty and zeal shown by the volunteers and militia forces of Canada +in having come forward for the defence of the colony on the late trying +occasion, in support of the troops, is very desirous of expressing to +the force his full appreciation of their gallant and energetic behavior, +and the very great gratification and satisfaction he has thereby +experienced. And His Royal Highness trusts, therefore, that +Lieut.-General Peel will see no objection to the necessary communication +being made by him to the Colonial Office, with the view to His Royal +Highness' sentiments, as above expressed, being made known through the +proper channel to the volunteers and militia of Canada, lately employed +against the Fenians. + + I am, etc., + W. F. FOSTER. + + +LORD MONCK'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMERICAN INTERVENTION. + +In acknowledgment of the service rendered by the United States +Government in checking the invasion, Lord Monck, the Governor-General of +Canada, sent the following despatch to Sir Frederick Bruce, the British +Minister at Washington, for presentation to Secretary of State Seward:-- + + +OTTAWA, June 11th, 1866. + +Sir,--I have learned from the public press the terms of the Proclamation +which the President of the United States of America has promulgated +against the hostile designs of the Fenians on the Province, the +Government of which I have the honor to administer. I have also, by +the same means, been made acquainted with the orders issued by the +Attorney-General of the United States and other officers of the +Administration of that country for the apprehension of the persons +of Fenian conspirators and the stoppage and seizure of arms and +other supplies intended to be used by them against Canada. As these +proceedings of the Government of the United States have materially +tended to defeat the hostile purposes of the Fenians against this +Province, I shall feel much obliged if you will convey to the Secretary +of State for the United States my acknowledgments of the course which +has been adopted by that Government in reference to this matter. + + I have, etc... + (Signed) MONCK. + + +LORD MONCK'S REPORT TO THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT. + +In presenting his report to the Right Hon. E. Cardwell, Secretary of +State of the British Government, Lord Monck sent the following despatch, +which was accompanied by the reports of the Lieutenant-General and other +officers who were in command of troops during the campaign:-- + + +OTTAWA. June 14th, 1866. + +Sir,--I have the honor to transmit for your information, the reports to +the Lieutenant-General commanding Her Majesty's forces of the several +officers, relating to the proceedings connected with the late +Fenian invasion at Fort Erie, Canada West. I think these documents +substantially corroborate the account which I gave you from telegraphic +and other information in my despatches of the 1st, 4th and 8th instant. + +From all the information I have received, I am now satisfied that a very +large and comprehensive plan of attack had been arranged by the party +which is popularly known as the Sweeny-Roberts section of the Fenian +Brotherhood. + +The plan of invasion, in addition to the attempt on the Niagara +frontier--the only one which actually occurred--appears to have embraced +attacks on the line of the Richelieu and Lake Champlain, and also on +the frontier in the neighborhood of Prescott and Cornwall, where I have +reason to think the principal demonstration was intended. + +For the latter object, large bodies of men, sent by railroad from almost +all parts of the United States, were assembled at a place called Malone, +in the State of New York, and at Potsdam, also in the State of New York, +and with a view to the former, St. Albans and its neighborhood in the +State of Vermont was selected as the place of assemblage. + +Large supplies of arms, accoutrements and ammunition were also attempted +to be forwarded by railroad to these points, but owing to the active +intervention of the authorities of the United States--as soon as it +became apparent that a breach of international law had been committed +by these persons--a very large portion of these supplies never reached +their destination. + +It is not easy to arrive at a trustworthy estimate of the number of men +who actually arrived at their different points of rendezvous. It has +been reported at times that there were at Potsdam, Malone, and the +intervening country, as many as ten thousand men, and similar rumors +have been from time to time circulated of the force at St. Albans and +its neighborhood. From the best opinion I can form, however, I shall +be inclined to think that the number of Fenians in the vicinity of St. +Albans never exceeded two thousand men, and that three thousand would +be a fair allowance for those assembled at Potsdam, Malone, and the +surrounding counties. The men have been represented to me as having, +many of them, served in the late Civil War in the United States--to +have had a considerable amount of small arms of a good and efficient +description. I have not heard of their possessing any artillery, and I +am informed that they were deficient in the supplies of ammunition and +totally destitute of all the other equipments of an organized force. +They appear to have relied very much on assistance from the inhabitants +of the Province, as the force which invaded Fort Erie brought with +them--as I am told--a large quantity of spare arms to put in the hands +of their sympathizers whom they expected to join them. I have in +my former despatches noticed the measures which were adopted by +the Provincial Government in order to place at the disposal of the +Lieutenant-General commanding Her Majesty's forces, the Provincial +resources available for defence, both by land and water. The reports of +the officers of the army and volunteers, which I transmit, will acquaint +you with the manner in which these means were used by the officers in +command. I am happy to be able to bear my tribute to the energy and good +faith exhibited by the American Government and its officials in checking +all infractions of international obligations on the part of any portion +of its citizens from the moment that it became evident that an +invasion of the Province by the Fenians had actually taken place. +The determination of the Government of the United States to stop the +transportation of men and supplies to the places of assembly, rendered +even the temporary success on the part of the Fenians impossible; while +the large forces which the Lieutenant-General commanding was able +to concentrate at each of the points threatened, had the effect of +deterring from an attack the portion of the conspirators who had already +arrived at their places of rendezvous. No invasion in force occurred +except at Fort Erie. A slight incursion took place at a place called +St. Armand, about thirteen miles from St. John's, on the borders of +the County of Missisquoi, which ended in the capture of about sixteen +prisoners, without any loss on our side. + +The latest accounts I have received announced that the men who had +congregated at the different points of assembly were being transmitted +to their homes at the expense of the Government of the United States, +most of the leaders having been arrested and held to bail to answer for +their conduct. + +Although I deplore the loss which the Volunteer Force suffered when +engaged on the 2nd of June at Lime Ridge, amounting to six killed and +thirty-one wounded. I think it is a matter for congratulation that a +movement which might have been so formidable has collapsed with so small +an amount of loss, either of life or property. I think it is also a +source of satisfaction that such strong proofs have been afforded of +the spirit which animates the Canadian people, of their loyalty to the +throne, of their appreciation of the free institutions under which they +live, and of their readiness at all times to prove their sense of the +value of these institutions by incurring expense and personal risk in +the defence of them. The period of the year at which the people have +been called on to make these sacrifices of timely serving in the +volunteer ranks has been the most inconvenient that could have been +selected, yet I have never heard a murmur from any quarter at the +necessity of suspending industrial occupation involving the risk of a +whole year's production, while I have received information of a good +deal of discontent on the part of those who were anxious to give their +services, but whose presence in the ranks was not considered necessary. + +I have to express my very high sense of the services performed by +Lieutenant-General Sir J. Michel and the officers under his command +in the able disposition of troops, both regulars and volunteers. The +officers of the Royal Navy stationed at Quebec and Montreal deserve the +highest credit for the rapidity with which they extemporized gunboats +for the defence of the St. Lawrence and the Lakes. I have already spoken +of the admirable spirit displayed by the Volunteer Force, both officers +and men. I have every reason to believe that their conduct as regards +discipline and order has entitled them to as much commendation as does +their spirit of patriotism and self-reliance. + +I desire particularly to bring before your notice the ability and energy +exhibited by Colonel Macdougall, A.G.M., with a view to having +his services specially mentioned to His Royal Highness, the +Commander-in-Chief. This officer has not yet been one year in Canada, +yet so admirable is the system of organization which he has established +that he is able within a few hours to assemble on any given point over a +line of more than 1,000 miles, masses of volunteers who at the time the +order was given were scattered over the country pursuing their ordinary +avocations. While I attribute full credit to the excellent spirit of the +people for its share in this effect, I think the administrative +ability which has given practical operation to this good feeling of the +population ought to have its meed of praise and in the interests of the +public service on some possible future emergency ought not to be left +without official record. + +There are prisoners in our hands to the number of about one hundred and +fifty. (I have not yet received official returns of them), whose trial +will be proceeded with at an early day. + +I confidently expect within a few days to be able to dismiss to their +homes the great majority of the Volunteers, and my firm conviction is, +that this disturbance will produce beneficial effects by discrediting +Fenian enterprises, exhibiting the futility of any attempt at invasion +of the Province, and showing the absence of all disaffection amongst any +portion of the people of Canada. + +I have, etc., + +(Signed) MONCK. + +The Right Honorable E. Cardwell. + + +WELLAND COUNTY HONORS THE BRAVE. + +The services of the officers and men of the Welland Canal Field Battery +and the Dunnville Naval Brigade--for their gallantry in the fight at +Fort Erie--were recognized by the Municipal Council of the County of +Welland by the public presentation to each of them of a handsome silver +medal, commemorative of the occasion. In addition, Capt. King and Capt. +McCallum were each presented with handsome swords of honor by the County +Council, as special marks of appreciation of their bravery by the people +of the county. To each of the wounded a grant of 100 acres of the lands +owned by the county in the Cranberry Marsh was given. In addition to the +above honors the Corporation of the Village of Fort Erie presented Capt. +King with a valuable sword as a testimonial of their recognition of his +services at that place on the 2nd of June. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +A RETROSPECT OF EVENTS--A COMBINATION OF UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES +INVOLVE LEADING OFFICERS. + +That the campaign on the Niagara frontier might have been conducted on +lines which would have proved much more satisfactory for the success +of the Canadian forces, is admitted. It seemed to be a combination +of errors and omissions from the beginning, which furnished food for +unfavorable criticism and condemnation by journalistic and arm-chair +critics which created impressions on the public mind that exist even at +the present day. Of course each critic would have done different--this +plan or that plan "should have been" adopted, regardless of all military +rules. The trite saying that "nothing succeeds like success" should be +supplemented by adding, "and nothing more reprehensive than failure." In +military operations success or defeat are in the scales, and the least +little occurrence is liable to outbalance the other. No matter how +carefully a commanding officer may lay his plans, or how minutely he may +explain them to his staff and subordinates, if one does not do his part +in promptly carrying out instructions at the proper moment, the whole +machinery is thrown out of gear, and failure is the inevitable result. + +In the first place, while Gen. Napier's plan of campaign was excellent +in itself, there were several very important things omitted that were +essential to its success. That of the greatest importance was the lack +of proper provision being made for obtaining information of the exact +position and movements of the enemy, such as a corps of competent scouts +could have given. That omission is fatal to the success of any military +movement. Again, those who were in command of columns on the 2nd of June +do not seem to have had an intelligent idea of the country they were +about to move over, and had to rely on whatever chance information they +could obtain, much of which, in the excited state of the minds of +the people, was unreliable. To condemn any particular officer for an +unlooked-for disaster is a serious matter, unless such defeat is clearly +the result of his own negligence, or some movement of which he had +personal control. Therefore critics should always be careful to put the +saddle of blame on the right horse. + +As Col. Peacocke had been assigned to the immediate command of the +troops operating on the Niagara frontier by Gen. Napier, it will be +noted (as related in a former chapter) that he arrived at Chippawa on +the evening of June 1st, with a considerable number of regular troops +and a complete battery of field guns, manned by experienced gunners of +the Royal Artillery. His reinforcements from Toronto and St. Catharines +were closely following, and quickly available. That night he sent Capt. +Akers across the country with definite orders to Lieut.-Col. Booker to +move eastward to Ridgeway by rail at 5 o'clock the next morning, and +effect a junction with his (Col. Peacocke's) column at Stevensville at +10 o'clock. These instructions stated that Col. Peacocke would leave +Chippawa at 6 a.m., and in accordance with this programme Lieut.-Col. +Booker proceeded to carry out his orders. On the other hand, it was +nearly 8 o 'clock before Col. Peacocke left Chippawa, which threw the +whole programme out of joint by nearly two hours. Various excuses were +made for the delay, but some of them were not very tenable. The regulars +had had a good night's rest, and the volunteers (who were all on the +ground at Chippawa before 4.30 a.m.) were eager and willing to proceed. +Why he did not leave Chippawa by at least 6 o'clock (in the cool hours +of the morning) is not sufficiently clear. A pilot engine was sent up +the line of the Erie & Niagara Railway early in the morning, upon which +were Lieut.-Col. John Hillyard Cameron and a detail of riflemen from the +St. Catharines Battery of Artillery. They made a reconnaissance nearly +as far as Black Creek, and returned with the report that they had not +observed any signs of the enemy between Chippawa and that point. This +was before Col. Peacocke started on his march. Why could it not have +been possible for him to have moved a portion of his advance up by train +as far as Black Creek, was a question that was prevalent at the time. +But Col. Peacocke was not apparently taking any chances. He appears to +have been overly cautious, and was disposed to adopt the old-time method +of plodding along the beaten trail. Here again he made a mistake in +taking "the longest way around" to reach Stevensville, while the intense +heat and dust began to tell on his troops, which compelled him to halt +at New Germany about 11 o'clock. Before reaching there he was informed +of the disaster at Ridgeway by parties who had arrived from the +battle-field. Why, then, did he not push on in search of the enemy, +instead of remaining at New Germany until 5.30 p.m.? is another +question. Excuses are easily framed and plausibly given in reports, +but the country generally, and his soldiers particularly, have always +thought that he might have managed to have got into a conflict with the +enemy in some way. Col. Peacocke was a very fine gentleman, and had the +reputation of being a skilful military officer, but his extreme caution +in this campaign spoiled all chances of any success in winning the +renown that might have been his portion had he acted with snap and +celerity of movement in battering the Fenian army before they left +Canada. He had the opportunity, the men and the guns, but he let his +golden chances slip by while he idly passed away the time "resting" at +Chippawa and New Germany. + +Capt. Akers was another officer whose action in consenting with the +ideas of Lieut.-Col. Dennis to change the plans of their commanding +officer is inexplicable. Why these two officers should have dared to +assume such responsibility is beyond all comprehension. A soldier's +first duty is obedience to orders, and as these had been definitely +issued by Col. Peacocke, it was manifestly not their business to change +them, but to see that they were rigidly carried out. For that purpose +Capt. Akers had been specially despatched from Chippawa to Port +Colborne; but in less than half an hour after his arrival he was busily +engaged with Lieut.-Col. Dennis and Lieut.-Col. Booker in concocting a +new plan of campaign. After deciding on what they intended to do, they +condescendingly notified Col. Peacocke of the change in his own plans, +and without, waiting for a reply they started off for Fort Erie on +the steamer "W. T. Robb" to put them in execution. Such assumption was +certainly astounding, and no doubt Col. Peacocke had a choleric fit +when he was apprised of it. This was another mistake, which contributed +largely to the defeat of Col. Peacocke's purposes, and left a cloud on +the military prestige of both Lieut.-Col. Dennis and Capt. Akers. As +Lieut.-Col. Booker had also been persuaded to join in the new plan, +he was making his arrangements to do so when he received an imperative +order by telegraph from Col. Peacocke to adhere to his original +instructions. + +As Lieut.-Col. Dennis and Capt. Akers sailed away in high hope from Port +Colborne, they probably built the fairy air castles which were doomed to +totter and fall before night. It did not seem to occur to them that Col. +Peacocke's sanction to, and co-operation in, their change of plan would +be necessary to ensure success. Therefore their disappointment must have +been great when they found that Lieut.-Col. Booker failed to arrive at +Fort Erie at 7 o'clock, as provided in their new arrangement. At this +hour Lieut.-Col. Booker was leaving Ridgeway (in pursuance of his latest +orders) on his march for Stevensville, and soon after had the misfortune +to strike the enemy in force. And thereby hangs another tale of a grave +mistake, which brought considerable censure to that officer. The story +of the battle is told elsewhere, and need not be repeated. + +In the light of official reports and the testimony of officers and +men who were engaged in the battle of Lime Ridge, the disaster which +occurred to Lieut.-Col. Booker's column (almost in the moment of +victory) can be attributed wholly to a fatal order being given at the +most critical time in the progress of the fight. Lieut.-Col. Booker had +up to that eventful moment displayed singular sagacity and wisdom in the +handling of his troops, and had correctly followed the usual military +rules which would be applicable to the occasion. But somebody appears to +have originated the report that the enemy were about to make a cavalry +charge, and at this crisis, when the troops were ordered to "Form +square," the demon of disaster suddenly appeared. It was the proper +order to have given had there really been a cavalry force advancing, but +as the alarm originated in the imagination of others, for which there +was no valid reason, the movement proved a mistake which turned the tide +of battle and caused the dire disaster for which Lieut.-Col. Booker was, +and is to this day, most unjustly blamed. A little reflection on the +part of his critics might have tended to tone down their asperity and +given him some credit for what he did do, both before and after the +unfortunate order was given. But some person had to take the blame, +and Lieut.-Col. Hooker was made the victim of circumstances. Here was +a volunteer Colonel (who had never previously commanded a brigade) +suddenly placed in command of the whole column because he happened to +be the senior officer present, and ordered to advance across the path +of the enemy to make a junction with Col. Peacocke's forces at +Stevensville. His orders were to leave Port Colborne at a certain hour, +which he did--exactly on time. He was handicapped in many ways, yet he +did his duty and carried out the orders he received to the letter. He +had neither cavalry, artillery or scouts with his column, so that his +position was not a very enviable one. Had Capt. Akers remained with Col. +Booker instead of going off on an excursion with Lieut.-Col. Dennis +on the tug "Robb," his presence might have made some difference in the +fortunes of the battle at Lime Ridge. Lieut.-Col. Booker had no staff +officer to assist him, and in this position Capt. Akers might have been +of some service, and won more glory than he did in the campaign. As to +Lieut.-Col. Booker's conduct on the field at Lime Ridge (which was so +unfavorably commented upon by the public press and carping critics who +accepted the multitude of erroneous rumors that were prevalent during +that period of excitement), it may lie stated that the whole affair was +fully investigated by a Military Court of Inquiry, composed of three +competent officers of high and honorable standing, who took the sworn +testimony of a large number of officers and men who were engaged in the +battle. As the whole evidence, and a full report of the proceedings of +the Court, are published as an appendix to this book, it will prove very +interesting to the reader, and serve to give an intelligent idea of +the events narrated, from which you can draw your own conclusions as to +whether Lieut.-Col. Booker was unjustly censured or not. + +Another officer who was roundly condemned by the officers and men under +his command, and by the public generally, for his singular conduct +during the engagement at Fort Erie, was Lieut.-Col. J. S. Dennis, who +was in command of the expedition on the steamer "W. T. Robb." Grave +charges were filed against this officer, which resulted in a Court of +Inquiry being appointed to investigate the case. As the charges made +and the finding of the Court will be found in the latter portion of the +appendix of this book, the writer will not discuss them here. Suffice +it to say that the officers and men of the force which he landed on the +dock at Port Erie on the 2nd of June, and placed in great jeopardy and +peril, were not at all satisfied with the opinion of the Court, which +they considered in the nature of a "white-wash" for Lieut.-Col. Dennis +(and a thin coat at that), as the President of the Court dissented from +the finding of his two colleagues on two charges, but was over-ruled by +them. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +DANGERS WHICH EXISTED PREVIOUS TO CONFEDERATION OF THE +PROVINCES--PROPOSALS OF ANNEXATION TO THE UNITED STATES--LESSONS LEARNED +BY THE FENIAN RAID. + +Forty-four years have elapsed since the perilous events recorded in +the preceding pages occurred. A new generation has come and grown into +middle life, while the second generation is now budding forth into +manhood and womanhood. How many of these are conversant with the history +of their own country? Beyond a very vague knowledge of what has been +taught to them in a superficial manner in our schools and colleges, and +the fragmentary reminiscences that may have been recounted to them by +their sires and grandsires who passed through these troublous times, it +is doubtful whether even one-tenth of our present population have any +idea of just how near Canada came to being absorbed by the United States +in that critical period. + +At that time Canada was in a peculiar position, which may be described +as "a house divided within itself," as there was no cohesion among the +scattered Provinces, each regulating its own affairs, with the exception +of Canada East and Canada West (now Quebec and Ontario) who were +governed by the same Parliament. The situation was certainly a dark and +serious one. We had subtle traitors at home and scheming enemies abroad +who labored assiduously to bring about annexation, but the stern spirit +of loyalty to the British Crown which pervaded the hearts of the people +as a whole, and the wise statesmanship of that noble group of patriots +whose names will go ringing down through the corridors of time in the +existence of our nation as "The Fathers of Confederation," saved the +situation, and made Canada what it is to-day, a heritage of which our +sons and daughters may well feel proud. + +It was during the year 1866 that the apostles of Confederation were busy +educating the people of the different Provinces in the creed of that +very desirable proposition. While they met serious opposition in some +portions of what is now our grand Dominion, yet in others the proposal +was received favorably, while one or two of the Provinces expressed an +antipathy to the movement. But just at this time two important events +occurred which had a material bearing on the question, and had an effect +in bringing about the Union. The first was the sudden abrogation by the +United States of the Reciprocity Treaty which for some years had existed +between the Canadian Provinces and that country, and the second the +Fenian Raid. Each of these events sent a thrill through the +Canadian people which fired their hearts and settled the project +of Confederation. The necessity of united action in defence, and +co-operation in other matters for the benefit of the whole, was heartily +admitted, and forthwith the Provinces joined hands and hearts in +bringing about its early consummation. The full meaning of the motto, +"United we Stand--Divided we Fall," was realized by the majority, and +the necessary legislation was carried through the several Provincial +Parliaments that year, which received Imperial sanction, and resulted in +the birth of the Dominion of Canada on July 1st, 1867. + +While the campaign for Confederation was in progress, and its stalwart +advocates were using their best endeavors throughout the country to +bring the project to fruition, considerable opposition was manifested by +a certain section who favored annexation to the United States. These men +were backed up by American influences, and went so far as to secure the +assistance of several prominent United States Congressmen to draft a +proposal whereby the Provinces of Canada might become annexed and made +certain States of the Union. The subject was discussed seriously by a +large section of the American press, while statesmen and others who +were eager to acquire our territory lost no opportunity to present their +views in that respect. + +While the annexation pot was boiling, and the Fenians were still +threatening another raid, the question was brought before the American +people in a tangible form. On the 2nd of July, 1866, the following bill +was reported to the United States Congress by Representative Banks, and +recommitted to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. As viewed in the light +of the present day, its provisions contain very interesting reading:-- + +_A Bill for the admission of the States of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, +Canada East and Canada West, and for the organization of the Territories +of Selkirk, Saskatchewan and Columbia._ + +SEC. 1. _Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the +United States, of America in Congress assembled,_ That the President +of the United States is hereby authorized and directed, whenever notice +shall be deposited in the Department of State, that the Governments of +Great Britain and the Provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince +Edward Island, Newfoundland, Canada, British Columbia, and Vancouver's +Island, have accepted the proposition hereinafter made by the United +States, to publish by proclamation that, from the date thereof, the +States of Nova-Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada East and Canada West, and +the Territories of Selkirk, Saskatchewan, and Columbia, with limits and +rights as by this Act defined, are constituted and admitted as States +and Territories of the United States of America. + +SEC. 2. _Be it further enacted, etc.,_ That the following articles are +hereby proposed, and from the date of the proclamation of the President +of the United States shall take effect, as irrevocable conditions of the +admission of the States of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada East +and Canada West, and the future States of Selkirk, Saskatchewan and +Columbia, to wit: + +Article I. All public lands not sold or granted; canals, public +harbours, lighthouses and piers; river and lake improvements; railways, +mortgages and other debts due by railway companies to the Provinces; +custom houses and post offices shall vest in the United States; but all +other public works and property shall belong to the State Governments +respectively, hereby constituted, together with all sums due from +purchasers or lessees of lands, mines, or minerals at the time of the +union. + +Article II. In consideration of public lands, works, and property vested +as aforesaid in the United States, the United States will assume +and discharge the funded debt and contingent liabilities of the late +Provinces at rates of interest not exceeding five per centum, to +the amount of $85,700,000, apportioned as follows: To Canada West, +$36,500,000; to Canada East, $29,000,000; to Nova Scotia, $8,000,000; +to New Brunswick, $7,000,000; to Newfoundland, $3,200,000; and to Prince +Edward Island, $2,000,000; and in further consideration of the transfer +by said Provinces to the United States of the power to levy import and +export duties, the United States will make an annual grant of $1,646,000 +in aid of local expenditures, to be apportioned as follows: To Canada +West, $700,000; to Canada East, $550,000; to Nova Scotia. $165,000; to +Newfoundland, $65,000; to Prince Edward Island, $40,000. + +Article III. For all purposes of State organization and representation +in the Congress of the United States. Newfoundland shall be a part of +Canada East, and Prince Edward Island shall be a part of Nova Scotia, +except that each shall always be a separate representative district, and +entitled to elect at least one member of the House of Representatives, +and except also that the municipal authorities of Newfoundland and +Prince Edward Island shall receive the indemnities agreed to be paid by +the United States in Article II. + +Article IV. Territorial divisions are established as follows: (1) New +Brunswick, with its present limits; (2) Nova Scotia, with the addition +of Prince Edward Island; (3) Canada East, with the addition of +Newfoundland and all territory east of longitude 80 deg, and south of +Hudson Straits; (4) Canada West, with the addition of territory south +of Hudson's Bay, and between longitude 80 and 90 deg.; (5) Selkirk +Territory, bounded east by longitude 90 deg., south by the late boundary +of the United States, west by longitude 105 deg., and north by the +Arctic Circle; (6) Saskatchewan Territory, bounded east by longitude 105 +deg., south by latitude 49 deg., west by the Rocky Mountains, and north +by latitude 70 deg.; (7) Columbia Territory, including Vancouver's +Island and Queen Charlotte's Island, and bounded east and north by the +Rocky Mountains, south by latitude 40 deg., and west by the Pacific +Ocean and Russian America. But Congress reserves the right of changing +the limits and subdividing the areas of the western territories at +discretion. + +Article V. Until the next decennial revision, representation in the +House of Representatives shall be as follows: Canada West, 12 members; +Canada East, including Newfoundland, 11 members; New Brunswick, 2 +members; Nova Scotia, including Prince Edward Island, 4 members. + +Article VI. The Congress of the United States shall enact, in favour of +the proposed Territories of Selkirk, Saskatchewan and Columbia, all the +provisions of the Act organizing the Territory of Montana, so far as +they can be made applicable. + +Article VII. The United States, by the construction of new canals, of +the enlargement of existing canals, and by the improvement of shoals, +will so aid the navigation of the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes +that vessels of fifteen hundred tons burden shall pass from the Gulf +of St. Lawrence to Lakes Superior and Michigan; _Provided_ that the +expenditure under this Article shall not exceed $50,000,000. + +Article VIII. The United States will appropriate and pay to "The +European and North American Railway Company of Maine" the sum of +$2,000,000 upon the construction of a continuous line of railroad from +Bangor, in Maine, to St. John, in New Brunswick; _Provided_ said "The +European and North American Railway Company of Maine" shall release the +Government of the United States from all claims held by its assignees of +the States of Maine and Massachusetts. + +Article IX. To aid the construction of a railway from Truro, in Nova +Scotia, to Riviere du Loup, in Canada East, and a railway from the +city of Ottawa, by way of Sault Ste. Marie, Bayfield and Superior, in +Wisconsin. Pembina and Fort Garry, on the Red River of the North, and +the Valley of North Saskatchewan River, to some point on the Pacific +Ocean north of latitude 49 degrees, the United States will grant lands +along the lines of said roads to the amount of twenty sections, or +12,800 acres, per mile, to be selected and sold in the manner prescribed +in the Act, to aid the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad, +approved July 2, 1862 and Acts amendatory thereof; and, in addition to +said grants of land, the United States will further guarantee dividends +of five per cent, upon the stock of the company or companies which +may be authorized by Congress to undertake the construction of said +railways; _Provided_ that such guarantee of stock shall not exceed the +sum of $30,000 per mile, and Congress shall regulate the securities for +advances on account thereof. + +Article X. The public lands in the late Provinces, as far as +practicable, shall be surveyed according to the rectangular system of +the General Land Office of the United States; and in the territories +west of longitude 90 degrees, or western boundary of Canada West, +Sections sixteen and thirty-six shall be granted for the encouragement +of schools, and after the organization of the territories into the +States, 5 per centum of the net proceeds of sales of public lands shall +be paid into their treasurers as a fund for the improvement of roads and +rivers. + +Article XI. The United States will pay $10,000,000 to the Hudson Bay +Company in full discharge of all claims to territory or jurisdiction +in North America, whether founded on the charter of the company or any +treaty, law or usage. + +Article XII. It shall be devolved upon the Legislatures of New +Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Canada East and Canada West, to conjoin the +tenure of office and the local institutions of said States to the +Constitution and laws of the United States, subject to revision by +Congress. + +SEC. 3. _Be it further enacted, etc.,_ If Prince Edward Island or +Newfoundland, or either of those Provinces, shall decline union with the +United States, and the remaining Provinces, with the consent of +Great Britain, shall accept the proposition of the United States, +the foregoing stipulations in favor of Prince Edward Island and +Newfoundland, or either of them, will be omitted; but in all other +respects the United States will give full effect to the plan of union. +If Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick +shall decline the proposition, but Canada, British Columbia and +Vancouver Island shall, with the consent of Great Britain, accept the +same, the construction of a railway from Truro to Riviere du Loup, with +all stipulations relating to the Maritime Provinces, will form no part +of the proposed plan of union, but the same will be consummated in +all other respects. If Canada shall decline the proposition, then the +stipulations in regard to the St. Lawrence canals and a railway from +Ottawa to Sault Ste. Marie, with the Canadian clause of debt and revenue +indemnity, will be relinquished. If the plan of union shall only be +accepted in regard to the north-western territory and the Pacific +Provinces, the United States will aid the construction, on the terms +named, of a railway from the western extremity of Lake Superior, in the +State of Minnesota, by way of Pembina, Fort Garry and the Valley of the +Saskatchewan, to the Pacific Coast, north of latitude 49 deg., besides +securing all the rights and privileges of an American territory to the +proposed Territories of Selkirk. Saskatchewan and Columbia. + + +The "generosity" of the above proposal was very kind of our neighbors, +but it had no avail. The abrogation of the Reciprocity Treaty and +encouragement of the Fenian Raids by the American people had put the +Canadians on their mettle and stiffened their backbone, so that neither +retaliatory threats or honeyed allurements had any effect in changing +their minds from carving out their own destiny under the broad folds of +the Union Jack. How well this has been done by the earnest efforts and +honest toil of our people, guided by the wisdom and sagacity of those +statesmen who laid the foundation of our Dominion as it exists at +present, is for other nations and other people to judge. Canada enjoys a +prominent position in the estimation of the world to-day, and under the +blessings of the Most High we will continue on in the march of progress +and development of our bountiful resources. + +The Fenian Raid, although it cost Canada sacrifices in precious lives +and the expenditure of millions of money, proved of benefit to our young +country in several ways. In the first place, it demonstrated the fact +that the Canadians were loyal and patriotic to their heart's last drop +in preserving British connection, and were true to their Flag and the +freedom it symbolized. Again, the invasion enlightened the Fenian foemen +and all other schemers who cast covetous eyes in our direction, that the +Canadians were capable of protecting themselves, and were ready at all +times to do their duty on the field of battle in defence of their native +land and its institutions. Finally, it taught our people a lasting +lesson in self-reliance, which should be instilled into the hearts and +minds of our future generations, so that they too may always be found +prepared to accept their share of responsibility in defending their +country in times of peril and danger. + + + + +The Fenian Raid of 1870 + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +GEN. O'NEIL PREPARES FOR ANOTHER RAID ON CANADA--SECRET SHIPMENT OF ARMS +TO THE FRONTIER. + +In the early spring of 1870, the irrepressible General O'Neil (who was +then President of the Fenian Brotherhood) decided that another diversion +should be made on the Canadian frontier, and actively began making +preparations to mass his forces for the invasion. + +During the fall and winter of 1869 and 1870 all of the "circles" and +existing military organizations were busy raising the necessary funds +and gathering together the war equipment. The utmost secrecy was +observed on this occasion, as the Fenian leaders were very careful to +avoid a repetition of the intervention of the United States authorities +in thwarting their plans, to cross the border, as was the case in 1866. +So they worked unceasingly and enthusiastically in maturing their plans, +while they maintained absolute silence as to their intentions. The +boasting bombast which had been so largely indulged in previous to the +Raid of 1866 was not manifested on this occasion, consequently little +interest was taken by the general public in Fenian affairs. + +During the month of December, 1869, the Ninth Annual Convention of the +Fenian Brotherhood was held in New York City. At this convocation there +was a large gathering of delegates, every State in the Union being +represented. All wore an air of confidence and suppressed emotion. While +enthusiastic and determined at heart, they were careful to conceal their +feelings, so as to avoid betrayal, by the least sign or word, of the +result of their deliberations or the designs of their leaders. + +At this meeting the Fenian Senate announced that complete arrangements +had been secretly made for the second invasion of Canada, and asked that +the delegates should ratify the programme. The announcement was hailed +with great satisfaction by all present, and for some moments a regular +pandemonium of cheers and yells of approval prevailed. + +After order had been restored, Gen. O'Neil and others vehemently +addressed the delegates, and worked up their patriotic feelings to such +a hot pitch that each and every man present pledged himself to assist in +the enterprise to the fullest extent of his power, even unto death. + +A Council of War was then held, when it was resolved to begin active +operations as early in the spring of 1870 as the roads would permit of +the movement of troops. Brigadier-General M. Kerwin was then the Fenian +Secretary of War, and during the next few months was very busy with his +staff, getting everything in readiness. His orders and addresses to the +Irish Republican Army were of such a patriotic and inspiring character +that the officers and men of the various commands were constantly kept +in a state of warlike excitement, which they controlled with marvellous +secrecy. The months of January and February were spent in quiet +preparation, and in March Gen. Kerwin issued a mandate that all military +organizations of the Fenian Brotherhood should hold themselves in +readiness to move forward to the Canadian frontier as soon as the final +orders were issued. Meanwhile cases of arms, ammunition and other war +material were being secretly shipped to different points along the +border under various guises, and trusted officers were at the designated +points to receive them and store them away in secluded hiding places +until they were required. Everything was going along very satisfactory +to the Fenian leaders, and it seemed to them as if Uncle Sam and the +Canadian Government would both be caught napping. + +During the first week in April Gen. O'Neil and some of his staff arrived +at a point on the Vermont border to inspect the munitions of war and see +that his directions were being properly carried out. Fifteen thousand +stands of arms, and almost three million rounds of ammunition, had +been actually received and carefully stored at various places along the +frontier between Ogdensburg and St. Albans. Several thousands of these +arms were breech-loading rifles of heavy calibre, for which there was an +unlimited amount of cartridges. + +Malone, N.Y., and St. Albans, Vermont, were again selected as bases +of operations by Gen. O'Neil, and these towns were to be his principal +places of muster. When he had concluded his examination of "affairs at +the front," the valiant General was in high spirits, occasioned by the +belief that he would steal a march on the Canadian Government and again +be over the border before his intention was observed. He had taken great +pains to have every preliminary preparation minutely made, and the fact +that he had already smuggled an armament for fully 15,000 men to +the frontier without exciting the suspicion of the usually vigilant +officials of the United States, gave him considerable satisfaction and +confidence. His plan of campaign was to rush the Fenian troops across +the border without delay, and to entrench themselves at points where +reinforcements could rally around them as supports when they had +obtained a foot-hold. Malone and Franklin were chosen as the points from +which the raiders were to make their forays, his chief object being, +as before, to destroy the canal systems, and by cutting the railroad +communication between Montreal and the West, hamper the movement of +Canadian troops and cause consternation among the people. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ANOTHER CALL TO ARMS--FENIANS AGAIN THREATEN AN INVASION--GALLANT +RESPONSE BY THE CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS. + +Early in the month of April the Government was apprised by its secret +service agents that Fenian trouble was again brewing on the frontier, +and from details of the plot given, the Vermont border was specially +designated as the quarter from which an invasion was extremely probable. +Prompt measures were at once taken by Sir George E. Cartier, the +Minister of Militia and Defence, to prepare for such an emergency, and +complete arrangements were made to guard our entire frontier whenever +necessary. + +Notwithstanding their great secrecy, and the surreptitious methods the +Fenians employed to smuggle their arms, ammunition and war supplies +to the border during the winter months, the Government was kept fully +informed of every movement by reliable officials, who had special means +of getting inside information. + +As matters became more threatening, and acting on additional information +received, the Government considered it advisable to call out a force of +5,000 men for active service on the frontier of the Province of Quebec, +the whole to be under the chief command of the Lieutenant-General +commanding Her Majesty's regular troops in Canada, with Col. W. Osborne +Smith, D.A.G. of Military District, No. 5, in command of the troops +operating on the south-eastern frontier. + +On April 11th the call to arms was made, and the different battalions +and companies responded with their usual promptitude and alacrity, so +that within 48 hours all were assembled at their posts on the frontier +to which they had been assigned, ready for action. + +The Cookshire Troop of Cavalry, under command of Lieut. Taylor, was +stationed at Frelighsburg, with pickets at Pigeon Hill and Abbott's +Corners. The 52nd Battalion, under command of Lieut.-Col. P. Miller, +was posted at Frelighsburg, with detachments stationed as pickets at +Mansonville, Abercorn and Cook's Corners. + +The 60th Battalion, under Lieut.-Col. B. Chamberlin, had its +headquarters at Pigeon Hill, with detachments at St. Armand and +Philipsburg. + +On the Huntingdon frontier the troops were posted as follows: + +At Huntingdon--No. 1 Troop, Montreal Cavalry, in command of Capt. Muir, +with videttes at Franklin and Hemmingford; the 50th Battalion, commanded +by Lieut.-Col. McEachren; and the 51st Battalion, under command of +Lieut.-Col. Rogers, with detachments at Franklin and Havelock. + +At Beauharnois--The Beauharnois Battalion, under Lieut.-Col. Rodin, with +a detachment at Valleyfield, guarded the canals. + +While the above forces thoroughly covered the exposed points on the +frontier, the following troops were held in reserve at Montreal, ready +to go at a moment's notice to any point where their services might +be urgently required: Montreal Garrison Artillery, two companies +of Engineers, 1st Battalion (Prince of Wales Rifles). 3rd Battalion +(Victoria Rifles), 5th Battalion (Royal Light Infantry). 6th Battalion +(Hochelaga Light Infantry), First Provisional Battalion, Second +Provisional Battalion, 65th Battalion (Mount Royal Rifles), 4th +Battalion (Chasseurs Canadiens)--a total of all ranks of 1,940. + +At Quebec a force of 1,617 officers and men of the Sixth Military +District were concentrated, ready for duty anywhere. + +On the 12th of April a further call was made for troops to guard the +St. Clair River frontier, in Western Ontario, which was completed as +follows: + +At Sarnia--The London Field Battery, with two field guns (manned +and horsed by 35 gunners and drivers), and two companies of the 7th +Battalion of London, under command of Lieut.-Col. Shanly. + +At Windsor--The Windsor and Leamington Companies of Infantry (each 55 +strong), with Major Walker, of the 7th Battalion, in command. + +In addition to the above troops, companies of the Grand Trunk Railway +Brigade were judiciously posted at certain vulnerable points along the +line of that railway by its commander. Lieut.-Col. C. J. Brydges, so +that in all a force of fully 6,000 men were stationed on duty where +required within a very short period. + +These troops remained on active service until the 21st of April, when it +was considered advisable to release all from duty with the exception +of the 50th, 51st, 52nd, 60th and Beanharnois Battalions, and the two +troops of cavalry originally placed on the south-eastern frontier, who +remained on duty until the 29th of April, when they were also withdrawn. +The Government was confident of the fact that the services of the +volunteers would be cheerfully and promptly given whenever they would +again be called upon, and in relieving them from duty, thanked them +warmly for their service, and reminded them that it might be necessary +to rally again to the colors almost any day, and to be ready to respond +to the call. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +GEN. O'NEIL AGAIN INVADES CANADA--A RAID MADE FROM VERMONT PROMPTLY +REPULSED BY A HANDFUL OF CANADIANS. + +About the middle of May orders went forth from Gen. O'Neil for the +Fenian forces to again take the field, and a week later they began to +assemble in the border cities, towns and villages of the United States, +ready for another campaign against Canada. The rallying points were the +same as those designated in Gen. Sweeny's plan of campaign in 1866. Gen. +O'Neil seems to have considered that his chances of success would be +better on the eastern frontier than by again attempting the invasion of +the Niagara District, although his plan was to muster a strong force in +Buffalo, as before, and, if opportunity offered, and he was successful +in the east, to again attempt the passage of the Niagara. Consequently +he gave his personal attention to the troops that were gathering on the +Northern New York and Vermont frontiers, and directed the mobilization +of the divisions at Malone and St. Albans, with the intention of +following out Sweeny's old programme of conquest, while several officers +of experience would lead in the attacks on other points. + +The 24th of May (Queen's Birthday) was the date selected for the +invasion, and the night previous every train bound north from New +York, Boston, and the New England States, carried contingents of Fenian +soldiers on their way to the appointed rendezvous on the border. Gen. +O'Neil established his headquarters at Franklin, Vermont, where his +staff were energetically at work equipping the troops as they arrived. +O'Neil fully expected that from 2,000 to 3,000 Fenians would +have assembled at Franklin on the 24th, but through some delay in +transportation the bulk of the forces failed to appear. Only about 800 +had reported themselves, and the tardiness of movement of the remainder +of the army threatened a fatal ending to the enterprise. O'Neil chafed +under his disappointment, and sent urgent telegrams and messengers to +hurry up the laggards, but the morning of the 25th dawned without the +arrival of the expected soldiers. Gen. O'Neil then became so impatient +that he could bear the suspense no longer. He was fearful of the +interposition of the United States authorities, and resolved to +immediately advance into Canada with the force present under his +command, and leave his reinforcements to follow. + +The Fenian camp was located at Hubbard's Farm (about half a mile +from Franklin), and the officers were busy there distributing arms, +ammunition and equipment. They had collected armament for about +3,000 men, and the cases were opened and scattered along the road +to facilitate the quick issue of rifles and cartridges to the +reinforcements as soon as they arrived. + +On the 24th of May President U. S. Grant had issued his proclamation +forbidding a breach of the Neutrality Act. and the United States +officials were prompt in their endeavors to stop the raid. Gen. George +P. Foster (United States Marshal) called on Gen. O'Neil at Franklin, +and after reading to him President Grant's proclamation, endeavored +to dissuade him from advancing over the line. But the Fenian General +refused to comply with his advice, and expressed his contempt for the +President in language more forcible and profane than polite. As Gen. +Foster had no troops at his command to compel obedience by the Fenian +leaders, he crossed over the line and informed the Canadian commander +(Col. Chamberlain) of O'Neil's designs and his inability to stop the +raiders. + +About 11 o'clock on May 25th Gen. O'Neil mounted his horse and rode down +from Franklin to the Fenian camp. He realized that if he did not move +quickly there was a probability of the arrival of United States troops +to stop the expedition; therefore he gave immediate orders to his men to +"fall in" for the advance across the border. When the troops were formed +up, he addressed them as follows:-- + +"Soldiers! This is the advance guard of the Irish-American army for +the liberation of Ireland from the yoke of the oppressor. For your own +country you enter that of the enemy. The eyes of your countrymen are +upon you. Forward--March!" + +At the word of command the column moved promptly, with Gen. O'Neil and +Gen. Donnelly (his Chief-of-Staff) at the head, and the green flag of +the Irish Republic flapping in the wind. The Fenian column was formed in +three divisions, consisting of an advance guard of skirmishers, a strong +support of about 200 men, and the balance of their troops in reserve. +They had only a short distance to go before they reached the boundary +line. Some eight rods north of the line (on the Canadian side) is a +gully through which runs a small brook known locally as "Chickabiddy +Creek," over which the road is bridged, and beyond which are the rocky +heights of Eccles' Hill, where a small Canadian force was entrenched +among the rocks and trees awaiting the approach of the invaders. + +The house of Alva Richards, about ten rods south of the border line, on +the road from Franklin to Cook's Corners, was chosen by Gen. O'Neil as +his headquarters. From the Richards house to the Canadian position was a +distance of only about a quarter of a mile. + +Immediately after crossing the boundary, the Burlington (Vermont) +Company of Fenians (about fifty men), under command of Capt. Cronan, +dashed down the hill to form a skirmish line across the brook. Just as +they did so the Canadians opened fire. At the first volley Private John +Rowe was instantly killed, and Lieut. John Hallinan received a flesh +wound in the arm. The company wavered, and receiving no support, fell +back to the shelter of the Richards house and outbuildings. The next +company (under Capt. Carey) joined Capt. Cronan in the rear of the +house, and commenced firing. Soon afterwards Private James Keenan +ventured out too far and received a ball in the leg, near the ankle. +This hot reception, and the sharp fire of the Canadians, caused +a stampede, and Gen. O'Neil endeavored to rally his troops by the +following address:-- + +"Men of Ireland! I am ashamed of you. You have acted disgracefully, but +you will have another chance of showing whether you are cravens or not. +Comrades, we must not, _we dare not_, go back now, with the stain of +cowardice upon us. Comrades. I will lead you again, and if you will not +follow me, I will go on with my officers and die in your front. I leave +you now under command of Gen. Boyle O'Reilly." + +After this brave utterance, Gen. O'Neil (who had been across the border +on an eminence opposite the Canadian position, watching events) retired +to an attic window in the Richards house, from which point he intended +to observe the fortunes of the day. But the Canadian riflemen having +discovered his presence there, directed their fire upon him, and Mr. +Richards ordered O'Neil to leave his residence, which was getting +seriously damaged by bullets. Just as he went out of the house, General +Foster (United States Marshal), with a couple of his officers, stepped +forward and arrested O'Neil for breach of the Neutrality Act. At first +the Fenian General was very wrathy, and threatened to use force if he +was not released, but on Gen. Foster placing a revolver at his head and +intimating that he would shoot if he did not submit. O'Neil's courage +quailed, and he surrendered. He was shoved into a covered carriage and +driven off to St. Albans under guard of two men, very much dejected. + +By this time a contingent of about 500 Fenians had arrived from St. +Albans, and were being armed and equipped at the Fenian camp for the +purpose of making another dash. As O'Neil had been so unceremoniously +whisked away by Gen. Foster, the Fenian army was now without a leader. +So a Council of War was held, all of the leading Fenian officers in the +field being present. Reinforcements were now arriving hourly, and strong +efforts were made to induce Gen. John Boyle O'Reilly (a noted Irish +patriot) to take command and again lead them on to glory. The Council +convened in an open glade near the Fenian camp, where, surrounded by +their troops, the leaders pleaded with Gen. O'Reilly to assume command, +but he could not be prevailed upon to accept the risk, and the spirits +of the raiders sank as they began to realize the hopelessness of their +position. + +Early next morning Gen. Spier arrived at St. Albans and endeavored to +bring order out of chaos, and continue O'Neil's plan of invasion. But +by this time the golden opportunity had slipped by, and all chances of +success had vanished. A strong force of Canadians had arrived at the +frontier, determined to resist every foot of advance into Canadian +territory, while a body of United States troops appeared in the rear +of the Fenian army for the purpose of making arrests for breach of the +neutrality laws. Being caught between two fires, they thought discretion +was the better part of valor, and fled in dismay. And thus the grand +"Army of the Irish Republic" melted away in disorganized mobs. + +At Malone similar conditions existed, and the large number of Fenians +assembled there were quickly dissolved by the United States troops and +all their war material seized by the United States authorities. + +A description of the fight at Eccles' Hill, as viewed from the Canadian +side, is given in the succeeding chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OPERATIONS ON THE MISSISQUOI FRONTIER--THE BATTLE OF ECCLES' +HILL--COMPLETE DEFEAT OF THE FENIAN ARMY. + +On the morning of the 24th of May Lieut.-Col. W. Osborne Smith, Deputy +Adjutant-General of the Fifth Military District, at Montreal, received +advices from trustworthy sources that the Fenians were again assembling +on the Vermont border, and that telegraph wires had been cut in several +places by them. He at once notified the authorities at Ottawa by wire +of these events, and asked for instructions in regard to calling out the +forces under his command for active service. + +As was customary, the whole of the Montreal Garrison had been assembled +that day for the usual parade and review in honor of Her Majesty's +birthday. As the hours wore on and no reply had been received from +Ottawa by Col. Smith in answer to his telegrams, he promptly took the +extreme responsibility permitted by the 60th Section of the Militia +Act, and called out for service a large portion of the troops of his +district, including all the frontier and Montreal corps. He reported his +action to the Lieutenant-General Commanding, who approved of his action +and his suggestions as to the disposal of the troops instantly required +on the frontier, and further ordered that he should personally assume +command at the threatened point of attack in the neighborhood of +Frelighsburg. + +He then addressed the men on parade, informing them that the Fenians +were on the frontier with warlike intentions, and that from that moment +they were on active service; moreover, that he required five companies +at once to proceed to the frontier under his command. The entire brigade +responded with great enthusiasm, and was ready there and then to +move off to the border to meet the enemy. As the whole force was not +required. Col. Smith made his selections and left for the front within a +few hours, taking with him the Montreal Troop of Cavalry, and companies +from the 1st Prince of Wales Rifles. 3rd Victoria Rifles, 5th Royals, +6th Battalion Hochelaga Light Infantry, together with one officer and +20 men of the Montreal Garrison Artillery. The latter contingent was +detailed to reinforce Isle aux Noix, while the remainder of the force +proceeded on to St. John's. On arrival there the Montreal troops (with +the exception of the cavalry and the company of Victoria Rifles) were +left to garrison St. John's, together with the 21st Battalion and the +St. John's Garrison Battery of Artillery. Lieut.-Col. Fletcher was left +in command at St. John's, with instructions to secure the safety of +that place from a sudden dash by the enemy, and on the following morning +proceed to the Huntingdon frontier and assume command of the troops +assembled there. A party of the 21st Battalion (Richelieu Light +Infantry) was detached at Malmaison to guard the bridge over the Pike +River at that place. + +About midnight Col. Smith arrived at Stanbridge Station with the +Montreal Cavalry Troop and the one company of the Victoria Rifles. After +detraining the troops he at once started on his march to Stanbridge +(about eight miles distant). The roads were deep and miry from heavy +rain, and the night intensely dark, but the men, who had been under arms +and with little refreshment since early morning, performed the march +uncomplainingly, and were eager to press on to the front. + +At Stanbridge the 60th Missisquoi Battalion, under command of +Lieut.-Col. Brown Chamberlin, were assembling, and on arrival there Col. +Smith learned that a Fenian force had gathered near Franklin, Vermont, +and were preparing to make a dash across the border in the vicinity of +Eccles' Hill. + +During the previous night about thirty farmers of the neighborhood (who +had armed and enrolled themselves as a Home Guard, under the leadership +of Mr. Asa Westover, of Dunham) occupied Eccles' Hill, a strong position +on the frontier, with the determined intention to keep the Fenians in +check until the arrival of the regular volunteer force. On Lieut.-Col. +Chamberlin's arrival at Stanbridge on the night of the 24th he found +No. 3 Company of the 60th Battalion assembled, and was informed by Capt. +Kemp, his Adjutant, of the state of affairs at the front. He was quick +to act, and sent forward a picket to Cook's Corners, in support of +the party occupying Eccles' Hill, with instructions to move forward at +daylight and reinforce it. Another detachment of 24 men, under Capt. +Bockus of No. 5 Company of the 60th, were ordered to move up as +supports to Cook's Corners at daylight, and later to reinforce the men +in their position at the Hill. In the early hours of the morning two +prisoners were captured by the farmers near their position, one of whom +was a Fenian captain named Murphy, and the other one of his men. They +were sent under guard of a corporal and two men to Stanbridge. This left +Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin's total force at the front three officers and 46 +men of the 60th Battalion, and 35 farmers. + +Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin made his dispositions by placing a picket, of +one officer and ten men on his right rear, and the remainder of the +volunteers (two officers and 36 men) were posted among the rocks and +trees, and behind the fences stretching from the road to the crest of +the hill, while the right flank was protected by the 35 farmers, most of +whom were sharp-shooters. Thus Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin's combined force +to resist an attack was two officers and 71 men. + +On a hill about 300 yards distant, across the American border, the +sentries of the advanced guard of the enemy were visible, while a short +distance beyond their main body were preparing for an advance on to +Canadian soil. + +Shortly before 12 o'clock (noon). General Foster, the United States +Marshal for the Northern District of Vermont, drove over to the Canadian +lines and had an interview with Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin. He said that he +desired to offer assurances that his Government and himself personally +were doing all that was possible to prevent a raid, and that the United +States troops were being moved up to assist him in the discharge of his +duty and enforcement of the neutrality laws as fast as they could be +transported. He also stated that he was charged with a message from +Gen. O'Neil, to say that those under his command would not make war upon +women or children, nor be permitted to plunder peaceable inhabitants, +but would conduct their war in the manner approved among civilized +nations. + +Col. Chamberlin replied that he would receive no message from men who +were mere pirates and marauders, and it was scarcely satisfactory to +those whom they intended to murder, because they were in arms for the +defence of their Government and country, that their piracy would not be +attended with unusual barbarities. + +While they were still in conversation, the head of the Fenian column +began to advance. Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin called Gen. Foster's attention +to the fact, who replied, "I thought they intended to attack you soon, +but not so soon as this." He then drove away in the direction of and +past the advancing Fenian column. + +Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin then hastily made such disposition of his small +force as seemed most advantageous, with Capt. Bockus on the left of the +skirmish line, which rested on the main road. + +The enemy advanced in close column, about 200 strong, with an advance +guard about 100 yards ahead of the main body. On its approach to the +boundary line it was ordered to move at the double, and the advance +guard rushed across. As soon as it was on Canadian soil, Lieut.-Col. +Chamberlin's men opened fire on the advance guard. The fire was returned +from the main column of attack, which was still within United States +territory. The conflict then became general. Upon the first volley from +the Canadians one man in the leading section of the Fenian advance guard +was shot dead and others wounded. The remaining men comprising it then +sought refuge behind the neighboring barns and under a bridge near at +hand. The main body halted, wavered, partially rallied again, and then, +being galled by the well-directed fire of the Canadians, broke and ran +for cover behind the houses and stone fences along the road, or made +their way to a wood which crowned the summit of the hill opposite to our +position on the western side of the road, another man being killed +and several more wounded while seeking this shelter. From this time a +desultory fire was kept up from behind trees and fences. + +Col. Smith was on the way to Stanbridge for the purpose of ordering up +reinforcements to strengthen the position at Eccles' Hill, when he was +overtaken by a mounted messenger sent by Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin, stating +that the Fenians were on the point of attack. He therefore ordered his +aide (Capt. Gascoigne) to hasten on to Stanbridge and bring up every +available man, and at once rode back to Eccles' Hill. On arrival there +he found that the first attack had been bravely repulsed by Lieut.-Col. +Chamberlin's men, and assumed command of the future operations. The +total force of the Fenians had not yet been brought into action, their +reserve of 350 or 400 men being still on the American side of the border +line. A possible attack being feared from this force, Col. Smith took +every precaution to hold his own until reinforcements arrived. About +2.30 p.m. the Montreal Troop of Cavalry, a company of the Victoria +Rifles, and another detachment of 20 men of the 60th Battalion, reached +the Canadian position from Stanbridge. With this additional force Col. +Smith was enabled to strengthen his skirmish line, and better secure the +right flank of his position. Firing was kept up until about 5 o'clock, +when the Fenian fire began to slacken, with the exception of a few +dropping shots from the enemy, who had taken shelter in the houses +along the road. These riflemen were carefully marked by the Canadian +skirmishers, and searched for by a shower of bullets whenever a shot was +fired. + +About 6 o'clock the Fenians were busy getting a field gun in position, +and had it placed about 1,200 yards in front of the Canadian line. But +before it was fired Col. Smith ordered an advance of his force, the +detachment of the 60th Battalion and the Home Guards advancing in +skirmishing order, and the company of Victoria Rifles covering their +advance from the slope of the hill. This movement was well executed, +and had the effect of driving the Fenians from their cover in all +directions, in full flight. Not over a dozen shots were fired by them +against the Canadians in their retreat. They threw away their arms, +accoutrements and clothing as they ran, and did not stop until they were +far over the American border. + +At nightfall three shots were fired by the Fenians from their field gun, +but their aim was faulty, and the shots did no damage to our men. During +the whole engagement not one of the Canadians was even wounded. + +The Fenian loss was four or five killed and 15 or 18 wounded. Three +of their dead were at one time plainly in view from our lines, while +another was reported as lying dead in a brook at the foot of the hill. +Among the wounded was the Fenian General Donnelly. During the night +lights were seen moving over the fields in search of the Fenian dead and +wounded, who were removed to the United States by civilians. After his +defeat the repulsed General O'Neil took refuge in a brick house, from +which he was turned out by the owner. He then hastened to the rear, and +on arrival on American territory was arrested by Gen. Foster, the United +States Marshal, for breach of the neutrality laws. + +The Canadian troops held their position and laid on their arms all +night, expecting another attack, but the enemy had seen enough of +Canadian valor, and did not make the attempt again to renew the combat. + +On the following morning the Fenians abandoned their camp at Hubbard's +Farm, leaving large quantities of arms, ammunition and clothing, which +were seized by the United States Government. Their rifles were the best +obtainable at that time, being breech-loading Springfields and Spencers +of the latest pattern. Their field-piece (which was a breech-loading +rifled steel gun) was captured on Canadian soil, and is one of the +trophies held by the Missisquoi Home Guard in memory of O'Neil's dismal +failure to capture Canada in 1870. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE ONTARIO FRONTIER VIGILANTLY GUARDED--VOLUNTEERS ON SERVICE AT DANGER +POINTS ALL ALONG THE LINE. + +On the frontier of the Province of Ontario the danger of invasion was +just as imminent as in the East, as Fenians were assembling at all +points with definite objects in view. The invasion was well planned, but +its execution was very poorly managed. It was not the intention of the +Fenian leaders to bring on battles at either Eccles' Hill or Trout River +unless success was well assured. These were only intended to be feints +to draw the attention of the Canadians, while the main attacks were +to be made at Cornwall and Prescott, with another heavy attack on the +Niagara frontier if opportunity offered. Their object (as in 1866) +was to destroy the St. Lawrence and Welland Canals and cut railway +communication wherever practicable, thus preventing rapid concentration +of Canadian troops while they proceeded to occupy the country. In +conformity with their plans the Fenian troops gathered at convenient +places to make their raids on the objective points in Ontario they had +in view. + +Owing to the extreme probability of an attack being made on Cornwall by +the Fenians who had gathered at Malone, N.Y., it was deemed advisable by +the Government to assemble a large force for the defence of that place +as speedily as possible. Therefore orders were wired at 2 p.m. on May +24th to Lieut.-Col. F. T. Atcherly, Deputy Adjutant-General of the +4th Military District, to call out the militia force at Brockville and +Prescott forthwith for active service. This was immediately accomplished +and guards posted for the protection of these towns. On the following +day he received instructions to proceed at once to Cornwall and assume +command of the force there. He arrived at Cornwall that night with +the Iroquois Battery of Garrison Artillery, and in conjunction with +Lieut.-Col. Bergin, commanding the 59th Battalion, made all the +necessary dispositions of guards for the protection of the town and the +locks and bridges on the Cornwall Canal. In the meantime the entire +59th Battalion had been mustered, and on the following day his force +was strengthened by the arrival of a demi-battery of the Ottawa Field +Artillery, with two guns and 23 horses, under command of Capt. Forsyth, +and also the Ottawa Brigade of Garrison Artillery, under Lieut.-Col. +Forrest. About the same time the 18th Battalion began to arrive from +L'Orignal, having been conveyed the whole distance in waggons. During +the afternoon the 41st Battalion, under command of Lieut.-Col. Crawford, +arrived by steamer from Brockville. In addition to this force, a corps +of mounted scouts of about 60 men had been organized by Lieut.-Col. +Bergin, and placed under command of Capt. Mattice. This company did most +excellent service at night, patrolling along the banks of the canal from +the guard lock at Dickinson's Landing to the village of Summerstown, a +distance of about 21 miles. Strong pickets were posted every night to +guard the culverts in the canal at various places. At the guard lock +at the head of the canal, No. 5 Company of the 59th Battalion, under +command of Capt. Bredin, was stationed, and did very excellent +service. The town of Cornwall and the lower locks of the canal were so +efficiently guarded and the surrounding country so thoroughly patrolled, +that had an attack been made the invaders would certainly have met with +a decidedly hot reception by Col. Atcherley's force. + +While the land forces were so arduously performing their duties, the +steamer "Prince Alfred" was employed in patrolling the river. She was +manned by a detachment of artillerymen and sharp-shooters, who +were unceasing in their vigilance to overhaul any craft that looked +suspicious. + +Lieut.-Col. W. H. Jackson, Brigade Major of the 8th Brigade Division, +was in command of the force which assembled at Prescott, and performed +the arduous duties required of him most efficiently. On the departure +of Lieut.-Col. F. T. Atcherly to take command of the force at Cornwall, +Lieut.-Col. Jackson was instructed to assume command of the forces which +were concentrating at Preseott. A large body of Fenians had gathered +at Ogdensburg, just across the river, and rumors were rife that they +intended making a crossing. He accordingly took prompt precautions to +place that important point in a state of defence. The troops at his +command were one division of the Ottawa Field Battery, with two guns; +the Ottawa Rifle Company (Capt. Mowat), the 43rd Carleton Battalion +(Lieut.-Col. Bearman), and the 56th Battalion Lisgar Rifles (Lieut.-Col. +Jessup). In addition he had two companies of Railway Guards, making his +total force about 750 officers and men. With this command he thoroughly +guarded, picketed and patrolled every important point east, west and +north, and so keen was his vigilance that the enemy across the river +could find no loop-hole for an attack and abandoned their intention. +This force was kept on duty until the 3rd of June, when the danger +having passed, they were relieved from further service. + +The situation at Brockville was as grave as at other points along the +frontier, owing to its close contiguity to the American shore. It was +the headquarters of the 42nd Battalion, which was speedily mustered +under command of Lieut.-Col. J. D. Buell. Several of the companies of +this corps were located many miles from headquarters, but on receiving +the call for active service they moved with remarkable activity, and +arrived at the frontier within 24 hours after the summons had been sent +forth. No. 4 Company (Capt. Allan Fraser), from Fitzroy, had about +80 miles to travel, partly by waggon and partly by rail. They quickly +mustered at Kinburn and moved with such celerity that they reported at +Brockville early the next morning. Such, indeed, was the spirit that +prevailed among the volunteers everywhere, and to their promptness is +due the defeat of the enemy's plans. The Forty-second did very great +service in protecting the railway docks and other points of landing at +Brockville, besides patrolling the river banks as far east as Maitland, +thus keeping up a chain of communication with the garrison at Prescott. +Several "scares" occurred during the time they were on service, which +caused sleepless nights, but by their vigilance the Fenians were +deterred from making an attack. All were prompt, willing and eager to +obey every command, and were warmly commended for the soldierly manner +in which they performed their duty. + +For the protection of the Niagara frontier, all available troops in the +immediate vicinity were called out for active service on the 24th of +May. The Nineteenth Lincoln Battalion, under command of Lieut.-Col. J. +G. Currie, the St. Catharines Troop of Cavalry under Capt. Gregory, and +the St. Catharines Battery of Garrison Artillery, were quickly assembled +and placed on active service. One company of the 19th was detached +to guard the Suspension Bridge at Clifton, in conjunction with three +companies of the 44th Welland Battalion. The remainder of the 19th +Battalion were posted as follows:--Two companies (with regimental +staff) consisting of 12 officers and 87 men, at St. Catharines and Port +Dalhousie; one company (Capt. Upper) with three officers and 42 men at +Niagara; three officers and 42 men at Port Robinson, three officers and +42 men at Welland, and three officers and 42 men at Allanburg. + +The St. Catharines Troop of Cavalry (Capt. Gregory) was despatched to +Chippawa to patrol the River Road between that point and Fort Erie--one +officer and 13 troopers being stationed at Chippawa; one officer and +13 men at Black Creek, and one officer and 14 men at Fort Erie. This +command maintained a complete system of patrols along the upper Niagara +River. Two companies of the 44th Battalion were also stationed at +Chippawa to guard the bridges and approaches to that place. + +The St. Catharines Battery of Garrison Artillery (Capt. Thomas Oswald) +was attached to the 19th Battalion, a portion of the Battery, under +Lieut. J. G. Holmes, doing duty in guarding the locks on the Welland +Canal at Allanburg, and the remainder being placed on board the tug +"Clara Carter" with two field guns, which boat was employed to cruise +Lake Erie and the Niagara River. + +The Queenston Mounted Infantry, under command of Capt. Robert Currie, +maintained an efficient patrol of the lower Niagara frontier, with two +officers and 18 men at Niagara, and one officer and 18 men at Queenston. + +The 37th Haldimand Battalion was ordered to Port Colborne, and also the +Welland Canal, Field Battery, where they maintained a vigilant, guard +on the entrance to the Welland Canal, which was threatened by an Fenian +attack. + +The United States gunboat "Michigan" was at Port Colborne on the 24th, +and left on a cruise along the shores of Lake Erie with positive orders +from the American Government to sink any piratical craft that might +attempt to make a crossing. The Fenians assembled at Buffalo were +anxious to get over into Canada, but could not get any ship owners +willing to take the risk in face of such orders. + +With the Niagara frontier thus protected and the remainder of the Active +Militia in Toronto, Hamilton, Brantford and all other points in the +Second Military District under orders to be prepared to move whenever +their services might be required, the danger was averted, and the alarm +of the people of that section soon subsided. The total strength of the +force on active service on the Niagara frontier at that time (under +command of Lieut-Col. Durie, D.A.G.) amounted to 1,159, consisting of 93 +officers and 966 men, with 147 horses and four guns. + +To guard the St. Clair River frontier, a sufficient force was placed +on active service to keep in check any raiders that might attempt a +crossing from the State of Michigan, while all of the troops in the +First Military District were warned to be ready to move to the front +when summoned. The troops called out were posted as follows:-- + +_At Sarnia_--London Field Battery, with two guns, three officers, 30 +men and 25 horses, Lieut.-Col. Shanly commanding; Mooretown Mounted +Infantry, three officers, 39 men and 42 horses, Capt. Stewart +commanding; 27th Battalion of Infantry, 24 officers and 224 men, +Lieut.-Col. Davis commanding. + +_At Windsor_--St. Thomas Cavalry Troop (Capt. Borbridge), six officers, +42 men and 45 horses; Leamington Infantry Company (Capt. Wilkinson), +three officers and 45 men; Windsor Infantry Company (Capt. Richards), +three officers and 42 men; Bothwell Infantry Company (Capt. Chambers), +three officers and 40 men; Lobo Infantry Company (Capt. Stevenson), +three officers and 47 men. + +Ceaseless vigilance was in evidence everywhere among the volunteers who +guarded the points above mentioned, and the troops on duty were fully +prepared for any invading force that might set foot on our soil. But +fortunately the Province of Ontario was spared a repetition of the +events of 1866, although it was not the fault of the enemy, who made +strenuous efforts to get over the border. In 1870 President Grant took +prompt measures to prevent unlawful expeditions from leaving the United +States, and through the watchfulness of the American Government the +designs of the Fenian leaders were defeated. Generals O'Neil, Starr, +Gleason, O'Reilly, Donnelly and others had been promptly arrested by the +United States authorities, and the rank and file soon abandoned their +campaigns and returned to their homes. + + +PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. + +While perusing the fyles of the Toronto _Globe_ in the Public Reference +Library recently, my eye caught the following item in the issue of that +journal dated June 1st, 1870, which brought back to memory personal +reminiscences which may be of interest: + +"The St. Catharines Journal says that three young Canadians in Corry, +Pa., named respectively John A. and George Macdonald, of St. Catharines, +and Thomas Kennedy, of Niagara, hearing that the Fenians were on +Canadian soil, determined to be on hand in the hour of danger, and at +once took train for home, arriving at St. Catharines last Wednesday +night (May 25th). It is no small thing for a working man to throw up a +situation and sacrifice all for their love of country, and Canada should +be proud of such sons." + +At the time the Fenians were getting ready to make their second invasion +of Canada in 1870, the writer of this book was employed as a newspaper +reporter in a town in Pennsylvania where Fenianism was rampant, and +in the course of my daily duties had rare opportunities for gleaning +information as to the intentions of "the Brotherhood." I noticed that +preparations were being made with the utmost secrecy possible, and that +those who were engaged in organizing the movement were men of the most +determined and desperate character. I chanced to know some of them +personally, and by a careful process of reportorial "interviewing," +learned that a sudden dash on Canadian territory was to be made within +a few days. The chief desire of the leaders was to keep their intentions +from the knowledge of the United States authorities, and they were very +averse to giving the least publicity as to their movements. + +However, in a casual way I received information from a reliable source +that large numbers of men were on their way from the southern part +of Pennsylvania. Ohio. Indiana. Kentucky, Tennessee and other places, +travelling as ordinary passengers, and that they would rendezvous at +Erie. Dunkirk. Buffalo, Niagara Falls and other places along the +border, where they were to receive their equipment. This news I duly +communicated to my friends at home (St. Catharines) and gave them notice +that trouble was impending. + +The next day (25th of May) things were looking more serious. About 9 +o'clock in the morning I went down to the railway depot on my quest +for "news items." and found that two trains had just arrived--one from +Pittsburgh and the other from Central Ohio, on which were an unusually +large number of men, who were bound for Buffalo. They were swarming on +the station platforms and patronizing nearby saloons and restaurants +freely while waiting for train connections. I wanted more information, +and mingled with them with the intention of getting it. Most of them +were very reticent, but I finally found out, by judicious pumping of +a burly fellow from Pittsburgh, that they were Fenians on their way to +Canada. I instantly made up my mind that it was time for me to go home. +I had previously written to the Captain of my old corps (in which I +had served at Fort Erie in 1866) giving him "pointers" as to what the +Fenians were doing, and notifying him that I would be home to fill my +place in the ranks when occasion required. I considered that the time +had now arrived for prompt action on my part, and as the train was due +to leave within an hour, I hurried over to my employer and explained +matters, resigned my situation, got my salary, secured my valise (which +I had already packed), and was ready to leave in less than half an hour. +My brother (George M. Macdonald), who was also employed on the same +paper as myself, did likewise, and when we were leaving the office our +employer very cordially commended our action and bade us "God speed" on +our journey, at the same time handing us a roll of money "for present +use," as he expressed it, and adding that when the trouble was over +and we were ready to return, our situations would be open for us. Such +generous kindness, and the warm words of appreciation of our services +which accompanied the genial "good-by" of our employer, touched us both +deeply, and have remained in my memory ever since as one of the bright +spots in my life. On our way to the station we met another Canadian +(Thomas Kennedy), whose old home was at Niagara, where he belonged to +No. 1 Company of the 19th Battalion. He was greatly "worked up" when he +saw the Fenian contingent getting ready to start, and when we informed +him of our intentions, he resolutely remarked. "Boys, I'm going home, +too; and as I haven't got time to go down to my boarding-house for my +clothes, I'll go just as I am. We'll be in uniform in Canada to-morrow." +So he came with us. By this time the train was ready to leave, and we +managed to get a double seat in one end of the car. The coach we were in +was soon filled with Fenians, and the vacant seat beside me was taken +by a sturdy-looking fellow who confidentially told us that he was a +Sergeant in a company from Cincinnati, and that a large force of +"the byes" were proceeding to the frontier. From this soldier we got +considerable valuable information as to the strength and composition of +the troops on the train, and also those following, which was carefully +stored in our memories and afterwards duly reported to the Canadian +authorities. Two or three times this Sergeant inquired what company of +Fenians we belonged to, but we artfully managed to evade a direct answer +to his questions, and switched the conversation in another direction. +Had he realized or became aware of the fact that we were Canadians on +our way home to take up arms against him and his comrades, there is no +doubt but that we would have had a very unpleasant experience on that +car. Quite a number of the Fenians on board were under the influence of +liquor, and as they pushed around their bottles of whiskey several of +them forgot the lessons of caution that had been impressed upon them by +their officers, and became very talkative as to their organization +and intentions. Our ears were strained to catch every syllable, and we +gathered considerable desired information that otherwise would not have +leaked out. On arrival at Dunkirk our travelling companion (the Fenian +Sergeant) left the train with about twenty men, bidding us a friendly +farewell and saying that perhaps we might soon meet again, "in the camp +or in the field." We hoped the latter, but did not consider it necessary +to explain our thoughts. We were much pleased to lose this gentleman's +company, as he had again began to persistently ask us awkward questions +as to what Irish Republican Regiment we were in, and who were our +officers; also what Fenian "circle" we belonged to, and who was the +"Centre" of it. Such queries were so very pointed and direct that we +were obliged to use all sorts of evasions and diplomacy to throw our +interlocutor off his guard. Before we reached Buffalo another chap +approached us, and began asking a series of vexing questions, but +fortunately the conductor just then happened to come through the car, +and we disposed of the inquisitive Fenian by halting the train official +and asking him a lot of questions about railway connections for points +east, and other matters, of which we knew as much as he did. The Fenian +stood by for a while listening, until a comrade in the centre of the car +called him to partake of some liquid refreshments. He promptly responded +to the summons, and after a liberal libation from the neck of a bottle +he seemed to forget all about us, for which we were duly thankful. A few +moments afterward our Fenian friend broke forth into song in stentorian +tones, in which the rest of his comrades joined in the rendition of +"The Wearin' o' the Green." This diversion drew their attention from our +direction until the train finally rolled into the Exchange Street Depot +at Buffalo. We quietly slipped off the rear platform of the car, and +were obliged to elbow our way through a throng of Fenians who had +gathered to meet the new arrivals. On reaching the street we quickly +proceeded across to the Erie Street Station, where we caught the evening +train for Suspension Bridge. This train also was pretty well tilled with +Fenians, but we were not bothered by any of them on the way. Soon after +we crossed the Niagara River and were on Canadian soil. To express our +gratification and pleasure to be once more at home in our native land, +cannot be fully expressed in words, so I will leave the feeling to be +imagined by the reader. + +That night at 9 o'clock my brother and myself reported to Capt. Thomas +Oswald in the Drill Shed at St. Catharines. The old St. Catharines +Battery of Garrison Artillery was on parade, and when we made our +appearance we received such a hearty reception and ovation that the +ringing cheers of my old comrades and their spontaneous greetings still +haunt my memory. We were immediately ushered into the Armory by the +Quartermaster-Sergeant, who issued to us our uniforms and equipments, +and in half an hour we were again in the ranks, ready for service in +defence of Canada. + +Both my brother George and Comrade Tom Kennedy have long since passed +away to eternal rest, and as an affectionate tribute to their memory and +worth, and in remembrance of their loyal devotion to Queen and country. +I deem it fitting to here put on record this evidence of the high spirit +of patriotism which inspired these noble boys to respond to the call of +duty when dancer threatened their native land. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +FENIANS GATHER ON THE HUNTINGDON BORDER--SKIRMISH AT TROUT RIVER--THE +ENEMY ROUTED BY THE CANADIAN TROOPS. + +Simultaneous with Gen. O'Neil's raid into Canada at Eccles' Hill on May +25th, an invasion took place on the Huntingdon border, when a strong +force of Fenians under command of Generals Starr and Gleason advanced +about a mile and a half into the Province of Quebec, on the line of +the Trout River. On arrival at a chosen position which possessed +great advantages for a successful defence, they began throwing up +entrenchments, and prepared to make a determined stand. A whole day was +spent in the work of constructing rifle pits and breastworks, but being +no doubt discouraged by the news of O'Neil's defeat at Eccles' Hill, +they abandoned their position on the 26th and returned to their camp on +the American side of the line. While there they evidently received +some encouragement and reinforcements, as they returned to their +entrenchments in Canada early on the morning of Friday, the 27th of +May, and re-occupied their works, which they busily began to strengthen. +Their rifle pits were dug in front of some hop-fields, defended +by stockades, with a stout barricade across the road. The line of +entrenchments rested on the river on one side and a dense wood on +the other, while their centre was strongly protected by a forest of +hop-poles, through which their retreat, in case of necessity, would +be comparatively safe. The whole position was chosen with considerable +skill, and was so strong that 500 men could easily have held off several +thousands for a considerable length of time, had they been properly +directed. + +The Canadian force chosen to operate against this column of the enemy +was composed of H. M. 69th Regiment, the 50th Battalion (Huntingdon +Borderers), and the Montreal Garrison Artillery, the whole under command +of Col. Bagot. At 3 o'clock in the morning of the 27th, the Montreal +Garrison Artillery and the Huntingdon Borderers were ordered on the +march from Huntingdon Village, where they had arrived the previous +night. In less than two hours the whole force was on the move along the +road leading to Holbrook's Corners. At 8 o'clock the entire column had +reached Hendersonville, which is two miles from Holbrook's, and there +one company of the Montreal Garrison Artillery (under Capt. Rose) was +ordered to proceed along the concession road to the west in order to +flank the enemy, whose glittering bayonets were plainly visible in +the sunlight as they were drilling in a field about a mile and a half +distant. + +The advance guard of the Fenians were posted behind a very strong +entrenchment, with their right flank resting on the river and their left +covered by the woods. Their skirmishers were about 150 in number, and +their supports and reserves (amounting to about 300 or 400 more) were +stationed a short distance in the rear. + +The Huntingdon Borderers formed the Canadian advance guard, and as soon +as they had approached within about 300 yards of the Fenian position, +were deployed in skirmishing order, and advanced with great gallantry. +The centre support was composed of one company of the 69th Regiment, +under Capt. Mansfield and Lieut. Atcheson. The remainder of the 69th, +under Major Smythe, was drawn up in quarter distance column as a +reserve. One company of the Montreal Garrison Artillery (under Capt. +Doucet) marched across the bridge and along the road on the left, and +afterwards took part in the engagement with those who had been sent in +the opposite direction further back, to prevent a flanking movement from +either side. The remainder of the Artillery and Engineers, under Capt. +Hall, marched to the front as a reserve, but afterwards returned to +Holbrook Bridge, which it was feared the Fenians might attempt to +capture, and advance along the south side of the river. The skirmish +line advanced with great steadiness against the enemy behind the +entrenchments. The Fenians fired three volleys as they advanced, the +fire being promptly returned by our men as they gallantly moved forward. +When the Canadians came within 100 yards of the entrenchments, the +Fenians fell back through the hop-field, firing as they retreated, and +when they got beyond its protection, ran for the buildings further back, +where it was thought they would make a stand. Col. Bagot then ordered +Capt. Mansfield's company of the 69th to fix bayonets and charge, +which was done in grand style, amid loud cheering, and resulted in +the complete rout of the Fenians. Capt. Hall's Battery of the Montreal +Garrison Artillery, directed by Lieut. Fitzgeorge, cleared the wood on +the left in a very thorough manner, and soon the whole Fenian army were +in a helter-skelter race out of Canada and back to American territory. +When the Canadian troops reached the boundary Col. Bagot had great +difficulty in restraining them from crossing into the United States +after the fugitives, so eager were they to effect the capture of the +marauders. The Fenians were so swift in their retreat that only one +was captured, but three men were killed and several wounded during the +fight. No losses occurred among the Canadians. + +The Fenians were utterly dispirited and completely demoralized, and +when their commanders (Gen. Starr and Gen. Gleason) were arrested at +St. Albans by the United States authorities on the following day, they +abandoned all further thoughts of invading Canada, and left for their +homes thoroughly sick of their experience on their excursion to Trout +River. + +At Buffalo, Detroit, Ogdensburg, and other points where Fenians had +gathered for the purpose of invading Canada, the news of the fizzles at +Eccles' Hill and Trout River caused consternation and depression among +their ranks, and the fact that Gen. O'Neil and several others of their +military leaders were in jail on serious charges, served to put an end +to all thoughts of continuing the movement, and they hastily dispersed +and returned to their homes. + +Gen. O'Neil was brought to trial some time after by the United States +Government, on a charge of violation of the Neutrality Laws, and was +sentenced to six months' imprisonment. This was a hard blow to the +Fenian organization, and it gradually went to pieces. + +But the warlike spirit had not died out in O'Neil, and he began to plan +new ideas. His hatred of British institutions appears to have been so +deep-seated that he was willing to sacrifice not only his liberty, +but life itself, to undertake any scheme that had for its object their +overthrow, and it was not long before he was again implicated in a plot +against the Dominion of Canada. + +Shortly after his release from prison in 1870, he entered into a +conspiracy with emissaries of the rebel Louis Riel to assist in a great +uprising in the Canadian Northwest, in which the Indians and half-breeds +were to be utilized. O'Neil was ready for anything, and consented +to invoke Fenian aid in conjunction with Riel's rebellious plans, by +participating in an invasion of Manitoba. He managed to obtain a few +hundred stands of breech-loading rifles and a quantity of ammunition +that had escaped seizure by the United States authorities at the time of +the Fenian Raid of 1870, and with the assistance of Gen. J. J. Donnelly, +he fitted out an expedition on the Minnesota frontier. He started from +Port Pembina, Minn., on October 5th, 1871, to invade Manitoba and raise +his standard, but had barely crossed over the boundary line when he was +arrested, with his troops. All of their armament was seized and they +were marched back as prisoners to Pembina and handed over to the United +States authorities. They were indicted on charges of breach of the +Neutrality Laws, but at the trial were acquitted on some slight +technicality. + +This ended Gen. O'Neil's career as a filibuster, and becoming +disheartened and discouraged by his failures, he began drinking heavily, +and soon became a wreck, subsequently dying alone and miserable as the +result of his excesses, "unwept, unhonored and unsung." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE DAWN OF PEACE--THE VOLUNTEERS RELIEVED FROM FURTHER SERVICE--THANKED +BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE LIEUTENANT-GENERAL COMMANDING. + +The active militia of the Dominion which was called out for active +service remained on duty wherever posted until all signs of danger had +disappeared, and were then withdrawn by degrees, until on the 3rd of +June all were released from duty and directed to return to their homes. + +The Honorable Minister of Militia, in his report of the military +operations, paid the following tribute to the gallantry of the volunteer +militia force on this occasion:-- + +"Although the honor and satisfaction of repelling these lawless invaders +had fallen to the lot of a few gallant men of the active militia, the +desire evinced by the whole force called out to be afforded a similar +opportunity of inflicting well-merited punishment on those daring to +invade Canadian soil, was universally and ardently longed for; and, +doubtless, had any attempt been made in force by the enemy to penetrate +into the country, they would have met with heavier punishment than they +experienced in this futile attempt--all classes in the Dominion (both +French as well as English-speaking Canadians) having turned out manfully +in so good a cause; and when it is considered that a great majority of +the militia men called out are farmers, that the call made upon them was +in the midst of their sowing season, that at the first sound of danger +they gave up their work, abandoning their fields and their families, +risking, perhaps, the loss of a whole year's crop, and the manifest +distress which such would have entailed, it is not too much to say that +they have well-earned the gratitude and admiration of their Queen and +country for the self-sacrifice they exhibited, and the courage and +loyalty they displayed. + +"As an interesting proof of the loyalty and patriotism displayed by +Canadians who at this period (as in 1866) were resident in the United +States, many of them came home at the first note of alarm to take their +places in the ranks of the active militia force to assist in defence +of their country, for which they received the special thanks of the +Government." + +The Lieutenant-General in command of Her Majesty's troops in Canada, +who was in supreme control of the active militia force of Canada, also +recognized their faithful service by issuing the following order:-- + + +HEADQUARTERS, MONTREAL, 4th June, 1870. + +GENERAL ORDERS No. 1. + +Canada has once more been invaded by a body of Fenians, who are +citizens of the United States, and who have again taken advantage of the +institutions of that country to move without disguise large numbers of +men and warlike stores to the Missisquoi and Huntingdon frontiers, for +the purpose of levying war upon a peaceful community. + +From both these points the invading forces have been instantly driven +with loss and in confusion, throwing away their arms, ammunition and +clothing, and seeking shelter within the United States. Acting with a +scrupulous regard for the inviolability of a neighboring territory, +the troops were ordered to the halt, even though in pursuit, upon the +border. + +The result of the whole affair is mainly due to the promptitude with +which the militia responded to the call to arms, and to the rapidity +with which their movements to the front were carried out, and the +self-reliance and steadiness shown by this force, as well as by the +armed inhabitants on the frontier. The regular troops were kept in +support, except on the Huntingdon frontier, where one company took part +in the skirmish. + +The proclamation of the President, and the arrival of the Federal troops +at St. Albans and Malone, were too late to prevent the collection and +transport of warlike stores, or an inroad into Canada. + +The reproach of invaded British territory, and the dread of insult +and robbery, have thus been removed by a handful of Canadians, and the +Lieutenant-General does not doubt that such services will receive the +recognition of the Imperial Government. + +The Lieutenant-General congratulates the militia upon this exhibition of +their promptness, discipline and training, and in dismissing the men to +their homes, he bids them carry with them the assurance that their manly +spirit is a guarantee for the defence of Canada. + +By order, + +J. E. THACKWELL, D.A.G. + + +In consideration of their services at Eccles' Hill and on the Huntingdon +frontier. Her Majesty the Queen was graciously pleased to bestow the +Order of St. Michael and St. George (third class) upon the following +officers: Lieut.-Col. Osborne Smith, Commandant Military District No. 5; +Lieut.-Col. Fletcher. Brigade Major. Second Brigade. Military District +No. 5; Lieut.-Col. Brown Chamberlin, commanding 60th (Missisquoi) +Battalion, and Lieut.-Col. McEachern, commanding the 50th (Huntingdon) +Battalion. + + +MEDALS GRANTED BY THE QUEEN. + +In 1899 the services of the survivors of the Fenian Raids of 1866 and +1870, and the Red River Rebellion, were recognized by Her Majesty Queen +Victoria in the bestowal upon each of them of a General Service Medal, +for the loyalty and patriotism they displayed in assisting to defend +their country and flag in those times of danger. The medals are of the +standard pattern adopted by the British Government for military service. +Each medal bears the name and rank of the recipient stamped upon the +edge. A clasp bearing the words "Fenian Raid, 1866" (crossing a scarlet +and white ribbon) surmounts the medallion bearing the vignette of Queen +Victoria on one side, and on the obverse a design emblematic of the +Dominion of Canada. For those who served in 1870 the same medal was +granted, with lettering to correspond, while to the volunteers who were +on duty on both occasions, an extra clasp was issued, to denote service +in both 1866 and 1870. These medals are highly prized by the veterans of +the Fenian Raids, as they are commemorative of a time in the history of +Canada which they will never forget. + +It is possible that a large proportion of the recipients of the medals +are not aware of how and where the idea originated which finally +resulted in their obtaining these special marks of the Queen's favor. +Therefore it may be as well to present the facts here. On the occasion +of the celebration of the Queen's Jubilee in 1897, a large committee of +loyal citizens of Toronto was organized for the purpose of arranging +for a proper observance of the event, and among the members of that +committee were quite a number of military men. At one of the meetings, +held in the City Hall, Toronto, the following resolution was presented +and unanimously adopted:-- + +"Moved by Capt. S. Bruce Harman, seconded by Lieut. R. E. Kingsford, +That the following Committee be appointed to report the necessary steps +to obtain a Medal, or other suitable Decoration, to be awarded to the +Canadian Militia who took part in the campaigns of 1837, 1866 and 1870, +viz.: Lieut.-Col. G. D. Dawson, Lieut.-Col. Vance Graveley, Lieut.-Col. +Orlando Dunn, Major Frederick E. Dixon, Major R. Y. Ellis, Major +Fredrick Manley, Capt. S. Bruce Harman, Capt. Wm. Fahey and Lieut. R. E. +Kingsford." + +This committee went earnestly to work, and after deciding on the mode of +procedure, issued a large number of blank petitions, which were sent +out through the country. It is needless to say that these were very +numerously signed and returned to the committee, who forwarded their +petition in a handsomely bound volume to Her Majesty Queen Victoria +through the proper channels. The Dominion Government acquiesced in the +request, and the result was that the petition was granted, and the issue +of the medals authorized, the veterans of the Red River Rebellion also +being honored with the decoration. + + +GRANTS OF CROWN LANDS FROM THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. + +The Province of Ontario also generously recognized the service of those +who defended the Provincial domain by giving a grant of 160 acres of +Crown lands to each of the veterans of the Fenian Raids who were on +active service in Ontario during those periods. + + +RECOGNITION BY THE DOMINION OF CANADA. + +Up to the present date the Dominion Government has not moved in the +matter of recognizing the services of the Veterans of the Fenian +Raids. Deputations have waited upon the Premier and the Government, +and petitions have been presented asking for grants of land, but beyond +specious promises of "consideration of their requests" no progress has +been made in this respect. This is hardly fair or just to the men who +stood on the ramparts of the country with their rifles in hand in times +of peril and danger, and made it possible that the Dominion Government +should now have any land to bestow. Had it not been for the patriotism +of the "Men of '66" it is just a question whether the Dominion of +Canada as now constituted would be in existence to-day. Therefore these +surviving veterans deserve all the recognition that a grateful country +can give. We have millions of acres of vacant lands in our Northwest +which need development, and who is better fitted for settlers than the +resourceful Canadians themselves? We have sons and grandsons who have +the will, the knowledge, the mettle and the courage to break the prairie +sod and bring the virgin soil to successful fruition, and assist in +developing our country's resources. They will lie glad to do this, and +take particular pride in the patrimony of their military ancestors. Then +why not do justice to the Veterans of 1866 and 1870 by putting them on +the same footing as the Dominion Government accorded to the soldiers of +other campaigns? The volunteers who went to Manitoba on the Red River +expedition in 1870 received land grants of 160 acres each. Those who +served in the Northwest Rebellion in 1885 were given scrip to the same +value, while those who went out of Canada to serve in the South African +War were granted 320 acres of Crown lands each. That was quite proper, +but why should our paternal Government make any invidious distinctions? +Surely those who helped to make the Dominion, and bravely guarded her +shores in times of danger, are at least entitled to justice in the +matter of receiving due recognition for their services. Emigrants have +been assisted into Canada from all parts of Europe and given slices of +our public domain, while the bone and sinew of our own people have been +"passed by on the other side." This is not right--it is not patriotic, +neither is it good public policy. Let justice prevail in all things, and +our country will prosper and flourish. One by one the old Veterans of +1866 and 1870 are being finally "mustered out," and in a few years the +last of them will have "crossed the bar." While they are still living +the Government should bestow upon them that tardy recognition which they +have a right to expect, and it is to be hoped that in its wisdom and +sense of justice this act will not be long delayed. Let it never be said +of Canada that-- + + When war clouds break, and danger is nigh. + "God and the soldiers" is the people's cry. + But when war is o'er and all things righted. + God is forgot and the soldiers slighted. + +Not a single volunteer ever thought for one moment of a monetary or +other reward for his services when he shouldered his rifle and went +forth in defence of his country when the bugles sounded. All were moved +by a common patriotic impulse, and unselfishly and faithfully did their +duty. At that time the Government appreciated their service, and was +profuse in thanks, and there the national gratitude seems to have ended +so far as the Fenian Raid Veterans are concerned. But, perhaps, they may +yet be accorded fair play. Let us hope so, for the honor of our country. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE RED RIVER REBELLION--BRUTAL MURDER OF THOMAS SCOTT--ORGANIZATION OF +A MILITARY EXPEDITION TO QUELL RIEL'S REVOLT. + +Almost at the same moment that we had Fenian troubles at home, and +threatened invasions of our Quebec and Ontario frontiers, the standard +of revolt had been raised in Manitoba by the turbulent rebel Louis Riel +and his band of half-breeds. + +Arrangements had been completed between the Dominion Government and the +Imperial Government with the Hudson's Bay Company, whereby the rights of +the latter to lands in the Northwest Territories were to be transferred +to the Dominion, subject to certain reservations. It was made an express +agreement that the rights of the Indians and half-breeds in certain +territory were to be respected by the Dominion Government. The +arrangement was sanctioned by Parliament, and the sum of 300,000 pounds +sterling was appropriated for the purchase of the Hudson's Bay Company's +titles as specified. In the preceding year Lieut.-Colonel Dennis (of +Fort Erie fame) was sent to the Red River country by the Dominion +Government to institute a system of public surveys. When he appeared +among the half-breeds, and they learned his intention, they strenuously +objected, as they believed by the inauguration of a new system of +survey their titles to the lands which they held might be jeopardized. +Moreover, they thought that they should have been consulted when the +purchase and transfer of the territory was made. The French half-breeds +were especially fearful that the Dominion Government might dispute their +titles to the lands, and gave Colonel Dennis to understand that trouble +might result if he attempted to carry out his plans of survey. In the +meantime Hon. Wm. Macdougall had been appointed Lieutenant-Governor of +the Northwest Territory, and started west for the purpose of assuming +office. He had been warned by Col. Dennis of the unfriendly feeling +which prevailed among the half-breeds in respect to himself and the +Dominion Government, and on arriving at Pembina (Minnesota), he was +more forcibly notified of the disaffection which existed when he +was forbidden by them to cross the border into the territory. He was +determined to go ahead, however, and advanced about two miles over +the line with his party, when he received news from Col. Dennis that +rebellion was rife, and that the insurgents, under the leadership of +Louis Riel, were determined to prevent his further progress. Riel had +posted armed guards at various points along the trails leading from +Pembina to Fort Garry for the purpose of resisting the advance of +Lieutenant-Governor Macdougall, and as there was not a sufficient force +available to overcome the rebels, he was obliged to remain where he was. +Then Riel became emboldened, and seized Fort Garry, where he set up a +"Provisional Government," and organized a force to hold the territory. +During the fall and winter of 1869 and 1870 he held high revels at +Fort Garry, and amused himself by arresting and imprisoning all loyal +Canadians he could lay hands on. Several prominent citizens were +confined in the fort by Riel's order and subjected to insults and +indignities, while their worldly possessions were pillaged and +destroyed. Among those who especially fell under Riel's displeasure was +a loyal Canadian named Thomas Scott. He was a bold and fearless young +man, and his sturdy patriotism to his country and his determined manner +of expressing his views, angered Riel, who ordered him under arrest. He +was taken to Fort Garry and confined in a cell, but made his escape. +He was soon recaptured, and Riel at once convened a court-martial +and sentenced Scott to be shot at 10 o'clock the next morning. The +unfortunate prisoner was not allowed to make any defence. Riel's word +was law, and to gratify his angry passions he ordered the execution to +take place the following morning. Therefore on the 4th of March, 1870, +poor Scott was led outside of the walls of the fort by a party of six +rebels under command of Ambrose Lepine and brutally murdered. When the +news of this inhuman butchery reached Ontario the people of the Province +were filled with feelings of intense indignation, and the public and +press demanded the Government to take immediate action in organizing a +force to stamp out the rebellion and effect the arrest and punishment of +the perpetrators of the crime. + +The Government promptly heeded the appeals of the people, and on the +16th of April, 1870, an Order-in-Council was passed by the Cabinet +authorising the organization of a military contingent for service in the +new Province of Manitoba, the principal object being to quell the Riel +Rebellion, arrest the leaders, and establish law and order in that +territory. In accordance with this resolution two battalions of riflemen +were organized, which were designated as the First (Ontario) Battalion, +and the Second (Quebec) Battalion of Rifles. Each battalion consisted +of seven companies, with an establishment of three officers and 50 +non-commissioned officers and men to each company. The staff of each +battalion consisted of one Lieutenant-Colonel, one Major, one +Adjutant (with rank of Captain), one Paymaster, one Surgeon, one +Quartermaster-sergeant, one Hospital Sergeant, one Sergeant-Major, one +Armorer-Sergeant, and one Paymaster's Clerk, making the total strength +of each battalion 375 of all ranks. These battalions were composed +of volunteers from existing corps of the Active Militia in the seven +Military Districts of the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and the +terms of enlistment were for one year, or longer if their services were +required. The enrolling of the men to form these organizations commenced +on the 1st of May, and the ranks were quickly filled. The various +companies were concentrated at Toronto, where they were clothed and +equipped, and placed under the orders of Colonel Fielden, of Her +Majesty's 60th Royal Rifles. All of the field and line officers were +duly appointed, gazetted, and joined their respective corps in due time, +and in a few weeks the expeditionary force was in excellent condition +for active service. + +The following is a roster of the officers who were on active service, in +command of the volunteer corps named, on the Red River Expedition:-- + + + FIRST (ONTARIO) RIFLES. + + Lieut.-Col. Samuel P. Jarvis, commanding officer; Major + Griffiths Wainwright. + + Captains--Thomas Scott, Thomas Macklem, William M. + Herchmer, William Smith. Alex. R. Macdonald. Daniel H. + McMillan and Henry Cook. + + Lieutenants--Donald A. Macdonald, David M. Walker, + William N. Kennedy, Andrew McBride, William J. McMurty, + Samuel B. Harman and James Benson. + + Ensigns--A. J. Z. Peebles, Stewart Mulvey, Josiah J. + Bell, Samuel Hamilton, John Biggar, William H. Nash and + Hugh John Macdonald. + + Paymaster--Capt. J. F. B. Morrice. + + Adjutant--Capt. Win. J. B. Parsons. + + Quartermaster--Edward Armstrong. + + Surgeon--Alfred Codd, M.D. + + + SECOND (QUEBEC) RIFLES. + + Lieut.-Col. Louis Adolphe Casault, commanding officer; + Major Acheson G. Irvine. + + Captains--Z. C. A. L. de Bellefeuille, Allan Macdonald, + Jacques Labranche, Samuel Macdonald, Jean Baptiste Amyot, + John Fraser, Wm. J. Barrett. + + Lieutenants--J. W. Vaughan, John P. Fletcher, Edward T. + H. F. Patterson. Oscar Prevost. Maurice E. B. Duchesnay, + Henri Bouthillier, Leonidas de Salaberry. + + Ensigns--Ed. S. Bernard, John Allan, George Simard, + Gabriel L. Des Georges, Alphonse de M. H. D'Eschambault, + William W. Ross, Alphonse Tetu. + + Paymaster--Lieut. Thos. Howard. + + Adjutant--Capt. F. D. Gagnier. + + Quartermaster--F. Villiers. + + The following officers were appointed to positions on + the Brigade Staff in connection with the expedition:-- + + Assistant Brigade Major--Major James F. McLeod. + + Assistant Control Officer--Capt. A. Peebles. + + Orderly Officer on Staff of Commanding Officer--Lieut. + Frederick C. Denison. + +The total strength of the expeditionary force amounted to about 1,200, +which was composed of about 350 officers and men of H. M. 60th Royal +Rifles, detachments of Royal Artillery and Engineers, the First and +Second Rifles above mentioned, and a contingent of Canadian voyageurs. + +The whole expedition was in command of that gallant soldier Colonel +Garnet S. Wolseley (who afterwards won honor and fame in foreign +campaigns, and became a Field Marshal of the British Army). The troops +left Toronto in May on their long trip to Fort Carry, going by steamboat +to Prince Arthur's Landing (now Port Arthur), from which point they took +the old "Dawson route" to their destination. It was a most difficult +undertaking, but the undaunted courage of the officers and men and their +determination to overcome all obstacles triumphed, as they forced their +way through rivers, lakes, swamps, muskegs and forest until they reached +the prairie land of Manitoba. They were about three months on the way, +arriving at Port Garry on the 24th of August. During this time it became +necessary for the men to cut trails through brake and bramble, construct +corduroy roads, build boats, ascend dangerous rapids, portage stores +and supplies over almost insurmountable places, meanwhile fighting +mosquitoes and black flies, and encountering countless dangers, all of +which they cheerfully performed with their characteristic bravery until +the whole expedition was successfully landed on Manitoba soil without +serious mishap. + +Their approach to Fort Garry was made so quietly and quickly that Riel +and his followers had barely time to get out of the fort and scatter +in all directions before the troops arrived, and therefore they did not +have an opportunity of using force to quell the rebellion. Unfortunately +Riel and his lieutenants succeeded in making their escape. Fort Garry +was at once occupied by the column and the Union Jack hoisted on the +flag-staff, amid ringing cheers for the Queen, while the artillery fired +a royal salute. + +The arrival of Col. Wolseley's troops was hailed with delight by the +loyal residents of what is now the flourishing city of Winnipeg, as they +had suffered severe persecutions by the rebels during the period that +Riel and his lieutenant Ambrose Lepine held sway in their career of +rebellion. Lawful authority was quickly established, and all fragments +of the revolt being stamped out by Col. Wolseley, the loyal citizens +took up the work of temporary organization of the necessary civil +institutions for the proper government of the Province, pending +the arrival of Hon. Mr. Archibald, who had been appointed +Lieutenant-Governor of the new domain. In this work Mr. Donald A. +Smith (now Lord Strathcona) proved a tower of strength, and with +the assistance of Dr. John Schultz and other loyal residents of the +Province, matters were soon shaped into a state of peace, progress and +prosperity. + +Lieutenant-Governor Archibald arrived at Fort Garry on Sept. 2nd, and +a few days later assumed the duties of his office. When it became +absolutely certain that all of the embers of the rebellion had been +extinguished, Colonel Wolseley returned to the east with the regular +troops, leaving the Canadian volunteers still on duty in Manitoba. They +remained at Fort Garry until the following spring, when their services +being no longer required they were ordered home for "muster out." + +That the Canadian volunteers and voyageurs acquitted themselves +creditably on the occasion of the Red River Rebellion is a matter of +history, and that their services were highly appreciated by Colonel +Wolseley is evidenced by the fact that when he was put in command of the +British troops operating in the Egyptian campaign, and desired a method +of transporting his troops and stores up the River Nile, he remembered +his Red River experience, and promptly asked for a contingent of +Canadian voyageurs to handle his system of transport by the great +water route, and got them. That they did their duty in the Land of the +Pharoahs as thoroughly as they did on previous occasions at home, will +always stand to their credit in the annals of the British Army. + + + + +APPENDIX + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE BOOKER INVESTIGATION--RESULT OF THE FINDING OF THE COURT OF INQUIRY +REGARDING THE CAUSE OP THE RETREAT AT RIDGEWAY. + +The following is a report of the proceedings of the Court of Inquiry +held at Hamilton on Tuesday, July 3rd, 1866, by order of His Excellency +the Commander-in-Chief, on the application of Lieut.-Col. Booker, to +examine and report on the circumstances connected with the engagement at +Lime Ridge (or Ridgeway) on June 2nd: + +The following officers composed the Court: President, Col. George T. +Denison, Commandant Volunteer Militia, Toronto; members--Lieut.-Col. +James Shanly, London; Lieut.-Col. G. K. Chisholm, Commanding Oakville +Rifle Company, Oakville. + +The letter of instructions from Col. P. L. Macdougall, the +Adjutant-General of Militia, for the guidance of the Court, addressed +to Col. Denison (the President), and also the letter from Lieut.-Col. +Durie, by the authority of the Adjutant-General, on the same subject +(also addressed to the President) were both read and duly considered by +the Court previous to their entering upon the subject of inquiry. + +Lieut.-Col. Booker having previously received due notice of the sitting +of the Court and of the object of the inquiry, was permitted to be +present, and he desired liberty of the Court to put in a written +narrative of events as they occurred from the time he left Hamilton +until he returned from Lime Ridge to Port Colborne. + +The orders for the assembling of the Court were then produced and read, +as follows:-- + + +GOVERNMENT ORDERS. + +On application of Lieut.-Col. Booker, the Commander-in-Chief directs the +assembly of a Court of Inquiry at Hamilton, on Tuesday, the 3rd of July, +1866, to examine witnesses and report on the circumstances connected +with the late engagement at Lime Ridge. President, Col. G. T. Denison; +members, Lieut.-Col. James Shanly, and Lieut.-Col. G. K. Chisholm. + + (Signed) P. L. MACDOUGALL, + Colonel, A.G.M. + WM. L. DURIE, + Lieut.-Col., A.A.G.M. + + OTTAWA, 24th June, 1866. + [A true copy]. + + +TORONTO, 2nd July, 1866. + +Sir,--In reply to your inquiries on Saturday last, I am directed to +inform you that "the Court of Inquiry is to be closed," and that Col. +Booker can produce any evidence he thinks proper. If the Court requires +further evidence it may produce witnesses. + + I beg to remain, + Yours truly, + WM. L. DURIE, + Lieut.-Col., D.A.G.M. + +COL. DENISON, President Court of Inquiry. + + +OTTAWA, June 23rd, 1866. + +Sir,--I have the honor to instruct you that the Court of Inquiry +of which you are named President, is ordered on the application of +Lieut.-Col. Booker, in order to give that officer the opportunity of +disproving the unfavorable imputations which have been cast upon him in +the public prints. You will therefore be pleased to take all evidence +which may be produced before the Court by Lieut.-Col. Booker, and you +will also endeavor to procure all other evidence which may tend to +elucidate the truth. + +The opinion of the Court of Inquiry must, of course, be based on +and sustained by such evidence only as is embodied in the written +proceedings. I have the honor to be, sir, + + Your very obedient servant, + P. L. MACDOUGALL, + Colonel, A.G.M. + + COL. G. T. DENISON, President Court of Inquiry, Toronto. + + +The Court then considered the application of Lieut.-Col. Booker to put +in his narrative, and after due deliberation came to the conclusion that +they should comply with his request, and accordingly gave him permission +to put in his written statement. + +Lieut.-Col. Booker then read and afterwards handed in to the Court the +following statement of his connection with the operations of the troops +under his command in the engagement at Lime Ridge: + + +NARRATIVE. + +On the morning of the 1st of June, 1866, at the hour of 5.30, I received +the following telegraphic message from Lieut.-Col. Durie, A.A.G.M.: + + +TORONTO, June 1st, 1866. + +_To Lieut.-Col. Booker, Commandant:_ + +Call out your regiment for active service at once, and proceed by +special train to Dunnville via Paris immediately. Complete your men to +sixty rounds per man. Take spare ammunition with you. Ascertain enemy's +position as you progress, who are reported to have landed at Fort Erie. +In proceeding to Dunnville stop at Caledonia Station and take command of +two volunteer companies (Caledonia and York) in readiness there. Better +take cars with you for their transport. + +If Port Colborne is occupied by the enemy, secure yourself at Dunnville +and report to me. + + By Order, + (Signed) Wm. L. DURIE, + Lieut.-Col., A.A.G.M. + + +And I proceeded to warn the Thirteenth Battalion, under my command, +for immediate active service. The members mustered rapidly at the +rendezvous, but as many came without overcoats or breakfasts, I caused +them to return home for breakfast and report again within the hour, +instructing them to bring their overcoats, and those who had them, their +haversacks with food. I cautioned them that I could not tell when nor +where they would have the next opportunity for a meal. + +At about 7 a.m. the Commandant (Col. Peacocke) informed me that he also +was under orders to leave. Shortly afterwards the manager of the Great +Western Railway notified me that the cars were ready for transport. + +The 13th Battalion, say 265 of all ranks, embarked at 9.30 a.m., and +proceeded by way of Paris to Dunnville, taking up the York and Caledonia +Companies (Captains Davis and Jackson), who reported 95 of all ranks. + +On arrival at Dunnville, where we expected to remain during the night, +we were met by the Reeve of the town, who provided the men with billets, +and I reported our arrival to Col. Peacocke by telegraph. We were at +dinner when I received the following telegram: + + +BY TELEGRAPH FROM CLIFTON, June 1st. + +_To Commander Hamilton Volunteers, Dunnville:_ + +Go on to Port Colborne at once. + +(Signed) G. PEACOCKE. + + +A few minutes sufficed to see all on the cars (which had been retained +at Dunnville for orders) en route for our destination, which we reached +at about 11 o'clock p.m. We found the Queen's Own of Toronto had +preceded us during the afternoon (say 480 of all ranks). The Queen's +Own had secured all the billets, and the command with me endeavored to +settle themselves as best they could in the cars for the night. + +During the night, at my request, Major Skinner endeavored to secure a +bread ration for the men: Some biscuits and bread were obtained, and +that officer reported to me that the baker would prepare a batch of +bread to be ready at 3 a.m. of the 2nd June. + +I may now mention that, being the senior officer present, the entire +command of the force at Port Colborne devolved on me. About midnight I +received the following despatch by telegraph: + + +By TELEGRAPH PROM CHIPPAWA, 2nd June, 1866. + +_To Officer Commanding at Port Colborne:_ + +I have sent Captain Akers to communicate with you. He will be with you +at about half-past one. Send back the Great Western cars, if, after +seeing Captain Akers, you think they are not wanted. If you get the +ferry boat, send a detachment to patrol the river. + +(Signed) G. PEACOCKE, Colonel. + + +Capt. Akers arrived punctually. On his arrival it appeared that +Lieut.-Col. Dennis and myself were in possession of later and more +reliable information of the position of the enemy than Colonel Peacocke +seemed to have had when Captain Akers had left him at midnight. It then +seemed necessary to inquire whether the original plan for a junction at +Stevensville, to attack the enemy, supposed to be encamped near Black +Creek, should be adhered to, when it appeared they were encamped much +higher up the river, and nearer to Fort Erie. + +It was therefore proposed that the tug boat "W. T. Robb," whose Captain +had expressed a desire to be of service, should patrol the shore of +the lake as far as Fort Erie, and endeavor to communicate with Col. +Peacocke's command. It was at the same time suggested that I should +take my command down by rail to the railroad buildings at Fort Erie, +and occupy and hold them until 7 a.m. If not communicated with before +7 a.m., to proceed to Frenchman's Creek, on the north side of which, it +had been reported to me by an officer of Her Majesty's Customs at Fort +Erie, that the Fenians were encamped not more than 450 strong; that they +had during the day stolen 45 or 50 horses, and were drinking freely. + +It was also suggested that in the event of my not being communicated +with before 7 a.m. (and then being at Fort Erie), I should proceed to +Frenchman's Creek and attack the enemy, if still there. This command, +however, was to depend upon the approval of Colonel Peacocke. + +In the meantime, and before I had received the telegram (No. 4) +Lieut.-Col. Dennis and Captain Akers had left in the tug (in company +with the Welland Field Battery, armed with short Enfields, under the +command of Captain King) for Fort Erie, Captain Akers, at the last +moment, leaving the final arrangement with me, which I took down as +follows: + +"_Memo_.--Move at not later than 5.30; 5 o'clock if bread be ready. Move +to depot at Fort Erie and wait till 7. If not communicated with before +7, move to Frenchman's Creek. If 'No' by telegraph, disembark at +Ridgeway and move to Stevensville at 9 to 9.30 a.m. Send pilot engine to +communicate with Lieut.-Col. Dennis at Erie and with telegrams." + +Soon after their departure I received Col. Peacocke's telegraph, as +follows: + + +BY TELEGRAPH FROM CHIPPAWA, June 2nd, 3.50 a.m. + +_To Commanding Officer, Port Colborne:_ + +Have received your message of 3 a.m. I do not approve of it. Follow +original plan. Acknowledge receipt of this. + +(Signed) G. PEACOCKE. + + +This negatived our proposed change of plan, and left me to follow the +instructions which I had received from Colonel Peacocke through Captain +Akers, namely: + +"Move at not later than 5.30; 5 o'clock if bread be ready. * * * +Disembark at Ridgeway and march to Stevensville at 9 to 9.30 a.m." + +The bread ration having been secured, the train left Port Colborne +soon after 5 a.m. en route for Stevensville. The only horse on the cars +belonged to Major Skinner, 13th Battalion, who had kindly offered him +for my service. I expressed a desire that the field officers of the +Queen's Own would take their horses, but was met by the reply that they +would be of no use in the woods where we should likely be, and that it +was thought best not to take them. + +I sent a pilot engine in advance of the train some ten or fifteen +minutes, and instructed its driver, if possible, to communicate with +Fort Erie. The train with the volunteers proceeded very slowly and +cautiously, and arrived at Ridgeway without a sign of obstruction, after +more than an hour from its departure from Port Colborne. At Ridgeway we +formed battalions in column of companies, right in front. + +Means of conveyance for my stores not being at hand. I thought best to +distribute as much spare ammunition amongst the men as possible, and +requested those who could do so to carry an extra ten rounds in their +pockets. At this time it was reported to me that the Caledonia Rifle +Company had no percussion caps, and but few rounds of cartridge. +I supplied them from the spare ammunition of the 13th Battalion. I +endeavored to procure a horse or team for my medical officers' stores, +but without success, and failing means of transport, I returned tents +and blankets to Port Colborne, relieving the cars from further waiting +at Ridgeway. + +After a little delay I requested Major Gillmor (as the Queen's Own was +the senior battalion) to take the lead of the column, and as one of his +companies was armed with the Spencer repeating rifle, that it should +form the advance guard. + +When the battalions were proved, and before forming the advance guard. +I gave the order to the column, "With ball cartridge--load." I made +inquiries from the inhabitants as to their knowledge of the whereabouts +of the enemy. The reports were contradictory and evidently unreliable. +To take proper precaution and keep my appointment at Stevensville was my +obvious duty. + +The column of route was formed as follows: Advance guard of Queen's +Own; remainder of the battalion, Major Gillmor commanding; York Rifles. +Captain Davis; the 13th Battalion, Major Skinner in command; the +Caledonia Rifles (Captain Jackson), forming the rear guard. On the +advance I was in the centre of the column, looking out for signs of +the enemy. After proceeding about two miles the advance guard signalled +indications of men moving in our front. The column (say 840 of all +ranks) was hereupon halted on the road. I gave the horse on which I rode +to the Orderly, in order that I might carefully examine with my field +glass the country over which we were advancing. Soon after I observed +loose horses moving about in the woods to our left front, but saw no +men. + +Before ordering the advance, flanking parties were thrown out to scour +the woods, right and left. This duty was performed by companies of the +Queen's Own. Proceeding in this order for some distance, a volley was +fired upon our advancing men from behind the zig-zag fences in the open. +Our volunteers accepted the challenge. The affair had commenced. + +The Queen's Own, as skirmishers and supports, slowly advanced, pushing +back the enemy. We were gradually changing our front to the right, when +Major Gillmor wished me to relieve the Queen's Own and send out the +reserves, as his men were falling short of ammunition, and that one +company (No. 5) had none for their Spencer rifles. I at once directed +the right wing of the reserve to deploy on the rear company to the right +and to extend. Major Skinner commanded the 13th Battalion, and acted +throughout out very gallantly. The movement was admirably executed. The +York Rifles were on the left and No. 1 Company of the 13th Battalion on +the right of the line. A hearty cheer was given by the Queen's Own when +they saw the 13th advancing, who, with the company named, relieved +the Queen's Own, supported by the left wing of the reserve, which was +composed of the 13th Battalion. The Queen's Own then became the reserve. +The 13th and York Rifles in advance, driving the enemy before them +to the woods, cheered heartily and were answered by the yells of the +Fenians. I felt anxious about our right flank, as with my glass I +noticed the enemy throwing back his right into the woods. I requested +Major Gillmor, who was in command of the reserve, to keep a sharp +look-out for the cross roads on which the reserve rested, and to send +two companies from the reserve to occupy and hold the woods on the hill +to our right. He sent the Highland Company of the Queen's Own to perform +that duty. + +At this time (nearly 9.30 a.m.) two telegrams were brought to me by a +gentleman from Port Colborne, one informing me that the column under +Col. Peacocke could not move until 7 o'clock, and the other in the +following words: + +CHIPPAWA, June 2, 5.30 a.m. + +_To the Officer Commanding, Port Colborne:_ + +Be cautious in feeling your way, for fear obstacles should prevent a +junction. If possible open communication with me, and I will do the +same. + +(Signed) G. PEACOCKE. + + +At this unexpected information I was much disappointed. Major Gillmor +was then with me, and I showed it to him. I at once realized that the +force which I had expected about this hour at Stevensville could not +now render me assistance, and turning to Detective Armstrong (who +had accompanied us from Hamilton and obtained a horse at Ridgeway), I +desired him to convey to Col. Peacocke a message I wrote on the telegram +I had just received, to the effect that the enemy had attacked us in +force at 7.30, three miles south of Stevensville. + +Immediately afterwards Major Gillmor reported that the Highland Company +had been compelled to leave the woods on our right, as they had found +the woods occupied by Fenians. Almost simultaneously cries of "Cavalry" +and "Look out for cavalry" came down the road. I then observed men +doubling down the hill. In the next few moments events succeeded each +other very rapidly. As the cry came down the road, directions were given +the reserves on the road to "Form square." At this crisis the fire of +the enemy came heavily to our right flank, as well as into the front +and rear of our force in advance. I saw nothing to justify the first +impression that we were to be attacked by cavalry. I gave the word to +"Re-form column," with the view of deploying, when to my surprise I +found the rear of the reserve which had formed part of the square had +dissipated, and moving down the road. Major Gillmor came and reported to +me that the enemy was bringing up his reserves. I asked him how he knew. +He replied that he saw them himself. I then inquired, "In what shape?" +when he replied, "In column--in mass of column." I then ordered to +retire. But the confusion had become a panic. The Thirteenth did all +that men could do under the circumstances, and were the last in the +retreat, which became general. + +Many men were trodden down. I endeavored to rally the retreating mass, +and gave orders to hold the woods on either side, and some little +distance down the road was assisted by Surgeon Ryall (of the Thirteenth) +and several men, but all of no avail. Bugler Clarke (of the Queen's Own) +sounded "the halt" at my request several times. The horse was brought +to me and I mounted and rode amongst the men. I entreated them to +rally, and implored them to halt, but without effect. If I could form at +Ridgeway I might refrain order. I there found Lieutenant Arthurs, of the +Queen's Own, and other officers, attempting to rally and form companies. +I called for "coverers" for the men to form. I was answered that the men +could not find their officers. I then ordered the men to fall in so as +to show a good front. The attempt was made, but without success, and +I ordered the retreat upon Port Colborne, towards which place many had +previously turned their steps. I requested a gentleman from Toronto +(Mr. George Arthurs), who was present at Ridgeway, and mounted, to ride +forward to Port Colborne and report that we were retiring, and to send +help down the road for the stragglers. I saw that the colors of the +Thirteenth were safe, and I moved off with the column. A short distance +from Ridgeway I dismounted and walked with a member of the Queen's Own +who was wounded, and kept the road afterwards for some time with him. +A volunteer rode the horse into Port Colborne, where we arrived, much +fatigued and distressed, at about 3 p.m. Nearly two miles from Port +Colborne I was, with others, taken up by the second train which came +down the road to meet us. The train took up several officers of the 13th +and the Queen's Own. + +At Port Colborne, through the kindness of Mr. Pring, the Collector of +Customs, I was provided with the requisites for writing my despatches +to the Major-General Commanding and to Colonel Peacocke. The drafts were +perused by Major Gillmor; and one despatch was copied by Major Cattley +of the Thirteenth and the other by a non-commissioned officer of the +Queen's Own. + +Shortly after returning to Port Colborne I received advice of ten +companies of volunteers from Paris. Others arrived during the +evening. Among the latter were the Home Guard of St. Catharines, under +Lieut.-Col. McGiverin. I beg leave especially to thank that officer for +the assistance he afforded, and for very generously dividing with my +command the provisions lie had brought from St. Catharines with him for +his own men. + +Prisoners were being brought in in numbers, and every question was +referred to me personally. I had no Major of Brigade, no aide, no staff, +not even an office clerk of whose services I could at the moment +avail myself, while farmers as scouts were coming in with their varied +reports. I felt it due to the large force of volunteers under my +command to request the Major-General Commanding to relieve me and send +a professional soldier (one from whom I might take my orders) to assume +the command. + +When at Port Colborne I reported that the Thirteenth and Queen's Own +were alike tired and hungry, and that if it were possible they should +have a day's rest, and that those volunteers who had arrived during the +day of the 2nd of June at Port Colborne should be sent forward first. + +I pointed out that uncooked rations, which it was intended to serve out +to the Queen's Own and the Thirteenth, would not benefit them, as they +were without the necessary appliances to cook and make use of them. But +it was not by my wish that the Thirteenth were detained at Port Colborne +on the morning of the 3rd June, while the Queen's Own were ordered to +march on to Fort Erie. I was anxious that both should be thoroughly +refreshed, and I felt regret that the companions of the day previous +should be separated, as they were equally able to proceed. + +Then, either from misunderstanding, or perhaps that I was not +sufficiently explicit, I found that I had been relieved from the command +of my own battalion, and not of the general command only, as I had +expected. I immediately communicated with Majors Skinner and Cattley +that I had been relieved. + +The history of my connection with the campaign, which resulted in +the expulsion of the Fenians from the Niagara District, has now been +detailed, from the moment I received orders until I was relieved from +command. I submit to those to whom the inquiry of my conduct on the +occasion may be entrusted, that the state of affairs which existed at +Port Colborne on my arrival at 11 o'clock p.m. on Friday. 1st of June, +will be better understood if the communications which previously passed +between Colonel Peacocke and the officer commanding at Port Colborne +were obtained. I have reason to believe that they will bear materially +in explaining the plans proposed and under consideration before Captain +Akers' arrival, and the propriety of the modification which, if Colonel +Peacocke's approval were obtained, was to have been pursued. + +I further submit the official despatches connected with the affair at +Lime Ridge, published by authority in the _Canada Gazette_ of Saturday, +23rd June, 1866. Upon two points I expect inquiry will be directed, +namely, to the capacity and care shown by me for the command entrusted +to me, and my personal conduct on the field. On this latter point I ask +for the evidence of those who are present. + +That every precaution and every consideration for the comfort and +advantage of my battalion which the circumstances did permit, I +confidently assert were taken. + +The volunteer force from Hamilton answered to the call for service with +alacrity. The entire force which I had the honor to command was +animated with the highest feelings of patriotism and zeal. All personal +considerations gave way, all hardships were borne cheerfully and without +a murmur. We had but one wish--to meet the enemy; and but one hope, to +aid in his discomfiture; and if under the trying circumstances in which +we were placed the result was not so triumphant as the devotion and +heroism of the volunteers deserved, I trust that as their conduct cannot +be impugned, the Court of Inquiry will, on appreciation of the facts, +exonerate their commanding officer from the complete want of success of +an attack which undoubtedly caused the enemy to abandon their plans of +invasion and commence their retreat. + +A. BOOKER, + +Lieut.-Colonel. + + +The Court then proceeded to the examination of witnesses. + +The first witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Major Chas. T. +Gillmor, commanding the Second Battalion, or Queen's Own Rifles. + + +MAJOR GILLMOR'S EVIDENCE. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--When I relieved the Queen's Own +and advanced the Thirteenth, did you report to me that your men were +becoming short of ammunition? + +Major Gillmor--On some one occasion I mentioned that one or two +companies stated to me that they were short of ammunition. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--When the Thirteenth were in action, +did you send out the Highland Company, at my request, to hold the woods +to our right, and the road, from the reserve? + +Answer--I did send out the Highland Company with orders as described, +but I cannot say if it was before or after the Thirteenth went out. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--What did they report on their return? + +Answer--I don't recollect their return. I believe them to be the last to +leave the field. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you hear the cry of "Cavalry"? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you see the Fenian reserves +advancing after the cry of "Cavalry'"? + +Answer--No. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you see that we were outflanked to +the right? + +Answer--No, I believe it was the reserve. I could not see the extreme +right. + +Question from the Court--On what do you ground your belief that they +were not outflanked on the right? + +Answer--Principally on the statements of the officers and men who were +out skirmishing on the right. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you notice men coming down +the hill to our front at a double, in front of the reserves, crying +"Cavalry"? + +Answer--No. + +Question from the Court--When three companies of the Thirteenth were +sent out to relieve the Queen's Own, had the movement been executed +before the retreat was sounded? + +Answer--No, so far as my knowledge extends. Both lines of skirmishers, +Rifles and Thirteenth, came in together. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Was the endeavor made to bring the men +out of square into column? + +Answer--Yes. They did re-form column. + +Question--Was the rear of the column or square now in retreat? + +Answer--No. Not at that time. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Do you consider there was a panic when +the retreat commenced? + +Answer--I think the retreat was caused by a panic. After the column +was re-formed I ordered the two leading companies again to extend and +skirmish. They did so. I ordered the rest of the column, which at that +time was composed of Queen's Own and Thirteenth mixed together, to +retire, as they were exposed to a heavy fire on the front and right from +the enemy's front and left. This order was being obeyed by the men with +reasonable steadiness, when as I was standing in rear of the retiring +column, I heard them cheer loudly and call out "reinforcements." I +then saw some men in red, whom I believe were the left wing of the +Thirteenth, and whom these men, I suppose, took to be reinforcements. +When these men in red heard the cheer they broke and retired. Then the +whole column became disorganized. This was about 9 o'clock a.m. The +first shot was fired about half-past seven a.m. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you believe, when you saw my +despatches to Col. Peacocke and Gen. Napier, that they were correct, and +did you concur in the correctness of them when you were with me in the +customs office at Port Colborne? + +Answer--Yes, the general tenor of the report was correct, and I assented +to it. + +Question from the Court--Is there anything in Lieut.-Col. Booker's +report, just read to you, that places the Thirteenth Battalion in a +false position? + +Answer--No. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Do you think the men could have been +rallied after they had commenced the retreat? + +Answer--The whole force could not have been, but I could have rallied +two or three hundred men around me at any time during the retreat, had +I been disposed to do so. Officers of both the Queen's Own and the +Thirteenth were frantically exerting themselves to rally their men, but, +knowing that I could not be relieved by Col. Peacocke, and fearing that +the enemy might pass to our rear, I thought it wiser to conduct the +retreat in as orderly a manner as I could. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Were you satisfied with my conduct on +the field? + +Answer--Col. Booker asked me the same question in Port Colborne, and I +now give him the same answer that I did then, which was, that I could +see nothing in his conduct to disapprove of, except with regard to the +formation of the squares, which I thought at that time was a mistake, +and I think so still. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--As you were not mounted, would you +explain the reason why you did not take your horse with, you when you +left Port Colborne? + +Answer--I had my horse at the station at Port Colborne, when Mr. +Magrath, the manager, told me that I could not get him off the cars at +Ridgeway without breaking his legs, there being no platforms. + + +EVIDENCE OF CHARLES CLARKE. + +The second witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Charles Clarke, a +Government detective officer, by commission from Mr. G. McMicken, the +stipendiary Magistrate at Windsor. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Were you with the volunteers in the +affair at Lime Ridge on the 2nd June? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you see the square disperse? + +Answer--Yes. I was with the reserve in the ranks when the square was +formed. A number of men, as they were coming in as the reserve, cried +out, "Prepare to receive cavalry!" I should say it came from as many as +fifty men. I saw the column re-formed. At this time a body of red-coats +were coming around a curve in the road about two hundred yards in rear +of the square. The Queen's Own and those of the Thirteenth began to +cheer, supposing them to belong to the 47th Regiment coming to their +relief. As soon as we ascertained that they were not the 47th, we +supposed that they were two companies of the Thirteenth who had +been driven in by main force, and the result was that we became +panic-stricken, and we all broke. I saw several officers belonging to +the Queen's Own and the Thirteenth attempting to rally the men. I saw +Lieut.-Col. Booker attempting to rally the men, telling them to get into +the bush on each side of the road, about four or six hundred yards from +where they commenced to retreat. He got the bugler to sound the "halt" +several times, and I heard the bugler say he was tired sounding the +"halt." The men continued to retreat, except sixteen or seventeen of +us, who got over the fence into the bush on our left, but had to leave +because the main body continued their retreat towards Ridgeway. At +Ridgeway I saw Lieut.-Col. Booker with four officers of the Thirteenth +and one of the Queen's Own, each with a revolver in his hand, and +Lieut.-Col. Booker had his sword, threatening to shoot the men if they +did not stop. They broke through the line of these officers. + +Question from the Court--When Lieut.-Col. Booker ordered the battalions +that were retreating to get into the woods on each side of the road, +what was your impression of his object? + +Answer--He wanted to make a stand by getting-into the bush to repulse +the Fenians, and it was a splendid opportunity, from the country being +so open in front of the bush. I served nearly six years in India in the +40th Regiment, and during the affair in Candahar. + +Question from the Court--Did you see Lieut.-Col. Booker on the field +before and during the retreat? + +Answer--Yes, several times. + +Question from the Court--Did you observe anything in his conduct which +appeared to you like shirking his duties? + +Answer--No. On the contrary, I saw him urging on a company of the +Thirteenth, which appeared to be dilatory. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Do you recollect the fact of our force +being outflanked to our right? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Was the firing from the Fenians more +rapid than from our men? + +Answer--Yes, much more so. Part of the time it was like file firing. I +am since aware that they used both the Sharpe and Spencer rifles. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you receive a letter from Major +Gillmor and other officers of the Queen's Own, complimenting you for +your coolness and conduct at Lime Ridge? + +Answer--I did. + + +EVIDENCE OF GEORGE ARTHURS. + +The third witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Mr. George Allan +Arthurs. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Were you at Ridgeway on the 2nd of +June, and what did you see there? + +Answer--I was there, and was at Ridgeway when the army was retreating. I +there saw the bugler come from the field on Lieut.-Col. Booker's +horse. My brother (Lieutenant Arthurs, of the Queen's Own) mounted the +Colonel's horse and drew his pistol, and threatened to shoot the first +man that did not do his duty. Lieut.-Col. Booker came up as my brother +was checking the retreat. He mounted his own horse and rode back towards +the field to consult with his officers. The retreat was checked so far +by my brother that he "told off" a company of men composed of red coats +and green coats. I did not see any exhibition on the part of Lieut.-Col. +Booker of either cowardice or fear. + + +EVIDENCE OF JOHN DOUGLAS. + +The fourth witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was John Douglas, +Captain of No. 4 Company of the Queen's Own Rifles. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you, on the 2nd of June last, see +me at Lime Ridge? + +Answer--Yes, in front of your command, under fire. + +Question from the Court--Did his conduct on this occasion attract your +attention? + +Answer--Yes. It struck me that he was not very careful of his own +safety, he being in front of the column of the Queen's Own, and clothed +in scarlet. He was directing the movements, with a field-glass in his +hands. This was when the Queen's Own were in column, after part of the +Thirteenth had gone out in skirmishing order. I saw no hanging back on +the part of any officer or man up to that time. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--How did Col. Booker go from Ridgeway +to Port Colborne? + +Answer--I found Lieut.-Col. Booker on the last train going into Port +Colborne. Major Gillmor and several officers of both regiments, with men +of both regiments, were in the same train. The great bulk of the force +had preceded them. + + +EVIDENCE OF LIEUTENANT ARTHURS. + +The fifth witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Lieut. William +Arthurs, of No. 4 Company of the Queen's Own. + +Question by Lieut.-Col. Booker--Were you at Ridgeway as Lieut.-Col. +Booker arrived there during the retreat on the 2nd of June, and what did +you see? + +Answer--Yes. I saw Col. Booker on the retreat, and he seemed no way +flurried or excited, but quite cool and collected. He spoke to the men. +He asked them to form on their coverers. Several companies were formed +up and retreated in order. + + +EVIDENCE OF FRANCIS CLARKE. + +The sixth witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Francis Clark. +Bugle-Major of the Queen's Own Rifles. + +Question from the Court--Did you sound the "halt" on the 2nd of June, by +order of Lieut.-Col. Booker during the retreat? + +Answer--Yes, repeatedly. He used his best endeavors to halt the men, and +then he went forward amongst the men and asked them to halt and front +and form. It had no effect, and he said, "Oh, God! what is this?" They +still moved on. They retreated, red and green mixed together, as far as +I could see, to the turn of the road. + + +EVIDENCE OF ALEXANDER MUIR. + +The seventh witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Alexander Muir, +a private in the Highland Company of the Queen's Own, a Lieutenant of +Militia, and President of the Highland Company at that time in its civil +organization. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Were you at Lime Ridge on the 2nd of +June, and will you recite what you saw there? + +Answer--After leaving the cars at Ridgeway, before marching, the whole +force received orders. "With ball cartridge--load!" The column then +advanced. After proceeding about two and a half miles. I perceived a +number of horses (between twelve and fifteen in number) loose in an open +near the corner of a bush, about three-quarters of a mile in front of +the left side of the road. These having attracted my attention, I also +perceived a number of men flitting among the trees, near to the horses. +I cried out. "I see the Fenians--there are the Fenians!" My discovery +was made known to Col. Booker, who, perhaps, from hearing my cry, came +up to me. I was the left hand front rank man of the Highland Company, +the rear company of the battalion. He gave the order to halt. He then +asked me, "Where?" I pointed out to him where I saw the men and the +horses. He had a field-glass which he then used. He tried to use it on +horseback, but his horse was so restive that he could not use the glass. +He then dismounted by my side. At this moment Major Gillmor came up. I +directed him to the proper point to see them. Both Col. Booker and Major +Gillmor seemed convinced that all was not right in the bush. The leading +company of the column was then sent out to reconnoitre to the left in +the direction of these horses, in skirmishing order, supported by the +next company. The column remained at the halt. After the skirmishers had +advanced to within a short distance of where the horses were, the bugle +sounded the "retire" or the "incline" to the skirmishers, and the column +was advanced. The near party of the advance guard halted at the same +time the column halted, and just after the column was again put in +motion, I saw several of them, if not all of them, with their hats on +their rifles raised in the air and moving them, indicating thereby that +the enemy was in sight. The column was again halted. At that moment +a bullet came whistling from the direction of an orchard on our right +front. This was the first shot, and came close to Capt. Gardner and +myself. Here the Queen's Own were ordered to skirmish, and our company +furnished the right company of the line of skirmishers, and in this +order we advanced in a northerly direction. The firing commenced +opposite the centre of the line of skirmishers immediately upon their +advancing. We continued advancing and firing for some distance, perhaps +three hundred yards at that time, when the order came for the Queen's +Own to fall back on its supports. We had then been under fire for +three-quarters of an hour. I distinctly heard Col. Booker's words of +command, given with coolness and deliberation, as we were going into +action. The Queen's Own were then relieved by the Thirteenth. The +Thirteenth advanced in skirmishing order, appearing to take the ground +which had previously been occupied by the Queen's Own, the enemy +continuing their fire during the advance of the Thirteenth. The enemy +had evidently been previously driven back by the Queen's Own. An order +from Col. Booker now came to our company, which was then under cover +of the school-house, acting in reserve, directing our company to take +possession of the road to the right which led in the direction of Fort +Erie, because the enemy was manoeuvring to outflank our right. Capt. +Gardner was told it was an important position, and he then advanced our +company till we came opposite a bush north of the road. He then ordered +us to advance in skirmishing order through that bush, which we did. +After passing through the bush we came to a wheat-field, on the opposite +side of which we found the Fenians thickly posted opposite our front and +to our right. When we entered the bush they had evidently been in the +same bush at the farther side of it, and had retreated on our advance to +the other side of the wheat field. We had reason to know this, because +we found quantities of their ammunition, a company sheet roll, and +a blank book, a roll book, also a Fenian drill book with the name +of "Capt. George Sweeny, Company B, 19th Regiment, Irish Republic +Volunteers, Cincinnati, Ohio." The roll book contained about 120 names, +with the trades, residences and callings of the men. I have seen the +list of Fenian prisoners captured and now in Toronto Jail, and I believe +that some of the names are the same as those in the roll book. We +commenced firing upon the enemy as soon as we saw them, and they began +to retreat. They were about 200 yards from us. We fired here for some +time, until an order came to advance from Capt. Gardner, and we leaped +over the fence and entered the wheat field. We fired from this wheat +field for some time. After entering the wheat field I saw the line of +the Thirteenth Battalion to my left, below me, in skirmishing order, +advancing towards the enemy. While they were thus advancing I distinctly +saw the enemy retreating a long distance before them towards a bush in +the rear. Suddenly they seemed to rally, and came down upon the line of +the Thirteenth, yelling. At this moment I saw a wavering in the line +of the Thirteenth. The Fenians advanced in a loose manner, but in great +strength. Here the Thirteenth retreated at the double, but I did not +hear the "retire" sounded for that purpose. As the Fenians rushed upon +the Thirteenth, we from our positions gave them two or three volleys, +which seemed to check them, and their left swerved inwards from us +towards their own centre. While we were here in this position, Sergeant +Bain, of our company, called out, "Retire, retire!" We then retired +firing. I heard the bugle call to retire. When I came to the +school-house I was surprised to see our forces marching back again +towards Ridgeway. I turned round and saw the Fenians advancing from the +orchard on the road at the same place where I saw our advance guard give +the signal before the action commenced. I thought there were as many as +600 or 700 on the road, and more moving out of the orchard. I leaned my +rifle over a fence and took my last shot at them with one arm (having +previously sustained an injury in my shoulder while getting over a +fence). Several of my comrades fired also. This drew fire upon us from +them, and it was here that McHardy and White were wounded. On my return +to the cross-road at the hotel nine-tenths of our force had passed on +towards Ridgeway. I then saw Col. Booker and spoke to him. He was on +foot. I heard "Halt! halt!" called, but no one seemed to notice it. + +Question by Lieut.-Col. Booker--Are you satisfied we were outflanked on +our right? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question by Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you see Col. Booker after this? + +Answer--I saw him at Ridgeway. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--What was he doing? + +Answer--He was standing in conversation with some one on the road. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you see him afterwards, and where? + +Answer--I saw him afterwards on the march to Port Colborne, after +leaving Ridgeway. + +Question--Did you see him afterwards, and where? + +Answer--I saw him afterwards on the march to Port Colborne, after +leaving Ridgeway. I became weak and exhausted and was taken into a house +about 250 yards south by two of my comrades, where Dr. Neff, assisted by +two others, set my left arm and left me alone. I became insensible, and +in that state had lost all recollection of the fight. After I came to +myself I heard a volley and ran to the door. I saw the Fenians surround +the village. I ran to try to catch up to our force, which had all left, +and they fired upon me. I had my arm in a sling, and my tunic flying +from my right shoulder. I overtook the force after running for some +distance (nearly a mile), and there again I saw Col. Booker in rear +of the force. He offered me his horse. I declined the offer, because I +thought it would pain me more to ride than to walk. Where the main road +crosses the railway he dismounted and gave his horse to some one of the +Thirteenth, with some orders to take to Port Colborne. He then took my +arm and assisted me along the track until we got into the last train and +went into Port Colborne. + +Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--How many rounds of ammunition had been +issued to you previous to the engagement, and where issued? + +Answer--I received five rounds at Toronto before leaving and thirty at +Port Colborne--that was, I had thirty-five rounds. + + +RONALD McKINNON'S TESTIMONY. + +The eighth witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Ronald Archibald +McKinnon, at that time a cadet in the Military School at Toronto. + +Question--Were you present at Lime Ridge on the 2nd of June last, and in +what capacity did you act? + +Answer--I was present at the engagement at Lime Ridge, and acted as a +volunteer officer with the Caledonia Rifle Company, though not regularly +attached to that company. + +Question--Did you see Lieut. Arthurs mounted on Lieut.-Col. Booker's +horse? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question--Were you with Lieut. Arthurs, endeavoring to rally the men +near Ridgeway? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question--Were you there when Lieut.-Col. Booker arrived from the field +at Lime Ridge? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question--Was Lieut.-Col. Booker mounted when he returned from Lime +Ridge to Ridgeway? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question--Were you with the rear guard of the column before the action? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question--When you saw Lieut. Arthurs mounted on Lieut.-Col. Booker's +horse, was it previous to the arrival of Lieut.-Col. Booker mounted on +his return from Lime Ridge? + +Answer--I cannot say. But I know that after I saw Lieut. Arthurs on +Lieut.-Col. Booker's horse I saw Lieut.-Col Booker ride back towards +Ridgeway. + + + +ROBERT BENHAM'S TESTIMONY. + +Robert Benham, a private in the Thirteenth Battalion (Major Skinner's +groom), was the ninth witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker. + +Question--Did Lieut.-Col. Booker's orderly bring you back the horse +which Col. Booker rode at Lime Ridge before the firing commenced? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question--During the retreat what became of the horse? + +Answer--I was leading him away to Ridgeway when Quartermaster Stoneman +said, "Get on the horse." I then mounted and rode him to Ridgeway, and +there watered him. While I was watering him one of the officers of the +Queen's Own Rifles came and asked me who owned the horse. I told him +that the horse belonged to Major Skinner, but that Col. Booker had been +using him. The officer then took the horse from me and mounted him. I +saw him, while mounted, draw a pistol and endeavor to stop the men by +threatening to shoot if they did not stop. I saw Col. Booker on the +horse afterwards. + + +CAPT. HENERY'S EVIDENCE. + +The tenth witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Capt. Henery, +Adjutant of the Thirteenth Battalion (formerly a Sergeant-Major of the +Coldstream Guards). + +Question--Will you recite what from your own knowledge occurred from the +time the Thirteenth were engaged at Lime Ridge until they retired, and +how long they were in action? + +Answer--At the commencement of the action, or rather just previously +to the action, the Queen's Own were thrown out to skirmish, the reserve +being composed of the Thirteenth Battalion, with the York and Caledonia +Rifle Companies. Soon afterward the action commenced. The whole force +continued to advance in this order. The reserve then halted, the +skirmishers and supports continuing their advance. We remained halted +only about three minutes before an officer of the Queen's Own came up +and shouted, "Surgeons to the front." I then saw two officers in green +running to the front. I then heard Major Gillmor tell Col. Booker +to deploy the right wing of the Thirteenth Battalion and relieve the +Queen's Own, because their ammunition had been expended. Col. Booker +then gave the command to the Thirteenth Battalion to deploy the right +wing on No. 3 Company, which was executed after advancing a few yards +to enable them to deploy and avoid an obstacle in its way. This wing +was then extended to skirmish and relieve the Queen's Own, from its left +towards the right side of the road. The whole wing and supports were on +the right side of the road. While this deployment was being executed, +several companies of the Queen's Own came and formed in quarter distance +column in rear, forming the reserve. The right wing then advanced and +relieved the Queen's Own in a very steady manner, their supports being +regularly posted. Then I advanced between the supports and skirmishers. +I was not mounted. The support laid down after arriving at the orchard, +under cover. I then left the supports and joined the skirmishers. They +continued firing for some time, receiving the fire of the enemy. There +was then a cry of "Cavalry!" from my right rear. I was on the road with +the left of No. 2 Company on the line of skirmishers. I looked and saw +two or three horses, and cried out that there was no cavalry. I heard no +bugle blow the "retire." When I looked around I saw both red and green +coats running to the rear from the line of skirmishers, in order, but +not firing. I think this retreat was about one hour after the Thirteenth +took the field. I think those of the Queen's Own who formed the reserve +as we were deploying, came in about ten minutes after the firing +commenced. + + +ROBERT MAUN'S TESTIMONY. + +Robert Maun, a private in the 13th Battalion, was the eleventh witness +called by Lieut.-Col. Booker. + +Question--Will you state what you saw at Lime Ridge on the 2nd of June? + +Answer--I was on duty on the field hospital staff. There was a cry for +the doctor from one of the companies of the Thirteenth, acting as a +support in the orchard. I was sent to find the man, and did so. He had +been wounded in the wrist. He was a rifleman, not one of the Thirteenth. +I saw no other "green" soldier there. Just as we had finished dressing +the man's hand I heard a cry of "Cavalry, cavalry! Look out for +cavalry!" coming from the direction of the right of the skirmish line. I +saw a company of Rifles in line with the skirmishers of the Thirteenth. +I suppose they were the York Rifles. When I heard the cry of "Cavalry!" +I was near the support of one of the companies, and then I also heard an +order given to the reserve to "Form square!" I suggested to the doctor +that we should go to the square formed on the road by the reserve. He +came with me toward the square, but I cannot tell whether he got into +the square or not. I was too late to get in. I threw myself under the +bayonets of the front face of the square. This square was composed of +the Queen's Own, and the color party of the Thirteenth was with them. A +company of the Thirteenth came up at a steady "double." most of them at +"the trail." but some of them at "the slope," and passing the right +face of the square formed in rear of the Queen's Own. I then, finding a +company of my own corps at hand, jumped up, fixed my bayonet, and joined +them. It was then that I saw a few straggling men of the Thirteenth, +mixed up with some Rifles, retiring from the direction of the skirmish +line towards us. An order was then given by a voice, which I took to +be Col. Booker's, to "Reform column," which was done. At this moment a +rather too sharp fire came upon us, but it was rather high to do us much +damage. I then heard an order to "Deploy on the rear company" in the +same voice, which I took to be that of Col. Booker. At this time there +was a company of the Thirteenth which formed the rear company of the +reserve, the rest of the reserve being composed of the Queen's Own. When +the order to deploy was given a heavy volley struck the column, and I +heard a sound which I took to be that of men falling. The column swayed +backwards, as I supposed, from the effects of the fire. The column broke +immediately and commenced a retreat down the road. The main body of the +Thirteenth were at this time in the field, and firing was going on more +to the right. I went down the road with the retreat and felt a heavy +fire from a wood on the left as we retired. I saw several of the enemy +jumping a fence, as if they were intending to pursue the retreating +column. I fired at them, and several others of our men also fired at +them. After I had loaded my rifle I returned from the direction in which +we had just come and met Col. Booker with the Thirteenth following the +Queen's Own, or the retreating column. The Thirteenth were in a confused +mass, and I heard several officers say to Col. Booker. "Let us stop +them," or words to that effect, and prevent a rout. Col. Booker then +said he would go on to the front and stop the men of the retreating +column, and then ran out "at the double" and got in front of nearly all +of the Thirteenth. He then faced about and, flashing his sword about, +said. "For God's sake, men, don't make cowards of yourselves." I had +followed him in search of the doctor, and so had the opportunity of +witnessing this on the part of Col. Booker. I do not know the names +of the officers who said to Col. Booker, "Let us try and stop them and +prevent a rout." The men seemed to pay no attention to Col. Booker's +entreaties for them to stop, but continued the retreat. A man of No. 1 +Company, of the Thirteenth, who was shot through the thigh, demanded my +attention, and I went to him. Dr. Ryall was with him attending to him. +We got him on a waggon and took him down the road to Ridgeway. While +going with this man I heard several officers (Col. Booker of the number) +urging the men to stop and take to the woods, as there was good cover +there. I think that Adjutant Henery was one of the officers who urged +the men to do this. At this time I saw a number of the York Rifles +obeying the order to take to the woods. They cried out, "Hurrah for old +York! Let us take to the woods and we will give them hell." There was +only about a dozen of them. I passed on with the waggon, and saw no +more. + +Question--Did you hear Lieut.-Col. Booker, when under fire, encouraging +the reserves? + +Answer--I heard him joking them about their politeness in bowing to the +bullets that passed over their heads. + + +MAJOR GILLMOR RECALLED. + +Question from the Court--Major Gillmor, state the companies of the +Queen's Own who were first advanced as skirmishers, how armed, and the +amount of ammunition issued to each man. + +Answer--No. 5 Company were the entire skirmishers. There were about +forty of them armed with Spencer rifles, and had under thirty rounds for +each man. The remainder of the company were armed with the long Enfield +rifle. Nos. 1 and 2 Companies were the other skirmishers. They were +armed with the long Enfield. The whole regiment had an average of forty +rounds of ammunition per man. + +Question--How long were they under fire when the right wing of the +Thirteenth were advanced to their relief? + +Answer--I could not form any idea as to the time. The men armed with +the Spencer rifles were relieved by another company long before the +Thirteenth Battalion went out to skirmish. + +Question--Who gave the order to "Form square"? + +Answer--Lieut.-Col. Booker gave the caution to "Look out for cavalry!" +and I gave the command to "Form square." + +Question--Can you state what portion of the Queen's Own were undrilled +recruits? + +Answer--They were, as a rule, partially drilled, some men undrilled. +Recruits were joining every week, and all the available men, drilled and +undrilled, were in the field. + +Question--What proportion of the whole battalion had not been exercised +with blank cartridge? + +Answer--With the exception of one or two days in May, when the whole +battalion were out skirmishing, I am satisfied that half of the men had +never fired a shot. + +Question--What proportion of the men had never practised with ball +cartridge? + +Answer--The proportion was about the same, about half. + +Question--What proportion of the regiment was composed of lads under +twenty years of age? + +Answer--I should say more than half of the regiment. + +Question--Did you observe any difference in the demeanor of the lads and +the other soldiers going into action? + +Answer--No. Each were equally cool. I particularly noticed the companies +that morning as they marched out to the skirmish, and all were equally +cool. I may state here that this was the first occasion on which the +whole regiment had an opportunity to skirmish as a battalion. I also +wish to state that I saw the right wing of the Thirteenth extend +and advance in skirmishing order, and that nothing could exceed the +steadiness and regularity with which they advanced. + + +EVIDENCE OF W. T. URQUHART. + +The thirteenth witness called by Lieut.-Col. Booker was Wm. T. Urquhart, +assistant editor of the Hamilton _Spectator_, who was a private in No. 4 +Company. Thirteenth Battalion. + +Question--Do you recollect seeing Lieut.-Col. Booker after the fight at +Lime Ridge, and where? + +Answer--I do. I saw him on the rising ground immediately in rear of +where the action took place. + +Question--Were you exposed to a heavy fire? + +Answer--We were. + +Question--Were you one of the retreating column? + +Answer--In the rear. + +Question by the Court--What was Lieut.-Col. Booker doing at the time you +noticed him? + +Answer--He was trying to restore order. + +Question--Where were you when the right wing went out to skirmish? And +did your skirmishers relieve those in front of you? + +Answer--We were on the right. I was in the company forming the support +of the skirmishers on the right, and the skirmishers of our company in +front relieved those of the Rifles in front of them. The Rifles retired +in good order to the reserves. I certainly saw two companies come in, +but I cannot speak as to the whole line. + +Question--From the time your skirmishers were posted until the retreat, +how much time elapsed? + +Answer--I should think about an hour. + +Question--What caused the retreat, in your opinion, and what succeeded? + +Answer--We retreated because the bugle sounded "the retreat," and +we were also ordered by Lieut. Routh, the officer in command of our +company, who said shortly afterward that it was a mistake, as it should +have been "the advance," and ordered us to "halt" and "front," and we +did so accordingly. The skirmishers immediately came down upon us, who +were all men of our battalion, and we all retreated together to the +cross-road, near the place where we first deployed. Two or three +companies of Rifles came down this cross-road from the right of the +attack at this moment, and the whole became mingled together and the +formation was immediately destroyed. Several attempts by officers of +the Thirteenth and the Rifles were made to rally or re-form the men. +I noticed Col. Booker and Adjutant Henery do this, and also Ensign +Armstrong, who carried the colors. I saw Lieut. Arthurs endeavoring +to stop the men, and also other Rifle officers whose names I am not +acquainted with. + + +ADJUTANT HENERY RECALLED. + +Question--State the names of the officers of the right wing of the +Thirteenth Battalion who were present when that wing was ordered to +skirmish? + +Answer--Major Skinner. Capt. Grant. Lieut. Gibson, and Ensign McKenzie, +of No. 1 Company; Capt. Watson and Lieut. Sewell, of No. 2 Company; and +Lieut. Ferguson, of No. 3 Company. + +Question--How long have you been connected with the regiment, and in +what capacity? + +Answer--As Drill Instructor and Adjutant, about four years. + +Question--About what proportion of the Thirteenth Regiment was wholly +undrilled at the time of the affair at Lime Ridge? + +Answer--One man only, and the others were all drilled men. + +Question--Had the whole battalion previously been exercised with blank +cartridge? + +Answer--Yes, but not frequently. + +Question--Had they any practice with ball cartridge? + +Answer--I think 180 men had previously had ball practice. + +Question--Was a large proportion of the regiment composed of boys under +twenty? + +Answer--I think that about 120 were under twenty, and a large proportion +of these were between the ages of 19 and 20 years of age. + +Question--Did you observe any difference in the demeanor of the men when +under fire? + +Answer--No difference--all seemed equally steady. + +Question--What number of rounds had the men of the Thirteenth when going +into action? + +Answer--Sixty rounds per man, with caps in proportion. + + +MAJOR SKINNER'S TESTIMONY. + +Major Skinner, of the Thirteenth Battalion, was the next witness +examined. + +Question--Were you present at Lime Ridge on the 2nd of June last, when +the right wing of the Thirteenth Battalion was sent out to skirmish? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question--State the orders given and by whom given for the movement, and +what took place under your observation. + +Answer--Col. Hooker said to me at some distance (about ten yards): +"Major Skinner, you will skirmish with the right wing." I then advanced +with the skirmishers. We went over a fence and across a field and over +another fence into an orchard on the right side of the road. We went +through that orchard up to another fence, and there remained for some +time. While approaching this fence the enemy's shots passed over our +heads. After remaining some time at this fence we found their shot +getting closer. We then crossed that fence and passed over a field to +another fence, where we halted and remained for some time. I passed to +the right of the skirmishers of our battalion. I went there because I +saw a number of men in green uniform on our extreme right towards our +front, and knowing they were some of our men, told my men not to fire +upon them. I cannot say that I saw any of the enemy. They fired upon us +from under cover. We met a few skirmishers in green in the orchard. We +passed through them. + +Question--Before you deployed, what was the position of your regiment as +regards the Queen's Own? + +Answer--The Queen's Own were all away in front, and the York Rifles +also. + +Question--How long after the first shot was tired by the enemy was it +until the Thirteenth were ordered to skirmish? + +Answer--About ten minutes elapsed from the time the first shot was +fired until some men of the Queen's Own came in, and we were ordered +to relieve the skirmishers. I heard a call for the surgeon to go to the +front about seven minutes before we were ordered to skirmish. At the +same time Ensign McEachren was carried to the rear. After going to the +right of our skirmishers and cautioning the men not to fire upon the men +in green on our right. I went back again to the centre of our men. We +remained there at this fence about a quarter of an hour, and the enemy +getting our range, it became so hot that we again advanced. We ran +across a field this time. The whole of No. 3 Company must have been on +the left of the road. I was on the right of the road. We found a brick +house, with a wooden addition to it. It was locked up with a padlock, +and one of our men opened it. We went in, and opening the front door, +used the house for cover, firing through the doorway. We were about 150 +yards from the woods occupied by the enemy. Some one on the left of the +road called out, "Don't you hear the bugle?" I said, "No. What does it +say?" The reply I got was, "Retreat." I then looked around to the rear +for the first time since we came out, and I saw our men at the right +running in. I then heard some one on my left say, "Why, they are +preparing to receive cavalry." I looked around and said, "Where is the +cavalry?" implying that I saw none. I then ran across the road to the +left and saw that the men were all running as fast as they could to the +rear. I ran for a barn and remained there a few moments to get breath, +and then ran for another fence. I saw a few of our men behind me, and +the enemy pursuing them. Two of our men were shot here--Stewart and +Powell. I then made for the road where we had previously deployed, +expecting to find the reserve there. I found none. Our skirmishers were +then comprising men of all of our companies, mixed with those in green. +I suppose there were about 150 red coats and about 30 or 40 in green. I +then asked for the commanding officer, but got no answer. I then asked +for Col. Booker, and one man in the crowd cried out, "He is off, three +miles ahead." I do not know who it was that said so. I then called +for Major Gillmor, and got no reply. I then thought that I should do +something, and I ran to the front of the retreating men on the road +and told them to halt. They paid no attention to me. I called upon an +officer of our battalion, who was on the right of the men retreating, to +draw his sword and see if we could not stop them. We then again went to +the front of our men, retreating backwards for a few minutes, when we +got them to halt. A couple of boys of our regiment had their bayonets +fixed, endeavoring to stop them, and before I could do further a number +of men in green rushed past on the left and one of the boys disappeared, +and then commenced, a further retreat of all present. No companies were +formed for the retreat. I assisted to carry two boys who were wounded by +getting doors and carrying them to Ridgeway. They were Rifles. When we +reached Ridgeway there were about 150 of us, mixed red and green. We +found no one of the force in Ridgeway when we arrived. It was +half-past 10 o'clock when we reached Ridgeway. I remained there about +three-quarters of an hour, the men continually leaving and going on +towards Port Colborne. I left the village just as the Fenians were +coming down the hill. I had about 50 men and officers with me. We took +the road towards Port Colborne. At the turn of the road we halted and +looked back, and saw a large column of about 400 of the enemy marching +down the hill into Ridgeway. I wish to state that the whole regiment +(Thirteenth) had sixty rounds each, and when the order to retreat was +given we had not expended half of our ammunition. + +Question--Is there anything of your own knowledge that you wish to state +that it is important this Court should hear? + +Answer--No. + + +ISAAC RYALL'S EVIDENCE. + +Dr. Isaac Ryall, Surgeon of the Thirteenth Battalion, was the next +witness examined. + +Question--Were you present at Lime Ridge on the 2nd of June last, and in +what capacity? + +Answer--Yes, as Surgeon of the Thirteenth Battalion Question--State your +position during the action, and what occurred under your observation. + +Answer--I remained with my own battalion until the order was given by +Col. Booker to skirmish and relieve the Queen's Own. The regiment at +this time was standing on the road beyond the tavern. I followed the +line of skirmishers behind No. 4 Company, which passed along the road to +the schoolhouse and then advanced to a fence near an orchard. While +here a man who was wounded came from the front. He was a rifleman, but I +cannot say what corps he belonged to. I examined him and sent him to the +rear. I then returned to my post. A few moments afterwards No. 4 Company +were ordered to advance, and they went over the fence into the orchard. +I then went down to the fence, with the orderlies to assist, and then +passed down the fence until coming near the end of it. I cut across the +angle to the main road, and there I saw Col. Booker with his bugler +and an orderly. The Rifles in reserve were behind Col. Booker, who was +between them and the line of skirmishers on the road. Immediately on +reaching Col. Booker I heard an order or a cry (which was not from Col. +Booker) to "Prepare for cavalry!" I looked around and could not see any +cavalry. I then walked to the rear. I am quite positive that the first +order to "Prepare for cavalry!" was not given by Col. Booker, because I +was quite close to him at the time, and the word came from the front. An +order was then given by Col. Booker to "Form square." which was done. +I am not positive that this order was given by Col. Booker, but I think +so. They did not seem to properly "form square." and in a few seconds +they commenced retreating. The square I have referred to was composed of +Rifles and the color party of the Thirteenth. My orderly (Robert Maun) +was with me at this time. I did not see any of the Thirteenth come up +and form in rear of the square. I was going to the rear and saw them +commence running. I walked down the road, and the men passed me running. +About a quarter of a mile from where the square was formed. I heard Col. +Booker give an order, which I repeated twice, for the men to go into +a wood on the left-hand side of the road. The order did not seem to be +obeyed. I spoke to one man of the Thirteenth, and asked him why he did +not obey the orders. He said he would go in if the others did, but he +would not go in by himself. Immediately after I saw a man named Powell, +of the Thirteenth, who had been wounded and was being assisted by two +men. I examined him and found there was no necessity for immediate +action, and then got him into a waggon and took him to a farmer's house +beyond Ridgeway. I did not see Col. Booker again until I got about +a mile or more from the Ridgeway Station, on the road south of the +railway, he had been giving some stimulants to a sick soldier of the +Thirteenth, who was mounted on his horse. The man 's name was Daniel +Laker. I went on with the men. I saw the Rifles resting themselves by +the roadside, and the Thirteenth passing them after leaving Ridge way. +When we arrived at the point where the railway track crossed the main +road, some of the men took the railway track and some followed the +road. Col. Booker and I both followed the track, and a train shortly +afterwards came up, upon which a number of men got; as many as it would +carry. Col. Booker walked on or remained behind. It was only an engine +and a baggage car. There were no passenger cars. + + +LIEUT. FERGUSON'S EVIDENCE. + +The next witness examined by the Court was Lieut. John William Ferguson, +of No. 3 Company, Thirteenth Battalion. + +Question--Did you command No. 3 Company of the Thirteenth Battalion at +the battle of Lime Ridge on the 2nd of June last? + +Answer--Yes. + +Question--State what took place that day under your own observation. + +Answer--About ten or fifteen minutes after the firing commenced, Major +Gillmor came back to the rear and told Col. Booker that his men were +tired and their ammunition nearly expended, and asked Col. Booker to +send out the right wing of the Thirteenth to relieve his men. Col. +Booker then gave the order to the right wing of the Thirteenth to deploy +on No. 3 Company, and this being done, an order was given to extend +from the left. We then advanced over a fence through a field, and in the +middle of the field we were halted by bugle call. In a few minutes "the +advance" was sounded, and we continued advancing until we came under +fire. The Queen's Own were then retiring in good order. We then +commenced firing and advanced across a field. My company had to cross +the road to the left side. Here I changed my front a little to the +right, and saw the enemy about 100 yards off. I heard a bugle sound "the +retreat," and I gave the command to "retire." We retired about forty +yards in line into the original position, firing as we fell back. +While retiring I heard the bugle sound the "advance." I then ordered +my company to advance, but not to fire until they got where they were +before, under cover. I again heard a bugle call which I did not know, +but on inquiry was told it was "the alarm." I looked for the cavalry, +but could see none. I let my men remain where they were. I then heard +the bugle call "the assembly," followed by "the double." I then ordered +the men to make for the square the shortest way they could, and they +retired on the square. Three of them were wounded while retiring at this +time. When I saw the enemy coming out of the woods I went after my men. +I saw Major Skinner and Adjutant Henery making for the same point, that +is, the square. When I reached where the reserve stood, scarcely any men +were there. On my way down I saw one of the Queen's Own lying dead as +I passed. Several ineffectual attempts were made to form up the men. At +Ridgeway I saw Col. Booker on his horse forming up his battalion into +column. They were falling into column of companies, right in front, +facing towards Port Colborne, past Ridgeway. As soon as we had formed +I heard Col. Booker give the command, "Form fours--right. Left +wheel--quick march!" and the column moved off in the direction of Port +Colborne. Col. Booker was in advance of the column until we came near a +wood, when he told us to keep a sharp lookout for firing from the woods, +and he passed back to the rear and towards Ridgeway. The main body of +the Rifles was before us. I did not see Col. Booker again. I saw his +horse pass by with a body on his back in red clothing. This was about +four miles from Port Colborne. + + +CAPT. B. H. DAVIS' TESTIMONY. + +Robert H. Davis, Captain of the York Rifles, was the next witness +called. + +Question--Were you present at the engagement at Lime Ridge on the 2nd of +June last? + +Answer--I was. + +Question--State what position you held in the engagement, and what you +know, of your own knowledge, what occurred. + +Answer--When the firing commenced I was in front of the Thirteenth, in +column of reserve. I was sent out with my company alone, as a company +in support of the left skirmishing company of the Queen's Own (that +was Capt. Sherwood's company, Trinity College Rifles). I remained there +until the skirmishers were called in, when I took my company to the +rear in fours, and formed them up in rear of the reserve, which was then +formed by the Queen's Own. After I had halted and fronted the company, +I looked in front of the column and saw the Thirteenth were all out. I +thought I was not in my right place, and I countermarched my company to +the head of the column, taking, as I supposed, the ground I should have +taken when I came in, namely, that held originally by the Thirteenth, to +which I was attached. I had scarcely halted here when the order came for +two more companies to extend, the leading company to take ground to the +left. I went almost over the same ground from which I had just returned, +and got to the left of the skirmishers already extended, when I extended +my own company from the right, the company on my right being a Rifle +company. When within about 500 yards of the enemy, we commenced firing +and advancing. We crossed two fields on the other side of the cross-road +called the Garrison Road. When I had formed my men by a fence to +give them a direct fire into the enemy, I heard a bugle call which my +sergeant said was "the retire." He said that it was a mistake, that it +was "the advance" that was meant. In a few minutes "the advance" was +sounded, and I took my company over the fence behind which they were +lying and told them to get to the next one as soon as they could. When +about half way across the field "the retire" was again sounded, followed +by "the double." I looked along the line of skirmishers and saw them +firing and retiring, and a good many running in. We retired, the men +firing occasionally, until we reached the Garrison Road. I then closed +the company on the centre and crossed the Garrison Road to the next +field, then formed "fours right" and marched to where I had left the +reserve. In the field on the Ridgeway side of the Garrison Road there +was a small farm house on the hill close to the side of the Ridgeway +road, and when I came up with the company to this house I saw a company +of Rifles in close column of sections, kneeling to receive cavalry. I +expressed my surprise at this, and moved my own company up the road. +When I reached the fence alongside of the road I saw a good deal of +confusion, and I asked generally what was the matter, and what they were +going to do. Some officer told me that the order had been given to +"Form square" on the leading company of the reserve. I did this with my +company, and halted in rear of the column. The order was now passed from +the front for the column to retire, and the attempt was made to retire, +and in two minutes all was confusion. + +Question--Have you any further information to give the Court respecting +what occurred at the engagement at Lime Ridge? + +Answer--I saw several officers of Rifles and infantry using all their +exertions like good men to induce the men to rally and form up again, or +to fight in any way. Among these officers were Major Skinner, Adjutant +Henery, and Captain Gardner, of the Highland Company, Queen's Own. I +had sixty rounds of ball cartridges on going into action, and the men +expended between 15 and 20 rounds each. + + +CAPTAIN GARDNER EXAMINED. + +The next witness called was Capt. John Gardner, of the Queen's Own. + +Question--State the company you commanded at Lime Ridge on the 2nd of +June last, and the particulars of the engagement which took place under +your observation. + +Answer--I commanded on that occasion No. 10 (or the Highland) Company +of the Queen's Own. After leaving the cars at Ridgeway, the brigade +was formed in quarter distance column, right in front, the Queen's Own +leading, the York Rifles next, then the Thirteenth Battalion, with the +Caledonia Rifles as the rear guard. After loading with ball cartridges. +No. 5 Company of the Queen's Own (Capt. Edwards) was sent out as the +advance guard. I believe that company was detailed for this duty because +it was the only company that was armed with the Spencer rifle. I cannot +say whether we were marching in column of companies or sub-divisions, +but after the advance guard had got out a reasonable distance the column +was moved on. After marching some distance we were halted, and then the +skirmishers were thrown out. The whole brigade then advanced in this +order, and halted once or twice to maintain their proper distance. +Upon seeing what they took to be the enemy on the left, two additional +companies were sent out. At this time Col. Hooker and Major Gillmor +endeavored by the use of their glasses to ascertain where the enemy +were. Then the skirmishers on the left stopped for a moment, when the +bugle sounded "incline to the left." and some of them. I think, raised +their hats upon their rifles, but did not obey the call, probably from +not hearing the bugle call. A sergeant was sent out to tell them +to incline more to the left. He had just reached them, when firing +commenced by two or three shots being fired on the left of the road, and +almost immediately the enemy opened upon us a regular volley from our +front. Our men then returned the fire, continually advancing until they +occupied the ground from which the Fenians first fired upon them. At +this time eight companies of the Queen's Own were out. Nos. 9 and 10 +were with the reserve on the road. At this time No. 9 Company was sent +out to the right of the skirmish line, and my company as their support. +I do not think I was two minutes supporting them, when I was ordered to +reinforce the line by joining them. As soon as I did so. No. 9 Company +moved into the wood on my right. I remained fifteen or twenty minutes in +this open field, firing at the enemy who were under cover in the +woods, the bullets coming like hail. I was then relieved by one of the +companies of the Thirteenth Battalion, and I retired to the reserve on +the road. None of my men were injured. I had just halted my company in +rear of the column when Col. Booker came up to Major Gillmor and told +him he wanted a company sent to our right, to prevent the Fenian left +from flanking us. The column at this time forming the reserve was +composed of companies in red and partly of companies in green. Major +Gillmor looked at the column, and said to me. "Captain Gardner, take +your company." At this time the column was standing at the crossing of +the Ridge Road with the Garrison Road. I then faced my company to the +right and marched along the Garrison Road in file, all the time exposed +to the fire of the enemy, until we reached the wood on the right. I +extended while marching towards the woods. I then ordered them to enter +the woods in skirmishing order. We had no support, and so continued +during the engagement. The enemy was in the woods in front of us, and +on our approach retreated. On reaching the other side of the bush they +retired, and we found on the ground they had been occupying several +articles which I believe are still forthcoming. We remained on the edge +of this field firing upon the enemy, who were in the bush opposite, and +kept up their fire upon us. The field between us and the enemy was about +400 yards, varying in width. We continued here engaged with the enemy +for some time, until we heard some cheering on our left front, along the +enemy's line. I thought it was our men cheering and making a dash on the +enemy. I then ordered my men to get over the fence and cross the field +to the left, in the direction from which the cheering came. As soon as +we came to the opening commanding a view of the field, we perceived that +it was the Fenians who had cheered, and were advancing in large numbers +towards our forces. Sergeant Bain, from an elevated position, saw the +enemy coming down on them on a run, and cried out, "Retire, retire!" +Then we made for the head of the column of reserve on the road. In +reaching this point we had to pass through the fire of the advancing +enemy the whole time. At first the fire passed over our heads, but as we +neared the column it lowered, and bullets struck around us everywhere. +My left sub-division alone came in with me. The right sub-division +went with Ensign Gibson through the wood to the rear and around to our +reserve, but I cannot particularize as to them. On crossing the fence +next to the column I met Capt. Davis, of the York Rifles, and saw the +column in the road standing in the form of three sides of a square, and +a number of men standing loosely around. Some of the men in the square +had their bayonets fixed and some had not. I here saw Major Gillmor, +Capt. Otter, Capt. Morrison, Lieut. Bennett, Lieut. Beaven, Capt. Brown, +Capt. Douglas, and perhaps others of the Queen's Own. I also saw Capt. +Henery, Adjutant of the Thirteenth Battalion. Other officers of that +corps might have been there, but I did not see them. Lieut. Ramsay +came in with me, and stayed to the very last. Capt. Davis and myself +organized a strong company of volunteers from this crowd, when Major +Gillmor came up to me and said there was no use in sacrificing these +men, as our main body was retreating towards Ridgeway. These men who +remained in the rear kept up an incessant fire upon the enemy all the +time they were standing there. The fire from the enemy suddenly ceased, +and it was then that Capt. Davis and I endeavored to form up the company +composed of volunteers to make a stand. Major Gillmor having expressed +his opinion that it was no use to sacrifice these men, we all +deliberately retreated towards Ridgeway. As we proceeded a few stray +shots were at one time fired at us, but no further attack was made upon +us. + +Question--Have you any further information to give this Court respecting +the engagement at Lime Ridge which you think may be of public interest? + +Answer--No. + + +ENSIGN MACLEAN'S TESTIMONY. + +The next witness called by the Court was Thomas A. McLean, Ensign of No. +6 Company of the Queen's Own. + +Question--Were you present at the engagement at Lime Ridge on the 2nd of +June? + +Answer--I was. Whilst the column was advancing on the road from Ridgeway +to Stevensville, the advance guard gave the signal that the enemy was +in sight. I saw on the left what I took to be a small party of our men +running towards the woods, at a distance of about half a mile. A detail +of several companies from the Queen's Own were now sent out to skirmish, +and our company (No. 6) went out as the right flanking party, being +posted at right angles with the line of skirmishers, in skirmishing +order. We advanced through a wood on our right, feeling for the enemy. +We saw no one and were recalled in about fifteen minutes and sent out as +a support to a company on the right of the road and towards the right +of the skirmishing line. As we were advancing in this order fire was +suddenly opened from the enemy in front along our line, which the +skirmishers immediately returned. As soon as the fire opened the +skirmishers doubled up to cover, and we were advanced to a wheat field +and were ordered to lie down. We again advanced, the enemy retreating. +In about twenty-five minutes the order came to relieve skirmishers. We +at once doubled up, extending on the double, and relieved the company in +front of us, who retired, and I suppose formed our support. Our company, +on getting into the skirmish line, immediately fired and advanced at the +double over two fields. Then there was a check for a short time, with +a sharp fire on both sides. Then we advanced again, inclining rather to +the left, and drove the enemy out of the orchard and from the barn and +fences. We held the barn and orchard for some time. A company of the +Thirteenth came up in extended order in our rear. They did not relieve +us. They were from 50 to 60 yards in rear of us. One or two officers +and two or three men came up to the line of skirmishers, and my men +complained to me that those men of the Thirteenth behind us would shoot +them, as they were firing over the heads of my company. I got up and +asked them if they had come to relieve skirmishers, but got no answer. I +turned around to my men and said. "Boys, peg away. They are not going +to help us." They did not relieve us, but stayed at the fence in rear of +us, and some of them fired from that position over the heads of my men, +and some of them to the left. The firing continued for a little while +after this, and I saw the Fenians advancing down the road. They were +pushing forward their skirmishers and were advancing, as I thought, in a +heavy column of companies. They continued their advance, and we received +an order to retire. We then retired as skirmishers usually do in closing +in on their supports. We came out, but found no support to close upon, +and reached the open space where there was a large body of men formed +into square. After reaching this open space I heard a cry of "Cavalry." +but saw none. I heard a cheer from our square, and from some cause the +rear of the square seemed to turn and go down the road. The square now +seemed to dissolve, and the men formed a confused mixture of red +and green down the road to Ridgeway. Some men halted in the rear and +delivered their fire. Many of the officers used their endeavors to stop +the retreat. I left the main body because I found that from the effect +of a heavy fall I had just received I could not keep up with the column, +and I therefore went into the woods on our right as we were retiring, +and kept out of reach of the enemy. I advanced in line with their +skirmishers as long as their fire lasted, from a half to three-quarters +of a mile. I then stopped and laid down to watch the main body of the +enemy pass along the road. I had a good position to see from, at a +distance of about 400 yards. I noticed that every time our men fired +it checked the enemy, as their long line of skirmishers would halt. The +main body advanced, as I thought, in column of fours. I counted a number +of fours, and then as they passed I gauged another party, and so on +until all passed, and allowing for their advanced skirmishers and rear +guard, I think there were 1,500 men, if they were marching in fours, as +I believe they were. After they had all passed I made for a farm house. +Shortly afterward I left for Col. Peacocke's column, who I heard was +a short distance away, at New Germany. I arrived there at half-past 1 +o'clock and reported myself to Col. Peacocke, who ordered me to stay +with his force. + +Question--Have you any further information within your own knowledge, +of public interest, to convey to the Court respecting the engagement at +Lime Ridge? + +Answer--No. + + +REV. MR. INGLIS EXAMINED. + +The next witness called by the Court was Rev. David Inglis, a +Presbyterian minister. + +Question--Were you present at the engagement at Lime? Ridge on the 2nd +of June last? + +Answer--I was. + +Question--State your position on this occasion, and whatever part of the +action or proceedings that came under your observation that may furnish +any information to the Court. + +Answer--I left Ridgeway in the ammunition waggon, and was behind the +main body, among the rear guard. A little before the firing commenced +the rear guard halted, and the waggon in which I rode was brought up +to the rear of the main body. After the firing commenced the rear guard +passed us, and the waggon was then halted. Rev. Mr. Burwash and myself +left the waggon and hastened to the rear of the Thirteenth. A cry was +raised that one of the Queen's Own was wounded. "Where is the doctor?" +We hurried on and met Dr. May with several men of the Queen's Own +bearing Ensign McEachren from the field. They took him into a log house +on the left side of the road, and Dr. May desired me to inform him that +his wound was mortal. I told him so, and spent some time with him +in religious service. I then left him with Rev. Mr. Burwash, whose +parishioner he had been for some time previously, and went out to see if +I could be useful elsewhere. It afterwards took up a position on a +pile of stones on the road which gave me a view of the position of +the troops. I think it was now about twenty minutes since the firing +commenced that killed Ensign McEachren up to the time of my getting upon +the pile of stones. At this time I observed a part of the Thirteenth out +as skirmishers, and other portions of the same regiment in more compact +bodies behind them. I think I saw a company of green coats out on the +right of those companies of the Thirteenth that were skirmishing. At +this time, on the main road near me, were formed up a body of men in +green coats, composed, I should say, of three or four companies, and +with these men were the colors of the Thirteenth Regiment, surrounded by +a few men of that corps. The firing at this time from the enemy was very +rapid. I left this place and went back to the hospital, and returned +again in about half an hour. On my return I noticed that the firing of +the enemy on our left had very materially slackened, but was kept up +regularly, although not so rapidly as on the right. A bugle sounded near +the colors of the Thirteenth produced an obvious commotion among the +men. They were looking about them, very much as though they knew not +what to do. After a short interval another bugle call sounded from near +the centre of the reserve, where the colors were. The men in the reserve +by command formed a square after this bugle sounded. It was not a +perfect square. This was succeeded by another bugle call and words of +command. The result of that was that these men who had "formed square" +were getting back to their former positions. Then came a fourth bugle +call. The effect of this was that the whole line of skirmishers and +those in support of them, as well as those in the road near me, made a +motion to turn around. At this moment a small number of men (about 25 +or 30) broke from the ranks and ran down the road, leaving the remainder +standing mostly faced to the rear. These men were all dressed in green. +Immediately behind those that were running away came from six to eight +in red coats, who ran after the others down the road. The skirmishers +and supporters were all retiring. I then ran over to the hospital and +told Dr. May that our men were retiring. He said he would take all the +wounded men with him. Just afterwards I noticed a great rush of men to +the rear. I had left the hospital to see how matters were, and to see if +our men were still retiring, and had started to return, but the rush +of men was so great that I could not get across to the hospital. This +retreat continued, with the red and green mixed together. I passed down +and got up on the ammunition waggon, and found that Dr. May was ahead of +me with his patients. While on the waggon I noticed in the rear of the +retiring column a number of men (between 100 and 200, I think), composed +of red and green, seeming to be drawn up across the road in pretty good +order. Down the road a short distance an attempt was made to rally or +re-form the men, which was to a good extent successful. Before we came +to Ridgeway there was a halt. A man in uniform came and took the horse +which Col. Booker had been using. Shortly after this I saw Col. Booker +on the horse coming towards Ridgeway. From all I saw and heard of the +men. I can bear testimony that with very few exceptions there was no +evidence of cowardice. They displayed good spirit, and were all eager to +meet the Fenians on the following morning. + + +This concluded the evidence taken by the Court of Inquiry in regard to +the matter under consideration. After due deliberation, and a careful +sifting of all the testimony given, the following was given as the +result of the investigation, which received the approval of the Militia +authorities:-- + + +OPINION. + +The Court having duly considered the evidence brought forward by +Lieut.-Col. Booker, as well as such evidence as the Court have +considered necessary, with a view of the further elucidation of the +truth, are of opinion:-- + +First--That so far as the courage and character of Lieut.-Col. Booker: +with reference to his conduct in the command of the force engaged with +the enemy at Lime Ridge on Saturday, the 2nd of June last, are affected, +there is not the slightest foundation for the unfavorable imputations +cast upon him in the public prints, and most improperly circulated +through that channel and otherwise. On the contrary, the Court desire +to express the further opinion that Lieut.-Col. Booker having, as will +appear, fallen into an error, promptly exerted himself in person to +repair the effects of that error, in a manner which can leave no stain +upon his personal courage and conduct, subsequently to the period of +actual conflict with the force opposed, and also that the disposition of +his forces, the manner in which, before an unseen enemy whose strength +was unknown to him, he planned his attack, and the desire and anxiety +which he showed to carry out these plans to the best of his ability +at points where it was his duty to be, have in conjunction with the +statements of officers and others in evidence before the Court, led the +Court to believe that at no period of that day could want of personal +coolness be imputed to Lieut.-Col. Booker. + +With reference to the circumstances connected with the late engagement +at Lime Ridge, this Court are further of opinion that the entire +force under command of Lieut.-Col. Booker, from the formation of the +expedition to the time it came out of action, was under disadvantages +with which Her Majesty's regular forces have seldom or ever, it +is submitted, had to contend--in the want, of cavalry, artillery, +commissariat arrangements, or even the requisite means of carrying +with them cooked provisions, or supplying themselves with water in the +country through which they were about to move, in a season when the +heat rendered it especially needful that this last point should receive +careful attention. + +Further, that more than half of the two battalions forming the largest +proportion of the whole force which left Port Colborne for Stevensville +on the morning of the 2nd of June, was composed of youths not exceeding, +and in many instances not having reached twenty years of age; that a +large proportion of the force had been for a very short time accustomed +to bear arms; that a somewhat less proportion had not even been +exercised with blank cartridge, and that practice with ball cartridge +was by very many of the rank and file of that force to be entered upon +for the first time in their lives on that day. + +That notwithstanding these disadvantages, the Court have, from the +evidence produced, arrived at the conviction that no force could have +commenced a march with the knowledge that they were advancing into a +country occupied by an enemy whose numbers (exaggerated as they were +afterwards known to be) were unknown to them, and whose position they +might at any moment he called upon to attack, in finer spirits, or +a more ready desire to show by obedience to command, that they were +deserving of the confidence which their employment on the occasion +showed was reposed in their courage, and in this respect no difference +was perceptible between the mere tyros and the more seasoned men of the +expedition. + +This the Court find was the state of facts up to the time (which will be +referred to in a later part of this opinion) on the arrival of the force +under Lieut.-Col. Booker at Ridgeway, on the line of the Buffalo and +Lake Huron Railway, and its being formed in open column of companies. +The Court find that the order in which it advanced to form a junction +with the brigade under Col. Peacocke, of Her Majesty's 16th Regiment, at +Stevensville, was as follows:-- + +The 2nd Battalion (or Queen's Own Rifles) in front, the York Rifles +(attached to the Thirteenth Battalion, of which it formed the leading +company), the Thirteenth Battalion next, and last the Caledonia Rifle +Company, forming the rear guard, the advance guard of the force being +No. 5 Company of the Queen's Own, having forty Spencer rifles as part of +their armament; and the Court are of opinion that Lieut.-Col. Booker, in +advancing, used every precaution by extending companies to skirmish to +the right and left of the road by which he was moving his force, which +military rule and the nature of the country demanded; and that in the +forward movement from Ridgeway, the manner in which it was conducted by +Lieut.-Col. Booker and the officers of the force under his orders, was +regular, and in accordance with the well-understood rules by which such +duties are governed; and here the Court think it their duty to point to +the fact that in Lieut.-Col. Booker his force had a commanding officer +who, for the first time in his experience, found himself in command of +a larger body than one weak battalion on parade; and that this officer, +being without the assistance of any staff, and not even accompanied by a +mounted officer or orderly to transmit his instructions, was placed in a +position of unusual difficulty in the event of coming into contact with +the enemy. + +The Court have further found, from the evidence adduced before them, +that the column under Lieut.-Col. Booker was proceeding in this +order and had reached a point on the way leading from Ridgeway to +Stevensville, at about two miles from the former point, when the +advanced guard became aware that the woods on the right and left fronts +of the line of advance were occupied by the enemy; and are further of +opinion, that the movements then directed by Lieut.-Col. Booker and the +subsequent disposition of the force at his disposal (up to a time to +be subsequently mentioned), were in strict accordance with laid down +principles, and such as at least to hold an enemy not greatly superior +in numbers in check, if not to drive them back--and that the manner in +which the movements directed were executed, the advance of the companies +of the Queen's Own sent out to strengthen the skirmishers on the left, +the advance of the right wing of the Thirteenth Battalion extended on +the right of the road, and No. 10 Company of the Queen's Own rather to +the right, was highly creditable to the officers and men, particularly +as during the whole of these movements the force was under fire from an +unseen enemy under cover of the woods, our troops being in open ground +and exposed to the effects of such a fire, which fortunately, though +well sustained, was not very effective. + +The Court is of opinion that to this point the direction of the attack +and the position of the attacking force was well and skilfully managed, +and the enemy had been forced back to a considerable distance from the +position when first encountered. + +The Court find that at this time, and when everything looked favorable +for the attacking force, there occurred an alarm, of the truth of which +a moment's reflection on the part of the men with whom it originated, +and who appear to have been some of the advanced skirmishers, would have +shown the impossibility. It was to the effect that a force of cavalry +was advancing upon our force, and instantly the cry of "Cavalry", spread +with electric rapidity from the front to where the Colonel stood in +reserve, with which part of the force Lieut.-Col. Booker as commanding +officer remained, and thus assuming the cry to have its origin in the +fact that that officer gave the order "Look out for cavalry!" squares +were formed instantly to meet cavalry, both by the column and by the +skirmishers within hearing of that order--a mistake which, being as +quickly discovered, Lieut.-Col. Booker endeavored to remedy by the order +to "Re-form column." + +The Court, with respect to this part of the affair, are of opinion that +to adopt the idle rumor that the enemy's force was partly composed of +cavalry in a country where such an arm could be of scarcely any value in +attack, or to assume, even for a moment, that a mounted corps which he +could not see was advancing at such a rate as to render it necessary +to give the words of caution which he used, was ill-judged, and was the +first act which gave rise to the disorganization of his force, which +then followed. + +This Court further find that at this moment, and when the officer +commanding had, as before mentioned, given the order to "Re-form +column," he perceived that the column was rapidly falling back. The +attempt to re-form not having been successful, the men became mingled +together, and that the effect of the mistake just referred to became so +perceptible in the disorganization of the column at a moment when, in +the opinion of this Court, to have given the order to advance would have +had the best effect in the encouragement of the force, and in a very +short period would have effected the rout of the enemy. The officer +in command (apparently hesitating as to whether he should advance or +retreat) unfortunately gave the order to retire, and the bugles having +taken it up at the advanced posts of the attack, our force began to fall +back; and notwithstanding the exertions of the officers, who in every +case shown in the evidence before the Court behaved in a very steady and +energetic manner to rally their broken ranks, the column had retreated +too far in the direction of Ridgeway before the advanced parties had all +came in to render this possible. This being the state of the force at +the time, the officer in command (finding it impossible to rally) with +the concurrence of the next senior officer, whom he consulted, decided +upon falling back on Port Colborne by the road over which he had +advanced. + +And the Court lastly finds, that the whole of the wounded and sick were +brought with the retreating column, and that it reached Port Colborne +suffering much from fatigue and hunger, but without further casualties +than those which are already known in the official reports of the +affair. + + G. T. DENISON, + Colonel. President. + + J. SHANLY, + Lieut.-Colonel. + + GEO. K. CHISHOLM, + Lieut.-Colonel. + + Hamilton. 12th July, 1866. + + + + +THE FORT ERIE DISASTER. + +REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE COURT OF INQUIRY APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE +THE CASE OK LIEUT.-COL. J. STOUGHTON DENNIS. + +The appointment of a Court of Inquiry to investigate the charges made +against Lieut.-Col. J. Stoughton Dennis was granted on the request of +that officer himself. From the time that Lieut.-Col. Dennis hastily left +his command battling with the Fenians on the streets of Port Erie, the +men of the Welland Canal Field Battery knew him no more, as he never +came back. Therefore their relations were strained. Most of the men of +the Battery and the Dunnville Naval Brigade were pronounced in their +denunciation of his conduct during the fight, and freely expressed their +minds in this respect. + +When Capt. King's wounds permitted his return home to Port Robinson from +the hospital at Buffalo, a large number of people assembled to give him +a welcome. In replying to their greetings, Capt. King incidentally made +mention of the experience of his Battery in the battle at Fort Erie, and +during his remarks voiced the sentiments of his men by publicly accusing +Lieut.-Col. Dennis of cowardice. This charge came to the ears of +Lieut.-Col. Dennis and he demanded a Court of Inquiry to investigate +the matter. In the meantime a formula of six separate charges was filed +against Lieut.-Col. Dennis, and His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief +appointed the following officers as a Court of Inquiry, viz.:--Col. Geo. +T. Denison, President; Lieut.-Col. James Shanly, and Lieut.-Col. S. B. +Fairbanks. + +The Court assembled in the City Hotel at Fort Erie, on the 8th of +November, 1866, for the purpose of taking testimony. Among those who +were notified to appear as witnesses were a number of men who had been +engaged in the fight as members of the Welland Canal Field Battery and +the Dunnville Naval Brigade, besides several citizens. + +For some reason four members of the Welland Canal Field Battery who had +been summoned to testify were not called upon for their evidence, which +they considered a very strange proceeding as they were all present for +that purpose, and had evidence to offer which would tend to substantiate +Capt. King's allegations. Eight or ten witnesses were examined, when +the Court proceeded to sum up the evidence and consider the charges +_seriatim_. The result was that Lieut.-Col. Dennis was exonerated by the +Court, although Col. Geo. T. Denison (the President) differed from his +colleagues on several important points stated in the charges. + +The following is the official report, published in General Orders, +which contains the charges made, the findings and the remarks of His +Excellency the Governor-General on the case:-- + + +VOLUNTEER MILITIA. HEADQUARTERS, OTTAWA, 14th December, 1866. + +GENERAL ORDERS No. 1. + +The Court of Inquiry lately assembled at Fort Erie on application +of Lieut.-Colonel Dennis, having presented its report, the +Commander-in-Chief directs that the several charges preferred against +that officer, with the opinion of the Court of Inquiry thereupon, be +published for general information. + + +CHARGES. + +1st Charge.--With having at Fort Erie on the afternoon of the 2nd June +last, after having received information that an overwhelming force of +the enemy was advancing on and was within a very short distance of +that place, evinced an utter disregard for the lives and safety of the +officers and men of the Welland Canal Field Battery, and the safekeeping +of a large number of Fenian prisoners in charge of that corps and the +Dunnville Naval Brigade, in this: that he ordered billets to be prepared +for the Battery and told the officer commanding it that he should leave +it and the prisoners in Fort Erie and go on himself to Port Colborne +with the Dunnville Naval Brigade with the steamer "Robb," then lying at +a wharf in Fort Erie. + +2nd Charge.--With having at Fort Erie on the afternoon of the 2nd June +last, after he had received information that a large and overwhelming +force of the enemy was within a very short distance from his command, +and that his command was in danger of being destroyed or captured, +and after having himself seen that force approaching, recklessly and +uselessly landed 5 officers and 68 men of the Welland Canal Field +Battery and Dunnville Naval Brigade from the steamer "Robb," marched +them along an exposed road, and posted them in a most dangerous +position, where they were exposed to a front and flanking fire from the +enemy, which course on his part resulted in disaster to his command, the +serious wounding and maiming (some of them for life) of an officer and +five men, and the capture by the enemy of four officers and thirty-two +men of that command. + +3rd Charge.--With having at Fort Erie on the afternoon of the 2nd +June last, after having placed his command in the dangerous position +described in Charge No. 2, and when a force of the enemy greatly +superior in numbers to his command was within a very short distance from +and advancing upon his left flank, and another force of the enemy far +stronger than the one first herein mentioned was within a very short +distance of and advancing against his front and preparing to flank his +right, the whole force of the enemy being overwhelming and numbering +500 or 600 men, while his command only numbered 5 officers and 68 men, +neither ordering a retreat to the steamer "Robb," which there was ample +time to effect, and whereby his whole command might have been saved, +nor allowing a fire to be opened on the enemy, but on the contrary, +neglecting to give orders for a retreat, and directing that no order to +fire should be given. + +4th Charge.--With having, at Fort Erie, on the afternoon of the 2nd +June last, after he had placed his command in the dangerous and exposed +position described in the preceding charges, and given the order not to +fire as therein mentioned, disgracefully, in the face of the enemy, and +in order to secure his personal safety, deserted his command and left it +without orders of any kind. + +5th Charge.--With having, on or about the 4th June last, in a certain +report of his proceedings addressed to Colonel Lowry, commanding the +Niagara frontier, untruly, and knowing it to be untrue, stated that, +having advanced to meet the enemy at Fort Erie on the 2nd June last, +he did, in order to save the prisoners then on board the tug "Robb" and +prevent the enemy from obtaining possession of that vessel, order the +Captain of that vessel to cast off and get into the stream, and ordered +his (Colonel Dennis') men (meaning his command, landed as aforesaid) to +retreat and do the best they could to get away, each man for himself, +when in reality he did not give such orders, and had at the time of +which he alleges he gave them, deserted his command. + +6th Charge.--That he was guilty of misconduct at Fort Erie on +the afternoon of the 2nd June last, in this, that having received +information that an overwhelming body of the enemy was then within a +very short distance of and advancing against Fort Erie, and in fact seen +that body himself, he should and might, instead of placing his command +then at Fort Erie in the dangerous position described in Charge No. 2, +have embarked it in the steamer "Robb," so protected that vessel with +materials at hand that she would have been proof against the fire and +weapons of the enemy, and dropping into the stream, held the enemy +in check without any casualty to his command, and prevented them from +escaping to the United States before the arrival of a force sufficiently +strong to capture them. + +The Court having proceeded to the examination of the evidence brought +forward against the accused, as well as what he has offered in +exculpation, and having duly considered the same, are of-- + + +OPINION. + +As to the 1st Charge.--That the allegation that Lieut.-Colonel +Dennis, after having received information of the near approach of an +overwhelming force, made arrangements for billetting his men at Fort +Erie, thereby raising the inference that in so acting he evinced +disregard for the lives of the officers and men of the party under +his command, is not sustained. And that of the part of this charge +attributing to Lieut.-Colonel Dennis an expressed intention (with or +without such information as he is alleged to have had) of leaving a part +of his command at Fort Erie and taking the steamer and remainder of the +force to Port Colborne, there is not any evidence whatever in support. + +As to 2nd Charge.--That this charge, based on the assertion not only +that the accused officer was in possession of certain information, +but had actual personal knowledge of the approach of a large and +overwhelming force of the enemy, is not sustained by the evidence before +the Court. On the contrary, with reference to the alleged knowledge of +that fact, the Court is of opinion that the rumors which immediately +before his party was disembarked to repel any attack on the village +of Fort Erie, were, in so far as regarded the strength of the enemy's +force, so much at variance with previously received information of a +definite nature, as to be disbelieved not only by Lieut.-Colonel Dennis, +but to some extent by the officers who have preferred the charges +against him. And it appears to the Court that it was only after he had +got his men into position, and after they had come into actual contact +with the enemy, that the great superiority in numbers of the attacking +force became a matter of certainty. + +As to the 3rd Charge.--That this charge, being also grounded +upon certain knowledge alleged to have been in the possession of +Lieut.-Colonel Dennis at a particular time with respect to the great +superiority of the enemy's force, and that whilst possessing that +knowledge, and there being time to avail himself of the line of +retreat alleged to have been open to him, he neglected to do so, is not +sustained by the evidence before the Court. And with reference to the +remainder of this charge as to the aforesaid officer not allowing a +fire to lie opened upon the enemy, but on the contrary directing that +no order to fire should be given, the Court are further of opinion that +this part of the charge is not only not sustained, but is refuted by the +evidence offered on behalf of Lieut.-Colonel Dennis. + +As to the 4th Charge.--That with reference to the grave accusations +contained in this charge, the Court are of opinion that throughout +the whole of the affair, and up to the moment when he ascertained from +personal observation that the enemy was on the point of cutting off his +command by an overwhelming force, the dispositions of his party and the +orders given by Lieut.-Colonel Dennis were carried out and given in a +perfectly collected and regular manner, and that on the retreat of his +force his position was not such as to warrant the use of the language +in which this charge has been framed, nor did Lieut.-Colonel Dennis, as +alleged, leave his force without orders, and that therefore not only is +this charge not sustained, but this Court are further of opinion that +the imputation contained herein against Lieut.-Colonel Dennis is by no +means supported by the evidence. + +As to the 5th Charge.--That as to this charge nothing which has +transpired in the evidence offered before this Court having varied +the report made by Lieut.-Colonel Dennis to Colonel Lowry, the officer +commanding on the Niagara frontier, as published in the Gazette of the +23rd of June last, and finding that the statements therein contained are +fully supported by evidence before the Court, this Court are further of +opinion that this charge is not sustained. + +As to the 6th Charge.--That with reference to the allegation of +misconduct on the part of Lieut.-Colonel Dennis contained in this +charge, the officers preferring it, having based that assertion on an +opinion which they appear to have formed as to the course which ought to +have been, but was not adopted by Lieut.-Colonel Dennis with the force +at his disposal, the Court are of opinion that although subsequent +events and results may have properly led to the conclusion that such +a course might have resulted in the manner alleged in the charge, no +charge of misconduct in not adopting such a course is sustained, first, +because it does not appear from the evidence that at the time when it +is alleged that this course might have been successfully adopted, the +officer in command had foreseen occasion for it. And also because it is +by no means clear to the Court that there was time after he became aware +of the vicinity of the enemy to have taken the steps suggested in this +charge. + + (Signed) GEO. T. DENISON, + Colonel, President. + + J. SHANLY, + Lieut.-Colonel. + + S. B. FAIRBANKS, + Lieut.-Colonel. + + Fort Erie. 8th November, 1866. + + +Colonel Denison, the President, having been overruled by the majority of +the Court, has signed the proceedings as its President, and now +desires to express his dissent from the finding of the majority for the +following reasons:-- + +Second Charge.--That as to the first allegation, "that he had received +information that a large and overwhelming force of the enemy was within +a very short distance from his command, and that his command was in +danger of being captured," it appears to be proved by the evidence that +this fact is established. The evidence of Drill Instructor McCracken, +Lieutenant McDonald, Henry Cole, Thomas Carlisle, Lieutenant Nimmo, and +of Lewis Palmer, show clearly that messenger after messenger arrived +with this information, that most of the officers and men were aware of +it, and that the remonstrances of Capt King and Capt. McCallum show not +only their appreciation of the danger, but also afford the strongest +presumption that Lieut.-Colonel Dennis must have been aware of it before +he marched his command off the dock. This is also further established +by the admission of Lieut.-Colonel Dennis in his "Statement of Facts" +submitted to the Court, that he himself, after hearing the report, saw +at least one hundred and fifty of the enemy before landing his men, and +his further statement of his having sent word to the "Robb" to secure +the boat and prisoners in case he was overpowered, and his having +withdrawn his men from Ramsford's Corner to a position near the "Robb," +all prove the evidence of doubts in his mind as to whether he had +sufficient strength in his command to successfully resist the force +which he was informed was about to attack him. And as to the remainder +of the second charge the evidence proves it conclusively. + +Third Charge.--Colonel Denison also dissents from the finding of the +Court upon the third charge, as he is of opinion that the third charge +is proved, with the exception that the allegation that Lieut.-Colonel +Dennis did not allow a fire to be opened on the enemy. On this point +there is a certain amount of rebutting evidence, although the weight of +evidence seems to support the charge. + +(Signed) GEO. T. DENISON. Colonel. President. + +Fort Erie, 8th November, 1866. + + +With respect to the foregoing charges and opinion, and to the evidence +generally taken by the Court of Inquiry, His Excellency directs the +publication of the following remarks: + +1. Although the order for the assembly of the Court was general in its +terms, the special memorandum of instructions furnished for the guidance +of the President and members, stated that the Court was assembled to +give Lieut.-Col. Dennis an opportunity of refuting charges which had +been "made against his personal conduct on the 2nd June, at Fort Erie," +and directed the reception of any evidence which might tend to elucidate +the truth. + +2. The only one of the above six charges which, strictly speaking, the +Court was required to consider, was the 4th, which imputed disgraceful +and cowardly conduct to the accused officer. + +3. His Excellency approves of the opinion of the Court with respect to +the 1st. 3rd. 4th. 5th and 6th charges. + +4. With respect to the second charge. His Excellency is of opinion that +Lieut.-Col. Dennis committed an error in judgment in removing the small +force under his command, from the means of secure retreat afforded by +the steamer, before he had ascertained with some degree of certainty the +probable force of the enemy, of whose near approach he was informed; +but if the accusation made against Lieut.-Col. Dennis in this charge be +correct, that he did so remove his force from the shelter of the steamer +for the purpose of attacking an enemy, whose numbers he knew to +be overwhelming--the proceeding savours rather of rashness than of +timidity. Had Lieut.-Col. Dennis been the coward which his accusers +would have the public believe, he would in such a case have eagerly +availed himself of the remonstrances which it is stated were made +to him, to return with the men under his command to the deck of the +steamer. + +5. The first charge being one of imputed intention only, the fulfilment +of which it was not attempted to establish, was not a proper charge for +investigation by any Court. + +6. The sixth charge is also an improper charge to have preferred or +investigated. No Commanding Officer would be safe if his subordinates +could be allowed to frame a charge of misconduct against him for not +having adopted a particular course, which, judging deliberately after +the event, his accusers might think to have been advisable. There is +no pretence that the course which Lieut.-Col. Dennis is accused of +misconduct for not adopting, was suggested to him and rejected. + + + + +END + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Troublous Times in Canada, by John A. Macdonald + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TROUBLOUS TIMES IN CANADA *** + +***** This file should be named 19599.txt or 19599.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/5/9/19599/ + +Produced by Gardner Buchanan. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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