It will be remembered that when the brave O’Neill and his handful of
troops fell down the river from Fort Erie on the night of the first of
June, to go into camp at Newbiggin’s Farm, preparations were being made
by the British not only to overpower him with superior numbers but
to cut off his retreat upon the American shore and capture his whole
command. In view of this, troops were being despatched against him from
all points; while the tug Robb, black with artillery and men, came round
from Dunville and patrolled the Niagara River between Fort Erie and
Black Creek, under command of Capt. L. McCallum. This craft was manned
by the Dunville Naval Brigade and the Welland Field Battery, under Capt.
R.S. King, all armed to the teeth with Enfield rifles. On this vessel
there was, we learn, so much mirth when it was found that the Fenians
were cut off from the American shore, that the force aboard it assumed
the air of a sort of military pic-nic party. They laughed at the dilemma
in which they considered the invaders placed; and landed some of their
men at one point on the river to make a pleasant reconnoisance of the
enemy, and give them a warm reception as they came flying back
towards Fort Erie before the victorious Queen’s Own or the University
Rifles--either corps being considered quite sufficient to snuff out the
little band of patriots who dared to beard the British Lion in his den.
The wine and the jest passed gaily round, until so secure were they of
their position and the defeat of the invaders, a landing was effected
At Fort Erie where the skull and cross-bones of St. George once again
floated over the village, and assured the inhabitants that they were
not yet lost to wheezy old England. Lieut. Col. Denis was absolutely in
ecstasies and evinced such instances of personal bravery over his brandy
and water, that no one could have imagined, that, in the space of a
couple of hours or so, he should be found in a hay-loft, shorn of his
fierce moustachois, and endeavoring to imitate the Irish brogue, in the
slouched caubeen and coarse, gray habiliments of some poor, plundered
Son of the Sod. Those who caught a glimpse of the brave commander as he
fled before the dangers that threatened him, report him as presenting
the most ludicrous appearance imaginable, and scarcely worth sending to
his account in a respectable manner. To this disguise alone, we learn,
he owed his escape after the second carnage of the British by the Irish
troops on the memorable day already named, and on their return from
Limestone Ridge.
When O’Neill left Ridgeway, after pursuing the routed English forces
through and beyond the village, he took the Garrison Road and, as
already mentioned, fell back on Fort Erie. Here he came upon the Welland
Field Battery and Dunville Naval Brigade just referred to. Flushed with
the victory of the morning, he was upon them like a whirlwind, and, in
the twinkling of an eye sent them flying to cover in every direction.
His horse being much jaded with the march of the previous night, and the
dreadful fatigues of the battle of the morning, he could scarcely get
him to move a leg when he entered the village; and this circumstance was
near leading to the most fatal results; for, in passing a house in which
a number of the enemy had taken shelter, one of them came to the door,
and seeing the animal going at so slow a pace, took deliberate aim with
a rifle, and fired, in the hope of bringing down his rider. The all but
murderous ball displaced the hair just over the right temple of O’Neill,
lodging in a building opposite; the hero escaping all the dangers of the
day, to the amazement of those who had marked him galloping among the
carnage and bullets of the morning, in what might be termed a constant
hand to hand struggle with death. It is sometimes thus with the men who
show the most daring front in battle, and at the call of duty expose
themselves to dangers the most appalling; while such as are more
cautious often fall in their first encounter with the enemy.
The British forces at Fort Erie, from the very nature of things, had the
Fenians at great advantage on the return of the latter from Ridgeway.
The troops under O’Neill were fatigued and hungry, and after a desperate
battle and a long march, while the English had been resting on their
oars and feasting all day long, or at least for many hours. Still,
with all these advantages in their favor, they were whipped instantly a
second time; many of them being killed and wounded; Captain King of
the Welland Battery losing a leg upon the occasion, and others being
terribly maimed. In addition, some of them were so terror-stricken as to
roll from the bank into the river, and conceal themselves as best they
could, with their heads just over the water, and sheltered by whatever
chanced to float against them or project into the flood. In one case
they fought for a few minutes from behind some cord-wood: but from this
they were soon dislodged by the terrible bayonets of their enemies,
and scattered like sheep in and about the village. It was here that the
brave Colonel Michael Bailey was dangerously wounded by a rifle ball
from a house where the enemy had already hung out a flag of truce. He
was riding at the head of his men when he was tumbled from his horse,
the ball having entered his left breast, damaging the breast bone and
passing out just under his right nipple. The wound was at the time
considered mortal; but the gallant soldier survived it for upwards of a
year. Still it was the occasion of his death ultimately; for, from the
hour that he received it, he drooped gradually into his grave. Only
for the timely interference of O’Neill, the house from which this
treacherous shot was fired, like that from which he himself had nigh
received his death, would have been burned to the ground. He saw, of
course, how cowardly the act, to first hang out a flag of truce and then
follow the white emblem with so diabolical an attack; but he perceived,
also, that if one building chanced to be fired, Fort Erie might be
burned to the ground. He therefore quelled the rising tempest at this
foul play, and with his iron will held the whole command in the hollow
of his hand and made those who composed it trample on their feelings
and curb their just anger for the good of the cause--a noble sentiment
emulated by the brave Dr. Edward Donnelly, of Pittsburgh, who at the
risk of his life and liberty, remained among the wounded of both parties
and assisted by the humane Drs. Blanchard and Trowbridge, of Buffalo,
attended upon the sufferers even after the troops had recrossed the
river, and the British had again taken possession of Fort Erie.
If we except the death of the brave Lonergan and that of half a dozen
other noble fellows, whose names are unfortunately not at our command at
this moment, and take into consideration the capture by the British of
the Christian and chivalrous Father McMahon, who, regardless of his own
personal safety, remained with the dead and dying, after the forces of
O’Neill had recrossed the river, the victory of Ridgeway was completely
unclouded. This patriotic priest and some other friends of Ireland are
now suffering for their love of Fatherland in an English bastile at
Kingston, in the New Dominion; but the thought strikes us, the hour of
their redemption draws nigh. Subsequently, one or two others, including
the gallant Bailey, died from the effects of their wounds upon that
memorable field; but such are the contingencies of war, and such the
fate of some of the truest of our race.
When O’Neill conquered and captured all the British force at Fort Erie,
he at once sent a despatch to Buffalo asking for reinforcements and
stating that if it were necessary to the success of any movement that
might be going on at some other point, he would hold Fort Erie and make
it a slaughter-pen to the last man of his command. General Lynch having
arrived at Buffalo some short time previously, it was decided to send
reinforcements; but on its being found, subsequently, that a sufficient
number to be of real service could not be then sent to the Canada side,
the idea was abandoned and transportation prepared for the victorious
troops to re-cross the river.
When the British entered Fort Erie in the morning, they captured some
Fenian stragglers who were, of course, set free on the arrival of
O’Neill from Ridgeway; and now after being themselves captured in turn
they were released on their parole; O’Neill having no other means of
disposing of them. Nicholas was not engaged in this latter affair; as,
not anticipating it, he had kept in the rear of the army with Kate and
Evans; so that now when he came up, he was both ashamed and mortified
that even an engagement so trifling, when compared with that of the
morning, was fought without his having participated in it. However, the
day was doubly won, and as he explained to his gallant Commander, the
peculiarity of his position, with a smile and a hearty shake of the
hand, he got permission to re-cross the river with his betrothed. This
much accomplished, Henry turned his horses and drove down the bank at a
quick pace, until he arrived at the house of a friend who kept a boat;
and prevailing on him to take our hero and heroine to the American side
a little below the Lower Rock, he made his warm _adieux_, with a promise
soon to visit Buffalo with Martha, where, meeting an express desire from
the lips of Kate, he agreed that they should be made man and wife. And
so the friends parted for the time being--Nicholas and Kate, in the
course of an hour, finding themselves under the Stars and Stripes once
more, and beneath the hospitable roof that had so long sheltered her.
Here to their utter astonishment they found Big Tom who had just arrived
from Canada; he having been obliged to turn over his establishment
hastily to his trusty friend, Burk, and fly the Province; as through
some successful espionage, his connection with the Brotherhood had been
discovered. From a friendly detective who had learned the true state of
the case and the danger that threatened him, he received the hint that
urged him to make his escape, and which doubtless saved him from the
horrors of a dungeon if not from death. His sister was to follow him as
soon as a sale of his establishment could be effected, and then, as
he said himself, “good bye to the tyrant until we meet on the battle
field.” He was astounded at the disclosures regarding the pretended
Greaves, and all but paralysed at the frightful position from which Kate
had so miraculously escaped. When, however, he heard of the glorious
victory of the arms of the Irish Republic at Ridgeway and Fort Erie,
under O’Neill, he forgot everything else and leaped to his feet with a
cheer that shook the house to its very foundation. In the ecstasy of joy
that seized him, he took everybody near him by the hand ten times over,
and added cheer to cheer until it was deemed expedient to recall him to
something like reason. A more genuine display of heartfelt pleasure and
patriotic feeling was never witnessed or experienced by any individual
or indulged in a manner more original or unsophisticated.
“Tell it to me again, Nick! Tell it to me again!” he exclaimed for the
twentieth time; “and did you see them run, and how many of them are
kilt? Have you a soord or a gun or anythin belongin to them? for if you
have I’ll give you tin times the value of it for a keepsake.”
“Oh!” replied Barry, amused at this unusual display on the part of
the sedate and phlegmatic Tom, “there will be no lack of keepsakes in
Buffalo to-morrow; for the field was covered with their coats, arms, and
knapsacks; and some of these, I am sure, will be got for a mere song.”
This seemed to satisfy O’Brien, who soon flowed into conversation
touching all that had transpired regarding Kate and Darcy, as well as in
relation to Nicholas himself. During the narrative, he referred to
the doubts that he had from the first entertained regarding the spy;
although he confessed he was not altogether clear at times upon the
subject.
After the fight at Fort Erie, many of the Fenians, understanding that
they were not to be reinforced and that the enemy was about coming down
on them in force and hemming them in on all sides, made the best of
their way across the river. The great bulk of the command, however,
stood by O’Neill; until about midnight, when a large scow attached to
a steam tug approached the Canadian shore and took the whole of the
remaining forces on board. Laden thus, they steamed out into the middle
of the river, when a 12-pound shot fired across their bows, from the
tug Harrison, belonging to the U.S. Steamer Michigan, brought them
to--doubtless to the extreme delight of Acting Sailing-Master Morris
who seemed anxious enough to fire the gun and make the capture; although
they would at the moment have stuck to a child hearing the authority
of the United States. It is significant, however, that the
over-officiousness of Mr. Morris has not tended much to his advantage as
he no longer belongs to the United States Navy; he having been quite
as unfortunate as a certain District Attorney, who, also, endeavored to
impress the Government as to his undoubted unfriendliness to the cause
of Irish freedom. The lesson may be profitable to Government officials
at some future period; and prevent them from exceeding the simple and
unprejudiced bounds of their duty. Be this as it may, about two o’clock
on the morning of the third of June the scow was brought along side the
Michigan and the officers taken on board that vessel and handed over
to the urbane and gentlemanly Capt. Bryson, its commander, as prisoners
under the authority of the United States; while the men were detained in
the same character aboard the scow.
We are unable to trace to any particular source, the cruelty inflicted
upon these latter noble fellows, in keeping them for days in that open
vessel huddled together, and with the rain for a portion of that period,
descending upon them in torrents. The disgrace of such a proceeding
has been so often denounced, that we dismiss this part of the subject
without further comment. Ultimately, they were all liberated on
their own recognizance, to appear about the middle of the month at
Canaudaigua, to answer for a breach of the Neutrality Laws; and there
the matter ended.
Now, however, the arms and ammunition belonging to the Brotherhood had
been seized at every point except Buffalo. In addition, the volunteers
who poured to the frontier from every side found themselves helpless,
being without weapons or a commissariat: although the brave General
Spear, with but a handful of men, made a descent subsequently upon
the enemy at St. Albans, and put them to a most ignominious flight.
According to General Meade, of the United States Army, between
thirty and forty thousand of these brave fellows were furnished with
transportation back to their homes at the expense of the Government;
while the arms that were seized were subsequently returned to the
authorities of the Organization on certain conditions that have been for
so far complied with.
Thus ended the first invasion of Canada under the gallant O’Neill,
who, on his return from the campaign, was made a General and
Commander-in-chief of the Army of the Irish Republic, and who, in
addition, was subsequently elevated, to the position of President of the
Fenian Organization throughout the world. What his next move may be, we
are unable to say; but this we know, it will be in the right direction
and likely to succeed. He had no doubt been spared on the numerous
battle-fields on which he fought so bravely, for some wise purpose: and
this purpose, we feel, is in connection with the freedom of Ireland. For
the present, then, we bid him and his noble comrades adieu; hoping the
next time we shall have occasion to refer to them, the power of England
may be broken on this continent, and the green flag of old Ireland
floating over the Castle of Dublin. Our hopes of success were never
brighter than they appear to be at this, the moment of our writing.
We have an immense army in preparation for the field, and a noble and
self-sacrificing Senate and band of Organizers that may well command
his confidence and that of every Irish Nationalist in the world. For the
benefit of our readers, we here give the names of the members of both
these bodies, so that they shall be known and cherished throughout
the globe. We might single out from amongst them, that of the able and
patriotic P.J. Meehan, Esq., editor of the _Irish American_, and bold
it up to the admiration of our countrymen everywhere: but where all have
acted so nobly we shall include all as worthy of praise alike; although
we could point out D. O’Sullivan, Esq., Secretary of Civil Affairs, A.L.
Morrison, Esq., of Chicago, and a host of others, as eminently entitled
to our love and admiration; while, were we permitted to do so, we could
illumine our pages with the names of thousands of our fair countrywomen
and their beautiful American sisters who have laid their hands to the
good work with all the passion and nobility of their pure and generous
natures: but we must for the present content ourselves with the
following list and its recent modifications, at the Seventh National
Congress of the Fenian Brotherhood, which assembled at Philadelphia on
Tuesday, November 24th. 1868:
_NAMES OF SENATORS OF THE FENIAN BROTHERHOOD_.
JAMES GIBBONS, ESQ., Vice President, F.B. 333 Chestnut St., Philadelphia.
THOMAS LAVAN, ESQ., 13 Superior Street, Cleveland, Ohio.
T.J. QUINN, ESQ., Albany, N.Y.
MILES D. SWEENEY, ESQ., San Francisco. Cal.
JOHN CARLETON, ESQ., Bordentown, N.J.
F.B. GALLAGHER, ESQ., Buffalo, N.Y.
P.W. DUNNE, ESQ., Peoria. Ill.
EDWARD L. CAREY, ESQ., New York City.
PATRICK J. MEEHAN, ESQ., Hudson City, N.J.
PETER CUNNINGHAM, ESQ., Utica, N.Y.
MICHAEL FINNEGAN, ESQ., Houghton, Mich.
J.C. O’BRIEN, ESQ., Rochester, N.Y.
WM. FLEMING, ESQ., 16 Congress Street Troy, N.Y.
HON. J.W. FITZGERALD, Ellen Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
PATRICK SWEENEY, ESQ., Newburgh Street, Lawrence, Mass.
_NAMES OF ORGANIZERS OF THE FENIAN BROTHERHOOD_{1}
JOHN F. FINNERTY, ESQ.
JAMES BRENNAN, ESQ.
COLONEL P.F. WALSH.
MAJOR WM. McWILLIAMS.
H.M. WILLIAMS, ESQ.
HENRY LE CARON, ESQ.
MAJOR TIMOTHY O’LEARY.
JOSEPH SMOLENSKI, ESQ.
E.C. LEWIS, ESQ.
COLONEL WM. CLINGEN.
FRED. O’DONNELL, ESQ.
H.M. SULLIVAN, ESQ.
(FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DISPATCHES)
PHILADELPHIA. NOVEMBER 29, 1868.
“The Seventh National Congress of the Fenian Brotherhood adjourned _sine
die_ at six o’clock this morning, the delegates having sat from three
o’clock P.M., on Saturday, determined to finish their business in one
session. General JOHN O’NEILL was unanimously re-elected President, and
resolutions were adopted, approving his administration of the affairs of
the Brotherhood.
“The following named Senators, nine in number, were elected to fill
vacancies:--
“J.C. O’Brien, Rochester, N.Y.; J.W. Fitzgerald, Cincinnati, Ohio; Major
J. McKinley, Nashville, Tenn.; R. McCloud, Norwich, Conn.; J.E. Downey,
Providence, R.I.; P. Bannon, Louisville, Ky.; W.J. Hynes, Washington,
D.C.; P.J. Meehan, New York; Colonel John O’Neill, Dubuque, Iowa.
“The following named Senators hold over under the Constitutional rule,
having been elected for two years at the Cleveland Congress:--
“James Gibbons, of Philadelphia; Miles D. Sweeney, of San Francisco;
T.J. Quinn, of Albany, N.Y.; E.L. Carey, of New York; P.W. Dunne, of
Peoria, Ill.; Frank B. Gallagher, of Buffalo, N.Y.
“What may be termed the central authority of the Brotherhood, within the
Senate, stands thus, Dec., 1868:
“PRESIDENT--GENERAL JOHN O’NEILL.
_Executive Committee_--VICE PRESIDENT GIBBONS, P.J. MEEHAN and E.L. CAREY.
_Acting Sec. of War_--P.J. MEEHAN.
_Assistant Treasurer_--JOHN P. BROPHY.
_Sec. of Civil Affairs_--DAN. O’SULLIVAN, of Auburn.
_Assistant Secretaries_--FRANK RUNEHAN and RUDOLPH FITZPATRICK.
_Treasurer_--PATRICK KEENAN.”
As we have referred to the recent Congress at Philadelphia, the
following article from the Philadelphia _Age_ November 27, 1868, will
be interesting to our readers as indicative of the present standing and
prospects of the Brotherhood on this continent:
“One of the great events of Thanksgiving Day, outside of the festivities
of the home circle and the attendance on public worship, was the grand
demonstration by the Irishmen of Philadelphia in honor of the assembling
of the Fenian Congress in this city. This body, which consists of
delegates from all parts of the world, has been holding secret sessions
at the Assembly Buildings during the week, and important results have
been anticipated by the friends of Ireland all over the world.
“The parade was quite a success, and reflected great credit on the
managers. Mr. John Brennan was Chief Marshal, assisted by Frank
McDonald, Marshal First Division; Michael Moane, Second Division; James
Carr, Third Division; John McAtee, Fourth Division; Michael D. Kelly,
Fifth Cavalcade, with the following Aids--John A. Keenan, R.J. Keenan,
Andrew Wynne, Thomas N. Stack, Capt. F. Quinlan.
“The line commenced moving about half-past three o’clock, in the
following order, the military having the right of the line:
“Gen. John O’Neill, President of the Fenian Brotherhood, and the
following Staff--Gen. J. Smolenski, Chief-of-Staff; Col. John W. Byron,
Asst. Adjt.-General; Col. J.J. Donnelly, of Engineers; Major T. O’Leary,
of Ordnance; Major Henry LeCaron, Com. Subsistence; Dr. Donnelly,
Surgeon; Capt. Wm. J. Hynes, Assistant Inspector; Lieut.-Col. Sullivan,
Aide-de-Camp; Lieut.-Col. Atkinson, Aide-de-Camp; Lieut.-Col. John W.
Dunne, Aid-de-Camp; Capt. J. Smolenski, Aide-de-Camp; Capt. J. Driscoll,
Aide-de-Camp.
“There were three regiments of the Irish Republican Army in line; they
numbered fully two thousand men, and were clad in their new uniform. The
three regiments parading were the Eighth, Ninth and Twenty-fourth. The
brigade was commanded by Col. William Clingen, Major Daniel A. Moore,
Asst. Adj’t-Gen.
“The Eighth Regiment was commanded by Col. P.S. Tinah, the Ninth by Col.
J. O’Reilly, and the Twenty-fourth by Col. Michael Kirwan. The military
was followed by numerous civic societies. There were nineteen Circles
of the Fenian Brotherhood and three hundred delegates to the Fenian
Congress, besides the Charles Carroll Beneficial Society and the
Buchanan Beneficial Society. The civic portion of the parade numbered
about five thousand men. The participants wore dark suits and badges,
and pieces of green ribbon tied in the button-holes of their coats.
“In the line of the procession was a handsome chariot drawn by six gray
horses. It was painted green and gold; the platform was covered with
beautiful oilcloth, and on it was placed a large brass bell, supported
on a green framework. This bell was kept tolling over the whole route
of the procession. In the rear of the chariot was a raised platform, on
which sat a beautiful daughter of Erin, dressed as a Goddess of Liberty,
holding a beautiful silk banner. She was seated underneath an arch of
gold stars, set on a field of white satin, and the top of the arch was
covered with holly and evergreen. The rear of the arch and the back of
the chariot were covered by a beautiful anchor of hope, made entirely
of flowers. The horses were decked with red, white and blue plumes and
large silk pennants. The whole arrangement made a very fine display, and
elicited much applause along the route.
“A banner was carried in the line of the civic societies, containing the
following, in gold letters on a field of green satin:
“Delegates--remember the words of our martyred O’Brien, to unite in
God’s name, for Ireland and liberty. God save Ireland.
“An outline cross in gold covered the front of the banner.
“Along the route advertised, the sidewalks were lined by expectant
watchers, in some instances three or four abreast. They waited patiently
for nearly three long hours before the head of the line appeared. Green
flags, with yellow harps and the words ‘Erin go Bragh,’ were plentifully
distributed throughout the crowd. The universal color was green; green
ribbons in button-holes, green neckties, green badges, green flags,
green coats, green sashes and green uniforms. The bands played ‘Wearing
of the Green,’ continually. ‘Green grow the Rushes, O,’ ‘The Green above
the Red,’ and ‘Garry-owen’ were the only substitutes.
“There was a great deal of enthusiasm manifested all along the route,
and the procession did not cease marching until the shades of evening
had approached.”
But to resume, once more, the thread of our story:--In due time the
establishment of The Harp was disposed of to advantage, and the sum
realized from it placed in the hands of O’Brien by his sister who
had made her way to Buffalo according to his directions. When matters
quieted down in the vicinity of Ridgeway, Martha paid a visit to her
friend Kate, and was soon followed by Henry with a view to keeping his
word in relation to their marriage which took place on the same evening
and under the same roof with that of Kate and Nicholas. The joint affair
was a grand one; many guests having been invited to the wedding; among
whom were some officers of the I.R.A., and all that survived of Barry’s
comrades. Tom, was in his glory; and as all the military men present had
been at Ridgeway, the _pros_ and _cons_ of that important battle were
discussed in a manner the most lively and entertaining. Then and there,
it was voted, that although the invasion of the Provinces had not at the
moment, resulted in any immediate benefits to the Irish, it had given a
prestige to the arms of Ireland in an individual and national sense, not
realized by that country for ages. Not since the palmy days of our early
chivalry, had British soil been invaded by a hostile Irish army, until
O’Neill broke the ice at Ridgeway; and at no period in the history of
the nation had a mere handful of men performed greater miracles of valor
or been handled with more consummate judgment and daring.
In the course of a few days, Mr. and Mrs. Evans returned to their home
near Ridgeway; and prevailed upon Mrs., now the widow Wilson, to dispose
of the house and property identified with so many unhappy associations,
and near which the young wife could not now be induced to venture. In
the roomy and commodious dwelling of the Evans’ she found a home; and in
the course of time began to wear a more cheerful aspect, and forget,
in a measure, the dreadful ordeal through which she had passed.
Nevertheless, no real sunshine visited her brow, as the shadow that had
fallen on it was too deep and sorrowful for even the peace and quiet now
promised her in the decline of her years.
Six months after their marriage, the Barrys were apprised of their
success regarding the Chancery-suit; but so enormous were the expenses
attending it, that, after all, the benefits accruing from it were
something similar to those experienced by Gulliver after his having
encountered and overcome all the difficulties that could have possibly
beset humanity. Still they were richer through its having been decided
in their favor; and were enabled on the strength of it to purchase
a handsome dwelling near their friends of the Rock, where they still
reside in comfortable if not affluent circumstances. Tom and his sister,
old bachelor and old maid, are once again in business, but this time not
in the restaurant line; and had we not given assumed names throughout
our whole story in so far as he and Barry are concerned, his
establishment might be recognized at any period by those acquainted
with Buffalo and its vicinity, or such as have passed along a certain
well-known thoroughfare to Black Rock. His faith never falters in
relation to the independence of Ireland; and he still keeps up his
connection with the Brotherhood on both sides of the line; often
receiving from Canada lengthy and mysterious epistles written by Burk,
over which he pores, from time to time, with sundry nods, winks and
significant smiles.
Henry and Martha are now occasionally to be seen at the Rock; the former
wearing a green necktie, and the latter as happy as the day is long.
In the arms of both Kate and Martha are now two sweet prattlers--one
christened, John O’Neill Barry, and the other, Martha Ridgeway Evans.
Perhaps in after years they in turn may plight their vows on the banks
of the Niagara, as Kate and Nicholas had done by those of the Shannon.
Kate now and then visits her friends at their residence on the Canadian
side of the lakes; but Nicholas is of the impression, that he is quite
as well off in judiciously remaining at home to look after the affairs
of their establishment. Sometimes, however, he gazes across the river
and wonders how soon again he shall have an opportunity of measuring
swords with the ancient enemy of his race; while Tom has made up his
mind to handle a rifle himself, the next time that O’Neill sounds “to
horse!”
And so ends our story of Ridgeway, with all the difficulties, loves,
hopes and fears connected with it. Throughout the whole of our narrative
we have been faithful to circumstances where the interests of the truth
required that we should be just and impartial. In this connection
we have been guided solely by personal knowledge and the evidence of
respectable eye-witnesses; and by official documents of the campaign,
the veracity of which are beyond any question whatever. Here, then,
we bid our readers good-bye for the present; trusting that we may soon
again renew our acquaintance, and that we have not done injustice to any
party; for, notwithstanding the slight tinge of romance with which our
facts are interwoven, we have, after all, presented nothing for their
perusal at variance with truth, or, we hope, prejudicial to society.
_THE END_.
[1] Although we are under the impression that others of these gentlemen
than those designated belong to the I.R.A. yet we are unable to give
their military rank, from the fact of our not being able, at the time of
our writing, to obtain proper intelligence on the subject.
AUTHENTIC REPORT OF THE INVASION OF CANADA, AND THE BATTLE OF RIDGEWAY,
By the Army of the Irish Republic, under General O’NEILL, June, 1866.
About midnight, on the 31st May, the men commenced moving from Buffalo
to Lower Black Rock, about three miles down the river, and at 3:30 A.M.,
on the 1st of June, all of the men, with the arms and ammunition, were
on board four canal boats, and towed across the Niagara River, to a
point on the Canadian side called Waterloo, and at 4 o’clock A.M.,
the Irish flag was planted on British soil, by Colonel Starr, who had
command of the first two boats.
On landing, O’Neill immediately ordered the telegraph wires leading from
the town to be cut down; and sent a party to destroy the railroad bridge
leading to Port Colborne.
Colonel Starr, in command of the Kentucky and Indiana troops, proceeded
through the town of Fort Erie to the old Fort, some three miles distant
up the river, and occupied it for a short time, hoisting the Irish flag.
O’Neill then waited on the Reeve of Fort Erie, and requested him to see
some of the citizens of the place, and have them furnish rations for the
men, at the same time assuring him that no depredations on the citizens
would be permitted, as he had come to drive out British authority from
the soil, and not for the purpose of pillaging the citizens. The request
for provisions was cheerfully complied with.
About 10 o’clock A.M., he moved into camp on Newbiggin’s Farm, situated
on Frenchman’s Creek, four miles down the river from Fort Erie, where he
remained till 10 o’clock P.M.
During the afternoon, Capt. Donohue, of the 18th, while out in command
of a foraging party, on the road leading to Chippewa, came up with the
enemy’s scouts, who fled at his approach.
Later in the afternoon, Col. Hoy was sent with one hundred men in the
same road. He also came up with some scouts about six miles from camp.
Here he was ordered to halt.
By this time--8 o’clock P.M.--information was received that a large
force of the enemy, said to be five thousand strong, with artillery,
were advancing in two columns; one from the direction of Chippewa, and
the other from Port Colborne; also, that troops from Port Colborne were
to make an attack from the lake side.
Here truth compels me to make an admission that I would fain have kept
from the public. Some of the men who crossed over with us the night
before, managed to leave the command during the day, and recross to
Buffalo, while others remained in houses around Fort Erie. This I record
to their lasting disgrace.
On account of this shameful desertion, and the fact that arms had been
sent out for eight hundred men, O’Neill had to destroy three hundred
stand, to prevent them falling into the bands of the enemy. At this time
he could not depend on more than five hundred men, about one-tenth of
the reputed number of the enemy, which he knew were surrounding him.
Rather a critical position, but he had been sent to accomplish a certain
object, and he was determined to accomplish it.
At 10 o’clock P.M., he broke camp, and marched towards Chippewa, and
at midnight changed direction, and moved on the Limestone Ridge road,
leading toward Ridgeway; halting a few hours on the way to rest the
men;--this for the purpose of meeting the column advancing from Port
Colborne. His object was to get between the two columns, and, if
possible, defeat one of them before the other could come to its
assistance.
At about 7 o’clock A.M., 2d of June, when within three miles of
Ridgeway, Col. Owen Starr in command of the advanced guard, came up with
the advance of the enemy, mounted, and drove them some distance, till he
got within sight of their skirmish line, which extended on both sides of
the road about half a mile. By this time, O’Neill could hear the whistle
of the railroad cars which brought the enemy from Port Colborne. He
immediately advanced his skirmishers, and formed line of battle behind
temporary breastworks made of rails, on a road leading to Fort Erie, and
running parallel with the enemy’s line. The skirmishing was kept up over
half an hour, when, perceiving the enemy flanking him on both aides, and
not being able to draw out their centre, which was partially protected
by thick timber, befell back a few hundred yards, and formed a new
line. The enemy seeing he had only a few men--about four hundred--and
supposing that he had commenced a retreat, advanced rapidly in pursuit.
When they got close enough, he gave them a volley, and then charged
them, driving them nearly three miles, through the town of Ridgeway. In
their hasty retreat they threw away knapsacks, guns, and everything that
was likely to retard their speed, and left some ten or twelve killed
and twenty-five or thirty wounded, with twelve prisoners, in his hands.
Amongst the killed was Lieut. McEachern, and amongst the wounded Lieut.
Ruth, both of the “Queen’s Own.” The pursuit was given up about a mile
beyond Ridgeway.
Although he had met and defeated the enemy, yet his position was still
a very critical one. The reputed strength of the enemy engaged in the
fight was fourteen hundred, composed of the “Queen’s Own,” the 13th
Hamilton Battalion, and other troops. A regiment which had left Fort
Colburne was said to be on the road to reinforce them. He also knew that
the column from Chippewa would hear of the fight, and in all probability
move up in his rear.
Thus situated, and not knowing what was going on elsewhere, he decided
that his best policy was to return to Fort Erie, and ascertain if
crossings had been made at other points, and if so, he was willing to
sacrifice himself and his noble little command, for the sake of leaving
the way open, as he felt satisfied that a large proportion of the
enemy’s forces had been concentrated against him.
He collected a few of his own wounded, and put them in wagons, and
for want of transportation had to leave six others in charge of the
citizens, who promised to look after them and bury the dead of both
sides. He then divided his command, and sent one half, under Col. Starr,
down the railroad, to destroy it and burn the bridges, and with the
other half took the pike road leading to Fort Erie. Col. Starr got to
the old Fort about the same time that he himself did to the village
of Fort Erie, 4 o’clock P.M. He (Starr) left the men there under the
command of Lieut. Col. Spaulding, and joined O’Neill in a skirmish with
a company of the Welland Battery, which had arrived there from Port
Colborne in the morning, and which picked up a few of the men who had
straggled from the command the day before. They had these men prisoners
on board the steamer “Robb.” The skirmish lasted about fifteen minutes,
the enemy firing from the houses. Three or four were killed, and some
eight or ten wounded, on each side.
It was here that Lieut. Col. Bailey was wounded, while gallantly leading
the advance on this side of the town. Here forty-five of the enemy were
taken prisoners, among them Capt. King, who was wounded, (leg since
amputated,) Lieut. McDonald, Royal Navy, and Commander of the steamer
“Robb,” and Lieut. Nemo, Royal Artillery. O’Neill then collected
his men, and posted Lieut. Col. Grace, with one hundred men, on the
outskirts of the town, guarding the road leading to Chippewa, while with
the remainder of the command he proceeded to the old Fort.
About six o’clock A.M., he sent word to Capt. Hynes and his friends
at Buffalo that the enemy could surround him before morning with
five thousand men, fully provided with artillery, and that his little
command, which had by this time considerably decreased, could not
hold out long, but that if a movement was going on elsewhere, he was
perfectly willing to make the Old Fort a slaughter pen, which he knew
it would be the next day if he remained. FOR HE WOULD NEVER HAVE
SURRENDERED.
Many of the men had not a mouthful to eat since Friday morning, and
none of them had eaten anything since the night before, and all after
marching forty miles and fighting two battles, though the last could
only properly be called a skirmish. They were completely worn out with
hunger and fatigue.
On receiving information that no crossing had been effected elsewhere,
he sent word to have transportation furnished immediately; and about
ten o’clock P.M. Capt. Hynes came from Buffalo and informed him that
arrangements had been made to recross the river.
Previous to this time some of the officers and men, realizing the danger
of their position, availed themselves of small boats and recrossed
the river, but the greater portion remained until the transportation
arrived, which was about 12 o’clock on the night of June 2, and about 2
o’clock A.M. on the morning of the 3d, all except a few wounded men were
safely on board a large scow attached to a tug boat which hauled into
American waters. Here they were hailed by the tug Harrison, belonging
to the U.S. steamer Michigan, having on board one 12-pounder pivot gun,
which fired across their bows and threatened to sink them unless they
hauled to and surrendered. With this request they complied; not because
they feared the 12-pounder, or the still more powerful guns of the
Michigan, which lay close by, but because they respected the authority
of the United States, in defence of which many of them had fought and
bled during the late war. They would have as readily surrendered to an
infant bearing the authority of the Union, as to Acting Master Morris
of the tug Harrison, who is himself an Englishman. The number thus
surrendered was three hundred and seventeen men, including officers.
The officers were taken on board the Michigan, and were well treated by
Capt Bryson and the gentlemanly officers of his ship, while the men were
kept on the open scow, which was very filthy, without any accommodation
whatever, and barely large enough for them to turn round in. Part of the
time the rain poured down on them in torrents. I am not certain who is
to blame for this cruel treatment; but whoever the guilty parties are
they should be loathed and despised by all men. The men were kept
on board the scow for four days and then discharged on their own
recognizances to appear at Canandaigna on the 19th of June, to answer
to the charge of having violated the Neutrality Laws. The officers were
admitted to bail. The report generally circulated, and, I might say,
generally believed, that the pickets were left behind, and that they
were captured by the enemy, is entirely false. Every man who remained
with the command, excepting a few wounded, had the same chance of
escaping that O’Neill himself had.
To the extraordinary exertions of our friends of Buffalo, F.B.
Gallagher, Wm. Burk, Hugh Mooney, James Whelan, Capt. James Doyle, John
Conners, Edward Frawley, James J. Crawley, M.T. Lynch, James Cronin, and
Michael Donahue, the command were indebted for being able to escape from
the Canadian side. Col. H.R. Stagg and Capt. McConvey, of Buffalo, were
also very assiduous in doing everything in their power. Col. Stagg had
started from Buffalo with about two hundred and fifty men, to reinforce
O’Neill, but the number was too small to be of any use, and he was
ordered to return. Much praise is due to Drs. Trowbridge and Blanchard,
of Buffalo, and Surgeon Donnelly, of Pittsburg, for their untiring
attendance to the wounded.
All who were with the command acted their parts so nobly that I feel a
little delicacy in making special mention of any, and shall not do so
except in two instances: One is Michael Cochrane, Color Sergeant of
the Indianapolis Company, whose gallantry and daring were conspicuous
throughout the fight at Ridgeway. He was seriously wounded, and fell
into the hands of the enemy. The other is Major John C. Canty, who lived
at Fort Erie. He risked everything he possessed on earth, and acted his
part gallantly in the field.
In the fight at Ridgeway, and the skirmish at Fort Erie, as near as can
be ascertained, the Fenian loss was eight killed and fifteen wounded.
Among the killed was Lieut. E.R. Lonergan, a brave young officer, of
Buffalo. Of the enemy, thirty were killed and one hundred wounded.