THE FENIAN RAID ON CANADA.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 703, 21 July 1870, Page 4

THE FENIAN RAID ON CANADA.

THE " BATTLE, OF. COOlf's CORNERS." On the Fenian Battlefield, near Cook's Comer, St. Armand, C. E., (May 25th) Correspondence of the if. V: World ' Until Monday morning, little alarm was felt iv this vicinity, the ; general supposition being that the movement was intended us a:feii)t to; cover more serious intentions in another quarter. That night, however, at 11, o'clock, a carriage, laden with armed men, was driven through the quiet streets, of Aibans. It was followed by another, and another, until the number, by actual count, had reached ninety-six, • occupying twelve hours in their passage through the 'town. Curiosity was excited to, ;a degree sufficient to draw out a large crowd of followers, who, tlve next morning, discovered "that the carriages contained Fenian infantry, who had thrown off; their disguises and. boldly entrenched themselves, on both sides*of'" ) lKe ~f 6a"d7"bet\veen here and Franklin, at a point sixteen miles . from St/ Albans, and 'within :; one' mile 7of ■ t£e Canadian line. The>men Were found to be 200, and commanded by General O'Neill ;in .person.. The officers! all wore swords, and concealed their' uniforms with overcoats.' ; ! The' ; privates !' were . attired in short blue and green jackets, trimmed with orange ) braid, and ■ wore army blue pantaloons. The belts bore the iusigna, U L R.IA." ' In i ppiut ofequipments the men are sadly wanting. Very ; few canteens or.; .{iaverßHJckp * were f visible, and their cartridge boxes showed evidence of.muohuse.:, .^heyl were armedwith the new patent Meade breech-load-ing rjfle. ., With ;ques;tipuable ! sagacity,! they had picketed the road on both sides .of thepb and] refused ttf. perniit r the paa-i sage of any who came unprovided with passes from itheir. : Conjiiiii,ndemrt-Chief . . The state of affairs was not, of course, unknuwn tcr the authorities/ although the plan' had been carried out so secretly an : d' was deyelopeid inisucb;.al partner! that they were ill prepared for defence. Telegrams were despatched to all L parts.. of, the Do,minion calling "for volunteers/ and a' force' of twelve residents :i of vicinity clothed themselves in red and 'mounted guard all Monday night-; on the aide of the , I hill immediately overlooking the line, anil furnishing; a very strong :pbsitipiU"for attack or defence. This^ , it., will ibe remembered, is: ;tlie same ground \lsed for camping purposes by tUeJfeatan. raiders jgf-lSQSvLiiA.trabqut nine oVluck they Arere ireinforced I by about forty members of s the Sixtieth .Vohinteeisj and the entire force was placed under the" command of: Colpnelrß. ■ Ch^mberJain; . Afterwards a further reinforcement Tvas effected: ; by - - the, arrival ' of-'the f Victoria Rifles from Montreal and a troop of cavalry from StaiHb'ridgo,'under-the-rConi-mand of Captain Muir. Colonel Osborne Smich, ,• I Department \ Adjutant-Generttl^ arrived with this, detachment, and assumed command of the entire force, liow augmented to nearly one thousand men. > '■''■ TJieSFeniaps, in ..the meantiniej .were* not' idle. Hourly drills were held, ahd^ their men were 'familiarised wiih tne'^tbmany of them) novel firearm which they were to use. At half-past eleven o'clock whispers,, w : hich -had been circulating^

.through the crowd for hours, began to assume a tangible shape. Ten rounds of cartridges were dealt out and orders given to fall in. The onward march was commenced ,in columns of fours. General O'Neill, mounted on a small red horse, placing himself in the front, flanked by a body of four or five' on each aide. Their countenances wore a serious aspect, although there were a few who laughed and joked as they passed along. Still it was evident that evert they realised the danger of their mission... /Slowly -and^ sadly itiov.ed the tw;p hnhdred,vfdllowing the%ighway until within twenty rods of the line. General O'Neill espied the red coats of tho Cana^ dian volunteers, and ordered a halt. .This was effected blesidV v an pld'brielt fipnge on the left side of the road, und on the side of a sparsely wooded hill. Further along on the .road, at a distance >of fifty fejet, 'were two^barns, facing eafcti ; other, and flanked oh both sides by a stone wall. : A long pile of hemlock bark stretched itself along, just opposite the house, and served' as a convenient ambushVfpV^he' attacking Fenians. L Beyond the barns above spoken of .the road passes across a bridge, and is entirely unprotected. The position can, perhaps, be understood by comparing it to the arc of a circle, placing the Fenian soldiers at the bottom and the Canadians at the top of the curve. ' : After the halb, General O'Neiir faced about his horse and addressed his countrymen as follows : — "Soldiers : ; This is the advance guard of the Irish army for the liberation of Ireland from the yoke of the oppressor. '■■ For your own country you now enter that of thei enemy. >The>eyes of your countrymen are upon you. Forward, march !" Colonel Brown, who commanded the skirmish line, also addressed a few words of cheer to the men. • The advance company was from Burlington, and was com-* manded by Captain William Cronan, o? that city. At the conclusion of General O'Neill's address he lifted his hat and replied :—" General : I am proud that Vermont has the honor of leading this advance. Ireland may depend upon us to do our duty." ' Until this time the main body of the Fenian forces' had been hidden from the view of the other side, but as they slowly defiled past the dividing line between the two countries, their numbers and extent became visible. . .'The volunteers waited until the last of their antagonists had set foot upon British soil, and then, crack, crack, crack, came volley after volley of musketry into their ranks. The battle had- begun. So unexpected was this attack that the Fenians became panicstricken, and scattered like wildfire behind the walls and fences, and into the barns, behind the park j pile, and anywhere that shelter could be obtained from death-dealing missiles that were being showered upon them. Two men, John Howe, of Burlington, and another whose name I have been unable to ascertain, dropped dead during the discharge and, were left upon the field. Lieutenant Edward Hope, of Bridgeport, was shot through the thigh, and a Captain of a Long Island Company sustained a flesh wound in his arm. Several minor, casualties were also sustained. :

General O'Neill, who had been concealed behind the house, rushed forth with drawn sword, and shouted to his scattering soldiers, Gaining an audience, he said :~^" Men of Ireland! I am ashamed of you. You have acted disgracefully; but you liaW another chance of showing whether you are cravens or not. Comrades^ I will lead you again, and if you will nctt follow me, I will go with my ofljcerSjftnd die,''/ Skirmishing was then recommended and continued for about . one hour, when General O'Neill drew back his forces from the brow of the hill for the purpose of rest.

He was* then approached by several of his officers, who requested permission to charge the hiU ; b^t, bearing in mind the unlucky result of a similar operation at Fredericksburg during the rebellion, he refused. Yielding partially, however, to their wishes/ he ordered them toj charge across the open valley, arid ! take a position on the wooded hill directly opposite the Canadian forces. The movement was executed on tho double quick, but while climbing the hill private .Thomas Murray, of Portland, Me., feli, shot through the heart, and Francis Caramer, of Bridgefport,- Con'n.j received a. \vound. in the groin. Murray lies how on' the hill side, but Caramer was conveyed to the Franklin "House' in"FfanklinjTvvhc'fe"he now lies in a rooni opposite to that of Lieutenant Hope^his .townsman and feUow-suiferer. •A' member 'of the Maßohville company at that place deserted, but was subsequently captured, ithough not until afterhe had been wounded by a shot fired by one of ihis pursuers. • One of the soldiers on his arrival at St. Armand, was heard to.say, •;" Well, here /we are at last ; but if the 1 Fenians' come we will run like the devil.. I. know; l; shall.'' This; indicates the" quality of "courage possessed by the ! volunteers; \ '^Hti/.l ' - 'i -'^ THE ARREST. irlThfe'tGehetaljiih icompathy. with Boyle O'Reilly, walked down the side of the hill and [entere'd the parlor 'of the brick house, encountering General George Foster, who -'with >his deputy, Thomas Farley, of St. Aibans, was : seated in the parlor. He reached, jou't^ his* liaridj but' the 'greeting was refused^ and Genera! Foster placing, his hand/, oh O*Ndill's shoulder; said, "I arfest you,' by virtue of my authority as a District .Marshal: bf ttie United-States." '"Sir," exclairiied Geheral'O'Neill, starting . back, as\ her spoke', 1 "r shall resist your arrest." ~ ;u 'lt will be useless, sir," replied GenerarFi7steri •' •"■ But; sir, 4 auiarmed." 1 u So am I," said the .General. " John, open that .carriage door. 1 Ndw, Mr 1 O'Neill, get in, or I' will' throw yoiv in. I .a.m. gtiingHto i take5 r b\i tb St.-Alb'ahs, right Ihrcmgh the nridst of yoh'r men, and if you ( make I ; the^i slightest 'outcry ' *l will ; shoot "you dead." ■'""■ ; ' /. l Udaiatarice was useless, as : the : General hatl a'ai<J, an<^ placed himself in the carriage 'and was^ driven to St, Aibans. An hour later he was taken before the; United/. 1 States 'Cohimissioher, Jacob M. Smatley, oh a charge of violation of the meittrality aaW3,ahd} in i d^fdnlfc'bf 20,000 dollars bail, was lodged in gaol at Burlington.- . . . *, ;l.' The fighting after the arrest, with the exception;; of- : an* occasional shot or two,, .was -not renewed./ ;Some of : therFeniate took up their homeward march, but the great majority returned suddenly tp their did cajnpihg aground; they wore 5 jqined; by l^-Tedriiife - had just arrived, the command of Major Mppr0.,...0f New York, and now assert their intention to renew their attack in :: jthejoao^ning. $$. ..-;. v^ .^ '?.» •■ 5-^ ,

THE AFFAIR AT TROUT (Despatches to the New York Tribune.) Trout River (Near Malone, N. V.). May 27th. — Another en^ageineut look place this morni'.ij on the Truut R ; .ver line, three quarters of a mile over ibe border.. The Fenians were routed, ar?d immediately withdrew to their encampment, on the American side; which; is within a stone's throw. of the diviii/jg line. One man belonging to the Fenians force, was killed, two vere severely wounded, while a captain was taken prisoner. Not a single Canadian received a scratch. Last night that portion of the Fenian quartered here was augmented by the arrival of three hundred, men from N|ew York and Troy, and the prospects of th|)se \vho fought at Cook's Corner began; to brighten. It was thought that a grand rally could be made, and by a vigorous and determined effort their fortunes might be somewhat retrieved. To tlpat end those more cheerful than the rest encouraged their fellows, aud it finally resolved upon to make a bold advance.

"It may be mentioned that for some days past the regular encampment of t)he Fenians has been on the bank of the Trout river, arid within a few hundred yards of the border. This is the point where customs are paid, while it also forms a small village, there being several wooden structures in the vicinity. The Fenian camp was immediately at the rear of a little church, secure in its way, but very much exposed. Here they encamped and at once placed guards on sentry, but their movements and doings generally could easily be observed from the Canadian side. Wednesday, probably hot mote than JLOO, Fenians, with their officers had; congregated,., but the number^was gradually increased by the slow arrival ;of. stragglers, who were compelled to walk 12 miles- from Malone, over a wretched road, to reach the place. When the train arrived last eveniijg, the-' men were quite fatigued and fagged oui, from exhaustion, having, it was said, eaten nothing but a few hard crackers, during their 24 hours' journey. : Under the circumstances, therefore, they did not at once proceed to the 1 encampment at • Trout ■'River, but lingered here in Malone,' " some sleeping in the depot, . others in barns and hallways: A few, however,- journeyed out hi thedark. When the day dawned; the word was given to remove from Malone, and about 50 men promptly answeredthe summons. Pros.trated.,by hunger and fatigue, a great many ' were unable to proceed, and, though determined to fight, waited until their strength should be recruited. At about 4 o'clock, the men/ began to rouse themselves properly, and having been given to understand that an engagement was to take place in a few houra, they left Malone in small groups and wended their way toward camp. It was a weary Iramp, and the prospects were anything dut encouraging. „. ' Meanwhile a company of United Statesy regulars arrived at Malone from Sackett's Harbor, a,circumstance which induced the Fenians to quit the town more rapidly and in large numbers. It was fully eight o'clock when any sort of an attempt was made to organise the Fenians at the camping ground. The details came in irregularly and at long intervals, and, although- a reinforcement was anxiously expected, none put in an appearance. The straggling parties, that dribbled in, at once donned some kind of a uniform, and were armed with fine breech-loaders an 4 .plenty of ammunition., They now numbered three hundred and fifty men, one-third veterans, and the rest, though staunch ahd hardy-looking fellows, evidently untrained and undisciplined. Officers, lieu tenants, and pnvites were all mixed up together— indeed',' 1 it was impossible to tell one from the other— ahd most of the '.men 'present were entirely ignorant as tb who was in command, their destination, or any circumstances whati ever of the coming ; .bat£le.; To most of them Gen. Starr, the" 'commander, was completely unknown,, and all. the, prelir minary evolutions yraire. characterised by much disorder. Great excitement prevailed. All the preparatory arrangements being irregularly carried out, some^ grumbled at the* paucity of; the ntihibersj some at the officers . who ■ appeared to = know very little of what they were about, and others at the ill-timed attempt generally. But a rigid determination wa3 observable on most pf the men, many of whonii were not slow to give ventVto their feelings- of indignation, against Great Britain. Some jsaid they would scciher die than return homeward. ■ . . . , ,

After much parleying the. Fenians were, got' together, and at the word of command the force moved "out ; up'6n . the road and faced in the direction of the border. Scarcely a whisper was heard as the men approached the lino^' On they marched j irregularly to be sure, but with a rapidity and apparent' desire for fight that plainly showed to the observer, that should their foe be encountered an engagement must take place. - :=' i The Fenians crossed : the : border at twenty minutes past. .eight o'clock, and continued on their march in a solid body for about half a mile, when, passing through a maple gripve, they halted and commenced to throw up 'breastworks. This undertaking they' began 1 Syith a wiU,..and' wer-e proceeding' briskly when, suddenly, the 1 Canadian forces hove iri sight, at a distance of abpnt 800 yardsi Their appearance was like an apparition^' but the sight of the ted coats roused the; Fenians. , They seemed .to forget: their position, and by a suppressed piy intt; mated their dasire for the struggle. The Canadian; force,;; numbering 1,800 men and 800 reserve, chiefly consisted of theHuntington volunteers; ahd 1 were under! command of Colonel Bagot, and the Sixty-ninth Regulars, BritUm Army.' ; ... .. Upon Hie approach of /the Canadian volunteers the Fenians were drawn iip in a line of battle, sixteen skirmisliers" having been previously thrown onfe about; twenty yards ia advance of the mainbody.i The spectacle was a. strange -one, andiully: exhibited the thprqughi foolhardiness of-, the men- 'who desired to avenge 'their; wrongs. The Fenians stood still, but the' Canadian forces continued to advance in' three columns, and first opened the battle) by a round- 'of musketry. : : ;j

The distance; between the contending j forced, however, was too greafrifpr the] shots to take effect. The Fenians promptly j answered the fitp. , Poorly c6yered l)V the ' main line, tliebahdof skirmishers blnidly ' ] advanced, the Canadians meanwhile firing j away, and the Fenians returning the tiro j with all the appearance pf determination I to maintain their position. A loud, sharp Volley came through the trees, and the leader of the skirmishers, Dennis Dnggan, \

»vas numbered among the dead. The Canadians were now rapidly advancing on the Fenians' breastworks, all the time keeping up the firo. The right and left columns commenced to deploy skirmishers, the intention being to surround and capture the entu-e of the Fenian body. " ; '

Previous to this General Starr gave the order to retreat, but with remarkable daring; and coolness the Fenians in the front defiantly answered him: "Never! neyer! We will tight, and let us die rather than go back.. ; Come on !"

But heedless of their entreaties to lead them to battle, General Starr turned round alone and disappeared. - With des^ peration the Fenians rallied, but being, without a leader, they fired indiscriminately. They were beyond control, and every single man seemed to fight on his own separate account, unconscious that within a few minutes' they would be perhaps beyond the hope of deliverance. The volunteers were now closing around their adversaries, and, as if by way of warning, fired several volleys in rapid succession, and, another of the Fenian skirmishers, an officer named Donnelly, feli to the ground. The Fenians, entirely out of order and desperate and completely: demoralised, were about to make a wild charge,' when, luckily, they wheeled around,' and, scattering, fled in different directions.