THE LAST FENIAN RAID

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 206, 11 January 1872, Page 7

THE LAST FENIAN RAID

General O'Neil is to the fore again. I There is not a Fenian in any part of , the World so ready to come to the ' front, and to keep there when there is any " skedadding " to be performed as this redoubtable invader of Canada. [Ie is like the celebrated horse vvhioh was always first — after all. Other men are valiant with their arms, but General O'Neil's bravery, lies in his feet. To employ the language of the Turf he has no staying power, but for speed he is almost unequalled. -Oilthe sfch of October last, h& placed himself at the head of thirty -two gallant followers on the Canadian border, aud

" Marched into the land To murder and to ravish."

He captured the Hudson's Bay post, and took the whole of the garrison prisoners. It consia'ed of three men and two women.* Emboldened by thus splendid achievement, the intrepid 0 Neil was about to take possession of Upper and Lower Car ad a, and divide the Dominion among th,e army, when a scout arrived in hot haste bringing $he unlooked-for news that a detachment of United States troops had been sent in pursuit of the -Fefiians. Consternation blanched 'p-ery faceand communuatedatremulousjnotiontoevery knee. Thearony of invasion was paralysed with fear.* General' O'Neil vanished, leaving ' his "sw »rd behind him, and Captain ."O'Donn'-i be forgot his rifle and his cloak 'id the agitation of the moment ; knocked one of his rnenoif his horse — in pure absence of mind; mounted it — likewise in pare absence of mind, and was very soon absent in the body also. But, Colonel

Wheaton oTtue-TJ.S army, was apeedilv on the trat-li of the fugitives, overhauled them, aud captured about half of them — mostly officers. They had robbed the Hudson's Bay post of allthe clothing and provisions to be found there and had despatched a '•' carload" of plunder of down the river, for the invaders were determined to live on the enemy.. But the booty was recaptured, and witd it were seized 300 Springfield rifles and 10,000 rounds of ammunitton. O'Neil and O'Donohus aro both in custody, and* some of their deluded followers go the length of saying that they'werebetrayed by their leader. Suspicions of this kind, however, seem to benaturally associated with "the wearing of the green," and Celtic faith in Celtic honour is not sufficiently strong to enable it to believe that Fenian treachery may not be purchased by Saxon gold.

Now that the United States authorities have apprehended these " warlike people of the isle," we hope they will turn them to some .profitable account so as to recoup the Government at Washingtnn for the cost of the expedition. In the hands of a man like Barnum, O'Neil and O'Donohue might be made attractive and remunerative features in a show, wit!) a grand historical picture of the captnre of three men and- two women by three and thirty Fenians, and a moving panorama of bUe flight from the Hudson's Baj^ post, illustrated and described by the foremost fugitives themseVes. And if Oaph O'Donohue were to represent with suitable dramatic action the waj in which he knocked a follower off his borse, and made his escape on the animal, leaving its owner to fall into the hands of the Philistines, it ought.to " bring down the house" every time the feat was exhibited.