Troublous Times in Canada: A History of the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870MacDonald, John A. (John Alexander)
History
Troublous Times in Canada: A History of the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870
MacDonald, John A. (John Alexander)
Canada -- History -- Fenian Invasions, 1866-1870; Fenians
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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