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 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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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