Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-06-08
Fenian Invasion of Canada.

About Thursday of last week, large
bodies Of men were suddenly discovered
to be moving towards the Canadian bor-
der, extending along the whole line from
western New York eastward to New
Hampshire. They travelled as citizens
and generally in citizens dress, but the
truth soon became apparent that il was a
Fenian military movement against Cana
da, and general excitement prevailed
They were very reticent as to their OBJ
ject and destin alton. sometimes calling
themselves emigrants" and "going to
California" or to "work on some rail-
road" More than two thousand Fenians
must have passed through Vermont to the
border on Friday and Saturday last. At
various points in New York it was the
same. The first hostile demonstration APP
pears to have been made at Fort Erie,
opposite Buffalo, in which the Fenians
were entirely successful. In fact they APP
pear to have had series Of successes,the
main battle being fought at Ridgeway,
which the Canadians call Limestone Ridge.
At this point and IA a smaller fight which
occurred soon after, it seems to have been
a regular Bull Run, that is, John Bull
run. The Fenians actually captured the
British colors at Ridgeway. and brought
them off afterwards when they evacuated
Fort Erie, and they are now in possession
of and ON board the u. S. steamer Michi-
gan. A British officer has since visited
the steamer and asked for the captured
colors, but Col. O'Nenl refused to have
them delivered, declaring that they were
surrendered Internationally to the United
State. authorities. A full account of this
battle will be found in another place.
United States troops have this week
been sent to various points on the border
to keep the peace and preserve "neutral-
ity," and many seizures of Fenian arms
have been made. The excitement through
out the country has been considerable, es-
pecially among the Irish portion of our
population. In some places enthusiastic
meetings have been held and material aid
contributed. The Fenians of course are
obliged to commence operations under the
most unfavorable circumstances, having
no base for operation or supplies, and are
therefore obliged to begin out of whole
cloth. They appear TO have fought well
at Fort Erie and Ridgeway, and their
evacuation of those places soon after, for
want of reinforcements, was of course a
necessity of war;" and not for want of
Of courage or heroism.
The Canadians are already complaining
Of American neutrality" We have no
doubt they have cause for this. The laws
of neutrality as seen in various British
precedents during our late war, are now
chickens gone home to roost. 1t was in
Cana1a that rebels found an asylum in
which to plot and scheme for the over
throw Of this Government and for the as
s,ssination of ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 1t
was there that Canadian banks received
and took precious care Of rebel funds
from which the rebel conspirators drew to
carry on their schemes, not of civilized
warfare. but of cold blooded assassination.
II was there that the rebels organized
their band for the raid on ST. Adams, and
II was there too. that those same raiders
found asylum after they had plundered