Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-06-14
Sketches Of Fentan Leaders, .ssen.
spear Col. COntri.-son. sweeney.
A writer In the Boston Advertiser
thus sketches, two prominent officers in
the Fright Wing OF the Fenian army :"

A writer In the Boston Advertiser
thus sketches. two prominent officers In
the Fright Wing OF the Fenian army :"
First, as due TO his rank, let us men,
tion General Spear,-although he has
not yet Joined the Invading column
which he commands, but is waiting for
news from IL Ia his hotel at st, Adams.
No theory at the Canada invasion as Il
wild visionary scheme Ola few hair
Drained enthusiasts, or as the devices oil
swindling leaders TO stop the trouble
some opportunities of doubling con-
tributors can be consistent with the
presence on the frontier of such men as
this Fifty years old, cool and DELHI
crate in every word and movement, an
experienced soldier, an educated ana
dignifed gentleman, with a bright re-
cord of twenty-five years in the regular
army and four years gallant servlcel in
the late war as commander OF a vol
untecr cavalry regiment he has aban-
doned all 10 take a position in this Fe-
Man army no higher in rank than that
given up in the United States regulars,
and to lead n thousand men on an eX-
petition to overthrow the British en-
pire. He has lived all his life in the
country of his adoption, he has no trace
of Irish birth in features or manner, he
has no visible enthusiasm for the cause
in which he is engaged. He commonly
speaks of it loosely and alludes to the
probability of a general neck-stretching
before Saturday night with serene good
humor Who shall explain for us the
problem why this man is in this position
to-day
Here, entering the room as | write, is
! a person who presents as notable con-
trast to the Emphatic, teciturn COM
mander as could well be imagined Let
me make you acquainted with Colonel
Contri, by birth Swiss, by profession
soldier Of fortune who has fought all
over Italy with Garibaldi ; has borne
his part in every revolution, or at
tempted revolution, against established
government in Europe for the last ten
years, who, hearing the news of the re-
bellion here, hurried to America, offered
his sword to the South, was placed in
command Of Virginia cavalry reg
iment, and perhaps more than once has
led furious charge against squadron
marshalled under his present comman-
| der and who now has taken advantage
of the first speck Of war on the horizon
to join the green banner of the Fenians.
He holds the honorable position Of the
advance,-the dismounted and half
cavalry regiment which he commands
being sheltered in barns within half a
| mile of the Canada line, and a scouting
party Of half dozen having already
crossed the invisible boundary, with
orders to come back mounted, with an
extra horse for their colonel
Colonel Contri is small and 1.-the, of
handsome face and graceful figure. He
is man Of picturesque tastes, and ar
rayed as he is now, IA enormous jack
! boots, loose velveteen trousers tucked
in to them, braided hussar's jacket,
jaunty fatigue cap, scarlet sash, and
| belt bristling with silver mounted re-
| volvers, dirk and sabre, he would make a
superb subject for painter. He comes
in to inquire the real state of affairs
elsewhere along the frontier; gaily eX-
presses his expectation of defeat with
the army in its present unarmed and "a
tionless condition; scribbles at my table
note of farewell and God bless you"
to the sweethea art whom he has left be-
hing him; and as he writes rapidly, re-
counts in piquant denominations, the in
cidents Of the wonderful campaign OF
1859, when Garibaldi, with an army as
unpromising in condition and armament
as this one, fought his way TO the cap
ture of Palermo and the liberation of
Italy in a succession of defeats. Yes
terday his men were starving and ready
to mutiny, and he emptied his pockets
by an expenditure Of fifty dollars to buy
rations and keep them in the ranks yet
he is not an Irishman, and cares no more
for the Fenian cause as a cause than
your correspondent. The problem Of
! his presence here is not so difficult of So
luton. He is the incarnation Of revo-
luton, and until some government bull
let ends his career will ever be found
waving his cap in the front rank of in
surrectionists.