The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-06-16
The Eenfan War.

having been defeated by the prompt inter-
ference Of the United States authorities.
The Canadians, now that the danger is past,
MAJ brag and buster, and pretend to be
sorry the Fenians were not allowed to come,
as some of the Canada papers actually do
pretend but nothing is clearer to our mind
than that if the Fenans had been left entire
ly free to pursue their own plans, Canada
would to>day be at their mercy.
The plan of the Fenians, now that the FOG
and smoke IN which their movements were
enveloped is clearing away, appears to have
been about this: The point to which the
Invasion was directed was Ottawa. The
grand Fenian army was 10 assemble IN the
vicinity of Ogdc nsburg, where three steam-
ers were employed capable of conveying
600 men each, to take the men across the
st. Lawrence to Maitland upon the landing
of the expedition, and the firing of a 81 gnal
gun, every piece of artillery at Prescott and
every gun in the village would have been
spiked by men inside the British lines. The
time for carrying this plan into execution
was Tuesday night, June 9Th. The arrival
of the United States troops on Monday, and
Gen. Meade's presence, defeated the whole
scheme. Spies had been on the Canada
side, and perfected arrangements which gave
faitering promise for success. The Fort
Erie affair, which was inaugurated four days
before, was.interded rs a mere feint to draw
the Canadian troops away from tie real
roint % danger.
In thi, view the affair al Fort Erie, 'houg:
also seriously banked by The vigilance Of the
| L. s authorities, WAS really . success. Tie
FcnIans we're in sufficient number 10 make
the assault, and when, finally. tie Canadian
troops began to arrive, the Irish boys, though
outnumberei more Than two to one, more
than held their own agains: them. The bat
tie OF Limestone Ridge was is brilliant. rs it
was creiitao:s 10 ting skill OF tie officers and
valor of the men OF the little Fenian army.
The only failure connected with the affair
resulted from The non-arrival of the expected
re>iaforcements, ard these wer. kept back
by the Une pected Interference of the l. s.
authorities. BIT for this inter ference, O'Niel!
could have maintained himself any desired
length Of time opposite BafAlo, and the in
7adins army moving On Ottawa would have
been relieved OF TIC presence Of . large
force.
Ai.ar this failure, and the complete defeat
Of ,he plan =, Malone near Ogdenburg) by
the unexpected arrival cf Gen. Meade, the
best thing fer the .Frnian. probably would
have been to give up the enterprise at once.
Ii WAS hard, However, for gallant aud coura-
geoa: men, as the majority Of their officers
undoubtedly were, to give up a darling
scheme so easi'v. Another attempt was
made to assemble the now rapidly disenteg-
rating Fenian host in the vicinity OF 81. Al,
BINS, VI. and thence to make descent Gil
Canada. \ force Of about 1000 was hastily
! collected there under Gen. Spear, and Oh the
| 9TH the march taken up for the Canada bor-
| der. On the morning OF the Sth tue line W. S
| crossed, and the beautiful green flag OF Ireland
! unf;,rled on British soil. The march was con
.inued to village called Pigeon Hill, where
! the army commenced entrenching. While
thus engaged a body of British cavalry APP
preached who we're engaged by Col. Scam
lau's regimen, 900 men) and driven in
confIslon, losing 3 flags, one man killed
| and several wounded.
About toe same time z small body OF Fe-
MAN cavalry made dash on another neigh
! boring village namei Freligsburg, and roat
ed a British force Of double their number
Returning to Pigeon Hill, in the evening i
appears council Of war IVES held, and q:
none of the expected reiniorcements, and
! particularly artillery expected from St A!6an;
arrived, it was decided to al lndon the expe,
dil;on and return to Vermont: and this de
termination was at once put into execution
! Thas ended tie second invasion Of Canada
and, for the present, the Fenian war.
| The rest Of the history IS easily TOD
| Roberts, Heffernen, Murphy, O'Nie!l, Swee'
rsy-in shor, all the prominent leaders 0
the Fenians engaged in the enterprise have
been arrested By the [. s. authorities ans
will probably be subjected TO trial for VIC
ating the neutrality laws while the govern
nent has parolei the men and furnished as
many ?. ask it with transportation to the
homes.
The figures show that there were over 60,
900 Fcn;a;s sctween Detroit and ST. AbltE
ready to enter Canada. snd with anythin:
like railying poiut-like Ottawa, for in
stance-wi,hin that territory, month wouIc
have swelied this force TO 100000 men. lie
the Feaans alone, and British rule in Cana
Ia would hayo been over in month.