Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-07

invasion of Canada-Letter from "a
Well-knOWn CIncinnatian = The
Late BaItIe-An Authentic Account
of 1t. H...
We have received the following letter
from well-known Cincinnatian, who is
now with the Fenan invaders of Canada.
He has had better oppo. tunities of know
ing the history of the events of the last
week than any other correspondent that has
yet written from the Canada border, he
having been. personally engaged in each
battle.
BUFFALO. June 3, 1866.
take pleasure in sending you a correct
statement of the two battles that your hum
BILE servant was at in Canada, which came
off on June 2. We left Buffalo at three
o'clock A. NJ, June ], and took possession
of Fort Erie without one shot being fired.
We then took possession of Waterloo, two
miles from there. The people lett every
thing in theirstores, and started for Chippe-
wa. We remained there until dark, when
we struck camp for Chippewa, burning
bridges and destroying telegraph wires as
we went. We marched about ten miles on
that road, and started west to Ridgeway, a
town containing about three hundred good
British subjects. We got there about ten
o'clock on the morning of the %, or at least
two miles this side of town, when we threw
out our skirmtshers. At half-past ten o'clock
the battle commenced.
The enemy had one regimentof regulars,
called the Queens Own, about 1000 strong,
and 1900 volunteers, in all $500 men. Our
force amounted in all to $50 men. When
the battle commenced we were about four
hundred yards apart. Our breasJworks
were the fences. and they had breastworks.
We held our position for one hour, and then
made a feinU to draw them out of their
works, and fell back about four hundred
yards; they then lett their breaStworks and
we formed our line of battle in a large or
chard, with a fence about five hundred
yards in length. We only fired two rounds
when the order to fix bayOnets was given.
We were then ordered to charge, which we
did, with one of those terrific yells which
all Americans are acquainted with, bW
JohRHy Bull is not then the regulars gave
way, the volunteers following them, and
such scene battles all description. They
threw away guns, knapsacks, cartridge
boxes, hats, coats and even the band threw
away all their instruments. We run them
about four miles, but they were better run
nerS than we were, on account of not hav-
ing to march all day and night.
We killed about fifty. The wounded, |
think, were about one hundred. Our loss
was three killed and sixteen wounded.
Among them is young Scully, from our
city; and a hraver or better soldier never
was killed in battle. Cincinnati Irishmen
can be proud of him, and lie ought to be an
example TOR them; for if there was ever a
man who died Drawer than him, | do not
know him. Also Thomas Rafferty,. Poor
fellow! The last words he said were to
give his Bible to Nicholas Russell. John
I il XUnnp1nl in
do not think he will live. .
We then destroyed the telegraph wires on
the Grand Trunk railroad. We then got
word from Erie that fifty OF our men were
to be hung that evening.
We had taken about one hundred prison.
erS. Among them was one Colonel, one
Lieutenant Colonel and one Captain-the
three last named we brought with us; the
| Others we parOled, and then started to Fort
| Erie on double-quick, and reached that
| place at half-past four the same evening.
| marching some twelve miles in three and
half hours. There were about sixty of
their regulars there, with gunbOat III
frouto of the town. Wesent out our pickets,
and found the regulars breaking for the
gunboat. We started on a dOuble-quick,
and before the boat could reach the shore we
commenced firing on her, and made her go
out in the stream, out of reach of our guns.
The officers and sergeants, to the number of
twenty-five, got into house, barrcaded
the doors, and commenced firing on our
men in front of the house. ......
We then broke down the doors, and COM
menced firing into the house from the
street. We found that it would take too
much ammunition in that way. SO we got
torch to burn the house; that brought the
Johnnies down, and they gave themselves
up as prisoners of war. We got forty
prisoners in the house, among them sever
al officers, as they were the first to run in
the house. .s ...
We had another complete uictory for the
Fenians on the same day, but on a smaller
scale. We killed ten aud wounded about
twenty. Some have since died of their
wounds. We lost three killed and seven
wounded.
Last night we had been reinforced by
about three hundred men, who left Buffalo
and landed at the fort. About IL 2. NJ. we
received news OF them having two batteries
and about 1000 men.
We then started to evacuate and get all
our men on two tugs, with two canal boats.
| When we got out in the middle of the
stream the United States gunboat Michi-
| gan fired at us and made our boats come to,
aud took all our men prisoners. Most of
them are getting off by taking French
leave. r. ... ... ..-r. ...
We leave here tomorrow. The place of
our destination we hold private for the
present, but you shall hear from me in a
| ffM daysi Our men are in good spirits
| frat In O fnw daVS ~ WV