The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-06-14
Closing Scenes Of the Fenisn Campaign
l,f.,sai. it ST. ALBANs, VT, June 10, 1866.

Closing Scenes of the Fenisn Campaign.
,fi,ai.lt ST. ALBANs, VT, June 10, 1866.
10 the Editor ofthe Press: -8 r.9
Having seen enough of the Fenian Scare in
Canada and profted by the unusual advantag-
es it offered for seeing British troops, both reg
ular and volunteer, under arms. ! started FRI
day afternoon by the Vermont Central Rail
road for St. Adams and the Fenian camps on
the frontier. At every station on the Canada
side we passed encampments of Canadian vol
unteers. p alf hni4
OF the elegant and thorough equipment of
these troops, have spoken in a previous let
ter; but the British forces mobilized for the
Fenian campaign would be much less effective
for actual field service than we've orr three
months troops in the early days of the rebel
lion inasmuch as they are altogether depen-
dent upon the railroads for the transportation
of supplies, having no wasons or a..haiaa-
ces. --l4 a... fl. et.
The country through which we passed would
afford the Fenians abundant supplies and am
pie shelter, and being very level, and unob-
Us uA SoAA'SASA o1hS CASesSAe
-Aaards few natural advantages for defence.
- We saw Fenians for the first time. Some
hundreds were struggling about the town-a
portion of them having but just arrived, while
others who had been unable to procure arms
had become disguised and left their friends at
the front. The band of the Sd Artillery was
discoursing fine music in the public square as
we crossed to the hotel, while crowds ofdelight-
ed citizens-unaccustome to novelty and ex-
element were assembled en- mdsse to listen to
the music and discuss the latest news and ru-
mors fronao "the 'front.'"
- Guards at every entrance, and in every hall
Of the hotel were accounted for by the fact
that General Sweeney was confined here
and apprehensions were entertained by the
Authorities that an attempt would be made to
release him. Notwithstanding the strictest
military surveillance-all communication with
him being forbidden,-and enforced in good
faith so far as the authorities were able-des-
patches passed between Gen. Sweeney and
Gen. Spear commanding at the front, to my
personal knowledge g t.A gaH /
Having made arrangements with gentlemen
of the Boston press to start for the Fenian
camps at an early hour the following morning,
L was about to retire, when party of four ar
rived and became the centre of interest, es-
pecially to the numerous Representatives of
the press. I was of course on the Q1ti uiue. and
learned that the most prominent man of the
party was Colonel Scanlan of the I'd Fenian
Infantry,-just from their camp, and fortu-
nately recognized in one of the others, an Of
dxryitl ma IL,
of Georgia. New York and Boston cores
pondents attacked the taciturn Colonel by
storm but without success, while learned
from my friend that the Fenian force would be
withdrawn from Canada the following morn
ing and disbanded, and was thus enabled to
give you telegraphic news-twelve hours in
advance of New York and Boston. 4
u TO THE 'FRONT.' sll 7sy
Up at i've O.cleal< Saturday morning. and
breakfasting on some of the deTciou-- -xika ~,
Eorded by Lake Champlain, which IS
close by, we were off promptly at six o'clock
for the Fenian camp, in st. Armand's District,
Q. E., distant sixteen miles. The Boston Her
aid, Bostoi. Adcertiser, Toronto Globe and
I Portland Press were represented in our party,
which consi ted of four. At the outskirts Of
the town we passed detachment of United
States troops placed to prevent armed men
from passing to the Fenian camp. We had
hardly LETT the village when we began to meet
groups of from three to dozen foot-sore and
most disconsolate looking Fenians on their
way to the rear. In reply to our inquiries as
to their destination their answer was
me!"-laconic but significant. Few of them
had arms or equipmcnts-and none wore uni
forms. go
As we neared the line, these stragglers be-
came more frequent. s
At Highgate, small village on the Missis-
qui river, six miles south of sthe Iinen we
passed nearly hundred Fenians MANY OF
them armed they had halted BY the roadside
and seemed to be in doubt whether to contin-
ue to the rear or return. We learned after
ward that the most Of these men had been
directed by their officers the evening before, to
find their way home as best they could.
We pushed on to the front as iase as tne
roads, made heavy by recent rams, wouiu per
init, the number of strasglers laIleasing ie, as
the border we passed couPahy VI aoo''s tnn-
ty on their way to the 'front.'.
ITn.to tb;s time we had met about two hun
dred ron on their way home. Having come
o,,.S, the main road only short distance back,
th;s company had not encountered the train
" :, y,,ooicrs we had passed. and seemed conf
Jant that their cause would triumph. We did
not tarry to disabuse them OF that idea but
fastened on.
A few minutes before ten, we reached a
high hill a short distance this side the line,
and from this point saw the Fenian army at
about the same distance on the other side
coming towards us with their bayonets glis-
tening in the morning sun. Coming not as
they had advanced a few days before in mar