Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-06-06
THE INVASION OF CANADA.
Incidents Of the Movement.
THE RIDEGWAY FIGHT.
Further Particulars.
From the Buffalo Courier an. !

Further Particulars.
IFrom the Buffalo Courier 4th.I
The first shot was fired by the Fenian
skirmishers, and musketry fire was kept
up for some twenty minutes. The red
coats, however, fred in the main too high,
and very little execution was done By
them, while the fire Of the Fenians was
much more destructive to the British
ranks. The enemy, seeing that this was
loosing game ordered general ad-
vance.
As their line extended for a quarter of
mile beyond the Fenian right, and Is
the red-costs were also swinging round
their right-executing, in q small way,
precisely the same movement that Sheri-
dan found so successful at Five Forks
the Fenians done all that was left to them
to oppose the movement, falling back
about forty rods TO n piece Of woods,
wading through swamp for the purpose,
and formed q new line in horse shoe shape
the center offered and the flank refused
One idea in this movement was 10 draw
the enemy into the swamp and then open
on them.
The British troops interpreting this ss
an utter route Of the Fenians quickened
their previously slow advance to q double
quick, and rushed into the swamp with
loud yells, the cry of "Irish" being fre-
quently heard. But through the swamps
the severe fire which the Fenians opened
on them would not allow them to pass,
and in these relative positions the con-
fict ragged for half an hour.
THE COUNTER CHARGE.
Then Col. O'Neil, seeing that the
enemy's center was the weakest point,
ordered charge TO break through his
lines. This was led by the detachment
from Indiana, and was entirely success
full. The British center, which was really
nocenter, being left open by the pecu-
liarity of the movement, was broken
through, and their troops did not prove
of sufficient stamina to hold their ground
with an enemy between their wings, bat
were thrown into confusion and retreated
through Ridgeway, towards Port Col
borne.
THE RoUT AND PURSUIT.
The rout of the red-eoats is represented
as complete. They threw away costs,
blankets, guns,-anything that would
impede their fight. The Fenians pur-
sued them through Ridgeway, and more
than mile beyond, when Col. 0Neill,
finding his men tired out, gave orders 10
return to Fort Erie
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
IFrom Special Cor. Buffalo Express, June Al
The first battle in the Fenian-Canadian
war was fought about two hours ago on
and around the farm from which write
and resulted in the decided repulse of the
Canadian forces engaged
THE FEEIAK MovEMENT.
The movement of the Fenian army of
invasion from its camp on Frenchman's
Creek commenced at 3 A. II. this morn
ing. During the night there had been
intoxicaton aud fighting
among them, and tive were killed. About
eight o'clock in the evening party Of
the Fenian officers and men were drinking
at the tavern Of John Stevens Freeberry's
dock They had levied a contribution
upon Mr.. Stevens to the amount of 500
in money, $500 worth of whisky, and 8
mare While at the taYere q
courier arrived with intelligence Of the
advance of Canadian column TO Ridge
way. The call was at once sounded and
orders given 10 move
THE MARCH.
At A. NJ. the Fenian column moved
out by q circuitous road leading TO Ridge
way and Port Celborne. All along the
route the panic stricken inhabitants
abandoned their houses and fed to the
woods. There was good deal of strag-
ling from the Fehian ranks, and the force
s,A 1,ff
strong, arrived at Limestone Ridge, whore
The battle has been fought, with not more
than nine hundred men.
THE BATTLE
The opposing forces encountered each
other, as have said, about A. NJ. The
Fenians broke down The rails on the left
side of the old Garrison road, and formed
their line in the field. The skirmishers
on the two sides opened fire and fell back.
About six rounds of shot were then ex-
changed at long range The Fenians
now advanced on the double quick with
fixed bayonets, but found the Canadians
in a strong position behind brushwork,
and were repulsed, giving way in some
disorder. The Canadian troops then ad-
vanced out of the brush in pursuit, but
the Fenian forces were soon rallied and
charged again, driving them back through
the brush. The Canadians could not
again recover, and were rapidly forced
back clear to Ridgeway, two miles sad
half, where they had strong entrehch-
ments. The so far successful Fenians,
without artillery, made no attempt upon
them in their entrenchments, but fell back
toward Fort Erie.
AFFAIRS AT ST. ALBANs.
[st AIbans June q Dispatch to Cincinnati Com
noreisl.1
l have Just arrived here from Montreall
The citizens of the country on the route
are sending away their horses, concealing
their valuables and otherwise preparing
for hostile invasion. About thousand
British regulars are stationed along the
railroad, with piekets near the boundary.
The Fenians who Lave assembled at
their rendezvous number nearly fifteen
hundred. Three hundred more leave Bos-
ton tonight to join them They are
mainly at Fairfield. They have plenty
of arms and ammunition, having obtained
them by q secret route across Lake Cham
plain. It is rumored that Moseby, the
guerrilla, is here as Fenian officer. The
United States troops here number about
fifteen hundred The Fenians are not
disheartened by any means, but impatient
at the delay. All observers here agree
that the invasion is not at an end, yet
Gen. Spear, and the other leading officers,
have Joined the camp at Fairfield with the
remark that they may be back to-mor-
row, but leaving no baggage to Indicate
return.