New-York tribune., 1870-05-26
THE FENLAN INVASION.

There is something so noble in the herOiSm
of the honest Irishmen who have offered their
fortunes and their persons for this last wretched
expedition against Canada, that we cannot
speak of their enterprise without respect but
the folly of the whole affair has been SO stupen-
dous, and the failure so inconceivably absurd,
that we can hardly speak of it either without
equal indignation and amusement. For months
the Brotherhood has been massing its re-
sources, collecting arms, organizing regiments
and brigades, planning battles and sieges, and
devising commissariats. Every available dollar
has been raised and spent. Every available
man, if the Fenian organs are to be trusted,
has been ordered to the front According to
one of the cheap papers of this city, no fewer
than 25,OOO disguised in plain clothes, marched
from Brooklyn alone in single day. I'm
mense arsenals of muskets and cannon have
been hidden somewhere in the Green Noun
tains. On the other side of the line Canada
has been shaking with terror. The volunteers
have rushed to arms. The regular troops have
been posted along the st. Lawrence. Quebec
is in flames, and Sir John Mcdonald is sick
a-bed with fright. Under these awful circum-
stances the war began.
The field of affray was in Franklin County,
Vermont, close to the Canada line and some
fifteen miles north of st. Adams. Thither the
Fenian army repaired in driblets to place them
selves under the command of Gen. ONeil.
Their first proceeding was to unpack car
pet bags and get out the green uniforms.
Their second was to hear a speech.
Fenians,' said the General, "the eyes
of Ireland are upon you. Forward, march !"
Now it was perhaps not strictly in accordance
with military etiquette-or shall we say dis
cpline 7-but when Gen. O'Neil said L" Forward,
march, the Fenian to whom had been COM
mitted the command of the skirmish line
deemed this proper occasion for another
speech, in the course of which he cOpiously
observed that he would forward march Then
the army turned around, saw Canada, and went
for it.
The Canadian army at this point being only
80 strong, while the Fenians were about 25O,
the conquest of the Dominion might seem
fOregOne conclusion had it not been for the
sudden interference of the United States of
America. The United States of America
was persOnated Oh this occasion by
George P. Foster and Thomas Failey,
who came upon the field of battle in
a rock9way, or some such DeaCeable vehicle,
and took a commanding position upon hill
side under fire. In the thickest of the fight,
while the Fenian commander (also under fire.
was surveying the scene through a glass, the
United States of America crept from the rock
away and tapped him on the shoulder. " Sir"
said Marshal George p. Foster, :" arrest you
" for breaking the law" Sir" said the
General, 81 have an army here and ! won't
" be arrested" Whereupon the commander
was ANONYMOUSLY bundled into the carriage
and driven off to a jail-and the army went
home
A plain narration of this story-a war stopped
by marshal and one deputy, whole army
defeated and utterly routed by two men, is so
utterly ludicrOus that no comment can I'M
prove it. But in fact we have no desire to
dwell upon the farcical features OF this new
discovery in strategy. We have no DISPOSE
ton to speculate upon what would have hap
pencd if Wellington had been arrested by
sheriif7s officer in the middle OF the battle
of Waterloo or Grant lodged in Jail by Vr-
gnia constable while the Army of the Poto-
mac was lighting in tho Wilderness. The Sc