Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-06-01
The Fenim Invasion.

Nv IlNltNNih llNNElNu VI Y ANA''h ~ NNAN
Fcnians, Of which our readers were advised
in our last issue, has come to an ignobc ter
mination. We doubt indeed if any great un.
dertaking ever came to a more disgracclul
ending in so short time, or with so little eff
fort to avert il,
The demonstration in this State was made
at Franklin, at point about eighteen miles
northeast from st. Adams The Fcnians Of
this place numbered 400, and were under
command Of Gen O'Noi commaudor-in-chier
of the Fcnian army The expected arrival
Of a detachment Of United States troops at
st. Adams, and the knowledge that the Can.
adams were receiving re.inlorcomenis and
were Certifying themselves, induced Gen. o.
Neil, without waiting for further reinforce
mcnts to make an advance. This he did
about noon of Wednesday last after brief
address to his men, by ordering the company
Of Capt VIM Crouan, of Burlington, across
the line as skirmshers, and forming the re-
mainder Of his force in line of battle.
In order to a proper understanding of this
movement it will be necessary to give u brief
description Of the position. The road at its
entrance into Canada, runs due north, on ris-
ing ground On the left side of the road,
after crossing the line, is hill covered with
high rocks, behind which the Canadians, to
the number of about eighty, had intrenched
themselves, aud from this position they com
manded with their fire the road over which
the Fenians must come for about sixty rods
The position was one of great natural strength
for defense, being in fact almost impregnable
to a direct attack in front
As Captain Crouan with his company adj
yanced across the line, brisk fire was opened
upon them by the advance guard of the Ca
nadians from behind their entertainments, and
after one voley the invaders incontncntly
turned and fed back across the line. In the
mean time firing had opened between the main
line Of the Fenians and the Canadians, and in
a short time, so hot was the fire, that the Fc-
mans fell back under cover Of some woods in
the rear Of their line
At this period Of the engagement Gen.
O'Neil, while cndeavorng to rally his men,
went behind his line for the purpose Of de-
taching a company from the right for flank
movement against the Canadians, aud was ar
rested by U. S. Marshal, George p. Foster,
assisted by Mr. Failey, assistant Marshal, and
several citizens. lie was hustled into close
carriage and driven with all speed TO St. Al
bans, where he was placed under $4,000
bonds, and conveyed by team to Burlington
and lodged in Jail, where he still remains.
Too much credit cannot be awarded to Gen
Foster for the manner ia which he discharged
the difficult and dangerous duties doyolving
upon him. There is but one opinion ex-
pressed as to the propriety of the course pur-
sued by him, and the boldncss with which he
acted certainly deserves our warmcst com
mcndation
The repulsc Of Capt. Cronan s company and
the arrest of Gen. ONeil thoroughly demon
allied the Fenians, and they made no further
attempts at invasion Gen, Donnolly, how
ever, with about fifty men, who occupied
farmhouse at the time Of the retreat, which
was covered by the fire of the Canadians, in
making his escape in the evening, from this
position, was fired upon and severely wounded.
lie is spoken of on all hands as a thoroughly
brave and competent officer.
Thus endeth the second attempt of the Fc-
mans to advance into Canada by the way of
Vermont. The failure Of the attempt is at
tributabe to several causes In the first
place, not to exceed four hundred men were
present to participate in the INVASION al
though arms and ammunition were ready for
at least FIVE thousand. The first attempt may
be said to have failed for the want of proper
arms for the men actually present, but the
second certainly failed for want of a sufficient
number of men for the arms at hand. Sec
ondly, the position chosen by the Canadians
was an exceedingly strong one and Of this
fact, as well as Of the number with whom they
would have to contend, the Fenans leaders
seemed to have no knowledge. Thirdly, there
was noticeable lack of ability, and conso.
qucnt want of confdence of the men in their
commanders and fourthly, the Fenians had
no artillery, by which alone, in lieu of capac-
ty on the part of their leaders to order a
flank movement, the Canadians conld have
been driven from their position.
The entire casualties of this movement, so
far as reported, were three men killed and eight
men wounded, some of them severely. The Ca
nadians, with refinement Of cruelty, buried
the body of John Rowe, of Burlington, which
fell into their hands, without any coffin or
even box in hole about two feet deep, and
piled large rocks upon his grave to the heighth
Of three feet.
The report Of the demonstration at Frak-
lin is, in short, report Of the invasion OPP
posite Malone at Huntingdon. The Fonians
at this point, under General Gleason, pene.
trated into Canada about two miles but being
met by the Canadian volunteers aud British
troops they fed, after a slight skirmish, in.
gloriously to this side Of the line, and have
not repeated their attempt
OF course the privatos of the Fenian in.
yasion, left without commanders or rations.
and most Of them being without funds, have
been left to the tender meroics Of the in
habltants. The Government has refused to
furnish them transportation to. their homes
tho it didin the case of the invasion four years
ago but we are glad to learn that transport
tation has been furnished bv nriyate means