New-York tribune., 1870-05-27
THE CANADIAN INVASION.
FcNlAN ARMY ON BRITISH SOIL.

~ c,vAn1AN TFRRITORY-THE POSITION TO
Pr HELD UNTIL RE-ENFoRCEMENrS ARRIVE
INTENDED MOVEMENT OF GEN. SPEAR
Malone. Nav 96.--Gen. Gleason, at the heaa Oh
oooo man crossed into Canada near this place. and
now occupies position four miles oeSo"u 'n0 i"''
He is intrenched strongly and confident Oh hoiding
his position until reGnforcements arrive.
News has inst been received here that, after the ar
rest of Gen ONeil, and his incarcerationin Burlng
ton prison by the U. S. Marshal, Gen. Foster, Gen.
Samuel P. Spear was appointed the Commandern-
Chief and proceeded at once to issue his orders in
the face of Marshal Foster.
Gen. Spear will either cross the Canadian border
at some point heretofore not attempted, OF re-
enforce Gen. Gleason, now in the enemys country
His decision viii be made known before this dis
patch is read by your earliest readers This state
ment is by authority
The privates may OF may not be qualified to judge,
but they express great dissatisfaction with Gen.
ONeil. Some say that he is too young to plan and
too inexperienced to execute, and that he is both
practically and theoretically incompetent.
DISPATCH FROM GEN. GLEAsON-HE HAS
CROSSED THE FRONTIER WITH 1,5OO MEN.
FRONT RIVER, via MALONE, May &c, 1s7o
P. ORoURKE Nea- York crossed the border at
o'clock this afternoon with 800 men, and will fight
before daylight. GLEASON.
TIE sKIRMISH AT PIGEON HILL-LACK OF JUDO
MENT IN THE FENIAN COMMANDER-EFFECT
OF o'NEH's ARREST ON THE GENERAL PLAN
OF OPERATIONS "A FLANK MOVEMENT"
EXPECTED.
FRANKLIN, Vt, May &c A. M-The battlefield of
yesterday is a good place for brush" and the
Canadians showed good judgment in intrenchng
themselves there, they were well sheltered by
rocks and bushes, and, if charge had been made,
would have reserved their fire until the Fenians had
got into close range, when death-dealing yOlley
would have driven them back demoralized.
Ii cannot be said that the Fenian leaders showed
either ordinary care or Judgment in action. The
original plan was that the bodies massed at the three
places of rendezvous-Potsdam and Hogensburg,
Malone and Front River. and st. Albans-should be
visited last night by Gen. ONeil who would give
final instructions to the leaders when simultaneous
dash would have been made into Canada. For that
purpose about 600 stand of arms in st. Albans
yesterday; 1900 at Malone stacked there in
military style, and in Hogensburg and Potsdam
there were about 75O The uniforms of the men were
also got ready for use and the three companies of
Fenians who are stationed here fell in," in the
forenoon, by order of Gen. 0'Neil, who accom-
panied by his staff and were declared ready for
fight with the result teleTaphed you from this
place last night.
The General is blamed for his precipitate action
They say that he should have made no movement
until he had kept his word with the other leaders,
and thus insured the safety of the contemplated
movement. That, having assumed the offensive, he
should have ordered line of skirmishers to the
front upon the first view of the redcoats, and that
after the delivery of the first vOey he should have
made decisive bayonet charge, which, considering
the redcOats set down at so strong and by the
highest amounts at not over 100, and that the
Fenians numbered $50 at first, with reenforcements
coming up every moment, must have resulted in the
disastrous overthrow of the Canadian line of defense.
But the friends of the General claim that he pre-
ciptated into this hasy action from the fact that
the United States authorities had already nterfered,
having removed his sentIies, who guarding the
public highway and stopping the passage of citizens,
and that be was well aware that his own arrest was
imminent. This accounts for his hurry.
1t is also stated, in extenuation of the Generals
conduct that he was losing control of his men by
inaction, and that squad of nearly twenty iii one
instance threw down their arms and refused to do
duty, and these of course cOnld not be compelled
to 90 forward as their service was voluntary, and
termnable at pleasure.
The train from Malone last night brought forward
50 Fenians and the Western train about 100. Since
midnight about 50 to 100 men also arrived from
various points.
Yesterday the General had the feld-piece placed
in position on the hight commanding the of
the skirmish and had it tried at a mark, with the
intention of driving the Canadians from their in
trenched position as they were threatening a body
Of l6 men, including Gen. Donnelly, who had got
into red brick house this side of the line. flag of
truce was carried by this party to the Canadians
after the skirmish, and consultation took place,
hut il is said that Gen. Donnely would not give up
point with respect to the disposal OF the bodies
of the two dead Benans lone of the bodies lying on
each side of the lne) and they had to return to
their station.
battery Of United States troops stationed on
the Common ground here under canvas and another
United States regiment is expected at noon.
Numbers of citizens from st. Albans visited the
scene of action this morning, to see whether the
Fenians were holding their ground, but the Fenians
are leaving here with the intention of making
flank movement 1t is reported that another dash
will be made across the line at some point further
west, either this evening during the night, under
Gen. Gleason. ,.--.
o'HEILs ARMY sCATTERED-THEY THROW AWAY
THEIR EQUIPMENTS - THE OFFICERS DE-
NoUNCE THE MEN FOR "BEHAvISG BADLY"
THE MEN COMPLAIN OF THE INCAPACITY
Of THEIR OFFICERS-A LIST OF THE CAS-
UALTIES-GEN. o'NEL's GOOD NAME SAVED
BY THE NEWSPAPER REPORTERS. r.
81. ALBANs, VT, May 26-The Fenian movement
IN this direction is a complete failure. Soon after
the arrest of Gen. O'Ne the Fenian officers held a
council of war and decided that it useless, with
the small number of men at their command, to make
any further attempts to capture Canada, and the