New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-18
BEPODOTUS FITZG GORGE.

We wondered that Canada should take so
much pride in her cheap victory over the
Fenians and begrudge Gen. Grant particle
of the glory: but now the official reports OF
the battles are coming in, and the matter Is
easier to understand. We have before us an
authorized history of the great Trout River
campaign, in the form of an official report by
Capt Fitzgeorge, A. ID. c., transmitted through
the usual channels to the GOvernor-General,
and quite fine campaign does Capt. fltz-
george make of it. Of the march from Mon
treal to Huntingdon, to meet the expected at
tack of Gen. Starr, we are unfortunately uh-
able to give details. 1t ia with deep concern
we read that for seven and half miles Capt.
Fitzgeorge was compelled TO "push on alone"
over the plank road but though il vas before
daylight he met with no opposition and sui
fered no mshap. The brigade which moved
out from Huntingdon towards the frontier en-
braced infantry artillery, and engineers, be-
sides volunteer borderers. The volunteers, 1t
is interesting TO know, Z" lived principally on
~ eggs and bacon" The other troops had
" fresh meat The march of four hours in the
early morning, alOnga good road and under clear
skies, was performed with cOmmendabe pru-
dence the brigade hating every hour to rest !;
nevertheless Capt. FitzgeOrge says that the
men were 80 "unsteadied by the long march
" and rapid advance into action" that their
firing was wild, and the Dominion bullets un-
| fortunately did very little execution except
upon a field of hop-poles. When they ap-
| preached the enemys lines the Canadians
began to load, and 81 myself says Capt.
! FitzgeOrge got the men to march regularly"
| Il was no doubt in consequence OF this bril-
liant maneuver that the Fenians, as soon as
they had fired two vOlleys from behind their
intrenchment, "were seized with a panic and
ran $50 yards into the bush behind and
" across the lines throwing away in their terror
their rifles, packs, belts, and even coats
| The viCtOrs pursued as far as the boundary
and there, toeing the international mark, sent
after the fugitives voley of cheers, in which
we fear they yielded little to the temptation
TO deride fallen foe. Then they went into
camp and spent the rest of the day in the
contemplation of eggs and bacon.
| Capt FitzgeOrge takes occasion to add
that REGULARS and volunteers eviDced the
most determined spirit, and behaved admi-
rably." They faced the heaviest skirmish
fire without winking, charged fearlessly
through the hop fields which sheltered the
| Fenian Outposts, and were not even deferred
by the blood of one of their comrades who re-
ceived flesh wound on the temple. Nobody
else of the Canadian force was hurt; but Capt.
Fitzgeorge afterward surveyed the field of bat
tie "and have only to add" he remarks,
| " that had the Fenians held their intrench-
ments any time our force might have met
with serious loss" This sagaciOus cOnclu-
-. g 1.-Two
Fenian at the hands of two unarmed scouts i;
for the man when taken had a loaded rife.
Blood was found behind the intrenChment, so
that the Captain believes some of the Fenians
must have been wounded if not killed. Still
the blood may have been the result of fOray
on Canadian hen-roosts. Really, when you
come to look at it carefully, the Trout River
campaign was a very dangerous affair, and
may be Gen. Lindsay's gorgeous compliments
| to the volunteers were not bit too strong.