The Irish standard., 1894-06-23

Ireland possess of regaining it's indie
4 tpendence il England was q first-rst
! power? and does it not make the peopl
whom she has held in suhjection Tor 81.
/ centuries not much to be consideret
when they permit them selves to be gov
erned by power ranking only secone
or third among the nations OF the earth
/ As far as am individually conce ned
I believe that Irishmen in making little
OF England;s power are making little o1
themselves, and in acknowledging itf
greatness excuses for. Ireland's subjuga
tion are self evident. So it is when the
subject of the engagements between the
Fenian troops at Fort Erie and Ridge
way and the Canadian volunteers are re-
ferred to on this side Of the border, par
ticularly about election times, little is
made Of the defense made by the latter,
and ridicule launched by men who were
not there upon their pluck or fighting
abilities.
It those making such assertions had
the brains to remember that if all they
said in this respect was true, very little,
il any, credit is due to the Fenians who
defeated the Canadian troops. I have
never heard of one of O'Neill's little
force present ct Fort Erie or Lower
Stone Ridge but spoke we'll and COM
mendably OF the defense made by the
volunteers, and were it not for the panic
which at critical moment served them,
and which has never been explained, the
fight at Ridgeway might have had Diff
terent ending.
Panics are related in the histories of
all wars. Who has not heard Of that at
Bull Run, where the saroe distance was
covered in the skedaddle IN as many
hours by the Northern troops as it took
them days to cover before meeting the
enemy? 49,
At Solferino some ten men OF an Austrian
cavalry regiment who were cantering
into the French lines for the purpose of
surrender came unexpectedly on divi-
sion OF French infantry, when the latter
imagining the whole Austrian cavalry
was in their front, turned and ran, and
weren OF rallied before several miles of
ground we're covered.
Up to the time Of the precipitate re.
treat OF the volunteers at Ridgeway the
chances we're IN favor of their routing
O'Nsill's command, or else destroying it,
but: as frequently occurs, the unexpected
happened, and victory, as it did at Wa
terloo and Stone River, Tennessee, re-
mained with the troops and stayed long
est. ~e
From one who was present from the
landing at Fort Erie until she re- en-
| barkation from that place for Buffalo, an
account of what took place may be inter
esting. I propose to give it, at the same
time that propose to give credit where
credit is fairly due.
The Fenian Convention lSenate wing)
held in the Fall Of '65, at Philadelphia,
decided that a policy Of physical force
for Ireland's independence should be
adopted, and circles throughout the
United States. through their delegates,
were directed to organize military COM
panies, for which, at the day not far dis
tant, Work would be found.
Gen. T. s. Sweeney, who at that time
was colonel of the Sixteenth United
States Infantry. veteran of two wars
the Mexican, in which he lost an arm,
and the late civil war, wherein he distin-
guished himself as brave soldier and
able taotician-resigned his commission
in the United States service and accepted
the position of Secretary Of War and
General Commander-in Chief Of the mill
itary wing of the F. B.
1t was expected, from reports received
at Fenisn headquarters in New York,
that 10000 trained fighting men would
be ready to move on receiving an order
to that effect.
Canada was decided on by the military
authorities Of the brotherhood to be the
ground to fight Ireland's first battles Of
independence.
Thirty thousand men was the number
conei dered necessary to insure success
and give the movement that eclat which
should attend the policy decided on by
the proper authorities Of the Fenian or.
ganlzation.
II does not come within the province
Of an article Of this kind to explain away
why such small. force as crossed the
Niagara River was all that entered an
appearance" on Canadian soil. Enough
for me to Say that out of the host from
whom assurances were received Of its
intention to 'smove'' when directed,
O'Neilra AGO was all that "got there" !"
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