XIV.
The year 1869 saw O’Neill still at the helm of Fenian affairs, and large sums of money rolling in to the coffers of the organisation; although, as always the case with Irish movements, dissensions reigned within the ranks. The Stephens section, now presided over by John Savage, who had succeeded John O’Mahony, was constantly attacking the Senate wing, and many and bitter were the feuds which raged. In my position as Inspector-General of the Irish Republican Army, I was fully engaged in my old work of inspecting the companies, and directing the location of arms along the Canadian country for coming active operations. In this way I distributed fifteen thousand stands of arms and almost three million rounds of ammunition in the care of the many trusted men stationed between Ogdensburg and St. Albans. Some thousands of these guns were breech-loaders, which had been re-modelled from United States Government “Springfields” at the arms factory, leased, and “run” by the organisation at Trenton, New Jersey. The depôt from which the bulk were packed and shipped was “Quinn and Nolan’s” of Albany. Quinn was a United States Congressman and Senator of the Fenian Brotherhood; and Nolan, that very Mayor Nolan so prominently mentioned by Mr. Parnell in his evidence as one of the eminently conservative (!) gentlemen who received him in America. Constantly the recipient of compliments for the admirable way in which I discharged my duty, I was now promoted to the office of Assistant Adjutant-General, with the rank of Colonel; and my new position enabled me not only to become possessed of the originals of every document, plan of proposed campaign, &c., but also specimens of the Fenian army commissions and uniforms of the time, which of course I conveyed to the officials of the Canadian Government.
Successful as I was in evading detection through all this work, those assisting me in my Secret Service capacity were not always destined to share in my good luck. This was particularly the case on one occasion. I was at the time shipping arms at Malone, N.Y., and attended, on behalf of the Canadian Government, by one of the staff of men placed at my disposal for the purposes of immediate communication and the transit of any documents requiring secrecy and despatch, as well as for personal protection, should such prove necessary. This man, John C. Rose, was one of the most faithful and trusted servants of the Canadian administration, and for months he followed me along the whole border. Though stopping at the same hotels, and in constant communication with me, no suspicion was aroused, until his identity was disclosed by a visitor from the seat of Government at Ottawa to G. J. Mannix, the head-centre of that Gibraltar of Fenianism, Malone. Men were immediately set to watch him without my knowledge, and the fact of his being found always in my wake on my visits to and return from several towns led to the belief that he was spying upon my actions. A few nights after this belief had been formed, poor Rose, on his return from sending a despatch from the post-office, was waylaid, robbed, and brutally beaten, and subsequently brought back to the hotel in as sorry a plight as I ever saw. I was immediately advised by my Fenian friends as to the dangerous character of this mutual enemy of ours, as he was termed; and though shocked and embittered by the treatment accorded to the poor devoted fellow, I had, for politic reasons, to applaud their cowardly assault, and to denounce my brave friend, who was bearing all his sufferings in silence and with a splendid spirit. For months poor Rose was quite prostrated, and through this act of my brother Fenians, I was deprived of the services and co-operation of as faithful and capable an ally as ever was given me.
In the winter of 1869, the Fenian Senate announced the completion of the arrangements for the invasion; and in the month of December the Ninth Annual Convention was called in New York. In connection with this convention, I was called upon to perform a little act which served to more closely knit the bonds of friendship between O’Neill and myself, and, if possible, to obtain for me an even larger share of his confidence than I had hitherto enjoyed. O’Neill, as was customary in Irish revolutionary circles, had, in his capacity of leader, been making free with the funds of the organisation. In a word, he had been spending for personal purposes monies received from the circles or camps. Professor Brophy, the Treasurer, one of the few honest deluded Irish patriots of the time, refused to cook the accounts in order to cover the President’s delinquencies. The books had to be submitted to the Convention, and O’Neill was in a frightful difficulty. In his embarrassment he came to me, and, to my surprise, made a clean breast of the whole matter. The opportunity was too good a one to be lost. I advanced the money, and took his note of hand, thus saving his reputation before the Convention.
Need I say that money was never repaid me. Surely not! The only memento which I have of my dollars is O’Neill’s note of hand, which, as a curiosity, I have preserved to this date. It is certainly an interesting document, so I give it here.
“New York, April 19, 1870.
“$364, 41/100.
“Received from Colonel H. le Caron, three hundred and sixty-four dollars and 41/100, borrowed money, to be returned whenever demanded.
“John O’Neill.
“Pres. F.B.”
A council of war followed, and all was now activity. In view of active operations in Canada, all monies were called in, and orders were issued from head-quarters to have in readiness all the military organisations. The final order was issued in April as follows:—
“Head-Quarters Fenian Brotherhood,
“No. 10 West Fourth Street,
“New York, February 10, 1870.
“P.O. Box 5141.
“To the Military Officers of the Fenian Brotherhood.
“Brothers,—You have, no doubt, ere this received general orders No. 1 from General Michael Kerwin, Secretary of War, F.B. (head-quarters, No. 50 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, Penna). A strict compliance with the requirements thereof is hereby imperatively demanded. The success or failure of our holy cause now depends upon the prompt and energetic performance of the duties incumbent upon each and all of us, and upon none does the responsibility rest so heavily as upon the military officers of the F.B.
“Brothers, if you be so situated that business or family duties will prevent you from getting your commands in readiness for active and immediate service, you will please forward your resignations to the Secretary of War at once, and at the same time send on the names of persons suitable to take your places. If you are thoroughly in earnest, you will not hesitate to give your assistance to those who may be appointed to fill the vacancies created by your voluntary withdrawal from the positions to which you have been commissioned.
“Your duty, if circumstances permit, will be to get your men in readiness at the earliest practicable moment. If you should resign, this duty will devolve upon your successors. If there are any arms, ammunition, or military clothing within your knowledge which can be forwarded to certain points, to be named hereafter, so inform the Secretary of War, whom you will address in reply to this circular, and he will, on receipt of your communications, forward private instructions with regard to your respective commands.
“Pay no attention to what may appear upon the surface or in newspapers. We mean fight—speedy fight—and nothing else, thigin thu?[2]
“Officers receiving copies of Military Oath with this circular will sign the same in presence of witness, and return to the Secretary of War.
“Ascertain and report how many of your men can and will furnish their own transportation, and in the meantime try and persuade all of them to save enough for that purpose. Military men should not forget that the civic circles have supplied the means wherewith to provide breech-loaders, ammunition, &c. &c. Their liberality in these regards will, to a limited extent, relieve them from the responsibility of advancing the means of transportation. They will not, however, hesitate to co-operate with the military branch of the F.B. in this matter.
“Preserve the utmost secrecy with regard to this circular, and reply at once. Delay, and you are guilty of neglect of duty!
“Yours fraternally,
“John O’Neill,
“President Fenian Brotherhood.
“Head-Quarters, War Department, F.B.,
“Deckertown, Sussex County, N.J.,
“April 28, 1870.
“General Orders.
“No....
“Commanding officers of regiments, companies, and detachments will hold their respective commands in readiness to move at a moment’s notice.
“Officers of circles having no military organisations attached will immediately take the necessary steps to organise the military of their neighbourhoods, and forward to this office the names of officers selected, so that they may be commissioned.
“Commanding officers of companies will get as many men as possible ready to move at once, leaving to the civic officers the task of collecting and forwarding—if possible within twenty-four hours thereafter—those who may not be able to move with the first detachments.
“Officers and men must avoid the use of uniforms or any insignia that would distinguish them.
“Officers must not be recognised by military titles, and officers or men must not speak of Fenian matters while en route.
“Take no man who is a loafer or a habitual drunkard.
“Take no man who has not seen service, or who has not sufficient character to ensure his good behaviour en route and in presence of the enemy.
“Any arms, uniforms, or war material remaining in the hands of circles must be immediately packed and forwarded to the points designated in circular of February 19, 1870.
“Hold no communications with any person not authorised from these head-quarters. All letters relating to military matters must be addressed to M. Kerwin, Deckertown, Sussex County, New Jersey.
“Let no consideration prevent a prompt compliance with this order.
“M. Kerwin,
“Brig.-Gen. and Sec. of War.
“Approved,
“John O’Neill,
“President Fenian Brotherhood.
“H. le Caron,
“Col. and Adj.-General.”