Narrative of the Fenian invasion of Canada

by Alexander Somerville

The second call to arms of the volunteers has been responded to with even more enthusiasm than the first. The order for mustering the “Queen’s Own” only reached here late on the afternoon on Thursday, and at the appointed hour (four o’clock yesterday morning) over five hundred men assembled in the drill-shed ready to receive orders to proceed to the point where the Fenians were congregating. At that hour the fire bells rang out as a signal for the men to assemble, and in less than an hour the number we have mentioned were under arms. Under the command of Colonel Dennis, Brigade Major 5th military district, the men were marched from the drill-shed to the Yonge street wharf, where they were embarked on board the steamer City of Toronto, at half past six o’clock, for Port Dalhousie, where they were to take the Welland railway to Port Colborne. The men were in the highest spirits, and one and all expressed the hope that the Fenians who have been so long threatening would at length give the volunteers an opportunity of meeting them in open conflict. Notwithstanding the early hour at which the steamer left, the wharf was crowded with people who lustily cheered the brave fellows as they took their departure. About 120 men of the battalion had been left behind, some of whom had not been notified of the arrangements that had been made, and others who had not heard the alarm of the fire bells and had slept too long. The boat left half an hour earlier than was stated, and many of the men had reached the wharf just as the steamer was moving out. It was therefore deemed advisable that the men so left behind should assemble at drill about noon and be ready to proceed by special train to join their comrades. The men were punctually at their post, and after being inspected by Major Smith and their names called over, they were marched, under the command of Capt. Gardner, of the Highland company, to the Union Station, followed by an immense concourse of people. Nothing could exceed the delight which evidently filled the breast of every man of them. Upon arriving at the station it was ascertained that they were not to go by railway, but to take the City of Toronto upon her return from Port Dalhousie at two o’clock. They were then marched back to the drill-shed, and there awaited the hour of embarkment. When the order to again “fall in” had been given, they formed into two companies marched to the Yonge street wharf and immediately proceeded on board the steamer which was lying at the wharf ready to receive them. Besides the officer in command—Captain Gardner—they were accompanied by Lieut. Bevan, Lieut. Campbell, and Ensign Davis. At this juncture the crowd of people and the excitement among them, along the way between the drill-shed and the wharf, were tremendous. Previous to the volunteers going on board many were the warm greetings that they received from relatives and friends. Many a kind word of encouragement, and many a heartfelt wish for their success and their safe return were expressed. While bales of blankets and canvass for tents were being placed on board, the men were engaged in singing songs, and as the steamer was leaving her moorings, they were lustily cheered again and again by the crowds of people on the wharf and as warmly returned by the volunteers.

When the Queen’s Own arrived at Port Dalhousie, Mr. McGrath, manager of the Welland railway, was there with a special train to convey them to Port Colborne. “Gentlemen,” said he, to some of the officers, “where is all that luggage going?” This consisted of trunks, hat boxes, and usual accompaniments of railway travellers when on long journeys. “We are going to Port Colborne,” one replied. “That luggage,” rejoined the manager, “will require a van for itself; what is the meaning of it for this military train?” “We expect to remain in garrison at Port Colborne.” “Remain there! It is likely you will be engaged with the Fenians before you pass Port Robinson, or somewhere between that and Port Colborne.” To which the officer commanding said, “Good God! you don’t say that?” Someone observed that General Napier had told them at Toronto they might soon be engaged with the enemy. “Did he?” said the commander, “if he thought so, why are we sent from Toronto and landed here without ammunition?”

Mr. McGrath had reason to suppose that the enemy might attack this train. He warned Colonel Dennis that it was hazardous to run the train into Port Colborne without first sending skirmishers to feel the way; the enemy might be in the woods on either side. This suggestion went unheeded. The battalion was disembarked at the platform, scattering at once through the village, along the canal, over the bridges, no guard mounted, no pickets, no sentries posted; but all easy victims to any military enemy, had such been there.

When Mr. McGrath was giving car room for conveyance of the unmilitary luggage, he asked to be informed of the space to be filled with their provisions. The reply was that, “no provisions had been brought, sufficient would be found at Colborne.” “That,” he rejoined, “is a poor place for provisions. It is but a small village; other volunteer forces will be there; you should take stores from St. Catherines.” That town was on the way, but there was no commissariat arrangements for purchasing, or obtaining stores by requisition. No cooking utensils to dress food. They came as destitute of field equipments from Toronto, as the 13th did from Hamilton, and in the vital article of ammunition worse; only one company of the Queen’s Own had ball cartridges; they were thirty rounds each with No. 5 company for repeating rifles, which as the event proved were expended in a very brief time and to small purpose.

Brave young men, full of hope, full of confidence, they went to the front without suspicion that any requisite for an active campaign had been neglected.

Let us return to Toronto for the volunteer 10th Royals, and detachments of regulars. Newspapers of next day reported that:

The 10th Royals, in obedience to orders, mustered in the drill-shed at twelve o’clock, and after having been inspected by Major Boxall, who, in the absence of Lieut.-Col. Brunel, had assumed command of the battalion, were ordered to be in readiness to proceed to St. Catharines, by the Great Western railway, at four o’clock. Col. Brunel, who was in Montreal, was telegraphed for to return to this city immediately. At the appointed hour the 10th Royals assembled at the shed. The excitement about this time became intense. All kinds of rumors were afloat, some of which were that the volunteers who had left at early morn, and some of the 16th regiment, were in actual engagement with the Fenians, and had been repulsed. This story made the men of the 10th still more eager for the fray. After having been formed into companies and then four deep, the order to march was given, and the battalion proceeded to the Queen’s wharf, headed by their band. The whole consisting of eight companies, under the command of Major Boxall. They were met by about two hundred men of the 47th regiment, under Lieut.-Col. Villiers. Three companies of that gallant regiment, under command of Major Lodder, and the G battery of the Royal Artillery left at 12.40 o’clock by the Great Western railway for Port Colborne. The two companies of the forty-seventh and the tenth royals were marched to the cars, which were in waiting to convey them to St. Catharines. The bridge which spans the railway track at the Queen’s wharf and the hill tops which surround the Great Western railway workshops, were crowded with spectators. The greatest enthusiasm possible prevailed among the troops—the men of the 47th and 10th Royals singing with heart and voice, “Rule Britannia,” the “Red White and Blue,” and other loyal songs.

Reverting to the departure of regulars and volunteers from Hamilton on 1st of June. On the previous day about 4 p. m. the 16th of H. M. army, the head-quarters, right wing, at Hamilton under Colonel George Peacocke, was kept within barracks. Intelligence had then arrived from the General commanding in chief that a Fenian invasion was expected. During the same day a sergeant of the volunteer 13th went to the dwellings of the members warning them to assemble at the drill-shed at 6 a. m. next morning. They came; most of them without breakfast. They were told, says Lieut.-Col. Booker, to get breakfast for they were going to meet the enemy and he did not know when they would return. [Statement to Court of Inquiry]. Some went to breakfast; others did not. A few, about one-fifth of the whole—the parade state of that morning being 265 of all ranks, had haversacks. They were chiefly men who had been on previous frontier service. Therefore the need of their having that article had long been known to the commanding officer. He also knew they were without knapsacks. He addressed the battalion in the drill-shed, when about to march, in these terms: “Men of the Thirteenth, you are once more called out for duty. You will now, as you did before, follow me. You have no knapsacks, but I can promise that if you do not behave yourselves before the enemy as soldiers should do, you will get plenty of ‘knapsack drill’.” [Written statement laid before me by men of the 13th, who offered to attest it]. There was nothing contrary to good military rule in these words. But in memory of the fact that a portion of the battalion had been five months on frontier service at Windsor not under his command, but under an officer from another city equally vigilant if less pretentious, and had not one defaulter all the time, the taunt of knapsack drill, that is, punishment drill, was not then in the line of discretion. The words follow me, were afterwards remembered. This address on the morning of June 1, is noted here, however, principally to show that Colonel Booker, for several years Militia Commandant of the city as well as Lieut.-Col. of the 13th, was familiar with the deficiency of field equipments.

This battalion, small in numbers, several men and officers having been then absent from the city who afterwards overtook it on the frontier, marched to the railway depot accompanied by many citizens who heartily prayed for blessings on it. The Great Western cars were ready. The train left at 10 a. m. going west to Paris, a two hours journey; then on the Buffalo and Lake Huron track to travel eastward to Port Colborne.

H. M. 16th, (right wing) went on board a train about 12 noon, but remained at the depot two hours, many citizens crowded on the platform. Again, the spirits of old soldiers who had known campaigns in earnest, and who now looked on, were depressed to see infantry—nothing yet but infantry, bound for the front. These were not going without all necessary equipments, as the volunteer militia had gone, but they were without canteens to carry water. Those articles, indispensable to men on a campaign, had been reserved in some army store, not at Hamilton. Thus in addition to the delay caused at Chippewa, on the morrow, to give the 10th Royals breakfast, they having come from Toronto without provisions, without haversacks, “contrary to my orders” (Colonel Peacocke’s report,) the 16th regulars marched without water canteens; “the day was very hot.” (same report.) And the men of the regulars, like the volunteers were thirsty, exhausted, and did not reach the vicinity of the enemy so soon by some hours as otherwise they might.