Narrative of the Fenian invasion of Canada

by Alexander Somerville

Soon after this the supporting companies of the 13th occupied the orchard, which is about 200 yards south and in rear of the skirmish line on concession road. These were No. 4, Lieut. Routh (Capt. John Brown absent with leave) and Ensign J. B. Young. No. 5, Capt. Askin and Lieut. Ritchie. Captain Askin is assistant engineer on the Great Western Railway. I, and the battalion, and the public, are indebted to him for the map of Limestone Ridge, published herewith. He had been absent at Windsor when the alarm to assemble, fall in, march, was given at Hamilton. A telegram told he was wanted. Taking the earliest train east, he heard at Paris that the 13th had gone by B. and L. H. Line to Dunnville. He overtook them at Port Colborne, just as they were marching for Ridgeway. The other company in support, occupying that orchard, was No. 6, Ensign Roy. Captain Irving of this Company was absent from Hamilton when they left, and thinking to reach the battalion by a shorter route followed Colonel Peacocke’s force, by which he was prevented from reaching the field of fight in time, much to his mortification.

At a point of the Ridge road about 400 yards north of Angur’s brick house, a reserve of the Q. O. was halted. The two colours of the 13th, carried by Ensigns Armstrong and Baker were here, in their proper place. Also the men guarding the colours, and some orderlies. Major Gilmore (Court. of In.) mentioned this reserve as comprising green and scarlet uniforms. Those just indicated were the only officers and men of the 13th there at that time. The only companies of men in green not in the reserve on the road, when the hottest fire was being delivered in front by the skirmishers, were the University and Highlander companies then engaged on the extreme right; Trinity College and York companies on the left, not then exposed to Fenian fire. The Caledonias forming a rear guard; and desultory portions of several Q. O. companies on the concession road, or under the trees or about the barns. It being said by Major Denison that No. 6, Capt. Adam, was there, that must also be admitted, but if so, that company was considerably scattered towards the rear.

All these in the front delivered a steady, well sustained fire, forward, and into copse woods, and places of covert where the Fenian smoke and rattle indicated the enemy to be. At no place, in front of concession road, could more than 200 yards of clear range be seen. Very few casualties had then occurred, the Fenian bullets going high. Both Q. O. and 13th men were struck in rear of the line of skirmishers by bullets flying over the heads of the front line. Besides the enemy were retiring before the steady, brave, soldier-like advances of the Q. O. front companies and 13th The Fenian chief says the men in red were the more conspicuous; but both his testimony, and that of others competent to judge give the Q. O. and York Rifles credit in largest measure, highest degree, as well as the gallant 13th in red. Had there been any generalship then, the fight was won. Major Denison says p. 44:

“Our troops had been in this position for some time when it seems that the Fenian leaders decided to charge again, to drive our men back from the line they had carried.”

Charge again, means that they had charged before. Nobody saw them charge either before or then. Their tactics were exclusively movements under cover. They crept from bush to bush. They were retiring to get round to concession road to retreat to Fort Erie. They could not have come round the right flank, on crown of the ridge without being seen by the U. R. and Gardener’s companies posted there, and by Grant’s of the 13th. Major Cattley of 13th who was attached to the three companies of supports was at the upper end of the orchard, at a copse where the low stone wall, before mentioned, ran parallel with the ridge, 100 yards from the wood on the ridge, and he saw persons, supposed at the time to have been Fenians the same as were seen from the Q. O. reserve and Capt. Grant’s company of 13th. If these had been the enemy no better place than that low stone wall could have been found to shelter troops to keep the position and drive the Fenians back. Major Cattley made his apprehensions known. But the brigadier, Lt.-Col. Booker, made no disposition of force in that direction, nor in any other. These men in the upper wood, and near to it, were the U. R. and Highlander companies of Q. O.

Two Fenian officers had been at different times seen on horseback. One was unhorsed, the animal galloping away to eastward with empty saddle, itself wounded. It was found dead at the top of H. F. Angur’s field, near the wood of the Fenian graves.

If cavalry had been seen in that direction which it was not, it could not have charged either upon skirmish lines, or supports, or reserve. There were several high zigzag fences, impassable by cavalry, had there been any, on the right, on the left, and in front, except only in front of the reserve when it stood on the Ridge road. And there also it was flanked with fences, proof against cavalry. Major Denison says p. 44.

“The skirmishers seeing the mounted men coming towards them, thought a body of cavalry was going to charge; and raising a cry that cavalry were coming began to run back, calling out to the reserve ‘look out for cavalry’. The reserves were on the road and there mounted men were also seen upon it. Lieut.-Col. Booker, from the position in front of the reserves, could not possibly see for himself whether the report was true or false; but hearing it reiterated, he called to Major Gilmore to ‘look out for cavalry.’ Major Gilmore therefore ordered his battalion to form square. This was done. The bugles sounded to ‘prepare for cavalry!’ and the companies on the flanks ran in—some forming in rear of the square, others forming rallying squares in the fields, and afterwards falling back on the main body.”

How or why Major Denison could have written this story can only be accounted for, by his saying in his book that for information received, he tenders his thanks to Lt.-Col. Booker.

To the facts as they were; not as the story was afterwards concocted and imagined. The facts were these. Between the place of the reserve on ridge road, letter C on the map, and J. N. Angur’s brick house, there are two houses on the left of the road, and a barn on the right of it. From undulations of the ground, bending of the road, and orchard trees, Booker and those near him, behind that house next to the reserve, could not see along the road. He had been screening himself from imaginary bullets. He knew nothing of what was going on at the front, or to the right of the skirmish line. He was not in a place to see. He was not in a condition of mind to understand. But of that presently. The Q. O. men and officers who were scattered behind the other houses and barn—[not improperly, shelter was legitimate to all who could obtain it where duty required them to be]—they could not see farther to the front along ridge road than 100, 200, to 300 yards. But Major Skinner and part of the 13th were in possession of the brick house and orchard opposite. They could see farther along to north-east, and saw no horsemen in that direction, nor heard any cry of cavalry. Adjutant Henery of the 13th, and some men were advanced still farther, out on the open of Ridge road, they heard no alarm of cavalry. Capt. Ferguson and his company of 13th, were still farther advanced, by the side of the orchard on left of the Ridge road, near Stoneman’s house, at letter B of the map, they heard no alarm of cavalry. All these ultimately retreated; but when they reached the place where the reserve had been, where the square had been, where the cry of cavalry had been,—all had vanished. The cry of cavalry did not come from the front. Those who were fighting in front, and came in, when they discovered that their supports were gone, saw no reserves, no square. They were afterwards told that such formations had been. Nor did these men, with their company officers, and the battalion officers, Major Skinner and Adjutant Henery, see Lieut.-Col. Booker. None of the 13th had seen him after commencement of the action, except the few with the colours and the orderlies, and they had been in action one hour. Several persons had noted the time.