“It has been reported in American newspapers but the report varying in its terms that in conversation at Buffalo and subsequently in a public speech at Nashville, you paid a military compliment, which coming from one in your position was a generous tribute to your enemy, those Canada Volunteers who were in conflict with you on the 2nd of June at Limestone Ridge.
“You are reported to have called them the ‘Queen’s Own’ and to have spoken of them as wearing red uniform. Some newspapers reprinting the report in Canada have omitted the words red uniform. The only troops in red which were in conflict with you, or in your sight on June 2nd were the 13th battalion of Volunteer Militia from Hamilton. The ‘Queen’s Own’ from Toronto wore dark green uniform; as also two detached companies from Caledonia and York villages. Did you speak of the whole force opposed to you as the ‘Queen’s Own’? Did you speak of a part of the force before you as wearing red uniform? Did you in your speech distinguish, which I presume expressed any distinction observed by you on the field of action, between that portion of the Canadian force wearing dark green and that wearing red uniforms?
“If it be agreeable to you to repeat in writing any statement which you made in Buffalo or at Nashville about the Canadian force opposed to you on the 2nd of June 1866, your courtesy will be duly appreciated.
“I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Alexander Somerville.”
“General John O’Neil, Nashville, Tennessee.”
The portion of the reply relating to red uniforms and affecting the 13th battalion is printed on [page 84].
I quote a passage from O’Neil’s Nashville speech in which he disclaims that the plunderers who followed him to Canada were Fenians. It is small comfort to Canadians to be told that American thieves coming over the line under cover of a Fenian invasion are not of the brotherhood. He said “I wish to correct another false report, that ninety of our men were taken prisoners by the enemy. Only a few who did not remain with their command, and a few who were wounded and could not be removed were captured. The other prisoners were camp followers who accompanied the expedition for plunder, and some who went out of curiosity. These robbers I hope will get a halter yet. Had I known them I would have strung them up myself.”
In another passage O’Neil said of the action of the American Government: “The reinforcement that would certainly have reached us that night, and have enabled us to hold our ground, was stopped by the vigilance and promptness of the United States government on the way to us.”
The retreat of O’Neil’s army over the Niagara on June 3rd was in a considerable part intercepted by the U. S. gun-boat Michigan. About 600 were detained as U. S. prisoners on a charge of a breach of the neutrality treaty and law of nations, of whom were 18 officers. The latter after proceedings in the N. Y. State courts, were held to bail, but in August discharged. The rank and file of the Fenians were set free at once. And some thousands were provided with conveyance to their homes by the American government.
St. Catharines.—Limited space compels to an apparent oversight and injustice to the many gallant volunteers called out in all parts of the country, and who hardly waited to be called in the fervor of their patriotism, but I cannot omit the St. Catharine’s Home Guard inasmuch as Lt.-Col. McGiverin, M. P. P., who took it to Port Colborne, on 2nd June, was for a time the superior in command at that strategically important place. This gentleman is Member of the Legislative Assembly for the County of Lincoln, and has places of business both in St. Catharines and Hamilton. Receiving intelligence of the Fenian landing on Fort Erie shore, through Brigade Major Villiers, he, with that officer, Colonel Peacocke, and Mr. Swinyard of the G. W. Railway, proceeded to the station at Hamilton where arrangements were made to transport the volunteers from Hamilton, Paris, Brantford, Grimsby, Beamsville and St. Catharines to meet the enemy.