.

Another portion of the Battery, under Lieut. A. K. Scholfield, and some
of the Naval Brigade, under Capt. McCallum and Lieut. Angus Macdonald,
retreated northward along the street stubbornly fighting every yard
of the way until they reached the large frame residence of Mr. George
Lewis, adjoining a small building which was used as the village post
office. Here about thirty of their number took possession of the
building, while the remainder (under command of Capt. McCallum)
continued on down the River Road under a galling fire.

[Picture (page 77) 0077.gif]

The men who occupied the Lewis mansion resolutely continued the battle,
firing through the doors and windows with such steadiness that the
Fenians were glad to get under cover behind a pile of cordwood, from
which place of security they fairly riddled the house with bullets. How
the Canadians in this old frame building escaped the deadly missiles is
a miracle, for, strange to say, none were injured, although exposed to
a perfect hail-storm of bullets which crashed through the thin boards,
lath and plaster, in all directions. After this gallant band had fired
their last round of ammunition, they saw that further resistance was
useless, and discreetly surrendered.

While the battle was in progress the American shore was lined with
spectators, who cheered the Fenians lustily whenever it appeared to them
from a safe distance that the Canadians were suffering losses or being
defeated.

In the meantime Capt. McCallum and his detachment had fought themselves
clear of the range of the Fenian rifles and retired down the River Road
about three miles, where they were discovered by Lieut. Walter T. Robb,
sailing master of the steamer, and taken on board. Capt. McCallum
then decided to proceed to Port Colborne and send the captured Fenian
prisoners who were in the hold of the vessel to a place of safety. He
accordingly ordered the boat to head for that port, and while going
past Fort Erie village was obliged to run the gauntlet of a heavy Fenian
rifle fire for more than a mile. Although many bullets struck the boat,
and some passed through the wheel-house uncomfortably near the heads of
Capt. McCallum and Lieut. Robb, no person was injured by any of them.

Capt. McCallum arrived at Port Colborne at 6.30 o'clock that evening
with 59 prisoners, who he handed over to Lieut.-Col. W. McGiverin,
of the 20th Battalion, with a full list of their names and commitment
papers. Th