to
ship his men on the tug Robb, and proceed immediately to Port Colborne.
About 2 a.m. on Saturday (2nd) we started, and arrived there a little
after 4 a.m. We then took on the Welland Field Battery, numbering 59
men and 3 officers, commanded by Capt. King, of Port Robinson, which,
together with the 43 men and 3 officers composing the Naval Brigade,
made a total of 108 men. Col. Dennis, of the volunteer force, then came
on board and took command of the expedition, when we at once started
for Fort Erie, to co-operate with the gallant Queen's Own and the 13th
Battalion, who were to leave Port Colborne early that morning for the
same place. As we approached the village of Fort Erie all the men were
sent below, leaving no one on deck but an officer dressed in civilian
clothes. Nothing could be seen but the Fenian pickets and some
stragglers. We went down the river nine miles, and received information
that the main body of the Fenian army had fallen back to a wood some
six or seven miles distant; but could gain no positive information as
to their whereabouts. The movement was made about 3 o'clock a.m.; but in
order to guard against surprise, they left their pickets behind. These
our officers determined to capture, as well as all the stragglers.
The boat then steamed back to Fort Erie, when a party of four men went
ashore and succeeded in taking seven prisoners the first haul. The
Welland Field Battery was also landed, with instructions to scour the
woods along the liver bank for stragglers. The boat was then headed
down the stream, and was proceeding very slowly, keeping a sharp lookout
along the bank. We had not gone far before discovering a small body of
eight or ten Fenians ahead of us, armed with rifles and bayonets fixed,
who were about to get into a small boat and re-cross to the American
shore. The speed of our boat was immediately increased, and on arriving
opposite them an officer and eleven men got into a yawl and pulled for
the shore. The enemy looked at us for a moment or two and then took
to their heels and ran, thinking, no doubt, that we had a large gun on
board to support our men. This, however, was not the case; but had the
authorities placed one on board at Port Colborne, the casualties to be
hereafter mentioned would never have occurred. Two of the squad were
captured, however, and we proceeded down the river, sending out small
parties of from eight to ten men until there were no more men to be
spared. Th