re
convened a Council of War to consider the situation. It was of short
duration, as the officers were of the unanimous opinion that there was
no other course left for them but to retrace their steps and give up
the idea of invading Canada. The reinforcements, arms, provisions and
munitions of war that had been so liberally promised, had failed to
reach them, and weakened as they were by such wholesale desertions to
the rear, it was deemed by old soldiers to be nothing but madness to
remain where they were, as they would be wholly unable with such a small
force to make even a decent show of a fight, should they happen to
be attacked, and it was at once determined to give up the intended
invasion, leave Canada, and head back for the United States.

Therefore Gen. Spier ordered Col. Coutri and Col. O'Connor to form up
their men and march them back to St. Albans to report to Gen. Sweeny.
Both of these officers were deeply affected as they proceeded to carry
out their orders, as they wanted to stay and fight it out.

The men were formed in companies, but many went off on their own
responsibility, and at 9.30 o'clock on the morning of June 9th, all that
was left of the grand "Right Wing" were marching back across the border
to the United States. The men had a few rounds of ammunition left in
their pouches, and immediately commenced firing off their muskets and
rifles in a most promiscuous manner. Arms, plunder and everything else
that the men could carry off with them on their retreat were lashed upon
their backs or packed in satchels, and quite a number of new suits of
clothes, hats, shoes and other valuables which they had pilfered were
carried off by them. Several horses were also taken across the line by
the marauders.

Generals Spier and Mahon marched on foot among their retreating troops,
and were very much downcast. Gen. Spier said that he would rather have
been shot than have left Canada in the manner he was obliged to, while
Gen. Mahon wept with rage at the thought of having to abandon the
invasion. Most of the officers expressed themselves as being ashamed of
the affair, and would rather never go home. After all their boasting
of how easily they would capture Canada and set up their visionary
Republic, the disgraceful manner in which the whole campaign terminated,
without so much as a slight skirmish having taken place, was more than
they could bear. There were many brave yet deluded men who joined the
expeditio