s to secure the safety of
that place from a sudden dash by the enemy, and on the following morning
proceed to the Huntingdon frontier and assume command of the troops
assembled there. A party of the 21st Battalion (Richelieu Light
Infantry) was detached at Malmaison to guard the bridge over the Pike
River at that place.

About midnight Col. Smith arrived at Stanbridge Station with the
Montreal Cavalry Troop and the one company of the Victoria Rifles. After
detraining the troops he at once started on his march to Stanbridge
(about eight miles distant). The roads were deep and miry from heavy
rain, and the night intensely dark, but the men, who had been under arms
and with little refreshment since early morning, performed the march
uncomplainingly, and were eager to press on to the front.

At Stanbridge the 60th Missisquoi Battalion, under command of
Lieut.-Col. Brown Chamberlin, were assembling, and on arrival there Col.
Smith learned that a Fenian force had gathered near Franklin, Vermont,
and were preparing to make a dash across the border in the vicinity of
Eccles' Hill.

During the previous night about thirty farmers of the neighborhood (who
had armed and enrolled themselves as a Home Guard, under the leadership
of Mr. Asa Westover, of Dunham) occupied Eccles' Hill, a strong position
on the frontier, with the determined intention to keep the Fenians in
check until the arrival of the regular volunteer force. On Lieut.-Col.
Chamberlin's arrival at Stanbridge on the night of the 24th he found
No. 3 Company of the 60th Battalion assembled, and was informed by Capt.
Kemp, his Adjutant, of the state of affairs at the front. He was quick
to act, and sent forward a picket to Cook's Corners, in support of
the party occupying Eccles' Hill, with instructions to move forward at
daylight and reinforce it. Another detachment of 24 men, under Capt.
Bockus of No. 5 Company of the 60th, were ordered to move up as
supports to Cook's Corners at daylight, and later to reinforce the men
in their position at the Hill. In the early hours of the morning two
prisoners were captured by the farmers near their position, one of whom
was a Fenian captain named Murphy, and the other one of his men. They
were sent under guard of a corporal and two men to Stanbridge. This left
Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin's total force at the front three officers and 46
men of the 60th Battalion, and 35 farmers.

Lieut.-Col. Chamberlin made his dispositions by placing