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perceived a number of men flitting among the trees, near to the horses.
I cried out. "I see the Fenians--there are the Fenians!" My discovery
was made known to Col. Booker, who, perhaps, from hearing my cry, came
up to me. I was the left hand front rank man of the Highland Company,
the rear company of the battalion. He gave the order to halt. He then
asked me, "Where?" I pointed out to him where I saw the men and the
horses. He had a field-glass which he then used. He tried to use it on
horseback, but his horse was so restive that he could not use the glass.
He then dismounted by my side. At this moment Major Gillmor came up. I
directed him to the proper point to see them. Both Col. Booker and Major
Gillmor seemed convinced that all was not right in the bush. The leading
company of the column was then sent out to reconnoitre to the left in
the direction of these horses, in skirmishing order, supported by the
next company. The column remained at the halt. After the skirmishers had
advanced to within a short distance of where the horses were, the bugle
sounded the "retire" or the "incline" to the skirmishers, and the column
was advanced. The near party of the advance guard halted at the same
time the column halted, and just after the column was again put in
motion, I saw several of them, if not all of them, with their hats on
their rifles raised in the air and moving them, indicating thereby that
the enemy was in sight. The column was again halted. At that moment
a bullet came whistling from the direction of an orchard on our right
front. This was the first shot, and came close to Capt. Gardner and
myself. Here the Queen's Own were ordered to skirmish, and our company
furnished the right company of the line of skirmishers, and in this
order we advanced in a northerly direction. The firing commenced
opposite the centre of the line of skirmishers immediately upon their
advancing. We continued advancing and firing for some distance, perhaps
three hundred yards at that time, when the order came for the Queen's
Own to fall back on its supports. We had then been under fire for
three-quarters of an hour. I distinctly heard Col. Booker's words of
command, given with coolness and deliberation, as we were going into
action. The Queen's Own were then relieved by the Thirteenth. The
Thirteenth advanced in skirmishing order, appearing to take the ground
which had previously been occupied by the Queen's Own, the enemy
continuing their