PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE FENIAN RAID

By

The late N. Brewster M.D., Ridgeway

20 June 1837-23 November 1923

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 16 December 1924]

             The following article was written by Dr. Brewster in December 1911, for the Ridgeway Historical Society and has not hitherto been printed:-

             On the well remembered morning of the sixth of June, the inhabitants of the village were attracted by the sound of whistling from a train from the west, the first in two days; and we soon learned the troops were here. We had earlier learned by carrier of the approach of the Fenians from the north.

             Profiting from my three years’ experience in the great civil war in the U.S.A., when I was often in battle, I soon learned our solders had nothing to eat since the day before, and I went along their line of march and asked our people to bring out for them all the cooked food on hand.

             They responded liberally; and so many of the solders got at least a lunch.

             I never learned who was in fault, but surely some one blundered, that men were sent into battle without food in this part of the country.

             About an hour after the troops marched away, the sounds of battle so familiar to my ears, were heard and I again went among the people and told them there was fighting going on down there, and there would soon be wounded to care for and advised them how to prepare for their reception.

             I then gathered up such of my surgeons outfit as I had left, namely, instruments, bandages, adhesive plaster, chloroform, a canteen full of whiskey, another of water, and started for the front. Just as the bend of the road to the north of the village, I met such a mixed and confused mass, as I have never seen elsewhere, before or since. Soldiers and citizens, men, women and children on foot and in all varieties of vehicles, with horses, cattle, sheep and pigs, all mingled together, and all hurrying along the road south; it brought to my mind Russel’s description of Bull Run.  

             I saw two soldiers without guns, running, and close behind them an officer with revolver in hand, crying halt, and firing in the air occasionally, but running as fast as he could, and close behind him more soldiers running.

             Soon after I saw that some of our men had taken possession of the buildings on the corners at the first cross road north of the village, then owned by old Joseph Danner, uncle of J.O. as he was called, and were gallantly trying to hold the enemy in check. And how I wished there were even a few veterans tried in battle, among them, to hold them steady; -but it was not long until I saw wavering among them, and soon they broke and continued their retreat.

             Being now in the line of fire, I hastened to the left and made a circuit around the contending forces to the rear, and while in the fields, I heard shouting and firing but paid no attention, until I heard bullets whistling over my head, the other being ordinary noises of war. Then I observed, (the Fenians) were hailing and trying to halt me and call me in. I was soon among them and a prisoner. I was surprised to see that the only ones among them in any kind of uniform wore that of the U.S. army. A captain among them wore the full fatigue dress of his rank, who being asked why he had that on over here, he said he not taken it off since the war. I told him it was time he did, as this was no place for it, and that I thought too highly of that uniform to see it worn in such a cause,-as I had myself worn it for three years.

             The Canadian solders retired through the village and so on to Port Colborne, and we saw them no more.

             The Fenians took possession of the village and anything else they wanted; posted their advanced picket at the cross roads, on the hill west; then they settled down for rest and food, in some cases cooking and eating their dinners in private houses, even setting the table in my own house. They took very little loot beside food and did practically no damage to private property.

             After waiting about three hours for orders or news, they retreated toward Fort Erie and we saw them no more.

             The captain I have mentioned on learning my  profession, and object, sent me on to the field, saying I was needed there, and that I should call on any Fenians I  met for assistance and I did so freely. I scoured the fields, road and buildings, gathering in the wounded, all of whom I cared for, taking their names, rank, company and regiment, on my list recording alike friend and foe, and at the conclusion had twenty-six names on the list, which I regret to say, is lost.

             Of these, two Canadians were dead and there were four Fenians dead, whose names I could not learn.

             One of the Canadians died from heat and exhaustion in my presence, being wounded, a student of the University of Toronto and a member of the university rifles brought in from the field while still living.

             Of the five houses used as shelters for the wounded, but two remain, namely Mr. Athoe’s and Mr. Pierce’s. One stood where Benjamin Weaver now lives; one at Mr. Bort’s, and one, the Smugglers’ Home Hotel has not been replaced.

             One of our wounded officers thinking he must die, gave me his sword and belt, gold watch, rings etc., and exacted a promise from me that I should visit his wife, be the bearer of certain farewell messages, giving her all but the sword and belt, which I was to keep. I afterwards had the pleasure of returning all to himself in his wife’s presence, except the messages.

             A passing Fenian saw the sword and tried to take it from me, but I secured the assistance of a guard, left on duty by their commander, who drove off the marauder, and I concealed the sword.

             Our troops marched down the Ridge Road to the Smugglers’ Home on the corner formed by the Ridge crossing the Garrison Road, where they deployed into line reaching to and into the bush on the east, and a few rods below the hill on the west, and advanced across the fields and along the road to the north. They soon met the fire of the advanced Fenian picket, hidden in a clump of bushes in mid-field, which has only lately been cut down. I was told by our men that they were sanguine of success, until the fatal blunder that ordered them into squares to resist cavalry, which they obeyed. But instead of cavalry they found a line of veteran infantry trained to service in many hard fought battles in the American war, facing them who were quick to see and profit by the false move. They tried again to get into line, but being pressed, fell into disorder, then broke and began their retreat. The extreme right continued to advance and occupied a part of the enemies’ breast works, and in their retreat a number of them being cut off from the main body; continued easterly until they reached the lake near Winmill Point.

             I was assisted by men living along the line of the Fenian march from Black Creek, that there were but two mounted men in the Fenian ranks, and I could not but reflect upon the fitness for command of a man whose excited imagination could multiply two mounted men into a troop of cavalry. I was assured by many of our men, officers, as well as privates that all was going well, and they were sanguine of success, until that stupid order to meet cavalry, which they saw did not exist, threw a pail on their spirits, and I have not spoken with one of the participants since, who did not believe that was the cause of the disaster.

             As to the numbers engaged, I estimated the Fenians a little more numerous than the Canadians, and a very large percentage of them were seasoned veterans used to war and battle; while ours were to a man, raw recruits, not one of them had ever before heard the whistle of hostile bullets or, as the phrase is “smelled powder.”

             The phrase “shot in the back” has a tinge of disgrace in it, but not always justly so, for on this occasion Ensign McEachren of the Queen’s Own, observing that his men, while crossing the fence and fields, were in disorder, stepped boldly out in front and turning and facing the men, was trying to get them in line again, when he fell, dangerously wounded, by a ball in the back, and which passing within an inch of his heart, came out in front. He recovered and was living a few years ago and I have seen no report of his death. I have often thought it had been better had that bullet found a victim in the commander, and that the history of the “Fenian Invasion” would have had a very different ending.

             I have never seen the Fenian loss reported, but I found four of their dead, and learned from people living on those roads, that at least six wagons carrying dead and wounded were seen going forward Fort Erie, but I have never heard the numbers estimated.

             Some of our less seriously wounded were helped in the retreat by comrades and given rides by our fleeing citizens, and I did not see them. But they were all properly reported.

             The Fenian line was formed along the cross road by Athoe’s, and they took the rails from the north fence, and placed them on end on the ground and the other resting on the south fence, and so constructed a very fair breastwork and defence.

             A homeguard was formed here in the afternoon of the day the Fenians came over with E. Morris, Esq., now of Fonthill, as captain, and mounted men, armed, patrolled all roads north and east all night and moved west with the retreating troops, but returned and again patrolled the roads east with a good degree of efficiency, a fact brought home forcibly to myself, as they twice halted on my rounds.

             A good joke was circulated about them and their retreat to the effect that they established their headquarters in the marsh west of the Welland Canal, to assist in its defence; doubtless, they would have given a good account of themselves.  

             Very few of the inhabitants of the village remained in their homes, but went with the crowd and so gave the Fenians full liberty, but they took very little from the houses, chiefly handkerchiefs, stockings and little items to keep as souvenirs. From mine, what I most highly prized was the gold lace and insignia of rank, from my uniform which I was keeping as a souvenir. Probably someone has it for that purpose now.

             An object of interest to the many visitors to the battle field was for many years the marks of the bullets on the brick walls of the Athoe house, but I believe they not show now.