Page:History of the Fenian raid on Fort Erie with an account of the Battle of Ridgeway.djvu/86

Rh kindly placed his services at my disposal. There were also two gentlemen, Mr. Clarke end Mr. Kingsmill, possessing considerable knowledge of the country through which we were to pass, attached to me by order of the Major General, and Mr. Hunter, Telegraphic Operator.

On arrival at Oakville, I was joined by its company of Rifle Volunteers, 52 Rank and file, under Capt. Chisholm.

On arrival at Hamilton, I, requiring information, telegraphed to Officer Commanding at Port Colborne, asking to know the state of affairs there, and requesting an answer to St Catharines.

At the Hamilton station, I learned that the detachment of the 60th Royal Rifles, and 1—16th Regiments which had been at first ordered to join me there, had already proceeded by Railway to reinforce Col. Peacock, who, the Superintendent of the G. W. Railway said had twice telegraphed for reinforcements.

Under these circumstances, and finding at St. Catherines no answer from Port Colborne, and that difficulty and delay would be occasioned in getting the train from the G.W.R. to the line of the Welland R.R., I determined to proceed to Clifton, and thence to the support of Col. Peacock en route to Fort Erie.

I arrived at Clifton about 8 p.m. and was there a few hours after joined by Col. Stephens with a Volunteer force to the number of 350, which had been dispatched from Toronto to Port Dalhousie to meet me at St Catharines.

At Clifton, I received pressing telegrams urging me to proceed to assume command at Port Colborne, whence I also received urgent request for rations and ammunition, reported exhausted.

Believing early arrival at Fort Erie to be most important, I despatched all the rations and ammunition I could spare to Port Colborne.

I telegraphed to Col. Peacock to send Lieut.-Col. Villiers, if possible, across the country to Port Colborne, to command the Volunteers at that place, but soon finding that impossible, telegraphed to Capt. Akers, R.E. to assume that duty, adding that I did not anticipate pressure at that point.

Having waited for the Erie Railway line to be cleared of other trains, I proceeded at 3.40 a.m., 3rd instant, to Black Creek, at which place I had telegraphed to Officers Commanding Detachments of 60th Rifles and 1—16th Regiments, if not in communication with Col. Peacock, to meet me at day break.

After some delay I was joined by 200 rank and file of the 60th under Capt. Traverse, and by 140 rank and file of the 1—16th under Capt. Hogge.

As the Railway line had not been previously open for transport, I awaited its examination by Lieut.-Col the Hon. J. H. Cameron, who had joined me at midnight at Clifton, from some point in advance and who proceeded with a Locomotive Engine for that purpose.