Page:History of the Fenian raid on Fort Erie with an account of the Battle of Ridgeway.djvu/92

 Réveille was sounded at 3 and I immediately made what arrangements I could for serving out rations and ammunition.

At 5 o'clock, sending a pilot engine in front, I moved by rail towards Erie, taking the whole of the troops, except the 13th, whom I left to guard Port Colborne. Hearing that the enemy were posted near Ridgeway, and finding a favourable position for forming up the troops at B in sketch, on a road known as Shirks crossing, I disembarked the men, threw out a line of skirmishers with four supports from the 7th P. A. O. with orders for the flank supports to wheel outwards and extend at once, in case of any sign of a flank attack. In this order and with a strong rear guard, I advanced from B to the Garrison road and from thence towards Fort Erie. On coming to the scene of the previous days engagement at C, I ascertained that the enemy had attempted to cross the river during the night and that Erie was in possession of our troops.

After halting the men for about an hour at this spot, I marched them quietly in to Erie, where I reported myself to Colonel Lowry. On the following morning I was relieved from my command.

I have, &c.,

(Signed), CHAS. S. AKERS,

Capt. R. E.

[Copy.]

Erie, 4th June, 1866. Colonel Lowry,

Commanding Niagara Frontier.

Sir,

Availing myself of the earliest moment, I have the honor to report for the information of His Excellency the Commander in Chief, the following narrative of events connected with the late Fenian Invasion at this place, in which I was directly concerned, subsequently to my leaving Toronto on the morning of Friday last.

My orders were on that occasion to proceed with the 2nd or Queen's Own, 400 strong, to Port Colborne, occupy, and if necessary, entrench a position there and wait for re-inforcements and further orders before any attack was made on the enemy, who it was represented numbered some 1,500 men and was advancing on that point—although finding great excitement at the different stations along the Welland R.R., on the way up, at Port Colborne, where I arrived about noon, things were quiet, no definite news having reached there in consequence of the Fenians having cut the wires at Fort Erie, out of which place they had driven the officials at 5 a.m. that morning. Report, however, said that they had some two hours subsequently, sent a party up the track and burned a bridge crossing a small stream known as Sarwine's Creek, six miles