Page:History of the Fenian raid on Fort Erie with an account of the Battle of Ridgeway.djvu/94

Rh concert on that morning, and Colonel Peacocke was telegraphed accordingly.

In accordance with this plan Capt. Akers and myself embarked on the Tug,* which did not arrive (however) till about 4 a.m., having been delayed in consequence of Captain McCallum wishing to bring with him his Naval Company from Dunnville, and proceeded down to reconnoitre the river and Fenian Camp, arranging to meet the Port Colborne Force back at the Railway Depot, 3 miles above the enemy's camp, at 7 or at the latest half-past 7. On our way past the village of Fort Erie we were brought to by the armed Patrol Tug Boat from the U.S. Str. "Michigan," who on finding out who we were informed us that the Fenian Camp on the Newbigging farm had been broken up at 3 a.m. that morning, the enemy having marched down the River Road.

We proceeded down the River to the mouth of the Black Creek, 8 miles above Chippawa, when we learned that they had turned off the River to the West a short distance above and were then at a point 2 miles directly in rear of a place called "New Germany." A messenger was at once sent off to Col. Peacocke, presumed then under previously concocted arrangement, to be near there moving up, and we returned with the Tug in accordance with that arrangement to meet Col. Booker and the Port Colborne Force at the Upper R.R. Depot, at Fort Erie.

On our arrival there we could see or hear nothing of them. This was accounted for subsequently, by the fact that Lt.-Col. Booker had received after we left an order from Col. Peacocke directing him to turn off the R.R. at Ridgeway, some 8 miles above Fort Erie and cross the country in order to meet and attack in concert.

This being the case, presuming a combined attack would be made in the course of the day, of the result of which we could have no doubt, I considered as I could not then join my proper force, that important service could be rendered by patrolling the River to intercept and capture fugitives and to prevent by every possible means the escape across the river of any large body of the enemy.

This having been determined on Captain Akers and myself were engaged all day in patrolling the shore, and scouring the woods along the river as far down as Black Creek, arresting in all, including 6 prisoners made about 9 o'clock in the morning, at Fort Erie, some 23 men; during the course of the afternoon we learned through some of the prisoners that an engagement had taken place at some point in the interior, in which the Fenians had been utterly dispersed. This I was quite prepared to believe as I had from the steamer observed Colonel Peacocke with a strong force on his way up from Chippawa turn in from the River Road towards New Germany, and I knew that Lt.-Colonel Booker's force was coming down upon him from the south.

Concluding that the action which had been known to come off