he other, while their centre was strongly protected by a forest of
hop-poles, through which their retreat, in case of necessity, would
be comparatively safe. The whole position was chosen with considerable
skill, and was so strong that 500 men could easily have held off several
thousands for a considerable length of time, had they been properly
directed.

The Canadian force chosen to operate against this column of the enemy
was composed of H. M. 69th Regiment, the 50th Battalion (Huntingdon
Borderers), and the Montreal Garrison Artillery, the whole under command
of Col. Bagot. At 3 o'clock in the morning of the 27th, the Montreal
Garrison Artillery and the Huntingdon Borderers were ordered on the
march from Huntingdon Village, where they had arrived the previous
night. In less than two hours the whole force was on the move along the
road leading to Holbrook's Corners. At 8 o'clock the entire column had
reached Hendersonville, which is two miles from Holbrook's, and there
one company of the Montreal Garrison Artillery (under Capt. Rose) was
ordered to proceed along the concession road to the west in order to
flank the enemy, whose glittering bayonets were plainly visible in
the sunlight as they were drilling in a field about a mile and a half
distant.

The advance guard of the Fenians were posted behind a very strong
entrenchment, with their right flank resting on the river and their left
covered by the woods. Their skirmishers were about 150 in number, and
their supports and reserves (amounting to about 300 or 400 more) were
stationed a short distance in the rear.

The Huntingdon Borderers formed the Canadian advance guard, and as soon
as they had approached within about 300 yards of the Fenian position,
were deployed in skirmishing order, and advanced with great gallantry.
The centre support was composed of one company of the 69th Regiment,
under Capt. Mansfield and Lieut. Atcheson. The remainder of the 69th,
under Major Smythe, was drawn up in quarter distance column as a
reserve. One company of the Montreal Garrison Artillery (under Capt.
Doucet) marched across the bridge and along the road on the left, and
afterwards took part in the engagement with those who had been sent in
the opposite direction further back, to prevent a flanking movement from
either side. The remainder of the Artillery and Engineers, under Capt.
Hall, marched to the front as a reserve, but afterwards returned to
Holbrook Bridge, which it was