e avowed enemies of their country; and defend their
hearths and households in the hour of danger.

The company to which Frederick Charlston belonged, had been ordered to
St. Johns. Fred was delightfully excited by the occurrence, which
afforded him an opportunity of realizing what he termed "_a novel and
romantic adventure_."

On the morning of the 25th of May, 1870, a detachment of Fenians, headed
by Gen. O'Neill, crossed over the Line in the vicinity of Eccles' Hill.
A company of farmers who had stationed themselves behind the rocks of
the hill, adjacent to the high-way, observed the approach of the enemy
sneaking along the road. When the Fenians had arrived within reach of
gun-shot, the farmers, unperceived, fired upon them, killing two or
more, and wounding several. The astonished Verdants at once replied by a
volley, but becoming disorderly bewildered by the incessant stream of
smoke and bullets from among the rocks, they hastily retreated to an
adjacent hill; and for several hours the opposing parties in ambush kept
up a continuous but ineffectual fire at each other. At length a few
detachments of Montreal volunteers and others arrived; and in
conjunction with the farmers, took part in the action. The Fenians
imagining that a formidable army had arrived, became panic-stricken and
fled, headed by their leaders, at quick march over the Border Line,
where the "Fenian Tragedy" was magnificently concluded by the
ludicrous farce of the Great O'Neill making a hasty exit as a "State
prisoner," under the confidential protection of Marshal Foster.

Simultaneously with this event, another squad of Green Jackets, headed
by Gen. Starr, intruded upon Canadian soil, twelve miles beyond
Huntingdon, and intrenched themselves about three-quarters of a mile
from the Border Line. There they remained until the morning of the 27th,
when they were speedily routed from their intrenchments and driven back
beyond the Line by the Huntingdon Borderers and the 69th British
Regiment.

The Battalions in this District, and upon whom the inhabitants had
chiefly to depend, were the "_Huntingdon Borderers_" and the
"_Hemmingford Rangers_," under their gallant commanders, Cols. McEachren
and Rogers, and to whose valorous energy and that of the heroic officers
and men under their charge, is the country in general deeply indebted.

Thus ended the Fenian invasion of 1870. Providentially not one of the
Canadian party received even the slightest inj