In 1932, Adam Meister, a 98 year old former US Customs inspector living in Chippawa, revealed his part in two incidents that might have changed the course of the Fenian Raids.
By May 31, 1866. over 700 Fenian soldiers were quartered in an old warehouse on Hanover Street in Buffalo.
"The collector of customs called me into his office" Meister related, "and instructed me to keep a sharp lookout for the Fenians because they were reported ready to cross into Canada. I was ordered to report any attempted crossing to the battleship Michigan, which was anchored in the Niagara River near the foot of Ferry Street."
Meister would have reported any Fenian doings to Captain Andrew Bryson, commander of the USS Michigan. Bryson had been tasked with checking Fenian activity around Erie. However, a series of mishaps forced the Michigan to remain in Buffalo over the winter, and lay up for repairs during the spring. By May 28 Bryson and every other Federal agent in the area became aware that something was going on. An inordinate number of men and a huge stockpile of arms were coming into the city from Cleveland and points west. The Fenians had not broken any laws as yet, so the Federal agents were powerless to stop them from carrying out their plans. The only significant Federal force in the area available to interfere with them was the USS Michigan and her crew; and it would appear that the Fenians knew it. On May 31 the US District Attorney suspended all ship traffic in and out of the Buffalo harbour, and vessels were allowed to proceed only after a thorough inspection.
"My partner in the customs was Captain McInally, a veteran of the Civil War." continued Meister. "He didn't show up for duty that afternoon and later I met him on the street. He took me to the Fenian headquarters where we met General O'Neill, the commander of the Fenian forces. Captain McInally tried to persuade O'Neill not to invade Canada and told him he would lose his men and be killed himself. "Every Irishman in Canada will come under our flag' General O'Neill told us, and 'We'll live off the country if we haven't any money or food'. O'Neill refused to listen to McInally's arguments and crossed the river that night."
Meister had expected the Fenians to seize and cross on the 'International', a large ferry boat used to transport trains over the river. He waited at the International's dock until 2a.m. when two men rowed up and told him the Fenians had just left, crossing from Black Rock a mile south of Buffalo and planning to land at Four Side Point on the Canadian shore. Meister hurried to the Michigan, which was docked a mile away, and informed Bryson. The decks were suddenly swarming with men. Bryson already had the steam up and the guns loaded.
By midnight all officers had already returned to the ship. However, Bryson still found himself stranded and helpless. He had no pilot and no engineer. Both had failed to return.
The engineer, James P. Kelley, a suspected Fenian sympathizer, had his own predetermined partto play in the crossing. He knew that without a pilot, the Michigan could go nowhere. And so on the evening of May 31st he convinced navigator Patrick Murphy to join him for a night on the town, enticing him with alcohol, cigars and the attentions of a certain 'lady friend.'
Guards sent out from the Michigan finally located Kelley and Murphy at 5 a.m., long after O'Neill and his Fenian army ad landed, sauntering down Main Street singing 'The Wearin' o' the Green". Bryson promptly arrested them both, but was forced to use Murphy to pilot the boat as no one else was available.
Patrick Murphy, born in Waterford Ireland in 1823, became a merchant seaman in his early youth, and was in Pennsylvania in 1844 when he first joined the crew of the USS Michigan. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Murphy left the Michigan to serve on the USS Metacomet as a boatswain's mate. The Metacomet was involved in a ferocious 2 hour battle in Mobile Bay 5th August 1864, one which saw the surrender of the rebel ram 'Tennessee' and the destruction of the batteries at Fort Morgan. Murphy's intemperate complicity in the Fenian crossing did not seem to blemish his military accomplishments. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1870 for his service on the USS Metacomet.
The Michigan now began to patrol the Niagara River, hoping to intercept tugs and canal boats carrying arms, men and supplies to the Fenians. When night fell it was too dangerous to run the Michigan, so Bryson transferred his small artillery pieces loaded with shrapnel, to 2 tugs: the 'Harrison' and the 'Farrar'. During the night of June 1 the 'Farrar' came upon a small boat with armed men crossing to Canada. When they ignored his warning to 'heave to', the captain of the Farrar blasted them with his howitzer. When he reached the boat it was empty. The men had either jumped into the river, or been killed by shrapnel and swept away.
*****
Meister crossed into Canada later the next day (June 2, 1866) to try and locate the Fenians, but they had already decamped and were fighting at Ridgeway 9 miles away. At Fort Erie he met up with the 79 members of the Dunnville Naval Brigade commanded by Dr. King, and the Welland Canal Field Battery. They had come from Port Colborne to search for them there. At four p.m., just as he was preparing to throw off the lines of the boat, Meister, who happened to be looking through his long spy glass at the distant hills, told him that Fenians were coming over the crest.
Captains King soon realized that the Canadian militia was vastly outnumbered and wanted to board the Robb, and with their Fenian prisoners pull out into the river. Col. Stoughton Dennis of the Welland Battery countermanded his action, and ordered the men back on to the docks to fight.
The four hundred plus Fenians came at the 79 Canadians from the frint and from the flank routing them within half an hour. Two Fenians died outright in the attack, and two died later from their wounds. Miraculously no Canadian militiamen died, although Captain King was shot twice in the foot, and to be taken to Buffalo for amputation. Col. Dennis abandoned his troops, disguising himself and hiding in a loft until the Fenians left.
"If I had said nothing," said Meister, "Dr. King would have gone on to Port Colborne and there would have been no fight."
As the bullets rained around him, Meister feared for his life, and desperately tried to figure out a way to return to Buffalo. The Buffalo/Fort Erie ferry had continued its hourly crossing during the invasion, but the commander had wisely refused to land at the docks during the melee, and Meister had to jump five feet to get on the ship, and return home.
Sources: BOHEN "Against the Grain; VRONSKI; SHIELS/DOHERTY "Irish in the American Civil War"; ROGERS "Guardians of the Great Lakes"; and period newspaper article.
MORE INCIDENTS FROM THE SKIRMISH
***
From the Buffalo Courier June 5, 1866
During the skirmish near Fort Erie on Saturday, an ancient fisherman was seated at his accustomed place on the dock waiting for bites, and blissfully ignorant of the proximity of danger.
Presently bullets whistled past him and notwithstanding the situation he undertook a 'change of pace' and took refuge in the rear of a woodpile which served as a protection from the bullets and enabled him to maintain his neutrality by continuing his angling.
Very soon a Canadian lieutenant made his appearance in a high state of perspiration and excitement and demanded protection of the fisherman and the wood pile. The knight of the rod protested that the presence of a belligerent of the red coat persuasion would compromise the neutrality he desired as an American citizen to maintain. The officer declared that while he had the highest respect for American neutrality, he had more for his personal safety. The fisherman, being peaceably inclined, consented to share his refuge with the officer on condition that he should throw his cap, coat and arms into the river. This having been done, a fishing rod was placed in his hands and the brave soldier and the ancient fisherman preserved their combined 'neutrality' until the danger was overpast. The correctness of this narrative is vouched for by an authentic fisherman.
*****
From "Some Personal Reminiscences, etc."
"...it was afternoon when suddenly scattered bands of Fenians appeared on the Fort Erie hills overlooking the Bridgeburg road. Colonel Dennis got his men together and called out to them "Give them a volley boys, and then each for himself" and this command was followed to the letter. By this time the Fenians were advancing in overwhelming numbers in a semi-circle toward the militiamen near the shore. The scene was observed by many Buffalonians from the American side of the river. One of my informants, a boy then, was lying flat on the shore of Squaw Island close by the flour mills. He could hear bullets, coming from the Canadian side, whistle over his head, and ocassionally one would strike the walls of the mills. He saw two of the Fenians, as they advanced, throw up their hands and fall. Very intent on the scene opposite, he was suddenly aroused by shooting behind him. On looking up he saw an old Irishman with long gray whiskers, flourishing a revolver in his hand, dancing about in a frantic state of excitement. And whenever a shot was heard on the other side he would fire off his revolver and shout "Give it to them, give it to them."
*****
Meister crossed into Canada later the next day (June 2, 1866) to try and locate the Fenians, but they had already decamped and were fighting at Ridgeway 9 miles away. At Fort Erie he met up with the 79 members of the Dunnville Naval Brigade commanded by Dr. King, and the Welland Canal Field Battery. They had come from Port Colborne to search for them there. At four p.m., just as he was preparing to throw off the lines of the boat, Meister, who happened to be looking through his long spy glass at the distant hills, told him that Fenians were coming over the crest.
Captains King soon realized that the Canadian militia was vastly outnumbered and wanted to board the Robb, and with their Fenian prisoners pull out into the river. Col. Stoughton Dennis of the Welland Battery countermanded his action, and ordered the men back on to the docks to fight.
The four hundred plus Fenians came at the 79 Canadians from the frint and from the flank routing them within half an hour. Two Fenians died outright in the attack, and two died later from their wounds. Miraculously no Canadian militiamen died, although Captain King was shot twice in the foot, and to be taken to Buffalo for amputation. Col. Dennis abandoned his troops, disguising himself and hiding in a loft until the Fenians left.
"If I had said nothing," said Meister, "Dr. King would have gone on to Port Colborne and there would have been no fight."
As the bullets rained around him, Meister feared for his life, and desperately tried to figure out a way to return to Buffalo. The Buffalo/Fort Erie ferry had continued its hourly crossing during the invasion, but the commander had wisely refused to land at the docks during the melee, and Meister had to jump five feet to get on the ship, and return home.
Sources: BOHEN "Against the Grain; VRONSKI; SHIELS/DOHERTY "Irish in the American Civil War"; ROGERS "Guardians of the Great Lakes"; and period newspaper article.
MORE INCIDENTS FROM THE SKIRMISH
***
From the Buffalo Courier June 5, 1866
During the skirmish near Fort Erie on Saturday, an ancient fisherman was seated at his accustomed place on the dock waiting for bites, and blissfully ignorant of the proximity of danger.
Presently bullets whistled past him and notwithstanding the situation he undertook a 'change of pace' and took refuge in the rear of a woodpile which served as a protection from the bullets and enabled him to maintain his neutrality by continuing his angling.
Very soon a Canadian lieutenant made his appearance in a high state of perspiration and excitement and demanded protection of the fisherman and the wood pile. The knight of the rod protested that the presence of a belligerent of the red coat persuasion would compromise the neutrality he desired as an American citizen to maintain. The officer declared that while he had the highest respect for American neutrality, he had more for his personal safety. The fisherman, being peaceably inclined, consented to share his refuge with the officer on condition that he should throw his cap, coat and arms into the river. This having been done, a fishing rod was placed in his hands and the brave soldier and the ancient fisherman preserved their combined 'neutrality' until the danger was overpast. The correctness of this narrative is vouched for by an authentic fisherman.
*****
From "Some Personal Reminiscences, etc."
"...it was afternoon when suddenly scattered bands of Fenians appeared on the Fort Erie hills overlooking the Bridgeburg road. Colonel Dennis got his men together and called out to them "Give them a volley boys, and then each for himself" and this command was followed to the letter. By this time the Fenians were advancing in overwhelming numbers in a semi-circle toward the militiamen near the shore. The scene was observed by many Buffalonians from the American side of the river. One of my informants, a boy then, was lying flat on the shore of Squaw Island close by the flour mills. He could hear bullets, coming from the Canadian side, whistle over his head, and ocassionally one would strike the walls of the mills. He saw two of the Fenians, as they advanced, throw up their hands and fall. Very intent on the scene opposite, he was suddenly aroused by shooting behind him. On looking up he saw an old Irishman with long gray whiskers, flourishing a revolver in his hand, dancing about in a frantic state of excitement. And whenever a shot was heard on the other side he would fire off his revolver and shout "Give it to them, give it to them."