[riddell] navy island EPISODE, 1837 ' 69 



a chain that the party had considerable difficulty in unloosing her — 

 during these preparations therefore, ample time was afforded for any 

 one to escape. — I saw several of the Gents who went on the expedition, 

 the following Morning, but in the Confusion that ensued and the dark- 

 ness of the Night, it was difficult to elicit the loss of the Enemy. — Mr. 

 Chandler thought only one^^ and three or four wounded. — Lieut. 

 Elmsley told me he believed five or six, which I believe to be the sum 

 total of their loss. — One only, was actually found who had acted in 

 the capacity of Sentry — he was interred in Buffalo amidst a large 

 Concourse of sympathizing spectators — but however many might 

 deplore his fate, others considered he had voluntarily placed himself 

 in danger, when ought to have been Industriously employed elsewhere. 



The rebels on the Island were also very Indignant at losing so 

 great an augmentation to their resources; they vented their spleen by 

 opening a brisk Cannonading the following Morning on our houses 

 opposite, as well as the Military Waggons and passengers who were 

 passing and repassing along the frontier. — This they had occasionally 

 done for a week, without doing much damage. I am sorry however 

 to inform you that three Lives^'* were unhappily lost — one Individual 

 who had taken shelter in Mr. Ussher's barn was so seriously wounded 

 in the abdomen, that he died soon afterwards; another had his legs 

 shot off; the third on undergoing amputation sunk with exhaustion. 



The houses which contained Companys of Guards were battered 

 severely; a ball went through the upper part of a room where 20 or 

 30 Men were stationed. — In the adjoining house, a Tavern, two Balls 

 went through which induced the parties to decamp. A red hot ball 

 fell near Captain Ussher which was afterwards preserved. In the 

 house beyond, where I had been located for a Month — a ball entered 

 the front door through the parlour and just took the corner of the 

 Dining Table, forming a line on the surface as if ruled — went through 

 Mrs. Ussher's bedroom and did considerable Damage. — Six others 

 passed the House in different places, which ultimately rendered it 

 untenable. — It was high time therefore to shift apartments below 

 stairs into a Kitchen which was built behind an Embankment; here 

 we were safe, but it was beyond a Joke the whizzing of the Balls, 

 which at times came very near us. — You would have imagined that 

 the people were here disciples of Charles the 12th of Sweden, had you 

 seen the number of people congregated on the frontier, not only in 

 waggons looking over to the Island, but on foot. — They were even 

 imprudent Enough to stand in groups as a Mark for the rebels to fire 

 at. I was one Morning walking with Mr. Meredith and Doctor 



