up to top of the hill. James Pell took out his musket and looked to aim at the first person wearing green rushing to the top of the hill. In the silence, James fired a shot and a hit Fenian John Rowe in the neck. Then the Fenians were treated to a hail storm of gunfire from the Canadian bullets after Pell's commanding first shot. Even though they had discussed many times, they squeezed off their first rounds only when the green (the Fenians wore leftover Union clothing with a green jacket) and blue figures reached Canadian soil. The Canadian sliders were fortified behind the hill, and the firing soon became a steady firefight. Many of the younger soldiers were struck with panic at the sight of their fallen comrade and their first taste of combat. This halted the advance of the Fenians, who took cover and returned fire. Lieutenant-Colonel William Osborne Smith hurried to the field with a force of Canadian militia volunteers. Together with the armed citizens, the Canadian militia charged the Fenian into defensive fighting positions. Many Fenian Soldiers disbanded and hid behind walls, some jumped into the water, and in the midst of this gun fighting, William O'Brien of Moriah was shot dead. The Canadians drove the Fenians into retreat as a hail of ammunition shot around them, leaving behind their artillery and two dead soldiers. This was significant to the Canadian battalion and this volunteer since the Canadians were outnumbered by the Fenians nearly six to 1. Nevertheless, the Canadians suffered many casualties during the engagement, but none were fatal. Aftermath In the aftermath of the battle, when O'Neill was returning from the battle, they stopped to treat a lying injured Fenian soldier. Then a U.S. Marshall named Marshal George P. Foster who was riding by took O'Neill and declared him under arrest and charged him for violating neutrality laws. With the arrest of the commander, many Fenian soldiers started to desert their militia groups. Fenian officers were left with little choice but to abandon their position and find safe positions until they could escape under cover of the night. Once the finally Canadian counter-attack happened, and the demoralized Fenian soldiers fled instead of fighting. They were throwing away ammunition, food, water all to lighten their load to escape. Fenians were to believe this would be a glorious superior win for them over the Canadians.