about midnight
This seemed to satisfy O'Brien , who soon flowed into conversation touching all that had transpired regarding Kate and Darcy , as well as in relation to Nicholas himself . During the narrative , he referred to the doubts that he had from the first entertained regarding the spy ; although he confessed he was not altogether clear at times upon the subject . After the fight at Fort Erie , many of the Fenians , understanding that they were not to be reinforced and that the enemy was about coming down on them in force and hemming them in on all sides , made the best of their way across the river . The great bulk of the command , however , stood by O'Neill ; until about midnight , when a large scow attached to a steam tug approached the Canadian shore and took the whole of the remaining forces on board . Laden thus , they steamed out into the middle of the river , when a 12-pound shot fired across their bows , from the tug Harrison , belonging to the U.S. Steamer Michigan , brought them to -- doubtless to the extreme delight of Acting Sailing-Master Morris who seemed anxious enough to fire the gun and make the capture ; although they would at the moment have stuck to a child hearing the authority of the United States . It is significant , however , that the over-officiousness of Mr. Morris has not tended much to his advantage as he no longer belongs to the United States Navy ; he having been quite as unfortunate as a certain District Attorney , who , also , endeavored to impress the Government as to his undoubted unfriendliness to the cause of Irish freedom . The lesson may be profitable to Government officials at some future period ; and prevent them from exceeding the simple and unprejudiced bounds of their duty .