The
Royal Engineers Move In |
![The Enterprise - no Captain Kirk here!](images/photo.enterprise.bca.jpg)
![H.M.S. Plumper - slimmer than you think](images/photo.plumper.bca.jpg) |
The British forces
may not have reacted in full
force under other circumstances,
but with the involvement of the
notorious American scoundrel Ned
McGowan they took immediate
action. Colonel Richard Moody,
the commander of the Royal
Engineers, set out at once for
Yale accompanied by Judge Begbie,
Captain Grant, and 25 Royal
Engineers. In addition, Governor
Douglas promptly dispatched the
HMS Plumper with 50 marines to
assist the Royal Engineers with
any trouble.![Quote Pop-Up](images/button.info.blue.map.jpg)
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The Royal Engineers
headed up the Fraser aboard the
SS Enterprise, but ice on the
river made their progress
agonizingly slow. Eventually they
were forced to stop at Hope when
the water became too low to
travel any further. Lieutenant
Mayne and nine other men from the
HMS Plumper joined the marooned
Moody and his men.
Mayne, Moody, and Begbie then set
out for Yale in a whaleboat,
while the rest of the force
marched over ground. |
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![Coat Rack - a place to hang your hat too!](images/photo.rack.fo.jpg)
When Moody,
Begbie, and Mayne arrived at Yale they quickly
discovered the many lies told by Whannell.
They were about to leave without having to take
any action when McGowan assaulted Dr. Fifer, a
man who had originally persecuted McGowan in
California. Moody was determined that the
incident should not escalate, and sent orders for
the Royal Engineers to march on Yale. The next
morning the residents of Yale and Hills Bar
awoke to the Royal Engineers lined up along the
riverbank in full uniform, sending a very clear
message to McGowan and his followers. |
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NED
McGOWAN'S WAR (PART 3) Words and Music
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When Ned McGowan came to town
to the court he was arraigned
But they quickly dropped the charges
as he craftily explained
The boys were sworn & deputized
when the Justice they'd detained
So court adjourned, and they all shook hands
and toasted with champagne
If you lived to be a hundred,
and you roamed the wide world over
You'd never live to see the likes of Ned McGowan's
war
You could sail the salt sea over,
to the west, south, east and north
You'd never live to see the likes of Ned McGowan's
war
![](images/vocab.blank.jpg)
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“Ned
McGowan’s War” was over. The Royal
engineers left with the area in peace,
Perrier and Whannell had their commissions
revoked, and Ned McGowan soon sold his stake
and returned to America. No shots were fired
and nothing was really won, but British
authority had been firmly established over
the masses of American gold miners in New
Caledonia. |
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