Mahon wept with rage at the thought of having to abandon the invasion.

Most of the officers expressed themselves as being ashamed of the affair, and would rather never go home.

After all their boasting of how easily they would capture Canada and set up their visionary Republic, the disgraceful manner in which the whole campaign terminated, without so much as a slight skirmish having taken place, was more than they could bear.

There were many brave yet deluded men who joined the expedition with a determination to fight, but the majority of them were "nothing more or less than an armed mob, roving about wherever they pleased, robbing the houses and insulting and abusing women and children." as stated by a newspaper correspondent.
When the retreating raiders reached United States territory they found detachments of American troops stationed upon all the roads leading to St.Albans, who had received instructions to seize all the arms the Fenians might have in their possession.

As the majority of them had thrown away their muskets, sabres and ammunition on their retreat, there was not much left for the United States troops to gather up, but what little there was left was promptly seized.
Upon arrival on the American side of the line Gen.