I am searching for additional information , and hopefully a photograph of my great great grandfather Donald gibson- I believe he was ensign? I know he was in the fenian raids and qor, I know that he also assisted general grant in the civil war we have the honorary medals and walking sticks and swords presented to him by both general grant and Canada queen victoria? I do have one group photo of the highland regiment but was hoping for one of him:. Is there any additional I formation you can provide.
I would like to investigate further. Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Hello my name is Dale Davis and my great grandfather fought in the Fenian raid in which I have his medal and oil painting standing in his service uniform i am thinking there probably not to many paintings out there with his military uniform on I am looking for as much info I can get on great grand dad.
His name was Matthew John Davis born in Durham County and joined up to fight the Fenians and was a farmer in Durham county when he volenteered and all I know is his military service was about 2 and a half weeks. He was also granted land for his service but no idea where that was located.
I would appreciate if you could give me as much info as you can, what regiment he was with, where his land was located etc, thank you. I am searching for details about my maternal great grandfather who, according to his obituary, was a Fenian Raid Veteran.
His name was John Clement Leamen and he lived in Toronto. Is it possible to learn more details of him? Also, what can you tell me about the sentiments of that time. If his wife was of Irish descent, would that have been something to try to hide? How does someone get more information on people that fought at Ridgeway. There is also a Peter Gardner in the article. Doug — Likely the only record we would have is the nominal roll book which starts in Click to access queens-own-rifles-of-canada-nominal-rollsto I have a pastel crayoned portrait of my Great Grandfather Sgt.
Alexander Grant McKenzie His service medal has two bars: Fenian Raids, and Riel Rebellion. How do I find out more about his military service such as what Company he was with and what part he played in the Fenian Raids? I can send in a photo of the portrait if that helps. The former no longer exists and the latter was only a temporary battalion for the expedition.
Library and Archives Canada does have records including paylists for 27th Lambton Battalion. If you know someone with access to Ancestry. Dynamite reply! Thank you. Very helpful. Also enjoyed browsing your website. Helpful on the Fenian Raids. Also enjoyed searching through the nominal role book. As a former Reservist, I see that some things never change. Lots of coming and going, missed parades, non-effectives etc.
Also some real stalwarts evident too. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account.
Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. Agents were sent to infiltrate Fenian organizations in Chicago, Detroit and Cincinnati. See Gilbert McMicken. In November , a small number of militia were called out to garrison points in Canada West modern-day Ontario , including Sarnia , Windsor , Niagara and Prescott.
By March , it was clear that the Fenians were going to act against Canada. As a result, 10, Canadian volunteers were called up for active duty. This number was later increased to 14, However, nothing happened and the volunteers were sent home. The extent of the damage was a few destroyed buildings. In May , further evidence revealed another potential attack. Twenty-thousand Canadian volunteers were quickly mobilized along with 13 small steamboats.
They patrolled the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River under the guidance of the Royal Navy. The Fenian plans fell apart because fewer men than expected joined the forces in Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo and other locations. Also, Fenian leaders were unable to secure the ships needed to transport their forces. American officials, uneasy over how the invasion might affect Anglo—American relations, also intervened and made some arrests. With their plan in tatters, the remaining Fenians considered the alternatives.
The Fenians quickly captured the undefended town of Fort Erie , Canada West , along with its railway and telegraph terminals. They arrested the town council and the customs and border officials at the international ferry docks. After cutting outgoing telegraph lines, the insurgents seized horses and tools, which they used to build trenches and fortifications. They were within marching distance of the Welland Canal , the only navigable naval passage between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.
Meanwhile, Major-General George T. Napier, the commander of British forces in Canada West , jumped into action. Some 22, militia volunteers were mobilized to respond to the Fenian incursion, along with several British infantry units stationed in Canada.
Another column of troops, under British Lieutenant-Colonel George Peacocke, was en route to Chippawa, from where he would assume command of the British and Canadian troops. To contain the threat posed by the Fenians, Peacocke ordered Booker and around men to Port Colborne. Booker was ordered to avoid the Fenians on his march to join the arriving column. The Canadians were well deployed.
They arrived in the vicinity of the Fenians within several hours of the incursion. But they were poorly trained and unprepared for combat. When the mission failed, the American Fenians held an emergency convention in Philadelphia. William Randall Roberts, a radical firebrand, was elected president of the American Fenians, and he pushed for an invasion of the British North American colonies of Canada.
It was risky — some might say foolhardy — strategy, but a strategy that seemed viable at the time. The Fenian movement enjoyed a measure of political support in the United States, and the U. The Fenians had military training and weaponry. If the Fenians could secure strategic bridgeheads, such as the Welland Canal, they could disrupt trade and block the arrival of military reinforcements. With some luck, the cause would attract the support of the , Irish who emigrated to Canada during the famine, as well as exploit tensions between French Canadians and British Canadians.
A Fenian invasion could spark a conflict in Canada that would occupy the British and set the stage for rebellion in Ireland. Even if it failed, the invasion could draw worldwide attention to the English occupation of Ireland; just as the Irish Fenians had no business claiming Canada, England had no legitimate ownership claim over Ireland.
The plan was for a three-pronged invasion, with a goal of capturing Quebec and making it the seat of the Irish Republic-in-exile.
A central wing of 5, men was to gather in Cleveland and Buffalo. But these two brigades were meant to be feints for the largest wing. A force of 16, Fenians would assemble in St. The planned invasion was no secret. As the British Consul was gathering intelligence on the Fenian movement, paranoia began sweeping the Canadian citizenry. There were whispers that Catholic priests were using the Mass to recruit Fenians for military action.
A new rebel song was being heard in pubs throughout the Northeast:. In May , the Fenians began to move their troops into place. The movement did not go undetected by British intelligence. Instead of the 5, troops promised him, he found just 1, men awaiting his command.
However, the Fenians had managed to obtain canal boats to ferry them across the Niagara River from Buffalo to Fort Erie, Canada, and delaying the launch could jeopardize the availability of those vessels. In addition, Buffalo Mayor John Wells was an avowed opponent of the Fenian movement and had alerted the British consuls in Toronto and Ottawa about the forces amassing in his city. A delay could have compromised the entire movement.
In the early morning hours of June 1, , one thousand Irish freedom fighters boarded boats and, in the inky blackness of night, crossed the Niagara River with rebellion on their minds.
At a. If he was unable to reach Welland before British forces mobilized against him, he would fall back on the area of Lime Ridge, a geographically advantageous area that would allow the Fenians to take the high ground and stave off British advances below the ridge. Upon landing, the Fenians began ripping up railway posts, cutting telegraph lines, and destroying bridges.
Starr then posted sentries at nearby taverns and raised the Irish tricolor flag. The next spring, the Fenians threatened again. John A. Macdonald suspended the protection of habeas corpus for anyone suspected of being involved with them. But the Fenians remained a largely ineffective group.
Their main gift was instilling fear. Although the Fenians failed to mount a decisive military action, they became a compelling symbol for the need for Confederation.
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