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The Fenians Are Coming
We are the Fenian brotherhood,
skilled in arts of war
And we’re going to fight for
Ireland, the land that we adore.
Many battles have we won, along
with the boys in blue,
And we’ll go and capture Canada,
for we’ve nothing else to do.”
- Traditional Fenian Battle Anthem.
and/or assembled in preparation for the feared Fenian incursion.
They were a mixed bag of regular and volunteer militia units,
including elements of the York Rifles Company, the Dunnville
Naval Company (deployed as infantry), Welland Field Battery,
etc... Total strength of Canadian units, including officers was
reported to be somewhere on the order of approximately 840,
with several dozen other civilian scouts, local guides, officials
and chaplains attached.
Unfortunately, while quite enthusiastic and filled with patriotic
fervor, the painfully inexperienced and un-blooded Canadian
militiamen, along with most of their officers, seemingly
offered little challenge for the battle-hardened cadre of Civil
War veterans expected to spearhead the Fenian van. Far
from cohesive units, many Canadian militiamen were issued
unfamiliar rifles and ill-fitting uniforms just short days, or
even hours, before they were fated to “see the Oliphant;” as
their Irish-American enemies had done on the battlefields of
Gettysburg and Shiloh.
FREE IRELAND!
Just after 3:00 a.m. on June 1st, 1866 the Fenian Army crossed
the Niagara River in their bid to free their homeland from the
yoke of British rule. Well-armed and equipped, the invasion of
Canada was on! As the early morning hours unfolded the Fenians
successfully stole horses for scouting and reconnaissance, cut
telegraph lines, destroyed railroad tracks and burned bridges.
Other Fenian units were stationed at various places in New
York State, Vermont and Illinois. The movement of the Fort
Erie Fenian force was being monitored by the gun boat USS
Michigan. However, due to the various strategies and assumed
objectives of the Fenian forces, no one was completely certain
of the actual direction of the invasion. Under cover of darkness
the invading Fenians marched towards the key strategic rally
point of Ridgeway.
Following the initial Fenian thrusts, the main force assaulted
a farm along Frenchman’s Creek and established their main
camp and HQ. From all accounts locals were well treated and
there was little acceptance of looting, and none rapine and
murder, that had often accompanied similar raids carriedout
by irregular forces during the American Civil War. The
Fenians conducted themselves as professional fighting men,
although the Reeve of Fort Eire was ordered to provide food
for the invading forces.
The Fenian commanders, despite being aware that the
Canadian Militia had been called out, and was even then on
the march, adamantly believed their superior skills and battle
experience would win the day. It was also expected that their
ranks would be swelled by new Irish-Canadian recruits, whom
they mistakenly believed to be just as discontented with
British rule as were they. Much to the Fenians chagrin, they
found little sympathy and fewer recruits on this side of the
border, and the extra uniforms and small arms shipped across
the Niagara were fated to never be used.
By mid afternoon of June 1st, the USS Michigan began more
actively patrolling the Niagara River, along with steam tugs
armed with howitzers. American officialdom had finally
gotten off the mark, and the Michigan was immediately tasked
with halting cross-river traffic and intercepting Fenian barges
loaded with reinforcements and additional supplies.
The Canadian commanders, with little access to good
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