By Joe Corrigan
During the years from 2011 to 2015, the United States
commemorated the 150th anniversary of their Civil War by re-enacting
the many major battles that took place during those four years of conflict. Not
without good reason. The Civil War was the bloodiest of all the wars fought by
our southern neighbours and marked a major turning point in the social history
of that country. From the attack on Fort Sumner (1861) through the major
battles of Bull Run (1861), Antietam (1862), Gettysburg (1863), The Wilderness
(1864) to the surrender of General Lee and the Confederate Army at Appomattox
(1865), this episode of American history was brought back into focus through the
medium of living history thanks to thousands of Civil War re-enactors.
This coming weekend, people in the Niagara Peninsula
around Fort Erie, Ontario will get to witness a similar re-enactment spectacle
based on an invasion and battle involving several thousand combatants. These
events took place over the course of four days 150 years ago this week. A
little known and under-appreciated fact of Canadian history, a raid by around
1,000 Fenians leaving from Buffalo, New York, lead to the Battle of Ridgeway
(also known as the Battle of Limeridge) on June 2nd, 1866. Ridgeway was
the last battle fought on Ontario soil (Canada West at the time), the first
battle fought solely by Canadian troops in defense of our country and a major
factor leading to the Canadian confederation just slightly more than a year
later.
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| IRA |
The Fenians crossed the Niagara River in strength on the
night of May 31st to June 1st and took over the Town of
Fort Erie. Local residents were greeted with gangs of armed men dressed
mainly in civilian clothes and Civil War surplus uniforms waving a green and
gold harp flag and posting the following proclamation:
To The People of British
America
We
come among you as foes of British rule in Ireland. We have taken up the sword
to strike down the oppressor’s rod, to deliver Ireland from the tyrant, the
despoiler, the robber. We have registered our oaths upon the altar of our
country in the full view of heaven and sent out our vows to the throne of Him
who inspired them. Then, looking about us for an enemy, we find him here, here
in your midst, where he is most vulnerable and convenient to our strength … We
have no issue with the people of these Provinces, and wish to have none but the
most friendly relations.
Our
weapons are for the oppressors of Ireland, our bows shall be directed only
against the power of England; her privileges alone shall we invade, not yours.
We do not propose to divest you of a solitary right you now enjoy … We are here
neither as murderers, nor robbers, for plunder and spoliation. We are here as the
Irish army of liberation, the friends of liberty against despotism, of
democracy against aristocracy, of people against their oppressors. In a word,
our war is with the armed powers of England, not with the people, not with
these Provinces. Against England, upon land and sea, till Ireland is free
…
The document was signed by T.W. Sweeney, Major General
commanding the armies of Ireland followed by:
Erin
Go Bragh!
Long
Live Ireland!
The telegraph wires soon came alive with news of the
invasion. Militia battalions from all over Canada West were mobilized and began
to move towards Fort Erie. The 2nd Battalion (Queen’s Own Rifles) from
Toronto made their way across Lake Ontario to Welland by steamer and then by
rail to the shores of Lake Erie just west of the Town of Ridgeway where they
joined up with the 13th Battalion (Royal Hamilton Light Infantry)
from Hamilton. Lacking food and proper campaign equipment and wearing heavy
wool uniforms on one of the hottest days of that late spring they were poorly
prepared for the challenge they faced against battle hardened Civil War
veterans. Many had never even fired their weapons in training. These were, for
the most part, parade ground soldiers with no military experience. The two
militia units proceeded north from Ridgeway on the early morning of June 2nd,
1866. The Canadian troops, under the command of the 13th Battalion’s
Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Booker, intended to join up with a column of British
garrison troops and then moved on to meet the Fenians at Fort Erie. Just on the
outskirts of Ridgeway the Canadians ran into a group of Fenian skirmishers and
deployed in battle formation. They seemed to be gaining the upper hand, driving
the Fenians back but, in fact, they were being lured into a trap with the
skirmishers drawing the 850 Canadian troops ever closer to the main body of
Fenians. As they engaged the Fenians main line, the Canadians saw some Fenians
on horseback. Mistaking this for a cavalry attack, the Canadians formed a
square, the traditional defense of infantry to protect themselves against
cavalry charges. In fact, what the Canadian troops saw were a couple of Fenians
on stolen horses. Unfortunately, the square formation made the troops easy
targets for the Fenian rifles and, upon Booker’s attempt to correct his error,
the withdrawal of some troops caused the inexperienced Canadians to break ranks
and flee the field with the Fenians charging after them with fixed bayonets.
The two battalions fled through the town of Ridgeway, which was briefly
occupied by the Fenians, in a rout that became known as “Booker’s Run” and was
made into a song by the Fenian brotherhood.
Realizing that the British column was advancing on them,
the Fenians withdrew back to Fort Erie where they encountered another group of
Canadian militia that had landed by steamer at the dock at Fort Erie in an
attempt to retake the town. After another skirmish the Fenians withdrew to the
old Fort, at that time in a state of abandonment and disrepair. It was from
this redoubt that they made their retreat to the US side of the river the
following day.
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| Funeral for Fenian Raid Casualties |
The Fenian Raids are often thought of as a comical charter
in our history given the bizarre nature of the Fenians’ efforts to end British
rule in Ireland by invading Canada. The Battle of Ridgeway was far from minor
or comic in nature. The battle involved over 1,600 troops. The casualties were 5
or 6 dead and 16 wounded for the Fenians and 9 dead, 37 wounded and 22 who
later died of their wounds or disease for the Canadians. Several of the dead,
including the battle’s first mortally wounded soldier, were members of the
Queen’s Own Rifles and students at the University of Toronto. The government
erected a statue in honour of these men and the others who served at Ridgeway.
The monument is on the grounds of the University, just west of Queen’s Park,
the Ontario legislature building. Another note for trivia buffs, Alexander
Muir, author of the song “The Maple Leaf Forever” fought with the Queen’s Own
at Ridgeway and penned what would become the “unofficial” anthem of English
Canada just over a year later. Up until the mid-1930’s, June 2nd,
the date of the Battle of Ridgeway, was Canada’s Memorial Day until it was
superseded by Remembrance Day, November 11th, following the Great
War of 1914 to 1918.
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| Battle of Ridgeway Memorial at the University of Toronto |
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| Dedication of Fenian Raids Monument at U of T, west of Queen's Park |
An excellent book to read for those wishing to learn more
about the Fenian Raid of June 1866 is “Ridgeway – The American Fenian Invasion
and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada” by Peter Vronsky published by Allen Lane
Canada. This book, first published in 2011, became a major resource for Lang
Pioneer Village in developing its Fenian Raid re-enactment which traditionally
takes place every July 1st at the Historic Dominion Day event. This
year, in honour of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Ridgeway,
the Fenian Raid Re-enactment will be a separate event unto itself to be held on
Sunday, July 3rd, 2016.
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| Fenian Raid Re-enactment at Lang Pioneer Village Museum 2012 |
Joe Corrigan has been Museum Manager at Lang Pioneer Village since February of 2003. He has been a lifelong student of history. His specific areas of interest are Canadian and world political, military and sports history with a particular focus on biographical works. Joe has been interpreting Sir John A. Macdonald at the Museum's Historic Dominion Day event since 2007. 