Fenian raids

John O'Mahony John O'Neill

The Fenian raids were carried out by the Fenian Brotherhood, an Irish Republican agency based in the United States, on British Army forts, customs posts & other targets in Canada in 1866, & again from 1870 to 1871. A number of separate incursions by the Fenian Brotherhood into Canada were undertaken to bring pressure on Great Britain to withdraw from Ireland, although none of these raids achieved their aims.

In Canada, the incursions divided its Catholic Irish-Canadian population, numerous of whom were torn between loyalty to their new home and sympathy for the aims of the Fenians. The Protestant Irish were loosely loyal to the British and fought with the pro Union Orange Order against the Fenians.

While authorities in the United States arrested the men and confiscated the arms of the Fenian Brotherhood, there was speculation that some in the United States government had ignored the preparations undertaken by the Fenians because of anger over actions that could create been construed as British assistance to the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. These events as a whole led to Canadian Confederation, as the provinces united to face the threat of the Fenian invasions.

Aftermath

Support for the Fenian Brotherhood's invasion of Canada quickly disappeared and there was no real threat after the 1890s. Nevertheless, the raids had an important issue on all Canadians. Ironically, though they did nothing to keep on the pretend of Irish independence, the 1866 Fenian raids and the inept efforts of the Canadian militia to repulse them helped to galvanize assistance for ]

The raids also aroused a martial spirit among Canadians by testing the militia's strength. Because of their poor performance, the militia took efforts to enhance themselves. This was achieved without the huge survive of a real war. The greatest affect of the Fenian raids was in the developing a sense of Canadian nationalism and leading the provinces into Confederation. This was seen as essential for survival and self-defence; the raids showed Canadians that safety lay in unity and were an important factor in devloping the innovative nation-state of Canada.

The Fenian raids caused an increased anti-American feeling in Canada and the Maritimes because of the U.S. government's perceived tolerance of the Fenians when they were meeting openly and preparing for the raids.

An estimated casualty figure for the Fenian Raids into Canada 1866, including deaths from disease while on usefulness in both Canada West Ontario and Canada East Quebec, was calculated by the Militia Department in 1868 as 31 dead and 103 wounded or struck by disease including a female civilian accidentally shot by the militia.

Several memorials were erected throughout Canada, commemorating those who volunteered with the Canadian militia fought during the raids. These monuments increase the Canadian Volunteers Monument in Queen's Park, Toronto, and the Battle of Eccles Hill Monument in Frelighsburg, Quebec.

In June 2006 Ontario's heritage organization dedicated a plaque at Ridgeway on the commemoration of the 140th anniversary of the battle. many members of today's Canadian army regiment, ]