Fenians Invade Canada: Irish Raiders Cross the Niagara
Approximately 850 Irish-American Fenian raiders under Colonel John O'Neill crossed the Niagara River from Buffalo, New York, into Canada on May 31, 1866, hoping to seize British territory and use it as leverage to force Britain to withdraw from Ireland. The Fenians defeated a force of Canadian militia at the Battle of Ridgeway on June 2, killing nine and wounding thirty, before retreating across the river when US authorities cut off reinforcement and supplies. Several other Fenian raids along the border in 1866 and 1870 similarly failed but had a lasting impact: the threat of cross-border attacks accelerated Canadian Confederation, approved by the British Parliament on July 1, 1867. The shared defense against Fenian raids helped forge a Canadian national identity distinct from both Britain and the United States.
May 31, 1866
160 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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