Ancient fighter under Finn MacCool

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The Huntingdon Borderers formed the Canadian advance guard, and as soon as they had approached within about 300 yards of the Fenian position, were deployed in skirmishing order, and advanced with great gallantry.

Title: Troublous Times in Canada A History of the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870 Author: John A.

Landing in Canada--Preliminary Operations of the Fenian Forces Near Fort Erie--Advance into the Interior.

Fight at Fort Erie--Stiff Resistance of a Gallant Band of Canadians Against a Fenian Force Ten Times Their Number--List of the Wounded and Captured.

Vermont Border--Fenians Gather in Large Numbers--The Fizzle at Pigeon Hill--Arrest of the Fenian General Spier.

Existed Previous to Confederation of the Provinces--Proposals of Annexation to the United States--Lessons Learned by the Fenian Raid.

Thus the people of the present generation know very little of the Fenian troubles of 1866 and 1870, and the great mass of the young Canadian boys and girls who are being educated in our Public Schools and Colleges are in total ignorance of the grave danger which cast dark shadows over this fair and prosperous Dominion in those stormy days.

These men were all trained and seasoned veterans of both the Union and Confederate armies--soldiers who were inured to the hardships and rigors of many campaigns and fierce battles, and thousands of them readily enrolled themselves under the Fenian banners in anticipation of a war being inaugurated against the British nation, with the invasion of Canada as the first step.

The defence of our extensive Canadian frontier depended mainly upon the volunteer militia force of the scattered Provinces, and to their patriotism and gallantry in springing to arms when their services were needed to defend their native land, may be ascribed the glory of frustrating the attempts of the Fenian invaders to establish themselves on Canadian soil.

True, there were some British regular troops on duty in Canada in 1866 around which to rally, and they did their duty nobly, but in the operations on the Niagara frontier especially, it was the Canadian volunteers who bore the brunt of battle, and by their devotion to duty, courage and bravery under hostile fire, succeeded in causing the hasty retirement of the Fenian invaders from our shores, and again, as in days of yore, preserved Canada to the Empire, as one of the brightest jewels in the British Crown.

Having personally seen active service on the Niagara frontier during both of the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870, and retaining vivid recollections of the situation of affairs at the front during these two campaigns, I will endeavor in the succeeding chapters of this book to give the reader a faithful account of what occurred on these stirring occasions.

Of the Irish troubles of earlier years it is not the purpose of the writer to speak, but rather to deal with events which occurred immediately prior to and during the period involving the Fenian invasions of Canada.

Much dissension and dissatisfaction then arose within the Fenian Councils.

The failure of the rising in 1865 caused a serious division among the adherents of the cause in both America and Ireland, and the Fenian Brotherhood was split into two hostile camps thereby.

Roberts gathered strength daily, and soon usurped control of the Fenian forces in America, much to the chagrin of Stephens and his followers.