Troublous Times in Canada | Page 2

have fully realized the gravity of the situation that then existed, as the
event has been passed over by them with the barest possible mention.
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.
It was a period of great peril to this rising young Nation of the North,
which might possibly have ended in the severance of Canada from
British dominion. But happily this was prevented by the prompt
measures that were taken to defend our soil, and the quick response that
was made by the resolute Canadian Volunteers when the bugles
sounded the call to assemble for active service on our frontiers.
The fierce conflict which had been waged in the United States of
America for four long years between the North and the South was
terminated by the subjugation of the latter in the spring of 1865, and the
tattered battle flags of the Confederate forces were furled forever. Over

a million of men, veteran soldiers of both armies, were still in the field
when the Civil War ended, and when these mighty forces were
disbanded, hundreds of thousands of trained warriors were thrown upon
their own resources, without occupation or employment. While the
majority of these soldiers quickly resumed their old business or farming
pursuits, yet there remained idle a vast number of turbulent and restless
spirits who were ready and willing to embark in any fillibustering
expedition that might present itself. 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. I have not relied on memory alone to present these facts, but
have corroborated my personal knowledge by reference to official
records, and reports of officers, which may be found in the archives of
the Militia Department at Ottawa, and the Ontario Bureau of Archives

at Toronto.
I have endeavored to fully cover the subject, and put on record the
splendid service which our gallant volunteers rendered to their country
in 1866 and 1870. Hoping that the reader will find these pages
interesting, and at all times be ready to emulate their example,
I am yours faithfully. JOHN A. MACDONALD. 41 Macdonell Ave.,
Toronto, May, 1910.
CHAPTER I.
UNHAPPY IRELAND SEETHING IN SEDITION--THE FENIAN
BROTHERHOOD--HATCHING THE PLOT--THE MOVEMENT OF
'65--A SPLIT IN THE FENIAN CAMP.
Every student of history is aware that for centuries the condition of
affairs in Ireland has not been altogether happy, owing largely to the
revolutionary schemes which have from time to time been hatched by
so-called "patriots" to "free Ireland from the yoke of the oppressor," as
they termed it in their appeals to the people to incite rebellion, but more
properly speaking to bring about a repeal of the union between Great
Britain and Ireland and establish an Irish nation on Irish soil. Many
brave but misguided men have been led to their death by joining in
such rebellious conspiracies against constitutional government in years
gone by, and still the spirit of discontent and hatred of British rule is
kept smouldering, with