Today in Military History – June 2, 1866:Battle of Ridgeway: Fenian Raiders Defeat Canadian Militiamen

 by Siggurdsson

Fanciful depiction of Battle of Ridgeway, produced c. 1869
Artist unknown, from Library and Archives Canada
ONLINE at Canadian Military Heritage
(Unless otherwiseINDICATED, all illustrations are courtesy of Wikipedia)

"We are the Fenian Brotherhood, skilled in the arts of war,
And we're going to fight for Ireland, the land we adore,
Many battles we have won, along with the boys in blue,
And we'll go and capture Canada, for we've nothing else to do."
***Fenian soldiers' song

Irish nationalism has expressed itself in many ways over the last 900 years. Today's moment in history occurred shortly after the end of the War Between the States, aka the War of Northern Aggression, aka the American Civil War. It is another fascinating little battle that has escaped the notice of most Americans, and many Canadians aren't aware of it, either.

Background: Ireland and the Fenian Brotherhood

BEGINNINGin 1169, Ireland was subjected to several centuries of English influence, conquest and control. In 1798, Protestant and Catholic Irish temporarily forgot their hatred of each other to launch a rebellion aimed at a united, independent Ireland. Despite receiving support from then-revolutionary France, the rebellion was put down. The potato famine of 1845-1846 resulted in widespread death – by starvation and disease – as well as massiveEMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA, Canada, the United States and other countries with large Irish immigrant populations.

Another rebellion in 1848 prompted Irish nationalists to continue the call for a free Irish republic. In addition, many dispossessed Irish felt that action, not just talk, was needed to bring about independence for Ireland. In 1858, the Fenian Brotherhood was founded in America, followed shortly thereafter by the creation of its Irish counterpart, the Irish Republican Brotherhood. The Fenian founder, exile John O'Mahony, named his group after the Fianna, a mythical group of Irish nobles who were associated with Irish folk hero Finn McCool. They perfectly fit O'Mahony's romantic vision of a new generation of warriors who would rise up and free the "old sod" from the rule of England.

As the Brotherhood's director, or Head Centre, O'Mahony had extensive powers and wasACCOUNTABLEonly to the head of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Ireland. Branches, called Circles, were established in all major American cities. Over each Circle, which might be composed of any number of men, there presided a Centre. Local Centres were elected by members of local Circles, but the senior officer in the state, the State Centre, was appointed by O'Mahony. Members of a Circle were often given military ranks of captain, sergeant, or private. Each member was required to pay an initiation fee of one dollar and weekly dues of ten cents.

When the American Civil War commenced, nearly 150,000 ethnic Irish-Americans joined the Union Army.[Figures for the Confederate Army are sketchy, at best. However, a 2013BOOK "The Green and the Grey" extrapolates 20,000 Irish immigrants enlisting in Confederate ranks.] Fenian organizers did their best recruiting during the war itself, forming new Circles in many Eastern cities and even in the Union armies (they were particularlySUCCESSFUL in the Federal Army of the Cumberland in the western theatre of the war). Their experiences in that war would provide a basis for the Fenian leadership to take its next bold step.

In the fall of 1865, the Fenian Brotherhood held a series of meetings in Cincinnati, OH to plan a bold stroke: the invasion of British North America (aka Canada). [Canada was not yet a nation as such, but the Fenian invasion would spur the process along. But I'm getting ahead of myself…] Strategy was discussed and plotted. Unfortunately, their security arrangements could be characterized as extremely lax, as American and British authorities learned about their plans veryQUICKLY.

The Fenians launched fundraising efforts in major American cities. Their most successfulMONEY-extraction scheme involved the sale of bonds in the name of the non-existent "Irish Republic." The bonds were to be redeemed six months after the recognition of the independence of Ireland. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants gave their hard-earned money to the Fenian cause.

The Fenians purchased large amounts of surplus arms, ammunition and supplies. Civil War veterans began organizing Irish Republican Army regiments, in anticipation of action. However, early in 1866, a power struggle split the Fenians into two factions: the first, headed by founder O'Mahony, was moreINTERESTED IN raising money to support the independence of Ireland, while the other faction was inclined to military action. This second faction, called the "senate faction," felt that even a moderately successful attack on British North America would provide them with the needed leverage to seek the independence of Ireland.

[The U.S. government did nothing to disrupt the Fenian's plans, at least at first. Part of that attitude could be traced to the perceived British sympathy for the Confederacy during the recent war. There was also a certain feeling of "payback" for the American inability to penetrate and conquer Canada during the American Revolution and the War of 1812.]

Prelude to Battle: The Fenians' Moves

For several days in late May of 1866, passenger trains from the eastern and central U.S. carried large groups of men in civilian togs – many with military caps or uniform shirts. They were converging on Buffalo, NY. These men were the spearhead of the Fenian invasion of Canada West (modern-day province of Ontario). As the trains approached the outskirts of Buffalo early on the evening of May 31, when word was received that local police were rounding up Fenians at the city's centralTRAIN station, many men jumped off the trains and made their way on foot into the city.

Within a few hours several hundred Fenians were roaming the Buffalo city docks, looking for anything that would float to transport them across Lake Erie and the Niagara River to land on the Canadian shore. The U.S. Navy's iron-hulled sidewheel steamer USS Michigan sailed into Buffalo harbor, hoping to block any water traffic carrying Fenian raiders across to Canada, but they weren't very successful, at first. By dawn of June 1, about 1300 Fenians had crossed over to Canada, heading for the town of Fort Erie, located a mile or so north of the ruins of the former military post of the same name. An advance party of invaders had occupied the old fort, raising a Fenian flag (a green field with aGOLD harp and the letters "IRA" in gold). As the Fenians arrived on shore, muskets and ammo were parceled out to the men.

USS Michigan, U.S. Navy steamer
Photgraphed c. 1905, photographer unknown
Courtesy of Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

The primary objective of the invaders was Port Colborne, a city on Lake Erie that was the southern terminus of the Welland Canal, an important transportation hub for Canada West, located 14 miles west of Fort Erie. They also sought to capture bridges over the canal, tear up local railroads, and cut telegraph lines. Their intent was to isolate this portion of Canada to allow more of their Irish-American brethren to cross from Buffalo. Then, the invaders would take on any British regular or Canadian militia forces sent against them, drawing them away from Toronto. This would allow other Fenian forces to invade Canada and capture Canada, WestEFFECTIVELY holding the province for ransom in return for freedom for Ireland.

Unfortunately, almost as soon as the invaders arrived, things began to unravel. Fenian desertions became epidemic. Soon, General John O'Neill, the Fenian officer in charge, was down to 400-500 effectives. He was reinforced later on June 1 by about 200 or so Fenians ready to go into action. Further, O'Neill and his men tried to rally support for Irish independence by appealing to the locals to join their cause, evenOFFERINGthem surplus uniform jackets and muskets to arm anyone that might join them. They were met with at best indifference, at worst with outright hostility from the native Canadians, which perplexed them greatly. Also, O'Neill demanded food from the locals, as his men had not brought any provisions of their own. The Canadian citizens provided the invaders with sustenance – bread, ham and coffee – but refused to take the Fenian bonds as payment.

Fenian Re-enactors, 2008 (?) re-enactment of Ridgeway (Uniforms? What's that??)
Image courtesy of http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~dbertuca/155/FenianRaid.html

Later, on June 1, O'NeillORDERED his men to march northwestward along the Niagara River,FINALLY stopping at the Newbigging Farm near Frenchman's Creek several miles from Fort Erie to make camp. The Irish-Americans, many of them veterans of Sherman's March to the Sea in 1864, began constructing defensive works they called "bullet-screens." These were pieces of timber laid on top of fences, from ground to rails, then covered with dirt and sod, forming crude bulwarks of a sort. Soon afterwards, Fenian scouts returned to their encampment, reporting that Canadian militia units and British regulars had set out to contest the Fenian invasion. [Despite these reports, no British regular units were present at the upcoming battle.] General O'Neill ordered his command to move northward, then turn sharply west and south toward Port Colborne. He hoped to hold Canadian reinforcements moving south from Toronto, then move on the Welland Canal and catch any other enemy forces that might be moving to attack him.

Fenian Brotherhood Sunburst flag, c. 1850s-1860s
Image courtesy of http://ansionnachfionn.com/seanchas-mythology/an-gal-greine/

At 9:00 pm., a lookout on the USS Michigan reported that the bridge over Frenchman's Creek was on fire. The blaze had beenORDERED by Gen. O'Neill, and consisted of 300 muskets and excess supplies that were not being used, which were piled onto the bridge and set on fire. At the same time, the Fenian raiders were ordered to leave their campfires burning as they began their inland march. They marched through the night, traversed a cedar swamp, made one ordered stop to rest, then at 3:00 am the Fenians continued on until they encountered Limestone Ridge, a local prominence about a mile north of the town of Ridgeway. The Fenians again set up bullet-screens, posted skirmishers and sharpshooters along the road to town, and awaited the arrival of Canadian forces that scouts had reported coming from Port Colborne.

Overall moves of Fenian and Canadians forces, June 1-2, 1866
Image courtesy of http://www.uppercanadahistory.ca/tt/tt13.html

Prelude to Battle: The Canadians' Moves

The Canadian government had been alerted to the Fenian incursion almost immediately. The Governor General of Canada called out the militia on May 31, and the 2nd Battalion of Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada, aka the Queen's Own Rifles (QOR), were mobilized and took theTRAIN from Toronto to Port Colborne. The men were wearing their green wool winter uniforms with black trousers and black shakos, as well as their winter greatcoats and other winter gear. Most of the soldiers were armed with Enfield rifle-muskets, except for the 5th Company, which had been issued new breech-loading Spencer repeating rifles on June 1 as they prepared to leave for action. They had no time to train with their new weapons and had only the most basic knowledge of their operation.

Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle-musket, main small arm of most of the Canadian militiamen

Other Canadian units included the 13th Battalion Volunteer Militia of Hamiliton (clad in the expected British red coats and deep blue trousers, including winter gear), and two rifle companies from the towns of York and Caledonia, again all of them armed with Enfield rifles. Nearly all of these units were militia units, more than half of the young men were under the age of 20, some as young as 15. They were college students, laborers, office workers and the like, what would probably today be called "weekend warriors." None of them had heard a shot fired in anger before. Their total strength was just about 900 men, the QOR comprising 480 men, and the other three unitsMAKING up the remainder.

Arriving at Port Colborne, the Canadians detrained and awaitedORDERS. The commander of these men, Lieutenant Colonel J. Stoughton Dennis, was concerned that more Fenians would attempt to cross the river to reinforce their fellows. Consequently, he commandeered the steam tug WT Robb with a force of 80 men and at 3:30 a.m. began heading eastward along the shore, hoping to intercept and pick up any further waterborne Fenian forces.

Canadian militiamen (13th Battalion??) re-enactors, from 2006 re-enactment of Ridgeway
Image courtesy of http://www.pa69irish.com/photopagestars.html

Unfortunately, Lt. Col. Dennis took this action without the approval of his immediate superior, Colonel George Peacocke, who commanded a second column of 1400 Canadian militia moving towards the Fenians' abandoned camp near Frenchman's Creek. Peacocke sent orders to the Port Colborne column, and at 5 a.m. on June 2 the Canadians boardedTRAINS for the short journey to the town of Ridgeway. With Dennis's absence, command devolved onto Lt. Col. Alfred Booker, by profession an auctioneer, who was riding the only horse on the Canadian side that day (the horse belonged to Major Skinner, commander of the 13th Battalion, brought via railcar).

The militiamen arrived at Ridgeway about 7 a.m. Due to the early morning heat,COMPANY sergeants told their men to leave behind their greatcoats and other winter gear. [The thermometer at the Ridgeway railroad station reportedly read sixty two degrees Fahrenheit at about 7 a.m. It was reported later that morning the temperature was in the mid-seventies…] There was some confusion about the issuing of ammunition, as no horses to pull the ammo wagons had been brought along. Therefore, each unit took what they wished before the wagons were sent back with theTRAINS. Some units left the town with 60 rounds per man, while others took 40 or less. One company took none, and had to beg and borrow from other units later that morning.

As the militiamen were forming up in town, a series of bugle calls and train whistles alerted the nearby Fenians that the Canadians were nearby. The Canadians then began marching to the northeast, seeking toHOOK UP with Col. Peacocke's column, which was proceeding from the town of Black Creek to nearby Stevensville. The QOR led the way, with the 5th Company and their Spencers in the lead. As they marched along, local farmers appeared and told Booker that the Fenians were just outside of town. Booker, however, dismissed their reports as unreliable and continued his march.

Battle of Ridgeway (aka Limestone Ridge)

Initial setup of opposing forces, Battle of Ridgeway, approx. 7:00 am
Image courtesy of http://www.ridgewaybattle.ca/battleofridgewayfenianpositions.htm

At about 7:30 a.m., the QOR's 5th Company encountered Fenian skirmishers, who opened up briskly on the approaching militiamen. The Canadians replied in kind, using up a greatDEAL of their 40 rounds per man they were issued when they received their new Spencer rifles. The trailing companies of the QOR shook themselves out to either side of the 5th Company, deploying in fields of new corn, wheat, rye, and fruit orchards. Fenian forces moved to support their brethren, being warned of the approach of the Canadians. Being Civil War veterans mainly, the Fenian soldiers let loose with concentrated volleys that took the militiamen by surprise. Later reports stated that the Canadians were convinced the enemy was armed with repeating rifles.

Battle situation, approx. 7:30-8:00 am
Image courtesy of http://www.ridgewaybattle.ca/battleofridgewayfenianpositions.htm

After about an hour, though, the Fenians began to run low on ammo and were pushed back from their bullet-screens. [Before leaving their camp at the Newbigging Farm, they had dumped thousands of rounds of ammo into Frenchman's Creek to lighten their load.] Just as the invaders were ready to break, several events conspired to change the course of the battle. Lt. Col. Booker had been issuing orders by bugle call, and the signals became more confusing as the battle progressed. Also, some Canadian units began to run low on ammo, andSTARTED to fall back, which spurred some units to move forward to take their places.

Battle situation, approx. 8:00-8:15 am
Image courtesy of http://www.ridgewaybattle.ca/battleofridgewayfenianpositions.htm

Then, a general call of "Watch out for cavalry!" trickled up and down the militia line. Apparently, a few mounted Fenian scouts had been mistaken for cavalry. Five reserve companies of the QOR actually did "form square," a classic maneuver to counter cavalry attacks. Some officers began to issueORDERS to their men to counter the mistake, which only contributed to greater confusion. Some of the militiamen thought a retreat had been ordered, and they began to flee in panic.

Seeing the muddled, confused condition of their enemy, the Fenian officers ordered first several more volleys, then a bayonet charge. The sight of cold steel apparently made up the minds of the "weekend warrior" militiamen, who recoiled from the screaming Civil War veterans and routed back to the town of Ridgeway. Several militia companies were sufficientlyTRAINED to cover their comrades' retreat, and the Fenians left them alone. After about a two and a half hour fight, the Fenians were masters of Limestone Ridge.

FINALstages, Battle of Ridgeway, approx. 8:15-9:30 am
Image courtesy of http://www.ridgewaybattle.ca/battleofridgewayfenianpositions.htm

Aftermath

Despite the reported hotness of the firing on both sides, casualties were relatively light. The Fenians lost between four and six men killed and ten wounded, while the Canadians suffered 10 dead and 37 wounded, most of them in the QOR.

Realizing that his force would soon be caught in a Canadian pincer, Gen. O'NeillORDERED his men to fall back to Fort Erie. As the victors of Ridgeway marched through the streets of the town of Fort Erie, at about 4:00 pm they encountered a force of about 80 British marines and sailors from the tug WT Robb. After a bit of brisk street fighting, the marines and sailors fell fack to their ship, leaving the town to the Irish-Americans. The next day, the Fenians began a disorganized retreat back across the Niagara River, some men building rafts, some even trying to swim across. Many were picked up by U.S. naval patrols, and some were captured by Canadian forces.

Footnote #1: A number of Fenians were put on trial by the Canadian government later in 1866, with 21 sentenced to hang. Pressure from the U.S. government, however,RESULTED in none of them seeing the gallows. Most were eventually repatriated back to the U.S.

Footnote #2: As aRESULT of the continued threat of Fenians, a year later four Canadian provinces – Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia – formed the Confederation of Canada. In essence, the Fenian invasion caused the formation of a nation, but it wasn't the one they were hoping for…

Footnote #3: TheORDER of battle for the fight at Ridgeway:

FENIANS: Brigadier General John O'Neill, commanding officer

7th Buffalo (NY) Irish Republican Army Regiment (Col. John Hoye)
13th Tennessee Irish Republican Army Regiment (Capt. Lawrence Shields)
17th Kentucky Irish Republican Army Regiment (Col. Owen Starr)
            [LouisvilleCOMPANY wore blue uniform jackets with green facings]
18th Ohio Irish Republican Army Regiment (Capt. Buckley)
            ["Fenian Cleveland Rangers" wore green caps with green shirts]
19th Ohio Irish Republic Volunteers (Lt. Col. John Grace)
            [Cincinnati, OH]
Indiana detachment, Irish Republican Army (Capt. James Haggerty)
New Orleans company, Irish Republican Army (Capt. J.W. Dempsey
            [Fenian Louisiana Tigers]
A small unidentified troop of mounted scouts believed to be from Buffalo of unknown
            strength riding horses seized on the Canadian side

CANADIANS: Lt. Col. Alfred Booker, commanding officer

2nd (Queen's Own) Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles (Major Gilmore)
13th (Hamilton) Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles (Lt. Col. Booker remained in command,
            Major Skinner second-in-command)
Caledonia Company, Volunteer Militia Rifles (attached to 13th Battalion)
York Company, Volunteer Militia Rifles (attached to 2nd Battalion)
Several dozen armed volunteer civilians, county sheriffs and magistrates, revenue
            officers and two Frontier Constabulary officers, and two chaplains

Footnote #4: The battle at Ridgeway is slowly being recognized and remembered by Canadians; note the monument below marking the site of the battle. The plaque reads in English and French:

In abiding memory of the officers and men of the Queen's Own Rifles, 13th Hamilton Battalion, Caledonia and York RifleCOMPANIES of Haldimand who fought here in defence [sic] of their country against Fenian Raiders, on 2nd June 1866.

Monument to battle of Ridgeway, near Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
Image courtesy of http://www.rhli.ca/exercises/5June05-ridgeway.html
Siggurdsson's blog