On 2 June 1866 the Canadian Militia fought two battles against Irish-American invaders of the Fenian Brotherhood in what collectively has come to be known as the Battle of Ridgeway. The first of these, which was fought on the Ridge Road a short distance north of the village of the same name, saw the Fenians defeat a column made up of the Queen's Own Rifles, the 13th Battalion of Hamilton, and the York and Caledonia Rifle Companies. The second, and smaller engagement, was fought later that day by the Welland Canal Field Battery augmented by members of the Dunnville Naval Brigade against a superior Fenian force in the streets of Fort Erie until overrun and captured. Following the two battles, the Fenians, who were short of ammunition and aware that British and Canadian forces were concentrating against them, withdrew to the United States where they were taken into custody.
The link to the website is at: http://www.fenians150.com/
You should be aware that recent scholarship has determined that the accepted version of events re the first battle is incorrect and based on an attempt to shift blame to the troops and away from gross mismanagement by the British and Canadian authorities. It was not until a few years ago that the first major examination of the events appeared that led to the above conclusion, although two shorter studies done independently had reached the same conclusion a few years earlier. ("Toot Toot" - own horn, as I did one of the them, and am scheduled to speak at the commemoration.)
The link to the website is at: http://www.fenians150.com/
You should be aware that recent scholarship has determined that the accepted version of events re the first battle is incorrect and based on an attempt to shift blame to the troops and away from gross mismanagement by the British and Canadian authorities. It was not until a few years ago that the first major examination of the events appeared that led to the above conclusion, although two shorter studies done independently had reached the same conclusion a few years earlier. ("Toot Toot" - own horn, as I did one of the them, and am scheduled to speak at the commemoration.)