Transcript
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Aaron Menke (0:38)
Welcome to Aaron Menke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and mild.
Aaron Menke (0:47)
Our world is full of the unexplainable and if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities.
Aaron Menke (1:10)
Ireland suffered under English rule longer than any other colony. In fact, the English occupied Ireland for over 700 years. It's a testament to Ireland's strength and the vibrancy of their culture that it endured. Despite this, the Irish fought for their independence throughout the centuries, but sometimes the fight took a curious turn. Such was the case in 1866 when the battle for Ireland's independence spread to a whole different continent. Like a lot of pioneers, John o' Neill was very sure of himself and didn't like being told what to do. He fought on the side of the Union during the Civil War, but transferred battalions when he wasn't promoted and then retired before the war was even over. He learned how to fight and how to run an army during his time in the service, but the cause was never really his. He was an Irish immigrant who had left home during the Famine and was just trying to find his place in the world. But it seemed that everywhere he went there was always some king or president trying to get you to join his army. John had been happy to lend his services to the Union for a price, but he would never work for the English King who he saw as responsible for the destruction of his homeland. After John left the army, he was working in Tennessee when he met some fellow Irish immigrants who had formed a militia called the Fenian Brotherhood. Their goal was to further the cause of Irish independence in America by attacking British controlled Canada to the north. They hoped to occupy the country and hold it ransom for Ireland's freedom. It was a far fetched idea, but they were angry men who knew how to fight and they weren't exactly in a position to help while they were on the other side of the ocean. They felt that this was the Only option that was left to them. John traveled with the militia to Buffalo, New York, where they prepared to cross the Niagara river into Canada. They numbered over a thousand men, but that was hardly enough to take a whole country. But again, John and his like were stubborn. This became even more evident when the man who was supposed to lead them into battle didn't show up. Rather than give up the fight, the Fenians selected John as their new leader. He had battle experience after all, and a strong enough presence to inspire the men. Soon they were on their way across the river. The Canadians never knew what hit them, and the militia easily captured the Canadian town called Fort Erie. The Fenians blockade the town from the rest of the world and sent out a letter to the civilians claiming that they meant them no harm. They only wished to drive the British from the area. By this point, the British were mustering thousands of troops across Canada to defend their country. But the Fenians weren't deterred. They left Fort Erie behind and continued their conquest west to a village called Ridgway. As they arrived, they heard the bugles of the approaching Canadian army and formed a defensive line. John sent out riflemen to attack the marching Canadians and and draw them toward the Fenian army. Soon he was watching from the rear as hundreds of Canadian soldiers weaved their way toward his men through various trees and the small buildings of a farm caught between the two armies. And here's the thing. John's men were disciplined from their time in the Civil War. They kept formation and maintained regular gunfire against the enemy, picking off a few here and there, keeping them from advancing quickly. Wanting more intelligence, John ordered scouts on horseback to travel out and report back as to the size of the army. But this strategy had unintended consequences as well. When the inexperienced Canadian soldiers saw the few approaching horse scouts, they mistook them for a cavalry charge. They tried to change their formation, clumping into a tight square. But this only made them more vulnerable to gunfire. By the time their comrades realized the mistake and tried to get them back into a line, morale was dropping and some of the men started to flee. Soon the entire Canadian army was running up the road back the way they had come. The Fenians rejoiced, picking off a few more Canadians as they fled down the road. But John had seen the size of the army and he knew that he couldn't keep this up. They retreated back to Fort Erie and after a skirmish near the river, successfully retreated back into the U.S. john would lead several more raids on Canada over the next few months before the Americans finally made him stop in order to preserve peace with England. It was a major victory for the Irish, who had shown the world what they were capable of, but curiously, in the long run, it marked a greater turning point for the Canadians, who took the attacks as a wake up call that their defenses needed updating. It was one of the many factors that actually led to the Canadian confederation the following year, which saw several Canadian provinces that were still technically separate British colonies unite into the large, strong country that we know today.