THE FENIAN CONVENTION AT CINCINNATI--THE BIRTH OF THE IRISH
REPUBLIC--"ON TO CANADA!"--GEN. SWEENY'S PROGRAMME.
The seceders from the Stephens faction met in Convention in Cincinnati,
Ohio, in September, 1865, a very large number of delegates being present
from all of the States in the Union. After the usual preliminary oratory
and the adoption of several resolutions, the delegates formed
themselves into a body which they termed "the Senate Wing of the Fenian
Brotherhood." They ridiculed the idea of invading Ireland successfully,
and changed their base of operations. "On to Canada" became their
slogan, and the idea was so popular that they quickly secured the
allegiance of thousands of disappointed Irishmen who were anxious and
ready to strike a blow at England in any quarter In order that there
should be some recognized source from which all orders, proclamations
and edicts could be officially promulgated, it was resolved to form an
Irish Republic (on paper), as the Fenians were without territory
until they captured it. This was accomplished by the adoption of a
constitution framed on the model of that used by the United States. Its
provisions included the usual regulations (both civil and military) for
a Republican form of government, and its unanimous acceptance by the
delegates was received with glad acclaim. Col. Wm. R. Roberts was chosen
as President of the new Republic, and Gen. T. W. Sweeny (who was then
commanding officer of the 16th United States Infantry) as Secretary of
War. The other Cabinet port-folios were handed out to "lesser lights" in
the Fenian fold.
As even Republican governments cannot be maintained, or military
campaigns conducted without the expenditure of money, the Irish
Republic could prove no exception to the rule, and therefore the work
of collecting funds and gathering munitions of war for the invasion
of Canada was immediately commenced. Fenian "circles," or lodges, were
organized in every possible corner of the United States for the purpose
of stirring up the enthusiasm of the Irish people and securing money
to purchase arms and ammunition. Military companies and regiments were
formed wherever practicable, and drilling and parading was pursued
openly during the fall of 1865 and winter of 1866, getting ready for the
coming fray.
Funds were raised in various ways--by voluntary subscriptions, by
holding picnics, excursions, fairs, bazaars and other methods. But the
largest source of revenue was derived by imposing upon the credulity of
the sons and daughters of Erin by the sale to them of bonds of the Irish
Republic, a chimerical dream which was painted in such glowing colors
and presented with such stirring appeals to their patriotism that
hard-earned dollars were pulled out from every nook and cranny in many
Irish homes to invest in these "securities" and thus help along the
cause. The following is a copy of the bond, which will serve to show its
wording:--
No. ...... No. ......
It is Hereby Certified that
The Irish Republic is indebted to ....... or bearer
in the sum of TEN DOLLARS, redeemable six months after
the acknowledgment of THE IRISH NATION, with interest
from the date hereof inclusive, at six per cent, per
annum, payable on presentation of this Bond at the
Treasury of the Irish Republic.
Date ......
[Stamp. Office of the Treasury.]
JOHN O'NEILL,
Agent for the Irish Republic.
In the light of subsequent events, when the dreams of the visionary
enthusiasts have been so rudely dispelled, the sight of one of these
bonds must present as much sadness and pathos to the beholder as the
vision of an old Confederate bank note does to the erstwhile defenders
of the "Lost Cause" of the Southern States.
As the coffers of the Irish Republic began to fill rapidly, the Fenian
leaders became more hopeful and bombastic, while enthusiasm among
the rank and file continued to be worked up to fever pitch. President
Roberts gathered a select coterie about him at his headquarters in New
York to assist in upholding his dignity, and incidentally help to boost
the cause. Plots and plans of all kinds were hatched against Great
Britain, and loud-mouthed orators were kept busy for several months
fanning the embers of Irish patriotism into flame.
General Sweeny was very active during the winter of 1865 and 1866 in
getting his "War Department" fully organized and his field forces ready
for the spring campaign against Canada. His staff was composed of the
following officers, all of whom had seen active service in the Civil
War:--
Chief of Staff--Brigadier-General C. Carroll Tavish.
Chief of Engineer Corps--Col. John Meehan.
Chief of Ordnance--Col. C. H. Rundell.
Engineer Corps--Lieut.-Col. C. H. Tresiliar.
Assistant Adjutant-General--Major E. J. Courtney.
Ordnance Department--Major M. O'Reilly.
Quartermaster--Major M. H. Van Brunt.
Aide-de-Camps--Capt. D. W. Greely and Capt. Daniel O'Connell.
This galaxy of officers strutted majestically around Headquarters garbed
in the gorgeous green and gold uniforms of the Fenian Army, looked wise,
and promised all enquirers that important movements would be made in the
spring. Secret meetings were held almost daily at Headquarters, when the
plan of campaign would be discussed over and over again, and amendments
made wherever necessary. Finally the following plan of operations was
given out in March, 1866, as the gist of one evolved by the Council,
which is said to have embodied Gen. Sweeny's whole strategic
programme:--
"Expeditions for the invasion of Canada will rendezvous at Detroit and
Rochester, and at Ogdensburg and Plattsburg, and at Portland. The
forces assembled at the two first-named points are to operate conjointly
against Toronto, Hamilton, and the west of Upper Canada. From Ogdensburg
and Plattsburg demonstrations will be made against Montreal, and
ultimately Quebec; Kingston will be approached by Cape Vincent, while
Portland will be the general place of embarkation for expeditions
against the capitals of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia."
THE BASES OF OPERATIONS.
"The Canadian and provincial borders once crossed, bases of operations
will be established in the enemy's country, so that international
quarrels with the Washington Government may be evaded. There are to
be lands chosen at the head of Passamaquoddy Bay, Saint John's, on the
Chambly, close to the foot of Lake Champlain; Prescott, on the Saint
Lawrence; Wolfe Island, at the foot of Lake Ontario; Hamilton, Cobourg
Goderich, and Windsor, in Upper Canada. These places are all within
convenient distances of the United States, and afford by water an easy
retreat, as well as cunning receptacles for fresh American levies."
THE FORCES AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE FENIANS.
"The Irish Republic calculates to have, by the first of April, fifteen
millions of dollars at its disposal in ready cash. This will give
transportation and maintenance for one month to thirty thousand men,
a greater number than were ever before mustered to the conquest of the
Canadian possessions. Of this force, eight thousand will carry the line
of the Grand Trunk road west of Hamilton; five thousand, crossing from
Rochester to Cobourg, will be prepared to move either east, in time to
act jointly with three thousand men from Wolfe Island, upon Kingston, or
to take part with the western detachment in the capture of Toronto. All
this, it is believed, will be the work of two weeks. Thus entrenched
securely in Upper Canada, holding all the routes of the Grand Trunk,
sufficient rolling stock secured to control the main line, the Fenians
hope to attract to their colors fifty thousand American Irishmen, and
equip a navy on Lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario. The avenues to return so
being secured, thirty thousand men, under General Sweeny, will move down
the Saint Lawrence, upon Kingston, simultaneously with ten thousand men
by the lines of the Chambly, and these will converge upon Montreal; in
the meantime isolated expeditions from the rendezvous at Saint Andrews
will reduce Saint John and Halifax, these furnishing depots for
privateers and ocean men-of-war to intercept British transports and
effectually close the Saint Lawrence. Quebec will thus fall by the slow
conquest of time; or, if the resources of the garrison should be greater
than the patience of the invaders, the same heights which two Irishmen
have scaled before, will again give foothold to the columns of the
brotherhood."
THE PLAN OF INVASION IN DETAIL.
"At Chicago the Fenians already possess five sailing vessels, a tug, and
two steam transports; at Buffalo they are negotiating for vessels; at
Bay City, Michigan, and at Cleveland they have other craft in process
of refitting; these will simultaneously raise the green flag and stand
ready to succor the land forces. Goderich, Sarnia and Windsor will be
simultaneously occupied; all the available rolling stock seized, and the
main line of the Grand Trunk cut at Grand River, to prevent the passage
of cars and locomotives to Hamilton. The geographical configuration
of the western half of Upper Canada will permit of a few thousand
men holding the entire section of the country between Cobourg and the
Georgian Bay. These are connected by a chain of lakes and water courses,
and the country affords subsistence for a vast army. Horses sufficient
to mount as many cavalry as the Brotherhood can muster, quartermasters'
teams in quantity, and a vast amount of lake shipping, will at once be
reduced to a grand military department, with Hamilton for the capital,
and a loan advertised for. While this is being negotiated, Gen. Sweeny
will push rapidly forward on the line of the Grand Trunk, in time to
superintend the fall of Montreal, where ocean shipping will be found
in great quantity. With the reduction of Montreal a demand will be made
upon the United States for a formal recognition of Canada, whose name
is to be changed at once to New Ireland. While this is being urged, the
green flag will scour all the bays and gulfs in Canada; a Fenian fleet
from San Francisco will carry Vancouver and the Fraser River country,
to give security to the Pacific squadron, rendezvousing at San Juan, and
the rights of belligerents will be enforced from the British Government
by prompt retaliation for the cruelties of British courtmartials."
ABILITY OF THE FENIANS TO HOLD CANADA.
"The population of the British provinces is little above two and a half
millions, and the military resources of the united provinces fall short
of sixty thousand men. Of these nearly ten thousand are of Irish birth
or descent. The States will furnish for the subjugation of these, eighty
thousand veteran troops. With the single exception of Quebec, it is
believed the whole of the British provinces will fall in a single
campaign. During the ensuing winter diversions will be put in motion in
Ireland, and while it is believed the Brotherhood can defy the Queen's
war transports to land an army in the west, arrangements will be
developed to equip a powerful navy for aggressive operations on the sea.
Before the 1st of June, it is thought, fifty commissioned vessels of
war and privateers, carrying three hundred guns, will be afloat, and to
maintain these a tremendous moral influence will be exerted upon every
Irish-American citizen to contribute the utmost to the general fund for
the support of the war.
"By the tempting offer of a surrender of Canada to the United States,
Mr. Seward, it is hoped, will wink at connivance between American
citizens and the Fenian conquerors, and by another summer it is thought
the dominion of the Brotherhood north of the St. Lawrence will be
formally acknowledged by the United States, Russia, and each of the
American republics. The third year of Irish tenure in Canada will, it
is believed, array two of the great powers against Great Britain. John
Mitchell, at Paris, will organize the bureau of foreign agents; and
Ireland, maintaining a position of perpetual revolt, will engage for her
own suppression a considerable part of the regular British levies."
EUROPEAN OPERATIONS.
"At the present time a bureau of operations is being quietly organized
in Paris, where the opposition press has already proclaimed for
Irish nationality. It is Mr. Mitchell who sees that the funds of the
Brotherhood are distributed in Ireland; he also is in correspondence
with liberal statesmen in Great Britain, and conducts the disintegration
of the British army by touching the loyalty of the Irish troops, who
constitute one-third of the Queen's service."
THE CUNARD STEAMERS TO BE SEIZED.
"Among the earliest aggressive operations will be the overhauling of a
Cunard steamer between New York and Cape Race, with her usual allotment
of specie. In like manner the British lines of steamers proceeding from
England to Quebec, Portland, Boston and Halifax, will be arrested and
their funds secured."
THE WAR IN IRELAND.
"Military operations in Ireland must, of necessity, be confined to the
interior. Three military departments will be organized--the Shannon, the
Liffey, and the Foyle--and the campaign will be entirely predatory or
guerilla in its conduct. The British Coast Guard stations will fall easy
conquests, their number and isolation contributing to their ruin; while
from the Wicklow Mountains, through all the rocky fastnesses of Ireland,
the cottagers will descend upon the British garrisons, maintaining
perpetual and bloody rebellion till the better news comes across the sea
or the patience of England is quite worn out."
This was a mighty and stupendous programme truly, but oh how visionary!
It embraced the extreme aspirations of the boldest and most sanguinary
Fenian's, and its publication no doubt served to bring more money into
their treasury. But, alas for human hopes, its execution never happened.
Yet it fired the hearts of the soldiers of the Irish Republican Army,
and they eagerly awaited the summons to march "On to Canada." All
through that winter drilling and preparation continued, and the
enthusiasm of the men was kept warm by fervid oratory appealing to their
patriotism, while they boldly chanted their song:--
"We are a Fenian Brotherhood,
skilled in the arts of war.
And we're going to fight for Ireland,
the land that 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."
Meanwhile the Canadian Government deemed it prudent to place troops
at some of the exposed points along the border, and on the 15th of
November, 1865, the following volunteer corps were called out for
Frontier Service, and were stationed at the following places, the whole
force being under the command of the Lieutenant-General commanding Her
Majesty's Forces in North America:--
_At Prescott_--The Ottawa Garrison Battery of Artillery; Capt. A. G.
Forrest. First Lieutenant W. Duck, and Second Lieutenant Albert Parson.
The Morrisburg Garrison Battery of Artillery; Capt. T. S. Rubidge. First
Lieutenant Peter A. Eagleson, and Second Lieutenant G. S. L. Stoddart.
_At Niagara_--Quebec Rifle Company; Capt. D. Gagnier, Lieut. Elzear
Garneau, and Ensign Thos. H. A. Roy.
Montreal Rifle Company; Capt. P. J. M. Cinqmars, Lieut. J. O. Labranche,
and Ensign G. d'O. d'Orsonnens.
_At Sarnia_--Toronto Rifle Company; Capt. Wm. D. Jarvis, Lieut. Farquhar
Morrison, and Ensign W. C. Campbell.
Woodstock Rifle Company; Capt. Henry B. Beard, Lieut. John Matthewson,
and Ensign James C'oad.
_At Windsor_--Hamilton Infantry Company; Capt. Henry E. Irving, Lieut.
Robert Grant, and Ensign J. J. Hebden.
London Infantry Company; Capt. Arch. Macpherson. Lieut. Edward W.
Griffith, and Ensign George Ellis.
_At Sandwich_--Port Hope Infantry Company; Capt. A. T. H. Williams,
Lieut. James F. McLeod, and Ensign Francis E. Johnson.
Major C. F. Hill, of the First Prince of Wales Regiment (Montreal),
was in command of the forces stationed at Sandwich, Windsor and Sarnia.
These troops were kept on service for several months, and their presence
at the points named and the constant vigilance maintained, had an effect
in warning the Fenians that Canada's sons were alive to the duty of the
hour, and were resolved to guard and protect their homes and firesides
from desecration by invading foes or sacrifice their lives if necessary
in performing that sacred duty.
THE BROCKVILLE RIFLES.
While the above detachments were on service at the points named, the
danger was equally great at other places, especially along the St.
Lawrence frontier. The town of Brockville was particularly exposed to
attack, as during the winter months the river is usually frozen over,
which would afford the Fenians an easy way of crossing on a solid bridge
of ice. At this time the town was exceptionally fortunate in having a
most excellent volunteer military corps as one of its most popular local
institutions, which was known as the Brockville Rifle Company. This
command figured so prominently in the service of the Volunteer Militia
Force of Canada in the early days that it deserves special mention in
the records of the country.
The Brockville Rifles was one of the first companies organized under
the Volunteer Militia Act, being promoted in the spring of 1855 by Capt.
Smythe (who was afterward captain of a company in H. M. 100th Regiment,
which was raised in Canada in 1857 and 1858 for service in the British
Army, and who subsequently became commanding officer of that regiment).
As Brockville and vicinity was first settled in 1783 and 1784 by the
U. E. Loyalists (all of whom had borne arms in defence of the British
Crown), their descendants have always been noted for their unswerving
loyalty and fealty to the Mother Country. Therefore when the opportunity
was offered to its citizens to exemplify their patriotism by serving
their Queen and country, they promptly obeyed the call, and in a short
time the ranks of the Brockville Rifles were filled up, and drilling
commenced. The muster roll was sent in to Militia Headquarters, and the
Company was formally gazetted on September 5th, 1855. Among the names
that appear on the first roll of this Company are those of William H.
Jackson and Wilmot H. Cole, both of whom are still living at this date,
and are supposed to be the only two survivors of the old corps. Each
of these gentlemen took a great interest in military affairs, and after
duly qualifying themselves, were gradually promoted in the service until
they attained high commands--the former being appointed one of the first
Brigade Majors under the Militia Act of 1862 (and subsequently
becoming a Deputy Adjutant-General, who discharged important duties at
Brockville, London, Winnipeg and Ottawa), while Wilmot H. Cole, after
serving through all the grades, rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel
of the Forty-first Battalion (of which the Brockville Rifles was always
No. 1 Company), the duties of which position he filled with great
ability and credit for twenty-seven consecutive years, retiring on July
1st, 1898.
The Brockville Rifle Company was selected by the Government as one
of the units to form the regiment organized in 1864, under command of
Lieut.-Col. W. Osborne Smith, to guard the St. Clair and Detroit River
frontiers (extending from Sarnia on the north to Amherstburg on the
south) for the purpose of preventing raids from Canadian territory
on the United States by organized gangs of desperate men from the
Confederate States, who had come north for that purpose.
The Canadian regiment had its headquarters at Windsor, with detachments
posted at that point, and at Sarnia, Chatham, Sandwich and Amherstburg.
To the latter point the Brockville and Belleville Rifle Companies were
sent in command of the following officers:--
Brockville Rifle Company--Major James Crawford, Lieut. W. H. Cole, and
Ensign Edmund W. Windeat.
Belleville Rifle Company--Capt. Charles G. Le Vesconte. Lieut. James
Brown, and Ensign Mackenzie Bowell.
The two companies at Amherstburg improved their time by engaging in
constant drill, and by the maintenance of strict discipline and close
attention to the duties required of them, they became very efficient.
After five months of frontier service the regiment was relieved on the
4th of May, 1865, and returned to their homes.
In the fall of 1865 the Fenians began to get very active, and the
feeling prevailed among the people of Brockville that some provision
should be made for the protection of that town. The Brockville Rifles at
that time was in a very efficient condition, having four officers and 85
rank and file, as follows:--Major James Crawford in command, Lieut. W.
H. Cole, Ensign E. W. Windeat and 65 non-commissioned officers and men,
with an additional gun detachment composed of one officer and 20 men,
equipped with a 6-pound brass field gun, under command of Lieut. Robert
Bowie, who had been at Amherstburg with the company the year previous.
(Lieut. Bowie was born a soldier, his father having held an important
command in the Tower of London, and had private quarters there with his
wife when Robert, his only son, was born.)
Major Crawford called his officers together, and after a discussion of
what might happen to Brockville in its unprotected condition, it was
decided to make the following offer to the Militia Department:--As the
Company was now 85 strong, they would enlist 15 more men, making a total
of 100. The men would be called out at 6.30 p.m. every day, given a
two hours' drill; an officer's guard to be mounted, to consist of one
sergeant, one corporal and 24 men; sentries to be posted at seven of
the most exposed places, including one at each of the two banks; the
non-commissioned officers and men to be paid 25 cents each per day, the
officers giving their services free, and if the Department would furnish
the necessary bedding the Company would have 60 of the remaining men
sleep in the Armory every night, to be ready for any emergency. This
would enable the men to attend to their usual daily avocations and
not interfere with the business requirements of their employers. This
patriotic offer was at once accepted by the Government, and orders were
issued to have the duties carried out as above stated, which was done
in every detail from the 15th of December, 1865, to the eventful day in
March, 1866, when the first general call was made on the Volunteer Force
for service on the frontier.