RIDGEWAY: THE AMERICAN FENIAN INVASION AND THE 1866 BATTLE THAT MADE CANADA
Peter Vronsky

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Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada by Peter Vronsky
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THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF CANADA'S FIRST MODERN BATTLE AND THE FIRST CASUALTIES OF THE MODERN CANADIAN MILITARY

Dedication Ridgeway Battle Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada by Peter Vronsky Ridgeway Battle Maps Casualties Fenian Raid Canada 1866. Origins of the Fenian Brotherhood Fenian Casualties Fenian Raid Canada 1866 Sources
Canada
Decoration Day
June 1, 2014

History of
Ridgeway Battle
* The Book *

Ridgeway
Battle Maps
Canadian
Casualties
Complete List
Origins of the
Fenian
Brotherhood
Fenian IRA
Casualties
Provisional List
 

Fenian Raid
1866 Sources
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Ridgeway by Peter VronskyOn June 1, 1866 Canada was invaded by Irish-American Fenian insurgents from their bases in the United States. The Fenian Brotherhood planned to take Canada hostage in an attempt to free Ireland from the British Crown and establish an independent republic. The invasion culminated on June 2, with the Battle of Ridgeway near Fort Erie, Ontario,  Canada's first modern battle and the first fought exclusively by Canadian soldiers and led entirely by Canadian officers.

Nine militia volunteers from Toronto's Queen's Own Rifles Regiment were killed in the battle, including three student soldiers from a University of Toronto rifle company called out while writing their final exams and who took the brunt of a Fenian charge at Limestone Ridge.  While Canadians had not fought a major war in Canada since the War of 1812, the Fenians were all battle-hardened veterans of the American Civil War, many having served in crack Irish brigades.

The "Ridgeway Nine" were Canada's first soldiers killed in action and Ridgeway was the last battle fought in Ontario against a foreign invader, but after the disastrous conclusion the Macdonald government covered-up what happened so thoroughly that most Canadians today have never heard of this battle.

Ridgeway:  The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada by Peter Vronsky is the first book length study of the battle published in 100 years and is now available from Penguin Books wherever books are sold.


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Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada by Peter Vronsky 

RECENT PRESS, MEDIA & REVIEWS FOR
Ridgeway by Peter Vronsky

  Amazon Book Reviews

  CBC Radio Interview with Peter Vronsky

Globe & Mail Editorial Remembrance Day 2012
'Canada's Forgotten First Remembrance Day'

Historians Identify Grave of Unknown Soldier

 Battlefield Tour September 28, 2012

Fort Erie Times "Open Letter re; Ridgeway Banners"

Furor over Ridgeway Municipal Banners

Welland Tribune "Fenian posters terrible"

 Fort Erie Times "Banners concern for local historians"

Conference and Battlefield Tour June, 2, 2012

 Toronto Star: Justice for the Ridgeway Nine (editorial by Peter Vronsky)

Ridgeway Book Launch    Forbes.com "Book Launch Party of the Year"

Ottawa Citizen Defense Watch Blog

  Book details story of forgotten Decoration Day, which predated Remembrance Day.

Regiment honours Falls soldier who died during Battle of Ridgeway in 1866.

Remembering Ridgeway



Author Peter Vronsky Personal Website

Peter Vronsky Books

Ridgeway: The 1866 Battle That Made Canada by Peter Vronsky