LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Fenian
Invasion of 1866 on June 4, 2016

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to commemorate those
events of historical significance which add strength, vigor and inspira-
tion to the cultural diversity and quality of life in the communities of
the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 150th Anniversary of the Fenian Invasion of 1866, to be cele-
brated with a myriad of events; and
WHEREAS, On Friday, June 3, 2016, residents are invited to a "Muster
the Troops!" Hooley at the Buffalo Irish Center; on Saturday, June 4,
2016, a commemorative parade will march from the Buffalo Religious Arts
Center to Tow Path Park, and then the Ancient Order of Hibernians will
host a ceremony at the Fenian Invasion of 1866 Monument; and
WHEREAS, In addition, a reception will be held at the Black Rock
Historical Society Museum following the commemoration ceremony; and
WHEREAS, On June 2, 1866, an encounter at Ridgeway between Canadian
militia and the Fenian Brotherhood's force of Civil War veterans left
enduring marks upon the history of Canada, the United States, and
Ireland; regiments of a self-styled "army of liberation" crossed an
international border and fought British subjects on behalf of the Irish
Republic; and
WHEREAS, The Fenian raids of the Fenian Brotherhood, an Irish Republi-
can organization who were based in the United States, on British army
forts, customs posts and other targets in Canada, were fought to bring
pressure on Britain to withdraw from Ireland; and
WHEREAS, On Thursday, May 31, 1866, it became apparent that Fenian
forces were massing in the area of Malone, New York, and St. Albans,
Vermont, for a push across the Canadian border; there was also over-
whelming information pointing to a crossing of the Niagara River from
Buffalo, and subsequently, British Army units in Canada and the Volun-
teer Militia of Upper Canada were alerted, and the Militia at Toronto
and on the Niagara peninsula were ordered to Port Colborne; and
WHEREAS, As the sun went down, John O'Neill was ordered to lead the
Buffalo expedition across the Niagara River into Canada; although he
received no maps or additional information, he was to have Buffalo's 7th
IRA Regiment as part of his force; barges had been positioned at the
Pratt Blast Furnace dock in Black Rock, New York, just north of Buffalo,
and steam tugs were to take them across the river; and
WHEREAS, John O'Neill wore a gray set of clothing with a green-deco-
rated military cap, and many of Owen Starr's Louisville men wore blue
army jackets with green facings and a good number of the Ohio regiment
donned green shirts and green caps; and
WHEREAS, Officers were armed with swords and pistols, and the men
carried five banners which were the six-foot-square regimental size; two
of the banners were United States National, and three were green, two of
which sported the golden sunburst and one reportedly bore a harp; and
WHEREAS, John O'Neill had given command of his Tennessee regiment to
Captain Shields, and Owen Starr would command his Kentuckians and the
Indiana detachment; Owen Starr was to make quickly for the ruins of the
old military emplacement called Fort Erie, south of the same-named
village; and
WHEREAS, Owen Starr was ordered to seize any railroad rolling stock he
might find, cut telegraph wires, and destroy track leading to Port
Colborne so there would be no troop trains rushing in from that direc-

tion; John O'Neill would use the New Yorkers, Ohioans, and Tennesseans
to secure Fort Erie village and establish a defensive perimeter; and
WHEREAS, Before dawn on Friday, June 1, 1866, John O'Neill and his
force of a thousand men were poised for a quick march from Buffalo to
the Black Rock dock; just as the United States District Attorney ordered
the USS MICHIGAN's Captain to stop all movement across the Niagara
River, the Fenian force was crowding into the barges at Pratt's dock;
and
WHEREAS, Sabotaged by Fenians and its crew, the side-wheel gunboat USS
MICHIGAN did not begin intercepting Fenian reinforcements until 2:15
p.m., 14 hours after Owen Starr's advance party of Kentuckians and the
Indiana detachment had crossed the river ahead of John O'Neill's main
force; once the USS MICHIGAN was deployed, John O'Neill's force in the
Niagara Region was cut off from further supplies and reinforcements; and
WHEREAS, After assembling with other units from the province and trav-
elling all night, the Canadians advanced into a well-laid ambush (Battle
of Ridgeway) by approximately 600-700 Fenians the next morning north of
Ridgeway; even though the Canadian militia consisted of inexperienced
volunteers with no more than basic drill training, they were armed with
Enfield rifled muskets equal to the armaments of the Fenians, who were
mostly battle-hardened American Civil War veterans, armed with weapons
procured from leftover war supplies, either Enfield rifled muskets or
the comparable Springfield; and
WHEREAS, The opposing forces exchanged volleys for about two hours,
before a series of command errors threw the Canadians into confusion;
the Fenians took advantage of it by launching a bayonet charge which
broke the inexperienced Canadian ranks; and
WHEREAS, After the battle, the Canadians retreated to Port Colborne,
at the Lake Erie end of the Welland Canal, and the Fenians rested brief-
ly at Ridgeway, before returning to Fort Erie; another encounter
followed which saw several Canadians severely wounded and the surrender
of a large group of local Canadian militia who had moved into the Fenian
rear; and
WHEREAS, After considering the inability of reinforcements to cross
the river and the approach of large numbers of both militia and British
regulars, the remaining Fenians released the Canadian prisoners and
returned to Buffalo early in the morning of June 3; they were inter-
cepted by the USS MICHIGAN and surrendered to the American Navy; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend the
efforts of those institutions which seek to bring recognition to histor-
.SO DOC S R6009 RESO TEXT 2015
ical events within the State of New York, and in doing so, help to
ensure that the complete history of our State and Nation is preserved
and shared with present generations of citizens; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity to
express its highest admiration for the Black Rock Historical Society,
and for all of the individuals who have worked to bring proper attention
to a place and time which merits recognition in the grand panorama of
the history of our State and Nation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Fenian Invasion of 1866 on June
4, 2016; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Black Rock Historical Society.