The Fianna, from the third cycle of Irish heroic literature, were bands of warriors sworn to defend the coasts of Ireland from foreign invaders. They were devoted to war, the chase, and the arts of poetry. They considered themselves 'Goidels' - true Gaels, the purest population of Feni-free landholders, never servants nor slaves. They had three mottos: "purity of our hearts, strength of our limbs and action to match our speech.'
Fenian would appear to have been a neologism coined in 1840 by Colonel Charles Vallancy as an Anglicization of Fianna.
The term was quickly taken up by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a republican body which had been founded in 1858, mostly by veterans of a failed 1848 uprising. The IRB was driven by the belief that Ireland had a natural right to independence and that this right could only be won through armed rebellion.
The Brotherhood had members on both sides of the Atlantic. Bernard McNulty, a close friend of John Boyle O'Reilly, a notable Irish Fenian, established a US branch of the IRB in 1858, and was soon joined by other Irish American nationalist organizations. They became the US Fenian Brotherhood led by John O'Mahony, an Irish-born Gaelic scholar (and participant in the failed 1848 Rebellion) who had been exiled to France and then to the US.
US Fenian 'circles' or militia groups, began training for the day they would return to Ireland and liberate the island from British rule. But the transatlantic planning was interrupted by the start of the American Civil War. Fenian leaders however, were quick to realize that the war would provide practical combat experience, and the militia units were absorbed into the Union Army making up more than 15% of its total strength. Fenian recruiting continued throughout the war. Membership increased significantly despite Church opposition and financial concerns.
At the end of the hostilities there were thousands of ex-soldiers looking for work, a huge cache of arms and munitions available for purchase, and most compellingly, an hereditary, idealized cause to fight for. The Brotherhood prospered with monetary donations coming in from all over the States.
The year 1865 was to be the start of the insurrection in Ireland. The US Brotherhood waited for word from the IRB to begin sending troops over. But the British Government had other plans. Acting on information supplied by a spy in the office of James Stephens, the Fenian Irish leader, a wave of Fenian arrests were made in September 1865, and 'habeus corpus' suspended in 1866. Everything ground to a halt.
In December 1865, the US Brotherhood came asunder: one member under O'Mahony, was determined to wait for the appropriate moment to join an IRB general uprising in Ireland. The other, led by William Randall Roberts, determined immediate action against the British in Canada.
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Once the split had been made, the so-called 'Roberts Wing' set the invasion of Canada in motion. Robert's grand scheme would see Canada invaded, an independent Irish state established and the occupied territory then exchanged for Ireland's liberty.
"Fighting" Tom Sweeney, a veteran both of the Mexican and US Civil Wars was appointed as the military commander of the invasion. He planned a 3-prong assault. Two diversionary attacks, one from Chicago and the other from Cleveland/Buffalo, involving roughly 8000 troops, would draw the Crown forces to the western end of Upper Canada. The main force of 15,000 then would attack and secure Lower Canada from Vermont.
Although the plan was sound in principle, it fell apart in execution. Commanders either became ill or were unable to meet deadlines. Troop strength was overestimated. Logistical issues- specifically lack of boats, forced cancellation of the Chicago expedition, and a similar problem necessitated relocation of troops from Cleveland to Buffalo. Communications between all three forces became difficult, and the sympathy of the US government, which had been presumed up to the beginning of 1866, was nonexistent when the attack movement began in May.
The only regimental leader who was battle ready by the scheduled invasion date was Colonel John O'Neill of the 13th Fenian Regiment Nashville Tennessee. Arriving by train from Clevenland with 350 men, O'Neill took over command of the troops at Buffalo. He was given orders to proceed, and with a force of 1,000 plus he crossed the Niagara River on June 1st.
Fenian would appear to have been a neologism coined in 1840 by Colonel Charles Vallancy as an Anglicization of Fianna.
The term was quickly taken up by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a republican body which had been founded in 1858, mostly by veterans of a failed 1848 uprising. The IRB was driven by the belief that Ireland had a natural right to independence and that this right could only be won through armed rebellion.
The Brotherhood had members on both sides of the Atlantic. Bernard McNulty, a close friend of John Boyle O'Reilly, a notable Irish Fenian, established a US branch of the IRB in 1858, and was soon joined by other Irish American nationalist organizations. They became the US Fenian Brotherhood led by John O'Mahony, an Irish-born Gaelic scholar (and participant in the failed 1848 Rebellion) who had been exiled to France and then to the US.
US Fenian 'circles' or militia groups, began training for the day they would return to Ireland and liberate the island from British rule. But the transatlantic planning was interrupted by the start of the American Civil War. Fenian leaders however, were quick to realize that the war would provide practical combat experience, and the militia units were absorbed into the Union Army making up more than 15% of its total strength. Fenian recruiting continued throughout the war. Membership increased significantly despite Church opposition and financial concerns.
At the end of the hostilities there were thousands of ex-soldiers looking for work, a huge cache of arms and munitions available for purchase, and most compellingly, an hereditary, idealized cause to fight for. The Brotherhood prospered with monetary donations coming in from all over the States.
The year 1865 was to be the start of the insurrection in Ireland. The US Brotherhood waited for word from the IRB to begin sending troops over. But the British Government had other plans. Acting on information supplied by a spy in the office of James Stephens, the Fenian Irish leader, a wave of Fenian arrests were made in September 1865, and 'habeus corpus' suspended in 1866. Everything ground to a halt.
In December 1865, the US Brotherhood came asunder: one member under O'Mahony, was determined to wait for the appropriate moment to join an IRB general uprising in Ireland. The other, led by William Randall Roberts, determined immediate action against the British in Canada.
*
Once the split had been made, the so-called 'Roberts Wing' set the invasion of Canada in motion. Robert's grand scheme would see Canada invaded, an independent Irish state established and the occupied territory then exchanged for Ireland's liberty.
"Fighting" Tom Sweeney, a veteran both of the Mexican and US Civil Wars was appointed as the military commander of the invasion. He planned a 3-prong assault. Two diversionary attacks, one from Chicago and the other from Cleveland/Buffalo, involving roughly 8000 troops, would draw the Crown forces to the western end of Upper Canada. The main force of 15,000 then would attack and secure Lower Canada from Vermont.
Although the plan was sound in principle, it fell apart in execution. Commanders either became ill or were unable to meet deadlines. Troop strength was overestimated. Logistical issues- specifically lack of boats, forced cancellation of the Chicago expedition, and a similar problem necessitated relocation of troops from Cleveland to Buffalo. Communications between all three forces became difficult, and the sympathy of the US government, which had been presumed up to the beginning of 1866, was nonexistent when the attack movement began in May.
The only regimental leader who was battle ready by the scheduled invasion date was Colonel John O'Neill of the 13th Fenian Regiment Nashville Tennessee. Arriving by train from Clevenland with 350 men, O'Neill took over command of the troops at Buffalo. He was given orders to proceed, and with a force of 1,000 plus he crossed the Niagara River on June 1st.
There are numerous books available which detail the rise of Fenianism in the US, the most recent of which is "The Fenians" by Patrick Steward and Bryan McGovern who are keymote speakers at the Conference.
Special mention is made as well of the Fort Erie Museum's publication "The Year of the Fenians" by David Owen, which contains a highly informative, succinct overview of the rise of US Fenianism.
Special mention is made as well of the Fort Erie Museum's publication "The Year of the Fenians" by David Owen, which contains a highly informative, succinct overview of the rise of US Fenianism.