An interesting essay on the Fenian Raids, which were launched to free one nation but ultimately helped to create another. I usually root for the Green, but the British and Canadians definitely seem the better dressed, even if the Irish get points for the cool fight song.
Fenian Raids
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Funny, I had a discussion about the Fenians with one of my friends today.
I had a quick look at the article and there’s at least one mistake. It’s ‘Louis Riel’, not ‘Luis Riel’. The error is almost offensive when you remember that he wouldn’t have been executed had his name been ‘Luis’.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel
Were it not for the Fenians, those living in or visiting Ottawa would not be able to enjoy a fine pint of Guinness at the D’arcy McGee Pub on Sparks Street!
“The error is almost offensive when you remember that he wouldn’t have been executed had his name been ‘Luis’.”
The language issue – Metis as opposed to Mestizo had he in fact been Luis – was a major factor in his hanging. Not one of Canada’s finest moments.
Thanks for the links, I too was thinking about this subject recently, trying to remember some long-ago-read account, but I hadn’t put the 1866 date of the Niagra raid together with the Canadian Confederation/British North America Act of 1867.
I always enjoy the good historical stuff though I guess it’s not a major generator of hits for you.
And good for the Canadians too in finally restoring the monument to the defenders at the Battle of Ridgeway, they ought to have kept up the maintenance of it long ago.
Just announced on US PBS (approx 6:15 PM US PDT, Wed 4 July): the deathh of six Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
All of them along with an Afghan interpreter were evidently traveling in a single vehicle. Some discussion of the probably circumstances in the latest entry here:
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/
Global,
Do you recall the name of the New Brunswicker (Canada, not New Jersey)–an Irishman who made his fortune in shipbuilding I believe (I don’t think it was Cunnard)–who made the single biggest donation the American government to help it rebuild the country after the American Civil War? I think I remember it being a donation of about two million pounds, which in today’s money would billions of dollars.
@#1
I don’t understand. Does the name ‘Luis’ provide some immunity from getting hanged?
I never knew Cunard was Canadian… and apparently of American stock, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Cunard
On a related note, US submarine designer John Philip Holland (a.k.a. Seán Ó Maolchalann), the man who designed the first submarine commissioned into the US Navy, designed a submarine for the Fenians, the Fenian Ram.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenian_Ram
The irony of this is that he’d eventually end up designing subs for the Royal Navy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland_1
“I don’t understand. Does the name ‘Luis’ provide some immunity from getting hanged?”
Had he been an Anglo, not a French Metis, his trial would have taken a different term. Come on, shouldn’t you know that the hanging of Louis Riel is the stain on Sir. John A’s resume that prevents him from being idolized in Canada as George Washington is in the US?
Oh, and Robert, I was talking about Joseph Cunard, one of Samuel Cunard’s younger brothers. He was known for his generosity, but I’m not so sure he’s one who donated a fortune to the US government.
http://www.theshipslist.com/1847/Miramichi.html
‘different turn’. Gees.
Thought it was something like that, but you confused me because “Luis” isn’t exactly Anglo name either.
I probably should know my Canadian history better, but despite getting all A’s in my highschool history classes, all I can remember is that there was a cross-continental railway and that McDonald was a drinker. There seems to be very little references/interest in Canadian history, even in Canadian popculture. So Canadian history tends to get filed away in the part of my brain that belongs to things I absolutely don’t care whether I forget them or not, right beside the many different breeds of cats I read about in a Cat Fancy magazine while in a wating room.
SomeguyinKorea — Thanks. Interestingly, the Cunard family appears to have come from Pennsylvania.
“McDonald was a drinker”
One of my favorite anecdotes about him (there are several versions of this one) is how he was vomiting on stage during a debate for the elections. His opponent picked up on it and said, “Is this the man you want running your country? A drunk?!”, to which MacDonald replied, “People would rather have a drunk Conservative than a sober Liberal” (another version has Sir John A. reply, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what it is about my opponent, but every time I hear him speak, it turns my stomach.”).
Sure beats that stupid story of Washington and the cherry tree.
Joseph Salter?
“SomeguyinKorea — Thanks. Interestingly, the Cunard family appears to have come from Pennsylvania.”
Well, Samuel Cunard was born in Halifax. In any case, in the early to mid 19th century, it wasn’t uncommon for people to move across the border. Quite a few Canadians were American born at that time, and they weren’t all Loyalists either. There are quite a few descendants of freed American slaves in Nova Scotia, for example. There were thousands of Quebecers who went to the New England states to work in the textile factories and the mills.
True enough, although if I remember what I read correctly, Robert Cunard — Samual’s father — was a United Empire Loyalist.
Oh, and look, the United Empire Loyalists have a website!
http://www.uelac.org/
Don’t know about that group, but I know of another one that claims that it has for purpose to protect the Anglo heritage but in reality its members just want to cause grief to the Acadian minority (they’ve created a flag just so they could demand that it be flown whenever the government or the local towns fly the Acadian flag on August 15th (National Acadian Day). That sort of petty nonsense.)
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