Cross-written letters mentioning the Fenian raid, 1866-67

dc.contributor.authorCameron, Chantal
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-17T20:06:01Z
dc.date.available2023-01-17T20:06:01Z
dc.date.issued2023-01-17
dc.descriptionThe Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada is a primary army reserve infantry regiment based in Toronto that was founded on April 26, 1860. It is the oldest continuously serving infantry regiment in Canada. The regiment was called into service during the Fenian raids and participated in the Battle of Ridgeway on June 2, 1866. The Fenians were a group intent on securing Irish independence from England and believed this could be achieved by invading Canada. After crossing the Niagara River from the United States on June 1, 1866, the Fenians took control of Fort Erie and defeated the militia at Ridgeway on June 2, but subsequently withdrew.en_US
dc.description.abstractTwo cross-written letters dated 1866 and 1867, Stratford, Ontario. Both letters contain handwritten transcriptions. The first letter is dated June 18, 1866. The letter begins with news of the birth of a baby boy and asks that the recipient come for a visit. After this mention is made of the Fenian raids and the billeting of the “Queen’s Own” with local families. It is written that “We have been in quite a state of excitement here, the ‘Queeen’s Own’ we have two billeted & would have had six but for ‘Dots’ illness. Our neighbor had 13…some 6-10…I think the Fenian excitement is over and that the Land of our adoption will be quiet again. We were not thankful enough for peace, you may fancy what my anxiety was when I thought my son had joined the Volunteers but thank God he is safe. What a sad thing, the death of all those fine young men…” The recipient of the letter wrote a reply cross-written over the original letter. The letter is signed Kate Arthurton. The second letter is dated November 4, 1867. The first page has a black border and is addressed to Fanny. The letter opens with thanks for the kind expression of sympathy after “my darlings death”. This letter also contains cross-writing and is signed Kate Arthurton.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10464/17204
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries;RG 816
dc.rightsCC0 1.0 Universal*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/*
dc.subjectQueen's Own Rifles of Canada--Historyen_US
dc.subjectCanada--History--Fenian Invasions, 1866-1870en_US
dc.subjectFort Erie (Ont.)--History, Militaryen_US
dc.titleCross-written letters mentioning the Fenian raid, 1866-67en_US
dc.typeOtheren_US
refterms.dateFOA2023-01-17T20:06:01Z

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