The Battle of Ridgeway

Lt. Col. Alfred Booker led 900 Canadian militia against 800 Fenian Raiders at Ridgeway, located in the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario.

The Fenians, who were led by General John O'Neil, crossed the Niagara River near Fort Erie and were on their way to Port Colborne when they were stopped at Ridgeway by the Canadians. Booker however mistook Fenian scouting parties for cavalry and ordered his men (young students) into a square formation. In the confusion, the Fenians, who were mostly Civil War veterans, charged with drawn bayonets. Ten Canadians were killed and 38 wounded.

Exciting News! The Olive Tree Genealogy has recently acquired 16 pages of previously unpublished and unknown documents of a Committee of Safety Meeting held in Ft. Erie area in the 12 hours preceeding the Battle of Ridgeway!

The National Library of Canada has a picture of The Battle of Ridgeway

Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information on The Olive Tree Genealogy pages, all transcriptions are subject to human error, and researchers should always check the original source of any list.

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