THE FENIAN RAID OF ‘66

Reminiscences of a Buffalo Attorney

[Welland Tribune, 12 January 1900]

             Attorney Thomas of Buffalo chats interestingly of the Fenian raid of 1866, from which we extract a few paragraphs of interest. The incidents of this raid are still familiar to most persons of middle age in this section, and the reports of another attempt at a “raid” are bringing “Fenian Stories” to the front again.

             “Although I did not see the famous battle of Ridgeway, I was the first prisoner taken by the Fenians,” said Attorney Charles J. Thomas. “I well remember the occurrence. It was June 1, 1866. The Fenians did not land at Crystal Beach, but at Frenchman’s Creek, on the place now owned by Gerhard Lang, to whom it was sold by my brother-in-law, Geo. Pearse.

             My father, Edwin Thomas, removed to New York in 1863, having sold the Church House, which was the Thomas homestead, and went into business in Wall street. He came back to Buffalo in 1866. I frequently went over to Fort Erie gunning. About that time father commissioned me to purchase a house across the river, as he desired to spend the balance of his days in Canada. I did buy for him, with his money, of course, a brick house, the first beyond the Episcopal church down the river shore.

             We were having the house repaired and put in shape, and had a number of men at work. I suspected the men were shirking the work, and decided to quietly watch them. On the morning of June 1^st I thought I would do some investigating. Dr. Elliott, who succeeded the late Dr. Cronyn as village physician of Fort Erie, and my brother, Geo. Truscott Thomas, who lived at Fort Erie, accompanied me to the house. I was sitting on the piazza and the others had gone in for a drink of water, when I noticed the flashing of sunlight on some bright objects, and soon saw a body of about forty armed men marching towards the house.

             I had intended to go to Toronto on the early morning train, and had dressed myself in Prince Albert coat and silk hat. I suppose I must have looked suspicious at any rate I was ordered to go with my captors. They marched me towards the village, through Warren’s Lane, back of the church out to the river front to a saloon run by Barney McNinny. The barkeeper was Jack Gaffney, who was afterwards hanged for murder, and the place was Gen. O’Neil’s headquarters. I was put through a severe process of questioning, and after satisfying them that I was simply over there on private business and was desirous of catching a train to Toronto, I was given a pass and allowed to cross the river. When I left Fort Erie several people gave me their jewelry to leave on this side, but I could not get it through the customs and was obliged to send it back to its owners.

             As you know, there were several killed. If the regular troops could have got there in time, they would have made short work of the Fenians. I sat in the Globe office in Toronto and watched the funeral procession of the killed, and it was a solemn sight. I also succeeded in obtaining admission to the trial of the captured Fenians, which lasted some two or three months, and I never in my life was taught more of the justice of Canadian law, and the fairness of the judiciary. Instead of assigning boys to defend the prisoners, they had the best of counsel.

             Those who were not convicted were given sufficient money to take them home. I went through the jail and recognized one prisoner, Tom Ellis. It cost his sister, Mrs. Mary Ryan, at least $2000 to get him clear.