Canadian Campaigns 1860–70

Although the US never attempted another invasion of British Canada after the war of 1812, during which British regulars and Canadian militia fought major pitched battles against US invaders, the threat lingered in the air for much of the 19th century. A series of brushfire wars disturbed Canada's peaceful development and in 1866 and again in 1870, large bodies of fanatical Irish-American volunteers attempted to stir up war between the two countries by mounting the "Fenian Raids" - serious campaigns, involving troops of brigade strength. In the later years of the decade, Louis Riel led two rebellions by Indians and French-Canadians which required considerable efforts to put them down. Significantly it was not British regulars but local Canadian troops that suppressed the last rebellion. This book details the rebel forces and the British force and fledgling Canadian army which fought them.