Artifact #5: Crowds Celebrate the Return of Militiamen in Montreal (1866)

Citation:

Wm. Notman & Son. Welcome Address to Returning Volunteers from the Fenian Raids, Champ de Mars, Montreal, 1866. Photograph. 1866. McCord Museum. Object Number I-21691.0.1. https://collections.musee-mccord-stewart.ca/en/objects/104205/discours-de-bienvenue-adresse-aux-volontaires-de-retour-des.

Label:

This photograph depicts the celebration of the return of Canadian militiamen to Montreal in 1866 after their efforts to fight off the ongoing Fenian Raids. The Fenians were a group of Irish patriots who emigrated to the United States from Ireland. They attempted to take the British North American colonies by force so that they could trade them to Britain in exchange for Irish independence. These raids exposed the military weaknesses of the British North American colonies, and emphasized the need for a nation with a united defence system.

The Fenian Raids were a significant motivating factor when it came to considering Confederation. The raids highlighted the colonies' safety and security concerns and the need for a unified government to organize efficient and effective defence strategies. Confederation promised stronger military coordination, which would reduce the colonies' reliance on British troops, and allow the colonies to better protect themselves from external aggressions. 

Bibliography:

Grodzinski, John R., and Peter Vronsky. "Fenian Raids." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Last modified March 11, 2021. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/fenian-raids.

Valour Canada. "Fenian Raids." https://valourcanada.ca/military-history-library/fenian-raids/.