600 militia
1 cannon 680 militia Designated 1923 Result Canadian victory Year 25 May 1870 | 2 dead
18 wounded
1 cannon captured 10-20 wounded Date 25 May 1870 Province Québec | |
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Official name Battle of Eccles Hill National Historic Site of Canada Address Chemin d'Eccles Hill, Frelighsburg, QC, Canada Similar Fenian raids, Battle of Ridgeway, Battle of Fort Erie, Battle of Lacolle, Battle of Trois‑Rivières | ||
Battle of eccles hill
The Battle of Eccles Hill was part of a raid into Canadian territory from the United States led by John O'Neill of the Fenian Brotherhood. The army of the Fenian Brotherhood was defeated by local militia units and armed citizens on May 25, 1870.
Contents
Prelude
Fenian militants, operating from Vermont, assembled on May 25 to orchestrate a second invasion of the Montreal region (a similar Fenian expedition under Samuel Spear had invaded Canadian territory in 1866). O'Neill was arrested near the border by a United States Marshall and, after a lengthy firefight, the Fenian force disbanded.
Battle
A force of Canadian militia and armed citizens awaited the Fenians at the summit of Eccles Hill. The Canadians opened a withering fire when the Fenian force reached the border, resulting in the death of a Fenian soldier. This halted the advance of the Irish-Americans, who took cover and returned fire. Lieutenant-Colonel William Osborne Smith hurried to the field with a force of militia volunteers. Together with the armed citizens, the Canadian militia charged the Fenian positions. The Fenians retreated, leaving behind their artillery and two men dead. The Canadians suffered a number of casualties during the engagement but none were fatal. Information provided by Thomas Billis Beach, a double agent also known as Henri Le Caron, was instrumental in ensuring that the Canadians were prepared for the Fenian assault.
Legacy
The site of the battle was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1923.