Battle of Ridgeway

and

Ridgeway Battlefield

There are two plaques about this battle in the Region of Niagara.
Both can be seen on this page.

Photo by contributor Colin Semple - Posted August, 2006

Photo Source - Wikipedia

Plaque Location

The Region of Niagara
The Town of Fort Erie
In Ridgeway, on the east side of Ridge Road North
2 and a half blocks south of Dominion Road

Coordinates: N 42 52.935 W 79 03.115

Plaque Text

On June 1, 1866, Irish-American revolutionaries called Fenians invaded Canada as part of an attempt to strike at Britain and support the creation of an independent Irish republic. The next morning, Canadian militiamen from the Queen's Own Rifles, the 13th Battalion and the York and Caledonia rifle companies, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Booker, arrived here by train before marching on to battle the Fenian invaders. Contradictory orders and confusion on the battlefield coincided with a Fenian counterattack to cause the Canadians to withdraw. The Fenians retired to Fort Erie and returned to Buffalo that night. The Battle of Ridgeway shocked the country, spurring improvements to Canada's defences and helping to bolster the Confederation movement.

Photos by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted December, 2009

Plaque Location

The Region of Niagara
The Town of Fort Erie
On the north side of Garrison Road (Highway 3)
1.3 km east of Gorham Road (Road 116)

Coordinates: N 42 54.245 W 79 02.497

Plaque Text

PRO PATRIA In abiding memory of the officers and men of the Queen's Own Rifles, 13th Hamilton Battalion, Caledonia and York Rifle Companies of Haldimand who fought here in defence of their country against Fenian Raiders, on 2nd June, 1866.

Related Ontario plaque
The British Garrison in London

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Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted April 29, 2012
I grew up a short distance from the site of this battle. I've found that the national parks system's role in identifying historic places helps people both to remember and reflect on what has gone before. It certainly helped me realize there is always a context to current events. Hugh

Posted November 19, 2011
There are over 950 sites designated nationally historic across the country (and, separately, hundreds of persons and events). But only 167 of the sites are administered by Parks Canada as part of the national park system. Ridgeway Battlefield is one of them. -Wayne

Posted November 15, 2011
Peter Vronsky has written a book about the battle. http://www.ridgewaybattle.ca/

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