Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion And The 1866 Battle That Made Canada (The History of Canada) Hardcover – November 1, 2011

The details are amazing! I grew up close to Ridgeway and attended grammar school in Ridgeway about 85 years ago. The invasion was only known locally. I now live in Atlanta, Georgia where the people never heard of it, and I enjoy telling them about it. I can't believe how important Ridgeway has become as it now has assumed the the reason that Canada became a nation!

Meticulously researched and well written analysis of an early day of infamy for this soon to be independent country.The soldiers were brave,and for the most part did their best against a superior and better equipped force.The less said about the overall British General, technically in command, and the woefully incompetent Canadian Colonel who lead the charge,the better.In the end , and as usual, in war it's the common soldier who earns your respect.

This is a good, well researched story about the Fenian Raids into Fort Erie and the ensuing Battle of Ridgeway, Some of the characters that took part in the campaigns and the battles are described. Also the armament and tactics are well described. In general, I like the book, but if you do not like military history and descriptions of armament and battles, give it a pass.

Well documented and written, I highly recommend this book for all especially Canadians that want to know their history and some of the roots of their Canadian traditions. The author has done a fine job.

Finally, Peter Vronsky's well-written account, richly illustrated with archival photos and drawings, fills the former egregious information abyss about this significant period in Canadian history.

Good reading. I live in Buffalo & was captivated by the history revealed in this book.

Peter Vronsky’s “Ridgeway” is a well written, deeply researched history of the early June, 1866 battle in Ridgeway, Ontario between an United States based Fenian invasion force and an inexperienced Canadian home guard. This three hundred (300) page book provides meaning and context to the historically ignored battle and its place in Canadian history.Told from a Canadian perspective, Vronsky focuses on the flawed military strategies and movements of the Canadians at Ridgeway and Fort Erie, the landscape of this small wedge of land in Southern Ontario (Port Colborne – Ridgeway – Fort Erie), the weapons used, and telling cameos of many of the troops, some college students from the University of Toronto. His lively portraits of the military figures of Alfred Booker, J. S. Dennis, and George T. Denison add context to the controversies of their tactics and actions before, during and after the battles at Ridgeway and Fort Erie. His description of the controversial journalist, Alexander Somerville, adds color and perspective to the questioning that occurred in Canada after both defeats.His photographs are well chosen and revealing. His bibliography of over sixty (60) pages provides insight into both Canadian and United States historical sources not only for this battle but to post Civil War North American history.When I recently discovered this book in a St. Catherine’s bookstore, I did not expected it to be as lively and exciting as it is. Peter Vronsky is a superb writer with a clever wide-ranging touch to his writing.I have driven the Garrison Road for years never fully appreciating the Battle of Ridgeway and its impact on Canadian history. This book changed all that.

This is history as it should be written both for its informative merits and its entertainment. I enjoyed every page of Peter Vronsky’s book. It’s both well researched and referenced, and it is a pleasure to read.

The book is a well researched account of the attempt by the Fenian Brotherhood in June 1866 to invade British North America to advance Irish independence. The author describes the people involved on both sides, the events outside of North America that influenced the event and the political and cultural background. The author is fair to both sides. The main event in the book is the Battle of Ridgeway, where a force of about 840 inexperienced Canadian militiamen faced about 850 members of the Fenian Brotherhood, most of them battle hardened veterans of the American Civil War. The book is very readable, with a good set of maps, numerous illustrations and pages of references.

This book is a very well-written analysis of what went wrong at the last battle in Ontario. The author has a wonderful grasp of his characters and gives a detailed and very interesting account of how failure at this battle was covered up, to the point that the battle itself was eventually forgotten. The book was a page-turner. Once I started it, I had to read it all.

This is an excellent history book covering the Battle of Ridgeway and the state of affairs in the mid-1860's. As a native of Ridgeway, I wish that material such as this was available in the school system during my K-12 years in the 1950's and 60's. Chapters of the book are very detailed and include excellent maps of the local area.

Would recommend to anyone interested in this battle that occurred in Ridgeway ontario back in "66"!Found some interesting information regarding the KIA and died of wounds.

Excellent read, very informative and I learned more about my local history.