TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Some punctuation has been changed to be consistent. — “St ” changed to “St.” — “Lt-Col.” changed to “Lt.-Col.”; “Lt. Col.” changed to “Lt.-Col.” — “Lieut-Col.” changed to “Lieut.-Col.” — “Col ” changed to “Col.” — “13th.” changed to “13th”; “22nd.” to “22nd” (Battalions) — Period removed from dates (for example 1st. of June) The description of time has been made consistent. Use of a comma (for example 4,30 p. m. or 4, a. m.) has been changed to use a period or a space (4.30 p. m. or 4 a. m.). Some upper case A. M. and P. M. have been changed to lower case. The Chapter headings were misnumbered in the original book. There is no ‘Chapter V’ and no ‘Chapter VII’; no pages are missing. Some other changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. [Illustration: MAP OF THE FIELD OF COMBAT, AT LIMESTONE RIDGE, PUBLISHED IN THE NARRATIVE OF ALEXANDER SOMERVILLE, AT HAMILTON, CANADA WEST.] NARRATIVE OF THE FENIAN INVASION, OF CANADA, BY ALEXANDER SOMERVILLE WITH A MAP OF THE FIELD OF COMBAT, AT LIMESTONE RIDGE, HAMILTON, C. W., PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY JOSEPH LYGHT, BOOKSELLER & STATIONER. PRINTED BY A. LAWSON & CO., WHITE’S BLOCK, KING STREET. 1866 PREFACE The term Fenian is derived from the Irish word Feine, the genitive case of Fian (plural Fiana), the designation of a band, or rather several bands of warriors, whose duty was to defend the coasts of Ireland from foreign invasion. The Fians, Fiana, or Fenians flourished in the third century of our era, and employed their time alternately in war, the chase, and the cultivation of poetry. As their protecting power extended to part of Scotland, hence the traditions of them in that country, on which Macpherson’s celebrated poems of ‘Ossian’ are founded. Their chief was Fin or Fionn (the Fingal of Macpherson), and their most celebrated bards were Ossian, or Oisin, and Fergus (sons of Fin), and Daire, sometimes called Gunire.