Here’s an image of a few Niagara Volunteers on active service in Fort Erie during the Fenian Raids of 1866. Former curator Janet Carnochan identified the local men in the photograph as Capt. E. Thompson, Lt. R. Currie, Ensign Johnson Clench, George Ellison, and James Matthews. This may be a photograph of an officers' mess in the field or a whiskey seller's booth. The Fenians were comprised of Irish patriots who emigrated to the United States. Their desire for Irish Independence convinced them that they could take Canadian territory by force and hold it for ransom against Britain. Between 1866 and 1871, they launched a series of attacks but were put down by government forces. Although the raids were unsuccessful, many Canadians at the time were deeply concerned about the threat of an American attack. These attacks strengthened the push to further Confederation in Canada.