Groveton & Morrisburg Loyal Orange Lodges

18/03/2026

Help make December Christian Heritage Month

11/03/2026

07/03/2026

160 years ago today — on March 7, 1866 — Prime Minister John A. Macdonald put out an urgent call for 10,000 men to mobilize to defend Canada against a potential Fenian invasion.

Rumours were rife that Fenian attacks across the U.S. border were imminent, possibly as soon as St. Patrick’s Day.

The volunteers of Ottawa’s Civil Service Rifle Corps were among the first to respond to the call.
The Fenians were a passionate brotherhood of Irish ex-pats who remained committed to Ireland’s independence, prepared to resort to violent means if necessary.

A large contingent of U.S.-based Fenians had armed up for the Union Army and had been hardened and emboldened by their Civil War experience.

They were now convinced that British North America, once captured, would be the bargaining piece needed to finally gain independence for Ireland.

Other Ottawa area volunteer units mobilized against the Fenian threat as well, including the Bells Corners Company and the Buckingham Infantry Company.

In April, the Fenians mounted an unsuccessful attack along the Maine-New Brunswick border.

In May, residents of nearby Prescott reported hearing the bugles of Fenian soldiers amassing across the St. Lawrence River in Ogdensburg. Volunteer militia were rushed by train from Ottawa but no invasion was attempted.

Ottawa’s volunteers were called back home to patrol the capital’s streets and guard the opening of Parliament.

This was the first session of the Parliament of the Province of Canada to be held in the new capital of Ottawa — and one of its last, with Confederation soon to eliminate this legislative body.

The parliamentarians quickly gave passage to emergency measures needed to deal with the Fenian crisis.

Further Fenian attacks were repelled in the Niagara region and south of Montreal.

The Canadian militia counted a total 32 dead and 103 wounded during the 1866 Fenian campaigns.

This, of course, was not the end of the Fenians. Two years later, D’Arcy McGee, a patriotic Irish-Canadian leader hated by the Fenians, was assassinated on Sparks Street.

Patrick Whelan, a Fenian, was executed for McGee’s murder in what would be Canada’s last public hanging.

Later Fenian border assaults were quelled in Quebec and Manitoba.

Were the Fenians, in fact, Canada's first terrorist threat? Phil Gurski, historian, author and retired CSIS analyst explores that question in a recent episode in our "Time Travelling with the Historical Society of Ottawa" series:

https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/resources/videos/time-travelling-series/time-travelling-with-phil-gurski-call-to-arms-the-fenian-threat

James Powell points out how the Fenian threat united British North Americans and actually strengthened support for Confederation:

https://todayinottawashistory.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/to-arms-the-fenians-are-coming

Image: Militia Volunteers from Metcalfe, Ontario, 1866, Frank Iveson fonds, Library and Archives Canada, PA-103906. Frank Iveson is seated centre front

17/02/2026

13/02/2026

Points of Light Radio brings you the first segment in our series on world leaders and fraternalism.Past prime ministers of Canada and their ties to the craft...

11/01/2026

Happy Birthday Brother Sir John A. 🎂

03/01/2026

Just a brief look of Kingston, Ontario’s historic Queens University.

27/12/2025

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas to all members and friends.

11/11/2025

Brother’s Yves Brisebois and Mark Alexander of Edwardsburg Loyal Orange Lodge143 attended the Remembrance Day ceremony in Spencerville, Ontario today.

Brother Brisebois layed the wreath on behalf of the Lodge .

It was cold, windy and snowing but hundreds attended the outdoor portion of the ceremony.
The first part of the Remembrance Day Ceremonies begins with a Church Service inside the United Church at 10 AM.

It was nice to be back as part of the ceremony after a few years absence.

It was like winter , but the young soldiers put up with a-lot worse conditions in the battlefield.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM 🙏🇬🇧🇨🇦