Oh Canada! Spencers in Canadian Service

There's a great post series going on on the CASCity web site on Spencers used by Canadian forces during the Fenian invasion.  I've also found a nice post here on the Fenian Invasion itself that is good reading as well.  It goes into great detail on the invasion and its aftermath.  My post here is intended to be a quick summary of the use of the Spencer in Canada.  Do yourselves a favor and take the time to read the links I've placed in this post.  Spencers in Canada and the Fenian Invasion that instigated the purchase of them is a fascinating but little known incident on our common history that is well worth reading about.  

I learned a lot of fascinating things while reading on the subject.  The most interesting was the true fear Canadians and British commanders had of the Union Army.  Due to the Trent Incident and the later St. Alban's raid, British Canada feared that once the Union had dealt with the Confederacy, the Union Army's battle hardened men, lead by Grant and Sherman, would turn north to Canada.   Canadians took this threat very seriously as evidenced by enrollment in Canadian militia units increasing from 5000 in 1862 to 35,000 men by 1865.  Regular units were reinforced during this time and the fortifications on the frontiers were extended and improved as well.  However by the end of the American Civil War, and much to the relief of Canadian and British authorities, the US quickly disbanded its armies.  

However all the preparation by British-Canadian authorities was not in vain.  

The antebellum period saw the US as the primary destination of the Irish diaspora.  One result of this mass migration to the US was the formation of the Fenian Brotherhood in 1858.  The end of the Civil War saw thousands of Irish-American veterans discharged with their hatred of the British still intact.  By 1866 the Fenian Brotherhood was massing thousands of these battle hardened men into an invasion force; target Canada.  Canadian forces had credible intelligence about  Fenian  plans and started their preparations to deal with the threat.  One of the more alarming items reported to authorities was that the Fenians were armed with surplus Union Spencers.  

In 1866 there were no breech loading firearms, much less repeaters available in Canadian militia arsenals.  Enfield-Snider breech-loaders were promised, but not yet delivered. Concerned, Canadian authorities were eventually able to provided many of their forces with Spencer carbines & rifles, ~3000 of them.  Interestingly these arms were not surplus Union arms, but new Spencers obtained directly from Spencer Repeating Firearms Company through third party agents.

The Spencers purchased were 56-50 rim-fire 1865 model.  Initial use of the Spencer by the British during the Battle of  Ridgeway was not very positive.  The troops had only been issued Spencers days before the battle and only 28 rounds per man were issued.  The Fenians however were amply supplied with ammunition and handly won the battle. 

It seems that the ultimate purpose of the invasion was to cause an incident between US and Canadian forces, causing a war between Briton and America that Fenians in Ireland could take advantage of in order to rise up against the hopefully weakened British forces based in Ireland and win freedom.  Needless to say this did not happen and those Fenians not captured by British-Canadian forces withdrew from Canada.  Check this link for a more detailed account about the Fenian Invasion and the British counter campaign and victory.

The British Authorities considered the issue of Spencers as a temporary measure until British Enfield-Snider's were made available to the troops.  In general the troops equipped with Spencers were pleased with their weapons.  There was legitimate criticism by some men and officers at the Spencer's lack of range (<300 yards).  But the rate of fire was much appreciated by the troops in the heat of battle.  It should be noted that none of the repeaters available at the time, 1860 Henrys, 1866 Winchesters & Spencers,  had effective ranges much beyond 200 yards.  My own experience with reloading for the Spencer shows that this is a valid complaint.  I personally have achieved reasonable accuracy (12 inch 5 round groups) out to 300 yards, but the bullet drop was considerable and the loads very heavy for the cartridge. 

By 1867 almost all the Canadian militia and British regular forces were re-equipped with Snider's.  Afterward, Canadian Spencers were collected in various armories as reserve arms.  These were eventually sold surplus.

Again, please take the time to read the links in this post.  Its a fascinating, but little known incident on our common history that is well worth the read.