Saint Albans Raid 1864

The Canadians' fear of attack from the United States was an impetus that helped form a federal union of all British North America (Canada) in 1867. During the US Civil War, some 25 Confederate agents based in Canada crossed the border into Union territory and attacked the town of Saint Albans, Vermont (October 19, 1864). After killing a man and stealing about $200,000 from the three banks, they fled back t oCanada; a US posse pursued them across the border and caught several, but had to hand them over to Canadian officials. Soon about half of the Confederate raiders were arrested, but when they were released unpunished by a Canadian court, talk of war with Canada and Britain was heard in the United States. The stolen money was returned; five of the raiders were rearrested and held for breaking Canadian neutrality; the war scare grew, however, prompting the stationing of 2,000 Canadian militiamen along the border in early 1865.

References

Dictionary of Wars, 425.

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