Canada. A General Service Medal 1866-1870, 21st Battalion, Pigeon Hill Raid

FENIAN RAID 1866 (Sgt. G.N. Chambers 21st. Bn.). Naming is officially impressed. Dark patina, edge nicks, bruised, contact marks, replacement ribbon, near very fine.

 

Footnote: George Nelson Chambers was born in 1848 in Manchester, England and is acknowledged as having had four brothers: James, Andrew, William and John. He arrived in Canada in 1857 and is listed as being a resident of Huntingdon, Canada East (now Quebec) in 1861. By 1866 and now age 18, he was a Paymaster Sergeant in No. 5 (Captain Lefebvre's) Company, when he was called to duty. Sergeant George Nelson Chambers is shown on the roll of the 115 man 21st (Richelieu Light Infantry) Battalion and is listed on page 103 of the "Canada General Service Medal Roll, 1866-70" by John Thyen, entitled to the Fenian Raid 1866 clasp, and acknowledged as having been in action during the Pigeon Hill Raid. He is documented on the roll as having been posted from April 1 to June 15, 1866 at St. Armand and Pigeon Hill. After the invasion of Canada West failed, the Fenians decided to concentrate their efforts on Canada East. However, the U.S. government had begun to impede Fenian activities, and arrested many Fenian leaders. The Fenians soon saw their plans begin to fade, with General Samuel Spear of the Fenians managing to escape arrest. On June 7, 1866, Spear and his 1,000 men marched into Canadian territory, achieving occupancy of Pigeon Hill, Frelighsburg, St. Armand and Stanbridge, Canada East (now Quebec). At this point the Canadian government had done little to defend the border, but on June 8th, Canadian forces arrived at Pigeon Hill and the Fenians, who were low on arms, ammunition and supplies, promptly surrendered, ending the raid on Canada East. By 1870, Chambers was employed as a Blacksmith in Godmanchester, Quebec, which was followed two years later by him making a naturalization declaration on April 1, 1872 in Burlington, Vermont. He became a naturalized American and married 1879, making his home in Colchester, Vermont. He would continue to live the rest of his life in Vermont, passing away there on November 13, 1933, at the age of 85.