o necessitate their services, they would promptly respond to the
summons.

Capt. John Ford (who at the date of issue of this book is still alive
and as full of fire and patriotism as in days of yore) is a well-known
and highly respected citizen of Toronto, whose friends are many. By
request of the author he has given the following personal recollections
of the organization of "The Chicago Volunteers" and their trip home to
Canada, which I feel will prove of great interest to the reader:--

"As all old citizens of Toronto will well remember, they had for
neighbors years ago some who were keen sympathizers with the Fenians,
and whose relatives were seen in Fenian processions in Chicago and other
American cities. As circumstances took many young men from Canada to the
States, we found on foregathering on one occasion in the old Post
Office in Chicago, in 1864, that we numbered 75, all former citizens
of Toronto. We then organized the "Chicago Canadian Society," meeting
weekly for drill and social purposes in the hall of the American
Protestant Association. Our drill instructors were Military School
cadets, holding first and second-class certificates. We found that the
Fenian organization was raising money and manufacturing pikes, and
in the year 1864 they held an Irish National Fair for the purpose of
increasing their fund. Quite a number of Canadians visited the Fair, and
saw soil or turf from Ireland sold in envelopes for 25 cents each, and
also "Irish bonds," to be redeemed on the consummation of the object of
the Fenian organization, or the capture of Canada; and to show the ease
in which they expected to accomplish this end, a stuffed lion was shown
with its tail between its legs, and head down, covered with a calf-skin.
On lifting the calf-skin the calf's head appeared, their idea evidently
being to cast ridicule on the bravery of the British lion or the nation.

"On the evening of May 24th, 1865, we held a banquet in the Washington
Coffee House, which was largely attended, and the toast of 'The Queen
and Royal Family,' and other patriotic sentiments, were enthusiastically
honored.

"On attending one of the Fenian recruiting meetings in Metropolitan
Hall, we saw upwards of 1,000 veteran cavalry men enrolled for service,
who, it was announced, were to be mounted on horses between Hamilton and
Toronto. This enrollment was only part of the 37,000 guaranteed by
the delegates from Illinois at the National Convention of