John O'Neill (Fenian)

John Charles O'Neill (9 March 1834 – 7 January 1878) was an Irish-born officer in the American Civil War and member of the Fenian Brotherhood. O'Neill is best known for his activities leading the Fenian raids on Canada in 1866 and 1871.

He was born in Drumgallon, Clontibrit County Monaghan, where he received some schooling. He emigrated to New Jersey in 1848 at the height of the Great Famine (Ireland). He received an additional year of education there and worked in a number of jobs.

In 1857 he enlisted in the 2nd United States Dragoons and served in the Utah War (May 1857 – July 1858), apparently deserting afterwards to California.

In California, he joined the 1st Cavalry, and served as a sergeant in the American Civil War with this regiment until December 1862, at which time he was commissioned as an officer in the 5th Indiana Cavalry. He was credited as being a daring fighting officer, but believed he had not received due promotion, which led to a transfer to the 17th United States Colored Infantry as captain. He left the Union Army prior to the end of the conflict, marrying Mary Crow, with whom he had several children.

While in Tennessee, O'Neill joined the militant Irish-American movement, the Fenian Brotherhood, which eschewed politics in favor of militant action to expel the British presence in Ireland. He attached himself to the group led by William Randall Roberts, who wished to attack Canada.

O'Neill, ranked as colonel, travelled to the Canada–US border with a group from Nashville to participate in the Fenian raids. The assigned commander of the expedition did not appear, so O'Neill took command. On 1 June 1866, he led a group of six hundred men across the Niagara River and occupied Fort Erie.

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