On Oct. 10, 1864, three strangers arrived in St. Albans, a Vermont town near the Canadian border, and checked into a hotel. They said they were Canadians. More strangers arrived, in twos and threes, in subsequent days. On Oct. 19, these men, 21 in all, revealed themselves as Confederate soldiers, declared the town conquered territory, raided three banks – and rode off to Canada, 25 kilometres away, with $208,000.
Though insignificant as a military operation, the St. Albans raid profoundly shaped Canadian and American sentiment at the time – and remains instructive to this day. Take our protectionist legacy. Take our imperial Parliament – and our dysfunctional Senate. Take the border itself – the cause of much American fear of Canada and much Canadian fear of America. St. Albans illuminates the comparable legitimacy of these fears.
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“now that the threat of American invasion has eased.”
Has eased, well there it is isn’t it? That ever present, repressed concern.
We’ll see how things go when they run out of water
Right now they’re drowning in it. In my “pointy headed view” they just have to find a way to control it.