Many volunteers from historic Mississauga served during the Fenian Raids, both leading up to, and in the aftermath of, battles at Ridgeway and Fort Erie in June of 1866. Local militia infantry companies consisting of some 50 men each were formed at Derry West and Grahamsville; Brampton was home to one infantry company and one rifle company; Streetsville formed a half-company of 21 men, and also provided men for a mounted company; volunteers from Port Credit joined with the militia in Oakville and were on service in the Niagara area.
Here is a list of known veterans of the Fenian Raids who have connections to historic Mississauga: George Armstrong, William Calvert Armstrong, Henry Baldock, Charles Bamford, William Bamford, Henry Bleakley, William Brown, William Thomas Brown, Alfred Burrows, John Carr, Robert Cotton, John Crawford, Thomas Crombie, James Currie, Robert Currie, John Delaney, Robert Delaney, William Denison, William Duggan, George Elliot, Robert Elliot, William Elliot, Stephen Garbutt, Royal Grafton, Thomas Grafton, Thomas Graham, Robert Graydon, James Hamilton, Hugh Hanna, William Jarvis, John Lennon, George Leslie, John Lougheed, Robert. Lougheed , Hugh McCaugherty, Josiah Oliver, William Oliver, John Orr, Joshua Pollard Jr., Richard Pollard, John Christopher Rutledge, Joseph Jabez Rutledge, Robert Rutledge, James Shaw, William Shaw, Richard Sparling, William Sparling, Samuel Switzer, George Taylor, Henry Taylor, William Taylor, Joseph Tilt, William Todd, David Wedgewood, John Wedgewood, James Wolfe and George Wright. There would have been more.
While we no longer, generally, observe Decoration Day, as veterans of the Fenian Raids of 1866 we remember their brave service.