h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

On April 14th, 1866 a group of Irish-Americans, members of the Fenian movement, tried to invade Indian Island, New Brunswick. They were upset at the British government's harsh policies in Ireland (the only place in the British Isles where the police were armed) and figured invading Canada (the most easily accessible British colony) would be a good way to bring attention to their plight. They retreated very quickly because a couple of hundred poorly equipped men are no match for British warships that had been stationed in Halifax. Even though this "war" was unsuccessive, some credit fears of further attacks as a reason that Nova Scotia and New Brunswick joined Canadian Confederation in 1867.