notorious Ned McGowan, of Californian celebrity at the head of a band of Yankee Rowdies defying the law! Every peaceable citizen frightened out of his wits!—Summons & warrants laughed to scorn! A Magistrate seized while on the Bench, & brought to the Rebel’s camp, tried, condemned, & heavily fined! A man shot dead shortly before! Such a tale to welcome me at the close of a day of great enjoyment. Moody and the Royal Engineers, Columbia Detachment, accompanied by Justice Matthew Baillie Begbie, made the arduous trip to Yale, where Moody and the Engineers prevented violence and Begbie convened court. Another group of Marines remained stationed at Fort Langley to resist any action by the nearby troops of the US Border Commission stationed in nearby Whatcom County. On hearing the tangled web of cases and charges resulting from the misconduct of both justices Perrier and Whannell, McGowan was fined for assault and both magistrates were dismissed from their posts, thus ending the bloodless war, which afterward became well known as Ned McGowan's War. Moody enjoyed a warm reception for his success that he describes thus: They gave me a Salute, firing off their loaded Revolvers over my head—Pleasant—Balls whistling over one’s head! as a compliment! Suppose a hand had dropped by accident! I stood up, & raised my cap & thanked them in the Queen’s name for their loyal reception of me. See also Fraser Canyon War Fraser Canyon Gold Rush References Bibliography McGowan's War, Donald J. Hauka, New Star Books, Vancouver (2000) ISBN British Columbia Chronicle,: Gold & colonists, Helen and G.P.V. Akrigg, Discovery Press, Vancouver (1977) ISBN Claiming the Land, Dan Marshall, UBC Ph.D Thesis, 2002 (unpubl.) External links Passage of Biography of Judge Begbie concerning the events of McGowan's War Biography of McGowan from BC Bookworld An Early History of the Fraser River Mines, F.W. Howay, pub. Charles F. Banfield (Victoria), 1926 While the U.S. is making history, here it's being brought back to life - The Globe and Mail Conflicts in 1858 Pre-Confederation British Columbia Battles and conflicts without fatalities