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Preface

Isaac Brock is the subject of this book. It tells of his life, his career, and his legacy and of the context within which he lived. Readers interested in the War of 1812 or the British army and navy or American forces, diplomacy, and politics, or in the history of native peoples, will have to look at other works, some of which are listed in the bibliography.

The literature on the War of 1812 is large and growing and so it is a fair question to ask: why another book about Major-General Sir Isaac Brock? In the most recent study of Brock, M.B. Fryer offers her answer to this query, “Perhaps I have something different to say.”[1] The same question could be asked of this book and my answer is similar. With the approaching bicentenary of the War of 1812, there is growing interest in all aspects of that war, its participants and victims, and its legacies. One of the most enduring legacies on both the United States and Canadian sides was the creation of heroes and heroines. The earliest of those heroic individuals was Major-General Isaac Brock who, in some ways, was the most unlikely of heroes. For one thing, he was admired by his American foes almost as much as by his own people. Even more striking is how a British general whose military role in that two-and-a-half-year war lasted less than five months became the best known hero, and one revered far and wide. I find this outcome to be astonishing and approach the subject from that point of view. This concentration on Brock should not diminish anyone’s admiration of other heroic figures — Tecumseh, John Norton, Oliver H. Perry, Winfield Scott, and Laura Secord, to mention a few. Compared to them, however, the way Brock acted and what he achieved in so short a time were so unexpected that I believe the most appropriate term for them is astonishing. Let me outline, in brief, my thesis.

Isaac Brock was born into an upper class family on the island of Guernsey. He purchased his ranks in the army, except his captaincy, up to his Lieutenant-Colonelcy when he gained command of a regiment, the 49th Foot. He had only one experience of participating in combat before going to the distant British colony of Canada where he spent ten years in command posts that involved principally administrative duties. It was in the last year of his life that he achieved immortality as a fighting soldier and leader of Upper Canada. Ironically, a majority of the people whom he died defending against an American invasion had been born in the United States. He also surprised in other ways. In spite of his high-class origins and military status he proved to be a commanding officer who understood the feeling and needs of the common soldier. He enforced traditional British army discipline but when necessary allowed sufficient variance that showed his humanitarian concern for his troops. He led the militia (who were essentially civilians) and co-operated easily with native leaders and their followers. He showed remarkable insight into the enemy’s intentions and attitudes and by swift, decisive action he gained a complete victory over his opponent’s stronger forces.

No person on the British or Canadian side from the War of 1812 became memorialized as immediately and as much as Isaac Brock. His combat record during the war appears unimpressive. As a Major-General, he participated in two battles. He won one almost bloodlessly against a demoralized commander. He died early in a second battle yet he is remembered not as a failed leader but as its victor, thereby displacing Roger Sheaffe, the general who led the forces to victory over the American invaders. Other individuals subsequently received recognition for their contributions to Canada’s defence — Tecumseh, John Norton, Laura Secord, Lieutenant-Colonel de Salaberry, and Sir Gordon Drummond, to name a few. What is astonishing about the glorification of Brock is that it began among the Upper Canadian population immediately upon his death, remained strong during the rest of the war years, and has continued ever since. Even Americans at the time recognized his outstanding quality as a military leader. The elevation of Brock to the status of a great Canadian hero was, in part, a product of the times,[2] but more it was due to how he acted — as I attempt to show in the following pages.

Brock was a man of his age, the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Those times in Europe, North America, and elsewhere were tumultuous. When he was born, 1769, Britain was triumphant as a result of victories in the Seven Years’ War, which had resulted in large territorial additions to her empire. Ten years later the British Empire was fighting a losing war against American colonists who had proclaimed their independence. Isaac’s brother, Ferdinand, was killed in that war during the Spanish siege of Baton Rouge on the Mississippi River. Another brother, John, was serving in the 8th Regiment of Foot on the Canadian border.

A second decade later, revolution had broken out in France and the monarch was being held as a prisoner in Paris. Within a few years, Europe “would be plunged into one of the largest and longest wars of its history …”[3] and Brock was an ensign in the 8th Foot. Whoever decided that his future would lie in military service, he dedicated himself to it. The rest of his life would be determined by the vagaries of war. The context of his early years and his career during his years in Canada need to be described in order to explain his actions and legacies.

Notes on Terminology

Among historians there is debate about the appropriate terminology for First Nations people, the official governmental term now used in Canada. I agree with Carl Benn’s approach and apply it in the following text.[4] That means I refer to tribes or nations as they were called in the 1812 period and by names commonly used then (e.g., Seneca); also, I use the names of leaders, often called chiefs, commonly used then (e.g., John Brant). Benn explains that the Six Nations Reserve was normally called the Grand River Tract in1812. I follow his usage of using “native” and “aboriginal” without capitalization, and “Indian” only when the term was used by historical figures or in official agencies. Many terms used in 1812, as well as earlier and later, are now considered politically incorrect or demeaning to the people in question, but their use in a historical context provides accuracy and authenticity and in no sense is intended to offend anyone or any group.

It may be helpful from the outset to have a clear idea of what is meant by the terms “Canada” and “the Canadas.” British North America is a collective term for the seven British colonies in North America: Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, Lower Canada, and Upper Canada. Some contemporaries referred to Canada meaning Lower and Upper Canada, but the term “the Canadas” is more accurate. Lower referred to the lower stretch of the St. Lawrence River, while Upper denoted the upper part and beyond. In effect, Lower Canada was the equivalent of modern day southern Quebec and Upper Canada the equivalent of southern Ontario. The term Canada refers to the confederation (called a Dominion) that was created in 1867 with four provinces to which all the others later adhered. Canadian means the citizens of that nation. In the early nineteenth century, Canadian usually referred to French-speaking residents but could also mean the English-speaking people who were often called English or Upper Canadians. However, for convenience I sometimes refer to Canada (for the Canadas) and to Canadians meaning the residents of either one or both Canadas.

Donald Hickey explains the most usual contemporary designation of warships. For American vessels he uses US followed by the type (e.g., Frigate, Sloop, etc.). For British vessels he uses HM followed by the type. In 1812 the British warships on the Great Lakes were operated by the Provincial Marine, a branch of the army, and so he designates them PM followed by the type. The change to Royal Navy control came in May 1813 when Sir James Yeo arrived to take command and, thus, HM would replace PM.[5]

I follow the practice of many military histories of this period by using figures to designate British infantry regiments or battalions and words for American ones. Thus, the British 49th Regiment and the American Thirteenth Infantry Regiment.

Accoutrements (as in “arms and accoutrements”): A soldier’s pack straps, cartridge box or pouch and straps (belt), haversack, canteen, slings, bayonet belt, and bayonet scabbard.

Adjutant General: His job was to relieve his commanding officer of detailed work. He was the general’s chief administrator, although in the War of 1812 he might be called upon to assume combat responsibilities. Prevost’s adjutant general was Colonel Edward Baynes. See Hitsman, Incredible War of 1812, 32; Sutherland, His Majesty’s Gentlemen, 60.

Battalion (see Company): Was the basic British infantry unit and would be commanded by a lieutenant-colonel. Often, “battalion” and “regiment” were used interchangeably. Three battalions made up a brigade, which would be commanded by a brigadier-general. During the Napoleonic period, the British Army had 104 “regiments of the line,” each having one battalion and some as many as six.

Bateau (batteau): Flat-bottomed boat designed for shallow waters or river rapids. It was powered by oars with sometimes a simple sail.

Canister (U.S.) or Case Shot (British): This was a tin filled with small lead bullets for use against infantry. Usually used at a range of 200–500 yards. It differs from chain shot, which was naval ammunition used against enemy rigging.

Carronade: A gun with a short barrel, which differentiated it from a long gun. The carronade required a smaller gun crew and smaller charges than a long gun but had a shorter range (about 500 yards). A ship could mount more carronades than long guns of the same calibre because they were lighter.

Company (see Battalion): A company was supposed to have up to one hundred men and each battalion was supposed to have ten companies. Eight were known as centre, or battalion, companies. The other two were flank, or elite, companies, the grenadiers on the right and the light company on the left. A captain commanded a company and he would be assisted by subalterns (i.e., lieutenants and ensigns).

Gun (long gun): Fired on a flat trajectory and longer range than carronade, mortar, or howitzer. Calibre denominated by weight of its roundshot (e.g., a 6-pounder fired a 6-pound roundshot). The 6-pounder was the most common artillery piece used by both armies.

Parole: A promise given by a captured soldier that he would not fight again until he had been formally exchanged with a man captured by the other side. The parolee would be allowed to return home but he would usually sign a certificate of parole and his name would be entered on a list. See Gray, Soldiers of the King, 39–41.

NOTES

1. Fryer, Bold, Brave, 13–14. She describes her study of Brock as, “A military history of a military man.”

2. See Harvey, War of Wars, 270, 631, “There are few things the British like so much as a fallen hero….”

3. Harvey, War of Wars, 4.

4. Benn, Iroquois in the War, viii–ix. See also, Bamford and Carroll, Four Years on the Great Lakes, 31–2.

5. Hickey, Don’t Give Up The Ship!, xxvi–xxvii. See also, Malcomson, Lords of the Lake, xix–xx, 343–52.