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| THE ENEMY'S VIEW: Brock's Monument in the distance, as viewed from the shores of Lewiston, N.Y. (Photo: Todd Humber.) |
Alright. So just who
is this Brock guy?
ALRIGHT. SO YOU'VE swung by this website, and you're wondering:
"Who is General Brock and why is there a website dedicated to him?"
The simple answer is that Brock is, arguably, one of Canada's most
important historical figures. He's certainly one of the most important
military leaders in the country's history. Without him, it's not a stretch to
say that Canada would likely have been lost to the Americans in the War
of 1812.
After all, Britain didn't have troops to spare in the years leading up to
the outbreak of war in North America. British troops were otherwise
occupied in Europe, keeping Napoleon in check. So when the United
States, upset over the way Britain was treating her, declared war,
things looked very grim indeed for the Canadas.
This was particularly true in the case of Upper Canada (the modern day
province of Ontario.) In 1812, Upper Canada was still very much a
frontier territory with fewer than 100,000 residents scattered across a
wide area. All told, including Lower Canada (Quebec) and the Maritime
provinces, Canada had about 500,000 residents.
The burgeoning nation to the south, by contrast, was approaching eight
million people. On paper, it shouldn't have been a fight at all. But wars
aren't won on paper. Great leaders can overcome tremendous odds, and
that's exactly what Brock was able to accomplish.
Brock knew war was coming. It was a matter of if, not when. So when
the U.S. declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812, Brock was
ready to spring into action.
He arranged a surprise early attack on Fort Michilimackinac (modern day
Mackinac Island in Michigan) that helped convince Aboriginals to join the
British side or, at the very least, to stay neutral and not take up arms
against England.
Then he turned his attention to the southern part of the province. U.S.
General William Hull, the commander of forces at Fort Detroit, had
crossed into Canada at Sandwich (modern day Windsor, Ont.) and by all
accounts should easily have taken the British fort at Amherstburg (Fort
Malden.)
But, inexplicably, Hull got scared. He was obviously a very different
leader than Brock. Brock seized the advantage and with the famous
Shawnee Chief Tecumseh by his side, took Fort Detroit without barely
firing a shot. The garrison at Fort Detroit was much stronger than the
attacking British force. It shouldn't have been a contest and by all
accounts Brock should have been walking into a bloodbath.
Instead, a white flag was raised over the fort in August 1812 and the
British took control. This set the American battle plan back and was a
severe blow to the U.S.'s pride. It essentially stopped the invasion of
Canada in its tracks.
The next serious attempt at invasion by the Americans didn't come until
Oct. 13, 1812, when U.S. troops crossed in force from Lewiston, N.Y., to
Queenston, Ont.
Brock raced from Fort George, about seven kilometres north of
Queenston, to defend the village. Riding his steed Alfred, Brock's dash
from Fort George to Queenston is one of the most legendary moments in
Canadian history.
When he arrived at Queenston, he was facing a much larger invading
force than he had the numbers to repel. But this didn't stop Brock.
Rallying what men he could, he led a charge up the slippery slopes of
Queenston Heights to take the high ground back from the Americans.
A U.S. rifleman stepped out from behind a clump of bushes, so the
legend goes, and fired a single shot that fell the British general. Rallying
behind their fallen general, the British troops fought valiantly and won
the day at Queenston.
The U.S. war effort from 1812 to 1814 never really got off the ground
thanks to the groundwork laid by Brock. He helped forge a common bond
among residents of Upper Canada, many who were Americans who had
simply been lured north by the promise of cheap land.
In short, he ensured Canada's survival and laid the groundwork for the
country to take a distinct and separate path from the United States.
-- Todd Humber
Webmaster
webmaster@generalbrock.com
is this Brock guy?
ALRIGHT. SO YOU'VE swung by this website, and you're wondering:
"Who is General Brock and why is there a website dedicated to him?"
The simple answer is that Brock is, arguably, one of Canada's most
important historical figures. He's certainly one of the most important
military leaders in the country's history. Without him, it's not a stretch to
say that Canada would likely have been lost to the Americans in the War
of 1812.
After all, Britain didn't have troops to spare in the years leading up to
the outbreak of war in North America. British troops were otherwise
occupied in Europe, keeping Napoleon in check. So when the United
States, upset over the way Britain was treating her, declared war,
things looked very grim indeed for the Canadas.
This was particularly true in the case of Upper Canada (the modern day
province of Ontario.) In 1812, Upper Canada was still very much a
frontier territory with fewer than 100,000 residents scattered across a
wide area. All told, including Lower Canada (Quebec) and the Maritime
provinces, Canada had about 500,000 residents.
The burgeoning nation to the south, by contrast, was approaching eight
million people. On paper, it shouldn't have been a fight at all. But wars
aren't won on paper. Great leaders can overcome tremendous odds, and
that's exactly what Brock was able to accomplish.
Brock knew war was coming. It was a matter of if, not when. So when
the U.S. declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812, Brock was
ready to spring into action.
He arranged a surprise early attack on Fort Michilimackinac (modern day
Mackinac Island in Michigan) that helped convince Aboriginals to join the
British side or, at the very least, to stay neutral and not take up arms
against England.
Then he turned his attention to the southern part of the province. U.S.
General William Hull, the commander of forces at Fort Detroit, had
crossed into Canada at Sandwich (modern day Windsor, Ont.) and by all
accounts should easily have taken the British fort at Amherstburg (Fort
Malden.)
But, inexplicably, Hull got scared. He was obviously a very different
leader than Brock. Brock seized the advantage and with the famous
Shawnee Chief Tecumseh by his side, took Fort Detroit without barely
firing a shot. The garrison at Fort Detroit was much stronger than the
attacking British force. It shouldn't have been a contest and by all
accounts Brock should have been walking into a bloodbath.
Instead, a white flag was raised over the fort in August 1812 and the
British took control. This set the American battle plan back and was a
severe blow to the U.S.'s pride. It essentially stopped the invasion of
Canada in its tracks.
The next serious attempt at invasion by the Americans didn't come until
Oct. 13, 1812, when U.S. troops crossed in force from Lewiston, N.Y., to
Queenston, Ont.
Brock raced from Fort George, about seven kilometres north of
Queenston, to defend the village. Riding his steed Alfred, Brock's dash
from Fort George to Queenston is one of the most legendary moments in
Canadian history.
When he arrived at Queenston, he was facing a much larger invading
force than he had the numbers to repel. But this didn't stop Brock.
Rallying what men he could, he led a charge up the slippery slopes of
Queenston Heights to take the high ground back from the Americans.
A U.S. rifleman stepped out from behind a clump of bushes, so the
legend goes, and fired a single shot that fell the British general. Rallying
behind their fallen general, the British troops fought valiantly and won
the day at Queenston.
The U.S. war effort from 1812 to 1814 never really got off the ground
thanks to the groundwork laid by Brock. He helped forge a common bond
among residents of Upper Canada, many who were Americans who had
simply been lured north by the promise of cheap land.
In short, he ensured Canada's survival and laid the groundwork for the
country to take a distinct and separate path from the United States.
-- Todd Humber
Webmaster
webmaster@generalbrock.com