Military officer; born in
Guernsey, Oct. 6, 1769; entered the
British army as an ensign in
1783; saw service in
Holland, and was in the attack on
Copenhagen in 1801.
Rising by degrees, he became a major-general, and was appointed president and administrator of the government of
Upper Canada, Oct. 9, 1811.
When war was declared by the
United States, he took prompt measures for the defence of the province.
He heard of
Hill's invasion from
Detroit on July 20, 1812.
He knew the weakness of Fort Malden, below
Detroit, and felt anxious.
The legislature was about to assemble at
York (
Toronto), and he could not personally conduct affairs in the west.
Divided duties perplexed him. Leaving the military which he had gathered along the
Niagara frontier in charge of
Lieutenant-Colonel Myers, he hastened to
York, and, with much parade, opened the session of the legislature.
His address was warmly received, but he found that either disloyalty or timidity prevailed in the legislature.
Some were decidedly in favor of the americans, and most of them were lukewarm.
Perceiving this,
Brock prorogued the Assembly so soon as they had passed the necessary supply bills.
But a change soon came.
News of the seizure
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of
Mackinaw and reverses to the
Americans on the
Detroit frontier, together with
Brock's continually confident tone in public expressions, gave the people courage, and he was enabled to write to
Sir George Prevost (July 29, 1812), “The militia stationed here have volunteered their services this morning to any part of the province.”
He soon led quite a large body of them, and captured
Detroit (q. v.). He also personally led the troops in the
battle of Queenston, where he was killed, Oct. 13, 1812.
The British government caused a fine monument to be erected to his memory in St. Paul's Cathedral.
London. bearing the following inscription: “Erected at the public expense to the memory of
Maj.-Gen. Sir Isaac Brock, who gloriously fell on the 13th of October, Mdcccxii., in resisting an attack on
Queenston, Upper Canada.”
To the four surviving brothers of
Brock 12.000 acres of land in
Canada were given, and a pension of $1,000 a year each for life.
In 1816 the Canadians struck a medal to his memory, and on the
Heights of Queenston they raised a beautiful
Tuscan column 135 feet in height.
In the base of the monument a tomb was formed, in which the general's remains repose.
They were taken to this last resting-place from
Fort George on Oct. 13, 1824.
A small monument marks the place where he fell.