Sir Isaac Brock "the
hero of Upper Canada"
Isaac Brock was born at St.
Peter Port, Guernsey, on October 6, 1769. He
joined the British Army at the age of 15 as an
ensign of the 8th Regiment, rising to the rank of
Lieutenant-Colonel in 1797, after less than
thirteen years of service. From 1802 to 1805 he
was with his regiment in Canada, and returned
there in 1806 in view of potential war between
Great Britain and the United States. In 1810 he
assumed the command of the troops in Upper
Canada, and then took over the civil
administration of that province as provisional
Lieutenant-Governor.
Upon outbreak of the War of 1812 in the United States, Brock organized
the militia of Upper Canada and prepared it to
defend the province against invasions from the
United States. On August 16, 1812, with about 730
men and 600 Indians commanded by Shawnee chief Tecumseh, he
compelled an American force of some 2,500 men
under General William Hull to surrender at
Detroit, an accomplishment which gained him a
knighthood of the Bath and the popular title of
"the hero of Upper Canada." From
Detroit he rushed his force to the Niagara
frontier, but was killed at the Battle of
Queenston Heights on October 13.
The War of 1812 Website www.warof1812.ca/brock.htm
War of
1812
Tecumseh
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