The Life and Correspondence of Sir Isaac Brock, K.B Part 29

"General Brock[155] was indeed a hero, a hero in the only true and in the most extensive sense, resembling what history or fable has represented, rather as the offspring of the imagination than a personage that could have real existence, so entirely was every great and good quality comprehended in his character."

_Additional Notes_.

The garrison of Michilimakinack, when surprised in 1763, (see page 244,) consisted of the commandant, Major Etherington, two subalterns, and ninety soldiers; and there were four English traders there. Of these Lieutenant Jemette, about seventy soldiers, and one trader, were ma.s.sacred; but the commandant, Lieutenant Leslie, and the remainder, were preserved by the Ottawas, and restored at the peace in 1764. The English trader, who beheld and described the ma.s.sacre, was Alexander Henry, whose travels in Canada are cited at page 369.

When peace was concluded at Detroit, by General Bradstreet, with the Indians, in 1764, Pontiac fled to the Illinois; (see pages 164 and 243;) but he appears subsequently to have joined the English, and to have received a handsome pension from them to secure his attachment. Carver, in his "Three Years Travels" in North America, relates that in 1767 Pontiac held a council in the Illinois, in which he spoke against the English, and that in consequence an Indian, who was attached to their cause, plunged a knife into his heart, and laid him dead on the spot.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 136: The medal is a very large and beautifully executed gold one, made to suspend from the neck. On the obverse is, "Detroit;" on the reverse, the figure of Britannia; and round the rim, "Major-General Sir Isaac Brock." The medal was given only to the princ.i.p.al officers.]

[Footnote 137: This is doubtless the officer whose name is spelt M'Kec, at page 252; see also page 294.]

[Footnote 138: The present Mrs. De Beauvoir De Lisle.]

[Footnote 139: The present Lieut.-General Sir Andrew Barnard, G.C.B.]

[Footnote 140: Her husband, who distinguished himself in Upper Canada during the war, was then serving on the staff in Lower Canada.]

[Footnote 141: On the same day, ten years previously, Sir Isaac Brock's nephew, Colonel Tupper, was slain in Chile.]

[Footnote 142: Exclusive of the chief justice and Mr. Justice Macaulay, the speakers were, His Excellency Sir George Arthur; Sir Allan MacNab; Mr. Thorburn, M.P.P.; Colonel the Hon. W. Morris; Colonel R.D. Fraser; Colonel Clark; Mr. W.H. Merritt, M.P.P.; Lieut.-Colonel J. Baskin; Lieut.-Colonel Sherwood; Colonel Stanton; Colonel Kerby; Colonel the Hon. W.H. Draper; Colonel Angus M'Donell; the Hon. Mr. Sullivan; Lieut.-Colonel Cartwright; Colonel Bostwick; Colonel M'Dougal; the Hon.

Mr. Justice Hagannan; Colonel Rutton; Lieut.-Colonel Kearnes; Lieut.-Colonel Kirkpatrick; H.J. Boulton, Esq.; and Lieut.-Colonel Edward Thomson.]

[Footnote 143: A public meeting of the inhabitants of Montreal was also held in that city, for the same purpose as that on Queenstown Heights.]

[Footnote 144: We suppose that the chief justice was the lieutenant of militia, who acted as one of Lieut.-Colonel M'Donell's pall bearers. See page 332.]

[Footnote 145: The extracts given in inverted commas are from "Buckingham's Canada," that gentleman being at Toronto at the time, but unable from illness to attend the "gathering."]

[Footnote 146: In 1841, the Six Nations of Indians had contributed the (for their diminished numbers and limited means) large sum of 167.]

[Footnote 147: See Appendix A, Section 1, No. 11.]

[Footnote 148: Bernard's Narrative of the combined Naval and Military Operations in China. London, 1844.]

[Footnote 149: Captain M----, the son of a baronet, fell as a major and aide-de-camp to Lord Lake, at the siege of Bhurtpore, in 1805.]

[Footnote 150: For a brief memoir of him, see Appendix B.]

[Footnote 151: One of his pamphlets went through four editions.]

[Footnote 152: For a short memoir, see Appendix C.]

[Footnote 153: For a memoir, see Appendix D.]

[Footnote 154: The only son of the Rev. Richard Potenger. (See page 269.) With this fine young man expired the last hope of his family, and the continuation of his line.]

[Footnote 155: It is also creditable to the military character of the little island of Guernsey, that of the five British generals killed in action in 1812, two, whose names follow in the obituary of the _Annual Army List_ for 1813, were Major-General Le Marchant, 6th Dragoon Guards, at the battle of Salamanca, and Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, K.B., 49th Foot, in America,--_Duncan's History of Guernsey_.]

APPENDIX A.

SECTION I.--BRITISH AUTHORS.

No. 1. Page 15.

_Lieut.-General Lord Aylmer, Governor-General of British North America, to J. Savery Brock, Esq_.

SOREL, Lower Canada, August 23, 1834.

I received yesterday your letter of the 19th March.... The sight of your handwriting reminded me of old times, and brought back the recollection of scenes which almost appear to have taken place in another state of existence.... I made a tour in Upper Canada last summer, and visited with a feeling of love and reverence the monument at Queenstown, erected to the memory of one who was as brave as he was good, and a better man never breathed; to have enjoyed his friends.h.i.+p and good opinion, is to me a source of pride and satisfaction.

Yours, my dear Savery, very sincerely,

AYLMER.

_Extract of a note from Lord Aylmer to the Editor_.--

"LONDON, August 5, 1844.

I am very glad to learn by your letter that a work is shortly to appear, int.i.tuled 'The Life and Correspondence of Sir Isaac Brock,' for sure I am that the more of him that is made known to the public, the more highly will his valuable services be appreciated."

No. 2. Page 206.

_From Captain Roberts to the Adjutant-General_.

Fort Michilimakinack, July 17, 1812.

On the 15th instant I received letters, by express, from Major-General Brock, with orders to adopt the most prudent measures either for offence or defence, which circ.u.mstances might point out; and having received intelligence from the best information, that large reinforcements were expected to be thrown into this garrison, with the thorough conviction that my situation at St. Joseph's was totally indefensible, I determined to lose no time in making the meditated attack on this fort.

On the 16th, at ten o'clock in the morning, I embarked my few men, with about 180 Canadians, and two iron 6-pounders. The boats arrived without the smallest accident at the port of rendezvous, at three o'clock the following morning: by the exertions of the Canadians, one of the guns was brought up a height commanding the garrison, and ready to act about ten o'clock. A summons was then sent in; a copy of the capitulation which followed I have the honor to enclose. At twelve o'clock, the American colours were hauled down, and those of his majesty were hoisted. A committee has been appointed to examine into the state of the public stores.

Enclosed also are the returns of the ordnance and military stores found in the fort, and the strength of the garrison.

The greatest praise is due to every individual employed in the expedition; to my own officers I am indebted, in particular, for their active a.s.sistance in carrying all my orders into effect.

No. 3. Page 275.

Extracts from "_The Letters of Veritas_;"[156] _containing a succinct Narrative of the Military Administration of Sir George Prevost during his command in the Canadas, whereby it will be manifest that the merit of preserving them from conquest belongs not to him_. 8vo. Montreal, July, 1815.