The Battle of Queenston

General Brock, at Fort George, having risen, as usual, before daylight, heard the cannonade, and galloped up to the scene of action.

Continuing Canada Versus USA 1812-1814,
with a selection from The Great Events by Famous Historians, Vol. 15 by Agnes M. Machar published in 1905. This selection is presented in 7 easy 5 minute installments. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in Canada Versus USA 1812-1814.

Arrived at Amherstburg, General Brock met Tecumseh, the Shawnee chief already referred to, one of the heroes of the war. Quickly recognizing in Brock the characteristics of a brave and noble leader, Tecumseh and his Indians were at his service at once, and together they concerted plans against Hull and Fort Detroit. By a happy inspiration, General Brock saw that promptitude and resolution were the qualities to gain the day, and General Hull was startled, first by a summons for the immediate surrender of Fort Detroit, and next by the crossing of the British force -— General Brock, “erect in his canoe, leading the way to battle.” Tecumseh and his Indians were disposed in readiness to attack in flank and rear, while the British force first drove the Americans from a favorable position back on the fort, and then prepared to assault it. To their surprise, however, a flag of truce anticipated the attack, and the garrison capitulated, surrendering to the British the Michigan territory, Fort Detroit, thirty-three pieces of cannon, a vessel of war, the military chest, a very large quantity of stores, and about two thousand five hundred troops with their arms, which latter were a much appreciated boon for arming the Canadian militia. General Brock was himself surprised at the ease of this brilliant success, which, at one stroke, revived the drooping spirits of the Canadians, rallied the hesitating, fixed the adhesion of wavering Indian tribes, encouraged the militia, who had now tried their strength in action, and made Brock deservedly the idol of the people. On his return to York (Toronto), he was greeted with the warmest acclamations, as befitted a leader who in such trying circumstances had organized the military protection of the Province, met and advised with the Legislature, accomplished a trying journey of three hundred miles in pursuit of a force more than double his own -— had gone, had seen, and had conquered!

It was now his ardent desire to proceed, amid the prestige of victory and in the first flush of success, to sweep the Niagara frontier of the last vestige of the invading enemy. It seems most probable that he could have done so, and thus might, at this early stage of the war, have nipped the invasion in the bud, and saved both countries a protracted and harassing struggle. But his hands were, at this critical moment, fatally tied by an armistice agreed to by the Governor-General, Sir George Prevost, probably in the hope that the revocation of the British “Orders in Council,” which took place almost simultaneously with the American declaration of war, would evoke a more pacific spirit. This was not the case, however; things had gone too far; the people were too eager for conquest to be easily persuaded to recede. The sole effect of this most ill-timed armistice was to give the Americans time to recover from the effect of their reverses, to increase their forces, and to prepare for subsequent successes on the lakes, by building vessels on Lake Erie, under the very eyes of General Brock, who, eager to act, had to remain passively watching the augmentation of the enemy’s force and the equipment of their boats, without being able to fire a shot to prevent it.

The first-fruits of this enforced passiveness was the surprise and capture, on October 9th, of the brig-of-war Detroit and the private brig Caledonia, both laden with arms and spoils from Detroit. The former, however, grounded, and was destroyed by its captor, Captain Elliott, who was then fitting out an armed schooner at Black Rock, with a strong force of American seamen under his command.

This stroke of success greatly stimulated the eagerness of the American force under Van Rensselaer —- now increased to six thousand men —- to engage in action. General Brock expected this and issued particular directions to all the outposts where landing might be effected. On October 11th a crossing at Queenston was attempted but failed through unfavorable weather and lack of boats. Before daybreak on the 13th, however, a crossing was effected, and the advance-guard of the American force, protected by a battery commanding every spot where they could be opposed by musketry, had gained the Canadian shore. On landing, they were gallantly opposed by the small outpost force of militia and regulars, aided by the fire of an eighteen-pounder on the heights and another gun a mile below; a part of the defending force meeting the enemy as they landed, the remainder firing down from the heights above. Both assault and resistance were resolute and brave.

General Brock, at Fort George, having risen, as usual, before daylight, heard the cannonade, and galloped up to the scene of action, where he found himself at once in the midst of a desperate hand-to-hand combat, a detachment of the enemy, who had landed higher up, having gained unobserved a spur of the heights by a secluded and circuitous path. Brock led his men with his usual unflinching valor, unmindful of the circumstance that his height, dress, and bearing made him too conspicuous a mark for the American riflemen. A ball, well and deliberately aimed, struck him down, with the words, “Push on the brave York Volunteers,” on his lips. Stung by their loss, his regiment raised a shout of “Avenge the General!” and by a desperate onset, the regulars and militia drove the enemy from the vantage ground they had gained. But the latter, being strongly reinforced, the little British force of about three hundred was compelled to retire toward the village while awaiting the reinforcements that were on their way, hastened by the tidings of the calamity that had be fallen the nation. General Sheaffe, Brock’s old comrade-in arms in other fields, ere long came up, with all the available troops, volunteers and Indians, eager to avenge the death of their commander.

Agnes M. Machar begins here. David Ramsay begins here.

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