Let us always remember that the War of 1812 was not of our making. On the 18th of June, 1812, President Madison declared war against Great Britain, with Canada as the point of attack. The "Right of Search," the power to search for contraband or for deserters on board of American ships, was claimed by Britain, but was resisted by the United States. Strange to say, this claim was abandoned by Great Britain the very day before war was declared by President Madison, yet the war was declared and went on. It will be readily seen that Canada had absolutely nothing to do with this war or its alleged cause, the "Right of Search"; and yet, in making this war on Canada, the United States placed itself on record as approving a forcible invasion of a neighbouring peaceful country and of involving it in all the horrors of war. At that time the United States had eight million people, Upper Canada had barely eighty thousand. At the very outset the Americans placed upon a war footing one hundred and seventy-five thousand men, whereas there were less than ten thousand men of all kinds capable of bearing arms in Upper Canada. These figures give us an idea of the very great disparity both in numbers and fighting strength between the two peoples so far as we in Upper Canada were concerned. During the two and a half years of the war there were no less than twelve separate and distinct invasions of Canada, and fifty-six military and naval engagements, the great majority of which were won by our forces. While Brock lived his genius and spirit guided and inspired the defence of the country, and after his death his noble example and the preparations he had made for war during his life encouraged and enabled the people to repel the invader. Under the guise of strict discipline and the grim visage of a soldier and fighting man, Isaac Brock possessed a warm human heart; he was ever solicitous for the comfort and well-being of his people and especially of his militia soldiers, and on every occasion consistent with the safety of the Province he relaxed the rigours of war and would permit the militia to return to their homes and farms. This is evidenced by many of his Militia General Orders. An extract from Militia General Orders of 26th of August, 1812, immediately after the capture of Detroit, reads as follows: "Major-General Brock has ever felt anxious to study the comforts and conveniences of the militia, but the conduct of the detachments which lately accompanied him to Detroit has if possible increased his anxiety on this subject. The present cessation of hostilities enables him to dispense with the services of a large proportion of them for a short period."