Brock, Isaac, Sir, 1769-1812; Canada -- History -- 1763-1867; United States -- History -- War of 1812
During the absence of Brock in Canada, some changes had come to his
family. His eldest brother John, the brevet lieutenant-colonel of
the 81st, and a soldier of great promise, had been killed in 1801 in
a duel at the Cape of Good Hope. The second brother had long before
been killed in service at Bâton Rouge, on the Mississippi. The third
brother, Daniel de Lisle, was now a very important man in Guernsey.
In 1795 he had been elected a jurat of the royal court and had been
sent as its representative to London in connection with the trade and
certain ancient privileges of the island. He was afterwards for many
years lieutenant-bailiff or chief magistrate of Guernsey. The next
brother, William, was a merchant residing in London and engaged in
trade with the Baltic. He was married but had no {71} children, and
had taken the keenest interest in his brother Isaac's career,
advancing the money when it was required for his various steps.
Savery Brock, younger than Isaac, was the one whose exploits have
been already related. Irving, the next brother, had literary tastes,
was a clever translator, and a writer of pamphlets, some of which
were of great merit. The two sisters were both married. Elizabeth
to John E. Tupper, of Guernsey; Mary to Thomas Potenger, of Compton,
Berkshire. Isaac Brock was tenderly devoted to his family as his
many letters show, and his sojourn once more among them filled his
heart with joy.
[Sidenote: Events in Europe, 1804-5]
The years 1804-5 had been eventful ones in Europe. In May, 1804, the
first consul had been made by "the grace of God and the constitution
of the republic," emperor of the French, and henceforth dropped the
name of Bonaparte for that of Napoleon. He was crowned on December
2nd at Paris by the Pope, and afterwards at Milan as king of Italy.
In England Pitt was once more at the helm as prime minister.
During the summer of 1805 Napoleon had assembled a large force on the
shores of the English Channel with a flotilla at Boulogne, and had
given to this force the significant name of the "Army of England."
The invasion of that country and the plunder of London were
confidently talked of among his soldiers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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