The Life and Correspondence of Sir Isaac Brock, K.B.: Interspersed with notices of the celebrated Indian chief, Tecumseh, and comprising brief memoirs of Daniel De Lisle Brock, Esq., Lieutenant E.W. Tupper, R.N., and Colonel W. De Vic TupperBrock, Isaac, Sir
History
The Life and Correspondence of Sir Isaac Brock, K.B.: Interspersed with notices of the celebrated Indian chief, Tecumseh, and comprising brief memoirs of Daniel De Lisle Brock, Esq., Lieutenant E.W. Tupper, R.N., and Colonel W. De Vic Tupper
[Footnote 10: Lieut.-Colonel Smith, commanding the 20th, a native of
Guernsey, afterwards Colonel Sir George Smith, aide-de-camp to the king.
He died at Cadiz, in 1809, and was a distinguished officer.]
[Footnote 11: The present General Lord Aylmer, G.C.B., formerly
governor-general of British North America. He was then a captain in the
49th. See Appendix A, Sec. 1, No. 1.]
[Footnote 12: In this engagement, the gallant Lieut.-Colonel Bainbrigge,
of the 20th, was killed. He married Miss Dobrée, of Beauregard,
Guernsey.]
[Footnote 13: Duncan's History of Guernsey.]
[Footnote 14: The late Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Fremantle, G.C.B.]
[Footnote 15: It is worthy of remark, that Lieut.-Colonel Brock's almost
immediate superiors, during his active service in Europe, fell like
himself in action, as knights of the bath, viz. Sir Ralph Abereromby,
Lord Nelson, and Sir John Moore.]
[Footnote 16: Afterwards Sir W. Stewart, G.C.B., who commanded a
division in the Peninsular war.]
[Footnote 17: While the above was in type, the Duke of Rutland visited
Guernsey in his yacht, and wrote the following note at Detroit, the
residence of the once outcast middy, on whom, while we write this, the
hand of death is but too apparent: "The Duke of Rutland called to pay
his respects to Mr. Savery Brock, and sincerely regrets to find that he
is so unwell. Saturday, July 13, 1844."]
CHAPTER II.
The 49th, on its return from Copenhagen to England, was collected at
Colchester, and in the spring following, (1802,) the regiment sailed for
Canada, which country was destined to bestow on it many additional
laurels, as well as to be the scene of the fame and death of its
commanding officer. In less than eighteen months after the arrival of
the 49th in Canada, and while it was quartered in the upper province, a
serious conspiracy was on the point of breaking out in that part of the
regiment which was in garrison at Fort George, on the Niagara, under the
command of the junior lieutenant-colonel, the head quarters being, we
believe, at York, the capital. This officer, it seems, more by useless
annoyance than by actual severity, had exasperated the men under his
command to that degree that they formed a plot to murder all the
officers present, with the exception of a young man who had recently
joined; and then to cross over to the United States. Far be it from us
to justify the intention, which indeed was highly criminal; but in all
such extreme cases we hold that a sad abuse of power, or a gross want of
tact, must be the exciting cause, and that even in the passive obedience
of a military life, there may be a limit to human endurance. The
proximity of the United States rendered this plot a very feasible one,
as the men in a body could have crossed the river Niagara without
molestation or difficulty. The suspicions of the officer in command
having been aroused, he hastily wrote to Lieut.-Colonel Brock on the
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