Page:Brock centenary 2nd ed. 1913.djvu/83

 THE SPEECHES

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 engage- ments, 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 prepara- tions he had made for war during his life encour- aged 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 solici- tous 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."

We very naturally ask ourselves who these troops were for whose welfare General Brock was always so solicitous. There were of course some British regular troops in Canada, noticeably the Forty- ninth, Brock's own regiment, but during the earlier stages of the war, and while Brock lived, the men of the Province, militia and yeomanry, had to be

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