Page:Tupper family records - 1835.djvu/160

 138 SIR ISAAC BROCK.

has headed their troops in Canada throughout the war;' — truth undeniable ! — ' and, with his loss, put an end to their then brilliant career;' — yet the capture of General Wadsworth took place in less than live hours afterwards.

" The instant we know what the Americans expected to gain, a tolerable idea may be formed of what they actually lost by the attack upon Queenstown. General Van Rensselaer, in a letter to Major- General Dearborn, written five days previously, says thus : ' Should we succeed, we shall effect a great discomfiture of the enemy, by breaking their line of communication, driving their shipping from the mouth of this river, leaving them no rallying point in this part of the country, appalling the minds of the Cana- dians, and opening a wide and safe communication for our supplies ; we shall save our own land, — wipe away part of the score of our past disgrace, — get excellent barracks and winter quarters, and at least be prepared for an early campaign another year.' — Who could believe that this very letter is given at length in General Wilkin- son's book, and precedes, but a few pages, those ridiculous remarks into which an excess of patriotism had betrayed him.

" It is often said, that we throw away by the pen what we gain by the sword. Had General Brock been less prodigal of his valu- able life, and survived the Queenstown battle, he would have made the 13th of October a still more 'memorable' day, by crossing the river and carrying Fort Niagara, which, at that precise time, was nearly stripped of its garrison. Instead of doing this, and thus putting an end to the campaign upon the Niagara frontier, Major- General Sheaffe, General Brock's successor, allowed himself to be persuaded to sign an armistice ; the very thing General Van Rens- selaer wanted. The latter, of course, assured his panic-struck mili- tia, that the British general had sent to implore this of him ; and that he, General Van Rensselaer, had consented merely to gain time to make some necessary arrangements. — Ibid, pp. 99 to 101.

"Considering the character of the distinguished chief who fell on the British side, at the Queenstown battle, — of him who, undoubtedly, was ' the best officer that headed their troops through- out the war,' — it will surely be deemed a pardonable digression to give a brief sketch of the more prominent features of his life and character.

" Sir Isaac Brock was born at Guernsey, in October, 1769; con- sequently, was but forty-three when he received the fatal bullet. He had entered the army at the age of sixteen, and been lieutenant-

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