Brock Stepped Here

Brock Stepped Here. . , In August 1812, after the American invasion of Canada by Brigadier General William Hull on the Detroit River frontier, the Speaker of the House of Assembly in York (Toronto) warned that Upper Canada faced a "conspiracy against the civilization of man". In response, Major General Isaac Brock, the military governor, sailed from York to Burlington Bay on August 6. He assembled 60 men of the 41st Regiment and about 250 militia on the farm of James Durand, and then stayed the night in Durand's stone house. The militia included Captain Samuel Hatt of Dundas, Lieutenant Robert Land, Lieutenant William Hamilton Merritt (future Welland Canal builder) and Captain George Hamilton, founder of Hamilton., The next day, Brock and his force climbed the escarpment on the Indian trail (John Street) to the Mohawk Trail on their way to the Mohawk Village (Brantford), where 60 Natives were recruited. With the Provincial Marine in control of Lake Erie, the growing army embarked safely from Dover Mills (Port Dover). Escorted by the schooner Nancy, they rowed 12 large bateaux over 320 kilometres along the north shore of Lake Erie in stormy weather, reaching Amherstburg on the Detroit River in six days - an extraordinary feat of physical stamina. Brock led 730 regulars and militia and 600 Natives under legendary Shawnee leader Tecumseh, across the river under the covering fire of the Provincial Marine and shore batteries. Despite having 2400 troops, Hull was fearful of an 'Indian massacre' and surrendered Fort Detroit and the Michigan territory, the single largest territorial loss in U.S. history., This spectacular success reassured the Upper Canadian settlers, the militia, and their Native allies, that an American invasion could be resisted.