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The Life and Correspondence of Sir Isaac Brock by Ferdinand Brock Tupper

F >> Ferdinand Brock Tupper >> The Life and Correspondence of Sir Isaac Brock




I received yesterday your letter dated the 20th February, and
have to express my thanks to Sir George Prevost for his
readiness in attending to my wishes.

His excellency having been pleased to authorize the raising of
two companies under my superintendence, giving me the
nomination of the officers, I have to acquaint you, for his
information, that Alexander Roxburgh, Esq., has been appointed
by me to raise men for a company, and William M'Lean,
gentleman, for an ensigncy. The former is a gentleman strongly
recommended to me by Mr. Cartwright, of Kingston; and the
latter, the son of an officer formerly in the 25th regiment,
who, having settled in this country, has become one of the
most influential characters in it. He is a member of the house
of assembly for the district of Frontenac. I have not yet
determined in respect to the remaining commissions, but will
report the instant the individuals are nominated.

Captain Dixon (royal engineers) proceeded four days ago to
Amherstburg, with the gentlemen who were returning from their
parliamentary duties.

I request you will have the goodness to inform me of the
probable time I may expect the honor of seeing Sir George
Prevost, as I shall consider it a duty, which I shall execute
with the utmost pleasure, of meeting his excellency at
Kingston.


_Colonel Baynes to Major-General Brock._

QUEBEC, March 19, 1812.

I regret to find by your late letters to Sir George Prevost,
that your expectations from your legislature have not been
realised to the extent of your well grounded hopes. Sir
George, who is well versed in the fickle and untractable
disposition of public assemblies, feels more regret than
disappointment. He has a very delicate card to play with his
house of assembly here, who would fain keep up the farce of
being highly charmed and delighted with his amiable
disposition and affable manners: they have even gone the
length of asserting, that these traits in his character have
afforded them the most entire confidence that in his hands the
alien act would not be abused. They have, however, taken the
precaution of stripping it of its very essence and spirit,
while last year they passed it without a division, when Sir
James, (Craig,) on whose mild and affable disposition they did
not pretend to rely, told them that it could only alarm such
as were conscious of harbouring seditious designs. They have
passed an amendment to the militia bill, which, though not
affording all that was required, is still a material point
gained. 2,000 men are to be ballotted to serve for three
months in two successive summers; one of their strongest
objections was the apprehension of the Canadians contracting
military habits and enlisting into the service.[A]

Sir George has directed me to inform you, that he will be
ready to render you any assistance in his power to strengthen
the Upper Province; but that unless reinforcements arrive from
England, (in which case you may depend upon having a due
proportion put under your immediate command,) his means of
doing so are but very limited. His excellency is not sanguine
in his expectation of receiving reinforcements this summer; on
the contrary, the appearance of hostilities beginning to abate
at Washington, and the pledge held out in the prince regent's
speech of supporting with energy the contest in Spain and
Portugal, are likely to prevent troops being sent to this
quarter, unless a more urgent necessity of doing so should
appear. I will not comment on American politics, in which we
all appear to agree that the deep-rooted jealousy and hatred
of that people must in the end lead to hostilities, and that
it behoves us not to lose sight of an event which, if not
prepared to meet, we shall find more difficult to
repel;--under this impression, Sir George is disposed to
promote the several plans you have recommended to him,
relating to the general line of conduct you would wish to
adopt in the defence of the important province committed to
your charge. If no additional forces be sent out, he will
send up the strong detachment of the 41st, composed of
uncommonly fine young men, and in very good order: the general
has it also in view to send you a strong detachment of the
Newfoundland regiment, selecting their seamen and marine
artificers, who will be most useful in the proposed works to
be carried on at York; and here I am apprehensive that the
means of augmenting your strength must be bounded, unless the
Glengary Levy can be rapidly formed, and Sir George is
sanguine in his expectations of its being speedily placed upon
a respectable footing: in that case, it could occupy Kingston
and that line of communication between the provinces, which
you deem so essential to be guarded. This corps will have the
very great advantage of starting with a better selected body
of officers than has fallen to the lot of any Fencible
regiment in Canada. I hope you will feel inclined to bring
forward Shaw as one of your captains, as without your
countenance I fear he will find it an arduous task to provide
for himself and his brother. The uniform of the corps is to be
green, like that of the 95th rifles.

Sir George expressed himself very sensible of the policy of
the line of conduct you would wish to pursue respecting the
Indians; but as other considerations of the greatest political
delicacy are so minutely interwoven with them, and as the
American government are already inclined to view every
transaction with those people with a jealous and suspicious
eye, he would recommend the utmost caution and forbearance,
lest a different line of conduct might tend to increase the
irritation between the two governments, which it is evidently
the wish of Great Britain to allay.

Our weather has been, and still continues for the season,
severer than ever was recollected by the oldest stagers, and
has rather put our Halifax friends out of conceit with the
fine climate of Canada, particularly as Lady Prevost's health
is delicate, and she is very sensible of cold. Mrs. Cator and
Mrs. Baynes beg to be most kindly remembered to you. General
Bowes accompanied Kempt to Portugal in the end of December.


_Colonel Baynes to Major-General Brock._

QUEBEC, April 2, 1812.

Many thanks for the very kind and friendly note which
accompanied your letter of the 9th ultimo, and I beg you to
rest assured, that I am very sensible of your friendly
disposition towards me, and feel particularly grateful and
flattered by the kind manner in which you have the goodness to
express it.

The American papers, under the head of English news, as late
as the 20th January, give a circumstantial account of the
death of Sir James Craig, on Sunday, the 12th, at his house in
Charlotte Street. There are too many circumstances
corroborating an event which was so greatly to be apprehended,
to leave a shadow of doubt of the severe loss that all, who
were favored with his friendship, have sustained. To me, from
my earliest youth, he has been the best and kindest friend, a
steady and powerful patron; for few sons ever experienced more
truly paternal care and affectionate regard from the best of
fathers, than I have received at the hands of that best of
men. The grief that I cannot suppress is a selfish tribute to
my own irreparable loss: his release from a state of cruel,
lingering suffering, which, as I had so long witnessed, he
bore with a degree of fortitude and patient resignation
unparalleled, could have been no cause of regret to him, and
therefore ought not to be so to those who most sincerely loved
him; but I have so long been accustomed to cherish the
grateful and affectionate sentiments of a highly favored son
to the best of parents, that however I might have been
prepared for this inevitable shock, I still feel that there
are affections so rooted in our hearts, that this world's
changes can never efface the impression. His memory will long
be remembered with admiration by all who knew his merit. As a
soldier he had few equals, and no knight had a fairer claim to
the proud title of _sans peur et sans reproche_; while the
widow, the orphan, and every distressed object that claimed
his aid, will testify the generous heart that once animated
that good and honorable man.

The ladies of this house always beg to be remembered to you,
with the sincerest good wishes for your health and happiness.
Mrs. Baynes has been plotting with Mrs. Colonel Robertson to
elope and pay you a visit, pressing Heriot[47] into their
service as their knight errant.


_Major-General Brock to Lieut.-Colonel Nichol, Commanding 2d Regiment
Norfolk Militia._

YORK, April 8, 1812.

The power which is vested in the person administering the
government, by the amended act of the militia, passed the last
session of the provincial parliament, of forming two flank
companies, to be taken indiscriminately from the battalions,
being limited to the end of the ensuing session, would almost
deter me from incurring public expense upon a system which
will cease to operate before its utility and efficacy can well
be ascertained.

But being anxious at this important crisis to organize an
armed force with a view of meeting future exigencies, and to
demonstrate by practical experience the degree of facility
with which the militia may be trained for service, I have to
request you to adopt immediate measures for forming and
completing, from among such men as voluntarily offer to serve,
two companies, not to exceed one captain, two subalterns, two
sergeants, one drummer, and thirty-five rank and file each, in
the regiment under your command.

You will have the goodness to recommend two captains, whom
you conceive the best qualified to undertake this important
duty; the nominating of the subalterns is left to your
discretion.

Such other regiments as are conveniently situated to receive
military instruction, shall have an opportunity afforded them
of shewing their ardour in the public service, which cannot
fail of creating a laudable emulation among the different
corps.

Assisted by your zeal, prudence, and intelligence, I entertain
the pleasing hope of meeting with very considerable success,
and of being able to establish the sound policy of rendering
permanent to the end of the present war, a mode of military
instruction little burdensome to individuals, and every way
calculated to secure a powerful internal defence against
hostile aggression.

Printed rules and regulations, for your future guidance, are
herewith forwarded: the most simple, and at the same time the
most useful, movements have been selected for the practice of
the militia.

Experience has shewn the absolute necessity of adopting every
possible precaution to preserve in a proper state the arms
issued to the militia, and of guarding against the heavy
defalcations which have heretofore occurred.

You will make applications to the officers commanding at Fort
Erie for the number of arms and accoutrements wanting to
complete the men actually engaged to serve in the flank
companies; and that officer will be instructed to comply with
your requisition, upon your transmitting to him duplicate
receipts, one of which is to be forwarded to head quarters,
that you may become responsible for the articles delivered to
your order: at the same time, the most liberal construction
will be given to any representation accounting for such
contingencies as are incidental to the service.

[The remaining details in this letter are omitted here.]


_Sir James Saumarez, Bart.[48] to Major-General Brock._

SPITHEAD, April 14, 1812.

Lieutenant Le Couteur[49] being ordered to join his regiment
in Canada, permit me to recommend him to your kind notice: he
is a promising young officer, and being connected with our
family, makes me interested for his welfare. I congratulate
you upon your present distinguished appointment. A few weeks
previous to my leaving town, I was informed by Lord Liverpool
that Governor Gore had leave of absence, but that if he did
not return to his command, he would be happy in taking your
services into consideration. From what his lordship was
pleased to add, I have no doubt of your succeeding to the
government, in the event of Governor Gore obtaining any other
situation.

I am on the point of returning to the Baltic, where there
appears a strong disposition on the part of Russia and some
of the other powers to resist the aggressions of Bonaparte,--I
trust with well-founded hopes of ultimate success.


_Major-General Le Couteur to Major-General Brock._

LISBON, April 16, 1812.

I am here in consequence of a mistake in orders sent to me by
Lord Palmerston, to join the army in Portugal, when his
lordship meant Jamaica. On my arrival at Lisbon I found out
the mistake, and I hope in a few days to sail for my real
destination.

My son, whom you perhaps will remember an infant when you were
in Jersey, will have the pleasure to deliver you this letter,
if the 104th regiment be in your neighbourhood. He is only
seventeen years old; very young to be sent loose on the wide
world. Allow me to recommend him to your kindness and friendly
protection; and should he be quartered at some distance from
you, permit me to request you will be so good as to introduce
him to some steady officer, or to such of your friends as
might be in his neighbourhood. I shall hope to have him soon
as my aide-de-camp.


_Sir John Dumaresq, Kt., Lieut.-Bailiff of Jersey, to Major-General
Brock_.

JERSEY, April 20, 1812.

I hope you will pardon the liberty I take of giving a letter
of introduction to you to my grandson, Lieut. John Le Couteur,
of the 104th, son of Major-General Le Couteur, who is on his
departure for Quebec with recruits. His father, who is now in
Portugal, had some hopes his son might have been allowed to be
on his staff; but it seems that could not take place until he
has served a certain time in the regiment. He is a young man
(not yet eighteen) of an excellent disposition, educated at
Marlow, where he has given the most pleasing testimonies of
early professional abilities and attention to his duty. I
shall esteem, it a great favor, as well as his father, for any
mark of attention or notice which you may have it in your
power to shew him whilst under your command.


_Major-General Brock to Sir George Prevost_.

YORK, April 22, 1812.

I had the honor yesterday to receive your excellency's letter,
dated the 21st ultimo, and I entreat you to believe that no
act within my control shall afford the government of the
United States a legitimate pretext to add to a clamour which
has been so artfully raised against England.

We have received the account of the renewal of the embargo,
and that the most rigorous measures have already been adopted
to prevent the least infringement of it upon the Niagara
river. Armed men, in coloured clothes, are continually
patroling along the shore. These troops are stated to have
recently arrived, but I have not been able to ascertain
whether they belong to the new levy or to the militia. They
are reported to amount to about 300. Colonel Proctor has
doubtless written fully on the subject, but unfortunately the
letters, by some negligence, were left at Niagara. The
accounts which have reached me are not therefore so
satisfactory as could be wished. An idle boy is stated to have
wantonly fired with ball at the guard opposite Queenstown, and
it appears that the Americans were guilty of a similar outrage
by firing during the night into a room in which a woman was
sitting. Luckily no mischief followed. Being detained here
upon civil business, I have sent Captain Glegg over to see how
matters stand, and to arrange with both civil and military the
best means of preventing a recurrence of a practice which may
easily lead to serious consequences. I hope to be at Niagara
myself the day after to-morrow.

I beg leave to assure your excellency, that I receive with no
small degree of pride the praise bestowed on my endeavours to
improve the militia system of this province; and as the bill
underwent some alterations after the departure of Colonel
M'Donnell, particularly in limiting its operation to the end
of the ensuing session, I shall have the honor to forward for
your excellency's information the law as now enforced. I have,
by partial and gentle means, already commenced to give it
operation, and I make not the least doubt that a sufficient
number will be found ready to volunteer to complete the flank
companies; and I here beg leave to call your excellency's
attention to the clause which authorizes the training of the
flank companies six times in each month; but as no provision
is made for remunerating the men, I presume to submit for your
excellency's indulgent consideration, that the commissaries be
instructed to issue rations for the number actually present at
exercise. These companies I expect will be composed of the
best description of inhabitants, who in most cases will have
to go a great distance to attend parade; and, unless this
liberal provision be allowed, will be liable to heavy expense,
or be subject to considerable privations. According to my
present arrangements, the number embodied will not exceed 700,
and when the companies are completed throughout the province,
they must be calculated at 1,800; and, as during harvest and
the winter months few or no parades will take place, the total
expense attending the measure can be of no material
consequence in a pecuniary point of view, and may in a
political light be productive, at this juncture, of
considerable benefit.

I have likewise to request that such portion of clothing as
your excellency can conveniently spare from the king's stores,
may be forwarded, to enable me to clothe such companies as are
the most likely to be called upon duty.

I am anxious to hear the real object of the embargo; should it
be directed solely against England, the probability is that it
leads to a war; but should France be included in its
operation, nothing of the kind need be dreaded.

In the expectation of having the honor of seeing your
excellency shortly at York, I limit, for the present, the
works of the military artificers at this place, to preparing a
temporary magazine for the reception of the spare powder at
Fort George and Kingston, and the excavation of the ditch for
the proposed fortifications of the spot on which the
government house stands.

I transmit, for your excellency's perusal, a detailed account
of the transactions which led to the unjustifiable censure
passed by the house of assembly upon Chief Justice Scott. It
is written by Mr. Nichol himself; and the warmth with which he
has expressed his indignation at the wanton exercise of a
power yet undefined, as far as regards this province, is not
therefore surprising. I am convinced that whenever the
business is brought legally before the judges, they will
refuse to sanction the enormous power, under the name of
privilege, which the house arrogates to itself. The executive
will in that case be placed in a very awkward predicament: Mr.
Nichol having commenced civil actions against the speaker and
sergeant at arms for false imprisonment, will, should he
succeed in obtaining damages, bring the question with double
force on the _tapis_. The violence and ignorance which, in all
probability, will mark the proceedings of the house, cannot
fail of producing a dissolution. I apply forcibly to ministers
for instructions, but should they be contrary to the opinion
which the judges of the court of king's bench have formed of
the law, I am led to believe they will not influence the
members; therefore, one of two alternatives must be resorted
to, either the appointment of more docile judges, or the
decision of the question by a British act of parliament. I
trust, for the tranquillity and prosperity of the province,
that the latter mode may be preferred. I have thus freely, and
perhaps with rather too much haste to be sufficiently
explicit, stated the difficulties which in all likelihood I
shall have to encounter at the next meeting of the
legislature.

Should the effect of the embargo appear to be directed solely
at Great Britain, I shall avail myself of the confidence
placed in me, and order the purchase of horses, to enable the
car brigade to act in case of necessity. This, being a service
which requires infinite trouble and practice to bring to any
degree of perfection, cannot be too soon attended to.


_Sir George Prevost to Major-General Brock_.

QUEBEC, April 30, 1812.

I have just heard from Mr. Foster that the secretary at war,
at Washington, has transmitted orders to Governor Tompkins, of
New York, to send 500 of the state militia to Niagara, 500 to
the mouth of the Black River, opposite to Kingston, and 600 to
Champlain, in consequence of the hostile appearances in
Canada. Mr. Foster is of opinion the government of the United
States calculates that something will happen on the part of
these men to produce a quarrel with the British troops, which
may lead to retaliation on both sides, and occasion
hostilities to commence, as in this way alone, it seems
thought, an unjust war can be forced on the American people,
who are represented as really averse to it. We must,
therefore, use every effort in our power to prevent any
collision from taking place between our forces and the
American.

I have also received information that the American garrison at
Fort Chicago, not exceeding 60 men, has been ordered to
Detroit, in consequence of apprehensions from the Indians.


_Colonel Baynes to Major-General Brock_.

QUEBEC, May 14, 1812.

I have great satisfaction in telling you that I have reported
the Glengary light infantry more than complete to the
establishment of 400 rank and file, and have received Sir
George Prevost's commands to recruit for a higher
establishment; indeed, the quotas the officers have engaged to
fulfil will nearly amount to double that number; and from the
very great success that has attended our exertions, I have no
doubt of succeeding by the end of this year. Two officers have
divided Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for their hunting
ground, and are permitted to recruit Acadians; and Lieutenant
Ronald M'Donnell, of the Canadians, proceeds in a few days to
Pictou and the highland settlements on the coast and gulf: he
is an officer that appears to be eminently qualified for that
service, and he is sanguine that the proffer of lands in the
Scotch settlements of Upper Canada will induce great numbers
to enter. I am assured from various channels that the men I
have got are generally young, rather too much so, and of a
good description, there being very few Yankees amongst them.

I have long letters from my friends at home, giving me a
detailed account of the death of my excellent and best of
friends: the duke of York sat by his bedside for half an hour
the day before he died, and, Somerville says, was extremely
affected. Sir James, (Craig,) on the contrary, rallied from
the pleasure he experienced from this condescending kindness.
Sir James had a codicil written fair for his signature, the
chief object of which was to add a legacy for a female cousin
whom he did not know to be in existence, and to direct the
sale of the priory and freehold, which cost 12,000 guineas, to
enable the payment of the legacies: this instrument, not
having been executed, will lead to what he most deprecated and
wished to avoid, a lawsuit. The heirs at law will possess the
freehold; and Wilkie, who, besides L6,000, is left the two
houses in London, furniture, &c, as residuary legatee, will be
stripped of the whole that is not given by special bequest, to
make up the legacies: he will however, I believe, have at
least L10,000 left--very ample payment for his services.

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Resounding Guardian first book award victory for The Rest Is Noise
Articles published by guardian.co.uk Books

Site of the Week: The International Literary Quarterly

An intricate, kaleidoscopic, all-embracing history of 20th-century music from Mahler to La Monte Young is the winner of this year's Guardian first book award. Alex Ross's The Rest Is Noise was the clear and undisputed winner of the £10,000 prize, which has been presented at a ceremony in central London tonight.

The chair of the judging panel, Guardian literary editor Claire Armitstead, said: "In some quarters this book has been seen as not having a popular appeal. Our prize – which, uniquely, relies on readers' groups in the early stages of judging – proves that, on the contrary, there is a huge appetite among readers for clear, serious but accessible books."

According to one judge: "Where Ross lifts his book above the 'expert' and impressive to the 'good read' category is in the way he wears his learning lightly, never clutches for false or contrived ways of explaining music, and never dumbs down in order to explain."

One of the members of the Waterstone's reading groups, who helped in the judging process, said: "Every time I felt overwhelmed by the technicalities, along came a sublime metaphor or simile that would light up the prose."

Ross, who is the music critic of the New Yorker, has distilled a lifetime's enthusiasm and learning into a rich narrative of musical history, setting the works of Mahler, Schoenberg, John Cage and the rest into their cultural and political contexts – but also giving a vivid sense of what the music he describes actually sounds and feels like.

Of all the artforms, modern and contemporary classical music is often seen as the most rebarbative. Ross brushes aside the mythology of 20th-century music's "inaccessibility" as he charts its meandering histories. Along the way, fascinating connections are made: hip-hop has more in common with Janacek than you might think; Arnold Schoenberg and George Gershwin were tennis partners; Gershwin, in turn, was an ardent fan of Alban Berg and kept an autographed photo of the composer of Lulu in his apartment. If there is an overarching idea to the book, it is perhaps contained in Berg's pronouncement to Gershwin: "Mr Gershwin, music is music."

Ross, 40, was born in Washington DC, and studied English and history at Harvard. An enthusiastic teenage musician and student broadcaster, he began writing music criticism after university and in 1996 was appointed music critic of the New Yorker. His blog – also called The Rest Is Noise – has been a trailblazer in harnessing the internet as a way of amplifying (often literally) his writing on music.

The New York Review of Books described The Rest Is Noise as "by far the liveliest and smartest popular introduction yet written to a century of diverse music". The Economist noted: "No other critic writing in English can so effectively explain why you like a piece, or beguile you to reconsider it, or prompt you to hurry online and buy a recording."

Nicholas Kenyon, managing director of the Barbican and a former Observer music critic, said: "At a time when people are still talking about 20th-century music as if it were a problem, here is a lucid and entertaining book about what I regard as some of the greatest music ever written. It's a wonderful way to advance the cause of 20th-century music to an ordinary, intelligent general reader. It's the ideal mix of enthusiasm and information."

This year's judging panel comprised novelist Roddy Doyle; broadcaster and novelist Francine Stock; poet Daljit Nagra; the historian David Kynaston; novelist Kate Mosse and Guardian deputy editor, Katharine Viner. Stuart Broom of Waterstone's also joined the deliberations, speaking as the representative of the readers' groups.

The other books on the shortlist were Mohammed Hanif's A Case of Exploding Mangoes; Ross Raisin's God's Own Country; Steve Toltz's A Fraction of the Whole (which was also shortlisted for the Man Booker prize) and Owen Matthews's Stalin's Children.

Previous winners of the prize have included Stuart: A Life Backwards by Alexander Masters (2005) and Zadie Smith's White Teeth (2000).

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