A Matter of Honour: The Life, Campaigns and Generalship of Isaac Brock by Jonathon Riley with a forward by Donald E. Graves. Robin Brass Studio, 2011, 336 pages.
In the year 1812 five British major generals were killed in action or died of wounds. Four fell in the Iberian Peninsula, while the fifth, Sir Isaac Brock, was killed in Upper Canada leading a local counter-attack up Queenston Heights. In the manner of his death, and indeed in his generalship before that fatal day, Brock has entered Canadian legend as the Saviour of Upper Canada. Much has been written about his life and death, not all of it by any stretch accurate, but the major question remains, why was the commander of the British forces in Upper Canada killed doing a captain’s job? The author is eminently qualified to delve into the Brock enigma, for Jonathon Riley is a retired lieutenant general in the British Army with a PhD in history. And he did not earn his rank “power pointing” in London. He commanded a battalion and then a brigade in the Balkans, was the Joint Task Force Commander in Sierra Leone and a divisional commander in Iraq. His final command was as Deputy Commander of ISAF in Afghanistan.
Riley begins with a comprehensive review of the British army in 1784, the year that Brock, the 15-year-old son of a prominent family on Guernsey in the Channel Islands, joined the 8th Regiment of Foot as an ensign by purchase. Suffice to say that the army was sadly under strength, disorganized and divided into competing camps over tactics and doctrine. Little was expected of officers except that they looked after their men to the best of their abilities and before they looked after themselves, maintained good order and discipline and led by example. Things really have not changed all that much. In 1791 he transferred, again by purchase, into the 49th Regiment of Foot as a captain. He spent the rest of his regimental career with the 49th, rising to command the unit in April 1798. We follow his career the West Indies where he survived yellow fever, and Europe, including service at Den Helder and Copenhagen. In 1802 the 49th was posted to Canada, where it remained until after the War of 1812. Brock proved himself to be a more than competent officer, and he eventually rose to Major General as the joint military and civil leader of Upper Canada.
The author provides some interesting details about Brock, both physically and about his character. He was a tall man, well over six feet tall, and by the outbreak of war in 1812 was decidedly portly. In fact one passage notes his resemblance in body shape to King Henry VIII. (Examination of his tunic in the Canadian War Museum suggests this is not idle conjecture.) He also had a very large head. That he was able to stand the strain of wilderness campaigning says much about his constitution and energy. Be that as it may, Brock was impulsive and aggressive, and Riley notes with displeasure that, when war came, he on occasion flagrantly disobeyed strategic and operational direction.
The explanation of the situation on the outbreak of war, especially the “painting” of the ground and the logistics challenges facing both sides are masterful. There are also useful pointers about operational planning. As one would expect in a biographical examination of generalship, the emphasis is on his exercise of command and his ability to gain the advantage by outsmarting his enemy, and not on the details of the various battles. It must be admitted that the American general officer corps in the north in 1812 was worse than mediocre, and Riley wonders how Brock would have made out in 1814. Which bring us to that fateful morning in October 1812 when Brock led part of the Light Company of his old regiment, the 49th, and the Flank Companies of the 2nd York and 5th Lincoln Militia – 50 men at best – up Queenston Heights against a superior American force. And the rest is history. Brock was struck in the upper right chest by a ball that ranged downward and exited to the left rear. The shock would have been tremendous, his lungs would have filled with blood, and he would have died very quickly.
This brings us back to the question – why was the commander of the British and Canadian forces in Upper Canada leading a counter-attack? Remember as noted above, officers were expected to look after their troops, keep them in good order and discipline and lead them into battle. And that was what Brock was doing. He could not have stood aside; Jonathon Riley concludes it was a matter of honour.
The book itself is a typical high quality product of the Robin Brass Studio. It is well designed and edited, with lots of high quality illustrations and maps, and is printed on fine paper. Even without reading a line, it is a pleasure to pick it up and flip through the pages.
In the year 1812 five British major generals were killed in action or died of wounds. Four fell in the Iberian Peninsula, while the fifth, Sir Isaac Brock, was killed in Upper Canada leading a local counter-attack up Queenston Heights. In the manner of his death, and indeed in his generalship before that fatal day, Brock has entered Canadian legend as the Saviour of Upper Canada. Much has been written about his life and death, not all of it by any stretch accurate, but the major question remains, why was the commander of the British forces in Upper Canada killed doing a captain’s job? The author is eminently qualified to delve into the Brock enigma, for Jonathon Riley is a retired lieutenant general in the British Army with a PhD in history. And he did not earn his rank “power pointing” in London. He commanded a battalion and then a brigade in the Balkans, was the Joint Task Force Commander in Sierra Leone and a divisional commander in Iraq. His final command was as Deputy Commander of ISAF in Afghanistan.
Riley begins with a comprehensive review of the British army in 1784, the year that Brock, the 15-year-old son of a prominent family on Guernsey in the Channel Islands, joined the 8th Regiment of Foot as an ensign by purchase. Suffice to say that the army was sadly under strength, disorganized and divided into competing camps over tactics and doctrine. Little was expected of officers except that they looked after their men to the best of their abilities and before they looked after themselves, maintained good order and discipline and led by example. Things really have not changed all that much. In 1791 he transferred, again by purchase, into the 49th Regiment of Foot as a captain. He spent the rest of his regimental career with the 49th, rising to command the unit in April 1798. We follow his career the West Indies where he survived yellow fever, and Europe, including service at Den Helder and Copenhagen. In 1802 the 49th was posted to Canada, where it remained until after the War of 1812. Brock proved himself to be a more than competent officer, and he eventually rose to Major General as the joint military and civil leader of Upper Canada.
The author provides some interesting details about Brock, both physically and about his character. He was a tall man, well over six feet tall, and by the outbreak of war in 1812 was decidedly portly. In fact one passage notes his resemblance in body shape to King Henry VIII. (Examination of his tunic in the Canadian War Museum suggests this is not idle conjecture.) He also had a very large head. That he was able to stand the strain of wilderness campaigning says much about his constitution and energy. Be that as it may, Brock was impulsive and aggressive, and Riley notes with displeasure that, when war came, he on occasion flagrantly disobeyed strategic and operational direction.
The explanation of the situation on the outbreak of war, especially the “painting” of the ground and the logistics challenges facing both sides are masterful. There are also useful pointers about operational planning. As one would expect in a biographical examination of generalship, the emphasis is on his exercise of command and his ability to gain the advantage by outsmarting his enemy, and not on the details of the various battles. It must be admitted that the American general officer corps in the north in 1812 was worse than mediocre, and Riley wonders how Brock would have made out in 1814. Which bring us to that fateful morning in October 1812 when Brock led part of the Light Company of his old regiment, the 49th, and the Flank Companies of the 2nd York and 5th Lincoln Militia – 50 men at best – up Queenston Heights against a superior American force. And the rest is history. Brock was struck in the upper right chest by a ball that ranged downward and exited to the left rear. The shock would have been tremendous, his lungs would have filled with blood, and he would have died very quickly.
This brings us back to the question – why was the commander of the British and Canadian forces in Upper Canada leading a counter-attack? Remember as noted above, officers were expected to look after their troops, keep them in good order and discipline and lead them into battle. And that was what Brock was doing. He could not have stood aside; Jonathon Riley concludes it was a matter of honour.
The book itself is a typical high quality product of the Robin Brass Studio. It is well designed and edited, with lots of high quality illustrations and maps, and is printed on fine paper. Even without reading a line, it is a pleasure to pick it up and flip through the pages.
