Hugh Eayrs - Sir Isaac Brock

He chose his profession early in life. For him there could be only two careers, the navy or the army. Guernsey men, from time immemorial, had favored the services as a means of earning their living, for the love of adventure was ingrained in the people. Besides, Brock had two brothers in the army.

One brother, Ferdinand, had been in the 60th Regiment, and when Isaac was a lad of ten, had given his life at the defence of Baton Rouge, on the Mississippi, fighting against the colonial revolutionists. The other, John Brock, was a captain in the 8th, known as the King’s Regiment, and probably with the idea of being near his brother, Isaac in 1785 purchased a commission as ensign in the 8th. Thus he had in John a hand and mind steadied and practised by reason of ten years’ service to guide and help him in the career he had chosen.

Isaac was keenly enthusiastic about this new life, and his brother’s example spurred in him the ambition to be a distinguished soldier. His love for history and his liking for serious reading stood him in good stead. He had had, perhaps, too much sport and too little study in those Guernsey days. He allotted his time differently now, and sedulously spent some hours each day locked in with his books. He was wise enough to know that he was not too well-equipped for his work. These were the years when his mind was receptive and plastic, and he used them well. He served five years and purchased his lieutenancy in 1790, when he was twenty-one. These were uneventful and quiet days, but they were days of preparation. Barrack-room and camp taught him the essential elements of soldierliness. He returned to Guernsey, for he had been quartered in England, and raised an independent company. This he commanded with the rank of captain, being placed on half-pay. The quietness and sameness of soldiering in England palled on him, however, and in the next year he arranged a transfer to the 49th Regiment, then quartered in the Barbadoes. These were the men whom he was to learn to love, and many of whom fought with him when, some years later, he received his death wound.

Joining his regiment in Barbadoes, he served there and later in Jamaica. There is a story told of him at this time which shows that the courage of the boy who had been the hero of a hundred daring escapades was his distinguishing mark in young manhood. A captain in the 49th, who was a crack shot, was the bully of the mess. Brock, who treated him with indifference, was singled out as a mark for his insult and was involved in a duel. The braggart was a little man, but Brock was six feet two – not a difficult target. Brock had the right, as he had been challenged, to name the conditions of the duel. When the party reached the grounds where the duel was to take place, Brock drew out his handkerchief and insisted that he and his opponent should fight their duel across it. This would minimize the disadvantage of his own great height. The bully, recognizing that for once he was fighting with equal chance to kill or be killed, refused the condition and fled. His brother officers declared that Brock had won a moral if not an actual victory, and they and he compelled the expulsion of the bully from the regiment.

Shortly after this incident the 49th moved to Jamaica. Though he enjoyed the more eventful life there, Brock was a product of a hardier clime and could not stand the enervating air of the tropics. He fell a victim to fever and indeed nearly died of it. His man, Dobson, tended and restored him, and Brock, big-hearted and kindly then as later, never forgot what he owed to his trusty servant. Dobson remained with him till his death, which took place a short time before Brock set out on the expedition against Detroit.

In 1793 Brock returned to England on sick leave and re-visited his old home, there to regain his health and strength. Subsequently, until the return of his regiment from Jamaica, he was engaged in the recruiting service. While employed in this most important work he kept up his hours of study, fitting himself for the greater things to come.

In 1795, he purchased his majority, and in 1797, at the age of twenty-eight and after only twelve years service, was gazetted lieutenant-colonel of his regiment, soon afterwards becoming the senior officer.

As commander of the 49th he had no easy position. The morale of his men on their return from abroad was bad. The former commander was a poor disciplinarian, and his men had been allowed to get out of hand.

These were queer days in the services. The men in the navy were in a perpetual state of mutiny. There had been cases where the seamen had risen and murdered their officers. There had been a lack of actual naval fighting for some time, and the consequent dullness, added to the poor pay, made the navy a somewhat ragged and discontented unit. The seamen usually took the lead in revolt, and the soldiers sympathized with them. In the army there was additional reason. The officers were often bullies. Different ideas of discipline were held from those we know to-day. The average British officer terrorized over his men. He punished them heavily for the slightest offence. It was considered the proper thing to give a man fifty lashes or so for a mild misdemeanor, such as having dirty boots on parade, and on that scale the punishment was allowed to over-fit the crime. Bad barrack-room conditions and little leave were other reasons for growing discontent which smouldered, and then broke out in mutiny.

So far as his own regiment was concerned, Brock showed his ability to solve this problem of lax discipline. He was indefatigable in his efforts to familiarize himself with what was wrong, and unwearying in the task of setting it right. As we have already seen, he was thorough in whatever he did. It was so now. He never relaxed vigilance and rested little either day or night. When he slept, it was with pistols ready to his hand. Daily he would make the round of the barracks. Whatever displeased him he ordered changed and frequently he would tear down insurgent notices from the walls with his own hand. He tempered justice with kindliness. He was aware that former regimental rulers had tried the patience of the men a good deal, and he made generous allowance for this in his own treatment. By so doing he won them over to himself, and they learned to respect and love him. The men knew that he would insist on rigid discipline and orderliness, but they knew too that on their side they might count on justice, not unmixed with generosity and affectionate regard. Brock made a great change in the temper and behavior of the 49th. When the Duke of York inspected the regiment, therefore, he put himself on record that the 49th, under Brock’s direction, had become instead of one of the worst regiments in the service, one of the best.

Brock was soon to realize his dream of active service. Europe was in a turmoil. Bonaparte’s ambition was insatiable, and unless effective opposition was offered quickly, he was in a fair way to over-run the Continent. England, under Pitt, was averse to participation in the Continental wars, but the prime minister saw that to keep out meant real danger. In 1798 Pitt agreed with Russia that an army should be sent to Holland, which was at that time occupied by France under the name of the Batavian Republic. The ultimate aim of the allies was to seize Northern France, and thus hold Bonaparte in check. Of the 25,000 men which England agreed to send, the 49th, Brock’s regiment, was a part.

In early August of 1799 the first detachment of this invading army, 10,000 men, left England, under command of Sir Ralph Abercromby. He was to pave the way for the larger allied force under the Duke of York, which would leave as soon as the advance guard had landed in Holland. Brock took his men with Sir Ralph. The 49th was part of the brigade commanded by Major-General John Moore, who, later, fell at Corunna in Spain.