the defence of a
country with so long and exposed a frontier. In the provinces of
Canada there were, in 1812, only four thousand five hundred regular
troops, and of these hardly one-third were stationed above Montreal.
The Canadian militia, however, rallied with extraordinary readiness to
the call of the authorities. The majority of the loyal population that
had come into the country had been engaged in military services, and
even the old settlers, who were exempted from active duty, voluntarily
came forward, and exercised, as General Sheaffe, said, "a happy
influence on the youth of the militia ranks." The legislative bodies
of all the provinces responded liberally to the call of the executive
and placed at the disposal of the government all their resources. Army
bills were issued to a {322} large amount, and found a most valuable
currency throughout the war.

[Illustration: Major-General Brock.]

During the first year of the war, there was a continuous record of
success for Canada. The key to the upper lakes, Michillimackinac, was
captured and held by a small force of English regulars and Canadian
voyageurs. The immediate consequence of this victory was to win the
confidence and alliance of the western Indians, then led by Tecumseh,
the famous Shawanoese chief, who had been driven from Tippecanoe by
General Harrison. Then followed the capitulation of General Hull and
his army, who had invaded Canada and were afterwards forced to retreat
to Detroit, where they surrendered to General Brock with a much
inferior force. By this capitulation, which led to the disgrace and
nearly to the execution of Hull on his return to his own country, the
whole territory of Michigan, over two thousand five hundred troops, and
a large quantity of munitions of war and provisions fell into the
possession of the British. The next important event of this memorable
year was the defeat of the attempt of Van Rensselaer to occupy
Queenston Heights, with the object of establishing there a base of
future operations against Upper Canada. The Americans were routed with
great loss and many of the men threw themselves down the precipice and
were drowned in the deep and rapid river. At the beginning of the
battle, General Brock was unhappily slain while leading his men up the
heights, and the same fate befell his chivalrous aide-de-camp, Colonel
McDonell, the attorney-general of the province. It {324} was left for
General Sheaffe to complet