Bold, Brave, and Born to Lead: Major General Isaac Brock and the Canadas

Ian A. Andrews is editor of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association’s Focus and co-author of Becoming a Teacher.

General Sir Isaac Brock (1769–1812) is regarded as a legendary hero
because of his successes as a British commander in the War of 1812 (one
such success was the capture of Fort Detroit from the Americans). He
died defeating the Americans in battle at Queenston Heights in the
Niagara Region. A town and a university have been named after him, and
an impressive monument has been erected in his honour.

Brock was born on the British Isle of Guernsey. This biography traces
his military career through his early days in the Caribbean, his
fighting against Napoleon in Europe, and his posting as brigadier
general in Upper Canada in 1810, where he was put in charge of all the
military (the following year he was promoted to major general). In her
narrative, Fryer asserts that Brock’s charismatic character and
leadership qualities led to his battlefield successes.

Bold, Brave, and Born to Lead contains easy-to-read maps, numerous
black-and-white photos, and a useful chronology at the back of the book.
The prose, however, is choppy. Great attention is paid to the uniforms
worn by the fighting forces, often giving the impression that the
apparel was of greater importance than battlefield actions. The battles
are sometimes described with military terminology that should be
explained to young readers. Recommended with reservations.