Recollections & Extracts From The Journals Of Miss Anne Prevost Anne Prevost - Biography Women and War

Part 4: Victory at Detroit; the Death of Brock at Queenston Heights July 27th: We had an account of General Brock's victory–the particulars of the capture of Detroit arrived on Saturday 29th. Several houses were illuminated in the evening, and on Monday the whole town was lighted up. August 12th: The American prisoners arrived: the Officers were placed on parole in some of the adjacent villages. It was said they boasted General Dearborn would soon release them as he was going to overrun Canada with an army of a hundred thousand men. September 27th: Captain Milnes, the second son of Sir Robert Milnes, formerly Lieutenant Governor of Canada, came a passenger on the Prometheus. My Father had known Sir Robert in the West Indies, and had some months ago promised him to place his son on his personal staff. The new A.D.C. set off for Montreal in the course of the same day he landed. October 22nd: An Express brought the news of the Battle of Queenston, and the death of our noble defender, General Brock. Had he lived how different every thing might have turned out. His energy and talents were invaluable to my Father, for it was impossible for one individual to watch over both Upper and Lower Canada in the way that was necessary for their complete defence. This excellent Officer was only "too prodigal of life,"–he fell while leading on the Grenadiers of the 49th Regiment: his own favourite corps. If he had but reserved his personal exertions till the reinforcements came up–which ultimately drove back the invaders–his Country might have had him still. A General ought to sometimes recollect how valuable his life is to his army.