By Doug Draper
A university in St. Catharines, Ontario is named after him and more recently a stretch of Highway 405 running through Niagara was renamed General Brock Parkway. And now, in the ceremonial passing of a bill this April 24, the province has named a day in his honour.
A portrait of General Brock
The day has been named Major-General Sir Isaac Brock Day and will, according to the legislation, be observed each year, from here on in, on October 13 which was a fateful date for this region’s most beloved general.
It was on October 13, 1812 that Brock was mortally wounded while leading a charge up Queenston Heights from a village by the same name below. His troops would eventually chase an invading American army back across the border in this, one of the early key battles of the War of 1812. The invaders had cut Brock down from the Heights where a 153-year-old monument also stands in his name.
Niagara At Large is posting the following information on the proclaimation of a day for General Brock and more of the history behind this for your information. You can also click on the following site for information on the bicentennial events around the War of 1812, which will begin in earnest later this spring. The site http://www.visit1812.com/ . Now here is some background information Niagara At Large has received from the office of Niagara Falls Liberal MPP Kim Craitor.
On April 24th, 2012 MPP Kim Craitor (Niagara Falls) was honoured to attend a ceremony to carry Bill 35 ~ An Act to proclaim October 13 in each year as Major-General Sir Isaac Brock Day in Ontario Preamble to ROYAL ASSENT by The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Also present were Steve Clark, MPP (Leeds–Grenville) and MPP Cindy Forster(Welland)
Current Status: Royal Assent received Chapter Number: S.O. 2012 C.2
Bill 35 2012
An Act to proclaim October 13 in each year as Major-General Sir Isaac Brock Day in Ontario.
Brock's Monument at Queenston Heights, Ontario. file photo by Doug Draper
Born on October 6, 1769 on the Isle of Guernsey, Major-General Sir Isaac Brock was assigned with his regiment to Canada in 1802. He spent much of the next decade working to bolster the nation’s defences while recruiting and training new militiamen as the spectre of war with the Americans loomed.
By the time the War of 1812 broke out, Brock was in command of all military forces in Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) and was also administrator of the province.
Brock’s preparations proved critical in the early days after war was declared in June of 1812. His forces, comprised of regular soldiers, militia and native warriors, played a role in repelling the American invasion in southern Ontario with swift victories at Fort Mackinac and Detroit.
However, the challenge of defending vulnerable positions at Niagara remained. It was here on October 13, 1812, that Brock was mortally wounded at the Battle of Queenston Heights while leading his forces against the invading Americans commanded by General Stephen Van Rensselaer.
Brock was struck down by a sharpshooter and it is reputed that his final utterance to his men was “Surgite!”. This Latin term means “Push On!” and is today the motto for Brock University in St. Catharines.
In addition to Brock University, the City of Brockville, the Township of Brock and the General Brock Parkway (Highway 405) are all named in tribute to Brock, as are various public schools in Toronto, Guelph, Hamilton, London and Windsor.
October 13, 2012 will mark the 200th anniversary of Brock’s heroic final victory at Queenston Heights.
(Niagara At Large invites you to share your views on this post in the comment boxes below.)
Niagara At Large 
I was led to believe that it was our, vastly out numbered Indian allies, who routed and chased the Americans back across the Niagara River. and if that is so is there a monument to the great Leader and chief of the Indian Nation, Tecumseh?
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Tecumseh and his brother”The Prophet” did much to unite the native tribes into a formidable fighting force, their goal was not for a Canada per se, but to stop the Governor William H. Harrison of the Ohio carving up designated Indian lands and selling them to prospective European and American settlers, Those tribes like the Delawares had been pushed onto land designated Indian lands by the former British rulers of the Colonies Tecumseh became a rallying figurehead for many tribes including the Shawnee which he was a member of, Harrison accused the British of arming the natives and formented a war conspiracy theory, This idea caught on in Washington the Capital,so war was declared against Britain, bad timing for the British as a lot of their resouces were being used, to keep Napoleon of France in check, Tecumseh was killed by US miltia, led by Col William H. Harrison near what is now known as London, the battle of the Thames. Tecumsehs dream of a United Indian Nation died with him that day.Tecumseh has many monuments for his war accomplishments as a war hero.,
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The native people were also instrumental in many other battles but seemed to get the short end of the stick afterward. I believe it was in Michigan where they marched in a circular pattern from the woods giving the Americans the impression that they were vastly outnumbered leading to their surrender.
Brock certainly deserves recognition but so do the native allies.
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Tecumseh was not at Queenston Heights although he was with Brock when they Captured Fort Detroit through shear gall and bluff because the Americans had a force of over 2500 while Brocks numbered in the hundreds. But it was the threat of the brave First Nations that cemented the surrender! I suggest read about the leader ship of John Norton and his deeds in the winning of the Niagara Peninsula.
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Thank you “all” for your interest and timely informative input and NO I am not Indian or at least not knowingly so but I certainly would be very proud if Indian blood flowed through my veins especially after reading articles and historic accounts of their contributions to Canada. I was aware they were being push into enclaves especially by the Americans and their alliance with the British was based on self preservation but the facts still remain their bravery and skill was very instrumental in stopping the Americans from dominating Canada as they did Mexico.
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