During the summer of 1804, Brock sailed several times to Kingston, taking detachments of the 49th regiment there. In September he was in command of the garrison of Quebec City. He dealt with the usual minor garrison matters (e.g., quarters for prisoners, supply of gunpowder, and the need for more recruits). But what he really wanted was to return home, and by the summer of 1805 his request became an urgent demand because of “the confused state in which my private affairs are thrown in consequence of my absence and the likelihood of my suffering materially in a pecuniary way …” What he meant by this is not clear in his correspondence or biographical writings. His wish was granted; he departed in October, leaving Sheaffe in command of the 49th regiment.[21]
Brock was well aware of events in Europe, where Napoleon continued to expand his conquests. In the month of Brock’s departure for home, Horatio Nelson gained his great victory at Trafalgar at the cost of his life. Brock’s world would feature British predominance on the oceans and Napoleon’s expansion of his rule on the continent.
Brock also kept an eye on events in the United States. Early in 1806, resolutions were introduced in the House of Representatives to restrict British trade to the United States. During the debates, threats were made of confiscation, retaliation, and even invasion of Canada.[22] In April, Congress passed a non-importation act to exclude a list of British manufactures but held off its implementation until November. However, Anglo-American relations received a shock when a British frigate, Leander, cruising off New York City, fired across the bows of a merchant vessel to bring her to (perhaps to check for British deserters) and in doing so hit another ship, killing a man on board. The body was taken to New York for a public funeral, which was accompanied by anti-British popular demonstrations. President Jefferson ordered federal officials to arrest the Leander’s captain if they found him within their jurisdiction. The threat to Canada, where his regiment was stationed, seemed real to Brock, for he cut short his leave in June and by August was back in Quebec.
In September 1806, holding the brevet rank of colonel, Brock became the senior officer in the Canadas and, in consequence, commander of all the forces there. He exercised this role until Sir James Craig arrived in October 1807 and took over as both governor of British North America and commander of the forces.[23] (Robert Milnes had served as governor until 1805 when he was succeeded by Thomas Dunn, not as governor but as civilian administrator of Lower Canada.)[24] With Craig were Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Baynes, as adjutant general — and a frequent correspondent with Brock — and Major William Thornton as secretary and aide-de-camp.[25]
Craig had joined the army in 1763, when he was fifteen — the same age as Brock when he had joined. Craig had a wide range of experience of combat in North America, Europe, India, and South Africa, where he was governor of Cape Colony for a time. His health had been poor for years and he was frequently ill during his term as governor and commander, which lasted until 1811. He would make great efforts to improve the defences of Lower Canada, but his political views and actions would cause serious problems. We need to look briefly at political developments during his term.
The economy of Lower Canada was experiencing great and rapid changes. Traditional agriculture was stagnating, while cutting and shipping of timber, shipbuilding, and commerce were expanding rapidly, largely because of the European war. The French-Canadian members who dominated the assembly represented farmers (habitants) as well as French-speaking professionals, small merchants, and shopkeepers. By 1810, this group was spoken of as the Canadian party with its newspaper, Le Canadien, and opposed was the British (or English) party with its newspaper, the Quebec Mercury. The English party consisted largely of wealthier merchants, bureaucrats, and seigneurs; it predominated in the appointed executive and legislative councils whereby it exercised great influence over governors. Disputes between the two parties arose over taxation (on land or on trade), whether to continue or to change the land system, the role of the Anglican Church versus the Catholic Church, who was eligible to sit in the assembly, and the freedom of the press to criticize the government.[26]
For all of his adult life, Craig was a military man who had risen to high commands and, consequently, was accustomed to receiving obedience. Ouellet argues that it was “Craig’s authoritarian nature, revealing the military disciplinarian with little understanding of civilian life … [that caused] the behaviour which earned him his reputation as a dictator.” Napoleon’s Continental System was straining Britain’s economy and the United States seemed very threatening.
Finding political disharmony in the territory under his jurisdiction, and interpreting political opposition as a threat to the security of the state, he committed the error of identifying the French Canadians and their aspirations with the French and their revolution. The military situation being what it was, with his highly developed sense of order and authority he determined that the power of the executive must be strengthened and social stability and political harmony imposed, by force if necessary.[27]
Instead of remaining aloof from political conflicts between the Canadian and English parties, Craig involved himself directly by supporting the latter against the former. He cancelled the militia commissions of the proprietors of Le Canadien and, denouncing it as “a seditious and libelous publication,” seized its press and jailed its editors without trial. He dissolved the assembly in 1809, and again in February 1810, hoping to weaken the Canadian party, but an election later that year returned it to a majority — including the members still in jail. It was a clear defeat for the English party and, indeed, for Craig and his supporters. There followed a quiet session of the Legislature while Craig finished his term.
Brock was present in Lower Canada during most of this turmoil but there is no evidence that he got involved with politics. However, he did work closely with Craig on military matters and agreed with Craig’s political views and actions. On occasion, in correspondence Brock expressed his sympathy for Craig. His clearest statement is found in a letter of February 19, 1811, to his brother Irving:
Sir James Craig has triumphed completely over the French faction in the Lower Province. By their conduct they have fully exemplified the character of their ancestors. The moment they found they could not intimidate by threats, they became as obsequious as they had been violent. The house of assembly passed every bill required of them; among others, one authorizing the governor-general and three councillors to imprison any one without assigning a cause. The state of the country makes such a measure highly necessary. Sir James has been very ill, and it is supposed that he cannot long survive the fierce and frequent attacks of his disorder. His death, whenever it comes, will be bewailed by all who possess the feelings of Englishmen in this country. He appears determined to keep me near his person, and I hardly know how to accomplish my grand object of visiting England in opposition to his wishes.[28]
Let us return to the year 1807.
Britain’s impressment policy continued to produce conflict. The most serious incident occurred on June 21, 1807, when HMS Leopard fired upon the United States frigate Chesapeake before boarding it to remove suspected deserters. The gunfire badly damaged the frigate as well as killing some of its crew. In Norfolk, Virginia, where the battered Chesapeake lay, mobs rioted. Further north, public meetings denounced the “outrage” and pledged their support for strong government action. Jefferson swiftly issued a proclamation requiring all British armed vessels to leave American waters and forbidding all contact with them. He demanded satisfaction from Britain and ordered gunboats to prepare for action; in April 1808, Congress authorized an increase in the army of eight regiments.[29] Although at the time Jefferson talked about seizing Canada,[30] he relied mainly on economic pressure to bring about change in British policy. Thus, he imposed