British Generals in the War of 1812: High Command in the CanadasIn British Generals in the War of 1812 Wesley Turner takes a fresh look at five British Generals - Sir George Prevost, Isaac Brock, Roger Sheaffe, Baron Francis de Rottenburg, and Gordon Drummond - who held the highest civil and military command in the Canadas. He considers their formative experiences in the British Army and on active service in European and West Indian theatres and evaluates their roles in the context of North American conditions, which were very different from those of Europe. Turner answers questions about the quality of each general's leadership, particularly that of Isaac Brock, the best known of these five generals. He argues that Brock's charge up Queenston Heights - the basis for his heroic stature - was brave but hardly a demonstration of competent leadership. Turner also shows us that while the other generals displayed courage in combat, they had to face problems raised by American military successes and by the strains of warfare on the civilian population. British Generals in the War of 1812 explores why these commanders succeeded or failed and why, except for Brock, they are all but forgotten. |
Contents
Mr Madisons War | 3 |
1 Generals and Generalship | 9 |
The Leadership of LieutenantGeneral Sir George Prevost | 24 |
The Leadership of MajorGeneral Sir Isaac Brock | 58 |
The Leadership of MajorGeneral Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe | 84 |
The Leadership of MajorGeneral Baron Francis de Rottenburg | 101 |
The Leadership of LieutenantGeneral Sir Gordon Drummond | 113 |
7 Comparing Generals | 141 |
Chronology of the War of 1812 | 157 |
Other editions - View all
British Generals in the War of 1812: High Command in the Canadas Wesley B. Turner Limited preview - 1999 |
British Generals in the War of 1812: High Command in the Canadas Wesley B. Turner No preview available - 1999 |
British Generals in the War of 1812: High Command in the Canadas Wesley B. Turner No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
13 October action American appointed April attack August Battle of Lundy's Baynes Brenton Brigadier-General British Army campaign Canadian Captain capture Career of Isaac chap Chauncey Chippawa Colonel command Couteur critical December defence Detroit Downie Drum Drummond to Prevost Duke enemy February Foot forces Fort Erie Fort George Fort Niagara generalship George Prevost Glover governor Harvey Hitsman Incredible invasion Isaac Brock John Journal July June Kingston Lake Erie Lake Ontario leadership letter Lieutenant Lieutenant-Colonel Lower Canada Lundy's Lane Major Major-General March martial law military militia mond Montreal naval Niagara Peninsula Niagara River November Officer MS 842 Peninsula Peninsular Preparation Plattsburgh Prevost to Bathurst Prevost to Drummond Procter province Quebec Queenston Heights raid regiment Rensselaer retreat Riall Royal Sackets Harbor Salaberry secretary September 1814 Sheaffe to Prevost Sheaffe's Sir George soldiers Staff Officer Stanley tion Toronto troops Upper Canada Wellington William York