Composition : 99.99% gold
Mintage : 1,000

Sir Isaac Brock (1769-1812), The Hero of Upper Canada

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With most of Britain's army and navy involved in a war against the Napoleonic empire, the Americans could be expected to take advantage of the situation to seize the remaining parts of British North America - colonies that had not joined the American Revolution in the 1770s. Brock had decided that taking the offensive was the best defence and, as soon ashe heard of the American declaration of war, he dispatched a force tocapture fortified Mackinac Island. This early victory in the Upper Great Lakes attracted aboriginal allies who had already lost territory to the expanding United States. Chief Tecumseh of the Shawnees, a charismatic leader who had been resisting the Americans, was impressed by Brock who, in return, admired his native ally. Their combined forces compelled an invading American army to withdraw from western Upper Canada to Fort Detroit, which they besieged. By bravado and courage, the attacking force of British regulars, colonial militiamen, and native warriors forced the larger American force of General Hull to surrender inAugust 1812. This triumph rallied the colonial population and supplied the defenders with much-needed weapons and ammunition.

The next American invasion came two months later, across the Niagara River to the Canadian village of Queenston, astride the portage road between Lakes Ontario and Erie. The date was October 13, 1812. The village wasdefended by a small British detachment but, as soon as he heard the sound of cannon fire, Brock rode from Fort George, at the river's mouth, to lead a counter-attack against the American landing party. Supporting troops and native allies followed. Leading a charge to retake a gun battery on the heights above Queenston, Brock was shot by an American sharpshooter and died instantly. Without reinforcements from the American shore, the invaders were pushed back to the riverbank by Iroquois warriors, British and colonial troops commanded by General Roger Sheaffe. There the Americans surrendered. Although Brock did not live to see this victory, thanks to his daring strategy, the year's end saw Upper Canada cleared of enemy forces and the colony's defenders in possession of a large part of the Americans' Michigan territory.



SIR ISAAC BROCK, THE HERO OF UPPER CANADA - 2012 CANADIAN COINS is categorised COINS AND PAPER MONEY / 08- ROYAL CANADIAN MINT / 25- GOLD, PLATINE & PALLADIUM COINS and sold by l'Imaginaire, a store and specialised website.