What of Canada? Her yeomen forsook ploughshare and broadaxe, seized
sword and musket, and rallied to the standard of Brock. In Upper Canada
there was an active force of 950 regulars and marines and 550 militia.
This little army had to defend the seven forts of Kingston, York,
George, Erie, Chippewa, Amherstburg, and St. Joseph, not one of which
was a fortress of strength, to patrol the lakes and protect a most
vulnerable frontier. It was the opinion of leading military authorities
that Canada could never be held against such an enemy.

Brock was at York when the news reached him. He at once sent part of the
41st to Niagara by lake, crossing himself with his brigade-major,
Evans, and Macdonell and Glegg, his aides, and, as usual, in a batteau,
with eleven men. At Fort George he bade adieu to some American officers,
guests of the mess, and sent them across the river. He was eager to
storm Fort Niagara, whose capture might have changed the entire
situation, but alas! what of his instructions?

He called out more militia, though he had only a few tents and many of
the men were drilling without shoes. One hundred Tuscaroras under Chief
Brant answered his summons. He divided his augmented Niagara force into
four divisions--at Fort Erie 400 men, at Fort Chippewa 300, at Queenston
300, at Fort George 500. Of these, 900 were militia.

The rattle of the matchlock was as familiar as cockcrow. Every man
became in fact, if not in deed, a volunteer. If the musket was not
strapped to the tail of the plough, it leaned against the
snake-fence--loaded. The goose-step, the manual and platoon took the
place of the quadrille. Every clearing became a drill-hall, every log
cabin an armoury. Many of the militia were crack shots, with all the
scouting instincts of the forest ranger. In the barrack-square, in