Battle of Queenston Heights
Queenston, on the Niagara River, Ontario, Canada
What happened
British soldiers, Canadian militia and Mohawk warriors under John Norton, led by Major General Isaac Brock and then Roger Sheaffe, fought an American army under Stephen Van Rensselaer. In the War of 1812, American troops crossed the Niagara River from New York to capture the heights above the village of Queenston. Isaac Brock fell leading a counter-attack. In the afternoon, British reinforcements and Mohawk warriors came round the side of the American position, and the Americans surrendered.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It stopped an American invasion of Upper Canada. Brock's fall made him one of Canada's best-remembered military heroes.
What came next
Brock was buried on Queenston Heights. The first monument to him was damaged by a bomb in 1840, and a 56-metre column was built to replace it.
Did you know?
Many American militiamen refused to cross the river to help their comrades, which helped decide the battle.
Timeline
- August 1812Brock captures Detroit.
- 13 October 1812The British and Mohawk win at Queenston Heights; Brock falls.
- 1840The first Brock monument is damaged by a bomb.
- 1853-1856The present Brock's Monument is built.