Henry Procter (British Army Officer)

Henry Procter (British Army Officer)

Henry Patrick Procter or Proctor (1763 – 31 October 1822) was a British Major-General who served in Canada during the War of 1812. He is best known as the commander who was decisively defeated in 1813 by the Americans and left western Ontario in American hands. Procter is regarded by many as an inept leader who relied heavily on textbook procedure. His "going by the book" is attributed to his lack of any combat experience before coming to Canada. The Canadian historian Pierre Berton concludes:

"To the Americans he remains a monster, to the Canadians a coward. He is neither--merely a victim of circumstances, a brave officer but weak, capable enough except in moments of stress, a man of modest pretensions....The prisoner of events beyond his control, Procter dallied and equivocated until he was crushed. His career is ended."