DETROIT, Siege and Capture of, in the War of 1812. Before war was officially de clared against Great Britain a plan of invading Canada was drawn up. One part of the army -under Brig.-Gen. William Hull (q.v.) was to cross from Detroit and sweep eastwardly to meet two other armies along the New York border line. On 25 May 1812 Hull began the march from Dayton with 1.600 troops under Cols. Duncan McArthur, Lewis Cass, James Findlay and James Miller (qq.v.) and after a long, tedious journey reached Detroit 5 July. On the 12th he crossed the river, occupied Sandwich, a little village on the Canadian side, three miles below Detroit, and there remained inactive week after week, thus allow ing Brig.,.Gen. Sir Isaac Brock (q.v.), the British commander, time to collect a formidable force. The Americans had a few minor suc cesses, such as that at Cunard River, but on 19 and 24 July strong detachments were de feated; on 17 July Michillimackinac was sur rendered by Lieut. Porter Haucks to a superior force of British and Indians; and on 8 August, just as preparations were being made to attack Malden, word was received of a defeat at Brownstown. A company of Ohio volunteers under Capt. Henry Brush was hastening with supplies to join Hull, but near Brownstown, at the mouth of the Huron River, 25 miles below Fort Detroit, met a body of Indians under Tecumseh (q.v.). Learning of this, Hull sent a force to rescue Brush, but it was ambushed, many were killed and wounded and the sur vivors barely escaped to the fort. Hull's dispatches were captured and sent to Brock and, therefore, knowing that the latter was aware of his desperate condition and learning that a large force of British and Indians was approaching, Hull on 8 August ingloriously returned to Detroit On his arrival there Hull sent 60(1 troops under Miller to rescue Brush, but simultaneously Col. Henry Proctor set out with a body of British troops to press the advantage gained by Tecumseh. On 9 August the two forces met at Maguaga, near Browns town and 14 miles from Detroit, and the British were routed, retreating to Malden, while Miller, having lost about 75 men, was recalled to Detroit. On the 9th Hull ordered the evac uation of Fort Dearborn at Chicago (qq.v.), but on the way the troops were attacked and massacred by Indians under Blackbird.
On 13 August the British began to place batteries on the Canadian side of the river to bombard Detroit; on the 15th. Hull was sum moned to surrender under threat of a massacre by the Indians; and on Hull's refusal the bom bardment was begun. On the 16th the British crossed the river intending to assault the fort, but found the Americans drawn up in battle array outside the ramparts, with artillery well planted. Nevertheless the British took position without molestation and were preparing to assault when Hull, apparently desperate at the thought of a massacre, withdrew his troops from all exterior positions and decided to sur render. Thus within an hour the British found
themselves in possession of the fort; not a blow was struck, not a gun was fired, not a word of consultation was had with the officers and not a single stipulation was made for the honor of the troops; but everything was uncondition ally surrendered to the enemy. The loss is variously stated. Hull estimated his effectives below 800; Cass stated the loss at 1,600; while Brock reported the number captured at 2,500. The city remained in possession of the British until 1813, despite attempts to recapture it. See FRENCH TOW N.
Hull was charged with cowardice, ineffi ciency, neglect of duty and treason, was subse quently tried by a court-martial, which con cluded its labors in March 1814, was acquitted of treason but found guilty of the other charges and sentenced to be shot, On the court's recom mendation of mercy, President Madison remit ted the death sentence but ordered Hull's name to be stricken from the roll of the army.
Bibliography.— Albach, James R., 'Annals of the West); Armstrong, John, 'Notices of
the War of 1812' (Vol. I) • Brackenridge, M., 'History of the Late Afar' ; Brannan, 'Official Letters of the Military and Naval Officers); Brown, S. R., (Views of the Cam paigns of the Northwestern Army' ; Campbell, Maria, and Clarke, James Freeman,
tionary Services and Civil
of General Hull, together with the History of the Cam paign of 1812 and the Surrender of the Post of Detroit' (New York 1848); Cooley, T. M., 'Michigan); Dearborn, H. A. S., 'Defense of General Henry Dearborn) (Boston 1824); Farmer, Silas, (Detroit and Michigan); Fay, H. A.,
of Official Accounts of the Battles of the War of 1812); Hatch, William,