Thursday, April 27, 2017

The Defences Were Entirely Inadequate


Source


From The Battle Of York....

The fact of York being the seat of Government of the Province of Upper Canada gave it an importance greater than it really merited, for it then consisted of only a small village of less than one thousand inhabitants, where houses were built mainly about the banks of the River Don. 

The defences of the town, if indeed they can be properly so termed, were entirely inadequate. 

Old Fort York, existing to-day very much in its outlines as it did in 1813. In this were the maga- 
zines, official residences and the barracks of the garrison. 


Friday, April 14, 2017

Disgraceful Conduct



Source


"...the disgraceful conduct of many of the frontier inhabitants who continued regularly to supply the enemy with everything of which they stood in want. In spite of every exertion to prevent it, a constant intercourse was kept up across the Canada line and the British were not only furnished with immense quantities of provisions without which they could not have subsisted their armies, but were also regularly informed of every thing which transpired on the American side." [Source]



Saturday, April 8, 2017

Chronology Of Hull's Campaign


Journal of the War of 1812's chronology; links were added.

April To August 1812


Apr 08: General William Hull is appointed commander of Northwest Army; heads for Ohio.

Apr 29: Ohio Governor Return J. Meigs orders militia rendezvous in Dayton.

Apr 29: Three regiments of Ohio militia arrive at Dayton rendezvous.

May 10: Hull passes through Cincinnati, Ohio.

May 20: General Hull arrives in Dayton, Ohio.

May 25: Hull takes command of NW Army.

Jun 06: Indian tribes near Urbana agree to adhere to Treaty of Greenville (1795) terms.

Jun 01: Hull's Army begins march north; stops at Staunton, present-day Troy, Ohio).

Jun 07: Hull's Army reaches Urbana 

Jun 09: Urbana Indian council grants Army permission to cross tribal lands.

Jun 10: 4th US Infantry (Col. Duncan McArthur) joins Hull at Urbana.

Jun 16: Construction of Fort McArthur begun at King's Creek (near Kenton, Ohio).

Jun 18: US declares war on Great Britain

Jun 22: Hull's Army, delayed by rain, reaches Fort Necessity.

Jun 24: British forces in Canada receive news of declaration of war; a full week before Hull.

Jun 24: Secretary Eustis sends order to Hull with authorization to invade Canada (see Jul 02).

Jun 25: Hull's Army reaches Fort Findlay.

Jun 26: Hull receives Secretary of War William Eustis's warning that war is close at hand.

Jun 26: Col. Lewis Cass tasked with building road to the Rapids of the Maumee River.

Jun 30: Hull, at Fallen Timbers battlefield, dispatches boat to Detroit with papers.

Jul 02: Hull's Army reaches Raisin River in Michigan Territory; learns of declaration of war.

[Added] July 02: Capture Of The Cuyahoga Packet

Jul 05: Hull arrives near Detroit, opposite Sandwich; Cass refused entry to British outpost.

Jul 09: Hull received orders authorizing an invasion of Canada.

Jul 12: Colonel James Miller's and Cass's regiments cross into Canada; Hull's proclamation.

Jul 12: British forces under Colonel Thomas St. George at Fort Malden numbers about 900.

Jul 15: McArthur's command foraging in Canada; receipts are issued.

Jul 16: Miller and Cass reconnoiter towards Malden; Hull directs protection of Canadian private property.

[Added] Jul 17: Capture Of Mackinac

Jul 18: McArthur has two skirmishes with British forces at Aux Canards bridge.

Jul 19: In a report to Eustis, Hull is hopeful of a successful outcome for US.

Jul 21: Hull returns to Detroit; command of army in Canada falls to McArthur.

Jul 22: Hull reports to Eustis that he intends to lay siege to Fort Malden.

Jul 22: General Isaac Brock's counter-proclamation restores confidence in British arms.

Jul 25: Major James Denny confronts British again near Aux Canards bridge.

Jul 28: News of the fall of Fort Mackinac (Jul 17) reaches Hull at Detroit.

Aug 03: American Fort Mackinac garrison reaches Detroit under parole.

Aug 04: Major Thomas Van Horn, ordered to escort supplies, is ambushed near Brownstown.

Aug 05: Hull orders attack on Fort Malden.

Aug 07: The Army, readying for Malden attack, is ordered back to US soil.

Aug 08: Malden receives reinforcements under Colonel Henry Proctor.

Aug 09: Relief column under Miller attacked at Maguaga, south of Detroit.

Aug 10: Miller's column retreats to Detroit.

Aug 12: Subordinates meet and discuss Hull's fitness for command.

Aug 13: Hull refuses to allow maneuvering British, in view, to be fired upon.

Aug 15: British General Brock demands surrender of Detroit garrison.

Aug 15: Fort Dearborn (Chicago) is attacked and surrenders.

Aug 16: General William Hull surrenders to British under General Isaac Brock.

[Added] Aug 17: Proctor Left In Charge Of Detroit



Sunday, April 2, 2017

Arrest Of Captain Thomas Spencer


From the "Letters Received..." file of George W. Sevier (Tenn.), a letter postmarked from Fort Hampton, dated 2 April 1811:


Source