The Battle of Mackinac Island (1812) was a British victory in the War of 1812. The British captured the island soon after the outbreak of war between Britain and the United States, causing large numbers of Indians to rally to their support. This led to further British victories during the next year. Combatants United States Native Americans United Kingdom Canadian colonial forces Native Americans First Nations Peoples Commanders James Madison Winfield Scott Andrew Jackson Isaac Brock† George Prevost Tecumseh† Strength •U.S. Regular Army: 35,800 •Rangers: 3,049 •Militia: 458,463* •US Navy & US Marines: (at start of war): •Frigates:3... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Mackinac Island (pronounced , note the silent c) is a small island, 4. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... An Aani (Atsina) named Assiniboin Boy. ... Combatants Tecumsehs confederacy United States Commanders Tenskwatawa William Henry Harrison Strength 500+ 1,000 regulars and militia Casualties 50+ killed 70+ wounded 68 killed 120 wounded The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and forces of... The Battle of Maguaga was a small battle fought between British troops, Canadian militia and Tecumsehs natives against a larger force of American troops in Maguaga, Michigan. ... Combatants Potawatomi United Kingdom United States Commanders Chief Blackbird Nathan Heald Strength 500+ 69 military + civilians Casualties 15 39 military + 27 civilians The Fort Dearborn massacre occurred on August 15, 1812 near Fort Dearborn in the United States during the War of 1812. ... Combatants Britain United States Commanders Isaac Brock William Hull Strength 100 regulars 300 militia 150 natives 2,500 Casualties None 2,500 captured For the 1763 action in Pontiacs Rebellion, see the Siege of Fort Detroit The Siege of Detroit, also known as the Surrender of Detroit or the... The Battle of Fort Harrison was a decisive victory for the United States against an Indian force which greatly outnumbered their own. ... The Siege of Fort Wayne took place during the War of 1812, between American and Indian forces in the wake of the successful British campaigns of 1812. ... The Battle of the Mississinewa also known as the Battle of Mississineway was an expedition ordered by William Henry Harrison against Miami villages in response to the attacks on Fort Wayne. ... Combatants Britain American Indians United States Commanders Henry Procter Tecumseh James Winchester Strength 200 regulars 300 militia 450 natives 1,000 regulars and militia Casualties 182 killed or wounded 958 killed, wounded or captured {{{notes}}} The Battle of Frenchtown also known as the River Raisin massacre, was a severe defeat... The Siege of Fort Meigs took place during the War of 1812 in northwestern Ohio. ... The Battle of Fort Stephenson was an American victory during the War of 1812. ... Combatants United Kingdom United States Commanders Robert Heriot Barclay Oliver Hazard Perry Strength 6 warships 9 small warships Casualties 41 dead 94 wounded 6 ships captured 27 dead 96 wounded 1 ship lost The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought... Combatants Britain Tecumsehs confederacy United States Commanders Henry Procter Tecumseh † William Henry Harrison Strength 800 regulars 500 natives1 2,380 militia 1,000 cavalry 120 regulars 260 natives1 Casualties 155 British dead or wounded 477 captured 33 natives dead 15 dead 30 wounded {{{notes}}} The Battle of the Thames... The Battle of Longwoods was a battle of the War of 1812 on March 4, 1814, fought near present-day Wardsville, Ontario. ... Combatants British Empire United States Commanders Robert McDouall George Croghan Andrew Holmes† Strength about 300 700 Casualties 1 dead, 1 wounded 13 dead, 51 wounded The Battle of Fort Mackinac was a British victory in the War of 1812. ... Combatants Great Britain United States Commanders Miller Worsley Arthur Sinclair George Croghan Casualties 3 killed 9 wounded 1 schooner destroyed 6 killed 6 wounded 2 gunboats captured The Engagement on Lake Huron was actually a series of minor engagements, which left the British in control of the Lake, and thus... Combatants United States Native Americans United Kingdom Canadian colonial forces Native Americans First Nations Peoples Commanders James Madison Winfield Scott Andrew Jackson Isaac Brock† George Prevost Tecumseh† Strength •U.S. Regular Army: 35,800 •Rangers: 3,049 •Militia: 458,463* •US Navy & US Marines: (at start of war): •Frigates:3...

Background

Mackinac Island was an American trading post in the straits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and was important for its influence and control over the Native American tribes in the area. The United States Army maintained a small fort on the island. About forty miles (65 km) away was the British military post on St. Joseph Island and the (Canadian) North West Company's trading post at Sault Sainte Marie. Mackinac Island (pronounced , note the silent c) is a small island, 4. ... The Straits of Mackinac, spanned by the Mackinac Bridge, seen from the southern shore The Mackinac Straits is the strip of water that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and separates the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. ... Sunset on Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. ... Lake Huron and the other Great Lakes Lake Huron, bounded on the west by Michigan and on the east by Ontario, is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. ... An Aani (Atsina) named Assiniboin Boy. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Fort Mackinac painting Fort Mackinac was a military outpost garrisoned from the late 18th century to the late 19th century on Mackinac Island in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... St. ... Nickname: The Soo Motto: Naturally Gifted Coordinates: Country Canada Province Ontario District Algoma District Incorporated 1887 (town), 1912 (city) City Mayor John Rowswell Governing body The Corporation of the City of Sault Sainte Marie MPs Tony Martin MPPs David Orazietti Area    - City 715 km²  (276 sq mi) Elevation 192 m...

American Secretary of War William Eustis, apparently preoccupied with financial economies, had sent no communications to Lieutenant Porter Hanks, the commander at Fort Mackinac, for several months. He sent word of the declaration of war (which occurred on June 18) to the commanders in the northwest by ordinary rate post. (The Postmaster at Cleveland, Ohio, realised the importance of the news and hired an express rider to take it to Brigadier General William Hull who was advancing on Detroit, but it was too late to save both Hull and Hanks from being taken by surprise.) The Secretary of War was a member of the Presidents Cabinet, beginning with George Washingtons administration. ... William Eustis (June 10, 1753–February 6, 1825) was an early American statesman. ... June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... Nickname: The Forest City Motto: Progress and Prosperity Location in Cuyahoga County, Ohio Coordinates: Country United States State Ohio County Cuyahoga Founded 1796 Incorporated 1836 Mayor Frank G. Jackson (D) Area    - City 82. ... Portrait of William Hull William Hull (June 24, 1753–November 29, 1825) was an American soldier and politician. ... Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ...

As war between Britain and America appeared increasingly likely from the start of 1812, the British commander in Upper Canada, Major General Isaac Brock, had kept the commander of the post at St. Joseph Island, Captain Charles Roberts, informed of events. As soon as he learned of the outbreak of war, he sent a canoe party to Roberts with the vital news, and orders were given which allowed Roberts to use his discretion whether to attack or stand on the defensive. Map of Upper Canada (orange) Upper Canada was a British territory in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario. ... This article refers to the British general. ...

Immediately upon receiving Brock's despatch, Captain Roberts determined to attack Mackinac. He hastily formed a force consisting of three men of the Royal Artillery, 47 British soldiers of the 10th Royal Veteran Battalion (described as being "worn down by unconquerable drunkenness"), 150 Canadian fur traders and voyageurs, and 400 Indians, with more Indians joining the expedition as it proceeded. This force was embarked in an armed schooner (the Caledonia, belonging to the North West Company), seventy war canoes and ten bateaux. RGA redirects here. ... The coureurs des bois (runners of the woods) or voyageurs (travellers) is the name given to the men who engaged in the fur trade directly with the Amerindians in North America from the time of New France up through the 19th century, when much of the continent was still mostly... The first USS Caledonia was a brig in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. ... Bateau men poling the James River The James River Bateau was a shallow draft river craft used during the period from 1775 to 1840 to transport tobacco and other cargo on the James river and its tributaries in the state of Virginia. ...

Capture of Mackinac

The American garrison at Fort Mackinac consisted of 61 artillerymen with seven guns. Though he was unaware of events elsewhere, Hanks had heard rumours of unusual activity at St. Joseph Island. He sent a fur trader named Michael Dousman, who carried a commission as officer in the militia, to investigate. Dousman's boat was captured by the advancing British force, and Dousman apparently quickly changed sides. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Having learned from Dousman that the Americans were unaware of the outbreak of war, Robert's force landed on the north end of the island, two miles (3.2 km) away from the fort, early on the morning of July 17, 1812. They quietly removed the village's inhabitants from their homes, dragged two 6-pounder cannon through the woods to a ridge above the fort, and fired a single round before sending a message under a flag of truce, demanding the Americans' surrender. July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Hanks's force was surprised and was already at a tactical disadvantage. The flag of truce had been accompanied by three of the villagers, who greatly exaggerated the number of Indians in Roberts's force. Fearing a massacre by the Indians, Hanks capitulated without a fight. The American garrison was taken prisoner but released on giving their parole not to fight for the remainder of the war.

Aftermath

The island's inhabitants were made to swear an oath of allegiance as subjects of the United Kingdom, or leave within a month. Most took the oath. The British abandoned their own fort at St. Joseph Island and concentrated their forces at Mackinac Island.

The loss of Mackinac resulted in large numbers of Indians rallying to the British cause, which influenced the American surrender at Detroit shortly afterwards. Lieutenant Hanks was killed by a cannon shot at Detroit, while awaiting a court martial for cowardice. The Battle of Detroit, also known as the Battle of Fort Detroit or the Surrender of Fort Detroit, was a humiliating loss for the Americans early in the War of 1812. ... A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ...

Sources

• Amateurs to Arms, John R. Elting, Da Capo Press, New York, 1995, ISBN 0-306-80653-3