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. Built by the British during the American Revolutionary War to control the strategic Straits of Mackinac between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron (and by extension the fur trade on the Great Lakes), it was not relinquished by the British until fifteen years after American independence. It later became the scene of two strategic battles for control of the Great Lakes during the War of 1812. During most of the 19th century, it served as an outpost of the United States Army. Closed in 1895, the fort is now a museum on the grounds of Mackinac Island State Park and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Image File history File links Fort Mackinac, Michigan by Seth Eastman Oil on canvas, 1872 Sight measurement Height: 24. ... Image File history File links Fort Mackinac, Michigan by Seth Eastman Oil on canvas, 1872 Sight measurement Height: 24. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mackinac Island (pronounced , note the silent c) is a small island, 4. ... A U.S. state is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, with the District of Columbia, forms the United States of America. ... Official language(s) English de-facto Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 11th 96,889 mi² / 250,941 km² 239 miles / 385 km 491 miles / 790 km 41. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, allies British Empire, allies Commanders George Washington Comte de Rochambeau Nathanael Greene William Howe Henry Clinton Charles Cornwallis Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties {{{casualties1}}} {{{casualties2}}} The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War for Independence, was the military side of the American Revolution. ... 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 Another sunset along the lake. ... The Great Lakes from space; Lake Huron is the third from the left. ... // Indian trade The fur trade (also called the Indian trade) was a huge part of the early history of contact in North America between European-Americans and American Indians (now often called Native Americans in the United States and First Nations in Canada). ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... The Battle of Waterloo by William Sadler. ... The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and United Kingdom from 1812 to 1815, on land in North America and at sea around the world. ... US Army Seal HHC, US Army Distinctive Unit Insignia The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces that has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... 1895 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A museum is typically a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education enjoyment, the tangible and intangible evidence of people and their environment. ... Mackinac Island State Park is located in the U.S. state of Michigan on Mackinac Island in Lake Huron just east of the Straits of Mackinac. ... USS Constitution. ...

History

Revolutionary War

Before 1763 the French had controlled the Straits of Mackinac by the similarly named Fort Michilimackinac on the mainland on the south shore of the passage. After the 1763 Treaty of Paris, the British occupied the French fort but deemed the wooden structure too difficult to defend. During 1780-1781, they constructed a new limestone fort on the limestone bluffs of Mackinac Island and held the outpost throughout the war. After the 1783 Treaty of Paris, the British did not relinquish the fort until 1796. 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th century French, and later British, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America. ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763 was signed on February 10, 1763, by the Kingdom of Great Britain, France and Spain with Portugal in agreement. ... 1780 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1781 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Painting by Benjamin West depicting John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin. ... 1796 was a leap year starting on Friday. ...

War of 1812

In June, 1812, at the start of the War of 1812, the British General Isaac Brock sent a canoe party 1200 miles (1900 km) to confirm that a state of war existed. This party returned with an order to attack Fort Mackinac, then known as "Fort Michilimackinac." 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and United Kingdom from 1812 to 1815, on land in North America and at sea around the world. ... General is a high military rank, used by nearly every country in the world. ... Sir Isaac Brock KB (6 October 1769 – October 13, 1812) was a British Major-General and administrator. ... Canoe at El Nido, Philippines A canoe is a relatively small boat, typically human-powered, but also commonly sailed. ... See mile - unit of measurement (distance) Miles Aircraft Ltd - UK manufacturer of light and military aircraft Miles Tails Prower - a fictional fox Miles Davis was an American jazz composer and trumpeter and was one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the 20th century. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ...

At that time, Fort Mackinac was manned by a small U.S. garrison of approximately 60 men under the command of Lieutenant Porter Hanks. While a diligent officer, Hanks has received no communication from his superiors for months. Garrison House, built 1675, Dover, NH, USA In the military, garrison is the collective term for the body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base. ... A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ...

On the morning of July 17, 1812, a combined British and Native American force of seventy war canoes and ten bateaux under the command of Captain Charles Roberts, landed on the north end of the island, 2 mi (3.2 km) away from the fort. The British quietly removed the village inhabitants from their homes and trained two cannon at the fort. Hanks, taken by surprise, realized his garrison was badly outnumbered. The officers and men under Roberts numbered 306, supported by roughly 700 Native Americans of various tribes. 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). ... A Hupa man, 1923 The scope of this indigenous peoples of the Americas article encompasses the definitions of indigenous peoples and the Americas as established in their respective articles. ... A light, flatbottom boat with a sharply pointed bow and stern. ... Captain is both a nautical term and a military rank. ... A village is a human settlement commonly found in rural areas. ... A small cast-iron cannon on a carriage ????? Cannon also refers to a large, smooth-bored, muzzle-loading gun used before the advent of breech-loading, rifled guns firing explosive shells. ...

Fearing a massacre by the Native Americans on the British side, Hanks accepted the British offer of surrender without a fight. The American forces were parolled (essentially allowed to go free after swearing to not take up arms in the war again) and the island inhabitants were made to swear an oath of allegiance as subjects of the United Kingdom. After capturing the island, the British, under the command of Colonel Robert McDouall of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, built a stockade and blockhouse on the island's highest point, naming it Fort George. In an interesting epilogue to the capture of Fort Mackinac, Lt. Hanks made his way to Detroit and the American military post there. Upon arrival, he was charged with cowardice in the quick and bloodless surrender of the fort. However, before Hanks' court martial could begin, British forces attacked Fort Detroit. Lt. Hanks was killed in the ensuing battle, apparently decapitated by a British cannonball. Surrender is when soldiers give up fighting and become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers . ... An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges his duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to his Sovereign or country. ... Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... Lieutenant Colonel Robert McDouall was a military officer during the War of 1812. ... The Royal Newfoundland Regiment is a militia unit of the Canadian Armed Forces. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A 19th-century-era block house in Fort York, Toronto In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. ...

In the July 1814 the Americans attempted to retake the island as part of a larger campaign designed by Colonel George Croghan and his superior General William Henry Harrison to capture control of the Great Lakes and sever the fur trade alliance between the British and the tribes of the region. The two-pronged campaign included an assault on Prairie du Chien on the Mississippi River. 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... There are articles for more than one person named George Croghan. ... William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was an American military leader, politician, and the ninth President of the United States. ... // Indian trade The fur trade (also called the Indian trade) was a huge part of the early history of contact in North America between European-Americans and American Indians (now often called Native Americans in the United States and First Nations in Canada). ... Prairie du Chien is the county seat of Crawford County, Wisconsin. ... This page is about the river in the United States; there is also a Canadian Mississippi River (Ontario). ...

On July 26, a squadron of five U.S. ships arrived off the Mackinac Island carrying a landing force of 700 soldiers under the command of Croghan. To his dismay, Croghan discovered that the new British blockhouse stood too high for the naval guns to reach, forcing an unprotected assault on the fort's wall. The Americans shelled the fort for two days, with most of the shells falling harmlessly in vegetable gardens around the fort. July 26 is the 207th day (208th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 158 days remaining. ... A Squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry, aircraft (including balloons), or naval vessels. ... The defensive wall of BraÅŸov, Romania. ... A shell is a projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, is not solid but contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large projectiles without a filling which are properly termed shot. ...

A dense fog forced the Americans back from the island for a week before returning. Upon their return the Americans, led by Major Andrew Holmes, assaulted the north end of the island, near the location of the 1812 British assault. The Americans worked their way to the fort through dense woods which were protected by Native American allies of the British, finally emerging into a clearing below the fort. Sunlight filters through a thin layer of fog on a crisp winter morning in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... Major is a military rank denoting an officer of mid-level command status. ... Andrew Holmes (died August 4, 1814) was an American army officer killed in the War of 1812 at the Battle of Mackinac. ... An alliance can be: an agreement between two parties, made in order to advance common goals and to secure common interests. ...

McDouall, in the meantime, had placed a small force bearing muskets, rifles, and two field guns, behind low breastworks at the opposite end of the clearing. When the Americans emerged from the woods into the clearing, they were easy targets for the British guns. Thirteen Americans, including Major Holmes and two other officers, were killed, and 51 were wounded. Because of the heavy losses, Croghan was forced to order his men to retreat back through the woods to the beach. The Americans rowed back to their ships, leaving the fort in the hands of the British through the end of the war. Muskets and bayonets aboard the frigate Grand Turk The word musket also means a male sparrowhawk. ... A rifle is a firearm that uses a spiral groove cut into the barrel to spin a projectile (usually a bullet), thus improving accuracy and range of the projectile. ... A field gun is an artillery piece. ...

Later Years

The American reoccuppied the fort in July 1815 following the Treaty of Ghent. They renamed Fort George as Fort Holmes, in honor of Maj. Holmes, who had been killed in the 1814 attack. During the mid 19th century, the fort became an important staging area for exploration of the northern Michigan Territory, including the 1832 expedition under the command of Lewis Cass to explore the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The post of Indian agent at the fort was held for a time in the 1830s by Henry Schoolcraft, who conducted pioneering studies of the Native American languages and culture of the region. The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Treaty of Ghent, signed on December 24, 1814, in Ghent, Belgium, ended the War of 1812 between the United States and United Kingdom. ... Exploration is the act of searching or traveling for the purpose of discovery, e. ... From 1805-1818, the western border was a line through Lake Michigan. ... 1832 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Lewis Cass Campaign poster for 12th United States Presidential campaign, 1848. ... This page is about the river in the United States; there is also a Canadian Mississippi River (Ontario). ... // Events and Trends Electromagnetic induction discovered by Michael Faraday Dutch-speaking farmers known as Voortrekkers emigrate northwards from the Cape Colony Croquet invented in Ireland Railroad construction begins in earnest in the United States Egba refugees fleeing the Yoruba civil wars found the city of Abeokuta in south-west Nigeria... Henry Schoolcraft Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (March 28, 1793–December 10, 1864) was an American geographer, geologist and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his discovery in 1832 of the source of the Mississippi River. ... Native American languages are the indigenous languages of the Americas, spoken by Native Americans from the southern tip of South America to Alaska and Greenland. ...

After the War of 1812, Fort Mackinac gradually declined in military significance. No longer needed as a frontline border defense against the British in Canada, the fort instead took on the role of a strategic troop reserve. Essentially, troops who were not needed elsewhere could be deployed to Fort Mackinac until the need arose for them to be transferred to other locations of military importance. This arrangement led to the near-total abandonment of the post at Mackinac on numerous occasions. During the Mexican-American War and for long periods during the Civil War, the care and upkeep of Fort Mackinac was left to a single man, an Ordinance Sergeant. Despite these periods of relative inactivity, the fort did manage to play a small role in the Civil War, briefly acting as a prison for three Confederate political prisoners. Brought to the Mackinac Island and the fort during the summer months, these three men enjoyed relative freedom, guarded only by a volunteer militia. However, when faced with the prospect of enduring a long, harsh winter on the island, two of the prisoners signed loyalty oaths and were released. The third refused, and was ultimately transferred to another post, thus ending Fort Mackinac's brief participation in the war.

An 1872 oil painting of the fort by Seth Eastman is part of the collection of the United States Senate. From 1875 to 1895, the fort and much of the island were part of Mackinac National Park, the second national park in the United States after Yellowstone National Park. During the National Park years, the troops stationed at Mackinac acted as park rangers, there being no National Park Service at the time. These men were tasked with maintaining and policing the park, and so spent much of their time performing mundane tasks such as cutting new roads or footpaths through the park. A mood of progressivism appeared at the fort during this time, as a bathhouse (in which every man at the fort was required to bathe at least once a week), a post toilet (complete with flush toilets), and a post canteen (where the men could read current magazines, play pool, and, most importantly, buy beer and wine) were constructed to boost morale and truly make Mackinac a "desireable station." Military duties were not ignored, however, as the troops drilled on the parade ground and took target practice at least once a week on either a 600- or 1000-yard rifle range. The skills learned and honed at the fort, seemingly trivial at a peaceful post such Mackinac, could prove important for the troops, many of whom were later stationed in the still-dangerous American West. After its closure in 1895, it became part of Mackinac Island State Park, the first state park in Michigan. The current museum includes 14 historic buildings. 1872 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Mona Lisa, Oil on wood panel painting by Leonardo da Vinci La Donna Velata, painted in 1516, Oil on wood panel painting by Raphael Oil painting is done on surfaces with pigment ground into a medium of oil — especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. ... Seth and Mary Eastman were instrumental in recording much of Native American life through Seths paintings and Marys prose and poetry. ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1895 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Mackinac National Park was U.S. National Park that existed from 1875 to 1895 on Mackinac Island in northern Michigan. ... Yosemite National Park in the United States. ... Yellowstone National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. ... State park is a term used in the United States and in Mexico for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or other reason, and under the administration of the government of a U.S. state or one of the states of Mexico. ...

Modern History

The Fort Today

Today, Fort Mackinac (pronounced: Mack-In-Aw) is a popular tourist destination. Situated on 150 foot bluffs above the beautiful Straits of Mackinac, it is one of the only surviving revolutionary war forts in the United States, and one of the most complete forts in the country. In 2005, Fort Mackinac celebrated 225 years standing guard over Mackinac Island. 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. ...

During the main tourism summer months (June through August) visitors ascend into a bustle of activity within the Fort's old British-built stone walls. Once they enter the weathered gates they are greeted by costumed interpreters portraying life in the 1880s, and who are available for pictures, questions and tours throughout the day. Some of these 'soldiers' carry with them original 45-70 Springfield Model 1873, the type which were used at Fort Mackinac during the 1880s. Others still play music, or just simply greet and mingle with the crowds of visitors. The model 1873 Trapdoor Springfield was the first ever standard issued Breech-loading rifle for the United States Army. ...

Many times during the day a visitor might be startled by the firing of the largest cannon regularly demonstrated on the Great Lakes, the 1841 model six-pounder, positioned just as it would have been during the attack and bombardment of Fort Mackinac in the War of 1812. There are rifle firings, court martial re-enactments, even dances of the type done during the early days of Fort Mackinac, with music provided by the many musicians that Fort Mackinac has to offer. The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and United Kingdom from 1812 to 1815, on land in North America and at sea around the world. ...

There are 14 original buildings standing on the site as well, including:

1. Commissary Building: Once used for food storage today houses an excellent video program.

2. Post Headquarters: Used for the paymaster and offices.

3. Quartermaster's Storehouse: Held any and all equipment needed by the soldiers during the Fort's history.

4. Post Bathhouse: The newest building, built in 1885, housing 6 baths for the soldiers comfort.

5. Soldiers Barracks: Used to house the 100+ soldiers stationed there, but today houses a museum and the gift shop called the Sutler's Store!

6. Post Schoolhouse: Where the soldiers went in the last years of Fort Mackinac's military existance to become better educated.

7. Hill Quarters: Many Lieutenants lived within these walls, notice the difference from the Barracks.

8. Post Hospital: Where the post doctor/surgeon treated patients until a new hospital was built in 1860

9. Officer's Stone Quarters: Michigan's oldest building (1780) and used to house officers. Today holds the Kids Quarters (hands on museum fun!) and the Tea Room. Operated by the Grand Hotel the Tea Room offers light lunches and exquisite dinners eaten on the Fort's primary veranda overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, Marquette Park, and the town below. Absolutely amazing views. Grand Hotel may refer to Grand Hotel in Sopot Grand Hotel, an art deco hotel in Sopot, Poland. ...

10. Wood Quarters: Used for numerous things from housing to a Fort Bar!

11. Post Guardhouse: Prisoners had been held on this site for over a century, try it out even today!

12-14: North, East, West Blockhouses: Stone towers built by the first Americans garrisoning Fort Mackinac standing like restless sentinels, watching over the three main palisades of Fort Mackinac.

Administration

Since 1895, Fort Mackinac and Mackinac Island and the other surrounding historic sites Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek and The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and Mackinac Island State Park have been governed by a semi-autonomous organization, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission (MISPC). The Commission is appointed by the Governor of Michigan, and then that commission meets many times during the course of a year to govern Mackinac State Historic Parks (MSHP). Since 1895 when Fort Mackinac and Mackinac Island were given to the State of Michigan creating Michigan's first state park, the MISPC and MSHP have been preserving, protecting, and presenting the rich and natural history of Mackinac Island and the Straits area, and will continue to do so as long as it is the will of the public. Mackinac Island (pronounced , note the silent c) is a small island, 4. ...

As of the 1950s the MISPC created a new way of running a park, based on the system that helped to create the Mackinac Bridge completed and opened in 1957. The bridge was build on a Revenue Bond system. This meant that the financing of the Mackinac Bridge started with the purchasing of Bonds that were then repaid later. The MISPC took this idea and moulded it to be used in the running of the park and today more than 75% of Mackinac State Historic Park's budget comes from the Revenue Bond system. This makes it one of the only State run parks in existance that actually generates a vast majority of it's own budget. The Mackinac Bridge (pronounced MACK-in-aw, and affectionately known as the Mighty Mac or Big Mac), is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous upper and lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. ...

External links

• Mackinac State Historic Parks Official Website
• War of 1812: The British Capture Fort Mackinac
• Battle of Fort Mackinac: July 1814
• Mackinac Island State Park
• Michigan Historical Markers: Historic Fort Mackinac
• U.S. Senate: 1872 Seth Eastman oil painting
• Communication from Lieutenant Porter Hanks to Brigadier-General Hull
• Brief history of British fort on Saint Josephs'Island, 45 miles from Fort Mackinac