of rendezvous. At three o'clock the following morning, by the exertions of the Canadians, one of the guns was brought up to a height commanding the garrison and ready to act about ten o'clock. A summons was then sent in, a copy of which as well as the capitulation which followed I have the honour to enclose. At twelve the American colours were hauled down and those of His Majesty's were hoisted." Lieutenant Hanks' report was not made until August 4, and is dated from Detroit." He He says that the reports of an interpreter and the coolness of the Indians in the neighbourhood first led him to think something was wrong, whereupon he sent Captain Dousman to watch them. In part, the report which was made to General Hull reads: "On the 16th, I was informed by the Indian interpreter that he had discovered from an Indian that the several nations of Indians then at St. Joseph ( a British garrison, distant about forty miles) intended to make an immediate attack on Michilimackinac. "I was inclined, from the coolness I had discovered in some of the principal chiefs of the Ottawa and Chippewa nations, who had but a few days before professed the greatest friendship for the United States, to place confidence in this report. "I immediately called a meeting of the American gentlemen at that time on the Island, in which it was thought proper to dispatch a confidential person to St. Joseph to watch the motions of the Indians. "Captain Michael Dousman, of the militia, was thought the most suitable for this service. He embarked about sunset, and met the British forces within ten or fifteen miles of the Island, by whom he was made prisoner and put on his 5 Kelton, Annals of Fort Mackinac, 167. 6 Ibid., 167-168. parole of honour. He was landed on the Island at daybreak, with positive directions to give me no intelligence whatever. He was also instructed to take the inhabitants of the village, indiscriminately, to a place on the west side of the Island where their persons and property should be protected by a British guard, but should they go to the Fort, they would be subject to a general massacre by the savages, which would be inevitable if the garrison fired a gun. This information I received from Doctor Day, who was passing through the village when every person was flying for refuge to the enemy. I immediately, on being informed of the approach of the enemy, placed ammunition, &c., in the Block houses; ordered every gun charged, and made every preparation for action. About 9 o'clock I could discover that the enemy were in possession of the heights that commanded the Fort, and one piece of their artillery directed to the most defenceless part of the garrison. The Indians at this time were to be seen in great numbers in the edge of the woods. At half past 11 o'clock the enemy sent in a flag of truce, demanding a surrender of the Fort and Island to His Britannic Majesty's forces. This, Sir, was the first information I had of the declaration of war; I, however, had anticipated it, and was as well prepared to meet such an event as I possibly could have been with the force under my command, amounting to 57 effective men, including offiThree American gentlemen, who were prisoners, were permitted to accompany the flag; from them I ascertained the strength of the enemy to be from nine hundred to one thousand strong, consisting of regular troops, Canadians and savages; that they had two pieces of artillery, and were provided with ladders and ropes for the purpose of scaling the works, if necessary. After I had obtained cers. this information, I consulted my officers, and also the American gentlemen present, who were very intelligent men; the result of which was, that it was impossible for the garrison to hold out against such a superior force. In this opinion I fully concurred, from the conviction that it was the only measure that could prevent a general massacre. The fort and garrison were accordingly surrendered." 7 A postscript contains the following particulars relating to the strength of the British force "from a source that admits no doubt." "It may also be remarked, that one hundred and fifty Chippewas and Ottawas joined the British two days after the capitulation." The articles of capitulation, significantly dated from the "Heights above Michilimackinac," were as follows: 8 7 Ibid., 169. 8 Ibid., 169–170; see also Mich. Pion. and Hist. Colls., XV, 110. |