page_title: Siege of Detroit
section_title: British moves
hierarchical_section_title: Siege of Detroit / Background / British moves
caption_attribution_description: English: Identifier: storyofisaacbroc00nursey (find matches) Title: The story of Isaac Brock, hero, defender and saviour of upper Canada, 1812 Year: 1908 (1900s) Authors: Nursey, Walter R., 1847-1927. (from old catalog) Subjects: Brock, Isaac, Sir, 1769-1812. (from old catalog) Publisher: Toronto, W. Briggs Contributing Library: The Library of Congress Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book. Text Appearing Before Image: sented to you. The General, who had removed the stains of travel andwas in uniform, rose to his full height, bowed, extendedhis hand and explained in manly fashion the reason forasking that the firing be stopped. The contrast presentedby the two men was striking. The old world and thenew, face to face—a scene for the brush of an impres-sionist. Brock, tall, fair, big-limbed, a blue-eyed giant,imposing in scarlet coat and blue-white riding trousers,tasselled Hessian boots, and cocked-hat in hand. On hisbenevolent face was an irresistible smile. The Indian, though of middle height, was of most per-fect proportions, an athlete in bronze, lithe and suppleas a panther. His oval face, set in a frame of glistening-black hair, shone like a half-polished copper relief. Over-looking the nose, straight as one of his own arrows, andfrom which some tinkling silver coins were suspended, apair of hawk-like eyes, hazel-black and unflinching—inwhich the secrets of the world seemed slumbering— 96 Text Appearing After Image: OUR HERO MEETS TECUMSEH. THIS IS A MAN Our Hero Meets Tecumseh gleamed upon Brock. His dress, a hunting jacket oftanned deer-skin and close-fitting leggings. Fringedmocassins of the same material, richly embroidered insilk and porcupine quills dyed in divers colours, encasedhis feet. The light from the open log fire flickered fit-fully, half revealing the antlered heads of moose andcaribou and other trophies of the chase that, hanging fromthe rafters, looked down upon the group, adding weirdnessto the picture. Brock briefly explained that he had come to fight theKings enemies, enemies who so far had never seen hisback, and who were Tecumsehs enemies also. WouldTecumseh maintain an honourable warfare&#160;? Perhaps no eulogy of Brock was ever penned that sowell summed up his qualities as did the terse, four-wordedcertificate of character uttered by the Indian before reply-ing to the British generals appeal. Tecumseh looked Master Isaacs commanding physique up and over,over and down—Brocks Note About Images Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original work.
context_page_description: The Siege of Detroit, also known as the Surrender of Detroit or the Battle of Fort Detroit, was an early engagement in the British-U.S. War of 1812. A British force under Major General Isaac Brock with Native American allies under Shawnee leader Tecumseh used bluff and deception to intimidate U.S. Brigadier General William Hull into surrendering the fort and town of Detroit, Michigan, along with his dispirited army which actually outnumbered the victorious British and Indians.
  The British victory reinvigorated the militia and civil authorities of Upper Canada, who had previously been pessimistic and affected by pro-U.S. agitators. Many Indians in the Northwest Territory were inspired to take arms against U.S. outposts and settlers. The British held Detroit for more than a year before their small fleet was defeated on Lake Erie, which forced them to abandon the western frontier of Upper Canada.
context_section_description: On 17 July, a mixed force of British regulars, Canadian fur traders, and Indians captured the important trading post of Mackinac Island on Lake Huron from its small American garrison who were not aware that war had been declared. Many of the Indians who had taken part in the attack either remained at Mackinac or returned to their homes, but 100 or more Sioux, Menominee, and Winnebago warriors began moving south from Mackinac to join those already at Amherstburg, while the news induced the previously neutral Wyandots living near Detroit to become increasingly hostile to the Americans. Hull learned of the capture of Mackinac on 3 August, when the paroled American garrison reached Detroit by schooner. He feared that this had "opened the northern hive of Indians" and so abandoned all the Canadian territory that he held.
  Hull's supply lines ran for 60 miles (97 km) along the Detroit River and the shore of Lake Erie, which was dominated by the British armed vessels, making them vulnerable to British and Indian raiders. A raiding party under Tecumseh ambushed and routed an American detachment under Major van Horne on 4 August at the Battle of Brownstown, capturing more of Hull's despatches. Hull sent a larger party under James Miller to clear his lines of communication and escort a supply convoy of 300 head of cattle and 70 pack horses loaded with flour, which was waiting at Frenchtown, Michigan under Major Brush. Miller forced a British and Indian force under Major Adam Muir of the 41st Regiment to retreat some distance at the Battle of Maguaga on 9 August, but the British re-formed their line and he declined to resume the attack. Miller was ill and his losses in the engagement were heavier than those of the enemy, and he lost confidence and remained encamped near the battlefield until Hull ordered him to return to Detroit.
  Meanwhile, British Major General Isaac Brock was in York, the provincial capital, dealing with the unwilling Legislative Assembly and mobilizing the province's militia. He had only a single regiment of regulars and some small detachments of veterans and artillery to support the militia, but he was aware that there was no immediate threat from the disorganized and badly supplied American forces on the Niagara River, or from the lethargic American commander in chief, Major General Henry Dearborn at Albany, New York. Hull's army alone was occupying or threatening Canadian territory. Late in July, Brock learned of the capture of Mackinac. He was also informed by Lieutenant General George Prevost, the Governor General of Canada, that an additional regiment was being dispatched to Upper Canada, although as piecemeal detachments. Brock dispatched 50 of his small force of regulars and 250 volunteers from the militia westward from York to reinforce Amherstburg. On 5 August, he prorogued the Assembly and set out himself after them. He and his force sailed from Port Dover, Ontario in batteaux and open boats. They reached Amherstburg on 13 August, at the same time as 200 additional Indian warriors who joined Tecumseh (100 "Western Indians" from Mackinac and 100 Wyandots).
  At Amherstburg, Brock learned from Hull's captured despatches that the morale was low in Hull's army, that they feared the numbers of Indians which might be facing them, and that they were short of supplies. Brock also established a rapport with Tecumseh, ensuring that the Indians would cooperate with his moves. Brock and Tecumseh met shortly after Brock arrived at Amherstburg, and legend has it that Tecumseh turned to his warriors and said, "Here is a man!" Brock wrote shortly afterwards, "a more sagacious and a more gallant Warrior does not I believe exist."
  Brock determined on an immediate attack on Detroit, against the advice of most of his subordinates. The British had already played on Hull's fear of the Indians by arranging for a misleading letter to fall into American hands. The letter asked that no more Indians be allowed to proceed from Fort Mackinac, as there were already 5,000 at Amherstburg and supplies were running short. Brock sent Hull
caption: Major General Isaac Brock met with Shawnee chief Tecumseh in Amherstburg, Ontario and quickly established a rapport, ensuring that he would cooperate with his movements.
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