One of the more humiliating defeats in US military history, the surrender of Detroit on August 16, 1812 got the War of 1812 off to a disastrous start for the United States. After his abortive attempt to invade Canada, read about it here, With the British seizure of Mackinac Island on Lake Huron on July 17, Hull, fearing that his supply lines would be cut by the Indian allies of the British, fell back to Fort Detroit.
Major General Isaac Brock, commander of the British forces in Canada, took the initiative and launched an attack on Fort Detroit with his miniscule force of 400 regulars, 300 militia and 600 Indians. He was aided in his attack on Fort Detroit by the sloop Queen Charlotte and the brig General Hunter.
The “siege” of Detroit opened on August 15, with both a land and sea artillery bombardment of the Fort. Brock sent a demand for surrender to Hull which had the implicit threat of a massacre if surrender did not occur: The force at my disposal authorizes me to require of you the immediate surrender of Fort Detroit. It is far from my intention to join in a war of extermination, but you must be aware, that the numerous body of Indians who have attached themselves to my troops, will be beyond control the moment the contest commences… (more…)