Battle of New Orleans.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

About That Fort Detroit, Shelby and Wayne in Detroit-- Part 3: So, Which Fort Was the War of 1812 Fort?

Actually, the War of 1812 fort was not Fort Wayne, which still stands and was constructed after the war.  The fort that William Hull surrendered in 1812 was Fort Detroit which was renamed Fort Shelby in 1813.

Fort Shelby was occupied by the British for awhile and when they pulled out, American troops reoccupied it.

In 1815, the site of the future Fort Wayne was where American government officials and Indian leaders  met to sign the Treaty of Spring Wells.  This marked the end of hostilities between tribes that had Britain during the war and the United States.  Among those present at the signing were Michigan Territorial Governor Lewis Cass and William Henry Harrison.

In the late 1830s, there were a series of rebellions in Canada with led to a series of American militia attacks across the river in what is known as the Patriot War.  At the time, the U.S. government realized that the whole northern border of the country lacked fortifications to stop a British attack.  In particular, British Fort Malden, located near Detroit in Amherstburg was a potential threat.

In 1841, Congress appropriated funds to build a string of fortifications from the east coast to Minnesota, including one at Detroit.

--Brock-Perry


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