This Month in the War of 1812: Brownstown, USS Constitution, Battle of Fallen Timbers, Bladensburg and D.C.

From the American Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

AUGUST 5, 1812

**  Skirmish near Brownstown, Michigan

AUGUST19, 1812

**  The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere

AUGUST 20, 1794

General Anthony Wayne defeats a Native American confederation at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, paving the way for the settlement of Ohio.

AUGUST 24, 1814

**  Battle of Bladensburg, Maryland

AUGUST 24, 1814

**  Burning of Washington, D.C.

--Brock-Perry

Hull's Trace & the War of 1812-- Part 2: Who Was McCloskey?

Evidently, the route of this road/trace was originally laid out by someone named McCloskey who won a lottery in 1808 (to mark the route?)  and there is a map of it in the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library.

The article says that he must have traveled   the existing (Indian?) trail, taking compass readings as he traveled.  Somewhere around the Huron River, he may have deviated from the trail because Hubert Lacroix wrote in 1812 that he wasn't able to find the slashes on the trees  for the original route.

Hull's Trace ran close to Lake Erie and the Detroit River, making it vulnerable to British attacks by water.  As a matter of fact, the first land-based skirmish of the war, the Battle of Brownstown, was fought on a road just  north of this section.

The later battles of Maguaga and Frenchtown were also  fought along the trace. 

Hull's Trace has been considered Michigan's first road at the beginning of the settler era.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Maguaga-- Part 2: Getting the Supplies

The American forces had vital supplies at the Miami Rapids and General Hull sent a detachment to get it, but they were turned back at the Battle of Brownstown.  He then sent a larger detachment under Colonel James Miller to escort the supplies back to Detroit.

This detachment consisted of 280 regulars and 330 Ohio Volunteers.  They encountered 205 British regulars, Canadian militia and Indians at the Battle of Maguaga.

In the engagement, the British lost 6 killed, 21 wounded and 2 captured.  U.S. losses were 18 killed and 64 wounded.

--Brock-Perry

Brigadier General Robert Lucas (Later Ohio Governor)-- Part 1

From a Standard History of the Hanging Rock Iron Region, Ohio.

Brother of Captain John Lucas, afterward governor of Ohio.

During the War of 1812, Robert also answered the call for arms for Gov. Meigs in 1812, but did not join either his brother's or David Roop's company.  He expected to receive an appointment in the regular army or staff of Governor Meigs.  Neither happened.

However, he did accompany General William Hull's Army and performed such duties as were assigned to him.

He was with the army in its demonstration against Fort Walden and was at the Battle of Brownstown.  Lucas was among those surrendered by Hull at Detroit on 17 August 1812, and was paroled after agreeing not to take up arms again until exchanged.

In 1813, after being exchanged, he became a brigadier general and marched with his brigade to Sanduskey, but arrived too late as the British and Indians had been driven away.

His campaign lasted 44 days and no one was killed.

--Brock-Perry

Scioto County's Captain David Roop-- Part 1: Man of Undoubted Courage

From "History of Lower Scioto County, Ohio."

"Captain Roop always carried a rifle instead of a sword, and at the battle of Brownstown, where our men were put to flight, Roop, being a stout, athletic man, as well as swift of foot, told his men to seek their safety as quick as possible by flight and that he would keep the Indians at bay with his rifle and tomahawk as long as he could, and if they pressed him to closely he could outrun the swiftest Indian among them.

"In this way he brought all his men off safely.  He shot several Indians just as they were on the point of tomahawking some of the men.

"He saved the life of George McDougal by shooting an Indian who was drawing his hatchett to strike the fatal blow."

--Brock-Perry

The Companies From Ohio's Scioto County-- Part 3; Hull Invades Canada

While on the march to Detroit, war between the United States and Britain was  declared.  But dispatches about the declaration fell into British hands before reaching William Hull.  Otherwise, he would have easily been able to capture Malden (Fort Malden) and then it is likely that all of Upper Canada would have fallen.

After arriving at Detroit, Hull crossed over the river into Canada and probably still would have been able to capture Malden had he brought even two or three siege guns along with him.  He ended up having to return to Detroit.

Once back, Mr. Cadot sent out a foraging expedition which led to the Battle of Brownstown where the American force was soundly defeated and beat a hasty retreat back to Detroit.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of Brownstown on August 8, 1812

From Wikipedia.

The battle, actually more of a skirmish, was an early War of 1812 engagement where U.S. forces outnumbered British forces by an 8-1 margin but lost it with substantial losses.  It took place near Brownstown, a Wyandot Indian village south of Fort Detroit on Brownstown Creek.  The site is near present day Carlson High School in Gibraltar, Michigan.

On August 5, 1812, Major Thomas Van Horne and 200 soldiers were en route to the River Raisin to get cattle and needed supplies when two dozen warriors, led by Tecumseh attacked, putting the Americans into confusion.

Van Horne ordered a retreat, but the untrained militia, which made up most of his force scattered.  The result was that 18 Americans were killed, 12 wounded and 70 missing.  The Indians lost one killed.  Most of the American missing found their way to Detroit over the next several days.

Josiah Snelling was cited for bravery at the battle and promoted to major.  By an Act of Congress on June 1, 1813, the widows of the men killed at Brownstown were given half pay for five years.

--Brock-Perry

The Companies From Ohio's Scioto County-- Part 2

While on the march to Detroit, war was declared between the U.S. and England.  Unfortunately, the dispatches from Washington about the war declaration fell into British hands.  Otherwise, it would have been easy to capture Malden and then, possibly, all of Upper Canada.  Malden refers to British Fort Malden, across the river from Detroit.

The British also intercepted provisions and stores being forwarded to Hull's army.

Captain John Luca's company and David Roop's companies were both along in this march.

William Hull's army marched to Detroit and crossed the river into Canada and could have taken Fort Malden if he had brought along two or three siege guns.  He returned to Detroit.

Mr. Cadot sent out a foraging expedition and was in the Battle of Brownstown where he was soundly defeated and made a hasty retreat.

--Brock-Perry