This Month in the War of 1812, July

From the American Battlefield Trust.

JULY 3, 1814

**  American troops under  Major General Jacob Brown cross Niagara River and capture Fort Erie.

JULY 12, 1812

**  General William Hull invades Canada from Detroit.

JULY 17, 1812

**  Fort Michilimakinac surrenders to British-Canadian forces.

JULY 22, 1814

**  Treaty of Greenville

JULY 25, 1814

**  Battle of Lundy's Lane, one of the fiercest battles of the war.

--Brock-Perry

July Happenings During the War of 1812

From the American Battlefield Trust War of 12812 Timeline.

JULY 12, 1812

General William Hull invades Canada.

JULY  17, 1812

Fort Michilimackinac surrenders to British-Canadian forces

JULY 5, 1814

Battle of Chippawa

JULY 22, 1814

Treaty of Greenville

JULY 25, 1814

Battle of Lundy's Lane, one of the fiercest battles of the war.

--Brock-Perry

Andrew Holmes Was Special Forces Pirate Hunter Before the Battle of Mackinac-- Part 1

From the July 12, 2014, Mackinac Island Town Crier "A Look at History: Fort Holmes Namesake Was Special Forces Pirate Hunter Before Mackinac" by Frank Straus.

Holmes Hill, a rocky mound and rock hazard in Wawashkama Golf Links is named for him as is the former British Fort George on Mackinac Island.  Andrew Hunter Holmes gave his life fighting for the United States in the War of 1812.  He was second in command of the American forces under George Croghan when they attacked Mackinac Island in 1814.

Before he was killed at the Battle of Mackinac, he assisted  the army against the notorious pirate brothers, Pierre and Jean Lafitte who were into smuggling slaves and anything else they could get their hands on in the Gulf of Mexico area.

--Brock-Perry

Canada Recognizes Supply Route, Nine Mile Portage and Willow Depot

From the Dec. 1, 2014, Digital Journal "Harper Government recognizes the National Historic Significance of the War of 1812 Supply Route, Nine Mile Portage and Willow Depot" Canadian Newswire for Simcoe County.

The War of 1812 Nine Mile Portage and Willow Depot were an important supply route that was crucial in provisioning the British post at Fort Michilimackinac especially after its supply route was cut with the American control of Lake Erie and recapture of Detroit in 1813.

These enabled the British to retain control of the Upper Great Lakes.

**  Nine Mile Portage was a trail from Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Superior to Willow Creek, a tributary of the Nottawasaga River which flows into Georgian Bay at Wasaga Beach.

**  Willow Depot was on high ground about a mile from Willow Creek and was built as a storage and transhipment post for goods coming over the portage.

--Brock-Perry

Penetanguishene Road: A Road Steeped in History-- Part 1

From the April 8, 2010, Simcoe.com by Barrie Advance.

The Penetanguishene Road (I finally remembered how to spell it without looking) is one of the most historical roads in Canada, tracing its roots back to the first days of Ontario and playing a vital role in the province's (Ontario) development.

John Graves Simcoe became Lt.Governor of Upper Canada (Ontario) in 1791 and became immediately preoccupied with the threat of the highly expansionist Americans.  he was only to aware that they could easily take the British force at Detroit and thus block all shipping on the Upper Great Lakes.

One of the most strategic sites in North America was British Fort Michilmackinac at the northern extreme of Lake Huron which was very important to the British fur trade and was a good base for improving relations with Indians (and especially steer them away from alliances with the Americans).

Should Detroit fall, Fort Michilmackinac would be isolated and British interests threatened.

He wanted a naval base at Penetanguishene and an alternate route linking lakes Huron and Ontario.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Timeline: July 1814

FromHistoricPlaces.ca: War of 1812 Timeline.  The best chronology of the war that I have found.

JULY 1814:  British complete Fort George on the high ground overlooking Fort Mackinac further strengthening their positions on the island of Michillimackinac, Michigan territory.

JULY 1814-APRIL 1815:  MAINE CAMPAIGN.  British Naval campaign along the Maine coast met little opposition.  At various times, they occupied Eastport, Machias, Castine and Bangor.

JULY 2ND:  British raid St. Leonard's, Maryland, destroying naval supplies and residences.

--Brock-Perry

How the War of 1812 Turned St. Joseph Island Into a Ghost Town

From the June 6, 2012, Sault (Can) Star by Michael Purvis.

Sandra Rousseau wrote a 100-page book based on the writings of officers stationed at Fort St. Joseph.

These mentioned the mandatory migration of St. Joseph Island residents early in the war in an effort to hold recently captured Mackinack Island and to protect the Sault Ste. Marie, which played a vital role in the fur trade.

If Mackinack was lost to the Americans, they could then easily capture Sault Ste. Marie which would have extreme recourse to the important Canadian fur-trade.

Many of the residents ended up on Drummond Island which became a part of the United States after the war.  By 1828, 75 families from St. Joseph Island had followed the British soldiers to Penetanguishene.

War on the Frontier.  --Brock-Perry

Paddlers Wanted for Hisorical re-Enactment

From the May 16th Soo Today, Sault Ste. Marie.

On July 17, 1812, 70 canoes, 10 bateaux and one ship, the Caledonia, gathered at Fort St. Joseph and proceeded to the enemy (American) Fort Michilmackinac, which surrendered without a fight.  It was the first military maneuver of the War of 1812.

The call is going out for paddlers to recreate the event as a part of the Algoma War of 1812 Bicentennial.

I Imagine It Has Already Taken Place By Now.  Brock-Perry