Detroit was taken up by the British, and on the 13th instant batteries were commenced; and although exposed to a well directed fire from a battery of seven twenty-four pounders, yet such was their construction under the able directions of Captain Dixon of the royal engineers, that the works were continued without intermission until completed, without sustaining the least injury from the fire of the enemy.

On the arrival of General Brock at Amherstburg, notwithstanding the formidable numerical strength of the enemy, preparations were immediately commenced to follow him into his own territory; and on Saturday, the 15th instant, the British forces were collected in the neighborhood of Sandwich for that purpose, consisting of thirty of the Royal Artillery with three six pounders and two three pounders, under the command of Lieutenant Troughton, two hundred and fifty of the 41st Regiment, fifty of the Royal Newfoundland fencibles, and four hundred Canadian militia, in all amounting to seven hundred and thirty, to whom six hundred Indians attached themselves, making an aggregate of one thousand three hundred and thirty.

About -noon, on the same day, a flag of truce was sent by General Brock to General Hull, with a summons for the surrender of the town and fort of Detroit, stating that he could no longer restrain the fury of the Indians. To this an immed iate and spirited refusal was returned by General Hull, stating that he was prepared to meet any force which might be at the disposal of General Brock, and any consequences which might result from any exertion of it he might think proper to make. About four o'clock, the firing commenced from the British batteries and was immediately returned, which continued without intermission until about eleven o'clock that night. At daylight, next morning, the fire re-commenced upon both sides, at which time the British were discovered landing their

K

troops at the Springwells, three miles below Detroit. The Indians, in the mean time, had effected a landing about two miles lower down, and moved up, taking a position in the woods about a mile and a half on the left.

The British force immediately advanced within about five hundred yards of the enemy's line, with a view to bring him to a general action, General Brock having received information that Colonel Mc. Arthur, a distinguished American officer who had left the garrison only a few days previous, was now close upon his rear, and that his cavalry had been seen that morning by some of the reconnoitering parties of the British. The American army, having made a precipitate retreat into the fort, an assault was immediately decided upon. However, for this time the effusion of blood was saved by the exterminating General Hull sending out a proposition for a cessation of hostilities, for the purpose of preparing terms of capitulation.

Lieutenant Colonel Mc. Donald, provincial aid de camp, and Captain Glegg, aid de camp to General Brock, were deputed by that general to proceed to the American general, to present the terms upon which General Brock would be pleased to accept the surrender. In about an hour the two aids returned to the British camp, with the conditions of capitulation which they dictated to General Hull in his own tent. The conditions were as follows:

ARTICLE I. Fort Detroit with all the troops, regulars as well as militia, will be immediately surrendered to the British forces under the command of the Major General Brock and will be considered prisoners of war, with the exception of such of the militia of the Michigan Territory as have not joined the army.

II. All public stores, arms and all public documents, including every thing else of a public nature, will be immediately given up.

III. Private persons and property of every description will be respected.

IV. His Excellency, Brigadier General Hull, having expressed a desire that a detachment from the state of Ohio, on its way to join his army, as well as one sent from Detroit, should be included in the capitulation, it is accordingly agreed to. It is, however, to be understood, that such part of the Ohio militia as have not joined the army, will be permitted to return to their homes, on condition that they will not serve during the war; their arms will be delivered up, if belonging to the public.

V. The garrison will march out at the hour of twelve o'clock this day, and the British forces will take immediate possession of the fort.

Signed,

J. Mc. DONALD, Lieut. Col.

Militia, P. A. D. C.
J. B. GLEGG, Major, A. D. C.
JAMES MILLER, Lieut. Col.
5th Regt. U. S. Infantry.

E. BRUSH, Col. Commanding
I'st Regt. of Michigan Militia.

Approved, W. HULL, Brigadier General

Commanding the N. W. Army. Approved, ISAAC BROCK, Major General.

AN ARTICLE Supplementary to the Articles of Capitulation, concluded at Detroit, the 16th of August, 1812. It is agreed that the officers and soldiers of the Ohio militia and volunteers shall be permitted to proceed to their respective homes, on this condition, that they do

not serve during the present war, unless they are exchanged.

Signed, W. HULL, Brigadier General

Commanding U. S. N. W. Army. Signed, ISAAC BROCK, Major General.

AN ARTICLE in addition to the supplementary Article of Capitulation, concluded at Detroit, on the 16th of August, 1812.

It is agreed that the officers and soldiers of the Michigan militia and volunteers, under the command of Major Wetherall, shall be placed on the same principles as the Ohio militia and volunteers are placed by the supplementary article of the 16th instant.

Signed, W. HULL, Brigadier General

Commanding N. W. Army U. S. ISAAC BROCK, Major General.

By the surrender of Detroit, which clothed with fresh and accumulating glory the arms of Great Britain, and stamped in indelible characters the terror which the name of a British soldier carries into the ranks of his enemy, an army of two thousand five hundred of the choicest American troops became prisoners of war, and thirty-three pieces of brass and iron ordnance fell into the hands of the conquerors,* besides four hundred rounds of twenty-four pound shot fixed, one hundred thousand cartridges made, forty barrels of powder and two thousand five hundred stand of arms.||

*A Return of Ordnance taken in the Fort and Batteries of Ditroit, August 16th, 1812.

Iron Ordnance-nine twenty-four pounders, eight twelve pounders, five nine pounders, three six pounders.

Brass Ordnance-three six pounders, two four pounders, one three pounder. one eight inch howitzer, one five and a half inch howitzer.

Total of Ordnance taken-33.

(Signed,)

FELIX TROUGHTON, Lieut.
Commanding Royal Artillery.

Col. Cass's letter to the American Secretary of War.

On the day of the surrender of the town and fort of Detroit, the American army had fifteen days' provision of every kind on hand. Of meat there was plenty in the country, and arrangements had been made for purchasing and grinding the flour. It was calculated that they could readily have procured three months' provisions, independent of one hundred and fifty barrels of flour and thirteen hundred head of cattle which had been forwarded from the state of Ohio, and remained at the River Raisin under Captain Brush, within reach of the army.*

In endeavoring to appreciate the motives and to investigate the causes which led to an event so unexpected and dishonorable as the surrender of General Hull, it is impossible to find any solution in the relative strength of the contending parties, or in the measure of resistance in General Hull's power.† He had a force at his disposal which was more than double the numerical strength of that of the British general, including six hundred Indians which had attached themselves to the army; yet, such was the decided bravery and promptitude of General Brock and his little band, that they were determined to storm the American garrison and camp. But it would appear that General Hull was not prepared for such prompt and decided measures as the handful of British regulars and Canadian militia were preparing to press upon him; he therefore surrendered at discretion.