HISTORY

July 26, 1814
Ft. Mackinac Recapture Champaign

The United States Secretary of the Navy, William Jones, was determined to attack Ft. Mackinac and recapture it from the British as this would allow the American squadron on Lake Erie, which otherwise would have little further to do, to take part. Brig. Gen. Duncan McArthur built Ft. Gratiot at the southern end of Lake Huron as an advanced base for the recapture of Ft. Mackinac.

On 3 July, a squadron of five American brigs and gunboats sailed from Detroit, carrying an embarked landing force of 700 soldiers under the command of Lt. Col. George Croghan. The force consisted of companies of the 17th, 19th and 24th US Regulars and some Ohio militia. They sailed to St. Joseph Island, which had been the original British military post in 1812, but found it had been abandoned and they burned what remained.

The Americans arrived off Mackinac on July26, the long trip giving the British ample warning of the attack. The US Flotilla bombarded the fort ineffectively for two days. The American gunboats also bombarded the woods around the landing site, eliminating any chance of gaining surprise.

The British left a skeleton force at the fort and moved the main body of the defenders to entrenchments facing the landing site.