192 HISTORY OF OHIO. 



the safety of his post to take Maiden, and extend his con- 

 quests around him. Hull, in reply, said that his force was in- 

 sufficient to make the attempt. On the next day he reitera- 

 ted the same opinion in another letter to Doctor Eustis, and 

 then on the twelfth of July, without receiving any addi- 

 tional force, and his baggage-wagons had not then yet arri- 

 ved, only in part; early in the day, he crossed over the 

 river into Canada, and issued a most boastful proclamation, 

 in which he invited the Canadians to join his standard. He 

 continued at Sandwich, where he had landed, three days, re- 

 conoitering the country, and collecting provisions. On the 

 15th a party under Cass attempted to cross the Ducks, a 

 stream, four miles from Maiden. They crossed the creek, 

 drove the enemy from the bridge and the ford, and returned 

 again to Sandwich. 



On the first of August, General Hull learned that the Brit- 

 ish had taken Mackinaw on the 17th of July, and were on 

 their way to attack him. ?uackinaw was under the command 

 of Lieutenant Hanks, and fifty-six men, who had no knowledge 

 of the war, until they were summoned to surrender the fort, 

 to the enemy. The force which took Mackinaw, amounted to 

 about six hundred soldiers, from Maiden, besides Indians. This 

 news of the loss of Mackinaw, filled the mind of General Hull 

 with consternation. He saw nothing to prevent the approach 

 of all the savacfes of the northwest. Bv this time, Hull's artil- 

 lery had reached him and he had provisions sufficient for about 

 fifteen days. On the 7th day of August, Hull issued an order 

 for the army to recross the river into Detroit. This order was 

 so unexpected by the army that it fell upon it like a thunder 

 bolt. All confidence in the commander-in-chief, was lost, in 

 an instant, and the men with difficulty obeyed their own offi- 

 cers. However on the 8th they recro>sed the river, and took 

 post at Detroit. On the 14th, General Brock, the British 

 commander-in-chief, took a position opposite Detroit, and be- 

 gan to fortify it by erecting batteries. On the next day he 

 summoned Hull to surrender, which he utterly refused to do, 

 in reply. Brock opened his battaries and threw bombs during 



