Engagements on Lake Huron facts for kids

The Engagements on Lake Huron were a series of important battles during the War of 1812. These fights helped the British and their Native American allies keep control of Lake Huron and the Old Northwest region.

In August 1814, American forces tried to take back Fort Mackinac. When they failed, they tried to cut off supplies to the British soldiers there. They planned to destroy a supply ship called Nancy and then block the island with two small warships called gunboats. But in early September, British sailors and soldiers from Mackinac surprised and captured both American gunboats. This meant the British controlled Lake Huron until the war ended.

Quick facts for kids Engagements on Lake Huron
Part of the War of 1812
Date 13 August – 6 September 1814 Location Lake Huron, British Canada Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	United States
Commanders and leaders
Miller Worsley Andrew Bulger	Arthur Sinclair George Croghan Daniel Turner
Casualties and losses
3 killed, 9 wounded, 1 schooner destroyed 3 guns captured	6 killed, 6 wounded, 2 gunboats captured

Why Lake Huron Was Important

The "Old Northwest" was the name for what is now the American Midwest. Many Native American peoples lived there. They were trying to stop American settlers from moving into their lands. The British supported them.

A British military base was on St. Joseph Island. This was far from other British help. The North West Company was a fur trading company based in Montreal. They were very active in the Great Lakes area. They traded guns with Native Americans for furs. Many of their workers, called "Nor'Westers," had Native American wives. This created strong ties between the company and the local Native American groups. The Americans had a trading post and fort, Fort Mackinac, on nearby Mackinac Island.

War Begins: British Take Mackinac

When the United States declared war on Britain in 1812, the North West Company helped the British. They offered their ships and workers. British officers were encouraged to capture Fort Mackinac.

Captain Charles Roberts led a group of 47 British soldiers. He also had 180 Nor'Westers, who were mostly French-Canadian voyageurs (travelers). About 400 Native Americans joined them. The small American force at Fort Mackinac (61 men) did not know war had been declared. Roberts' force landed on Mackinac Island on July 17, 1812. They made the Americans surrender without a fight.

This victory encouraged many Native Americans to join the British. They also joined Tecumseh, a Shawnee chief. He was leading Native American tribes against the Americans. This news also affected the American army under General William Hull. He later surrendered at the Siege of Detroit.

For most of 1812 and 1813, the British controlled the area. Their armed ships controlled Lake Erie. They stopped American efforts to retake Detroit.

Americans Win on Lake Erie

On September 10, 1813, the Americans built their own ships. They won a big naval battle called the Battle of Lake Erie. This win allowed the American army to recapture Detroit. They also won the Battle of the Thames, where Tecumseh was killed.

These victories cut off the British supply route to Mackinac. This route went through Lake Erie and the Detroit River. It was too late in the year for Americans to send ships to Lake Huron. So, they could not attack Mackinac that year.

Over the winter and spring, the British found a new supply route. It went from York, Upper Canada (now Toronto) to Mackinac. They used an old fur trading path. It went to Lake Simcoe and then to the Nottawasaga River. This route was shorter and easier than other paths.

American Attack on Mackinac in 1814

In 1814, the Americans launched an expedition to get Mackinac back. This was part of a larger plan to regain American lands. The American force had five ships. These included the brig Lawrence, Niagara, and Caledonia. There were also two gunboats, Scorpion and Tigress. Commodore Arthur Sinclair led the ships. Lieutenant Colonel George Croghan led 700 soldiers. Half were regular soldiers, and half were volunteers.

The expedition sailed from Detroit on July 12. They first looked for a British supply base in Matchedash Bay. But foggy weather and a lack of local guides made them fail. They then attacked the British post at St. Joseph Island on July 20. They found it had been abandoned. On August 4, they attacked Fort Mackinac. But they were pushed back with many losses at the Battle of Mackinac Island.

Fighting at Nottawasaga

Even though the British won at Mackinac, they were very low on food. They would starve if they didn't get supplies before Lake Huron froze. Sinclair had captured a small ship called Mink. From a prisoner, he learned the British supply base was at Nottawasaga Bay.

Sinclair sent Lawrence and Caledonia back to Detroit. He arrived at Nottawasaga on August 13 with Niagara, Scorpion, and Tigress.

British Defenses

The British at Nottawasaga had a midshipman and 21 sailors. Lieutenant Miller Worsley led them. There were also 9 French-Canadian voyageurs. The ship HMS Nancy was there. It was loaded with 300 barrels of food for Mackinac.

A few days before the Americans arrived, Lieutenant Robert Ramsay Livingston warned them. He said the Americans were coming. Nancy was towed 2 miles (3 km) up the Nottawasaga River. A small fort, called a blockhouse, was quickly built to protect it. This blockhouse had two large guns and a smaller field gun. Livingston went to York to ask for more soldiers. But no help was available. Almost all British soldiers were busy fighting elsewhere. Livingston returned with 23 Ojibwe warriors to help Worsley.

American Attack and British Retreat

The Americans thought Nancy was still on the lake. They planned to stop it there. But on August 14, some of Croghan's soldiers landed. They set up camp at the river's mouth. They found Nancy's hiding place by chance.

The next day, Croghan's soldiers attacked. The American ships fired, but missed. Then, American artillery with howitzers joined the attack. Worsley decided they could not defend the position. He prepared to destroy the blockhouse and Nancy. A line of gunpowder was set up. It ran to Nancy and then to the blockhouse.

At four o'clock, Nancy was set on fire. The fire followed the gunpowder line and blew up the blockhouse. This explosion surprised Sinclair. Worsley's group then escaped into the woods. They had one person killed and one wounded.

The Americans took the guns from the destroyed blockhouse. They then cut down trees to block the river. Sinclair left for Detroit in Niagara. He left the gunboats, Scorpion and Tigress, under Lieutenant Daniel Turner. Their job was to block the bay. Sinclair told them to stay until bad weather in October. He also allowed Tigress to search for fur canoes near St. Joseph Island. The gunboats got 25 more soldiers to act as marines.

Later Movements in August

The Americans missed 100 barrels of food in a storehouse. They also missed two batteaux (small boats) and Livingston's large canoe. These had been moved further up the Nottawasaga River. Worsley cleared the river. He sailed in open boats for Fort Mackinac with his sailors and Livingston. They carried 70 barrels of supplies. They left on August 18.

Stories differ about what happened next. Some say Worsley avoided the gunboats. The gunboats were forced back into Lake Huron by a storm. Others say one or both gunboats left Nottawasaga quickly. They hoped to capture fur trading boats. This would have left Nottawasaga unguarded.

The Americans then heard that Canadian voyageurs were trying to reach Mackinac Island. They were bringing supplies through the French River. To stop them, the gunboats sailed in a narrow channel. This was about 36 miles (58 km) east of Mackinac Island. It was called the Detour Passage. The voyageurs were warned and turned back. Only three out of eleven boats reached Mackinac.

Worsley and his group rowed and paddled 360 miles (580 km). They saw the two American gunboats in the Detour on August 24. But Worsley was able to turn away without being seen. He hid his boats in a quiet bay. His whole group reached Mackinac Island in a canoe on September 1. At one point, he passed within a few yards of a gunboat at night. He was not detected.

Capturing the Gunboats

Supplies at Mackinac were so low that soldiers were on half rations. McDouall, the commander, had even killed horses to feed the Native Americans. Worsley asked McDouall for more men to attack the gunboats. He was given four large boats and 60 soldiers. These soldiers were from the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles. They were used to serving as marines. Lieutenants Andrew Bulger, Armstrong, and Raderhurst commanded three boats. Worsley commanded the fourth boat with 17 of his sailors. Bulger's boat had a 3-pounder gun. Worsley's boat had a 6-pounder gun. Both guns were from Nancy. Two hundred Ojibwe warriors from Manitoulin Island followed them in 19 canoes. They were led by Chief Assiginack.

Late on September 2, the boats and canoes landed on Drummond Island. Worsley and Livingston scouted the next day. They saw Tigress anchored a few miles away. That night, the British and Ojibwa set out for the gunboat. Most of the Native Americans waited 3 miles (5 km) away.

Surprise Attack on Tigress

In the early hours of September 4, Worsley's four boats quietly approached Tigress. The gunboat's crew (31 sailors and soldiers) saw them too late. Their shots missed. Before they could reload, Worsley's and Armstrong's boats were next to the gunboat. Bulger's and Raderhorst's boats were on the other side. The soldiers and sailors quickly climbed onto the gunboat. They overpowered the Americans after a short fight. Three Americans were killed and five were wounded. Three British were killed and seven were wounded, including Lieutenant Bulger.

Capturing Scorpion

Livingston went to find Scorpion. He returned two hours later to say the gunboat was coming. The captured Americans were quickly sent ashore. The next day, Scorpion appeared. It anchored about 2 miles (3 km) away. It seemed not to have heard the fight.

At dawn on September 6, Worsley sailed towards Scorpion in Tigress. He used American flags. Most of his men were hidden below deck. The crew of Scorpion was cleaning the deck. They did not suspect anything. Worsley got very close to Scorpion. Then he fired a volley of muskets and Tigress's large cannon. As the ships touched, Worsley's men climbed onto the American ship. The surprised Americans fought little. Two Americans were killed and two wounded. No British were hurt.

Scorpion had nets to stop people from boarding. It might have fought off small boats. But it could not fight off a ship of equal size.

What Happened Next

The captured Scorpion and Tigress were renamed Confiance and Surprise. They sailed right away for Nottawasaga. Lieutenant General Sir Gordon Drummond had sent more supplies to Nottawasaga. This was after he heard about the loss of Nancy. Confiance and Surprise returned to Mackinac in early October. They brought enough food to supply the fort until the war ended.

The British had plans to build more ships in 1815. This would have given them an even bigger advantage. But the end of the war stopped most of this building. However, a naval base was opened at Penetanguishene in 1817.

At the end of the war, some British officers and Canadians did not want to give back Mackinac. This was part of the Treaty of Ghent. But the Americans kept a captured fort called Fort Malden. They held it until the British followed the treaty.

Impact of the Engagements

These battles on Lake Huron were small. But they were very important. This was because the area was far away and had few people.

Some historians say the American attempt to retake Mackinac was a waste of resources. They believe the soldiers and sailors could have been used in bigger battles elsewhere. However, 300 extra soldiers and sailors would not have changed much in those larger battles. Also, if Fort Mackinac had been taken back, it would have freed up other American troops. These troops were busy fighting Native Americans in the west.