The Fall and Recapture of Detroit in the War of 1812: In Defense of William Hull by Anthony J. Yanik (review)

Book Reviews 167 By the time Hull realized that he was undermanned for the assignment and that fearsome Shawnee tribesmen would be attacking the fort, he was reduced to heavy drinking, “with his lips quivering, the juice running from the sides of his mouth upon the frills of his shirt” (p. 164). Hull surrendered without a fight. Throughout the book, roguery and incompetence bring out Taylor’s most vivid writing. He aptly sums up the villainous Gen. James Wilkinson: “Apart from a gift for conning others, Wilkinson had no talents” (p. 279). Unfortunately, the reader gets only a cursory introduction to more admirable figures: Oliver Hazard Perry and his remarkable victory over British warships on Lake Erie; Tecumseh, the great Shawnee leader; and Dolley Madison, whose behavior under siege outshone her myth. In this account, Zebulon Pike dies in the battle at York, but there is no explanation for why modern visitors to the Rocky Mountains still hear his name, although Taylor does label one section about the general’s campaign against smuggling as “Pike’s Pique” (p. 277). The last section of the book compensates for these omissions with the seldom-reported attempts by the British to assuage Indian disappointment after the stalemate that ended the war and with the haggling over final terms left unresolved by the Treaty of Ghent. By the end of more than 600 pages, readers may doubt that the hostilities from 1812 to 1815 constituted a civil war, but they will appreciate Taylor’s valuable contribution. A. J. Langguth University of Southern California Anthony J. Yanik. The Fall and Recapture of Detroit in the War of 1812: In Defense of William Hull. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2011. Pp. 232. Appendices. Illustrations. Index. Notes. Cloth, $24.95. In August 1812, America was shocked to learn that a small force of British soldiers, along with Native allies under Tecumseh, had captured Detroit and marched off hundreds of American regulars as prisoners of war. The American commander, Brig. Gen. William Hull, had surrendered the town and his army without firing a single shot. Cries of treason and cowardice came from Hull’s subordinates and were taken up by the nation at large. A subsequent military courtmartial convicted Hull of cowardice and neglect of duty and sentenced 168 The Michigan Historical Review him to death by gunshot, yet President Madison commuted Hull’s sentence and the unfortunate gentleman spent the rest of his life trying to clear his reputation. Anthony Yanik, whose previous two books concerned the automobile industry, successfully retells this dramatic story. In The Fall and Recapture of Detroit in the War of 1812, he investigates two questions: Was Hull a coward? Was his surrender of Detroit justified? In an engaging narrative, Yanik describes Hull’s army of untrained Ohio militiamen as they moved through the wilderness to the small, isolated village of Detroit. The general’s primary subordinates were a trio of political appointees, whom Yanik contends were overly concerned with their public images and would ensure that any blame for failure fell at Hull’s feet. To this end, Yanik asserts that they were entirely successful. Yanik outlines the many difficult circumstances that enveloped Hull. The British controlled the water and therefore could strike nearly at will along the area’s extensive streams and rivers. Hull was also opposed by two particularly charismatic and competent warriors, Tecumseh and Maj. Gen. Isaac Brock. Tecumseh’s men presented an immense threat, both physically and psychologically. Hull was also responsible for the lives of the citizens of Michigan Territory, a responsibility that led directly to his decision to surrender. After a string of engagements and maneuvers (competently described by Yanik), Brock demanded that Hull surrender. Failure to do so would draw the ire of hundreds of Native warriors anxious for plunder and scalps. With little hope of relief and inadequate food to withstand a siege, Hull chose to protect the residents of Detroit. To the astonishment and disappointment of many of his soldiers, he bartered his army for the safety of Detroit’s populace. Yanik maintains that the resulting court-martial was highly irregular. Hull’s lawyers were not allowed in court, he had no access...