The Time Detroit Was Invaded And Captured By The British

It's a story every kid in America is taught from a young age. The original 13 colonies, after years of abuse from the British Empire, dumped a bunch of tea into the Boston Harbor and went to war with the most dominant empire in the world and won. Thus, the United States was born, and we never again submitted to Great Britain.

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At least, that's what we're led to believe. No one mentions that the very young Michigan territory was forced to surrender the city of Detroit to the English in 1812, making it the only time an American city has surrendered to a foreign power.

England Seizes Detroit and Mackinac Island

The War of 1812 was an armed conflict between Great Britain and the United States, then still in its infancy. Great Britain was fighting the war on two fronts: against France in Europe, and against the US throughout Canada and at sea. The US declared war on Great Britain on June 18th, 1812, after months of sea blockades and skirmishes.

READ MORE: Michigan’s Oldest and Youngest Counties: A Look at How the State

The British scored one of the earliest victories in this war when they managed to take Detroit and Mackinac Island without firing a single shot, thanks to a clever loophole. Mackinac Island was the first to be captured, per "A Brief History of Michigan" from the State of Michigan:

On the night of July 16, 1812, the British, who learned of the declaration of war before the Americans in Michigan, landed on the northern shore of Mackinac Island, forcing the surrender of the fort without a shot being fired.

But the capture of Detroit stands as a monumental moment in US history, as it is the only time an American city has surrendered to a foreign power. On August 16th, 1812, Governor Hall of Detroit saw the British and Native American warrior Tecumseh advancing through Canada and decided to surrender to the British rather than face a battle.

The British had control of the city for just over a year before abandoning Detroit in September 1813 after future president William Henry Harrison defeated these oppressors at the Thames River. It wasn't until 1815 that Mackinac Island was free of British rule.

It makes sense this isn't discussed more often, considering Michigan wasn't even a formal state yet, and Detroit was nothing more than a trading town. But Detroit's proximity to Canada is one of the leading reasons why Lansing was named the capital rather than Detroit. Fascinating information, either way.