American Sailing Ship Captured at Fort Amherstburg: 200 Years Ago Today
Hello time traveller!!
This article is 3217 days old.
The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for archival purposes.
On July 2nd, 1812, the Cuyahoga — an American sailing ship — was captured at Fort Amherstburg.
The commander of Fort Amherstburg, Lieutenant-Colonel St. George scored one of the first British successes of the war.
The American schooner Cuyahoga sailed up the Detroit River loaded with supplies, a military band and numerous sick troops belonging to Brigadier-General William Hull’s North-Western Army. Those aboard the vessel were unaware of Washington’s declaration of war. As the Cuyahoga passed Fort Malden, a mixed force of soldiers, sailors and natives – led by Lieutenant Frederick Rolette of the Provincial Marine – rowed out and forced the schooner to surrender.
The Americans put up little resistance. Of vital interest to the British was the discovery of Hull’s papers outlining scenarios for a campaign against Fort Amherstburg.
