British Landing
Encyclopedia
British Landing is a place within Mackinac Island, Michigan
and is located on the shore of Mackinac Island
, two miles (3 km) northwest of the island's downtown and harbor. British Landing is the site of a War of 1812
amphibious operation on July 16-17, 1812, by a joint force of the British Army
and their allies among the Native Americans and indigenous people of Canada
. The operation led directly to the surrender of Fort Mackinac
by the U.S. Army.
, was a strategic strongpoint that dominated the Upper Great Lakes. Adjacent to the fort, a trading post for fur
s was a key supply point for Euro-American-Native American commerce and exchange.
While poor American military intelligence
failed to communicate to Fort Mackinac the news that war had broken out, the British military command in Upper Canada
was not idle. They promptly notified the commander of Fort St. Joseph
, a British strongpoint located approximately 40 miles (65 km) northeast by canoe. Ft. St. Joseph's British commander, Charles Roberts, determined to recruit Native allies and assault Mackinac Island.
With a single sailing vessel and a flotilla of war canoe
s, the expeditionary force arrived on the north shore of Mackinac Island on the night of July 16-17, 1812. Full secrecy was maintained and the warriors landed without detection by the American army.
The sailing vessel had brought one or more light cannon
, which were wrestled ashore at British Landing and hauled up through the interior of the Island to a location above Fort Mackinac. On the morning of July 17, the British and Natives displayed their troops and cannon surrounding the fort, and demanded its surrender. The operation was completely successful. Fort Mackinac fell to the British without a single casualty.
Two years later, on August 4, 1814, as the War of 1812 moved towards its conclusion, an American expeditionary force landed here at British Landing
in an attempt to recapture Fort Mackinac from the British. Unlike the British landing of 1812, the American landing of 1814 was not a surprise and was not successful. The 1814 amphibious operation was a failure and the American detachment was forced to re-embark on the same day.
-drawn carriage
.
British Landing was for many years the home of noted Shakespearean and drama scholar John McCabe
.
Much of the land in the British Landing area is located in Mackinac Island State Park
.
Mackinac Island, Michigan
Mackinac Island is a city in Mackinac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. In the 2010 census, the city had a permanent population of 492, although there are thousands more seasonal workers and tourists during the summer months. From 1818–1882, the city was the county seat of the former...
and is located on the shore of Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
, two miles (3 km) northwest of the island's downtown and harbor. British Landing is the site of a War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
amphibious operation on July 16-17, 1812, by a joint force of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and their allies among the Native Americans and indigenous people of Canada
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
. The operation led directly to the surrender of Fort Mackinac
Battle of Mackinac Island (1812)
The Siege of Fort of Mackinac was one of the first engagements of the War of 1812. A British and Native American force captured the island soon after the outbreak of war between Britain and the United States. Encouraged by the easy British victory, more Native Americans subsequently rallied to...
by the U.S. Army.
History
As the war began, Fort Mackinac, located at the northwestern end of Lake HuronLake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, was a strategic strongpoint that dominated the Upper Great Lakes. Adjacent to the fort, a trading post for fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
s was a key supply point for Euro-American-Native American commerce and exchange.
While poor American military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
failed to communicate to Fort Mackinac the news that war had broken out, the British military command in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
was not idle. They promptly notified the commander of Fort St. Joseph
Fort St. Joseph (Ontario)
Fort St. Joseph is a former British outpost on the southernmost point of St. Joseph Island in Ontario, Canada, on Lake Huron. Situated on approximately 325 hectares along the St. Mary's River, Fort St. Joseph was the staging ground for the initial attack in the War of 1812...
, a British strongpoint located approximately 40 miles (65 km) northeast by canoe. Ft. St. Joseph's British commander, Charles Roberts, determined to recruit Native allies and assault Mackinac Island.
With a single sailing vessel and a flotilla of war canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s, the expeditionary force arrived on the north shore of Mackinac Island on the night of July 16-17, 1812. Full secrecy was maintained and the warriors landed without detection by the American army.
The sailing vessel had brought one or more light cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
, which were wrestled ashore at British Landing and hauled up through the interior of the Island to a location above Fort Mackinac. On the morning of July 17, the British and Natives displayed their troops and cannon surrounding the fort, and demanded its surrender. The operation was completely successful. Fort Mackinac fell to the British without a single casualty.
Two years later, on August 4, 1814, as the War of 1812 moved towards its conclusion, an American expeditionary force landed here at British Landing
Battle of Mackinac Island
The Battle of Mackinac Island was a British victory in the War of 1812. Before the war, Fort Mackinac had been an important American trading post in the straits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron...
in an attempt to recapture Fort Mackinac from the British. Unlike the British landing of 1812, the American landing of 1814 was not a surprise and was not successful. The 1814 amphibious operation was a failure and the American detachment was forced to re-embark on the same day.
Recent years
British Landing is now a key intersection on M-185 (Lake Shore Road), the state highway that serves as a non-motorized road and bicycle pathway around the shore of Mackinac Island. Like the rest of Mackinac Island, M-185 is not open to motor vehicles. During the summer months, British Landing is frequented by visitors who have arrived by bicycle or horseHorse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
-drawn carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
.
British Landing was for many years the home of noted Shakespearean and drama scholar John McCabe
John McCabe (writer)
John McCabe , born John Charles McCabe III, was a Shakespearean scholar and author, whose first book was the authorized biography of Laurel and Hardy....
.
Much of the land in the British Landing area is located in Mackinac Island State Park
Mackinac Island State Park
Mackinac Island State Park is a state park located on Mackinac Island in the U.S. state of Michigan. The island park encompasses 2.81 mi² , which is approximately 74% of the island's total area of 3.78 mi² . The park is also within the boundaries of the city of Mackinac Island and has permanent...
.