A brief history of the Mackinac Area
Mackinac Island is just east of the Straits of Mackinac which separate the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan.
Before the French explored the Mackinac area in the 1600s, the Mackinac area was inhabited by the Ottawa and Chippewa (Ojibwa) and Huron clans.
The 1600's
In 1634 Jean Nicolet discovered the Mackinac Area.
In the mid 1600's French Jesuit priests arrived at the Michilimackinac region where St. Ignace presently is located. 1671 The Mission at St. Ignace de Michilimackinac was founded by Father Pierre Marquette.
The French established Fort Michilimackinac at a place which is now a part of St. Ignace.
The 1700's
The Straits of Mackinac was a a base for continuous military occupation from the last quarter of the 17th century down to 1895, when the United States Army left. The only exception was from 1701 to 1714 when the french post commander Caddillac favored a settlement in the Detroit area. When the French re-opened the Fort at the straits in 1714, the Fort was relocated on the south side of the straits, at a place which is now a part of Mackinaw City. and where Fort Mackinaw is today.
In 1759 after the British conquest of Canada in the Battle of Quebec on the Heights of Abraham in 1759, "all of the country around" came under the English flag. The first British garrisons occupied the Fort at the site at which Mackinaw City is now located in 1761.
In July, 1763 Chippewa Chief Pontiac's 350 braves gained entrance to the Fort through the ruse of a ball game now known as lacrosse and massacred the entire garrison of 93 English soldiers. The "Pontiac Uprising" is reenacted every memorial day in Mackinaw City.
Chief Wawatum, a Chippewa indian, saved English trader Alexander Henry, took him to Mackinac Island, and hid him in Skull Cave on Mackinac Island.
Following the decimation of Pontiac's power through the sickness and disease that claimed many of his followers, the British returned to Fort Michilimackinac.
The Revolutionary War and Moving the Fort
In 1780 The British paid the Chippewas, the proprietors of Mackinac Island, 5000 pounds in exchange for their permission for the British to construct a fort on Mackinac Island.
Between 1779 and 1781 The British abandoned Fort Michilimackinac in order to construct a more defensible fort on Mackinac Island. The fort on Mackinac Island was completed in 1783.
1783 Following the Revolutionary War, the Treaty of Paris in 1783 ceded Mackinac Island to the colonies, but the British did not evacuate Fort Mackinac for St. Joseph Island until 13 years later, 1796.
1783 The Northwest Fur Company was formed, with the principal partners in Montreal and Quebec.
On Mackinac Island the Mackinaw Fur Company and, later, the Southwestern Fur Company, were formed both under British control. John Jacob Astor of New York secured a controlling interest in both of those companies, and he merged those two companies into one company named the American Fur Company. The headquarters of the American Fur Company was at Mackinac Island, long before Chicago, Milwaukee, or St. Paul ever came into existence. The American Fur Company flourished for about 20 years, from 1814 - 1834.
1796 The British troops were withdrawn to St. Joseph Island, and Mackinac Island became occupied by United States troops.
The 1800's
June 12, President Madison declared war, and thus began the War of 1812.
July 16, 1812 British General Brock ordered Captain Roberts to attack the Fort on Mackinac Island. On the morning of July 16, 1812, Captain Roberts embarked for Michilimackinac, on the Northwestern Fur Company's ship, Caledonia, with two iron six-pounders, ten (flat-bottom boats), and seventy canoes.
The next day the 57 United States officers and enlisted men at the Fort surrendered. After this victory, the British constructed Fort George (now known as Fort Holmes) about a half-mile back of the Fort.
On June 2, 1814, orders were issued, and a fleet of vessels was fitted out consisting of the United States sloops of war Niagara and Lawrence, each having twenty guns, and the smaller schooners Tigress, Detroit, Caledonia, Scorpion, and others. Captain Sinclair was the commodore on board, with a land force of 750 officers and men, under the command of Colonel Croghan.
On July 3, 1814, the expedition sailed and entered Lake Huron on July 12, 1814. It was decided to have part of the fleet cruise about Mackinac Island, and the rest of the fleet attack St. Joseph's Island before attacking Michilimackinac.
On July 20, 1814, Colonel Croghan attacked the British forces on St. Joseph's Island, and burned the fort there, but left the town and the Northwest Fur Company's warehouses intact. Colonel Croghan's forces captured that company's schooner, Mink, bound from Mackinac Island to Sault Ste. Marie with flour. From parties on the Mink, Colonel Croghan learned that the flour was to be transported to Fort Williams, by the Northwest Fur Company's schooner Perseverance, a new schooner of upwards of 100 tons. United States Lieutenant Turner, with a naval party, was dispatched to capture the Perseverance, and, if possible, to get her below St. Mary's Falls. They could not catch them.
After Turner and Holmes returned from St. Mary's Falls, with the launches, to St. Joseph's Island, the squadron sailed for Michilimackinac, arriving on July 26, 1814. British Lieutenant-Colonel Robert McDouall's forces on Mackinac Island saw the squadron off Bois Blanc Island, and had time to place his cannon and to rally Canadian and Indian allies to defend against the impending attack.
August 4, 1814 The United States attacked and invaded Mackinac Island in 1814. The attack was unsuccessful. 15 U.S. soldiers were killed and 50 U.S. soldiers were wounded. U.S. Major Holmes, second-in-command to Colonel Croghan, was one of the 15 killed. Holmes was a Virginian and had been a friend of Thomas Jefferson. The battle was fought on Michael Dousman's farm, in a field, westward of the road leading from the Fort to British Landing.
The United States attempted, unsuccessfully, to blockade the British on Mackinac Island with the ships Tigress and Scorpion. 150 British sailors and soldiers and 250 Indians captured first, the Tigress, and then, the Scorpion.
Although the United States surrendered Fort Mackinac to the British during the War of 1812, the U. S. won it back through the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. The Treaty of Ghent was proclaimed, following which Mackinac Island was returned to the United States, and the United States flag again flew over Mackinac Island. The name of Fort George was changed to Fort Holmes. The United States has held Mackinac Island ever since. The British forces turned over to the United States the Fort at Mackinac Island on February 15, 1815. The British retired 40 miles away, to Drummond Island. U. S. Colonel Butler took command. Colonel Butler was succeeded by Major Morgan, who was succeeded by Colonel Chambers.
During the Civil War The United States withdrew from the Fort all troops, except one non-commissioned officer (known as "Old Serjeant"). Confederate prisoners were lodged at the Fort, watched by Michigan volunteer troops. After the Civil War About 50 - 60 men served at the Fort until 1895, when the United States abandoned the Fort and gave it and 1100 acres to the State of Michigan.
1957
The famous Mackinac Bridge was built 1957, joining Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas.
