t than he had imagined possible for his
friend Hale.

This is the story of Captain Hull as told by his grandson, the Rev.
James Freeman Clarke, a Unitarian clergyman, and an author of high
repute.

After remaining in the army throughout the Revolutionary War, where he
distinguished himself on repeated occasions, constantly rising in rank,
he settled in Massachusetts, practicing law, becoming prominent as a
legislator, and finally as one of the Massachusetts judges. In 1805, as
General Hull, he was appointed governor of the territory of Michigan by
President Jefferson, and removed thither, stipulating that in case of
war he should not be required to serve both as general and governor, as
he did not believe the duties of both could be successfully administered
by the same person.

The outbreak of the war of 1812, which occurred while Madison was
President, found what was then the northern frontier of America wholly
unprepared for hostilities. The country was new, with dense forests and
few roads. There were no adequate means of land defense, and no adequate
navy to patrol the lakes.

The British, as usual, had all the vessels needed, well-drilled
soldiers, and, more terrible than all, more than a thousand Indians,
ready to commit any atrocities upon defenseless white settlers. As Hull
had insisted, another officer was appointed to command the troops, such
as they were, but this officer became ill and Governor Hull was forced
to take command.

In the meantime, no amount of urgent entreaties could induce the
authorities at Washington to send reenforcements to the assistance of
the defenseless settlers. The American troops were unprepared to
maintain their own position, and absolutely unable to conquer and annex
Canada, as the government expected them to do. General Hull found
himself with some eight hundred men facing more than fifteen hundred
British regulars, and threatened in the rear by a thousand Indians.

What President Madison or any of his officers would have done, we cannot
say. They appear to have thought that it was General Hull's duty to
annihilate the British army, effectually dispose of the Indians, and
present Canada to the American government.

General Hull, however, was a practical soldier. He knew the fate that
would await the women and children in his territory, to say nothing of
his small army, if he risked a battle and was defeated, as he surely
would be; so he did what seemed to him the only p