Fort Shelby (Michigan)

Fort Shelby (Fort Lernoult, Fort Detroit)
Fort Shelby (Fort Lernoult, Fort Detroit)
Detroit, Michigan
	Tecumseh and Isaac Brock at Detroit in 1812
Type	Fort
Site information
Controlled by	British (1779-1796) ; Americans (1796-1812) ; British (1812-1813) ; Americans (1813-1826)
Site history
Built	1778–1779
Built by	British
In use	1779–1826
Materials	Wood, earth
Demolished	1827
Garrison information
Past; commanders	Richard B. Lernoult, Jean François Hamtramck, William Hull

Fort Shelby was a military fort in Detroit, Michigan that played a significant role in the War of 1812. It was built by the British in 1779 as Fort Lernoult, and was ceded to the United States by the Jay Treaty in 1796. It was renamed Fort Detroit by Secretary of War Henry Dearborn in 1805.^[1]

The American commander William Hull surrendered the fort in 1812, but it was reclaimed by the US in 1813. The Americans renamed it Fort Shelby in 1813, but references to "Fort Detroit" relating to the War of 1812 are to this fort. The earlier Fort Detroit, built by the French, had been abandoned by the British in 1779 in favor of Fort Lernoult. Fort Shelby was given to the city of Detroit in 1826 and dismantled in 1827.

^ Sources vary in their opinion as to whether the fort was renamed Fort Detroit by the Americans or was simply commonly called by that name. (Collins 2006, p. 36) says, "The fort's name was never popular, and invariably it was referred to as simply 'Detroit'" until it was renamed Fort Shelby. The State of Michigan Historical Marker on the site says, "In 1812, Fort Lernoult was surrendered to the British, but was regained by the Americans in 1813 and re-named Fort Shelby."[1] Meanwhile, (Woodford & Woodford 1969, p. 72) says, "When the Americans took over, it was renamed Fort Detroit and so was known until after the War of 1812 when it became Fort Shelby." (Clements 1990, p. 368) cites an August 5, 1805, letter from Henry Dearborn to the commander of the fort stating that its name had been changed to Fort Detroit. This article takes that letter as authoritative.

[1] Sources vary in their opinion as to whether the fort was renamed Fort Detroit by the Americans or was simply commonly called by that name. (Collins 2006, p. 36) says, "The fort's name was never popular, and invariably it was referred to as simply 'Detroit'" until it was renamed Fort Shelby. The State of Michigan Historical Marker on the site says, "In 1812, Fort Lernoult was surrendered to the British, but was regained by the Americans in 1813 and re-named Fort Shelby."[1] Meanwhile, (Woodford & Woodford 1969, p. 72) says, "When the Americans took over, it was renamed Fort Detroit and so was known until after the War of 1812 when it became Fort Shelby." (Clements 1990, p. 368) cites an August 5, 1805, letter from Henry Dearborn to the commander of the fort stating that its name had been changed to Fort Detroit. This article takes that letter as authoritative.

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