General William Hull Court-Martial: 1814

News of Hull's surrender hit the United States like a shock wave. Everyone wanted his head and even former president Thomas Jefferson demanded that Hull be hanged or shot. Almost immediately, there were hints that the government would make Hull the scapegoat for the fall of Detroit.

Hull and almost 600 of his men were taken to Canada as prisoners while the rest of his command were left to find their way back to Ohio. A few months later, Hull was paroled (a common practice of the time whereby a prisoner of war is released upon his promise not to fight again). Returning to the United States, the disgraced general requested an investigation into his conduct and a courtmartial was scheduled for early 1813, but President James Madison cancelled it. A second court-martial was convened on January 3, 1814.

Hull faced three charges of treason, four counts of cowardice, and seven counts of neglect of duty and unofficer-like conduct. The entire proceeding was stacked against him. The presiding officer on the 13-member court was General Dearborn, the very person whose truce with the British allowed the enemy to send reinforcements to Fort Malden. The prosecution included the young New York state senator (and future U.S. President) Martin Van Buren. While Hull was allowed to consult with lawyers (including Colonel Cadwallader Colden, the former district attorney of New York City), he had to conduct his own defense because his lawyers were not allowed to examine or cross-examine any witnesses or to address the court.

Documents that Hull needed to defend himself were denied to him. His own copies of his orders, military correspondence, and other records had either been captured with the Cayauga or were taken by the British when they seized Fort Detroit. Permission for Hull to examine the files of the War Department to locate and copy what he needed was refused. While the government would allow its clerks to make copies of whatever Hull wished, many of the documents the general requested were nowhere to be found. (Years later, Hull was permitted to examine the government's files, and he found what had earlier been "missing.")

In addition, possibly as a reward for the statements they were to give in court, all of the officers who served under Hull and who were now going to testify against him had been promoted. For example, Lewis Cass and Duncan McArthur, two of the Ohio militia colonels who gave Hull so much trouble, were now brigadier generals. Hull said: "My expedition was more prolific of promotion than any other unsuccessful military enterprise I ever heard of."

Despite Hull's objections, witnesses were permitted to give their statements in court in each other's presence. (To insure that they do not change their stories to match what others might say, witnesses are usually not allowed to hear one another's testimony.) Statements about charges not covered in the allegations were allowed into evidence without any warning to Hull that the testimony was going to be offered. Finally, opinions, as opposed to statements of fact about what had occurred at Detroit, were permitted to be heard.

The court met 38 times over the span of nearly three months. Sometimes, adjournments of up to two weeks would occur. Then, on March 25, 1814, the judges announced their verdict. As to the charge of treason, the court ruled that it did not have any jurisdiction to try Hull for that crime, but from the evidence submitted the judges did not believe that he was guilty. However, the general was found guilty of all the other charges. The following day, with two-thirds of the court concurring, Hull was sentenced to be shot. In recognition of his Revolutionary War service and his age, the judges recommended to the president that Hull be shown mercy. The decision of the court was finalized on March 28. One month later, on April 25, President Madison signed a one-line document which stated that "the sentence of the court is approved and the execution of it remitted." That same day, Hull was dishonorably discharged from the army.

Hull's life was spared, but he lived the rest of his life in disgrace. Continually trying to clear his name, Hull succeeded in part with the publication of his memoirs in 1824. He died the following year.