Fort Detroit Surrendered Without a Shot

William Hull was the general at the Battle of Detroit in the war of 1812. Hull is commonly criticized for his unreasonable surrender and lack of leadership during the battle, having surrendered fort Detroit to the British without firing any shots.
Hull was born in Connecticut on June 24, 1753. His father was Captain Joseph Hull III and his mother was Elizabeth Clarke Hull. Hull had eight siblings and two of his bothers, Joseph and Samuel Hull fought with him in the American Revolution [3]. As his father before him, William Hull studied law at Yale, although he never used his degree and shortly thereafter he ended up joining the militia at the beginning of the American Revolution [9].