DEARBORN, HENRY

born Feb. 23, 1751, Hampton, N.H. died June 6, 1829, Roxbury, Mass., U.S. U.S. army officer, congressman, and secretary of war for whom Ft. Dearbornthe site of which is located in what is now the heart of Chicagowas named. He abandoned the practice of medicine to fight in the American Revolution and kept a journal that gives a valuable account of the principal campaigns of the war. On the organization of the U.S. government, he was appointed marshal for the District of Maine (178993). He represented Massachusetts in Congress (179397), was secretary of war under Pres. Thomas Jefferson (180109), and served as U.S. minister to Portugal (182224). As secretary of war he issued an order in 1803 for erecting barracks and a strong stockade at Chikago with a view to the establishment of a Post. When the War of 1812 began, Dearborn, then senior major general of the U.S. Army, attempted to invade Canada at several points. After a long succession of delays and reverses, however, he was removed from command by Pres. James Madison on July 6, 1813.