Battle of Frenchtown
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| Detroit frontier |
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| Tippecanoe – Maguaga – Fort Dearborn – Detroit – Fort Harrison – Fort Wayne – Mississinewa – Frenchtown – Fort Meigs – Fort Stephenson – Lake Erie – Thames – Longwoods – Mackinac Island – Lake Huron |
The Battle of Frenchtown also known as the River Raisin massacre, was a severe defeat for the Americans during the War of 1812, in an attempt to retake Detroit early in 1813.
After General William Hull had surrendered Detroit in 1812, General William Henry Harrison had been given command of the Army of the Northwest, winning the position over the unpopular General James Winchester. Winchester was instead made second-in-command to Harrison. Harrison's first plan of action was to retake Detroit and split his army into two columns, personally leading one column and placing Winchester in command of the other column. Colonel Henry Procter had assumed command of British troops around Detroit after its surrender. Procter gathered all the British troops in the area together along with about 500 North American Indians under the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh.
Winchester had received orders to stay within supporting distance of Harrison's column. Instead Winchester moved far ahead of Harrison to Frenchtown along the River Raisin and on January 18 he routed a small Canadian and Indian force there and captured the town. On January 22 the main British/Indian force arrived at Frenchtown. Winchester's headquarters were far away from the main American lines and was no where near his troops when the British attacked. The British/Indian attack surprised the American camp but they took their positions quickly and returned fire. However, when the right flank gave way the main line began to retreat, even though the left flank anchored in a fort still held. Winchester, attempting to join the front lines, was captured en route by Chief Roundhead. The American retreat quickly became a rout and only 33 of the 400 engaged escaped the battlefield.
Procter feared that Harrison's force might close in on him and made a hasty withdrawal to Brownstown on January 23. Procter did not have enough sleighs to carry the wounded American prisoners and left them behind under the guard of the Indians along the River Raisin. The Indians then proceeded to execute 60 American prisoners (mostly Kentucky militia) and ransom off the few unharmed prisoners in Detroit. This action became known as the River Raisin massacre.
The defeat at Frenchtown ended Harrison's campaign against Detroit. He instead assumed a defensive position in Ohio and built Fort Meigs. The phrase "Remember the River Raisin" became a rallying cry for Kentucky militiamen.
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