Battle of Frenchtown

DATE: January 18, 1813
LOCATION: Frenchtown, Michigan
VICTORY: American
COMMANDERS: Gen. James Winchester (American)/ ?? (British) and ?? (Indian)
CASUALTIES:
AMERICAN................ ( ?? regulars and militia) unknown
BRITISH/INDIANS...... ( ?? regulars and militia, ?? Indians) unknown


BATTLE DESCRIPTION:
After Gen. William Hull had surrendered Detroit in 1812, Gen. William H. Harrison had been given command of the Army of the Northwest, winning the position over the unpopular Gen. 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 2 columns, personally leading one column and placing Winchester in command of the other column. Col. Henry Proctor had assumed command of British troops around Detroit after its surrender. Proctor gathered all the British troops in the area together along with about 500 First Nations 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. On January 18, he routed a small Canadian and Indian force there and captured the town.