River Raisin Massacre

DATE: January 22, 1813
LOCATION: Frenchtown, Michigan
VICTORY: British
COMMANDERS: Gen. James Winchester (American)/ Col. Henry Proctor (British) and Chief Tecumseh (Indian)
CASUALTIES:
AMERICAN................ ( 1,000 regulars and militia) 397 -KILLED/ 561 -WOUNDED & CAPTURED
BRITISH/INDIANS...... ( 200 regulars, 300 militia, 450 Indians) 24 -KILLED/ 158 -WOUNDED


BATTLE DESCRIPTION:
The second part of the Battle of Frenchtown was known as the "River Raisin Massacre". It was a severe defeat for the Americans during the war while attempting to retake Detroit early in 1813.

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.
Proctor feared that Harrison's force might close in on him and made a hasty withdrawal to Brownstown on January 23. Proctor did not have enough sleighs to carry the wounded American prisoners and left them behind under the guard of the First Nations Indians along the River Raisin. The Indians then proceeded to execute 60 American prisoners 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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Military action in the beginning of 1813 started to the west of Lake Erie. Brig. Gen. William Harrison, whose victory at Tippecanoe won him much respect, and Brig. Gen. James Winchester, shared command of the United States North Western Army. Harrison planned to re-capture the city of Detroit, which fell to Gen. Isaac Brock on August 16 the previous year. This would allow the American forces to invade Upper Canada on that front.

In January 1813, General Harrison's army of over 6,000 men marched north towards Detroit. General Winchester traveled ahead of the main force with an advance guard. The taking of Frenchtown on the River Raisin proved to be easy for the American soldiers. However, Winchester made a serious mistake in not preparing for a counter-attack.

Before sunrise on January 22, 1813, British Maj. Gen. Henry Proctor attacked the American troops with over 500 regulars and militia, and 600 Amerindians. About 500 hundred Americans, including Winchester, were captured, and almost 400 were killed. Because of the poor state of readiness of the American troops, they suffered such vast losses, and thus the battle is also known as the "River Raisin Massacre."
Harrison retreated up the Maumee River, but when he learned that the British did not pursue, he returned to the shore of Lake Erie and built a fort which he named Fort Meigs.