Hoosier Dusty Files - October 05, 1813 - Battle of the Thames - Northwest Territory Secured From Attack

A Year of Indiana History - 2016

October 05, 1813 - Battle of the Thames - Northwest Territory Secured From Attack
Forces led by Major General William Henry Harrison defeated an army led by British General Henry Procter and the Shawnee chief Tecumseh north of Lake Erie and east of Detroit on the River Thames during the War of 1812.
Capture of Detroit
The War of 1812 had broken out in June 1812 when Congress declared war against Britain after a series of disputes. The beginning of the war had gone poorly for the under prepared Americans. In August 1812, a British force captured Detroit after an invasion of Canada led by American General William Hull in July. The British controlled Detroit and most of central Michigan after the defeat. British naval power dominated the Great Lakes region, making it difficult for the Americans to regain the city.
Battle of Lake Erie
Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry had managed to assemble a squadron of nine American ships on Lake Erie in spite of British supremacy. Perry engaged a British squadron of six ships on September 13, 1813, winning a decisive victory. The American victory left the British post at Detroit vulnerable.
Shifting Positions
The loss of Lake Erie had forced the British to evacuate Detroit and retreat up the Thames River to a town called Moraviantown, about eighty miles east of Detroit. The move exposed the British's Amerindian allies to attack by the Americans in the Northwest Territory, as the British had been protecting them. The Thames River flows parallel along the coast of Lake Erie about ten miles north of the lake. Harrison had moved his troops into the area in anticipation of battle. Harrison had about 4000 soldiers and sailors available for duty, Proctor less than 2000 British and native warriors. Tecumseh and members of his Confederacy made up part of the British force. Tecumseh persuaded Procter to make a stand near Moraviantown.
Battle of the Thames
After a fierce fight that began shortly after dawn on October 5, Harrison's forces overwhelmed Proctor's underfed, undersupplied and demoralized troops. The American victory was complete. Many British and Amerindian warriors died in the battle including Tecumseh. The death of the Shawnee chief created a power vacuum in his confederacy, causing its total collapse. The Americans took control of Detroit, ending many of the attacks in the Indiana Territory that had ravaged the region.

It is fun to experience Indiana's rich history. The easy to read “this day in history format” of the Hoosier Dusty Files makes it easy for readers to learn the history of the Hoosier state The author has excerpted articles his "A Year in Indiana History" book. . Visitors may read the articles as they appear or purchase the book:
A Year of Indiana History - 2016
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