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Research notes

River Raisin, 1813: Kentucky’s winter defeat in Michigan

Kentucky volunteers who mustered at Georgetown in 1812 were defeated at the River Raisin in January 1813 by British troops and Wyandot-led warriors.

Updated

Muster

  • Kentucky volunteers rendezvoused at Georgetown Aug 15 1812 (marker 508). KHS 508

Allied nations

  • About 800 warriors, Wyandot, Shawnee, Potawatomi, Odawa, Ojibwe; Wyandot chiefs Roundhead and Walk-in-the-Water; resisting American expansion since Greenville. GK

Battle

  • Jan 18 Frenchtown taken; Jan 22 Procter's attack, Winchester captured, ~500 surrender; ~359 killed, 495 captured/missing (Grokipedia); British 24 killed; Native losses unrecorded. GK

Jan 23 killings (contested)

  • 30-60 wounded prisoners killed; 'massacre' framing American; causes debated (revenge, Procter's failure to guard). GK

Legacy

  • Remember the Raisin, Thames; nine counties named (marker 508); Ballard captured, Simpson killed. KHS 508 GK

Timeline

  1. 1812 Muster at Georgetown, Aug 15 KHS 508
  2. 1813 Frenchtown taken Jan 18 GK
  3. 1813 Battle Jan 22; prisoners killed Jan 23 GK
  4. 1813 Battle of the Thames, Oct GK

Open questions

  • Casualty totals vary by source (Grokipedia also gives 'over 400' killed in another section); marker says not half of 1,050 reached home.
  • Number killed Jan 23: 30–60 per Grokipedia; other accounts higher.

Sources

web