Massacre of the River Raisin

Battle of Frenchtown
Part of the War of 1812
The River Raisin National Battlefield Park in July 2010
Date January 18–23, 1813 Location Frenchtown, Michigan Territory 41°54′49″N 83°22′42″W / 41.91361°N 83.37833°W / 41.91361; -83.37833 (Battle of Frenchtown)Coordinates: 41°54′49″N 83°22′42″W / 41.91361°N 83.37833°W / 41.91361; -83.37833 (Battle of Frenchtown) Result British / Native American victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom Native Americans	United States
Commanders and leaders
Henry Procter Roundhead Walk-in-the-Water	James Winchester (POW) George Madison (POW)
Strength
800 Native Americans 597 regulars	Approximately 1,000
Casualties and losses
British 24-25 killed 161-162 wounded none-2 captured Native American 3-15 killed in battle and none-1 captured on the 18th, unknown losses on the 23rd	410 killed 94+ wounded 547 captured (30-100 of whom were killed in ensuing massacre)

First Battle of the River Raisin
Part of the War of 1812
Date January 18, 1813 Location Frenchtown, Michigan Territory 41°54′49″N 83°22′42″W / 41.91361°N 83.37833°W / 41.91361; -83.37833 (First Battle of the River Raisin) Result Strategic American victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom Potawatomi natives	United States
Commanders and leaders
Ebenezer Reynolds	William Lewis
Strength
200 Potawatomies 63 Canadian Militia 1 gun	600 Kentucky militiamen 100 French Americans
Casualties and losses
1 Militiaman and 3 warriors killed or 1 Militiaman wounded, 15 warriors killed and two Militiamen and a warrior captured.	13 killed 54 wounded

Second Battle of the River Raisin
Part of the War of 1812
Date January 22, 1813 Location Frenchtown, Michigan Territory 41°54′49″N 83°22′42″W / 41.91361°N 83.37833°W / 41.91361; -83.37833 (Second Battle of the River Raisin) Result British / Native American victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom Native Americans	United States
Commanders and leaders
Henry Procter Roundhead Walk-in-the-Water	George Madison James Winchester
Strength
800 Native Americans 597 militiamen	Approximately 1,000
Casualties and losses
British 24 killed 161 wounded Native American Unknown	397 killed 40+ wounded 547 captured (30-100 of whom were killed in ensuing massacre)

The Battles of Frenchtown, also known as the Battle of the River Raisin and the River Raisin Massacre, was a series of conflicts that took place from January 18–23, 1813 during the War of 1812. It was fought between the United States and a British and Native American alliance near the River Raisin in Frenchtown, Michigan Territory (present-day Monroe, Michigan). The battle on January 22 had the highest number of fatalities of any battle during this war.

On January 18, 1813 the Americans forced the retreat of the British and their Native American allies from Frenchtown, which they had earlier occupied, in a relatively minor skirmish. The movement was part of a larger United States plan to advance north and retake Fort Detroit, following its loss in the Siege of Detroit the previous summer. Despite this initial success, the British and Native Americans rallied and launched a surprise counterattack four days later on January 22. Ill-prepared, the Americans lost 397 soldiers in this second battle, while 547 were taken prisoner. Dozens of wounded prisoners were murdered the next day in a massacre by the Native Americans. More prisoners were killed if they could not keep up on the forced march to Fort Malden. This was the deadliest conflict recorded on Michigan soil, and the casualties included the highest number of Americans killed in a single battle during the War of 1812.

Parts of the original battlefield were designated as a state historic park and added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2009 Congress authorized its upgrade into the River Raisin National Battlefield Park, one of four such parks in the nation and the only one commemorating the War of 1812.

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Wikipedia