Michigan legislative action thread
Posted on 01/23/2016 5:02:58 PM PST by cripplecreek
MONROE, MI — Michigan isn't necessarily known for its war history.
That could be the reason why many Michiganders are unaware of the details of the deadliest day of war on Michigan soil.
Another possible reason, according to Daniel Downing, is America doesn't love to talk about the times we lose.
"It's a great American defeat and we don't like to brag about our defeats," said Downing, who serves as chief of education, interpretation and operation for River Raisin National Battlefield Park.
Left without sufficient ammunition, more than 300 Americans were killed Jan. 22, 1813 during the War of 1812's Battle of Frenchtown, which occurred on land that is now the city of Monroe. In addition to the immediate casualties, about 60 men were seriously wounded and more than 500 were taken captive.
"This was the first attempt by the United States to take back the Michigan territory," said Downing, discussing the Battle of Frenchtown, which is also known as the Battle of the River Raisin.
Downing is currently preparing for the national park's annual commemoration of the battle, which will take place Saturday, Jan. 23.
Detroit was surrendered to British and Native American troops about five months before the conflict in Frenchtown, during the Siege of Detroit. In an attempt to take back the land, on Jan. 18, 1813, American troops rushed a small number of British and Native American troops from the Frenchtown area.
"On the 22nd, the British counter-attacked," Downing explained.
The Americans, most of whom were members of the Kentucky militia, were camped out near a road that bordered the frozen River Raisin. Their spot near the road was necessary, Downing explained, since it was the only way to receive supplies.
"Logistically, that's why the battle occurred here," he said.
As the British and Native American forces attacked from both sides, Americans were ill-equipped to fight back, since Brigidier General James Winchester took the army's extra ammunition to a private home about a mile away from Frenchtown, according to the official River Raisin Battlefield website.
"They could not stand the withering fire," Downing said. "They retreated against the frozen River Raisin."
Of the more-than 900 Americans involved in the battle, only 33 were unscathed and free from capture following the conflict.
Winchester was one of those captured and the next morning on Jan. 23, Native American troops surrounded and killed Winchester's soldiers who were injured during the previous day's battle.
"That was very graphic," Downing said. "This was a very famous event in its day. It was kind of like the 9/11 of its day."
The massacre, known as the River Raisin Massacre, was used as a recruiting tool for years to come.
"This became America's first rallying cry – 'Remember the Raisin,'" Downing said.
Eventually, most of the 500-plus soldiers captured during the Battle of Frenchtown were released.
While some of those killed or captured during the battle were from Michigan, the vast majority of American soldiers involved in the conflict were from Kentucky.
"Four out of every five casualties in the war came from Kentucky," Downing said.
Kentucky's heavy involvement means some Kentucky residents are traveling to Monroe in order to take part in Saturday's memorial activities. Additionally, Ohio residents, Michiganders, Canadian residents and Native Americans are expected to take part in what Downing calls a "big event."
The day begins at 11 a.m. with a tactical demonstration at the battlefield located at the Monroe Multi-Sports Complex, 333 N. Dixie Highway. At noon, attendees will gather at River Raisin National Battlefield Park, 1403 E. Elm, for a commemoration ceremony. The final event of the day, a presentation on the reconstruction of historic Fort Holmes, occurs at 2:30 p.m. at the Monroe County Historical Museum, 123 S. Monroe Street.
A national park was first created on the site of the battle in 2010, with the River Raisin National Battlefield Park officially opening in 2011.
For more information on the battle visit riverraisinbattlefield.org or nps.gov/rira.
Guess that explains all the Kentuckians here in Hazel Park.
Really crappy job with the history on this story.
The American wounded were surrendered because good treatment was expected from the British but the British returned to Canada and the “noble savages” slaughtered the wounded and captured.
And people wonder why the colonists had no love for the Indians...
British Major General Henry Proctor’s career was pretty much ended over his leaving the American prisoners to die at the hands of the indians.
He still served but was put on trial and disgraced and I don’t believe he was ever promoted.
Kentucky counties named after officers who fought in the battle. (Only Ballard survived)
Allen County (after Lieutenant Colonel John Allen)
Ballard County (after Major Bland Ballard)
Edmonson County (after Captain John Edmonson)
Graves County (after Major Benjamin Franklin Graves)
Hart County (after Captain Nathaniel G. S. Hart)
Hickman County (after Captain Paschal Hickman)
McCracken County (after Captain Virgil McCracken)
Meade County (after Captain James M. Meade)
Simpson County (after Captain John Simpson)
Last time I checked your page, you had Emanuel Custer labeled wrong. Great pic....btw.
Interesting faces some appear to be black and indian.
Another battle fought in Michigan was Bloody Run, which occurred during Pontiac’s Conspiracy of 1763, but despite its name, it wasn’t quite as bloody as River Raisin.
The British employed the natives as a force multiplier/terror tool, but at the same time tended to be “queasy” about the tactics the natives used, and often attempted to restrain their more brutal tendencies. In the Revolution the British had some excellent partisan-hunter/tracker units to deploy against American irregulars — I’ve never studied the War of 1812 heavily, I wonder if they also had good irregular troops in that war, or if they had to rely much more heavily on the Indians for backwoods tactics?
And don’t forget the trouncing we gave them at New Orleans.
I’ll be staying on history and kitty threads bump.
The war of 1812 is an odd one that was kind of a low grade continuation of the revolution. The bulk of the fighting took place in the northern wilderness with the British attacking New Orleans as kind of a last ditch attempt to gain access to the center of the continent.
Time line
http://www.eighteentwelve.ca/?q=eng/Category/XML_List_Content&start=1813-01-18
And actually, the Battle of New Orleans took place after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed but before the news had reached the troops.
All those Brits died for nothing.
1812 saw a lot of action ignored in US history . Thanks did not know about this. At first I thought this would be about the Ohio Michigan border war over Toledo.
Thanks cripplecreek.
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