The Frontier in Flames-- Part 23: Battle of the Thames

William Henry Harrison, meanwhile, had a well-provisioned and motivated army of about 3,000 men.  They landed in Canada in late September and headed up the Thames River in pursuit of Henry Proctor.  The forces met on October 5,1813.   Proctor had his forced arrayed in two lines, with the small swamp in front of them.

Eyeing the battlefield ground, Harrison's cavalry leader, Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky, proposed a cavalry charge against each of the British lines -- an unusual tactic in such a situation.

Harrison agreed.  Johnson attacked the British right, which was held by Tecumseh and his Indians, while Johnson's brother, James, attacked the British left.  The surprise maneuver broke the British lines and set up a deadly crossfire that forced their surrender.

--Brock-Perry