Events Occurring in January: Battle of New Orleans, Britain Declares War, River Raisin Massacre

From the January American Battlefield Trust 2023 calendar.

JANUARY 8, 1815

**  Battle of New Orleans, Louisiana

JANUARY 9, 1813

**  Great Britain declares war on the United States.  (The U.S, declared war in June 1812.)

JANUARY 13, 1813

**  John Armstrong replaces William Eustis as Secretary of War.

JANUARY 18, 1813

**  American forces seize Frenchtown, Michigan Terrirory.

JANUARY 22, 1813

**  The Battle of River Raisin; roughjly 40 to 60 American soldiers are killed in what became kniown as "The River Raisin Massacre."

--Brock-Perry

January Events War of 1812: New Orleans, War Declaration, Secretary of War, Frenchtown and Raisin

JANUARY 8, 1815

**  Battle of New Orleans

JANUARY  9, 1813

**  Great Britain declares war on the United States.

JANUARY 13, 1813

**  John Armstrong replaces William Eustis as Secretary of War.

JANUARY 18, 1813

**  American forces seize Frenchtown, Michigan.

JANUARY 22, 1813

**  Battle of River Raisin, Michigan.

--Brock-Perry

Hull's Trace & the War of 1812-- Part 2: Who Was McCloskey?

Evidently, the route of this road/trace was originally laid out by someone named McCloskey who won a lottery in 1808 (to mark the route?)  and there is a map of it in the Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library.

The article says that he must have traveled   the existing (Indian?) trail, taking compass readings as he traveled.  Somewhere around the Huron River, he may have deviated from the trail because Hubert Lacroix wrote in 1812 that he wasn't able to find the slashes on the trees  for the original route.

Hull's Trace ran close to Lake Erie and the Detroit River, making it vulnerable to British attacks by water.  As a matter of fact, the first land-based skirmish of the war, the Battle of Brownstown, was fought on a road just  north of this section.

The later battles of Maguaga and Frenchtown were also  fought along the trace. 

Hull's Trace has been considered Michigan's first road at the beginning of the settler era.

--Brock-Perry

Dr. John Todd-- Part 2: At The River Raisin

Brother of Robert Smith Todd (Mary Todd Lincoln's father, so he world be her uncle.)

From the River Raisin.org site.

Under Selected American Leaders page.

Dr. John Todd, born near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1787.  Was  surgeon of the 5th Kentucky Volunteer Regiment in 1812.  Stayed behind to take care of the wounded after the Battle of the River Raisin.

At the British hospital at Stony Creek  on January 23, 1813, he urged the British to return to French Town to rescue  the wounded who were being killed by the Indians, but to no avail.

After the war, Todd practiced medicine in Lexington, then moved to Illinois.  His niece, Mary Todd would become the wife of Abraham Lincoln.

--Brock-Perry

Robert Smith Todd (Mary Lincoln's Father)-- Part 3: At Battles of Frenchtown and Thames

In July 1812, when the 5th Kentucky Regiment left Lexington, , it contained Robert , three of his brothers and eight Todd cousins.  Initially, Robert did not receive his commission, although his two older brothers did.

Along with his younger brother, Samuel, Robert enlisted as a private.  Before he could leave Ohio, however, he caught pneumonia and had to stay there to recover.

After recovering (and during which time he returned home to marry Eliza Parker), he went to the front of military action and  fought at the Battle of Frenchtown in Michigan in January 1813 and later in the fall was at the Battle of the Thames, where Tecumseh was killed and which ended fighting in that part of the war.

Before the end of the war, Robert was promoted to captain.

--Brock-Perry

River Raisin Event Held in Bad Weather Last Weekend-- Part 1

From the January 19, 2020, LenConnect.com  "Commemorative battlefield event held during snowy weather" by Paula Wethington., Monroe (Mich.) News.

It was Monroe County's biggest snowstorm of winter season so far.

"We had a lot of brave souls with the weather," said Jami Keegan.  And, only the presentation of Mary  Stockwell was cancelled.  The tactical musket demonstration went on although only half of the 70 re-enactors were there.

The Battles of the River Raisin took place January 18 and January 22, 1813, in an area in and around the present-day City of Monroe, Michigan.  Americans, British, Canadians and Indians were involved and the defeat of the Americans is considered a pivotal moment in the War of 1812.

Many of those who died on the American side were from Kentucky.  The local community in the area, then known as French Town, was left desolated.

--Brock-Perry

River Raisin Events Commemorate War of 1812 This Weekend

From the January 17, 2020, Toledo (Ohio) Blade.

The River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe, Michigan, is commemorating  the War of 1812 battle that took place there this weekend.

For those of you who like a little alcoholic taste with your history, on Friday, today, the Battle of the Wines event will be held at the La-Z-Boy Center of the campus of Monroe County Community College from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.  Tickets are $40 and include nine wine tastings from  Michigan, Canada and France.  Food to pair with the wine will be provided.

The battle is also known as the Battles of Frenchtown, Battle of the River Raisin and River raisin Massacre.

The 207th commemoration of the battle, which took place January 18, 1812, and resulted in a major American defeat, is set for 9 am to 2:30 pm  at the battlefield's visitors center.  A musket and cannon demonstration at  11 am will be followed at noon by a remembrance ceremony.

On Sunday, Ron Jones  will give a presentation  at the visitor center mapping  the War of 1812 and its legacy from 1 to 2 pm.  Maps designed by Scottish cartographer John Melish will be on display.

Remember the Raisin  --Brock-Perry

Nathaniel G.S. Hart-- Part 2: Killed at River Raisin Massacre

Mathaniel Hart attended Princeton and studied law under Henry Clay.  His wife was the sister of Henry Clay's wife.

The Lexington Light Infantry" was called "The Silk Stocking Boys" and were part of the 5th regiment Kentucky Volunteer Militia.  The unit left for the Northwest in August 1812 and became a part of the Army of the Northwest under General James Winchester.

In January 1813, they were sent to Frenchtown , Michigan Territory, as part of the American attempt to recapture Detroit from the British.  At the First Battle of Frenchtown on January 18, 1813, the Americans drove the small British force away.  On January 22, the British counter-attacked and the result was an American defeat with 397 killed.

Nathaniel Hart was wounded and one of the 547 Americans who surrendered.  he was shot and scalped by Indians the following day.

Nathaniel G.S. Hart of Kentucky-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

In my Cooter's History Thing blog I have been writing about Georgia's American Revolution heroine Nancy Hart who moved to Kentucky after the war and is buried there.  I came across the name of a Hart County in Kentucky and though it might have been named after her, but upon further research found out it was named after Nathaniel G.S. Hart, who fought and died in the War of 1812.

Born 11784  Died January 23, 1813.  Lexington, Kentucky, lawyer and businessman who fought with the Kentucky militia in the War of 1812 as captain of the Lexington Light Infantry.

He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Frenchtown in Michigan Territory and killed along with many of his men at the River raisin Massacre the next day.

Remember the Raisin.  --Brock-Perry

A Frontier In Flames-- Part 14: The Raisin River Massacre

Henry Proctor left between 60 and 80 badly wounded Americans and took the rest of his prisoners back to Detroit.

What happened next is known as the Raisin River Massacre.    A group of warriors returned to Frenchtown and killed and scalped at least 30 of the wounded soldiers and took others away as prisoners.  Some of the Americans escaped and made their way to Harrison's Army.

The Raisin River massacre was another major defeat for the United States in the Northwest.  At the end of 1812, the British and their allies had taken control of previously American territory in Michigan, Illinois, northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio.

--Brock-Perry

A Frontier in Flames-- Part 13: The Battle of Frenchtown

Instead of waiting for Harrison, however, James Winchester marched on Frenchtown after refugees from the town begged him to drive off the British.  Winchester's smaller force of about 850 men routed Proctor's army in the initial phase of the battle, but did not take precautions for counter attack.

It soon came.

Proctor's force then overwhelmed the Americans and captured Winchester.  Believing that further resistance would lead to a massacre of prisoners, Winchester then surrendered.

Though victorious, Proctor had lost nearly a third of his force and decided to abandon Frenchtown.

--Brock-Perry

A Frontier in Flames-- Part 12: Events Leading to the Raisin River Massacre

The fall of Detroit and Dearborn Massacre outraged America.  Seeking revenge, in late 1812, William Henry Harrison led a 9,000-man army through Indiana to recapture Fort Detroit.  A smaller, second American force was led by James Winchester was supposed to meet Harrison at the Maumee River near the border of Indiana and Michigan.

Colonel Henry Proctor had replaced General Brock, who had been killed at the Battle of Queenstown Heights, as commander of the British forces.  Rather than to allow Harrison to reach Detroit, Procter took an army of about 1,100 regulars, militia and American Indians south.

They captured Frenchtown (now Monroe, Michigan), on the Raisin River and dug in to await the Americans.

--Brock-Perry

The River Raisin Massacre-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

This inspired the famous American battle cry "Remember the Raisin."

First reports from the Second Battle of the River Raisin (or Frenchtown) put at least 300 Americans killed and over 500 made prisoners.  British General Proctor was still unsure as to whether or not General Harrison would attack him and left the battlefield, marching north toward Detroit and then crossing the frozen Detroit River to Fort Malden, taking uninjured prisoners with him.  Injured prisoners were left in Frenchtown.

On the morning of January 23, 1813, Indians began robbing and pillaging wounded Americans in Frenchtown.  Those able to walk were sent on to Fort Malden.  Many of those left behind were murdered and some burned alive when the hospital was set afire. 

The remaining prisoners were forced to walk to Fort Malden with those unable to keep up on the march murdered.  An account by a survivor said, "The road was for miles strewed with the mangled bodies."

It is estimated that 30 to 100 Americans were killed that day.

Remember the Raisin.  --Brock-Perry

Second Battle of the River Raisin-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

The American force under General James Winchester had won a big victory on January 18th and the British had been forced out of Frenchtown in Michigan Territory.  However, he had acted without orders in the attack, but General Harrison was willing to forgive him due Io the success, but was greatly concerned of a British counter-attack.  He sent orders for Winchester to hold his ground and prepare for attack.  In addition, reinforcements of the 17th United States Infantry arrived.

The First battle of the River Raisin was the first combat most of Winchester's men had seen.  Locals warned Winchester of approaching British, but the general paid no heed.  there were no sentries or pickets on watch. 

British General proctor from Detroit had marched his troops southward to Frenchtown from Fort Malden.

More to Come.  --Brock-Perry

The First Battle of the River Raisin

Parts of the battlefield have recently beed designated as the River raisin National Battlefield Park and is part of the National Park Service.

Also called the First Battle of Frenchtown.

General James Winchester, second in command of the Army of the Northwest, led approximately 1,000 untrained regulars and militia, mostly from Kentucky.

He ignored orders from General William Henry Harrison to remain close and headed for Frenchtown where they surprised an outnumbered force of British soldiers and their Indian allies.

The British retreated.

During the retreat, the Indians looted and burned the nearby Sandy Creek settlement.

So, the first battle ended up as an American victory.

Fighting in the Winter.  I Don't Know.  --Brock-Perry

200th Anniversary of the River Raisin Massacre Today

This was the culmination of a series of battles that took place between January 18th and 23rd in 1813, involving British soldiers and their Indian allies versus American troops near Frenchtown, Michigan Territory, present day Monroe, Wisconsin.

On January 18th, a larger American force surprised the British and Indians and  forced them to retreat.  This was all part of an American effort to retake Detroit that had been lost the previous summer.

The British and Indians rallied and counterattacked four days later on the 22nd and this time chased off the Americans.  Some 397 U.S. troops lost their lives and hundreds were captured.  The next day, dozens of them were massacred by the Indians in what became known as the River Raisin Massacre.

This was the largest battle ever fought on Michigan soil and it was the highest number  of Americans killed in any War of 1812 action.

There Will Be More On the Battle.  --Brock-Perry