Battle of Prairie du Chien to Be Commemorated-- Part 1

From the April 23, 2014, Clayton County (Iowa) Register "Bicentennial Celebration to honor the War of 1812 Battle of Prairie du Chien."

The British won the battle of Prairie du Chien in Wisconsin Territory along the Mississippi River, but lost the territory which eventually became the state of Wisconsin.

Many events are planned.

The town is proud of its history: "There are not many places where one can drive just a few blocks and visit early French-Canadian log houses, see a battle between American and British, walk the same ground as Black Hawk and William Clark, Zebulon Pike, Zachary Taylor, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Eleanor Roosevelt, to name just a few of the national figures who have been to Prairie du Chien."

--Brock-Perry

200 Years Ago: British Recapture Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Territory

JULY 18TH, 1814:

British and First Nation allies capture Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin territory.

Prairie du Chien was a small fur trading post at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers and was occupied by French-Canadians and managed by British merchants.

On June 2, 1814, the governor of Missouri Territory, William Clark, afraid that the British would use the post to launch an expedition down the Mississippi River, seized control of the post without incident and built Fort Shelby.

Under prominent fur trader William McKay, a force of about 120 voyageurs, Michigan Fencibles, and officers of the British Indian department and over 500 fighters from nations including the Ho-chunk (Winnebago), Menominee and Arishnabe (Ojibwe) set out to retake it.

With little ammunition and only 60 regulars to defend the post, the Americans surrendered after a short siege and returned home on parole.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Shelby in Wisconsin

From Wikipedia.

I have recently mentioned this fort as being built 200 years ago this month in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Territory.

Built 1814 at Prairie du Chien.  Named for Isaac Shelby, Revolutionary War soldier and first governor of Kentucky.  It was a wooden palisade fort built on a mound with a blockhouse.

Captured by the British at the Siege of Prairie du Chien in July 1814 and renamed Fort McKay after Major William McKay, commander of the British force and remained under their control until the end of the war.  It was destroyed when they left.

American Fort Crawford built on the same site in 1816.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Timeline: June 1814.

JUNE 1, 1814:   British raids on Cedar Point and St. Jerome's Point, Maryland.  This was an indecisive encounter near the mouth of the Patuxent River between American and British ships.  Both sides maneuvered and fired at each other at long range, but no damage was done.  The Americans broke off the fight.

JUNE 2-5, 1814:  Americans take possession of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Territory, and start construction of Fort Shelby.   This was a preemptive move by the Americans to occupy this fur trading settlement at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers.  They feared that the British might use it to launch an offensive operation down the Mississippi River.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Timeline: May 1814

APRIL 25-MAY 30TH, 1814:  British extend blockade to the New England states.

MAY 1ST, 1814: American General William Clark and troops leave St. Louis headed for Prairie du Chien in Wisconsin Territory.

--Brock-Perry