Harrison Takes Charge In Ohio-- Part 1: Rebuilding the Army of the Northwest at Franklinton

From Touring Ohio; The Heart of America site.

After the loss of Fort Detroit and Detroit by William  Hull General James Winchester became commander of what was left of the Army of the Northwest.  he offered William Henry Harrison, the governor of the Indiana Territory a rank in his army as a brigadier general, but Harrison wanted complete command of the army and refused.

When the president learned that Harrison wanted the command, he immediately removed Winchester and on September 17, 1812, Harrison assumed command of the Army.

Just a few months before war was declared, Columbus had been named the new capital of Ohio.  When Harrison arrived in Central Ohio in mid 1812, there was no question where he'd set up his headquarters.  It would be at Franklinton, across the river from Columbus.

With Hull's defeat and the capture of most of the Army of the Northwest, Harrison's first order of business was to get new recruits and rebuild the army.  Then he had defensive positions put up across northwest Ohio to stop or at least slow down any British advances.

--Brock-Perry