How the Horrors of the River Raisin Became a Rallying Cry-- Part 5: The Second Battle at the River Raisin

Arriving before dawn on January 22, 1813, and unnoticed by the American sentries, a force of 600 British Canadians and 800 Native warriors gathered into battle positions along the Mason Run Creek, about 250-350 yards to the north of the settlement.  

British regulars and artillery were positioned in the center, a dispersed clustering of Native warriors made up mostly of Anishinaabeg (Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi) and Miami, accompanied by some Canadian militia were to the west, and to the east was a large number of Native warriors, mostly Wyandot and Shawnee, in the forward position, supported by Canadian militia and artillery to their rear.

Reveille sounded, and an American sentry spotted the British in the pre-dawn light. He fired a shot into the forward line that killed the lead grenardier, and the report of his musket sent 1,000 just awakened soldiers scrambling for their battle positions.

Almost immediately, the British opened with their artillery and the infantry pushed forward from its center position.  As they drew within range of the settlement, the British infantrymen fired a powerful volley at what, in the still dark distance, had seemed to be a line of soldiers.

Well, It Wasn't a Line of Soldiers.  --Brock-Perry