~Battle of the Thames~


October 5, 1813 General William Henry Harrison
led an army of 3500 troops against a combined
force of 700 British troops and 1000 Indian
warriors along the Thames River in Ontario
Canada.

Harrison's army continued to push the British
army, led by General Proctor, into farther
retreat. Shawnee Chief Tecumseh opposed the
retreat, but General Proctor proceeded. The
tension grew between Proctor and Tecumseh.
General Harrison's troops were not far behind
the retreating, demoralized British soldiers. It
was only the Indians who made any attempt to
stop the advancing American troops.

General Proctor realized that he would have to
stand and fight the American troops. This battle
took place on the Thames River. The British troops
surrendered after the first American charge.

Tecumseh's force of 800 continued to fight until
Tecumseh was mortally wounded, then retreated.
Tecumseh was buried in a secret grave in the
swamps where he died. With Tecumseh's death, the
Indian resistance around Lake Erie ended. A cease
fire was signed with General Harrison. This was
the final battle in the War of 1812. The Indians
of the Ohio valley had been defeated once and
for all.


Harrison resigned his military commission on May 31, 1814 and returned home to oversee his farm.