The Battle of Moraviantown (Battle of the Thames)

The Americans at Moraviantown

Meanwhile, Tecumseh and his warriors are putting up a fierce resistance in the swamp to the left of the British. James Johnson’s brother, Colonel Richard Johnson has ridden ahead of the main body of his force with 20 other men. They are a “Forlorn Hope” squad attempting to empty the Indians’ guns and give the rest of the American attackers a better chance. Johnson’s squad rides straight into a wall of bullets. The Colonel is wounded five times and all but five of his comrades are killed.

The main body of the Kentuckians follow but are unable to cross the mud and undergrowth of the swamp with their horses. They dismount and fight the Natives on the ground. Tecumseh is killed and extra American troops freed by the collapse of the British line pour into action. As word spreads of Tecumseh’s death and British Retreat, the Indians withdraw into the forest.

Mounted U.S. troops scour the surrounding trails and forests for the remnants of the British army. By nightfall US soldiers are burning and looting the village of Moraviantown. Harrison has scored a decisive victory and there appears to be little stopping him from continuing his lightning advance right to the head of Lake Ontario. British officials are afraid that the Americans are poised to conquer all of Upper Canada west of Kingston.

Harrison is facing his own set of problems, however. The Thames Valley is now a wasteland of burned-out farms and ransacked settlements. The American supply lines are over-extended and the region’s provisions have already been exhausted by two desperate armies. To make matters worse, most of Harrison’s troops are volunteers who have signed up for short-term duty. It would be almost impossible to turn these militiamen into an army of occupation. Facing the onset of the bitter Canadian winter, Harrison decides to retreat to Sandwich on October 7, 1813.