William Atherton American

William Atherton was a young soldier in Winchester's army. He was captured by the Potawatomi at Frenchtown in 1813, and was, for a time, adopted by into the Native community. Such a fate was not that unusual; there exist several accounts of U.S. soldiers being adopted in tribes to replace warriors killed in battle. After many months, Atherton asked his adopted father to allow him to be handed over as a British prisoner of war. He was reluctantly turned over to the British, and released in a prisoner exchange with the Americans. He was sent home just before the battle of Lundy's Lane.