Monroe in Monroe County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The 1st Battle of the River Raisin
Photographed By Craig Doda, June 29, 2020
1. The 1st Battle of the River Raisin Marker
Inscription.
The 1st Battle of the River Raisin. . The opening months of the War of 18 12 were disastrous for the isolated American outposts in the west. Fort Mackinac, on Mackinac Island, had fallen in the first action of the war. The inhabitants and garrison of Fort Dearborn, at what is now Chicago, had been massacred. Detroit had surrendered August 15, 1812, and the Frenchtown settlement on the River Raisin was controlled by the British.
When the Americans learned of the fall of Detroit, armies on the march in Ohio and Kentucky were reorganized and soon placed under the command of famed Gen. William Henry Harrison. Their goal: the recapture of Detroit.
The small American army was to be composed of three groups: On the right, men from Pennsylvania and Virginia. In the center, men from Ohio. The left wing of the gathering army consisted of tough Kentuckians who were the first to arrive at the assembly point a few miles above the mouth of the Maumee River.
These troops, about 1,100 "effective soldiers, under the command of Gen. James Winchester, arrived at the Rapids of the Maumee near present-day Toledo- on January 12, 1813. Here, Winchester learned that there were only a few soldiers and several hundred of their Indian allies at the Rive Raisin. The decision was made to attack.
Before dawn on January 18, 1813, Lt. Col. William Lewis's detachment of 667 Kentuckians marched northward on the frozen water of Lake Erie. They arrived at LaPlaisance, two miles south of the Raisin, at 3:00 PM, where they were joined by 100 local resident volunteers.
The Battle of the River Raisin was about to begin...
The opening months of the War of 1812 were disastrous for the isolated
American outposts in the west. Fort Mackinac, on Mackinac Island, had
fallen in the first action of the war. The inhabitants and garrison of Fort
Dearborn, at what is now Chicago, had been massacred. Detroit had
surrendered August 15, 1812, and the Frenchtown settlement on the River
Raisin was controlled by the British.
When the Americans learned of the fall of Detroit, armies on the march in Ohio
and Kentucky were reorganized and soon placed under the command of
famed Gen. William Henry Harrison. Their goal: the recapture of Detroit.
The small American army was to be composed of three groups: On the right,
men from Pennsylvania and Virginia. In the center, men from Ohio. The left
wing of the gathering army consisted of tough Kentuckians who were the
first to arrive at the assembly point a few miles above the mouth of the
Maumee River.
These troops, about 1,100 "effective soldiers, under the command of Gen.
James Winchester, arrived at the Rapids of the Maumee near present-day
Toledo- on January 12, 1813. Here, Winchester learned that there were only
a few soldiers and several hundred of their Indian allies at the Rive Raisin.
The decision was made to attack.
Before dawn on January 18, 1813, Lt. Col. William Lewis's detachment
Click or scan to see this page online
of 667
Kentuckians marched northward on the frozen water of Lake Erie. They
arrived at LaPlaisance, two miles south of the Raisin, at 3:00 PM, where they
were joined by 100 local resident volunteers.
The Battle of the River Raisin was about to begin...
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War of 1812. A significant historical date for this entry is January 12, 1813.
Location. 41° 54.664′ N, 83° 22.613′ W. Marker is in Monroe, Michigan, in Monroe County. Marker is on E. Elm Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Monroe MI 48162, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 25, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 132 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on January 25, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
