Tecumseh's box |
Christopher Arnold's powder horn |
Native paddle |
Knife from the British retreat |
| After the Battle of Lake
Erie, the British supply lines to Amherstburg were cut. The guns from Fort Malden
had been put on the British ships and been captured.
General Procter had no choice
but to order the withdrawal of his troops.
Tecumseh wanted to remain at
Amherstburg and fight the Americans. Procter finally convinced the Natives
to join the retreat. |
|||||
|
Picture of the Thames River valley |
According to most reports, the retreat was badly managed. The British troops did not withdraw from Sandwich until the Americans were almost in the town.
Verchères tells a good, if improbable, story of a
dinner at James Baby's house as the Americans approach Sandwich. The weather was extremely bad, rain turning the roads into mud. The British did not destroy the bridges they crossed, leaving the Americans with an unhampered route to follow. |
|
Several skirmishes were fought between the Natives and the Americans on the way up the Thames River. There were fights at Baptiste and Jeanette's Creeks on Oct. 2, and another one on Oct. 4 at McGregor's Mill. On Oct. 5, just outside of Moraviantown, the Americans caught up with the British. The Battle of the Thames was a definite American victory in which Tecumseh was killed. Procter managed to escape to Delaware, but was later court-martialed and punished for his role in the defeat. |
Cannon Balls |
American uniform buttons found at Baptiste Creek |
Close-up of American uniform buttons |
Encampment at Dolsen's Farm |
See more: Tecumseh.
See more: General William Harrison.
See more: Colonel Henry Procter.
See more: Tecumseh's speech, as reported by John Richardson.
See more: Verchères' account of the retreat from
Amherstburg.
See more: Verchères' story of dinner at James Baby's house.
See more: Thomas McCrae's Diary.
See our interactive map of
the retreat. 
See more: Battle of the Thames.