Determined To Surrender

Depiction Of Frenchtown - River Raisin Battlefield National Park

Source

Massacre At Frenchtown

Picture From The River Raisin Battlefield National Park

Source

"....left wing of the Northwest army, was ordered to Frenchtown, on the River Raisin, where it was understood a large number of British had collected and were committing depredations on the inhabitants of that village."

Residual Bad Feelings

The war of 1812 was due in great part to the bad feeling that had remained in the South and Wesit, particularly Kentucky, since the Indian wars. This feeling was intensified by the massacre of Frenchtown, or Raisin River, in January, 1813, when several hundred Kentuckian prisoners were killed by the Indian allies of General Proctor.  [Source]

Buffalo Robes Taken At The Battle River Raisin

War of 1812: Board of Claims for Losses...:

Image 303 

Microform: t-1126

To Lewis Campau...
12 January

Woodward And Proctor

The War of 1812 Magazine article, Remember the Raisin! Anatomy of a Demon Myth, By Sandy Antal:

"Unlike Canadians who usually explain away a complicated series of events through the alleged incompetence of the British commander, Americans have persistently demonized Colonel (later Major-General) Henry Procter as a bloodthirsty commander who either directed or permitted the murder of defenceless American prisoners. It was these alleged atrocities that gave rise to the slogan, Remember the Raisin!"

"Judge Woodward of Detroit...approached Colonel Procter on the subject, expressing outrage over the murders and depredations."

Captain Hightower, POW

Letters Received By The Office Of The Adjutant General, 1805-1821:

February the 20th, 1813

Buffalo, New York

Source

"...I am at this place a prisoner of war with about forty-six regular soldiers all on parole.... ."

Mostly from the 17th Regiment; some from the 19th Regiment...part of those men belonging to four different companies....(including Captain R. Hightower of the 17th Reg., U.S.)

"...we are part of of those unhappy bands that was surrendered by Generall [sic] Winchester at French Town at River Raisin on the 22nd of January...:".  The commandant at this place has ordered us to Pittsburgh...".

Richard Hightower

Capt. of the 17 R  U S A

Poem Fredoniad

The Fredoniad:

Invocation

...In consequence of the calamities at Raisin, offensive operations are deferred until the return of Spring....

The scene is laid at the above-mentioned place.

The time is about ten months: from the commencement of the War, June 18th, 1812, until the Spring of 1813. From the time the Essex enters Valparaiso, till the day of Battle, is forty-six hours.

A sample of verses:

On the same morn of the disastrous day,

Which wrapp'd the martyrs in their robes of clay,

Shelby commanded Croghan from his rest,

And him, like father to a son, address'd:

Thy youthful warriors marshal, and proceed

To strengthen Lewis at his pressing need.

His heart, all anxious, palpitates with pain

To meet the foe, progressing on the plain. 

Officers Engaged In The Action

British participants In the Battle Of River Raisin:

Source

(1) Robert Richardson, Garrison Mate:

John Richardson was named as a volunteer from the 41st Regiment.

Battleground At River Raisin

Source

British Return Of Troops After The River Raisin

Return of the Whole of the Troops...Engaged [At] Frenchtown On The River Raisin

22nd January 1813

With the Number Of Killed & Wounded

Source

Levi Luther Todd's Orderly Book

Held at Indiana University's Archives (description and partial document below):


ORDERLY BOOK OF THE LEXINGTON LIGHT INFANTRY

"An orderly book is a record book kept by a military company in which general and regimental orders are recorded. This orderly book belonged to a company that fought at the River Raisin [link added]... ."

The Indiana Genealogical Society has more about the Orderly Book in its publication here. 

A Letter To Isaac Shelby

Source

A letter from General Harrison to Shelby after the River Raisin disaster which tremendously affected Kentuckians:

A continuation of Harrison's letter:

The greater part of Colonel Wells's regiment, United States Infantry, and the 1st and 5th regiments Kentucky Infantry, and Allen's rifle regiment, under the immediate orders of General Winchester have been cut to pieces by the enemy or taken prisoners.

Dr. Thomas Davis Died At River Raisin

Kentucky Monument Near River Raisin Battlefield In Monroe, Michigan

Source

Surgeon in the Lexington Light Infantry organized May 11, 1812

This company was known as the Silk Stocking Boys...

...Capt. N. S. G. Hart....

Massacred at River Raisin January 23, 1813, while caring for the wounded.

Survived The Battle Of River Raisin

Source

20 February 1813

Buffalo, New York

Richard Hightower

Prisoner Of War On Parole With About 46 Regular Soldiers

17th Regiment

And Part Of The 19th Regiment

...Surrendered By General Winchester

At Frenchtown (Battle of River Raisin)

January 22, 1813

Ashton Garrett mentioned

Another letter postmarked Nicholasville, Kentucky

Captain Paschal Hickman

The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Volume 7 (Google eBook)

Captain Hickman was severely wounded and was carried from the battlefield, both of his legs were shot off, or were so badly mangled that they were amputated the next morning, January 23, 1813.

Source

Heirs Of Jean Baptiste Couture

Congressional Serial Set and the heirs of Jean Baptiste Couture:

"That this is one of the River Raisin claims. The proofs as to the occupation of the buildings for which the petitioner claims compensation, by order of an officer of the United States, and of their destruction by enemy at the time, and in consequence of such occupation, are the same in the case of Hubert La Croix...".

"The petitioner claims compensation for the loss of a dwelling house, store or lumber house, stable and a bake or washing house, and also for destruction of some personal property."

Dawn At French Town...

...on the day of surrender (at River Raisin).

#13 Large building near the right of the drawing

#13.  "Dwelling of Capt. Jean Baptiste Couture occupied as quarters by officers, among whom were Col. Lewis, Col. Allen, Major Gassard, Capt. Hart, John McCalla, Ensign Baker, Doctors Todd, Bowers, McIlvane, Capt. Smith and Major Madison."

Yankees Squint

From Pioneer Collections, Volume 4, by the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan (recollections of Aura P. Stewart of St. Clair County, Michigan):

"While the British held Detroit they sent two expeditions against Fort Mays, then called French Town, now the city of Monroe, where there was a little stockade defended by Ohio militia.  At the first attack the British troops were repulsed with considerable loss.  Some of the best marksmen in the little picket fort, when the British had placed their artillery to play upon the fort, were ordered by their commanding officer to pick off the men at the gun, a six-pounder, and, if possible, not to allow it to be fired; and I have been told that they did their work so thoroughly that the British had to abandon their gun, for the moment they attempted to load it every man fell.  On the return of this party, my father asked a Welsh soldier how they made out.  He shook
his head and said, "Very bad."  On asking the reason of the failure, he said, "Yankees squint; he never squint," meaning that our riflemen took aim when they fired, but he did not."

French Town (Jim's Photo Taken At The NPS)

"The next expedition the British sent to capture Fort Mays was more successful.  They not only took the little stockade, but they allowed the Indians to murder their prisoners and the inhabitants.  This affair is known in history as Winchester's defeat, and it was a cruel and sad affair."

Detroit Residents' Letter To Judge Woodward

After General Hull surrendered Detroit the previous August, frightened Detroiters sent a letter to [American] Judge Augustus Woodward (excerpt below), who was planning to leave, asking him not to abandon them.  They had reason to be afraid; the letter was sent just prior to the nearby Battle of the River Raisin:

Source

It was a matter of quite as great importance that the civil affairs of the community should be attended to as that the military affairs should be properly conducted.  ...Woodward alone, remained in Detroit as the representative of the territory. [British] General Proctor, as civil governor under the terms of the capitulation, ordered the supreme court to convene at the council house in Detroit early in February 1813 and Woodward, as the only remaining judge, was expected to preside. Judge Woodward did not get along with General Proctor and did not think he could be an effective advocate for the citizens of Detroit because of it. [Source]  

Southerland Mayfield's Abstracted Pension File

Abstracts of pensions: soldiers of the Revolution, 1812 and Indian wars who settled the Blue Grass region of Kentucky ([n.d.]), by Lucy Kate McGee

Source

Mayfield, Southerland
Private   Amelia
Private  Captain C. H. Holder Company
17th U.S. Infantry and Captain Robert Edwards
Kentucky Militia
War of 1812  O.W. 23795
W.C. 22380 - Old War Invalid File 25646

"The above named soldier lost one foot during the War of 1812 to the heel and all of his toes on the other foot, signed -- Dr. John H. Wood and Dr. S. Willis"

The soldier participated in the Battle of The River Raisin.