Battle of the Thames in the War of 1812

Battle of the Thames in the War of 1812 The Battle of the Thames was fought October 5, 1813, during the War of 1812 (1812-1815). In the wake of the American victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, Major General William Henry Harrisons army recaptured Detroit before crossing into Canada. Outnumbered, British commander Major General Henry Proctor elected to withdraw east with his Native American allies. On October 5, he turned his army and made a stand near Moraviantown. In the resulting battle, his army was routed and the famed Native American leader Tecumseh was killed. The victory secured the United States northwest frontier for the remainder of the war. Background ​Following the fall of Detroit to Major General Isaac Brock in August 1812, American forces in the Northwest endeavored to recapture the settlement. This was badly hampered due to British naval forces controlling Lake Erie. As a result, Major General William Henry Harrisons Army of the Northwest was forced to remain on the defensive while the U.S. Navy constructed a squadron at Presque Isle, PA. As these efforts progressed, American forces suffered a severe defeat at Frenchtown (River Raisin) as well as endured a siege at Fort Meigs. In August 1813, the American squadron, commanded by Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry emerged from Presque Isle. Outnumbered and out-gunned, Commander Robert H. Barclay withdrew his squadron to the British base at Amherstburg to await the completion of HMS Detroit (19 guns). Taking control Lake Erie, Perry was able to cut off the British supply lines to Amherstburg. With the logistical situation worsening, Barclay sailed out to challenge Perry in September. On September 10, the two clashed at the Battle of Lake Erie. After a bitter fought engagement, Perry captured the entire British squadron and sent a dispatch to Harrison stating, We have met the enemy and they are ours. With control of the lake firmly in American hands, Harrison embarked the bulk of his infantry aboard Perrys ships and sailed to recapture Detroit. His mounted forces advanced along the lake shore (Map). The British Retreat At Amherstburg, the British ground commander, Major General Henry Proctor, began planning to withdraw east to Burlington Heights at the western end of Lake Ontario. As part of his preparations, he quickly abandoned Detroit and nearby Fort Malden. Though these moves were opposed by the leader of his Native American forces, the famed Shawnee chief Tecumseh, Proctor proceeded as he was badly outnumbered and his supplies were dwindling. Detested by the Americans as he had allowed the Native Americans to butcher prisoners and wounded after the Battle of Frenchtown, Proctor began retreating up the Thames River on September 27. As the march progressed, the morale of his forces fell and his officers became increasingly dissatisfied with his leadership. Fast Facts: Battle of the Thames Conflict: War of 1812 (1812-1815)Dates: October 5, 1813Armies Commanders:United StatesMajor General William Henry Harrison3,760 menGreat Britain and Native AmericansMajor General Henry ProctorTecumseh1,300 menCasualties:United States: 10-27 killed, and 17-57 woundedGreat Britain 12-18 killed, 22-35 wounded, and 566-579 capturedNative Americans: 16-33 killed Harrison Pursues A veteran of Fallen Timbers and the victor of Tippecanoe, Harrison landed his men and re-occupied Detroit and Sandwich. After leaving garrisons at both locations, Harrison marched out with around 3,700 men on October 2 and began pursuing Proctor. Pushing hard, the Americans began to catch up to the tired British and numerous stragglers were captured along the road. Reaching a location near Moraviantown, a Christian Native American settlement, on October 4, Proctor turned and prepared to meet Harrisons approaching army. Deploying his 1,300 men, he placed his regulars, largely elements of the 41st Regiment of Foot, and one cannon on the left along the Thames while Tecumsehs Native Americans were formed on the right with their flank anchored on a swamp. Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Public Domain Proctors line was interrupted by a small swamp between his men and Tecumsehs Native Americans. To extend his position, Tecumseh lengthened his line into the large swamp and pushed it forward. This would allow it to strike the flank of any attacking force. Approaching the next day, Harrisons command consisted of elements of the U.S. 27th Infantry Regiment as well as a large corps of Kentucky volunteers led by Major General Isaac Shelby. A veteran of the American Revolution, Shelby had commanded troops at the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780. Shelbys command consisted of five brigades of infantry as well as Colonel Richard Mentor Johnsons 3rd Regiment of Mounted Riflemen (Map). Proctor Routed Nearing the enemy position, Harrison placed Johnsons mounted forces along the river with his infantry inland. Though he initially intended to launch an assault with his infantry, Harrison changed his plan when he saw that the 41st Foot had deployed as skirmishers. Forming his infantry to cover his left flank from Native American attacks, Harrison instructed Johnson to attack the main enemy line. Splitting his regiment into two battalions, Johnson planned to lead one against the Native Americans above the small swamp, while his younger brother, Lieutenant Colonel James Johnson, led the other against the British below. Moving forward, the younger Johnsons men charged down the river road with Colonel George Paulls 27th Infantry in support. Battle of the Thames, October 5, 1813. Library of Congress Striking the British line, they quickly overwhelmed the defenders. In less than ten minutes of fighting, the Kentuckians and Paulls regulars drove off the British and captured Proctors one cannon. Among those who fled was Proctor. To the north, the elder Johnson attacked the Native American line. Led by a forlorn hope of twenty men, the Kentuckians soon became engaged in bitter battle with Tecumsehs warriors. Ordering his men to dismount, Johnson remained in the saddle urging his men forward. In the course of the fighting he was wounded five times. As the fighting raged, Tecumseh was killed. With Johnsons horsemen bogged down, Shelby directed some of his infantry to advance to their aid. As the infantry came up, the Native American resistance began to collapse as word of Tecumsehs death spread. Fleeing into the woods, the retreating warriors were pursued by cavalry led by Major David Thompson. Seeking to exploit the victory, American forces pressed on and burned Moraviantown despite the fact that its Christian Munsee inhabitants had played no role in the fighting. Having won a clear victory and destroyed Proctors army, Harrison elected to return to Detroit as the enlistments of many of his men were expiring. Aftermath In the fighting at the Battle of the Thames Harrisons army suffered 10-27 killed, and 17-57 wounded. British losses totaled 12-18 killed, 22-35 wounded, and 566-579 captured, while their Native American allies lost 16-33 killed. Among the Native American dead were Tecumseh and the Wyandot chief Roundhead. The exact circumstances regarding Tecumsehs death are not known though stories quickly circulated that Richard Mentor Johnson killed the Native American leader. Though he never personally claimed credit, he used the myth during later political campaigns. Credit has also been given to Private William Whitley. The victory at the Battle of the Thames saw American forces effectively take control of the Northwest frontier for the remainder of the war. With Tecumsehs death, much of the Native American threat in the region was eliminated and Harrison was able to conclude truces with many of the tribes. Though a skilled and popular commander, Harrison resigned the following summer after disagreements with Secretary of War John Armstrong.

Janus - Who Is Janus

Janus - Who Is Janus Profile of Janus Two-faced Janus (Ianus), presumed to be native to Italy, is the god of beginnings/endings. Its after Janus that the first month of the year, Januarius January, is named. The kalends (the 1st) of each month may have been dedicated to him. Janus Basics Janus was usually the first of the gods to receive offerings. Consuls entered office on the Kalends of his month January. Janus and the Salian Priests Holding sacred shields, Salian priests sang a hymn to Janus. This hymn includes lines that have been translated as: Come forth with the cuckoo [in March] Truly all things dost thou make open.Thou art Janus Curiatius, the good creator art thou.Good Janus is coming, the chief of the superior rulers.- The Salian Hymn to Janus Rabun Taylor (citation below) eloquently describes the lack of a coherent story about Janus: Janus, like so many ancient gods who lacked the grace of a story, was a messy concrescence of scraps fallen from the table of memory. His incoherence was the cause of some puzzlement in the Roman Imperial era, and so he was periodically subjected to reassessments by master yarn-spinners like Ovid or by cosmologists and philosophers seeking to find profound symbolism in his duality. A Transitional God: War, Peace, Crossings Janus was not only a god of beginnings and transitions, but was also associated with war/peace since the doors of his shrine were opened except in times of peace. He may have been a god of stream crossings. Ovid on the Myth of Janus Ovid, the Augustan Age teller of mythological tales, provides a story about the early benefits conferred by Janus. [227] I have learned much indeed; but why is the figure of a ship stamped on one side of the copper coin, and a two-headed figure on the other? Under the double image, said he, you might have recognized myself, if the long lapse of time had not worn the type away. Now for the reason of the ship. In a ship the sickle-bearing god came to the Tuscan river after wandering over the world. I remember how Saturn was received in this land: he had been driven by Jupiter from the celestial realms. From that time the folk long retained the name of Saturnian, and the country, too, was called Latium from the hiding (latente) of the god. But a pious posterity inscribed a ship on the copper money to commemorate the coming of the stranger god. Myself inhabited the ground whose left side is lapped by sandy Tibers glassy wave. Here, where now is Rome, green forest stood unfilled, and all this mighty region was but pasture for a few kine. My castle was the hill which the present age is accustomed to ca ll by my name and dub Janiculum. I reigned in days when earth could bear with gods, and divinities moved freely in the abodes of men. The sin of mortals had not yet put Justice to flight (she was the last of the celestials to forsake the earth): honours self, not fear, ruled the people without appeal to force: toil there was none to expound the right to righteous men. I had naught to do with war: guardian was I of peace and doorways, and these, quoth he, showing the key, these be the arms I bear.Ovid Fasti 1 The First of the Gods Janus was also an augur and mediator, perhaps the reason he is named first among the gods in prayers. Taylor says Janus, as the founder of sacrifice and divination, since he can see the past and the future through his two faces, is the worlds first priest. Janus for Luck It was Roman tradition at the New Year to give the god honey, cakes, incense and wine to buy favorable signs and a guarantee of good luck. Gold brought better results than baser coins. Then I asked, Why, Janus, when I placate other gods, do I bring incense and wine to you first? So that you may gain entry to whatsoever gods you wish, he replied, through me, who guard the threshold. But why are glad words spoken on your Kalends? And why do we give and receive best wishes? Then the god, leaning on the staff in his right hand, said, Omens are wont to reside in beginnings. You train your anxious ears on the first call, and the augur interprets the first bird he sees. The temples and ears of gods are open, no tongue intones wasted prayers, and words have weight. Janus had finished. I was not silent for long, but tagged his final words with words of my own. What do your dates and wrinkled figs mean, or the gift of honey in a snow-white jar? The omen is the reason, said he - so that the sweetness replicates events, and so that the year should be sweet, following the course of its beginnings.Translation of Ovid Fast. 1.17 1-188 from Taylors article) Read more about Janus. References: The Salii and Campaigning in March and OctoberJ. P. V. D. BalsdonThe Classical Review, New Series, Vol. 16, No. 2 (Jun., 1966), pp. 146-147The Salian Hymn to JanusGeorge HemplTAPhA, Vol. 31, (1900), pp. 182-188Janus Custos BelliJohn BridgeThe Classical Journal, Vol. 23, No. 8 (May, 1928), pp. 610-614Problems about JanusRonald SymeThe American Journal of Philology, Vol. 100, No.The Shrine of Janus Geminus in RomeValentine MüllerAmerican Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 47, No. 4 (Oct. - Dec., 1943), pp. 437-440Watching the Skies: Janus, Auspication, and the Shrine in the Roman ForumRabun TaylorMemoirs of the American Academy in Rome, Vol. 45 (2000), pp. 1-40