Battle of the Thames

Battle of the Thames
Part of Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812
An artist's depiction of the battle and the death of Tecumseh
Date October 5, 1813 Location Near Moravian of the Thames First Nation in Chatham-Kent, Ontario 42°33′45″N 81°55′53″W / 42.56250°N 81.93139°W / 42.56250; -81.93139 Result American victory[1][2] Death of Tecumseh Disintegration of Tecumseh's Confederacy
Belligerents
Tecumseh's confederacy  Britain	United States
Commanders and leaders
Tecumseh † Henry Procter	William Henry Harrison
Strength
1,100[3]–1,800:[1] Indigenous: 500[3]–1,000[1] British: 600[1]–800[3] regulars	3,760+: 2,381 militia 1,000 volunteer mounted troops 120 regulars 260 Indigenous[3] Unknown number of US Navy forces in Lake Erie[1]
Casualties and losses
Indigenous: 16–33 killed[4][5] Unknown wounded and captured British: 12–18 killed 22–35 wounded prisoners 566–579 captured[6][7]	10–27 killed 17–57 wounded[8][9]
class=notpageimage| Location within Ontario Show map of Ontario Battle of the Thames (Great Lakes) Show map of Great Lakes

The Battle of the Thames /ˈtɛmz/, also known as the Battle of Moraviantown, was an American victory in the War of 1812 against Tecumseh's Confederacy and their British allies. It took place on October 5, 1813, in Upper Canada, near Chatham. The British lost control of Southwestern Ontario as a result of the battle; Tecumseh was killed, and his confederacy largely fell apart.

British troops under Major General Henry Procter had occupied Detroit until the United States Navy gained control of Lake Erie, cutting them off from their supplies. Procter was forced to retreat north up the Thames River to Moraviantown, followed by the tribal confederacy under Shawnee leader Tecumseh who were his allies.

American infantry and cavalry under Major General William Henry Harrison drove off the British and then defeated the Indigenous peoples, who were demoralized by the death of Tecumseh in action. American control was re-established in the Detroit area, the tribal confederacy collapsed, and Procter was court-martialed for his poor leadership.