Invasion of Canada By: Sam McGovern

Battle of Ridgeway o On June 1, Canada was invaded by the Irish-American Fenian insurgents from their bases in the Unites States o They planed to take Canada hostage in an attempt to free Ireland from the British Crown and establish an independent republic o The invasion culminated on June 2 o It was Canada’s first modern battle

Battle of Frenchtown o It started in 1813 west of Lake Erie o Brigadier General William Harrison gained respect from his win at Tippecanoe o He planned to re-capture the city of Detroit which fell to General Isaac Brook on August 16 the previous year o It allowed the American forces to invade Upper Canada o On January 1813, General Harrison’s army of over 6,00 men marched north towards Detroit o He traveled ahead of everyone with an advance guard o The taking of Frenchtown on the River Raisin proved to be easy for the American soldiers o General Winchester made a serious mistake in not preparing for a counter-attack

Battle of Thames o General proctor realized that eventually he would have to stand and fight the American force o The battle took place on the Thames River o The British troops surrendered after the American charge o Tecumseh’s force of 800 Amerindians continues to fight until the Shawnee Chief was mortally wounded, then retreated o The road to the Niagara peninsula lay open to General Harrison, but the coming winter and shortage of supplies forced him, after burning Moravian town, to return to Detroit, which he occupied until the war ended o Tecumseh was buried in a secret grave in the swamp where he died, with him, died the Amerindian resistance around Lake Erie o The chiefs signed a cease-fire with General Harrison o General Proctor gathered what was left of his force and fled to the rest of the British army at Burlington o He was court-martialed for his conduct at the Battle of the Thames