Battle of Frenchtown - Second Battle of The River Raisin

Following the recapture of Frenchtown, Brigadier General James Winchester and the rest of his troops met with Colonel Lewis two days later on January 20, 1813. Winchester had acted without orders, but Harrison was pleased with Lewis’s success. However, Harrison was concerned that the British forces might combine and overpower Winchester’s small force. He ordered additional men, including part of the 17th U.S. Infantry, to move to Frenchtown. He then sent a messenger to Winchester to order him to hold the ground and prepare for further combat.

Winchester's soldiers were largely untrained and inexperienced, and the First Battle of the River Raisin was the first combat most had seen. Furthermore, Winchester's planning was poor. Ammunition and other necessary supplies had not been brought forward from the Maumee River. The palisade around the town had not been strengthened, and the regulars of the 17th U.S. Infantry were camped outside its walls. Several days after the first clash, local residents reported to Winchester that a large British force was heading toward Frenchtown. Winchester ignored their warning, insisting it would be "some days" before the British "would be ready to do anything." His troops were camped throughout Frenchtown. Without ensuring that sentries and pickets had been placed, Winchester retired for the night to his headquarters at the Navarre House south of the town.

On hearing that the Americans had recaptured Frenchtown, Brigadier General Henry Procter, commander of the British forces around Detroit, marched with his troops from Fort Malden and crossed the Detroit River from Upper Canada, invading Michigan in strength. His army consisted of 597 regulars from the 41st Regiment of Foot and Royal Newfoundland Fencibles, joined by about 800 Indians. Shawnee leader Tecumseh was in the area, but he was not present at the Battle of Frenchtown. He left command of the Native Americans to Wyandot chiefs Roundhead and Walk-in-the-Water. The Indians included Shawnee, Potawatomi, Ottawa, Chippewa, Delaware, Miami, Winnebago, Creek, Sauk, and Fox tribes. Procter's artillery consisted of six light 3-pounder canons drawn on sledges. Procter halted about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the River Raisin to prepare for battle on January 21.

Proctor surprised the American forces before sunrise on January 22. A Canadian volunteer, John Richardson, who marched with the 41st Regiment of Foot, later wrote, "On the 22nd, before daybreak, came within sight of the enemy... such was their security and negligence that... our line was actually half formed within musket shot of their defenses before they were even aware of our presence."

General Winchester was awakened by the roar of artillery fire and rushed to the battlefield, but was captured by Indians on the way. Chief Roundhead stripped him of his uniform before handing him to the British, which led to the legend that he was captured in his nightshirt. The American were scattered and not in any position to fight. The 17 U.S. Infantry, consisting mostly of green recruits, was caught in the open; it broke and fled. Its colonel, William Allen, was shot dead and scalped. Dozens tried to surrender and laid down their weapons, only to be shot or tomahawked by the Indians. Members of other units also tried to flee, but most were chased down and killed. A few removed their shoes and ran through the snow in their stockings to leave footprints that looked like moccasin and thus managed to escape. The British occupied a large barn, which was set on fire by William Orlando Butler, forcing them from their shelter.

The Kentucky Rifle Regiment continued to hold in the town. They had killed many of the British artillerymen and infantry, but they were finally running out of ammunition. Winchester was urged by Procter to order his remaining men to surrender; otherwise they would all be killed and Frenchtown burned down. Procter demanded an unconditional surrender and refused Winchester's counter-proposals since Winchester was already his prisoner. Major George Madison, an American officer still on the battlefield, persuaded Procter to accept a surrender on the condition that all would be protected as prisoners of war.

When they saw the British waving a white flag, the Kentucky riflemen thought it meant a call for a truce. Unfortunately, a British officer gave them an order to surrender from General Winchester. They refused and said they would fight to the death rather than trust the Indians, but George Madison issued a formal declaration of surrender after about three more hours of fighting.

The British made several attempts to persuade the Indians to destroy Frenchtown, but the Potawatomi refused to allow this since they had given the land to the settlers and did not wish to inflict more harm on them.