River Raisin National Battlefield Park

July 13th, I found myself driving up into Michigan as I went to River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe, Michigan.  I hadn't heard of this park before and I will say that the drive from Sandusky to Monroe, Michigan, which was only an hour, were the WORST roads I've ever driven on once I crossed the border into Michigan.   I'm glad I didn't have the RV with me...it wouldn't have survived the roads!

Opened in May 2011

River Raisin is another 1813 battlefield site during the War of 1812 located in the Detroit area.  If you don't know, Detroit is right on the Canadian border.  It is often called the Battle of Frenchtown.  Many of the more forgotten wars were fought against Canada along the Old Northwest and on the Niagara Peninsula.  The peninsula is part of today's souther Ontario, Canada, north of Lake Erie and south of Lake Ontario.  In 1812 and 1813, the US pursued a land war here because British ships ruled Lake Erie to supply their troops, militia and native allies.  Photos from here on about the battle come from what I learned at the visitor center.

During the summer of 1812, the River Raisin militia were called to build a military road which was to link Detroit to Ohio.  Later that summer, General William Hill, commander of the US forced in the Old Northwest invaded British-held Canada hoping to capture Fort Malden/Amherstburg (Ontario, Canada) but the British and Indians forced him back so much that he had to surrender all of the Michigan Territory.  The local River Raisin militia with other US forces gathered at Frenchtown (now called Monroe) to repel an expected Indian attack led by Tecumseh just a few days before Hull's retreat and they were surprised to find out Hull had surrendered and had been included in the terms of capitulation.

By January 1813, a Canadian militia detachment along with one cannon moved into Frenchtown.  A few River Raisin French settlers left their village to inform the approaching American army of the British position and ask for help.  Cols. Lewis and Allen with 600 men were dispatched by Gen. James Winchester to the Raisin on Jan. 18th, 1813 moving the British and Indians out of Frenchtown where the first battle was fought.  The soldiers set up camp among the homes on the north side of the River Raisin and reinforced with 500 more troops.  In the meantime, the British and Indians were preparing for a counterattack.

The NPS has purchased these homes to be turned into a settlement.  Their backyards are on the River Raisin.

River Raisin

On the morning of Jan. 22, 1813, the second battle of River Raisin happened when about 600 British and Canadians and about 800 Indians attacked the sleeping US soldiers along the River Raisin.  387 were killed and 500, including Gen. Winchester were captured.  Only 33 escaped death or capture!  

The left flank still fought back but then the British carried a white flag.  The men thought they British were going to surrender, but instead brought a message from Gen. Winchester that the US had surrendered.  Soon, the British left and only left a small detachment and Indians in Frenchtown who plundered and burned homes, killing and scalping many and stealing property.  Soldiers who could walk were marched away.  Those who couldn't were left where residents took them in for care.

The following day on January 23rd, after sunrise, the killing and scalping of Americans soldiers resumed - even though they were prisoners of war!  This was known as the River Raisin Massacre.  Native Americans took revenge on 30-100 prisoners and were killed this way.  Even if the soldiers were in residences, they were removed and killed.  Residents of the Frenchtown finally emerged from their homes to see groups of hogs feeding on corpses, carrying arms, legs, torsos and skulls in their jaws!  When Gen. Wm Henry Harrison came to Frenchtown he described it as a "national calamity" and saw American dead, left unburied due to Indian threats; many homes burned and plundered.  By Sept 1813 the town was liberated by Col. Richard M. Johnson's Kentucky cavalry rode into the settlement.  US solider continued their march north liberating Detroit and ruined British-Canadian-Indian coalition with the war battle cry "Remember the Raisin" inspired a massive US victory at the Battle of Moraviantown also called the Battle of the Thames (present day Chatham, Ontario) on Oct. 5, 1813, which sealed the end of the War of 1812 and the death of Tecumseh.

Also at Monroe, the River Raisin Heritage Trail continues along Elm Street from the Visitor Center as well as part of the visitor center battlegrounds.

Since this park is relatively brand new, the temporary building the visitor center is in is quite old and in serious need of repair and upgrading with a new building or remodeling.  Be cautious with steps and many are uneven.  Even the grass needs to be re-sod.  But, the staff was fabulous with teen volunteers that really made the visit special.

Here are a few photos of the visitor center exhibit.

Here is more info on the Native American part of the exhibit.

This was an interesting place to discover more about the War of 1812.  I'd suggest you plan on a day to see the movie, visitor center, walk the heritage trail and see the town with all the history.  Monroe, needs a bit of revitalization, so hopefully when the restoration of the NPS portion is completed, the town will take shape a bit more.