Henry Procter (general)
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Major General Henry Patrick Procter ( – 31 October 1822) was a
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
officer who served in
Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...
during the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
. Procter led British forces at the
Battle of Frenchtown The Battles of Frenchtown, also known as the Battle of the River Raisin and the River Raisin Massacre, were a series of conflicts in Michigan Territory that took place from January 18–23, 1813, during the War of 1812. It was fought between the ...
and the
Siege of Fort Meigs The siege of Fort Meigs took place in late April to early May 1813 during the War of 1812 in northwestern Ohio, in present-day Perrysburg. A small British Army unit with support from Indians attempted to capture the recently constructed fort to ...
, but is best known for his defeat on 5 October 1813 by American forces at the
Battle of the Thames The Battle of the Thames , also known as the Battle of Moraviantown, was an American victory in the War of 1812 against Tecumseh's Confederacy and their United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British allies. It took place on October 5, 1813, ...
. The loss left the Western District of Upper Canada under American control for the rest of the war.


Early life

Procter was born in
County Kilkenny, Ireland County Kilkenny () is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council is the local authority for the county. At the 2022 census the p ...
in 1763. His father, Richard Procter, was a
surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...
in the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
. Procter began his military career in April 1781 as an
ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...
in the
43rd Regiment of Foot The 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) to form the 1st and 2nd battalions of ...
. He obtained a
lieutenancy Lieutenancy may refer to: United Kingdom Places * Lieutenancy area, a separate area appointed a lord-lieutenant, including: **Ceremonial counties of England, formally known as "counties for the purposes of the lieutenancies" **Lieutenancy areas of ...
later that year. Procter served with the 43rd Regiment in the
Province of New York The Province of New York was a British proprietary colony and later a royal colony on the northeast coast of North America from 1664 to 1783. It extended from Long Island on the Atlantic, up the Hudson River and Mohawk River valleys to ...
in the final months of the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. After the war he served with his regiment in
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and later the
West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
. Procter became a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in November 1792, was promoted to
major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
in May 1795, and in October 1800 was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in command of the
41st Regiment of Foot The 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1719. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Welch Regiment in 1881. History Early h ...
. Procter joined his new regiment in
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in 1802. He served in both Lower and Upper Canada, and was breveted colonel in 1810. His superior officers, including Major General
Isaac Brock Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB (6 October 1769 – 13 October 1812) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Guernsey. He is best remembered for his victory at the Siege of Detroit and his death at the Battle of Quee ...
, noted that Procter's regiment was "very sharp", indicating a good standard of drill and discipline, and that this was due to Procter's "indefatigable industry".


War of 1812


Siege of Detroit

When the United States declared war on the United Kingdom in June 1812, the 41st Regiment had been stationed in Upper Canada at
Amherstburg Amherstburg is a town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario, Canada. In 1796, Fort Malden was established here, stimulating growth in the settlement. The fort has been designated as a National Historic Site. The town ...
and Niagara for a number of years. In addition to commanding the 41st Regiment, Procter also had command of Niagara's Fort George.. On 12 July 1812, an American army under Brigadier General
William Hull William Hull (June 24, 1753 – November 29, 1825) was an American military officer and politician. A veteran of the American Revolutionary War, he later served as governor of the Michigan Territory (1805–1813), where he negotiated land cessi ...
crossed the
Detroit River The Detroit River is an List of international river borders, international river in North America. The river, which forms part of the border between the U.S. state of Michigan and the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ont ...
and occupied Sandwich (now
Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...
). A few skirmishes occurred with British pickets along the Canard River north of Amherstburg. Hull decided that he could not take Amherstburg's
Fort Malden Fort Malden, formally known as Fort Amherstburg, is a defence fortification located in Amherstburg, Ontario. It was built in 1795 by Great Britain in order to ensure the security of British North America against any potential threat of Americ ...
without heavy artillery, which could not be brought forward because the carriages were in a poor state of repair. Major General Brock, who was in charge of all British forces in Upper Canada, dispatched Procter to Amherstburg to take over as commander of Fort Malden, and defend the fort and the Amherstburg Navy Yard against American attack. Procter arrived at Amherstburg on 26 July. In a letter to Brock requesting reinforcements, he wrote: "Five hundred on the 41st, would, I am confident, soon decide matters." With the help of the influential
Shawnee The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohi ...
war leader
Tecumseh Tecumseh ( ; (March 9, 1768October 5, 1813) was a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the Territorial evolution of the United States, expansion of the United States onto Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
, whose 200 warriors were based at Amherstburg, Procter convinced the reluctant
Wyandot Wyandot may refer to: Native American ethnography * Wyandot people, who have been called Wyandotte, Huron, Wendat and Quendat * Wyandot language, an Iroquoian language * Wyandot Nation of Kansas, an unrecognized tribe and nonprofit organization ...
led by
Roundhead Roundheads were the supporters of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War (1642–1651). Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I of England and his supporters, known as the Cavaliers or Royalists, who ...
to support the British. On 2 August, Procter dispatched two companies of the 41st Regiment under the command of Captain Adam Muir across the river to the Wyandot village of Brownstown. Muir orders were to block the American supply train that was at Frenchtown on the Raisin River waiting for an escort from Detroit. On 4 August, Tecumseh and a small group of his followers ambushed a column of 200 militia led by Major Thomas Van Horne as it moved south from Detroit, killing 17 and wounding 12. Two bags of mail from Detroit were dropped by the panicked militia containing letters that revealed growing dissatisfaction within Hull's forces. On 6 August, Hull ordered 600 regulars and militia under Lieutenant Colonel James Miller to secure the supply route to Frenchtown. To stop Miller from succeeding, Muir advanced north to the abandoned Wyandot village of Maguaga with 90 regulars and 50 men from the
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
militia, supported by Tecumseh and his warriors. Once in position, Muir was reinforced by 60 additional regulars who had arrived at Amherstburg that morning. The
Battle of Maguaga The Battle of Maguaga (also known as the Battle of Monguagon or the Battle of the Oakwoods) was a small battle between British troops, Canadian militia and Tecumseh's natives against a larger force of American troops, Ohio Volunteers and Michigan L ...
began late in the afternoon on 9 August when Muir opened fire on the approaching American column. Miller deployed his men into line and advanced under heavy fire. Muir ordered a charge, however, the bugle call was misinterpreted by the newly arrived regulars who began to fall back. As Miller pressed forward his attack, Muir ordered a retreat. Screened by Tecumseh's warriors, the British made an orderly withdrawal back to Brownstown and then crossed the river to Amherstburg. Despite scoring a tactical victory, the Americans suffered 18 killed and 64 wounded. The British had 4 killed, 19 wounded and two taken prisoner. Miller remained at Maguaga until he was ordered back to Detroit on 11 August, while the supply train remained stalled at Frenchtown. Hull began withdrawing his troops from Sandwich on 8 August. Once the Americans had departed, Procter ordered the construction of an artillery battery at Sandwich on the grounds of the
François Baby House The François Bâby House is a historic residence located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada which was owned by the prominent local politician François Baby. The house is a two-storey, Georgian style, red brick house once known as ''La Ferme'' loca ...
, formerly Hull's headquarters. The battery consisted of one 18-pounder, two 12-pounders and two 5½-inch mortars manned by gunners from the
Provincial Marine The Provincial Marine or Marine Department was a coastal protection service in charge of the waters in the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and parts of Lake Champlain under British control. While ships of the Provincial Marine were design ...
. Brock arrived at Amherstburg with additional reinforcements on the evening of 13 August. He credited Procter with having "compelled the enemy to retreat and take shelter under the guns of his fort." On 15 August, Brock sent a letter demanding Hull's surrender. When Hull refused, Brock ordered the battery at Sandwich to open fire. Brock was determined to take offensive action despite the misgivings of Procter and many of the other senior officers. Tecumseh and roughly 600 warriors crossed the river that night. On the morning of 16 August, Brock and Procter crossed the river with 330 regulars and 400 militia, and advanced on Detroit. Following his initial refusal to surrender, Hull had become increasingly despondent. He was responsible not only for his soldiers but also for hundreds of civilians including his daughter and grandchildren. He lacked confidence in his men, believed he was outnumbered, and above all feared a massacre should he lose. Despite having a strong defensive position, Hull ordered his artillery not to return fire. After several of his soldiers were killed during the British bombardment, Hull decided that surrender was the only option. Hull and 582 regulars were sent to Quebec as prisoners of war, while the militia, numbering about 1,600, were paroled and escorted home.


Battle of Frenchtown

Brock departed Amherstburg on 19 August leaving Procter in command of the Detroit frontier. Procter was soon faced with a campaign led by American Brigadier General William Henry Harrison to retake Detroit and advance into Upper Canada. On 14 September 1812, Procter sent a detachment of regulars and militia led by Muir, accompanied by several hundred Wyandot led by Roundhead, to support the
siege of Fort Wayne The siege of Fort Wayne took place from September 5 – September 12, 1812, during the War of 1812. The stand-off occurred in the modern city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, between the U.S. military garrison at Fort Wayne (fort), Fort Wayne and a combi ...
. Procter was unaware that the
Potawatomi The Potawatomi (), also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains, upper Mississippi River, and western Great Lakes region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, ...
had ended the siege three days earlier just before the fort was relieved by a substantial reinforcement led by Harrison. On 25 September, as Muir ascended the
Maumee River The Maumee River (pronounced ) (; ) is a river running in the Midwestern United States from northeastern Indiana into northwestern Ohio and Lake Erie. It is formed at the confluence of the St. Joseph River (Maumee River), St. Joseph and St. Mar ...
, his scouts skirmished with scouts from a brigade led by Brigadier General James Winchester that was advancing down the river from Fort Wayne. Aware that he was badly outnumbered, Muir withdrew back to Amherstburg. In late December, Winchester received orders to move his regulars and Kentucky militia from his encampment at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize rivers down to the Maumee Rapids. At the rapids he learned that Frenchtown, to the north, was lightly defended by two companies of the Essex militia and only a few hundred Potawotomi. Although he had been ordered to wait at the rapids for Harrison, Winchester dispatched 700 men under Lieutenant Colonel William Lewis to retake Frenchtown. On 18 January, during the 1st Battle of Frenchtown, Lewis's men charged across the frozen Raisin River in an attack that forced the Essex militia to withdraw. In the running battle that followed, 12 Americans were killed and 55 wounded. Meanwhile, the Essex militia suffered only a single fatality. Two days later, Winchester joined Lewis at Frenchtown with additional men, but did little to prepare the position for a possible British counterattack. Although the village was partially surrounded by a simple
palisade A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a row of closely placed, high vertical standing tree trunks or wooden or iron stakes used as a fence for enclosure or as a defensive wall. Palisades can form a stockade. Etymo ...
, only the Kentucky militia took shelter inside the enclosure, while Wincester's regulars established a camp immediately to the east. On 21 January, Winchester was repeatedly warned that a large enemy force led by Procter had crossed the frozen Detroit River and was heading towards the village, but dismissed the reports as "impossible rumour." Procter had assembled close to 600 regulars, militia, and Provincial Marine sailors, and was accompanied by six artillery pieces and about 600 Indigenous warriors led by Roundhead. Before dawn on 22 January, Procter deployed his soldiers into a line north of the village while his Indigenous allies took up positions to either side. Shortly after Procter ordered the advance, an American drummer had begun to sound
reveille "Reveille" ( , ), called in French "Le Réveil" is a bugle call, trumpet call, drum, fife-and-drum or pipes call most often associated with the military; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise. The name comes from (or ), the ...
. An American sentry spotted the approaching British and discharged his musket. The Americans scrambled into position to meet the attack. While the Kentucky militia were protected by the palisade, the regulars were out in the open. After a intense firefight that lasted about 25 minutes, Winchester's regulars began to give way. Two companies of militia tried to reinforce the regulars, however, the warriors on the British left surged forward driving the Americans towards the river. Winchester and Lewis tried in vain to form a second line at the riverbank but the withdrawal had become a rout. Panicked men fled across the river unaware that the warriors on the British right had circled around to the American rear and were blocking the escape route. Only 33 men managed to avoid death or capture. About 220 were killed and 147 men including Winchester and Lewis were taken prisoner. Meanwhile, the Kentucky militia held their ground behind the palisade. Over the next few hours they repulsed three British frontal assaults and inflicted heavy casualties on the gunners who had moved the artillery to within of the palisade. Procter finally pulled his men back and waited for his Indigenous allies to return. When Roundhead brought Winchester to the British line, Procter insisted that the American general order the holdouts to surrender. The senior surviving Kentucky militia officer, Major
George Madison George Madison (June 1763 – October 14, 1816) was the sixth Governor of Kentucky. He was the first governor of Kentucky to die in office, serving only a few weeks in 1816. Little is known of Madison's early life. He was a member of the influ ...
, initially refused since Winchester was a prisoner, but soon agreed to terms. In total, the Americans suffered 397 killed and 547 taken prisoner. British casualties totalled 23 killed and 185 wounded. After receiving a false report that Harrison was approaching from the south, Procter ordered an immediate withdraw back to Amherstburg. Since there was a shortage of sleighs, 64 badly wounded prisoners were left behind under the care of a few attendants. Early on the morning of 23 January, about 200 Indigenous warriors entered the village. They robbed the wounded prisoners of their clothing and blankets, killed those unable to walk, and burned the two makeshift hospitals. The survivors were taken away but those who struggled to keep up with their captors were killed. Most were brought to Amherstburg and ransomed by Procter. A contemporary report identified nine victims and estimated that an additional 15 to 18 were killed. This number was greatly inflated in later accounts. The Battle of Frenchtown is widely known as the "Raisin River Massacre." Reports of the slaughter were quickly exaggerated in wartime propaganda, with political cartoons and recruitment broadsides depicting a drunken massacre and scalping by “savages” abetted by the British. The slogan "Remember the Raisin!" was used to encourage enlistment, and was adopted as a battle cry. In recognition of his victory at Frenchtown, Procter was appointed a brigadier general, and a few months later was promoted to major general.


Fort Meigs

Harrison had been en route to Frenchtown with reinforcements when news of Winchester's defeat reached him. He withdrew to the Maumee Rapids, ordered Winchester's stores burned, then pulled his soldiers back to the Portage River. A month later Harrison returned to the Maumee River to begin construction of a substantial fortification which he named
Fort Meigs Fort Meigs was a United States fortification along the Maumee River in what is now Perrysburg, Ohio during the War of 1812. The British Army, supported by Tecumseh's Confederacy, failed to capture the fort during the siege of Fort Meigs. It is ...
. He received instructions to suspend offensive operations until the warships being constructed at Black Rock and
Erie Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
were ready to sail and provide support for another attempt to retake Detroit. In March, Procter learned from Roundhead that Harrison had returned to the Maumee. Although some of his Indigenous allies advocated an immediate attack, Procter decided he needed to wait until the ice on Lake Erie had cleared. Two more companies of the 41st Foot and a detachment of Royal Artillery gunners had arrived at Amherstburg, so Procter felt he had the necessary strength to besiege the American fort. When Harrison became aware of Procter's preparations he persuaded the Governor of Kentucky to call up a brigade of 1,200 militia under Brigadier General
Green Clay A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis is played. Clay courts are built on a foundation of crushed stone, brick, shale, and other aggregate, with a thin layer of fine clay particles on top. Clay courts are ...
. Clay's brigade started down the Maumee River to Fort Meigs, but failed to reach the fort before Procter arrived. After several delays caused by heavy rain, Procter and 533 regulars embarked aboard the vessels of the Provincial Marine on April 23 and sailed across Lake Erie to
Maumee Bay Maumee Bay on Lake Erie is located in the U.S. state of Ohio, just east of the city of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. The bay and the surrounding wetlands form most of the Maumee River basin, and in 1975 part of the area was incorporated into Maumee Bay Sta ...
. 462 militia followed in
batteaux A bateau or batteau is a shallow-draft, flat-bottomed boat which was used extensively across North America, especially in the colonial period and in the fur trade. It was traditionally pointed at both ends but came in a wide variety of sizes. T ...
. Tecumseh, who had recently returned to Amherstburg, led roughly 1,200 warriors overland and rendezvoused with Procter on 29 April.. Procter established his headquarters at the abandoned Fort Miami. Procter had Tecumseh lightly invest Fort Meigs while four artillery batteries were established on the north side of the river opposite the fort. On 1 May, two 24-pounder guns, three 12-pounder guns, an 8 inch howitzer, two 5½-inch howitzers, two 5½-inch mortars, and two gunboats mounting 9-pounder guns opened fire on the fort. The bombardment caused caused little damage due to the bombproofs and traverses that Harrison had ordered constructed. Harrison ordered his artillery to return fire but his supply of ammunition was limited and the shelling had little effect. On 3 May, Procter sent a letter to Harrison demanding the surrender of Fort Meigs in order to prevent the "effusion of blood." After Harrison refused, Procter had an additional battery placed on the south side of the river east of the fort. Harrison received word on the evening of 4 May that Clay's brigade was encamped just a few hours upriver. He decided he would use Clay's men to silence the British guns and dispatched a messenger with his plans. Colonel William Dudley and 800 men from Clay's brigade were to land on the north side of the river and attack the British artillery emplacements. Dudley's orders were to spike the guns, then return to the boats and cross the river to the fort. Clay and the rest of the brigade would land on the south side of the river and fight. Meanwhile a
sortie A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warf ...
would attack and destroy the British battery to the east. Dudley, however, failed to adequately brief his men. They quickly drove off the British artillerymen, but the spikes had been misplaced so the guns could not be easily disabled. When his men came under fire from Indigenous snipers, Dudley ignored his orders and set off in pursuit with the bulk of his men and was drawn into an ambush. In the fighting that ensued, several hundred were killed or taken prisoner. Dudley was shot, tomahawked, and mutilated. Only 150 men of Dudley's detachment escaped to the boats and eventually reached the safety of the fort. Three companies of the 41st retook the batteries after a brief and disorganized resistance by the Americans who had remained behind with the guns. On the opposite side of the river, Clay successfully reached the fort with only a few casualties from Indigenous snipers. A 350-man detachment of regulars from the fort overran the British artillery position to the east, spiked the guns and took 44 prisoners. Although some of the American captives were led away by their Indigenous captors, most were brought to Fort Miami and turned over to the British. While under British guard inside the fort, the unarmed prisoners were suddenly attacked by a group of
Ojibwe The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...
. One British soldier was killed when the guards attempted to intervene. Close to two dozen prisoners were killed before Tecumseh and two
British Indian Department The Indian Department was established in 1755 to oversee relations between the British Empire and the First Nations in Canada, First Nations of North America. The imperial government ceded control of the Indian Department to the Province of Cana ...
officers were able to stop the bloodshed. By nightfall all the prisoners had been secured aboard the Provincial Marine vessels anchored at the mouth of the river. Several hours later Procter received a letter from Harrison proposing a prisoner exchange. Procter and Harrison met the following morning and arranged for 21 American prisoners to be swapped for the British soldiers captured when the artillery position east of the fort was overrun. On 9 May, Procter abandoned the siege as his Indigenous allies had drifted away following Dudley's defeat. Half of Procter's militia had also left citing the need to return to their homes and begin spring planting. The British official casualty return for the siege gave 14 killed and 40 wounded. Procter reported 547 American prisoners had been taken with 80 later brought in by Tecumseh's followers. Harrison reported that the siege resulted in 160 fatalities but only 12 were the result of British artillery fire on the fort.


Sandusky and Put-in-Bay

After returning to Amherstburg, Procter was faced with a critical shortage of men and supplies. The
Battle of York The Battle of York was a War of 1812 battle fought in York, Upper Canada (today's Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on April 27, 1813. An American force, supported by a naval flotilla, landed on the western lakeshore and captured the provincial capital ...
in April and the American occupation of the west side of the Niagara River following the
Battle of Fort George The Battle of Fort George was fought during the War of 1812, in which the Americans defeated a British force and captured Fort George in Upper Canada. The troops of the United States Army and vessels of the United States Navy cooperated in ...
in May meant that few reinforcements were available. Meanwhile supplies now had to be transported overland from the head of Lake Ontario to Long Point. Procter was also aware that the Americans had established a naval yard at
Erie Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
on
Presque Isle Bay Presque Isle Bay is a natural bay located off the coast of Erie, Pennsylvania. Its embayment is about in length, about across at its widest point, and an average depth of about . The bay is at an elevation of 571 ft (174 m) above sea le ...
and were in the process of constructing six vessels including two
brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the l ...
s. Four other vessels that had been trapped at Black Rock on the Niagara River sailed to Presque Isle Bay in early June following the British withdrawal from
Fort Erie Fort Erie is a town in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. The town is located at the south eastern corner of the region, on the Niagara River, directly across the Canada–United States border from Buffalo, New York, and is the site of ...
. In early June, Lieutenant
Robert Barclay Robert Barclay (23 December 16483 October 1690) was a Scottish Quaker, one of the most eminent writers belonging to the Religious Society of Friends and a member of the Clan Barclay. He was a son of Col. David Barclay, Laird of Urie, and his ...
and a small Royal Navy contingent arrived at Amherstburg and took over operation of the Provincial Marine. Procter and Barclay considered launching an attack on Erie but had to abandon the idea due to the shortage of naval stores and sailors, and the refusal of Procter's immediate superior, Major General Sir Francis de Rottenberg, to sent the rest of the 41st Regiment to Amherstburg. Procter instead decided to raid Harrison's supply depot on the
Sandusky River The Sandusky River (; ) is a tributary to Lake Erie in north-central Ohio in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 19, 2011 and flo ...
. His Indigenous allies, however, led by Tecumseh, insisted on a second attack on Fort Meigs. Following an unsuccessful attempt to draw the American garrison out of the fort in late July, Procter moved east and attacked
Fort Stephenson Fort Stephenson (first known as " Fort Sandusky") was built in the early 1800s on the west side of the lower Sandusky River. It was the site in 1813 of an American victory in the Battle of Fort Stephenson during the War of 1812. The town that ...
on the
Sandusky River The Sandusky River (; ) is a tributary to Lake Erie in north-central Ohio in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 19, 2011 and flo ...
in early August. Over the course of two days the severely outnumbered garrison of roughly 160 men, under the leadership of Major
George Croghan George Croghan (c. 1718 – August 31, 1782) was an Kingdom of Ireland, Irish-born fur trader in the Ohio Country of North America (current United States) who became a key early figure in the region. In 1746 he was appointed to the Onondaga Cou ...
, repelled all attacks. The British suffered 96 casualties before Procter decided to withdraw back to Amherstburg. During the month of July, Barclay blockaded Erie to prevent the American fleet from sailing. For reasons unknown, he raised the blockade on 31 July and sailed across Lake Erie to Long Point. Barclay returned on August 4 to discover that the Americans had used his absence to move their ships out onto the lake and could now threaten the movement of supplies from Long Point to Amherstburg. Reinforcements slowly trickled in to Amherstburg during the month of August. By the beginning of September, Procter had 1130 regulars under his command, although 250 men of the 41st and Royal Newfoundland regiments were serving aboard the vessels of the Lake Erie squadron. Barclay finally received a reinforcement of 41 Royal Navy sailors on 6 September. Procter and Barclay agreed that in order to fully reopen their supply line to Long Point they needed to risk a naval engagement. Three days later Barclay departed Amherstburg aboard the newly built but undermanned . His squadron of six vessels proceeded across the lake to meet the American flotilla of nine vessels anchored at
Put-in-Bay Put-in-Bay is a resort village located on South Bass Island in Put-in-Bay Township, Ottawa County, Ohio, United States, west of Cleveland and east of Toledo. The population was 154 at the 2020 census. The village is a popular summer res ...
. On 10 September 1813 at the
Battle of Lake Erie The Battle of Lake Erie, also known as the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, on Lake Erie off the shores of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of the British ...
, the American squadron, under the command of
Oliver Hazard Perry Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was a United States Navy officer from South Kingstown, Rhode Island. A prominent member of the Perry family naval dynasty, he was the son of Sarah Wallace Alexander and Captain Christo ...
defeated and captured all six of Barclay's ships. The victory gave the Americans control of Lake Erie and completely ruptured Procter's supply line. Much of Fort Amherstburg's heavy artillery was lost as the guns had been placed aboard ''Detroit''. Also lost were the 250 regulars that Procter had assigned to Barclay's squadron since most were now prisoners of war.


Battle of the Thames

Procter's situation was precarious. Short of provisions and ordnance, and aware that Harrison was preparing to attack, Procter decided to abandon Amherstburg, Detroit and Sandwich and withdraw eastward up the
Thames River The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...
. Tecumseh reviled the British general for retreating "as a fat animal that carries its tail upon its back; but when affrightened, it drops it between its legs and runs off." Procter, however, was able to convince Tecumseh that retreat was necessary and assured him that he would make a stand on the Thames. Proctor used the remaining three transports and two gunboats at Amherstburg to move provisions, stores, ordnance, baggage and 229 military dependents across
Lake St. Clair Lake St. Clair () is a freshwater lake that lies between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. It was named in 1679 by French Catholic explorers after Saint Clare of Assisi, on whose feast day they first saw the lake. ...
to the mouth of the Thames River, and then upriver to the Forks of the Thames ( Chatham). Fort Detroit, Fort Amherstburg and the naval yard were torched, and on 27 September, Procter's 880 British regulars marched away from Sandwich followed by Tecumseh with 1,200 warriors and their families. The British retreat up the Thames River valley was slow due to bad roads and incessant rain. Proctor was rarely with his men during the retreat and was frequently miles ahead scouting the terrain. He often failed to share his plans with his subordinates notably his second-in-command, Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Warburton. Procter's Indigenous allies had been led to believe that the Forks had been fortified and that the British would make a stand there. Procter, however, felt that the terrain was unsuitable and that Moraviantown, further east, offered a better defensive position.. Since the river east of the forks was too shallow for larger vessels, essential stores were loaded onto batteaux and sent onwards with the gunboats. All three of the transports were then scuttled and burned. Harrison with 3,000 regulars and militia began landing at Amherstburg from Perry's vessels late in the afternoon of 27 September. He advanced to Sandwich the following day, and set off in pursuit of Procter and Tecumseh on 31 September, leaving 500 men behind to garrison Detroit, Amherstburg and Sandwich. On 1 October, Harrison was joined by 500 mounted infantry from Kentucky led by Colonel
Richard Johnson Richard or Dick Johnson may refer to: Academics * Dick Johnson (academic) (1929–2019), Australian academic * Richard C. Johnson (1930–2003), professor of electrical engineering * Richard A. Johnson, artist and professor at the University of ...
who had followed the road from the Maumee Rapids to Detroit then crossed over the river to Sandwich. Harrison was able to move quickly as Procter had failed to destroy the bridges between Sandwich and the mouth of the Thames in order to facilitate the movement of Indigenous refugees. Harrison forces reached the Forks of the Thames on 4 October. Disillusioned by his apparent refusal to make a stand, half of Procter's Indigenous allies drifted away. Tecumseh and the remainder briefly fought a rearguard action against Johnson's mounted infantry at the Forks but withdrew once Harrison brought up his artillery. Harrison caught up with Procter west of Moraviantown in the afternoon of 5 October. The Americans had moved swiftly and captured the two gunboats and most of the batteaux carrying Procter's provisions, ammunition and entrenching tools along with 144 of his men. Due to the proximity of the Americans, Procter had his infantry form lines in an open wood between the riverbank and a forested swamp known as the Backmetack Marsh. A single artillery piece was positioned astride the road. Due to the lack of tools, the British were unable to construct defensive works such as an
abatis An abatis, abattis, or abbattis is a field fortification consisting of an obstacle formed (in the modern era) of the branches of trees laid in a row, with the sharpened tops directed outwards, towards the enemy. The trees are usually interlaced ...
that would impede Harrison's mounted troops. Tecumseh and his remaining followers positioned themselves in the Backmetack Marsh hoping to outflank the Americans when they attacked Procter's lines. Procter was vastly outnumbered. Most of his artillery had been sent ahead to Moraviantown along with the sick and wounded leaving just 451 regulars to face the Americans. Harrison had close to 3,000 men: five regiments of Kentucky militia, Johnson's mounted regiment, 120 regulars from the 27th Infantry and several light artillery pieces. Harrison arranged his forces so that while his right faced the British, the soldiers on his left faced the direction from which an Indigenous attack was likely to occur. After examining the ground, Harrison decided that instead of a bayonet charge with infantry, the mounted troops under Lieutenant Colonel James Johnson would attack the British left while troops led by Colonel Richard Johnson would cross the small swampy area that bisected the British line and then move against the Indigenous warriors concealed in the Backmetack Marsh. James Johnson's riders charged forward shouting "Remember the Raisin!" The British fired a ragged volley, however, the artillery piece failed to fire. The Americans hit the British line and forced it to give way. Johnson led his men through the second line then swung around to attack the British right from the rear. The ferocity of the attack caused most of the British to surrender. Meanwhile Richard Johnson emerged from the small swamp and came under heavy fire from Tecumseh's followers. Harrison ordered his left flank to advance in support. After an intense fight in which Tecumseh was killed and Richard Johnson seriously wounded, the warriors retreated deeper into the marsh. It is estimated that as many as 18 British soldiers were killed and 36 wounded. In his report, Harrison stated that his men had taken just over 600 prisoners including those captured earlier in the day. He claimed that 12 of his own men were killed or fatally wounded and another 17 were injured. Indigenous fatalities numbered 16 including Tecumseh although Harrison claimed twice that number. Roughly 50 British soldiers escaped the battlefield including Procter, however, the carriage with his baggage and papers, including letters from his wife, was captured. Most of those who had been at Moraviantown or further upriver during the battle also escaped capture. Procter later stated that he had tried to rally his troops before he galloped off himself. He admitted that the conduct of the 41st Foot "was not upon this unfortunate occasion, such as I have on every other witnessed with pride and satisfaction." Procter regrouped at the Grand River then proceeded to Ancaster. Two days later the remnants of Procter's force, a total of 246 officers and men, were merged with the army of Major General John Vincent at Burlington.


Aftermath

Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost, the Governor General of the Canadas, condemned Procter's actions during the retreat. In his report to
Lord Bathurst Earl Bathurst, of Bathurst in the County of Sussex, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. The medieval English word was Botehurst, thought to date at least from the 13th century. Bote is the origination of Battle, although the family ma ...
, the Secretary of State for War and Colonies, Prevost held Procter responsible not only for the defeat at the Battle of the Thames, but also Barclay's defeat at the Battle of Lake Erie. Bathurst ordered that a
court martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the mili ...
be held, however, the trial was delayed as many of the officers who would be called to testify were still prisoners of war. A court martial finally was convened at Quebec on 21 December 1814 and sat until 28 January 1815. Procter, despite a spirited defence, was found to have been "erroneous in judgement and deficient in energy." He was sentenced to be publicly reprimanded, and was suspended from his rank and pay for six months. The
Prince Regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness) or ab ...
later reduced the sentence to a reprimand but ordered that the findings and sentence be read to every regiment in the Army. The conviction ended Procter's military career.


Legacy

In their December 1813 report titled ''Barbarities of the Enemy'', a committee of the United States House of Representatives held Procter directly responsible for the murders of wounded prisoners after the Battle of Frenchtown. Excerpts from the report were widely published in American newspapers and frequently embellished including a claim that Harrison's men had discovered an officer's quarters at Amherstburg "festooned with scalps." 19th century American histories such as Benson Lossing's 1868 ''Pictorial History of the War of 1812'' vilified Procter as a "inhuman officer" who directed or permitted the murder of American prisoners. In his ''Second War with England'', Joel Headley claimed that Procter "gave unbridled license" to his Indigenous allies, who "were allowed to scalp and mutilate the dead and wounded, whose bleeding corpses crimsoned the snow on every side." These claims reflect the false belief that Britain's Indigenous allies were under the direct control of British officers who were more than willing to encourage or at least accept barbarity. The conviction of Proctor's culpability continues to colour more modern work such as Donald Hickey's 2012 ''The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict''. Canadian histories tended to focus on Procter's failings as a military leader rather than his alleged role in atrocities. Writing in 1899, noted historian Ernest Cruikshank declared Procter guilty of "indecision and unpardonable negligence." A century later, military historian J. Mackay Hitsman wrote that of all the British generals "only Procter managed to blunder consistently." Most Canadian accounts of Procter's actions during the War of 1812 cite the work of John Richardson. Richardson was a gentleman volunteer with the 41st Regiment, and was with Procter at the Battle of Frenchtown and the Siege of Fort Meigs before being captured at the Battle of the Thames. Richardson published his account in 1842 but his work received little attention until it was reprinted in 1902 as ''Richardson's War of 1812''. Richardson was highly critical of Procter since he believed that Procter had failed to adequately recognize his services at the Siege of Fort Meigs. Richardson stated that at the Battle of Moraviantown, Procter "sought safety in flight at the very commencement of the action," claimed that Procter chose the position in order to cover the departure of his family and personal effects from Moraviantown, and declared the general's defence at his court-martial "specious." More recent work has attempted to rehabilitate Procter's tainted reputation. Noted Canadian writer and journalist
Pierre Berton Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton, CC, O.Ont. (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) was a Canadian historian, writer, journalist and broadcaster. Berton wrote 50 best-selling books, mainly about Canadiana, Canadian history and popular cultur ...
magnanimously wrote: Historical writer Sandy Antal reassessed Procter's career in ''Wampum Denied: Procter's War of 1812''. Antal highlights Procter's successes, noting that the accusations made at Procter's court martial overshadowed his contributions prior to the Battle of Lake Erie. Procter convinced the reluctant Wyandot to support the British, disrupted Hull's supply line, defeated Winchester at the Battle of Frenchtown, and maintained the alliance with Tecumseh and other Indigenous leaders. Antal stressed that Procter struggled with an extended supply line that depended upon the free passage of vessels on Lake Erie, and was "badly served" by superiors who repeatedly failed to provide the soldiers, sailors, and supplies needed to adequately defend the Western District. In a later article, Antal noted that by October 1813, "Procter and his soldiers were both worn out by extended deprivations, leaving the outcome at Moraviantown predictable."


Personal life

Procter married Elizabeth Cockburn in
Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
, Ireland in 1792. They had one son and four daughters. The three oldest were born in England while their daughter, Frances Sarah, was born at Quebec in 1803. Their youngest daughter, Augusta Margaret, was born at Niagara in 1808. Elizabeth and the children joined Procter at Amherstburg in September 1812. When the British retreated from Amherstburg a year later, Procter's family were billeted at Moraviantown on 29 September but departed by boat for the village of
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
on 5 October several hours before the Battle of the Thames. Procter's son Henry joined the 41st Regiment in 1812 as a gentleman volunteer. The following year he was commissioned an ensign in the
8th Regiment of Foot Eighth is ordinal form of the number eight. Eighth may refer to: * One eighth, , a fraction, one of eight equal parts of a whole * Eighth note (quaver), a musical note played for half the value of a quarter note (crotchet) * Octave, an interval b ...
, and obtained a Lieutenancy in 1816. Procter and his family returned to England in 1815. No longer on the
Army List The ''Army List'' is a list (or more accurately seven series of lists) of serving regular, militia or territorial British Army officers, kept in one form or another, since 1702. Manuscript lists of army officers were kept from 1702 to 1752, the ...
, he collaborated with his nephew George Procter and wrote an account of his war experiences that was highly critical of Prevost. Procter's article was published in the ''
Quarterly Review The ''Quarterly Review'' was a literary and political periodical founded in March 1809 by London publishing house John Murray. It ceased publication in 1967. It was referred to as ''The London Quarterly Review'', as reprinted by Leonard Scott, f ...
'' shortly before his death in
Bath, Somerset Bath (Received Pronunciation, RP: , ) is a city in Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman Baths (Bath), Roman-built baths. At the 2021 census, the population was 94,092. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, Bristol, River A ...
in 1822.


Citations


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Procter, Henry 1760s births 1822 deaths British Army major generals British Army personnel of the American Revolutionary War British Army personnel of the War of 1812 British Army personnel who were court-martialled 41st Regiment of Foot officers 43rd Regiment of Foot officers British people of the War of 1812 People from Kilkenny (city)