On October 5, 1813, General William Henry Harrison led American forces to a decisive victory over British forces and their Native allies in the Battle of the Thames. This victory had long-term repercussions on U.S., British, and Native American history, as well as on the settlement of the west. The battlefield heroics propelled Harrison, the son of Founding Father Benjamin Harrison V, to the presidency in 1841. Shawnee chief Tecumseh, a brave leader who resisted American expansion in the Midwest, was killed in the battle, leading to the scattering of Native American forces in the region.
The Battle of the Thames was a pivotal moment that brought Michigan and the Old Northwest back under American control. Tecumseh and the British had previously seized the American fort in Detroit, but after a stunning U.S. victory led by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie in September 1813, American forces were able to reclaim Detroit and force the British and Native forces into Ontario. Many scholars believe that the British betrayed Tecumseh during the battle, which led to the disassociation of many Native American tribes from British allegiance.
As news of the British betrayal of Tecumseh spread, many Native American tribes revoked their treaties and ended British influence over them. General Harrison brought his army back to Detroit victorious over both the British and Native Americans. This victory, along with Harrison’s earlier success at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, paved the way for his run for the presidency in 1840. Harrison famously campaigned as a war hero under the slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too,” referencing his wartime heroics and his running mate John Tyler.
General Harrison’s presidency was short-lived, as he fell ill and died just 31 days into office. His inauguration in March 1841, where he braved the cold without a hat or overcoat, made him the oldest president to assume office at the time. Harrison’s legacy continued with his grandson Benjamin Harrison, who became the 23rd president of the United States in 1893. The victory at the Battle of the Thames and Harrison’s subsequent presidency had lasting effects on American history, solidifying his place in the nation’s narrative.
