The Battle of the Thames

An American naval victory on Lake Erie in 1813 severed British supply lines and forced the British to abandon Detroit and southwestern Upper Canada. Over Tecumseh’s objections, the British relinquished Detroit and withdrew up the Thames River towards Burlington (at the west end of Lake Ontario). The Native Americans went with them. The battle of the Thames (or Moraviantown) led to Tecumseh’s death and the breakdown of the Native American coalition. After the battle, some Native American groups negotiated peace with the United States, while others continued to fight.

Engraving by Ralf Rawdon
Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection,
Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island