From January 18 to January 23, 1813, Frenchtown, on the banks of the River Raisin, became a battleground where the military forces of the United States and Great Britain fought each other for control of the Lower Great Lakes. At stake were the destinies of Michigan, Upper Canada, and the Native-American alliance.
Invaded on All Sides is a readable but detailed study of the largest field battle ever fought within the present confines of the state of Michigan. By the end of the fighting, General Winchester's army of Kentuckians had been entirely destroyed, resulting in the largest total American casualties of any single day's battle during the War of 1812.
The debacle at the River Raisin and the subsequent murder of some wounded Americans served to galvanize U.S. forces on the western frontier. "Remember the Raisin" became the battle cry by which a newly reformed army sought to avenge their countrymen and turn defeat into victory in the Old Northwest.
Once a polluted industrial site, the battleground itself is now being restored and preserved for the River Raisin National Battlefield Park. This is also part of the story.