Battle of the Mississinewa

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Date	December 17-18, 1812
Location	Jalapa, Indiana
Result	Indecisive

Combatants

Miami tribe

United States

Commanders

Francis Godfroy
Joe Richardville
Little Thunder

John B. Campbell

Strength

300 infantry

600 cavalry

Casualties

24 dead
76 captured

12 dead
48 wounded

Detroit frontier
Tippecanoe – 1st Mackinac Island – Maguaga – Fort Dearborn – Detroit – Fort Harrison – Fort Wayne – Mississinewa – Frenchtown – Fort Meigs – Fort Stephenson – Lake Erie – Thames – Longwoods – Prairie du Chien – 2nd Mackinac Island – Lake Huron – Malcolm's Mills

The Battle of the Mississinewa, also known as Mississineway, was an expedition ordered by William Henry Harrison against Miami Indian villages in response to the attacks on Fort Wayne and Fort Harrison in the Indiana Territory.

[edit] Expedition

After receiving permission from Secretary of War William Eustis, Harrison ordered Lieutenant Colonel John B. Campbell to lead an expedition into Indiana. Campbell's objective was to destroy the Miami villages along the Mississinewa River. Campbell's force of 600 mounted troops departed from Fort Greenville on December 14 and travled 80 miles (130 km) and reached the Miami village on December 17. Attacking the village, the mounted force took the Indians by surprise taking 76 prisoners including 34 women and children. Later that day, having accomplished his objective, Campbell considered returning to Fort Greenville on account of severe frostbite among his troops. The next morning, a sizeable Indian force counterattacked, killing 8 Americans and wounding another 48. Campbell then began the return march to Fort Greenville, taking with him the 76 prisoners. During the return trek, the American force suffered greatly from frostbite, and by the time they reached Fort Greenville on December 28, some 300 of his troops were suffering from frostbite.

[edit] Aftermath

The Indian force was only concerned with protecting their lives and winter food supplies. In order to ensure this, they needed to stop Campbell's expedition and force it to return to its base, which they did. Harrison claimed the expedition as a victory because of the prisoners that were taken, and he contemplated sending another expedition down the Mississinewa despite the fact that over half his cavalry was incapacitated either from battle wounds or frostbite. Harrison received approval and appointed Campbell a full Colonel in the Regular Army.