Patriot War

Patriot War
Date December 4, 1838 Location Michigan area, USA Windsor, Ontario area, CDN Result Defeat of Hunter Patriots
Combatants
Canadian Militia	Hunter Patriots
Commanders
John Prince	?
Strength
300 Canadian Militia	400 Hunter Patriots
Casualties
4 dead 1 steamer	25 dead 44 captured

The Patriot War, also known as the Battle of Windsor was a short-lived campaign in the eastern Michigan area of the United States and the Windsor, Ontario area of Canada. A group of men on both sides of the border, calling themselves "Patriots," formed small militias in 1837 with the intention of seizing the Southern Ontario peninsula between the Detroit and Niagara rivers. They based groups in Michigan at Fort Gratiot (present Port Huron), Mount Clemens, Detroit, and Gibraltar. In the winter of 1837 they attempted to seize the arsenal at Fort Gratiot but were stopped by state militia. On December 4, 1838 the Patriots crossed the Detroit River into Canada by steamboat and engaged in an unsuccessful battle at Windsor. Where the Patriots set the British barracks on fire, burn the steamer Thames and several houses, and killed four militiamen before retreating. The Canadian Militia led by Colonel John Prince successfully repelled the attack and captured 45 patriots. At the end of the battle Prince ordered that five prisoners be shot without being tried in court. The Michigan militia were stationed at the United States Arsenal in Dearborn, and were used to track down remaining groups of Patriots in the area. This conflict led to the reorganization of the Michigan militia because its structure was found to be insufficient to deal with such rebellions. These events occurred contemporaneously with the Upper Canada Rebellion and the Lower Canada Rebellion further east.

See also

• Hunter Patriots
• Battle of the Windmill
• List of conflicts in Canada

External links

• Chronology of Events of the 1837 rebellions
• Patriot War and the Battle of Windsor (1838)