On 27 September 1813, the American army under Major General William Henry Harrison, the future President, landed at Amherstburg ready to take on the British forces at Fort Malden. The British commander, Brigadier-General Procter was in an untenable position. The few guns that had been at the fort had been moved onto the ships that American Commodore Perry had defeated on Lake Erie. So Procter had started to retreat on 24 September, giving him a three-day lead. If he had moved with some urgency, perhaps things would have turned out differently, but he didn't. He reached the Dolson Farm near Chatham on 1 October and camped, confident that the Americans were far behind.

The leader of his native allies, Tecumseh, had no respect for Procter, considering him a coward. He goaded Procter into taking a stand, so Procter left his troops and rode off to survey the site at Moraviantown.

The Americans, however, were not far behind. Taking advantage of the firm roads caused by the cold weather, they were able to catch up. Although Tecumseh, his natives, and some British troops staged a delaying action, they could not hold back the American army of 3000. By the time Procter rejoined his army on 4 October, they were demoralized and hungry.

The site chosen by Procter for the battle was about three kilometres west of Moraviantown between a swamp and the Thames River. It should have been a close battle even though the British and natives were outnumbered 3-to-1, but the Americans were out to avenge a massacre and were not about to be stopped. The battle lasted less than an hour and was a complete victory for the Americans. Procter abandoned his army before the end of the battle and retreated to Niagara. Tecumseh was made of sterner stuff and fought to his death. His body was never found and the only marker on the battle site is in honour of him. Procter was later court-martialed and reprimanded.

Tecumseh Monument