Fort Harrison

Native American forces began laying siege to Fort Harrison beginning at about 11 pm on September 4, 1812. A blockhouse was set fire, but extinguished and later reinforced. The Americans were able to repel the Native American forces by firing on them from the bastions, blockhouses, and roofs of houses. Reinforcements arrived by September 16^th to bolster the remaining force in the Fort.

The battle has been described as "one of the last battles of the War of 1812 in the Wabash Valley. This event turned the war from the Ohio Valley to Canada and changed the course of history." The significance of the engagement is described generally as making the Northwest Territory accessible for American settlement. Fort Harrison had been built to be a storehouse of army supplies and for protection in case of a defeat or disaster in the campaign.