European regiments had an almost impossible time adapting to methods on the North American frontier. Fancy uniforms and parade ground discipline made no difference in the wilderness. American militia, who wore their own clothing and were used to hunting and shooting in the terrain, were often poorly disciplined. Native auxiliaries were meant to bridge this gap, combining skirmishing, scouting and surveillance with natural camouflage and survival skills. At least, in theory. However, even the best auxiliaries were often only as good as the men who commanded them and here, where able Native leaders such as Roundhead of the Wyandot, Tecumseh of the Shawnee and Main Poc of the Potawatomi were all present, their British chain of command let them down.
Nor were the Americans fairing better in terms of leaders. General William Hull had planned to use Fort Detroit as a base for an invasion of Canada. However, hearing that the British had retaken Mackinac Island, he decided not to attack across the Detroit River on Fort Malden, now Amherstburg, but to drop back to safer American territory, leaving a small garrison at Detroit. Two supply columns set out from Detroit to resupply Hull. One was defeated at the Battle of Brownstown. A second, larger column was sent to escort that supply train back to Detroit and ran into a detachment of the British 41, with Native auxiliaries. The Americans had 280 Regulars and 330 militia. The British had 70 Regulars, 70 Native auxiliaries and 60 militia.
Things went downhill almost immediately for the British, standing out against the terrain in their scarlet uniforms. American sharpshooters quickly went to work. Potatwatomi auxiliaries under Main Poc tried to reinforce the British but the British, panicking, though these were more Americans who had come up on their flank. They opened fire on their own auxiliaries, who had to fire back to spare their own lives. The two sides traded fire for several minutes until they figured out their mistake. Meanwhile, the British commander thought he saw weakness on the American front and ordered his men to attack. His militia misunderstood the drumbeat and trumpet calls signals and instead withdrew. This was a golden opportunity for the Americans and their commander ordered an advance. The British had meanwhile regrouped to make a stand, at which point the Americans simply vacated the field without pressing a clear advantage. Americans, 18 killed, 64 wounded, 2 captured. British, 16 killed, 2 missing and 8 wounded.
The American commander, James Miller, was clearly shaken by his first experience of combat. His men had thrown their knapsacks away prior to the battle, and as they left the field, didn't stop to pick them up. Ill and disoriented, Miller refused to go back for the supplies. Hull, fed up, ordered Miller back to Detroit. Luckily for him, he would redeem himself later in the War, ending up a Brigadier General, but he narrowly escaped a court-martial and charges of insubordination and cowardice.
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