Procter, Maj. Gen. Henry
b. 1762 - d. 1822
Nationality: British

Allegiance: British

Category: Soldier

Summary:

Born in Ireland in 1763, Procter was the son of an army surgeon. He entered the army as an ensign in the 43rd Regiment in 1781 and served in New York State in the closing phases of the Revolutionary War. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Procter came to Canada in 1802 with Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Brock, and in August 1812 as General Brock's subordinate, Procter was able to cut supply lines to Detroit that led to the American surrender of the fort by General Hull. After Brock's death at Queenston in October 1812, Procter was responsible for the defense of the Detroit frontier. In this, he was at first successful, carrying out two campaigns against Fort Meigs, during one of which (May 5, 1813) successfully defeated an American relief force. Soon, however, he was forced to retreat due to dwindling supplies from American General William Henry Harrison's advancing American army. He abandoned Detroit and attempted to flee to the Niagara frontier. He was pursued by Harrison's army, which met the combined British and Indian army at the Battle of the Thames (October 5, 1813). In this battle, Procter was defeated and the battle saw the death of his ally, the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh. Procter was later court-martialed and suspended from military duty and pay for six months. His name disappeared from the Army List in 1816 and he died in semi-retirement in Bath, England, in 1822, at the age of 59 years. American cartoons and writings often characterized Procter as encouraging Indian barbarities but the record shows that Procter also attempted to save the lives of some American captives in Indian hands.