Henry Procter (British Army officer)

Major-General Henry Patrick Procter (c. 1763 – 31 October 1822) was a British Army officer who served in the Canadas during the War of 1812.

He is best known for being decisively defeated in 1813 by American forces, which left the western portion of Upper Canada under U.S. control.

Henry Procter began his military career at the age of 18 as an ensign in the 43rd Regiment of Foot in April 1781.

He was promoted to major three years later in May 1795, and on 9 October 1800 became a lieutenant colonel in command of the 1st battalion of the 41st Regiment of Foot.

He fought several skirmishes, which helped isolate the American post at Fort Detroit and contributed to its capture by General Brock.

He was soon faced with an attack by American General William Henry Harrison, who intended to expel the British from Michigan.

[3] Procter won a resounding victory over an American brigade commanded by Brigadier-General James Winchester at the Battle of Frenchtown, though his tactics did not escape criticism.

On 5 May 1813, at the Battle of the Miami Rapids, Procter and the Indians inflicted a devastating defeat on Brigadier-General Green Clay's brigade of Kentucky militia, who were trying to reinforce the garrison.

[4] However, he received very few reinforcements and his "division" consisted essentially of the 41st Foot only, with whatever militia could be gathered for any operation and unreliable numbers of Native Americans.

Tecumseh reviled Procter for retreating as "a fat animal which slinks away, its tail between its legs" and demanded that Fort Malden be handed over to the Natives to defend.

Some scholars dismiss him as incompetent, while others point out that he was denied adequate resources by his superiors and was unfairly held responsible for the conduct of his Indian allies (except where accompanied by Tecumseh himself).

Most sources agree that Procter was a good regimental officer, but was out of his depth when in charge of an independent command, especially one which required him to handle unpredictable Native American allies.

He is neither--merely a victim of circumstances, a brave officer but weak, capable enough except in moments of stress, a man of modest pretensions....The prisoner of events beyond his control, Procter dallied and equivocated until he was crushed.