On May 9, 1813, Gen. William Henry Harrison - commander of the Army of the Northwest - turned back a siege of Fort Meigs led by British Col. Henry Proctor and Indian Chief Tecumseh. It was the turning point in the War of 1812 for the Americans.

After the American defeat at Frenchtown in January 1813, Harrison ordered the construction of Fort Meigs - named for Ohio Gov. Return Jonathan Meigs - on the Maumee River above Toledo and canceled the rest of his winter offensive.

The fort had just been completed when a joint British-Indian army attacked it May 1. One thousand cannonballs were fired at the fort, but it remained relatively undamaged.

The defense of Fort Meigs was important because it convinced Harrison to go on the offensive.

Rebecca Goodman

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com or call 768-8361.