The battle of the Thames was the culmination of a bloody campaign that saw American forces clash with the British and their Native American allies on multiple occasions. In a battle that included the future US president William Henry Harrison, American naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry and the legendary Shawnee leader Tecumseh the Americans prevailed, due in part to their imaginative use of Kentucky mounted riflemen to charge British regular infantry and artillery. Their victory allowed them to secure the North-West frontier, a crucial strategic gain in the War of 1812.