Following the withdrawal of the Native American forces on September 8, the garrison remained in control of the fort. However, the destruction of the civilian trading house during the siege ended the site's role as a government-run trading post or "goverment factory".[6] Hostilities continued into the following year. In early June of 1813, the garrison at Fort Madison consisted of 42 men and the 44 new ex-riflemen recruits swelled the company to over 80 men.[7] Despite these reinforcements, the garrison was still in a precarious situation, trapped by repeated attacks and pressure by indigenous warriors and, more critically, the failure of a government contractor to supply food in sufficient quality and quantity.[8] With winter approaching and rations reduced to rotten pork, Lieutenant Hamilton was forced to abandon the post. Under cover of darkness and using a secretly dug trench to the river, the garrison evacuated and set the fort on fire, arriving at Belle Fontaine on November 25, 1813, having avoided detection by hostile natives.
United States