Find out about the battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794.
In 1790 the newly appointed first President of the United States of America was determined to make his country safe from the ravages of the Indian tribes. Over recent years atrocities had been committed by members of the Shawnee, Miami, Potawatomi and Chippewa Indian tribes who had been joined in a major confederation under Chief Little Turtle. To achieve peace, Washington turned to Major General Arthur St Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory. St Clair put Brevet Brigadier General Josiah Harmar in the field with 1200 militia and 320 regular soldiers. They set out from Fort Washington, Cincinnati in search of the Confederated tribes.
The Indians saw the soldiers coming and began to retreat. They even burned their villages as the whites lumbered through the forest towards them. But Chief Little Turtle was, in fact, drawing Harmar's forces into a trap. In the Maumee Valley the Indians turned on their pursuers. The Indians firstly destroyed a reconnoitering party. Then they struck at the main force. The soldiers, though, counter attacked and the Indians pulled back. The soldiers were strung out in their pursuit. Little Turtle was able to attack the flanks of the columns. 183 militia men were killed and 31 were wounded. Harmar now retreated.
The command returned to the fort. Harmar was the center of a court of inquiry. He was exonerated for his actions but was replaced by General St Clair in the field. The 55 year old wasted no time in marching 2000 men out of Fort Washington to teach the rebelling tribes a lesson in who was boss. However his command was soon hit by desertions and before long he was reduced to just 1400 men. Yet St Clair was able to build the military outposts of Forts Hamilton and Jefferson. St Clair set up his field base on the high ground of the Wabash, which is located about 50 miles from the future Fort Wayne, Indiana. He did not, however, send out patrols or put up a double guard. The very day after base camp was established, Little Turtle's forces struck. About 1100 Indians attacked at dawn, completely routing the militia men. By the time they had grouped for a counter, the Indians had melted back into the woods and were able to pick off the soldiers at will. St Clair now ordered a general retreat. This soon deteriorated in a desperate flight for their lives.
The analysis of the battle was grim indeed. St Clair had lost 900 of his 1400 men. 37 officers were dead. President Washington was outraged and called St Clair "˜worse than a murderer.' Another inquiry was held. Again the commander was exonerated, with the blame going on undisciplined troops. A new commander was put in charge - General Anthony Wayne. He was known as "˜Mad Anthony' but he was anything but. He was a daring fighter and a strict disciplinarian who soon routed out the unstable elements in his militia. In the Spring of 1794 Wayne marched with 3000 men to the site of St Clair's earlier disaster. Here he built Fort Recovery. An attack on the fort by Little Turtle was repulsed. At this time Little Turtle decided it was time to give up the fight. He tried to persuade his people to go the road of peace but was soon deposed. In his place came Turkey Foot. Another attack on the fort was turned back.
Finally Wayne was prepared to strike back at the Indians. His troops struck a band of 800 Indians at Fallen Timbers, near the Maumee Rapids. They were not far from the British Fort Miami. Wayne first sent his cavalry to the attack. They, however, got caught up in the windfalls. He then pulled back the cavalry and substituted them with the infantry, who were able to cause deadly impact with their volley and skirmish fire. Wayne finished off by pouring his Dragoons into the Indians flanks. The Indians now broke into a desperate flight. They headed straight for the safety of the British fort. The British, however, kept the gates locked. The whole Indian force was decimated. Wayne only lost 33 killed and 100 wounded. The soldiers now destroyed the Indian's crops to the tune of 5000 acres. The tribes of the Ohio would not recover for another twenty years.
