Unknown Battles in History (America)

Our Unknown defeat (Battle of the Wabash)

When we think of the war against the Native Americans, we tend to think about the old western movies showing American Calvary chasing down and fighting horsemen from various tribes in the old west. There also seems to be a trend of focusing purely on the western side of the country when it comes to the war between the American government and the Native people. There is a forgetfulness of the way that the land east of the Mississippi River was not just an easy walk in the park for the Government. While yes many important battles like the Battle of Little Bighorn happened and are still rightfully being discussed to this day, I would like to take us back to the 1790's. Where we set the stage, a newly formed country is expanding at a rapid rate and is in need of new fertile ground while the native people who lived there for centuries refuse to leave. This sets the stage for war as both parties refuse to back down.

After the American revolution ended with the Treaty of Paris, the newly formed United States were given all land east of the Mississippi River which included the Ohio Valley. While they were heavy participants in the revolution, the Native Tribes of the Ohio Valley were not allowed to participate in the talks and ultimately had no say when it was decided that their land would be taken away from them. The U.S. was excited to use this land to gain federal funding since at the time their constitution (The Articles of Confederation) did not allow the federal government to tax. During the 1780's, many attempts to move into the territory and remove the Native population was met with violence against the settlers. When George Washington became the first president under the new Constitution, a new group of politicians including the secretary of war Henry Knox petitioned for the Commander and Chief to send a force of soldiers to remove the Native's. The General he entrusted to do this was General St. Clair who was the acting governor of the land at the time. While the army had skirmishes with the natives and knew that they were a powerful force (including a minor defeat in October of that year) they expected that they will be able to crush the enemy. Their main goal for this campaign was to establish forts and outpost through out the territory while maintaining multiple supply lines in order to get it ready by the time settlers were expected to arrive. Little did they know, that they were walking into the largest fielded force that the Native Americans would raise against the U.S.. This combined with the lack of training and food given by the command to the men would result in a disastrous situation for the men.

Chief Little Turtle, whose native name was Michikinikwa, was a prominent leader of the Miami tribe in the late 18th century. He was born around 1752 in present-day Ohio. Little Turtle emerged as a skilled military strategist and diplomat, leading his people in battles against American forces during the Northwest Indian Wars. Despite his successes in battle, Little Turtle also advocated for peace and diplomacy with the United States. Throughout his life, Little Turtle worked to protect the interests of his people and navigate the changing political landscape brought about by increasing American expansion into Native American territories. Although he shared power, he is the one who is generally given the credit with coming up with the battle plans at the battle of Wabash. Blue Jacket, also known as Weyapiersenwah, was a prominent Shawnee leader during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He played a significant role in the resistance against American expansion into Native American territories during the Northwest Indian Wars.Born around 1743, Blue Jacket rose to prominence as a military leader and diplomat among the Shawnee people. He participated in various conflicts against American forces, where he fought alongside other Native American leaders such as Little Turtle. Blue Jacket was known for his skill in warfare and his ability to unite different tribes against common enemies. This will come to explain how the Natives were able to have so many warriors even though they were all from different backgrounds and cultures. Despite his resistance to American expansion, he also engaged in diplomacy and negotiation to protect the interests of his people. These two men although of different backgrounds, would unite to fight a common enemy.

So with both men joining forces, they were able to gather anywhere between 1,000 to 2,000 Native American warriors from various tribes, including the Miami, Shawnee, Delaware, and others, who fought against the American forces led by General Arthur St. Clair who had around 2,500 men. This led to more of an even battle than the Americans were prepared for as well as how the Natives knew the land better and were already in waiting by the time the Army showed up. As St. Clair's forces advanced, they were unaware of the Native American army's presence. On the morning of November 4, 1791, the Native American warriors launched a surprise attack on the American camp, catching the soldiers off guard. The battle quickly turned into a brutal and chaotic conflict. Despite outnumbering the Native American forces, St. Clair's army was ill-prepared and suffered from poor leadership, inadequate training, and a lack of supplies. The Native American warriors, on the other hand, utilized guerrilla tactics and superior knowledge of the terrain to their advantage. The battle raged for several hours, with intense fighting occurring at close quarters. St. Clair's forces suffered heavy casualties, including over 600 killed and hundreds more wounded. The Native American confederacy, meanwhile, suffered relatively few losses. Realizing the dire situation, St. Clair ordered a retreat, and the surviving American soldiers fled the battlefield in disarray. The retreat quickly turned into a rout, with Native American warriors pursuing and harassing the retreating troops. The Battle of the Wabash was a devastating defeat for the United States and dealt a severe blow to its efforts to assert control over the Northwest Territory. It highlighted the challenges and complexities of waging war against determined Native American resistance and underscored the need for better-trained and better-equipped military forces in future engagements.

Following the battle, General Arthur St. Clair faced heavy criticism for his leadership and the devastating defeat suffered by his forces. The loss of life and the scale of the defeat shocked the American public and government, leading to calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the debacle. In the aftermath of the battle, the Native American confederacy gained a significant morale boost and consolidated their position in the region. They continued to resist American expansion into their territories, further complicating efforts to establish control over the Northwest Territory. The Battle of the Wabash underscored the challenges faced by the United States in its interactions with Native American tribes and highlighted the need for a more organized and disciplined approach to military operations in the frontier regions.