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Notes on the Wabash River in 1795

1954; Indiana University Press; Linguagem: Inglês

1942-9711

Dwight L. Smith,

American History and Culture

Meeting the western Indians on the field of battle and defeating them was extremely important to the new nation if its lands north of the Ohio River were to be made safe for settlement and eventual statehood. After the unsuccessful ventures of previous expeditions under Josiah Harmer in 1790, and Arthur St. Clair in 1791, Anthony Wayne led his well-trained legions and volunteer contingents northward into the heart of the Indian country. Twice in 1794, at Fort Recovery in western Ohio (April 30-June 1) and at Fallen Timbers in northwestern Ohio (August 20), major engage ments occurred. In both instances the Indians were defeated; and in the latter they apparently lost support of the British upon whom they had depended so greatly. The backbone of the Indian confederation was broken. This did not mean, however, a guarantee of peace on the frontier in the Old Northwest. Military defeat must be acknowledged in a formal way and definite concessions must be gained through the instrument of a peace treaty. To make sure this treaty would not suffer the fate of previous Indian American agreements that were not mutually respected, Wayne set about consolidating his victory. For example, he daringly and openly insulted the British in their Fort Miamis near the Fallen Timbers battle scene. He employed scorched earth tactics on Indian fields and villages. He erected another military outpost, Fort Wayne (Indiana), in the heart of the Indian country located at the forks of the Maumee River and terminal point of the important Wabash-Maumee Portage. Besides a general boundary line between the Indians and the Americans, Wayne was expected to gain other important locations and concessions within the Indian country. One of these, the Wabash River, is of present interest. Wayne was instructed to secure the posts and potential sites of posts along the Wabash to maintain a chain of communications from the