The Battle of Fallen Timbers
On August 19 General Wayne left Great Rapids, following the river until he arrived at a point a short distance above the present village of Waterville, and established a camp…
From: 1794 C.E. To: 1794 C.E.
Location: Maumee, Ohio, United States of America
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
“The Battle of Fallen Timbers” from Early History of the Maumee Valley by John Elstner Gunckel, 1913.
On August 19, [1794] General Wayne left Great Rapids, following the river until he arrived at a point a short distance above the present village of Waterville, and established a camp which he called Fort Deposit, where he left all of his superfluous baggage, ammunition and provisions.
At sunrise on August 20 he called his officers together, among them Lieutenant William H. Harrison, and on a rock known as Roche de Boeuf (meaning “Standing Rock”) a plan of march and battle was discussed and adopted. “We knew the Indians were in considerable force in the rear of a hill known as Presque Isle, where a recent storm had felled the timber.”
Fort Deposit. Where General Wayne deposited his surplus baggage before the battle of Fallen Timbers. Images from book.
Immediately after the council of war the army advanced towards the hill. A recent hurricane made havoc with the large trees and formed an almost impassable barrier against an army of cavalry. The Indian chiefs declared “No army the Americans could bring could fight them.” It was a natural fortification for Indians. The cavalry followed the rocky shores of the river, while the infantry marched, to the left, in the rear.
Without warning, not even the exchange of picket firing was heard, General Wayne came down upon them like a second hurricane. So terribly surprised were the Indians that they paid no attention to the commands of their chiefs, notwithstanding Chief Turkey Foot stood upon a huge rock waving his tomahawk, and trying to encourage his warriors, a mark for an American, who saw the chief fall upon the rock. The battle was mostly a hand-to-hand conflict until the Indians gave way and were driven in great confusion for two miles down the river. No Indian can stand in front of a bayonet. The battle was short, but fierce. So fierce that it forever frightened the Indians from undertaking to fight the Americans alone, without the support of the British. A Canadian, taken prisoner in the action, estimated the force of the Indians at 1,400. Among them were about 70 Canadians, and that Colonel McKee, Captain Elliott and Simon Girty were on the field. The Indians lost nine chiefs. Americans lost 33 killed and 100 wounded.
The Maumee Rapids. At Turkey Foot Rock, Sulphur Spring.
Turkey Foot Rock, now a noted and familiar landmark, is about six feet long, three feet wide, about four feet high and weighing, perhaps, three tons. The chief, Turkey Foot, was buried immediately after the battle by American soldiers and near the rock. Upon its surface are distinct tracks of turkey feet, rudely carved by Indians with their tomahawks. The late D. W. H. Howard wrote: “For many years after in single file the Indians passed the rock without halting or uttering a word. Each in silence and sorrow placing his tribute of respect upon the rock—a piece of tobacco. This was done until the last wig-wam was torn down, and I took the Indians west.”
Recently, within a few years, additional fame has been added to the rock. Some person or persons, at the dead hour of night, confiscated the rock, and so completely placed it out of sight that the inhabitants of two villages, Maumee and Perrysburg, in their searching for weeks failed to discover it. When those interested were satisfied the people appreciated and revered the monument of the Battle of Fallen Timbers, the rock appeared in the village as suddenly as it had disappeared. Which gave the citizens of the county an opportunity to celebrate its recovery.
The Return of Turkey Foot Rock. Reception and jollification of the citizens of Maumee and the valley.
The Battle of Fallen Timbers settled all savage warfare in the northwest. The Indians gave General Wayne the name of “Che-no-tin,” or the Whirlwind. Several months after the battle a number of Pottawatomie Indians arrived at Fort Wayne, and when asked about the engagement, replied, “At the battle the Wind was like a hurricane which drives and tears everything before it.”
After resting his army, General Wayne marched down the river, passed Fort Miami, which was occupied by the British, but silent, and camped at the mouth of Swan creek, and “for immediate protection he built a stockade and so expeditiously was it built he named it Fort Industry,” now Toledo, Ohio. The dimensions of the fort were about 200 by 250 feet.
On August 23, 1794, General Wayne left Fort Industry for his return to Fort Defiance.
Fort Industry is on the easterly corner of Summit and Monroe streets. The site is now occupied by a large building and known as Fort Industry Block.
Shortly after General Wayne passed in sight of Fort Miami he received the following from Major Campbell of the British army, stationed at this fort:
“An army of the United States of America, said to be under your command, having taken post on the banks of the Miami (Maumee) for upwards of twenty-four hours, almost within reach of the guns of this fort, being a post belonging to His Majesty, the King of Great Britain, occupied by His Majesty’s troops, it becomes my duty to inform myself as speedily as possible in what light I am to view your making such near approaches to this garrison? I have no hesitation on my part to say that I know of no war existing between Great Britain and America.”
Presque Isle Hill and Turkey Foot Rock.
To this General Wayne replied:
“Without questioning—the authority or propriety, sir, of your interrogation, I think I may, without breach of decorum, observe to you, were you entitled to an answer, the most full and satisfactory one was announced to you from the muzzles of my small arms yesterday morning in the engagement in the vicinity of your post, which terminated gloriously to the American arms, but had it continued until the Indians were driven under the influence of the post you mention, they would not have much impeded the progress of the victorious army under my command, and no such fort was established at the commencement of the present war between the Indians and the United States.”
Major Campbell replied the next day with the statement that he had foreborne to resent the insults which had been offered to the British flag flying at Fort Miami. “But,” he concluded, “should you after this continue to approach my post in the threatening manner that you are at this moment doing, my indispensable duty to my King and country will oblige me to recourse to those measures which thousands of either nation may hereafter have cause to regret.”
After this communication was received General Wayne and staff reconnoitered Fort Miami. It was found to be a very strong fort. The front covered by the Maumee river and protected by four guns. The rear had two regular bastions furnished with eight pieces of artillery. The whole surrounded by a wide ditch, about 25 feet deep, from the top of the parapet. It was supposed to have been garrisoned by 450 soldiers.
General Wayne sent a note to Major Cambell stating, in effect, that the British government had no right to occupy the territory, and demanded an immediate evacuation of the fort.
To this no reply was received.
Recognizing the strength of the position that he had occupied, General Wayne concluded to withdraw his army, perfectly satisfied with the results of his campaign, having accomplished all the government required of him.
On August 27,1794, he started with his army for Fort Defiance, where he remained for several weeks.
On September 5th he returned to Fort Washington.
During the winter following, General Wayne and his staff spent most of their time in holding councils with Indian chiefs. “Smoking the pipe of peace,” and the result of these council gatherings was concluded at Fort Greenville, where, on August 3rd, 1795, a treaty was signed which declared permanent peace between the Indians and the United States. The agreement was signed by twelve hostile tribes.
The result of the Battle of Fallen Timbers restored peace and tranquility on the northwest frontier.
Trading posts were established, a more friendly relationship existed between the whites and the Indians.
Marietta was the first settlement in the Northwest Territory, and for many years was the center of “general dealings with the Indians of the interior.”
Gunckel, John Elstner. Early History of the Maumee Valley. Henry M. Shmit, 1913.
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