The War of the North West, or Little Turtle’s War. 1790-95.
Eric Hemenway, Director of Archives and Records, LTBB Odawa
Reprinted with permission from the author
An often forgotten piece of American history is the series of hostilities that led to full-fledge war in the Ohio valley during the end of the 18th century. This war has gone by many names but the combatants were always the same; A coalition of tribes from the Ohio Valley and Great Lake versus the United States. The main tribes whom participated in this war were the: Shawnee, Delaware, Miami, Potawatomi, Odawa, Ojibway and Huron.
The heart of the conflict was American incursion onto native lands. As the United States established itself as a nation, it moved west to take land and resources for its growing population. Native nations were being pushed west due to this expansion, eventually creating displaced tribal communities in Ohio. Violations of treaty agreements between tribes and the United States, which often involved lands being taken, was another reason tribes fought.The Shawnee and Delaware tribes bore the brunt of American expansion, being displaced over the previous decades. As the American expansion moved west into Ohio, the tribes banded together to keep their resources and lands, thus generating some security of resources for future generations.
Odawa and Ojibway from northern Michigan sent their warriors to support their southern relations in fighting the Americans. The Odawa and Ojibway knew that if Ohio fell, it would only be a matter of time before their lands would be subject to American settlement as well. In addition, the Odawa had relations on the shores of Lake Erie at present day Toledo.
Numerous, smaller battles would take place in the Ohio valley between small war parties and American settlers, whom often formed militias. These hostilities between the two often led to revenge killings against each other. Competition for resources and land, in conjunction with the revenge killings, led to war.
The United States would suffer devastating losses during this war. The first would be Harmer’s defeat in 1790 in Indiana. General Josh Harmer would march against Miami and Shawnee warriors, resulting in a series of defeats. Harmer lost over 200 men, a large loss given his total numbers was approximately 800. Harmer’s defeats prompted the United States to send an even larger force against the native warriors. In 1791, General Arthur St. Clair took a force of over 1,000 men against tribal warriors in Ohio. The end result was the worst defeat the army has ever suffered at the hands of native forces. Over 600 men were killed and 400 wounded. Some historians argue this is the worst defeat the U.S. Army suffered in any battle in its history, given the high kill rate in comparison to the total number of men in the entire army at the time. But the United States would not wait long to launch another campaign against the tribes. In 1794, Anthony “mad” Wayne would take his forces against the tribes in northern Ohio, accumulating in the Battle of Fallen timbers on August 20, 1794. Here, the tribal coalition was defeated, thus resulting in the end of the War of the NorthWest and the subsequent treaty of Greenville in 1795.
Warrior Bios.
Blue Jacket-
Blue Jacket was one of the primary, tribal war chiefs during this war. He was a Shawnee from the Maumee River in Ohio but his tribe was originally from lands in Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia. Blue Jacket’s Shawnee name was Weyapiersenwah. He got the name Blue Jacket because he fought with the British against the Americans in the Revolutionary War. Many warriors from various tribes fought under Blue Jacket’s leadership. His ability as a warrior, as well as his leadership qualities, made him one of the preeminent war chiefs of his time. Blue Jacket would be an inspiration and example of native forces jointing together to fight for their lands. Another powerful Shawnee would take up the fight soon after Blue Jacket’s efforts. Tecumseh, a Shawnee war chief, would lead the largest, native war against the Americans during the War of 1812.
Little Turtle-
Little Turtle was Miami war chief from northern Indiana. His native name was Michikinikwa. Little Turtle, like Blue Jacket, was a great speaker and was able to gather warriors from multiple tribes to fight for one cause; stopping the Americans. Little Turtle and Blue Jacket were the main war chiefs in Harmer and St. Clair’s defeats. Unfortunately, Little Turtle’s tribe, the Miami, would be removed from their lands in Indiana by the 1840s, to Oklahoma.
Egushawa-
Egushawa was an Odawa war chief originally from the Detroit area. Like other warriors who fought in the Old North West war, Egushawa fought against the Americans in the Revolutionary war. He would not only represent the Odawa around Detroit but the Potawatomi and Huron tribes as well, due to his leadership. He fought in the Battle of Fallen Timbers and Egushawa would sign the treaty of Greenville in 1795, officially ending the war.