Victory and Honors

Following Anthony Wayne's victory at Fallen Timbers, he marched his men back to Fort Defiance and then to the juncture of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph's rivers.  There he built a fort and gave it the name that stayed with the thriving frontier city that grew up around it - Fort Wayne.  Everywhere Wayne and his men went they burned crops and villages while the inhabitants fled. 

At last the Americans had the upper hand.  The British were no longer trusted to protect the native tribes and the Americans weapons were feared.  It was easy for Wayne to convince the chiefs that their best interest lay with the United States. 

In 1795, a treaty with the British finally gave up their remaining posts on United States soil.  Wayne announced that the Indians ceded all the land in southern Ohio and southeastern Indiana along with the posts at Fort Wayne, Detroit and Michilimackimac. The United States recognized the Indian title to all the lands not ceded and promised the tribes annual subsidies.  For 15 years both sides held faithfully to the treaty, while the pioneer and Indian lived in peace.

Meanwhile, General Wayne became a national hero.  He returned to Philadelphia in 1796 where he was hailed with ringing bells, a 15 gun salute and dazzling fireworks.  He had one last task - to receive the posts relinquished from the British.  Back to forest country and  that summer he took back Detroit.  On the return journey, Wayne suffered another attack of gout and died at Presquisle (Erie).  His final resting place is marked by a blockhouse modeled after the one he built at Fort Wayne and bears the flag he planted in the heart of the Old Northwest.

Next time...settling the Old Northwest
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Today in Pioneer History:  "On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York burns down killing 144 workers, most of them women.  The fire led to better laws and regulations regarding protection of the safety of factory workers.

Battle of Fallen Timbers

On the 27th of July in 1794, Wayne's army moved forward in the direction of the Maumee River.  News of Wayne's army traveled ahead of him and many of the tribes deserted their villages before Wayne got in the vicinity.  When Anthony reached the junction of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers, they found only deserted huts and huge fields of corn which replenished their supplies.  They built Fort Defiance and from there sent out a final offer of peace to the hostile tribes. 

Wayne knew the British were still furnishing the Indians all the necessary aid, and wasn't surprised when the chiefs returned evasive answers in response to his peace offer.  He therefore moved his troops to the left bank of the Maumee, preceding downstream to Fort Maumee.  A few days later at Fallen Timbers, they found a tornado had ripped trees and ground up everywhere making a natural barrier.  Just five miles from the British post,  nature had given the Indians the perfect place to make their stand.

On the morning of August 20th, Wayne (who was so crippled by gout that he had to be lifted to his horse) led the assault on Fallen Timbers.  At first the Kentuckians were forced back, but the infantry was able to dislodge the Indians while the cavalry charged the left flank.  The whole battle lasted 45 minutes with only a third of Wayne's men even taking part.  The remaining Indians fled back to the British fort where the Redcoats failed to come to their aid or even open the gates to allow them protection.  Many Indians died right there outside the gates.

The Americans lost 33 men and 100 wounded.  The battle of Fallen Timbers, however, was the most decisive victory yet in the Northwest.  Warfare that had been building for 40 years ended in just 45 minutes. 

Next time...Destination Fort Wayne
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Today in Pioneer History: "On March 21, 1882, "Bronco Billy" Anderson is born in Little Rock, Arkansas. Gilbert M. Anderson, the first western movie star, starred in over 300 short films in the early days of the silent movies.

General "Mad" Anthony Wayne's Men

Anthony Wayne was the son of a Pennsylvania frontiersmen.  In his early life he was a surveyor, learning Indian fighting as a side.  During the Revolution he won distinction as a dashing commander of Pennsylvania troops at Ticonderoga, Brandywine, Germantown and Stony Point.  He finally earned Major-General status in Georgia where he settled at the end of the war as a planter.

Anthony was known as a vain man - his love of fine clothes brought him a great deal of criticism.  Washington said of Wayne - "brave and nothing else."  Wayne was also alert, decisive, and loved hard fighting, characteristics that were in high demand.

Given the task of securing the new western territory in lieu of St, Clair's defeat, he first needed an army.  Most of the 3000-4000 men needed came from beggars, criminals and other cast-offs of the eastern cities.  Few of them knew warfare, even deserting their posts when reports came of Indians in the vicinity.  Anthony enforced rigid discipline, drilling the regiments for eight to ten hours a day.

By the spring of 1792, the troops formed a respectable body.  Wayne insisted that any campaign would begin only after the troops were thoroughly prepared.  Going beyond the ordinary, he taught the men to load their rifles while running at full speed, and yelling at the top of their voices while making a bayonet attack.

In 1793, Major-General Wayne advanced with 2600 men into Indian country, getting ready for a spring offensive.  The men built Fort Greenville, 80 miles north of Cincinnati and spent the winter there, still drilling and preparing for battle.  They also built Fort Recovery near St. Clair's fatal battle field.

In June 1794, another 1500 mounted militia arrived from Kentucky and Wayne found himself at the head of the largest and best-trained force that ever had been turned against the Indians west of the Alleghenies.  It was time to move at last!

Next time...Ready for Battle!
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Today in Pioneer History:  "On March 18, 1852, two businessmen in New York, Henry Wells and William Fargo,  establish Wells, Fargo and Company, destined to become the leading freight and banking company in the West.