The Battle of Fallen Timbers
APRIL 20, 1793
The Beginning of the Campaign
The beginning of Wayne's campaign against the native American, which culminated at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, in August of 1794, unofficially started on April 20, 1793 when the largest flotilla of barges ever to embark on the Ohio River, left Legion Ville carrying over 2,500 troops. Prior to their departure, Wayne wrote to Secretary of War Henry Knox, "I hope that the public may hereafter recollect with great satisfaction that Legion Ville was the School of Discipline of the American Legion". The Legion had spent almost 6 months of intensive training and were now able to succeed in their campaign against the natives. The army made its way down the Ohio River, stopping every 30-50 miles to build forts to protect their supply chain, eventually making it to Fort Washington (present day Cincinnati) in the Summer of 1793.
By October of that year, the army had advanced almost 90 miles north of the Ohio river and had constructed Fort Green Ville, the largest wooden fort ever constructed in North America. In December 1793, an advance party had reconnoitered the site of Saint Clair's defeat over two years earlier and had begun construction on Fort Recovery. For the next 8 months, Wayne's Legion continued to push northward, reaching the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee rivers in early August.
AUGUST 1794
Construction of Fort Defiance and Fort Deposit
Fort Defiance was built in approximately a week, and was named for Major General Charles Scott, of the Kentucky Militias declaration that " I defy the English, Indians, and all the devils of hell to take it". By mid-August, the Legion had pushed forward along the Maumee River and by August 18th the armies’ advance scouts had identified natives waiting for the American army in a defensive position among a great number of trees that had been blown down during a recent tornado (near present day Maumee Ohio). Rather than attacking immediately, Wayne ordered the construction of Fort Deposit, a small fortification built to hold the Legion's baggage and accoutrements, thus allowing the entire army to advance and fight as a more mobile, light infantry force. For the natives, who generally fasted before a major battle, this delay of one day proved to be instrumental in the defeat of their force.
AUGUST 20, 1794
“Charge the damned rascals with the bayonet”
By the day of the engagement, many of the famished natives had departed to seek nourishment at the British Fort Miamis, which was located a few miles away. Following a torrential downpour during the morning of August 20th, Wayne's troops advanced in two columns toward the natives hidden behind the downed trees. As the initial volley from the natives erupted, Wayne ordered his columns to deploy into a line that extended over a mile, with the river providing cover on the right and the Kentucky mounted volunteers on the left. Artillery was brought to the center and began firing grapeshot into the native warriors with a decimating effect.
Following Wayne's order to "Charge the damned rascals with the bayonet" the Fourth Sub Legion, deployed at the center of the line, charged forward along with the cavalry and sent the Natives in full retreat to Fort Miamis, approximately 4 miles away. Upon hearing of the American victory, Major William Campbell, commander of the fort, had ordered the gates of the post closed, much to the dismay of the natives. Unable to seek refuge, the native warriors fled in disarray, thus ending the native and British alliance. Wayne's army camped within sight of the British outpost for several days, before falling back to Fort Recovery. The following year, a treaty was signed at Fort Green Ville, ending the war with the Native Americans.
