US ResearchConflictsEarly Republic and War of 1812Battle of Wild Cat Creek 1812
Early Republic and War of 1812

Battle of Wild Cat Creek 1812

1812
Indiana
Era
Early Republic and War of 1812
Year
1812
Location
Indiana
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Indiana Rangers
VS
Victor
Potawatomi
Outcome
The battle resulted in a defeat for American forces. Hopkins was humiliated by the loss and subsequently discharged the Kentucky militia under his command.
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Wild Cat Creek was the result of a November 1812 punitive expedition against Native American villages during the War of 1812. It has been nicknamed "Spur's Defeat", which is thought to refer to the spurs used by the soldiers to drive their horses away from the battle as quickly as possible. The campaign is sometimes referred to as the Second Battle of Tippecanoe.

Duration
2 days (November 21, 1812 – November 22, 1812)
Historical context

The early republic period saw the United States move from the weak Articles of Confederation to the federal Constitution ratified in 1788, with the Bill of Rights added in 1791. George Washington served two terms as president (1789–1797), establishing precedents for executive authority, and the federal capital moved permanently to Washington D.C. in 1800. The Louisiana Purchase (1803) doubled the nation's territory for roughly $15 million, opening vast trans-Mississippi lands to American expansion. The War of 1812 against Britain ended inconclusively but produced a surge of American national identity and eliminated most British support for Indigenous resistance east of the Mississippi. The Northwest Indian Wars (1785–1795) and the Creek War (1813–1814) broke Indigenous confederacies that had resisted US expansion. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 temporarily balanced slave and free states as the nation expanded westward, but embedded the contradiction of slavery in every subsequent territorial debate.

Casualties & Losses

american: 5; potawatomi: 1

Forces Involved

{"potawatomi":50,"american":30}

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Battle of Wild Cat Creek 1812 take place?
Battle of Wild Cat Creek 1812 took place in 1812. 2 days (November 21, 1812 – November 22, 1812).
Where was Battle of Wild Cat Creek 1812 fought?
Battle of Wild Cat Creek 1812 was fought in Indiana, United States.
What was the outcome of Battle of Wild Cat Creek 1812?
The battle resulted in a defeat for American forces. Hopkins was humiliated by the loss and subsequently discharged the Kentucky militia under his command.
What was the significance of Battle of Wild Cat Creek 1812?
The Battle of Wild Cat Creek was the result of a November 1812 punitive expedition against Native American villages during the War of 1812. It has been nicknamed "Spur's Defeat", which is thought to refer to the spurs used by the soldiers to drive their horses away from the battle as quickly as poss
More from this era

Other Early Republic and War of 1812 Engagements

Raid on the Piankashaw Villages (1786)
1786
Indiana
Clark's 1786 Wabash Expedition
1786
Indiana
Clark's Wabash Expedition (1786)
1786
Indiana
Miami Village Raid Prior to Harmar's Expedition (1789)
1789
Indiana
Harmar's Defeat — Second Engagement at Kekionga
1790
Indiana
Battle of the Maumee Villages — First Day (Oct 19, 1790)
1790
Indiana
Little Turtle's First Attack — Colonel Hardin's Detachment
1790
Indiana
Battle of Kekionga / Harmar's Defeat 1790
1790
Indiana
Harmar's Defeat (Ohio 1790)
1790
Indiana
Harmar's Defeat – First Engagement at Chillicothe
1790
Indiana
Harmar's Campaign – Attack on Kekionga October 1790
1790
Indiana
Aboite River Skirmish (1790)
1790
Indiana
Harmar's Defeat — Second Engagement (October 22, 1790)
1790
Indiana
Harmar's Defeat (Northwest Indian War)
1790
Indiana
Battle of Harmar's Retreat
1790
Indiana
Battle of Harmar's Defeat — First Engagement
1790
Indiana
Harmar's Defeat — Kekionga
1790
Indiana
Northwest Indian War — Harmar's Second Sortie
1790
Indiana
Battle of the Maumee Villages — Second Day (Oct 22, 1790)
1790
Indiana
Battle of Miami Town (Kekionga)
1790
Indiana
All battles in Indiana
Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

Aubrey Research

Explore the history around Indiana

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in the US, drawing on NRHP records, battlefield archives, census history and geological data to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near IndianaView a free sample report
All Early Republic and War of 1812 Battles