US ResearchConflictsRevolutionary WarBird's Invasion of Kentucky
Revolutionary War

Bird's Invasion of Kentucky

1780
Kentucky
Era
Revolutionary War
Year
1780
Location
Kentucky
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
VS
Victor
British
Outcome
The Indians were driven off and the village and surrounding fields burned, but Clark suffered daunting casualties
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Piqua, also known as the Battle of Peckowee, Battle of Pekowi, Battle of Peckuwe and the Battle of Pickaway, was a military engagement fought on August 8, 1780, at the Indian village of Piqua along the Mad River in western Ohio Country between the Kentucky County militia under General George Rogers Clark and Shawnee Indians under Chief Black Hoof. The Indians were driven off and the village and surrounding fields burned, but Clark suffered daunting casualties. Clark's expedition was in response to Bird's invasion of Kentucky earlier that summer by a combined force of Shawnee, Len

Duration
Single day engagement (August 8, 1780)
Historical context

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) grew from colonial resistance to British taxation without parliamentary representation — a dispute that radicalized through the Stamp Act (1765), the Townshend Acts (1767), and the Boston Massacre (1770). Fighting began at Lexington and Concord in April 1775; the Continental Congress declared independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Army under George Washington faced severe shortages of supplies and troops, enduring the brutal winter at Valley Forge (1777–1778) before French alliance and French financing turned the military balance. Major engagements included Bunker Hill (1775), Trenton (1776), Saratoga (1777) — which secured French intervention — and Yorktown (1781), where British General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington. An estimated 25,000 American soldiers died in service, from combat, disease, and captivity. The Treaty of Paris (1783) recognized American independence and ceded British territory east of the Mississippi, though it left unresolved questions about Indigenous land rights and the status of Loyalists.

Forces Involved

Kentucky County militia under General George Rogers Clark and Shawnee Indians under Chief Black Hoof

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Bird's Invasion of Kentucky take place?
Bird's Invasion of Kentucky took place in 1780. Single day engagement (August 8, 1780).
Where was Bird's Invasion of Kentucky fought?
Bird's Invasion of Kentucky was fought in Kentucky, United States.
What was the outcome of Bird's Invasion of Kentucky?
The Indians were driven off and the village and surrounding fields burned, but Clark suffered daunting casualties
What was the significance of Bird's Invasion of Kentucky?
The Battle of Piqua, also known as the Battle of Peckowee, Battle of Pekowi, Battle of Peckuwe and the Battle of Pickaway, was a military engagement fought on August 8, 1780, at the Indian village of Piqua along the Mad River in western Ohio Country between the Kentucky County militia under General
Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Bird's Invasion of Kentucky

Haviland House
Civil War · 5.6 mi
Stone House of Indian Creek
Early Republic · 5.8 mi
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Source

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

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