US ResearchConflictsEarly Republic and War of 1812Battle of Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat)
Early Republic and War of 1812

Battle of Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat)

1791
Ohio
Era
Early Republic and War of 1812
Year
1791
Location
Ohio
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
United States
Forces
Miami-Shawnee confederacy under Little Turtle and Blue Jacket (~1,000)
VS
Victor
Native American Confederacy
Forces
Legion under General Arthur St. Clair (~1,400)
Outcome
Catastrophic American defeat; over 900 casualties. Worst proportional defeat ever suffered by the U.S. Army against Native Americans.
The Battle

History & Significance

Most costly defeat of U.S. forces by Native Americans; prompted creation of the Legion of the United States under Anthony Wayne

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: ~918 killed and wounded; Native American: ~21

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Battle of Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat) take place?
Battle of Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat) took place in 1791.
Where was Battle of Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat) fought?
Battle of Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat) was fought in Ohio, United States.
What was the outcome of Battle of Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat)?
Catastrophic American defeat; over 900 casualties. Worst proportional defeat ever suffered by the U.S. Army against Native Americans.
What was the significance of Battle of Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat)?
Most costly defeat of U.S. forces by Native Americans; prompted creation of the Legion of the United States under Anthony Wayne
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All battles in Ohio
Source

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

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