US ResearchConflictsEarly Republic and War of 1812Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782)
Early Republic and War of 1812

Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782)

1782
Ohio
Era
Early Republic and War of 1812
Year
1782
Location
Ohio
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Shawnee
Forces
Shawnee towns in Ohio
VS
Victor
United States (George Rogers Clark)
Forces
Gen. George Rogers Clark, ~1,050 Kentucky militia
Outcome
Five Shawnee towns destroyed including Chillicothe and Piqua; crops burned; Shawnee fled north
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Chillicothe was a military engagement of the western theater of the American Revolutionary War. In May 1779, Colonel John Bowman of the Kentucky County militia, accompanied by Benjamin Logan and Levi Todd, led between 160 and 300 militiamen against the Shawnee settlement of Old Chillicothe. Dividing their forces, Bowman and Logan attacked the town from two sides but were eventually repulsed.

Duration
Single day engagement (May 29, 1779)
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

a dozen casualties suffered by the Americans

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782) take place?
Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782) took place in 1782. Single day engagement (May 29, 1779).
Where was Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782) fought?
Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782) was fought in Ohio, United States.
What was the outcome of Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782)?
Five Shawnee towns destroyed including Chillicothe and Piqua; crops burned; Shawnee fled north
What was the significance of Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782)?
The Battle of Chillicothe was a military engagement of the western theater of the American Revolutionary War. In May 1779, Colonel John Bowman of the Kentucky County militia, accompanied by Benjamin Logan and Levi Todd, led between 160 and 300 militiamen against the Shawnee settlement of Old Chillic
Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Clark's Chillicothe Expedition (1782)

First United Methodist Church
Civil War · 4.2 mi
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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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