Battle of Fallen Timbers
Maumee River, near present-day Maumee, Ohio, USA
What happened
The United States Legion under General Anthony Wayne fought the Western Confederacy of Native American nations, led by Blue Jacket (Shawnee) and Little Turtle (Miami). Native nations in the Northwest Territory rejected US treaties and the spread of settlers onto their land, and had beaten two earlier US armies. Blue Jacket's warriors waited for Wayne's army among trees blown down by a storm. After about 70 minutes of fighting, the confederacy's warriors scattered.
Why it matters
Why it matters: Warriors who fled to the nearby British fort found its gates closed, showing that Britain would not help them. The battle led to the Treaty of Greenville, which opened most of present-day Ohio to settlers.
What came next
On 3 August 1795 Wayne and leaders of many nations signed the Treaty of Greenville, ending the Northwest Indian War. The peace did not last, and the Shawnee leader Tecumseh, who did not sign, later formed a new confederacy.
Did you know?
Archaeologists found that the real battlefield was about a quarter of a mile from where people had long thought it was.
Timeline
- 1790-1791Two US armies are defeated by the confederacy.
- 20 August 1794Wayne's army wins at Fallen Timbers.
- 3 August 1795The Treaty of Greenville is signed.
- 1999The battlefield becomes a National Historic Site.