- Ohio History in 2000 Words
- Mound Builders
- Native Ohioans
- The Ohio Company
- Ohio's Wood Forts
- Indian Wars
- War of 1812
- Ohio's Canals
- Ohio's Road
- Scenic Railroads / Museums
- Underground Railroad
- Civil War in Ohio
Today there is a memorial park on the site where Fort Jefferson was constructed on the site where in October 1791, General Arthur St. Clair built a supply fort on his way to destroy a coalition of Native Americans under the leadership of Little Turtle and Blue Jacket.
The previous year, General Josiah Harmar on his unsucessful campaign against the same Native American coalition, built the first of what would eventually become a string of fortifications stretching from Fort Washington (Cincinnati) to Fort Deposit.
The site selected by St. Clair was a small knoll that had a good spring. It was also in the midst of a wide prairie that initially was appraised at being a good spot, but under more careful examination the raised knoll was actually in the midst of a great depression meaning defenders of the position would be at a disadvantage during an assault.
When construction began on this fortification, it soon became apparent that not enough tools were brought and a project that should have been completed rather quickly with the 1400 men, took much longer. Only about 200 men could be kept busy on felling trees at one time. The remainder of the force had no way of contributing to the construction tasks. It took 10 days to complete the fortification.
The large force became impatient and hungry. Food stores ran short and hunting local game quickly exhausted nearby food sources. A few of the disgruntled militia deserted. Several of those deserters were quickly captured and Harmar had them hanged as an example. Instead of being an example, it only intensified the sense of dissatisfaction.
When completed, the fortification was 114 feet square.
100 men remained that were mostly sick
Captain Shaylor's son was killed while hunting
15 soldiers were killed while harvesting hay
Supply convoy was attacked between Jefferson and St. Clair.
One year later 2 two story blockhouses were added
A new corral was added
A large house as built for the commander
Abandoned and burned in the summer of 1796
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After General St. Clair finished construction of Fort Jefferson in 1791, he proceeded on with his mission to attack eradicate a number of Native American villages occupied by groups hostile to the United States. After leaving Fort Jefferson, St. Clair's 1500 men and women had traveled about 30 miles through thick forest and swampy land. When they arrived at the Wabash River, St. Clair (who was in his mid-50s and had been suffering from severe gout symptoms) decided to setup camp. It being late in the day, St. Clair decided to forego setting up any fortifications that would normally have been done, especially when in hostile lands.
General St. Clair, believing that any hostile forces were many miles away and that his force would be safe. In fact, Little Turtle's large coalition was only about a mile away, and worse yet, they had scouts following St. Clair's force since it left Fort Jefferson.
The next morning, before sunrise, Little Turtle and Blue Jacket launched a coordinated attack that smashed through the center of his campsite while also surrounding the entire campsite. The battle lasted for almost 4 hours before St. Clair withdrew as many men as were still able to walk and returned to Fort Jefferson. It would be the largest military defeat of an American military force. More than 900 of St. Clair's men would be killed on this battlefield. Today that battlefield is where the village of Fort Recovery is located.
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