The Dilemma – Can Invalids Hold Fort Jefferson

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FORT JEFFERSON – Nov. 4, 1791.  St. Clair’s army was in shambles from the defeat on the Wabash. They were scattered and in full retreat. Weapons and packs were discarded as they ran for their lives. The retreating soldiers did what they could to help the wounded back to Fort Jefferson.

Almost no food rations were available at the fort.  After a two-hour rest, General St. Clair and the soldiers that were able to continue the retreat, moved on to Fort Washington leaving 40 wounded men and about 100 soldiers to hold the fort.

The next four days wounded men from the battle straggled into Fort Jefferson. One survivor made it back even though he had been scalped. The only food available to eat at Fort Jefferson was a small amount of flour and the back end of a pack horse. There had been a supply of rations on the way, but without communications, the fort could not confirm they would still come. Fortunately, enough rations did arrive to feed the soldiers until the end of December.

With only six days of rations left on Dec. 24th, evacuation of the fort was contemplated.  At that moment, a welcome large supply of rations and reinforcements arrived. Fort Jefferson had not been forgotten!

*Note:  All correspondence between army posts was difficult and done by messenger IF(?) they could get through. For example, it took a month to relay the bad news to President Washington that the worst defeat ever handed to a United States army had just taken place by the hands of the Indians on the Wabash (later where Ft. Recovery would be built).

On the 1st of February 1792, then in charge of the western army, General Wilkinson brought 150 Federal troops and about 150 State Militia to Fort Jefferson. Soon after that, on the 18th of March, 200 men began building Ft. St. Clair (present-day Eaton) halfway between Ft. Hamilton and Ft. Jefferson. This would be added support for Ft. Jefferson.  Also at this time, work began on building an addition on to Ft. Jefferson to hold rations, supplies, and food for the animals. This addition doubled the size of Ft. Jefferson which was originally only about 100’x100’ in size. Ft. Jefferson was becoming more secure, but was still under constant siege by various Native tribes.  

The Natives discussed attacking Fort Jefferson but felt the cost of lives would be too great. It was their goal to harass anyone who left the fort. The supply chains, messengers, mowing parties, and hunters were always at risk. Occasional raids were carried out to steal cattle and pack horses.

It was a long two years for the soldiers to hold onto Ft. Jefferson. Eventually, Anthony Wayne moved his large, well-trained Legion army six miles north of Ft. Jefferson and decided to build his army headquarters on a creek he called the southwest branch of the Miami River. Later he stated, “In full confidence that the fame of this place will at one day furnish a page in the history of America, I have called it Greene Ville” — A. Wayne Nov. 17, 1793.

*Note- Wayne named this post after his close friend Nathaniel Greene. Greene Ville was the army headquarters for the United States for the next four years.