Battle of Point Pleasant: Difference between revisions
imported>Carlarini m Extra word removed |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Battle between Virginian militia and | {{Short description|Battle between Virginian militia and Native Americans}} | ||
{{Infobox military conflict | {{Infobox military conflict | ||
|conflict = Battle of Point Pleasant | |conflict = Battle of Point Pleasant | ||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
|image = File:Thrilling adventures among the Indians- comprising the most remarkable personal narratives of events in the early Indian Wars, as well as of incidents in the recent Indian hostilities in Mexico and (14763496504).jpg | |image = File:Thrilling adventures among the Indians- comprising the most remarkable personal narratives of events in the early Indian Wars, as well as of incidents in the recent Indian hostilities in Mexico and (14763496504).jpg | ||
|image_size = 300px | |image_size = 300px | ||
|caption = ''Battle of Point Pleasant'' | |caption = ''Battle of Point Pleasant'' by John Frost | ||
|date = October 10, 1774 | |date = October 10, 1774 | ||
|place = [[Point Pleasant, West Virginia|Point Pleasant]], [[Colony of Virginia|Virginia]] | |place = [[Point Pleasant, West Virginia|Point Pleasant]], [[Colony of Virginia|Virginia]] | ||
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
|combatant1 = {{flagicon image|Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg}} [[Colony of Virginia|Virginia]] | |combatant1 = {{flagicon image|Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg}} [[Colony of Virginia|Virginia]] | ||
|commander2 = [[Cornstalk (Shawnee leader)|Cornstalk]] <br /> [[Pukeshinwa]]{{KIA}} <br /> [[Blue Jacket]] | |commander2 = [[Cornstalk (Shawnee leader)|Cornstalk]] <br /> [[Pukeshinwa]]{{KIA}} <br /> [[Blue Jacket]] | ||
|commander1 = {{flagicon image|Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg}} [[Andrew Lewis (soldier)|Andrew Lewis]] <br /> {{flagicon image|Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg}} | |commander1 = {{flagicon image|Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg}} [[Andrew Lewis (soldier)|Andrew Lewis]] <br /> {{flagicon image|Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg}} Charles Lewis{{KIA}} <br /> {{flagicon image|Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg}} Thomas Buford{{KIA}} | ||
|strength2 = 300–500 | |strength2 = 300–500 | ||
|strength1 = 1,000 | |strength1 = 1,000 | ||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
==Preparations== | ==Preparations== | ||
[[Colonel Andrew Lewis]], in command of about 1,000 men, was part of a planned two-pronged Virginian invasion of the Ohio Valley. As Lewis's force made its way down the [[Kanawha River]], guided by pioneering hunter/trapper [[Matthew Arbuckle Sr.]], Lewis anticipated linking up with another force commanded by | [[Colonel Andrew Lewis]], in command of about 1,000 men, was part of a planned two-pronged Virginian invasion of the Ohio Valley. As Lewis's force made its way down the [[Kanawha River]], guided by pioneering hunter/trapper [[Matthew Arbuckle Sr.]], Lewis anticipated linking up with another force commanded by John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, who was marching west from [[Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)|Fort Pitt]], then known as Fort Dunmore. Dunmore's plan was to march into the Ohio Valley and force the Indigenous inhabitants to accept Ohio River boundary which had been negotiated with the [[Iroquois]] in the 1768 [[Treaty of Fort Stanwix]]. | ||
The Shawnee, however, had not been consulted in the treaty and many were not willing to surrender their lands south of the Ohio River without a fight. Officials of the [[British Indian Department]], led by [[Sir William Johnson]] until his death in July 1774, worked to diplomatically isolate the Shawnee from their neighbors. As a result, when the war began, the Shawnees had few allies other than | The Shawnee, however, had not been consulted in the treaty and many were not willing to surrender their lands south of the Ohio River without a fight. Officials of the [[British Indian Department]], led by [[Sir William Johnson]] until his death in July 1774, worked to diplomatically isolate the Shawnee from their neighbors. As a result, when the war began, the Shawnees had few allies other than the [[Mingo]]. | ||
Cornstalk, the Shawnee leader, moved to intercept Lewis's army, hoping to prevent the Virginians from joining their forces together. Estimates of the size of Cornstalk's force have varied, but scholars<ref>who?</ref> now believe Cornstalk was probably outnumbered at least | Cornstalk, the Shawnee leader, moved to intercept Lewis's army, hoping to prevent the Virginians from joining their forces together. Estimates of the size of Cornstalk's force have varied, but scholars<ref>who?</ref> now believe Cornstalk was probably outnumbered at least two to one, having between 300 and 500 warriors. Future Shawnee leader [[Blue Jacket]] most likely participated in this battle. | ||
==Battle== | ==Battle== | ||
| Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
==Aftermath== | ==Aftermath== | ||
The Virginians lost about 75 killed and 140 wounded.<ref>Atkinson, George W., ''History of Kanawha County: from its organization in 1789 until the present time''; Printed at the Office of the West Virginia Journal, 1876, 345 pgs.</ref><ref name="Winning of the West">{{cite book|last=Roosevelt|first=Theodore|url=https://archive.org/details/winningwest02roosgoog|quote=Girty.|title=The Winning of the West: From the Alleghanies to the Mississippi, 1769-1776|publisher=[[G. P. Putnam's Sons|Putnam's]]|year=1889}}</ref> The Shawnee's losses could not be determined, since they carried away their wounded and threw many of the dead into the river.<ref>Randall, and Ryan ''History of Ohio'' p 96</ref> The next morning, Colonel Christian, who had arrived shortly after the battle, marched his men over the battlefield. They found twenty-one dead warriors in the open, and twelve more were discovered hastily covered with brush and old logs. Among those killed was Pucksinwah, the father of [[Tecumseh]]. | The Virginians lost about 75 killed and 140 wounded.<ref>Atkinson, George W., ''History of Kanawha County: from its organization in 1789 until the present time''; Printed at the Office of the West Virginia Journal, 1876, 345 pgs.</ref><ref name="Winning of the West">{{cite book|last=Roosevelt|first=Theodore|url=https://archive.org/details/winningwest02roosgoog|quote=Girty.|title=The Winning of the West: From the Alleghanies to the Mississippi, 1769-1776|publisher=[[G. P. Putnam's Sons|Putnam's]]|year=1889}}</ref> The Shawnee's losses could not be determined, since they carried away their wounded and threw many of the dead into the river.<ref>Randall, and Ryan ''History of Ohio'' p 96</ref> The next morning, Colonel William Christian, who had arrived shortly after the battle, marched his men over the battlefield. They found twenty-one dead warriors in the open, and twelve more were discovered hastily covered with brush and old logs. Among those killed was Pucksinwah, the father of [[Tecumseh]].{{cn|date=August 2025}} | ||
Besides scalps, the Virginians reportedly captured 40 guns, many tomahawks and some plunder which was later sold at auction for 74[[GBP|£]] 4s 6d.<ref name="Winning of the West"/> | Besides scalps, the Virginians reportedly captured 40 guns, many tomahawks and some other plunder which was later sold at auction for 74[[GBP|£]] 4s 6d.<ref name="Winning of the West"/> | ||
The Battle of Point Pleasant forced [[Cornstalk (Shawnee leader)|Cornstalk]] to make peace | The Battle of Point Pleasant forced [[Cornstalk (Shawnee leader)|Cornstalk]] to make peace at the [[Treaty of Camp Charlotte]], ceding to Virginia the Shawnee claims to all lands south of the Ohio River (today's states of [[Kentucky]] and [[West Virginia]]). The Shawnee were also obliged by the treaty to return all white captives and cease their attacks on barges of settlers traveling on the Ohio River.<ref>Hurt, R D. The Indian Frontier, 1763-1846. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2002. Print.</ref> | ||
Colonel John Field, an ancestor of United States Presidents [[George H. W. Bush]] and [[George W. Bush]], was killed in the battle.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Reitwiesner|first1=William Addams|title=Ancestry of George W. Bush|url=http://www.wargs.com/political/bush.html|website=wargs.com|access-date=31 July 2015|ref=Ancestor #728}}</ref> | Colonel John Field, an ancestor of United States Presidents [[George H. W. Bush]] and [[George W. Bush]], was killed in the battle.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Reitwiesner|first1=William Addams|title=Ancestry of George W. Bush|url=http://www.wargs.com/political/bush.html|website=wargs.com|access-date=31 July 2015|ref=Ancestor #728}}</ref> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Latest revision as of 22:38, 5 November 2025
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox military conflict".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
The Battle of Point Pleasant, also known as the Battle of Kanawha and the Battle of Great Kanawha, was the only major action of Dunmore's War. It was fought on October 10, 1774, between the Virginia militia and Shawnee and Mingo warriors. Along the Ohio River near modern-day Point Pleasant, West Virginia, forces under the Shawnee chief Cornstalk attacked Virginia militiamen under Colonel Andrew Lewis, hoping to halt Lewis's advance into the Ohio Valley. After a long and furious battle, Cornstalk retreated. After the battle, the Virginians, along with a second force led by Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor of Virginia, marched into the Ohio Valley and compelled Cornstalk to agree to a treaty, which ended the war.
Preparations
Colonel Andrew Lewis, in command of about 1,000 men, was part of a planned two-pronged Virginian invasion of the Ohio Valley. As Lewis's force made its way down the Kanawha River, guided by pioneering hunter/trapper Matthew Arbuckle Sr., Lewis anticipated linking up with another force commanded by John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, who was marching west from Fort Pitt, then known as Fort Dunmore. Dunmore's plan was to march into the Ohio Valley and force the Indigenous inhabitants to accept Ohio River boundary which had been negotiated with the Iroquois in the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix.
The Shawnee, however, had not been consulted in the treaty and many were not willing to surrender their lands south of the Ohio River without a fight. Officials of the British Indian Department, led by Sir William Johnson until his death in July 1774, worked to diplomatically isolate the Shawnee from their neighbors. As a result, when the war began, the Shawnees had few allies other than the Mingo.
Cornstalk, the Shawnee leader, moved to intercept Lewis's army, hoping to prevent the Virginians from joining their forces together. Estimates of the size of Cornstalk's force have varied, but scholars[1] now believe Cornstalk was probably outnumbered at least two to one, having between 300 and 500 warriors. Future Shawnee leader Blue Jacket most likely participated in this battle.
Battle
Cornstalk's forces attacked Lewis's camp where the Kanawha River joins the Ohio River, hoping to trap him along a bluff. The battle lasted for hours and the fighting eventually became hand-to-hand. Cornstalk's voice was reportedly heard over the din of the battle, urging his warriors to "be strong." Lewis sent several companies along the Kanawha and up a nearby creek to attack the warriors from the rear, which reduced the intensity of the Shawnee offensive. Captain George Mathews was credited with a flanking maneuver that initiated Cornstalk's retreat.[2] At nightfall, the Shawnees quietly withdrew back across the Ohio. The Virginians had held their ground, and thus are considered to have won.
Aftermath
The Virginians lost about 75 killed and 140 wounded.[3][4] The Shawnee's losses could not be determined, since they carried away their wounded and threw many of the dead into the river.[5] The next morning, Colonel William Christian, who had arrived shortly after the battle, marched his men over the battlefield. They found twenty-one dead warriors in the open, and twelve more were discovered hastily covered with brush and old logs. Among those killed was Pucksinwah, the father of Tecumseh.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Besides scalps, the Virginians reportedly captured 40 guns, many tomahawks and some other plunder which was later sold at auction for 74£ 4s 6d.[4]
The Battle of Point Pleasant forced Cornstalk to make peace at the Treaty of Camp Charlotte, ceding to Virginia the Shawnee claims to all lands south of the Ohio River (today's states of Kentucky and West Virginia). The Shawnee were also obliged by the treaty to return all white captives and cease their attacks on barges of settlers traveling on the Ohio River.[6]
Colonel John Field, an ancestor of United States Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, was killed in the battle.[7]
See also
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ who?
- ↑ Herndon, G. Melvin (1969). George Mathews, Frontier Patriot. The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 77, No. 3 (Jul., 1969) pp. 311-312
- ↑ Atkinson, George W., History of Kanawha County: from its organization in 1789 until the present time; Printed at the Office of the West Virginia Journal, 1876, 345 pgs.
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Randall, and Ryan History of Ohio p 96
- ↑ Hurt, R D. The Indian Frontier, 1763-1846. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2002. Print.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Bibliography
- Downes, Randolph C. Council Fires on the Upper Ohio: A Narrative of Indian Affairs in the Upper Ohio Valley until 1795. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1940. Template:ISBN (1989 reprint).
- Lewis, Virgil A., History of the Battle of Point Pleasant. Charleston, West Virginia: Tribune, 1909. Reprinted Maryland: Willow Bend, 2000. Template:ISBN.
- Randall, E. O. The Dunmore War. Columbus, Ohio: Heer, 1902.
- Randall, Emilius Oviatt and Daniel Joseph Ryan. History of Ohio: the rise and progress of an American state, Volume 2. The Century History Company, 1912, public domain online edition
- Roosevelt, Theodore. The winning of the West, Volume 1 (1889) pp 227–33 online edition
- Smith, Thomas H., ed. Ohio in the American Revolution: A Conference to Commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Ft. Gower Resolves. Columbus: Ohio Historical Society, 1976.
- Sugden, John. Blue Jacket: Warrior of the Shawnees. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. Template:ISBN.
- Thwaites, Reuben Gold and Louise Phelps Kellogg, eds. Documentary History of Dunmore's War, 1774. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society, 1905. Reprinted Baltimore: Clearfield, 2002. Template:ISBN.
External links
- Point Pleasant Monument State Park web site
- "Manufactured History": Re-Fighting the Battle of Point Pleasant, 1997 article about the historical debate over whether the Battle of Point Pleasant should be considered a battle of the American Revolutionary War.
- "The Battle Song of the Great Kanawha", online exhibit from the Blue Ridge Institute about a ballad which recounted the battle.
- Point Pleasant Tourism Information
Template:National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Template:Authority control