MovieChat Forums > Little Big Man (1970) Discussion > On November 3rd, 1791

On November 3rd, 1791

posted 18 years ago by Spellsword
14 replies | jump to latest

On November 3rd, 1791 when in the Ohio country War Chief of the Miami Indians, Little Turtle, led the confederation of Indians that defeated General Arthur St. Clair, at Fort Recovery. His force inflicted the worst defeat ever suffered by the U.S. Army at the hands of Native Americans. St. Clair's army consisted of 1300 soldiers. In the battle, 602 were killed and about 300 wounded. The Indian force consisted of approximately 1000 warriors. Only 66 Indians were killed in this battle! It was the greatest defeat the Americans ever suffered at the hands of the Indians. Even worst than the loss suffered at the Battle of Little Big Horn or Custer's Last Stand. Custer only lost about 210 men compared to St. Clair's loss of 602 killed.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Jul150 18 years ago

Thanks for the info--maybe someone will make a movie of it.

[–] Spellsword 18 years ago

Oh man I would love that!!!!!!!

[–] TheHistoryFamily 18 years ago

For some reason there is a tendency to ignore Indian History and the Indian wars that happened east of the Mississippi. "Last of the Mohicans" being one of the rare exceptions. There's a lot of rich material just waiting to be explored but I guess we'll just have to settle for the occasional History Channel documentary.

[–] mecrc 16 years ago

"For some reason there is a tendency to ignore Indian History and the Indian wars that happened east of the Mississippi. "Last of the Mohicans" being one of the rare exceptions. There's a lot of rich material just waiting to be explored but I guess we'll just have to settle for the occasional History Channel documentary."

I'm ok with that... At least the HC will give us a mostly accurate depiction of the truth. Hollywood would just *beep* it up with a love story added to it.

[–] circledrums 18 years ago

Yes you are right. I checked it out from a great book I have called 'North American Indian Wars' by Richard H. Dillon

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Spellsword 18 years ago

and also very sad

Indeed.

[–] computerhater1 16 years ago

Sitting Bull said it best, "White man win battle Great Victory. indian win Great Massacre".

[–] nickm2 16 years ago

"Sitting Bull said it best, "White man win battle Great Victory. indian win Great Massacre".

Did Sitting Bull have anything to say about when the Sioux raided the Shoshones, killed their men, stole all their food & carried off the women & kids & left the old folks to starve in Winter? I'd like to hear THOSE thought someday...

NM

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] mecrc 16 years ago

That's called "thinning the herd" and the indians did it just as good and right beside all the other predators of North America.

Until other races interfered with the Native Americans, everything they did was about survival. Nothing more... Nothing less...

[–] schappe1 15 years ago

The warriors lived with their people and if you made war on them, you made war on where they lived. Europeans and European Americans were used to reading about war in the newspapers, unless by chance it flowed to their town, (such as Gettysburg). If you attacked the Cheyenne or the Pawnee, or they attacked each other, you didn't fight a detached force away from their villages. You fought them there.

That doesn't mean there weren't many excesses, as there always are in war.

[–] The24thFoot 12 years ago

I find this is be one of the most interesting period of US military history.

Ask someone what the worst defeat in US history was and they will answer either: Bataan/Corregidor (the fall of the Philippines in 1942), the Kasserine Pass in 1943, or Little Big Horn in 1876 - in reality it was St. Clair's Defeat, something like quarter of the active duty US Army was killed or wounded in the battle.

Maj. Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne and his Legion of the United States at Fallen Timbers is also a good story. The modern US Army "Brigade Combat Team" is loosely based on Wayne's combined arms concept.