DBD 10-23-2024: St Clair

Welcome to the DBD, a W4C community board where one can talk about pretty much anything, like…

the Battle of Wabash River

You’ve undoubtedly heard about Custer’s defeat at Little Big Horn. And you may have been to or seen a picture of the 60-odd gravestones that mark where Custer and the remaining men of F-Company had their “last stand” after they routed. In total, the US Army had 268 killed and 55 wounded (6 who later died of their wounds) from the 700 strong, equal to a 46% casualty rate.

But few have heard of the Battle of Wabash River, also known as St. Clair’s Defeat. After the Revolutionary War, the US army consisted of 80 artillerymen. So the US raised its first army and its leadership was given to Josiah Harmar, essentially the third successor to George Washington as the military’s chief officer to defeat the native forces led by “Little Turtle”. Hamar brought a small Federal Army supported by a much larger militia force from Kentucky. Hamar lost two skirmishes after the militiamen ran away leaving federal troops to be wiped out to the man. Hamar was court-martialled and replaced by Arthur St. Clair.

St. Clair was given an army of 2,000 men, which dwindled to about 1,000 men after a month due to desertion. One morning, just after one of the subordinate generals had reprimanded the militia for not performing recon patrol, Little Turtle surprised and surrounded St. Clair’s army. St. Clair’s army suffered 97% casualties with only 24 survivors. St Clair was court martialled and that battle is probably America’s worst defeat in its history.