Fort St. Clair (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio)
Eaton, Preble County · Ohio · Northwest Indian War
History & Significance
Built in March 1792 during the Northwest Indian War near Eaton, Preble County, Ohio, the fort was part of a chain ordered by Northwest Territory Governor Arthur St. Clair to project United States power into Native American territory. Lieutenant Colonel James Wilkinson constructed the fort to improve communications and logistics between Forts Hamilton and Jefferson.
Built near a "fine spring gushing out of the bank," the 120-foot square palisade fort had a four-sided bastion at each corner. Future U.S. president William Henry Harrison served in the detachment that built the fort.
The fort's significance became evident when Little Turtle found a convoy of Kentucky Militia camped just outside the fort and attacked at dawn on November 6, 1792; the Militia conducted an organized retreat with six killed, four missing, and five wounded. Little Turtle's force lost two warriors but captured the camp and all provisions; all horses were killed, wounded, or driven off, with only 23 later recovered.
The fort remained active as a major supporting post in 1794, when General "Mad" Anthony Wayne finally defeated the Indians at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. The site of the fort was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- 1792 military outpost from the Northwest Indian War
- Site of 1792 attack by Miami and Shawnee forces led by Little Turtle
- Historical memorials and interpretive markers
- Community trails and recreational grounds
- Preserved strategic location between Fort Hamilton and Fort Jefferson
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_St._Clair
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Indian_War
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=19152
- https://remarkableohio.org/marker/2-68-site-of-fort-st-clair/
- https://resources.ohiohistory.org/ohj/search/display.php?page=10&ipp=20&searchterm=crawford&vol=11&pages=161-163
- https://www.cityofeaton.org/282/Fort-St-Clair