In October 1790, a significant event unfolded near what we now call the Lakeside neighborhoods of Fort Wayne—the Battle of Kekionga. At the heart of this clash was Chief Little Turtle of the Miami tribe, who skillfully led his warriors against General Josiah Harmar's poorly equipped U.S.
forces. Harmar’s men, many of whom had little to no combat experience, were no match for the Miami, resulting in a decisive victory for Chief Little Turtle. The Fate of Fierce Chief Michikinikwa, ‘Little Turtle’ Resistance Fighter Ancient Pipes Reveal What Natives Americans Were Smoking The battle took place at the confluence of the three rivers, marking the first major conflict between U.
S. forces and Native Americans in the Northwest Territory following the American Revolutionary War. Harmar’s forces suffered significant losses, culminating in what is now referred to as "Harmar’s Defeat," a crucial moment memorialized in Fort Wayne along Edgewater Street.
Chief Little Turtle's success at Kekionga, along with his later victory at the Battle of St. Clair in 1791, demonstrated his formidable leadership and military strategy. These defeats for the U.
S. eventually led to the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Recognizing that the sheer number of U.
S. forces would overwhelm the Native American resistance, Little Turtle reluctantly signed the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, paving the way for peace between Native Americans and the U.S.
government. Despite his military prowess, Chief Littl.