Battle of Chippawa 1814

Fought today in the War of 1812.
American victory.

Happy 4th of July

Here's a clip from The War That Made America series which covers the battle of Monongahela - one of my favourite French and Indian wars battles. This is a really well shot series and if you haven't watched any of them check them out. Watch the battle of the Plains of Abraham here

Wyoming Valley Massacre

This event happened today in 1778. According to the wiki;
More than three hundred Patriots were killed in a battle, some alleging the Iroquois raiders hunted and killed fleeing Patriots before torturing^[3] to death thirty to forty who had surrendered.

Accounts indicate that the moment of contact was followed by a sharp battle lasting about forty-five minutes. An order to reposition the Patriot line turned into a frantic rout when the inexperienced Patriot militia panicked. This ended the battle and triggered the Iroquois hunt for survivors. Only sixty of the Americans managed to escape, and only five were taken prisoner. Some of the victorious Loyalists and Iroquois killed and tortured an unknown number of prisoners and fleeing soldiers. Butler reported that 227 American scalps were taken.^[6]

Colonel Dennison surrendered Forty Fort and two other forts along with the remaining soldiers the next morning. The Americans were paroled with the condition that they not engage in hostilities for the remainder of the war. These soldiers were not harmed. Colonel Dennison and the militia did not honor the terms of their parole, and they were under arms within the year and later attacked Iroquois villages.

There was no substantial killing of non-combatants and almost no inhabitants were injured or molested after the surrender.^[7] John Butler wrote : "But what gives me the sincerest satisfaction is that I can, with great truth, assure you that in the destruction of the settlement not a single person was hurt except such as were in arms, to these, in truth, the Indians gave no quarter."^[8] An American farmer wrote: "Happily these fierce people, satisfied with the death of those who had opposed them in arms, treated the defenseless ones, the woman and children, with a degree of humanity almost hitherto unparalleled".^[9]

According to one source, 60 bodies were found on the battlefield and another 36 were found on the line of retreat and all were buried in a common grave[4]. According to another source 73 bodies were also buried in one hole.^{[citation needed]}

The Iroquois were enraged at the accusations of atrocities which they said they had not committed, as well as at the militia taking arms after being paroled. This would have tragic consequences at the Cherry Valley Massacre later that year.^[10]

Blue Jacket

Today Blue Jacket and a large concentration of natives tried to take Fort Recovery.

Below is a description from this site on Blue Jacket where there is a painting by Hal Sherman

THIS IS BLUE JACKET THROUGH THE EYES OF WHITE CAPTIVE O. M. SPENCER
JULY, 1792 AT THE HOME OF THE CHIEF ON THE MAUMEE

Spencer was captured earlier in the year near Cincinnati and adopted into a Shawnee family near what is now Defiance in northwest Ohio.

”His person, about six feet high was finely proportioned, stout, and muscular; his eyes large, bright, and piercing; his forehead high and broad; his nose aquiline; his mouth rather wide, and his countenance open and intelligent, expressive of firmness and decision .... He was dressed in a scarlet frock coat, richly laced with gold and confined around his waist with a part-colored sash, and in red leggings and moccasins ornamented in the highest style of Indian fashion. On his shoulders he wore a pair of gold epaulets, and on his arms broad silver bracelets; while from his neck hung a massive silver gorget and a large medallion of His Majesty, George Ill. Around his lodge were hugh rifles, war clubs, bows and arrows, and other implements of war; while the skins of deer, bear, panther, and otter, the spoils of the chase, furnished pouches for tobacco, or mats for seats and beds. His wife was a remarkably fine looking woman; his daughters, much fairer than the generality of Indian women, were quite handsome; and his two sons, about eighteen and twenty years old, educated by the British, were very intelligent”

New Redcoat website

The Quintin Kennedy Detachment website is a new addition to the hobby and it has quite a few resources on the drill page. It's best if I let you browse it yourself but the Who We Are is a good start. Well done.

Battle of Beaver Dams 1813

This battle was fought today between British and American forces - the British force having a sizeable Indian contingent.

Battle of Springfield 1780

This battle - one of the last in the North - was fought today in 1780. I read that Lafayette visited Hessian general Knyphausen after the war in Kassel where they reminisced about the war and exchanged compliments.