On November 4, 1791, U.S. forces under General Arthur St. Clair were attacked by a coalition of Native American warriors near the Wabash River in what is now Ohio. The confederation, led by Little Turtle of the Miami and others, inflicted a crushing defeat on the Americans. More than half of St. Clair’s roughly 1,400 soldiers were killed or wounded, making it one of the worst defeats the U.S. Army ever suffered at the hands of Native forces. The loss exposed serious problems in recruitment, supply, and command. Public outcry led to a congressional investigation, one of the first major oversight efforts in U.S. history. The defeat delayed U.S. control over the Northwest Territory until later campaigns under General Anthony Wayne.
