Defiance in Defiance County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Fort Defiance

Anthony Wayne Parkway

Photographed By TeamOHE, April 16, 2019

1. Fort Defiance Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

The arrival of the Legion of the United States at this point on August 8, 1794 marked the end of General Anthony Wayne's difficult march, through swamps and forests, from Fort GreeneVille. On this site, in the center of the Indian country, General Wayne ordered a fort built. He said, "I defy the English, the Indians, and all the devils in Hell to take it," and called it Fort Defiance. Major Henry Burbeck, who earlier had built Fort Recovery, supervised the construction.

From here Wayne marched against the Indian forces gathered at the foot of the Maumee Rapids and defeated them in the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Fort Defiance then became an important link in a chain of military outposts in the Indian lands. At the time of the War of 1812, Fort Defiance was repaired and garrisoned, together with the newly-built Fort Winchester nearby, as an American base of operations against the British and the Indians. When peace came to the Maumee Valley the fort was abandoned.

Erected 1958 by Fort Defiance Chapter, D.A.R. in the Sesquicentennial Year of Ohio Statehood.

Topics and series. This historical marker

Fort Defiance Marker detail image. Click for full size.

Photographed By TeamOHE, April 16, 2019

2. Fort Defiance Marker detail

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is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Military • Native Americans • War of 1812 • Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1794.

Location. 41° 17.245′ N, 84° 21.458′ W. Marker is in Defiance, Ohio, in Defiance County. Marker is at the intersection of Fort St. and Washington Ave., on the right when traveling west on Fort St.. This historical marker is situated on the southwest point of land, at the juncture of the Auglaize River with the Maumee River. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Defiance OH 43512, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Indian Wars (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Fort Defiance (a few steps from this marker); Service Star Legion Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Defiance Public Library (within shouting distance of this marker); West Blockhouse (within shouting distance

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, May 3, 2009

3. Fort Defiance Marker

of this marker); Legion of Anthony Wayne (within shouting distance of this marker); Construction Of Fort Defiance (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Defiance Flagstaff (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Defiance.

More about this marker. The marker is one of several markers located at the actual site of Fort Defiance. The marker can be found on the edge of the actual fortification, just outside the low lying earthworks that mark the outline of the fort.

Regarding Fort Defiance. From the time of the French and Indian War until the end of the War of 1812, as white-Europeans struggled with one another and with the Native American population for control of the Great Lakes basin, the area around the juncture of the Auglaize River with the Maumee River was of extreme strategic importance.

Throughout the time of Indian Wars of 1790-1795, the Indians had made this area an important cultural center and it was the scene of several of the largest council gatherings ever held by Native Americans. From here the Native Americans plotted their strategy against American encroachments into their territory. From here they had planned their victorious campaigns against the American armies led by General Josiah Harmar (1790) and then again against General Arthur St. Clair (1791), but it was General Anthony Wayne's campaign in 1794 that proved to be their undoing.

The Native

Photographed By TeamOHE, August 11, 2020

4. Fort Defiance Marker

Side 2

Americans had anticipated General Wayne to march his army in the direction of the Native American population centers at the headwaters of the Maumee River (the modern day Fort Wayne, Indiana area) as his predecessors, Harmar and St.Clair had done. However, General Wayne had surprised the Native American chieftains by marching up the Auglaize River instead and showing up virtually on their front doorstep before they detected him. Because General Wayne had caught them completely by surprised, the Native Americans abandoned the Auglaize-Maumee area without a fight, and once he secured the area by building a strong fortification, General Wayne exploited his advantage. He did so by marching from his newly constructed Fort Defiance first down the Maumee river and defeating the Native American military forces at the Maumee rapids (between present day Waterville and Maumee, Ohio), and then marching down the Maumee River, beyond Fort Defiance, to the head waters of the Maumee River (present day Fort Wayne, Indiana) and destroying their population center.

After the Indian Wars of 1790-1795 the Fort Defiance area again became an area of strategic military importance during the War of 1812. The area became heavily militarized by the Americans with both forts and fortified encampments and served an important role in the American military campaigns of both General Winchester and General

Fort Defiance Overhead View image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, May 3, 2009

5. Fort Defiance Overhead View

Overhead view of the layout of Fort Defiance as seen from image on a nearby marker.

Harrison.

Fort Defiance image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, May 3, 2009

6. Fort Defiance

View as seen from within the site of Fort Defiance, looking out over the juncture of the Auglaize river with the Maumee River.

Photographed By Dale K. Benington, May 3, 2009

7. Fort Defiance

View as seen from the north side of the Maumee River, looking across the river to the site of Fort Defiance.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 5, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,660 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 21, 2020, by TeamOHE of Napoleon, Ohio. 3. submitted on May 5, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. 4. submitted on January 29, 2021, by TeamOHE of Napoleon, Ohio. 5, 6, 7. submitted on May 5, 2009, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.