Little Turtle

Little Turtle. (Mih-sih-kin-aah-kwa). , Peacemaker , "First Great Hoosier" , In 1795, Chief Little Turtle realized his confederacy of Indian warriors could not defeat General Anthony Wayne's U.S. Army and the large influx of settlers moving into Indiana and the Midwest. After he reluctantly signed the Treaty of Greenville, he stated, "I will be the last to sign it and the last to break it"., To establish goodwill, Little Turtle acted as an ambassador for his people. He traveled extensively including trips as far as Montreal, Philadelphia and New Orleans. Little Turtle's stature as a great leader resulted in meetings with Presidents Washington, Adams and Jefferson., Knowing the future survival of the Miami Indians required improved agricultural practices; he sought and received help from the Quakers, thus establishing the first school of agriculture in the west., Little Turtle should be considered the first health officer in Indiana. He urged the President of the United States and the legislatures of Ohio and Kentucky to abolish the sale of alcohol to the Indian people, stating, "Alcohol has killed more of my tribe than all the wars and disease" Through his efforts the Miami Indians enjoyed many health benefits including smallpox vaccinations., In 1812. Chief Little Turtle, 60 years old, died at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, William Wells. He is buried in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Little Turtle established a legacy as a remarkable warrior; accomplished otator: a wise leader and the first "Great Hooster"., Historian Russ Gilliom, Warrior , 1752 Little Turtle was born two miles northwest of Churubusco. 1780-1790 Little Turtle led attacks against settlers and outposts that were making incursions in the tribe's homeland. Primarily, these attacks occurred in Ohio and Kentucky., William Wells, an eleven year old white boy, was captured from his home in Kentucky and seven years later became Little Turtle's son-in-law. Nov. 5, 1780 Five miles southwest of Churubusco, near the Eel River, the Miami Indians under Little Turtle's command, killed Augustin de La Balme and thirty of his French soldiers and frontiersmen. This attack was int retribution for de La Balme's plundering of a Miami village near present day Fort Wayne., Oct 19, 1790 U.S. Colonel Hardin, with the goal to destroy the Miami Indians, led 300 militia and regulars to a point on the Bel River two miles southeast of Churubusco. Little Turtle, with 150 warriors, defeated Hardin's army and killed 101 soldiers., Oct. 22, 1790 U.S. General Harmar dispatched troops to an Indian village near the origin of the Maumee River. His army was annihilated by Little Turtle's forces and 183 were killed., Nov. 4. 1791 History's greatest Indian victory over the U.S. Army took place near Fort Recovery, Ohio. Little Turtle led the Indian confederacy that killed 656 of General St. Clair's soldiers and wounded an additional 279. There were also 100 civilians killed., Little Turtle proved to be a superb tactician and the greatest War Chief of all time., Historian: Chuck Jones, Thanks to the Following Russ Gilliom Historian, Chuck Jones Curator of the Churubusco History Center, Scott Kilmer Contributing Artist Matt Glenn Sculptor