Battle of Fort Dearborn
| Battle of Fort Dearborn | |||||||
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| Part of the War of 1812 | |||||||
The Battle of Fort Dearborn is commemorated on the site of Fort Dearborn with Defense a 1928 sculpture by Henry Hering that adorns the southeastern tender's house of the DuSable Bridge | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Potawatomi | United States | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Chief Blackbird |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 400–500 | 66 military + 27 dependents | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 15 |
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The Battle of Fort Dearborn (sometimes called the Fort Dearborn Massacre) was an engagement between United States troops, militia and Miami native auxiliaries, against Potawatomi Native Americans that took place on August 15, 1812, near Fort Dearborn, then part of Illinois Territory in the Chicago area. The battle, part of the War of 1812, followed the evacuation of the fort ordered by the commander of the United States Army of the Northwest, William Hull. The battle lasted about 15 minutes and resulted in a complete victory for the Native Americans. After the battle, Fort Dearborn was burned down. Some of the soldiers and settlers who had been taken captive were later ransomed.
Following the battle, the federal government became convinced that all Indians had to be removed from the territory and the vicinity of any settlements, as settlers continued to migrate to the area. The fort was later rebuilt in 1816.