Michikinikwa
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Michikinikwa ("Little Turtle") (1752 – July 14, 1812) was a chief of the Miami tribe in what is presently Indiana. His name has several alternate renderings, including Meshekinoquah, Mihsihkinaahkwa, Meshekunnoghquoh, Michikinakoua, Michikiniqua, Me-She-Kin-No-Quah, Meshecunnaquan or Mischecanocquah.
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[edit] Early life
Born near present day Churubusco, Indiana, Michikinikwa was the son of a Miami chief named Acquenacque. Since his mother was not a Miami, but a Mohican, he was compelled to earn the trust of the tribe before coming into a leadership position in the Miami capital of Kekionga (present-day Fort Wayne). This he achieved through demonstration of military prowess; one example was his bravery in an attack on his village by a French force under Col. LaBalme. Through demonstration of his military acumen, Michikinikwa gained not only the leadership of his tribe, but eventually that of a larger tribal confederation.
[edit] Struggle with the United States
The end of the Revolution and the creation of the Northwest Territory in 1787 led to strife as settlement west of the Appalachians, previously forbidden by the British, began to increase. The tribal confederacy in this Northwest Indian War (sometimes known as "Little Turtle's War") was blamed for the deaths of 1500 white settlers in the region between 1783 and 1790, probably inflicted in what they saw as lawful defense of their territory under previous treaties. Additionally, the British, allied with the confederacy, were recalcitrant in abandoning their fortifications in the region.
This led to a "punitive expedition", in 1790, by the United States government, under the command of Gen. Josiah Harmar, about 1500 strong (but only 320 were regulars). Michikinikwa's forces defeated this expedition at the Maumee River. A similar expedition in 1791 by Gen. Arthur St. Clair was routed by Michikinikwa's forces at the site of what is now Fort Recovery, Ohio, with 900 U.S. fatalities. More American soldiers were killed in this battle than in any battle during the American Revolution.
A third expedition under the command of Gen. Anthony Wayne gave Michikinikwa pause; U.S. troops were of superior numbers and had just completed rigorous training under Gen. Wayne at Legionville. After an exploratory attack on Fort Recovery (June 30–July 1, 1794), Michikinikwa counseled negotiation rather than battle, remarking that Wayne "never sleeps." He was overridden by the confederacy, and ceded command to Blue Jacket (Weyapiersenwah), although retaining leadership of the Miami tribesmen. The confederacy, numbering around 1,000 braves, was defeated at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, by a force of U.S. force of 2,000 regulars, known as the Legion of the United States, and 1,500 volunteers. This battle forced the confederacy to sign the Treaty of Greenville.
[edit] Later life
In later life, Michikinikwa continuously advised cooperation with the U.S., refusing an alliance with Tecumseh. He met cordially with George Washington, who presented him with a ceremonial sword, as well as presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. One story says that while on one of his journeys to Philadelphia, he met Col. Thaddeus Kosciusko, who presented him with a matching pair of pistols along with instructions to use them on the first person who tried to take his land. [1]
He retired to a spot near present-day Columbia City, Indiana, where he lived for almost three years. He died, in 1812, at the home of his son-in-law, Captain William Wells, not far from Kekionga, and was laid to rest in his ancestral burial ground. He was succeeded as chief of the Miami nation by Richardville (Peshewa).
[edit] Legacy
In 1911, a very old grave was accidentally discovered by a homebuilder on Lawton Place in Fort Wayne. Research showed that the tomb was indeed that of Michikinikwa. The sword given to him by George Washington was found in the grave and is now in the Ft. Wayne and Allen County Historical Society Musuem. The body was not disinterred, and the plans for the house were altered. A small memorial stone was placed there, which reads:
This site honors the great Chief of the Miamis, Meshekinoqua, "The Little Turtle," son of the great Chief Acquenacque. He is held in the hearts of his people, allies, and foes with the greatest of honor and respect for his courageous valor and peacemaking.
In 1959, the site was purchased by the Smeltzly sisters of Fort Wayne, with the express desire of holding up Little Turtle's peacemaking efforts "…as an example to future generations…" and donated to the city as a public park "…dedicated to the children of America."
In 1994, the memorial was improved with additional markers and a trust established for its maintenance.
Several institutions in northeast Indiana have been named for Little Turtle including Camp Chief Little Turtle (a Boy Scout reservation near Angola), the Little Turtle Branch of the Allen County Public Library, and Turtle Island in Lake Erie.
[edit] External links
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- Entry at the Encyclopedia of North American Indians
- Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor
[edit] Notes
- ^ Carter, Harvey Lewis (1987). The life and times of Little Turtle : first Sagamore of the Wabash. University of Illinois Press, 275. 0252013182.
