The Battle of Fallen Timbers involved a battle by the United States Army against natives in the Northwest Territory. President George Washington had appointed Anthony Wayne as the commander of the United States Army of the Northwest. In 1792, this army was serving in the Northwest Territory.

The principal objective of this army was to defend American settlers from attack by Native Americans. The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the last battle of the Northwest Indian War, which took place from 1785-1795.

In 1794, General Wayne defeated Shawnee Chief Blue Jacket's confederacy near today what we know as Toledo, Ohio. General Wayne’s army comprised 3,000 men.

The causes of this battle were George Washington’s desire to secure victory after earlier defeats of General Josiah Harmar and General Arthur St. Clair by Native Americans. The British were supporting the Indians as they fought battles with the Americans.

In 1785, in Ohio, a number of Native American tribes banded together. This coming together resulted in the formation of the Western Confederacy. This Confederacy determined that the Ohio River would be suitable as a border between their lands and the United States. The Western Confederacy commenced a string of raids south of the Ohio into Kentucky to discourage settlement. These raids occurred in the mid 1780’s.

Therefore, in essence, the cause of the Battle of Fallen Timbers was an effort to put an end to the attacks of the Confederacy (Blue Jacket, Little Turtle, Buckongahelas, as well as 1,500 men).

The effects of this battle were that the Western Confederacy was overthrown; the Confederacy did not receive help from the British as the British decided it needed to avoid a fight with the Americans, and General Wayne ordered the torching of all the villages and crops in the region.

Further effects of the Battle of Fallen Timbers include General Wayne losing 33 soldiers. In addition, 100 were wounded. The final outcome or effect of the Battle of Fallen Timbers is that it resulted in the creation of, and the signing of the Treaty of Greenville (1795). This Treaty terminated the fight. Furthermore it eliminated all Western Confederacy claims to Ohio and the neighboring lands.

People sometimes say this was the last battle of the Revolutionary War.  Here's why:

This war happened largely because the British were still trying to help the Indians fight the Americans.  The Americans were trying to spread out into the Indians' lands.  The British hoped the Indians could help stop this.

After the Americans won the battle, the Indians had to give up large parts of their lands.  This allowed Americans to stream into areas like what is now Ohio.  The Indians were also beaten and were unable to resist the Americans for years to come.