Pickawillany, Ohio Raid: When Fur and Friendship Went Up in Smoke
Alright, history buffs and casual readers alike, gather ’round! We’re diving into a little-known but totally pivotal moment in the clash between the French and British in the good ol’ Ohio Valley: the Raid on Pickawillany.
Where in the World Was Pickawillany?
Picture this: It’s the mid-1700s. The place we now call Ohio is a wild frontier, a land of forests, rivers, and, most importantly for our story, a hotbed of fur trading. Right on the banks of the Great Miami River, near modern-day Piqua, Ohio, sat a bustling Miami Indian village called Pickawillany.
This wasn’t just any village; it was a happening spot. Founded just a few years before the raid, Pickawillany quickly became a major trading hub. Think of it as the Amazon.com of its day, but instead of gadgets and gizmos, they were dealing in deerskins, beaver pelts, and all sorts of Native American goods. Within five years, it ballooned into one of the largest Native American communities in the eastern part of North America.
The French Connection (and Why It Sour)
Now, the Miami Indians had been tight with the French for a while. The French were the first traders to show up in the Northwest Territory (basically, the Great Lakes region), offering cool stuff like firearms, ammo, cooking pots, and gunpowder in exchange for those valuable animal skins.
For a while, it was a sweet deal. But as demand for fur exploded back in Europe, the British started sniffing around, trying to get in on the action. By 1740, British traders were actively trading with the Miami. This irked the French, who saw their valuable trade slipping away. They pushed the British traders out of Ohio, trying to keep their monopoly.
But here’s the thing: the Miami weren’t exactly thrilled with how the French were treating them. Over time, resentment grew like weeds. They felt like they weren’t getting a fair shake. So, their chief, a savvy dude named Memeskia, decided to shake things up.
Enter the British: A New Deal in Town
Chief Memeskia extended an invitation to the British to set up shop in Pickawillany. It was a brilliant move. Suddenly, the Miami had options, and the British were more than happy to provide those options. This was a win-win for the Miami and the British, but it was a major slap in the face to the French. They were losing not just trade, but also influence in the region.
In 1749, the British established a trading post right alongside the Miami village. A year later, they built Fort Pickawillany to protect their investment. The French, desperate to win back the Miami, tried to sweet-talk Chief Memeskia into re-establishing trade relations. But Memeskia wasn’t budging. He’d found a better deal, and he wasn’t about to give it up.
The Raid: When Things Got Real
The French weren’t about to take this lying down. They needed to send a message, a clear signal that they weren’t to be trifled with. That’s where Charles Michel de Langlade comes in. This guy was a young, ambitious Métis (mixed French and Native American) trader looking to make a name for himself in the military.
Langlade cooked up a plan to attack and destroy Pickawillany. He knew that the Governor of New France wanted to do something similar but couldn’t get any Native American warriors to join in. Langlade, fluent in the Ottawa language and well-connected with the Ottawa tribe, convinced them to join the raid by framing it as a gesture of friendship towards the French governor.
In the spring of 1752, Langlade gathered a war party of 272 Ottawa warriors and set off for Pickawillany. On June 7th, they reached Detroit, where about 30 Indians deserted, having heard that there was a smallpox epidemic in Miami. But Langlade pressed on, determined to carry out his mission.
On the morning of June 21, 1752, Langlade and his warriors descended upon Pickawillany. The attack was swift and brutal. The village and trading post were razed. Chief Memeskia and at least one British trader were killed. Five British traders were captured. The English stockade was burned to the ground. The Miami later claimed that 30 French soldiers accompanied the Indians but did not take part in the raid.
The Aftermath: A Spark Ignites a War
The Raid on Pickawillany sent shockwaves through the region. It showed the British that the French were willing to play dirty to protect their interests. The destruction of Pickawillany spurred the British to beef up their defenses and increase their military presence at other outposts in the Ohio Valley.
More importantly, it was a major precursor to the French and Indian War, the larger conflict between Britain and France that would determine the fate of North America.
As for the Miami, they abandoned Pickawillany for good, moving west to present-day Indiana. A few years later, a band of Shawnee claimed the area and built a new village, which they called Piqua.
Why It Matters
The Raid on Pickawillany might seem like a minor skirmish in the grand scheme of things, but it was a pivotal moment that revealed the tensions and rivalries simmering beneath the surface of the Ohio Valley. It highlighted the importance of trade, the complex relationships between European powers and Native American tribes, and the brutal realities of frontier life.
So, the next time you find yourself near Piqua, Ohio, take a moment to remember Pickawillany and the dramatic events that unfolded there. It’s a reminder that even seemingly small events can have a huge impact on the course of history.