Battle of Point Pleasant

Overview

The Battle of Point Pleasant, also known as the Battle of Kanawha and the Battle of Great Kanawha, was the only major action of Dunmore's War. It was fought on October 10, 1774, between the Virginia militia and Shawnee and Mingo warriors. Along the Ohio River near modern-day Point Pleasant, West Virginia, forces under the Shawnee chief Cornstalk attacked Virginia militiamen under Colonel Andrew Lewis, hoping to halt Lewis's advance into the Ohio Valley. After a long and furious battle, Cornstalk retreated. After the battle, the Virginians, along with a second force led by Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor of Virginia, marched into the Ohio Valley and compelled Cornstalk to agree to a treaty, which ended the war.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Point Pleasant was the only major action of Dunmore's War, a conflict between Virginia and Shawnee and Mingo forces over control of the Ohio Valley. Cornstalk's attack on Colonel Andrew Lewis's militia along the Ohio River was an attempt to halt Virginia's advance into that territory. After a long engagement, Cornstalk retreated, and the battle's outcome proved decisive at the strategic level: combined Virginia forces under Lewis and Royal Governor Lord Dunmore subsequently marched into the Ohio Valley and compelled Cornstalk to accept a treaty, ending the war. The battle thus secured Virginia's position in the Ohio Valley and neutralized organized Shawnee resistance for the duration of the conflict.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (4)