Talk:Battle of Piqua

Don't confuse 1780 and 1782
Because of some bad online sources, this article currently conflates two different expeditions. The Battle of Piqua occurred in 1780, near present Springfield, Ohio. That's the location of the George Rogers Clark Park that commemorates the battle.

There was no battle of Piqua in 1782. Two years after the 1780 battle, George Rogers Clark led another expedition into the Ohio country, this time up the Great Miami River. On this expedition, he and his men destroyed the rebuilt Piqua town (near present Piqua, Ohio) and burned Loramie's trading post. There was no battle because the Shawnees abandoned their towns as the Kentuckians approached.

Some online sources confuse these two expeditions because a Piqua village was destroyed each time, and because the 1782 expedition visited the present Piqua, Ohio. Most good print sources get the details right. Don't use the erroneous entry on "The Battle of Piqua" from the Ohio Historical Society, which seems to be the source of the errors. I meant to contact the Ohio Historical Society a couple of years ago about their bad information, but never got around to it. I guess it's time. —Kevin Myers 16:45, 19 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I still haven't contacted them. Since I typed the previous notice, they've added a new entry for the Battle of Peckuwe, which they now have in addition to their confused entry on the Battle of Piqua. They think these are two different battles. So, they're still confused, but they're getting closer to sorting it out. —Kevin Myers 14:37, 1 September 2009 (UTC)
 * We don’t appear to have a separate article for Clark & Logan’s 1782 raid. I’m not sure there was actually an engagement. They burned Loramie’s store in a stealthy action, but apparently Loramie was gone. Not a shot was fired. What’s this raid called? We need an article and a title, so people know we’re not confused. Sbalfour (talk) 16:25, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

" What’s this raid called?"

Clark's Raid of 1782, maybe? I checked a few of the County atlases and history books and they dont give it a specific name other than that. It will also be important to mention that Shawnee villages were not fixed places and could move around. Also, was Daniel Boone at the Battle of Piqua or is that just local folklore? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.213.24.143 (talk) 18:39, 19 January 2019 (UTC)

Does anyone know what month the Raid of 1782 occurred? I'm researching a white Indian captive who was present.2604:2D80:A40F:800:8149:7B2A:82BC:A748 (talk) 16:32, 6 February 2021 (UTC)


 * November 1782, in response to the Battle of Blue Licks of August 19. Good luck! Kevin1776 (talk) 17:58, 6 February 2021 (UTC)

Thanks!2604:2D80:A40F:800:7D8E:E034:CC03:9A74 (talk) 19:59, 15 February 2021 (UTC)

Joseph Rogers?
A tidbit about Joseph Rogers is included in the lead. This man has no article in the wiki, and a google search does not associate him with the Battle of Piqua. Assuming that the source can be corroborated, this factoid is irrelevant to the battle. Maybe it can be moved to the bio of George Rogers Clark. There’s a whole lot to say about this battle that’s not said, and this filler text doesn’t help. Sbalfour (talk) 18:49, 17 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Deleted. It happened in 1782 anyway, not here. Sbalfour (talk) 23:25, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

Springfield
The text says the engagement was “7 miles west of Springfield, Aug. 8, 1780.” Springfield wasn’t founded until 1801. The text implies it was there in 1780. We may know what is meant, but as a matter of diction and accuracy, that phrase needs corrected. Sbalfour (talk) 19:10, 17 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Deleted. Now use Xenia. Sbalfour (talk) 23:26, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

Burned 5 Shawnee villages?
The text says 5 villages including Old Chilicothe were burned, but no mention of Piqua being burned, so presumably, there were 4 others. When and where were these? Detailed accounts of this campaign including one occupying a whole chapter of a book, make no mention of action any place other than Old Chilecothe and Pique. I think the phrase is wrong and should be stricken. Sbalfour (talk) 19:29, 17 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Never happened, deleted. Sbalfour (talk) 23:26, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

Further raids by Shawnee?
The text says there were no further raids by the Shawnee during the War. The war lasted another 2+ years and there was the well known Battle of Blue Licks in Aug. 1782. That wasn’t the only Shawnee raid after 1780, just the only one with a notable name and wiki article. The statement is blatently false and should be stricken. Sbalfour (talk) 19:48, 17 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Deleted. Sbalfour (talk) 23:27, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

Only major engagement?
The text says this battle was the only major engagement in Ohio during the Revolutionary War. That’s a widely cited statement, and we ape it. But it’s basically filler text. The Siege of Fort Laurens lasted a month in the frigid cold of a northern winter. That’s a serious engagement. I think we can say something less expansive and more factually informative. Sbalfour (talk) 20:19, 17 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Replaced. Sbalfour (talk) 23:27, 17 January 2019 (UTC)

Rewrite
After doing some trivial editing, and intending to do some non-trivial additions, I conclude that nothing can be done until this article is separated into the Battle of Piqua and Clark’s 1782 “raid” (not a battle). Most of the objections above are because there’s spurious content from 1782 here. 1782 doesn’t have an article, and the Western theater of the American Revolutionary War doesn’t cover it - it’s a lost piece of history. It’s logically a part of the Northwest Indian War, but that article arbitrarily starts at 1785. Maybe Piqua, Ohio? Sbalfour (talk) 20:59, 17 January 2019 (UTC)
 * The article has been substantially redrafted. At least what's there is factually accurate now.  I suggest editors CAREFULLY read printed sources, preferably dated before 1900.  This article needs exquisite care, because some much confusion exists, even in printed sources. Sbalfour (talk) 23:31, 17 January 2019 (UTC)