The Battle of Point Pleasant
October 10, 1774 started with Virginia hunters looking for deer near Point Pleasant. Instead, they found 800 Shawnee warriors ready for battle.
Chief Cornstalk had crossed the Ohio River to stop Colonel Andrew Lewis and his 1,000 militia from linking up with Lord Dunmore’s forces.
The bloody fight that followed lasted all day, with brutal hand to hand combat. Many call it the first battle of the Revolutionary War, fought six months before Lexington and Concord.
Here’s what happened at this clash between two worlds, now preserved at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park where you can walk the same ground.
Cornstalk’s Strategic Decision to Attack
Shawnee Chief Cornstalk faced a tough choice in early October 1774. Two Virginia armies threatened his land. Governor Dunmore came from the north while Colonel Lewis moved from the south. Cornstalk knew his warriors couldn’t beat both armies if they joined forces.
On October 9, he led 700-800 warriors across the Ohio River at night. They landed a few miles upstream from Lewis’s camp. Cornstalk planned to defeat Lewis’s army before Dunmore could arrive with help.
The Discovery at Dawn
Colonel Lewis’s men James Robinson and Valentine Sevier left camp at sunrise on October 10 to hunt deer. About two miles from camp, they found hundreds of warriors ready for battle. The Shawnee fired at them right away.
One hunter died while the other ran back to warn the camp. This chance meeting ruined Cornstalk’s surprise attack. Morning fog covered the river as drums in the colonial camp warned soldiers to get ready for battle.
Colonel Lewis’s Initial Response
Colonel Lewis thought the hunters had just seen a small group of warriors. He sent two groups of 150 men each to check and push back any threat. His brother, Colonel Charles Lewis, led one group along the hills. Colonel William Fleming led the second group closer to the Ohio River.
The two forces marched out around 6:30 a.m. in parallel lines through the woods. Neither leader knew they faced Cornstalk’s entire army. Lewis stayed at camp, expecting a quick fight.
The Ambush and Initial Casualties
Cornstalk attacked the separated Virginia groups right away. His warriors outnumbered them and fired with deadly effect. Colonel Charles Lewis, wearing a bright red coat, was shot early in the fight. He stumbled back to camp, told his brother he was dying, then went to his tent.
Colonel Fleming took three bad wounds – two in his arm and one in his chest. Without their leaders, Virginia troops started falling back in disorder. The Shawnee pushed forward, nearly overwhelming the retreating colonists.
Cornstalk’s Battle Leadership
Cornstalk’s loud voice carried over the noise of battle. “Be strong, be strong!” he shouted to rally his warriors. He moved all over the battlefield, directing attacks and encouraging his men. When he found warriors hiding, he made them fight.
Virginia riflemen tried many times to shoot the chief but missed. His bravery inspired his forces to fight hard. Most Native leaders liked quick strikes and movement. Instead, Cornstalk chose to stand and fight directly, knowing retreat meant facing two combined armies later.
The Intensity of the Combat
The battle raged for hours as gun smoke mixed with morning fog. Many fights turned into hand-to-hand combat. Shawnee warriors charged right up to Virginia gun barrels. Colonial soldiers fought with rifle butts and knives when enemies got close.
This battle lasted three to four hours – much longer than normal frontier fights that usually ended within an hour. Blood soaked the fall leaves as fighting spread across a mile-wide area. Neither side gained a clear advantage during the morning.
Colonel Lewis Commits Full Forces
After half an hour of fighting, the sounds of heavy gunfire and wounded men returning to camp showed Colonel Lewis this was a major battle. He sent all his remaining troops forward to help his damaged front line.
As more colonial soldiers joined the fight, they slowly gained ground. The Virginians formed a line from the Ohio River to Crooked Creek. This formation stopped Shawnee attempts to attack from the sides, forcing them to fight the now-united Virginia army head-on.
The Decisive Flanking Maneuver
Lieutenant Isaac Shelby led a key move along Crooked Creek. His men climbed the hill above the battlefield, threatening the Shawnee from the side. Captain George Mathews led another side attack that surprised Cornstalk’s warriors.
Cornstalk mistook these movements for the arrival of reinforcements from Dunmore’s northern army. He thought fresh troops had joined the battle. This mistake proved decisive. Thinking he now faced too many enemies, Cornstalk changed his plan.
Shawnee Retreat Across the Ohio
Around 5 p.m., after fighting all day, Cornstalk ordered his warriors to pull back. The Shawnee retreated in good order rather than running away in panic. Warriors crossed back over the Ohio River to safety.
Shawnee fighters carried their wounded with them. They also threw many dead warriors into the river so Virginians couldn’t count their losses. The battle ended as darkness fell. Virginia forces held the field but had too many casualties to chase the Shawnee across the river.
The Battle’s Heavy Toll
The colonial forces paid a high price. Virginia militia lost about 75 killed and 140 wounded – one-fourth of Lewis’s entire army. Among the dead were Colonel Charles Lewis and Colonel John Field, two important officers whose leadership could not be replaced.
Shawnee losses remained hard to count since they removed most casualties from the battlefield. Historians think their losses were smaller than the Virginians’. Bodies of dead colonists were buried around the camp, with officers buried at the point where the rivers meet.
Visiting Tu-Endie-Wei State Park, West Virginia
Visiting Tu-Endie-Wei State Park, West Virginia
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park awaits you at 1 Main Street in downtown Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The compact 4-acre park offers self-guided walking tours of the battlefield with informative markers explaining key events.
Don’t miss the 84-foot battle monument and historic Mansion House Museum, built in 1796, which houses military artifacts and period furniture. The park hosts the annual Battle Days festival each October with reenactments.
Picnic areas welcome visitors year-round. The park allows photography but prohibits metal detecting or artifact collecting. Accessible pathways make the site navigable for all visitors.
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