On this date, the garrison of Fort Dearborn, in Illinois Territory, located at the mouth of the Chicago River in present-day Chicago, was attcked by Indians who had promised them safe passage out of the fort and to American-held territory.
There is some discussion today as to whether it was a battle or a massacre, but everything I've read about it points to the latter, even though not all of them were killed, just most of them. Women and children also died. Anyone not killed became captive.
The Indians were angered that the Americans had not lived up to their part of the agreement which was to leave all supplies and liqour in the fort. Instead, it was all destroyed. On August 16th, the Indians burned the fort to the ground. Americans later rebuilt it, but tore it down in the 1840s when it was no longer needed.
A Red-Letter Date in Chicago History. --Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
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