Lord Dunmore's War (apr 26, 1774 – oct 19, 1774)

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A conflict between Virginian settlers and Shawnee and Mingo tribesmen. The war was named after Virginia Governor John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore, who convinced the Virginia House of Burgesses to declare war with the Native Americans to push them out of the upper Ohio Valley. Virginia had signed previous treaties with the Iroquois Confederacy, who had control over the area, in order to gain rights to the land. However, other tribes like the Shawnee refused to recognize the treaty and did not leave. Nevertheless, settlers continued pushing west until October 9, 1773, when a group of Virginian men was attacked by Delawares, Cherokees and Shawnees. Though attempts were made by Captain Micheal Cresap, leader of the settlers in Ohio, to keep the peace, too many settlers wanted war. It was declared on April 26, 1774, with fighting beginning at Pipe Creek the next day. On April 30, a group of settlers brutally attacked defenseless relatives of the Mingo leader Logan in an event known as the Yellow Creek Massacre. Lord Dunmore organized a militia force, hoping that the war would divert Virginians' attention away from the protests in New England. Colonel Andrew Lewis established Point Pleasant on October 6 and was ambushed there by warriors led by Chief Cornstalk four days later. The Native American Ohio Confederate forces were defeated, and as Dunmore's forces pushed deeper into their territory peace negotiations opened. The Treaty of Camp Charlotte was signed on October 18, which ended the conflict between the Virginians and the Shawnee. The Shawnee also had to agree to stop hunting south of Ohio and harassing white settlers in the area. However, the Mingo refused to sign the treaty, leading Major William Crawford to destroy their nearby village of Seekunk. The Mingo surrendered soon after. However, peace did not last, with the Shawnee attacking Virginian settlers as early as March 1775. Dunmore's hopes of distracting the Virginians were not fulfilled, with the colonists even declaring the willingness to use force to defend their rights if necessary.

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